Can't expect a Octopod to stay a Decapod! (A55 and her rebuild)

[844fan]

Hey all,

Been thinking about 0-8-0 tender engines and I know the Decapod was "Rebuilt" into a strange looking tender locomotive and I want to find out a fey things for my toy making. Speaking of modeling, on coupling rods if you want them to look scratched up like a working engine might have after a few years of hard work that, like a 0-4-0  outside cylinder would you go with a Brushed metal or scratched in circulation patterns to make the weathering.

 

Anyway my first question is were the buffer beams of the Decapod and her rebuild the same shape? I would think so but then again 80% of the Decapod has been seen inside the workshop from what I know, so the running boards could even be completely different.  Also the style of Firebox that Decapod carried is quite similar to the A1/3 and A4 type only much bigger. Was that style named like the square shaped Belpair Firebox? Just curious.

 

As is well known I love oddities, and the A55 is one for sure.

[Compound2632]

I presume you've read the article on these two engines on the Great Eastern Railway Society's website. You seem to be right in focusing your questions on the front buffer beam, since this appears to have been one of the few parts of the 0-10-0T used in the 0-8-0; quoting from that article:

 

"The ‘rebuilding’ was very much an accounting exercise, for very little of the original locomotive was actually re-used. Indeed, a photograph recently came to light showing the 0-8-0 complete with indicator shelters for initial testing, standing in one of the workshops alongside the original engine, still largely complete. The components that were re-used appear to have consisted of the two outside cylinders, the front buffer beam, and four of the five wheel-sets, which must have been heavily-modified as regards quartering and balancing. The motion appears to have been completely new, although the shorter connecting rods were made to resemble the originals in form! The boiler was a ‘stretched’ version of the current Belpaire ‘Claud’ boiler which – even then – appeared to be too short for the frames."

[844fan]

5 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

I presume you've read the article on these two engines on the Great Eastern Railway Society's website. You seem to be right in focusing your questions on the front buffer beam, since this appears to have been one of the few parts of the 0-10-0T used in the 0-8-0; quoting from that article:

 

"The ‘rebuilding’ was very much an accounting exercise, for very little of the original locomotive was actually re-used. Indeed, a photograph recently came to light showing the 0-8-0 complete with indicator shelters for initial testing, standing in one of the workshops alongside the original engine, still largely complete. The components that were re-used appear to have consisted of the two outside cylinders, the front buffer beam, and four of the five wheel-sets, which must have been heavily-modified as regards quartering and balancing. The motion appears to have been completely new, although the shorter connecting rods were made to resemble the originals in form! The boiler was a ‘stretched’ version of the current Belpaire ‘Claud’ boiler which – even then – appeared to be too short for the frames."

As I thought, thank you very much, Hurricane to my new engine it it.

 

Also I do find the info on her second Firebox  great, I was wanting to know the name of the Horseshoe/ round top firebox is called. 

 

Thanks again though.

[Wickham Green too]

I think a round top firebox is generally known as a round top firebox !  -  the wide firebox is often known as 'Wootten' type ( though that may not apply to ALL wide fireboxes ).

 

 

Edited May 4, 2022 by Wickham Green too

[The Johnster]

On 03/05/2022 at 11:15, 844fan said:

on coupling rods if you want them to look scratched up like a working engine might have after a few years of hard work that, like a 0-4-0  outside cylinder would you go with a Brushed metal or scratched in circulation patterns to make the weathering.

 

Coupling and connecting rods don't, in general, get 'scratched up' in use; they don't encounter obstacles that might scratch them unless things have gone very badly wrong!  They didn't keep the polished metal ex-works look for long either, though, unless we are talking about a top link engine hauling the company's flagship express.  Even regulalry cleaned engines will have the motion covered in protective grease, which quickly picks up crud; this, while not good for the appearance, helps to protect the metal surface from corrosion and wear.  So, for your hard working little 0-4-0, which I am guessing is an industrial saddle tank working in  a pretty grimy environment, heavy weathering in the form of brake block dust/track colouring in a matt finish, with a little gloss near the bearings at each end to show where the loco has been oiled that day, but keep them smooth, not 'scratched up'...

 

Industrials and other locos , including diesels with  rods, that worked in environments where there were likely to be men working close to them often had the rods painted red, or yellow, so that that these people were aware that there were moving parts in the vicinity that they had to keep clear of, and these colours showed through the crud to a greater or lesser extent.

[Wickham Green too]

On 04/05/2022 at 12:28, The Johnster said:

.......  rods painted red, or yellow, ......

Unusually among pre-grouping railways, the Great Eastern was actually in the habit of painting outside rods red - or,  at least, the webs of 'fluted' rods ................ presumably for the same reason that most ( all ? ) lines painted the innards of their locos in a 'light' colour rather than black - namely so that any developing cracks would show.

Edited May 5, 2022 by Wickham Green too