GWR 54xx 0-6-0PT rebuild in 4mm

[Pierview]

My latest e-bay rescue is this GWR 54xx loco which I acquired minus wheels and motor. With more than a healthy share of pannier tanks already in my stud I might well have concluded that restoration of this one was simply not worth the time and expense involved. However the standard of craftsmanship looked very good and I didn't have a 54xx in my collection....Inevitably I gave in, made an offer which was accepted, and the said locomotive came into my possession. Upon examination I found that the body and chassis frames were constructed of nickel silver with some lost wax boiler fittings. It looks like it was built from an etched kit of some kind and I am curious to know the make. If any knowledgeable GWR experts have any suggestions I would be interested. The frames were fitted with a quite elaborate compensation set- up and I am assuming that the  wheels and motor had been removed to be sold separately.

 

 

 

 

I began the reconstruction with the frames, and as the compensation unit was damaged I removed it and substituted High Level hornblocks with a simple compensating rod soldered to the original pivot. I don't build compensated chassis locos very often but do one now and again to keep my hand in. I am no expert but follow the advice given by Iain Rice in his invaluable book on chassis construction. I am always slightly surprised when I make it work!

 

 

I  soldered in an extra spacer to strengthen the frames and added a High level Loadhauler + gearbox and 1020 motor together with a set of Markits driving wheels. The  original coupling rods and brake gear components were cleaned up and re-used.

 

 

The body had been very neatly assembled with lots of extra detail and although it had sustained  minor damage at the front end this was easily rectified. As I was portraying a locomotive later in its career ,however, I needed to fit some extra detail. The first thing required was a top feed which was a white metal item with pipework fabricated from fuse wire. Two extra footsteps were added to the LH side bunker and a whistle shield added. The latter also involved re siting the original whistles which were too far apart . There is also an extra handrail to be added when the cab roof is fixed into position.

 

 

The 54xx is now in the final stages of repainting and detailing and should be finished shortly.

 

Barry

 

 

Edited July 28, 2023 by Pierview

[Steamport Southport]

Can't think of any etched kits I'm afraid.

 

I know Westward, Nucast and Cotswold did them, but they were all whitemetal.

 

Thinking aloud, did Perseverance make one?

 

 

Jason

[Pierview]

I have now completed the 54xx restoration. The only class member that I saw in service was 5416 , probably at Westbury, so this is the identity for my model. I always try to portray locomotives that I saw but this isn't always possible. I suspect that  5416 should have the earlier "cycling lion" BR emblem but I had run out of transfers and used the later type. Certainly the loco was in lined green with the later crest by 1960 but I didn't want the complexities that entailed! Anyway it has been an interesting little summer project and now I move on to an SEF 61xx 2-6-2T in much the same condition as this one was. More to follow on that one ! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barry

[Captain Kernow]

That's a lovely job you've made of that.

 

I always thought that the Perseverance kit might have been for a 57XX rather than a 54XX. Certainly the only kits for a 54XX I know of were whitemetal.

 

Is it possible that it was scratchbuilt?

 

[Pierview]

2 hours ago, Captain Kernow said:

That's a lovely job you've made of that.

 

I always thought that the Perseverance kit might have been for a 57XX rather than a 54XX. Certainly the only kits for a 54XX I know of were whitemetal.

 

Is it possible that it was scratchbuilt?

 

 

Thank you for that.

 

I did wonder if it was scratch built but some parts have etched rivets and the pannier top shows what I think is other etched detail .On the other hand, I have been unable to locate a manufacturer's name anywhere on the parts that I can see. If it is scratch built it is to a very high standard, possibly incorporating some etched parts? The mystery remains!

 

Barry

[Captain Kernow]

Interesting. Perhaps it is part etched, part scratchbuilt?