KR Models announce the Bulleid Leader

[Bluebell Model Railway]

3 minutes ago, bigherb said:

Getting the bogies to swing with the tapered body line and go around anything like trainset curves. mine struggles with 3'  radius. The bogie pivot does have to be further back but not enough to allow the body swing out too far and clout the lineside furniture.

Guessing this is a GA Kit? I did make one for someone a while ago, and we did manage to get it to go round 2nd, it was tight but we did manage somehow, it was only a small comprimise as the owner wanted it to be reasonably low while not compromising the looks (if it's got any) or running.

[bigherb]

10 hours ago, Bluebell Model Railway said:

Guessing this is a GA Kit?

No, it is scratch built.

[St. Simon]

22 hours ago, Graham_Muz said:

"detail, detail, detail..."

 

Ah, SK's first consultancy job is calling! 😉

 

Simon

[Phil Parker]

22 hours ago, cctransuk said:

when will they understand that all that 'mateyness' doesn't wash here in the UK? It grates on me, to the extent that it has the opposite effect to that intended.

 

Apart from Rapido and Accurascale, neither the bastions of formality. 

[cctransuk]

2 hours ago, Phil Parker said:

 

Apart from Rapido and Accurascale, neither the bastions of formality. 

 

Agreed - but at least we are spared the worst of the fairground, whip up the crowd approach.

 

John Isherwood.

[The Stationmaster]

28 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

Agreed - but at least we are spared the worst of the fairground, whip up the crowd approach.

 

John Isherwood.

And they post/publish stuff in comprehensible English.

[bigherb]

On 30/06/2023 at 11:05, Graham_Muz said:

I saw the newsletter too, unfortunately they have mixed up the Bulleid Pacifics "chain driven valve gear" with the Leader having been chain driven between axles with the sleeve valves being operated by an Oscillating mechanical gear. 
"detail, detail, detail..."

 

Funny that, all the pictures I have seen, show a chain drive from the middle axle to the valve gear.

[Garethp8873]

On 30/06/2023 at 18:55, adb968008 said:

Thats why I ordered via Rails (as with the rest of the KR stuff).

 

i want it, but not at my peril.

 

I ‘Fell’ over my self and learned that lesson.

 

😀

 

Off topic but this what I've been thinking might be the best route for me as well when it comes to the Big Bertha and the future GWR MICA Vans...

[Graham_Muz]

16 hours ago, bigherb said:

Funny that, all the pictures I have seen, show a chain drive from the middle axle to the valve gear.

Good point, I'll blame the Sicilian temperature and general annoyance at  a lack of actual news or clarity on any corrections made in the development of the model itself. It is noted that the released deco sample images have been carefully / conveniently / coincidentally (delete as you feel appropriate) posed as to not show the fireman's door side. At least the spurious duplicate reversing gear appears to have been removed. 

The phrase "Bulleid's unique chain driven valve gear" is that however usually applied  to the valve gear of his Pacifics whilst with the Leader it is the Sleeve Valves with the mechanical oscillating valve gear that is primarily regarded as the description (and Achilles heel). 

Edited July 2, 2023 by Graham_Muz

[adb968008]

On 27/06/2023 at 07:49, JSpencer said:

 

 

it does look a little tall, if you compare roofs lines to the carriage behind.

 

Those white lines remind me of treat or treat skeleton costumes at Halloween.

 

it seems to have acne at the front too, I hope they arent spotlights, but they look a little bit too big for comfort.

 

not sure what it is, but they looked more proportionate at Warley than the painted one above..

 

Edited July 2, 2023 by adb968008

[TrevorP1]

All of this is such a shame, when especially and remarkably for a ‘one off’ ( at least operationally) there is so much information out there, not to mention offers of help…

 

I’ve not given up hope but on the strength of what we’ve seen my wallet remains firmly closed.

[rembrow]

5 hours ago, adb968008 said:

 

it does look a little tall, if you compare roofs lines to the carriage behind.

 

Those white lines remind me of treat or treat skeleton costumes at Halloween.

 

it seems to have acne at the front too, I hope they arent spotlights, but they look a little bit too big for comfort.

 

not sure what it is, but they looked more proportionate at Warley than the painted one above..

 

Strangely, there is another photo on the SREMG site, the lead photo for the Leader topic, and that shows the loco as considerably higher than the coaches being towed. They look like Maunsell stock. I can't post the photo as that site specifically requires permission.

[adb968008]

1 hour ago, rembrow said:

Strangely, there is another photo on the SREMG site, the lead photo for the Leader topic, and that shows the loco as considerably higher than the coaches being towed. They look like Maunsell stock. I can't post the photo as that site specifically requires permission.

You can always share a link.

 (The one I used is a wikiwand url)

[rembrow]

3 hours ago, adb968008 said:

You can always share a link.

 (The one I used is a wikiwand url)

Unfortunately I wasn't able to copy the link on the mobile I was using, so have done it now via the laptop:

SREmG

[The Stationmaster]

As the height of the original engine is a matter of record then deciding if theh model is right or wrong should be no more than taking a measurement.   The Leader was high -  just a 1/16" lower than 13ft 1" according to a drawing in Keven Robertson's book so slightly higher than the original 'Merchanr Navy's.

 

And lie other companies the Southern had an awful lot of loading gaige restricted coacging stock or older vehicles built to earlier gauging requirements.

[bigherb]

Which means it is around 8" higher than even MK1 coaches.

[phil gollin]

.

 

The way the funnel is level (?) with the roof of the loco - I have always wondered how the smoke cleared the body and sides ?

 

Any reports from the trials ?

 

.

[cctransuk]

31 minutes ago, phil gollin said:

.

 

The way the funnel is level (?) with the roof of the loco - I have always wondered how the smoke cleared the body and sides ?

 

Any reports from the trials ?

 

.

 

...... as per Bulleid air-smoothed Pacifics - but they proved to need quite a bit of experimentation with external draughting in order to lift the exhaust to an acceptable extent.

 

I suspect that similar trials would have been required if the Leaders had not been abandoned.

 

I note that Bulleid's Turfburner ended up with a form of smoke deflector.

 

CJI.

Edited July 3, 2023 by cctransuk

[Graham_Muz]

34 minutes ago, phil gollin said:

.

 

The way the funnel is level (?) with the roof of the loco - I have always wondered how the smoke cleared the body and sides ?

 

Any reports from the trials ?

 

.

 

3 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

...... as per Bulleid air-smoothed Pacifics - but they proved to need quite a bit of experimentation with external draughting in order to lift the exhaust to an acceptable extent.

 

I suspect that similar trials would have been required if the Leaders had not been abandoned.

 

CJI.

Drifting smoke from a visibility perspective was not of course an issue with forward control locos such as the Leader, unlike with the air smoothed Pacifics. 

[cctransuk]

1 minute ago, Graham_Muz said:

 

Drifting smoke from a visibility perspective was not of course an issue with forward control locos such as the Leader, unlike with the air smoothed Pacifics. 

 

Driver OK - fireman fried and suffocated to death! Put your head out of the firing compartment for a quick cooler, and get a face full of noxious smoke!

 

No wonder they dumped the things!

 

CJI.

[Graham_Muz]

2 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

Driver OK - fireman fried and suffocated to death! Put your head out of the firing compartment for a quick cooler, and get a face full of noxious smoke!

 

No wonder they dumped the things!

 

CJI.

That's making an assumption that the smoke didn't actually sufficiently lift, which is not what I was implying. 

[cctransuk]

1 minute ago, Graham_Muz said:

That's making an assumption that the smoke didn't actually sufficiently lift, which is not what I was implying. 

 

Agreed - but I would be wary of a design such as this having an efficient blast when it comes to smoke-lifting.

 

Moreover, if what we read is to be believed, the Leaders were not intended for the higher speed services; (even if the idea that they were M7 replacements is a myth).

 

With the front end having all the aerodynamic efficiency of a brick wall, it would be reasonable to anticipate problems with smoke-lifting.

 

CJI.

[Wickham Green too]

50 minutes ago, phil gollin said:

.The way the funnel is level (?) with the roof of the loco - I have always wondered how the smoke cleared the body and sides ?

Maybe they cut an annular vent around the funnel chimney and the draught through that dirty great hole in No.1 end did the rest !

[Graham_Muz]

7 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

Agreed - but I would be wary of a design such as this having an efficient blast when it comes to smoke-lifting.

 

Moreover, if what we read is to be believed, the Leaders were not intended for the higher speed services; (even if the idea that they were M7 replacements is a myth).

 

With the front end having all the aerodynamic efficiency of a brick wall, it would be reasonable to anticipate problems with smoke-lifting.

 

CJI.

The final specification agreed by the the board (long altered from a potential source of the M7 replacement myth) was to be capable of hauling 500 ton trains at an average 60mph and with a route availability of approximately 95 of the SR network. 
 

Pretty much all the on trial run images I have seen show the smoke actually lifting quite high. 

[cctransuk]

1 minute ago, Graham_Muz said:

The final specification agreed by the the board (long altered from a potential source of the M7 replacement myth) was to be capable of hauling 500 ton trains at an average 60mph and with a route availability of approximately 95 of the SR network. 
 

Pretty much all the on trial run images I have seen show the smoke actually lifting quite high. 

 

Gold star for Mr. Bulleid, then!!😉

 

CJI.