ian@stenochs Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 On 04/01/2024 at 18:33, Ruston said: I visited Dunaskin a few years ago. The fireless had been advertised as running on that day, so when I got onto the platform and saw it parked up on a siding I felt quite disappointed. Then a member of staff walked across the track, got in the cab, rang the bell and the loco moved off to collect some wagons! I had never seen a fireless in working order before and never expected that it would be completely silent when parked up. Unlike a normal steam engine there wasn't a constant hiss or any little leaks of steam to show that it was ready to work, hence me thinking it was out of use. The Barclay 0-4-0ST that was running the passenger service failed and although the fireless couldn't pull the train, due to having no train brakes, we passengers all took turns in cramming into the cab for rides, which was a bonus. Another odd thing about it was that it didn't have the usual screw-operated brake but some sort of over-centre weighted lever in the cab to operate the brakes. I presume this is common to all fireless Barclays. Fireless engines were very quiet in operation too. Hence most had bells fitted to warn of their approach, and save steam by not wasting it on a whistle! The exhaust also was just a whisper as the used steam, or water vapour by then, just excited to the atmosphere at very low pressure. The absence of back pressure on the cylinders makes them very free running so care is needed less they run away especially if running light. Ian. 1 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mol_PMB Posted January 6 Author Share Posted January 6 12 minutes ago, ian@stenochs said: ... care is needed less they run away especially if running light. Indeed. Whoops... It was rebuilt and returned to traffic afterwards: 2 1 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grow45 Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 The completed Underhill kit for inspiration. 10 3 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboSnail Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 Interesting thread, I've been attempting to build a "standard" 0-4-0F for several years, but never managed to get the chassis quite how I wanted it, and I didn't have the Allan/Allen book with the measurements at the time. I did make a model of an 0-6-0F in the meantime though, by measuring up the one at the Gretna munitions museum. Worth a visit just for that! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mol_PMB Posted January 8 Author Share Posted January 8 3 hours ago, TurboSnail said: Interesting thread, I've been attempting to build a "standard" 0-4-0F for several years, but never managed to get the chassis quite how I wanted it, and I didn't have the Allan/Allen book with the measurements at the time. I did make a model of an 0-6-0F in the meantime though, by measuring up the one at the Gretna munitions museum. Worth a visit just for that! Yes, as I discovered the 0-4-0Fs aren't as "standard" as you might think. Nor are the 0-6-0Fs for that matter, and I may add some more posts here in due course to cover those. Would be nice to see a picture of your model here! Cheers, Mol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboSnail Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 1 hour ago, Mol_PMB said: Would be nice to see a picture of your model here! It looks like this, runs on a Rapido J70 chassis, and hopefully you don't mind the self-promotion, but it's available as a kit here: https://www.oakhillworks.co.uk/shop/barclay-fireless/ Needs a couple of finishing touches and some weathering to tone down the rather lurid colour scheme, but it'll take a bit of courage before I get to that. 8 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold SHMD Posted January 8 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 8 A "Cameo" Fireless loco on 70s 80s "blue Diesel layout is quite attractive - due to the lack of smoke and wasted steam. (Industrial siding etc.) Hmmm...... Kev. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikeyfaz Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VixrQYaBvz0&t=19s&pp=ygUTZmlyZWxlc3MgbG9jb21vdGl2ZQ%3D%3D Not sure if you've seen this clip of some fireless locomotives in Bolivia. Mike 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboSnail Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 Found a photo of my old 3D printed 4-wheeler model in OO (sold it years ago, so couldn't just take a new photo!), it's a tad basic but I was pretty happy with it at the time. I was planning to redo the CAD at some point to make some improvements with information I'd picked up in the meantime, but never got round to it. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 Surely there must be a market for a RTR UK fireless? There are HO Continental ones that don’t look too out of place on a 4mm layout. steve 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Asterix2012 Posted January 21 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 21 Does anyone know why the cylinders are at the cab end on fireless engines? Are there any exceptions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold SHMD Posted January 21 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 21 20 minutes ago, Asterix2012 said: Does anyone know why the cylinders are at the cab end on fireless engines? Are there any exceptions? The last post on page 2, of this thread, has a NRM video explaining "A LOT" of what/why a Fireless Loco is/exists - including your question. Well worth a "view". Kev. It's railways - there are always exceptions! ;) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 1 hour ago, Asterix2012 said: Does anyone know why the cylinders are at the cab end on fireless engines? Are there any exceptions? AB 2049 of 1937. It was a special low height loco with a dropped footplate that meant the cylinders couldn't go under the cab and so had to go at the front. The only one in the UK with cylinders at the front. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mol_PMB Posted February 10 Author Share Posted February 10 On 20/01/2024 at 16:09, steve1 said: Surely there must be a market for a RTR UK fireless? steve Seems you're not the only one to think so, Steve! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mol_PMB Posted February 10 Author Share Posted February 10 At the other end of the scale in size was this beast, I think the biggest fireless loco to work in the UK. This was also a Barclay, 2329 of 1952. Photo recently posted by Kevin Lane on Flickr: 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrel Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 Glasgow museums have one but no longer on display https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/andrew-barclay-works-no-1571-irvine-no-1-0-6-0f/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 11 Share Posted February 11 On 10/02/2024 at 11:24, Mol_PMB said: Seems you're not the only one to think so, Steve! On 02/01/2024 at 18:02, 5050 said: I've rather fancied a fireless loco for a while and would readily grab an Impetus kit if I found one. However, Ruston and I did consider building a pair a year or 2 back (or 3 or 4!) based on the one at Locomotion Shildon and I turned a dome as a master for casting. Some suitable diameter tube for the boiler and we'd have been on our way. I'll have to have a quiet word and see if there's been any progress of late. See above. To be honest, I've only known about the Rapido one since about this time last year, so I can't blame the lack of progress on that entirely, but as soon as I was told about it I gave up any idea of scratchbuilding one. Apart from measuring up the ones at Preston and Shildon, I didn't get any further than preparing a drawing to make a pattern for milling the frames. I think it's great that there will be a RTR fireless in OO, and I'll buy a couple, but it does mean that everyone and his dog will have one and so it won't be the stand out model that a scratchbuilt one would have been. It would be nice to see a load of proper industrial layouts where a fireless would have been used being built for them to run on but then I thought that might happen in 2017, when Hornby announced the Peckett W4 and the layouts never materialised. A lot of people bought the models but most seem to be more into having a cute little engine, rather than modelling proper industrial railways for them to run on and I fully expect the same to happen with these. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 But will it be EM or P4'able? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Respite Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 On 06/01/2024 at 14:05, ian@stenochs said: Fireless engines were very quiet in operation too. Hence most had bells fitted to warn of their approach, and save steam by not wasting it on a whistle! The exhaust also was just a whisper as the used steam, or water vapour by then, just excited to the atmosphere at very low pressure. The absence of back pressure on the cylinders makes them very free running so care is needed less they run away especially if running light. Ian. That isn't my experience. I had footplate rides on both the WB and HL fireless at Huncoat Power Station. They had a decent enough chuff or bark to them. The yard was on a gradient and the locos would take up to 12 loaded 16 tonners to the tipplers, 12 being the most the headshunts could take. Even when pressure was low they still barked. I recall also visits to Lancaster power station when the AB 0-6-0 was in use. Even with only 4 16 toners on going up to the tippler it made a very agreeable amount of noise. Furthermore it had a whistle and it was used. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Asterix2012 Posted February 25 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 25 Are there any pictures of the recharging? part of the operation of the these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mol_PMB Posted February 25 Author Share Posted February 25 1 hour ago, Asterix2012 said: Are there any pictures of the recharging? part of the operation of the these. back on page 1, the Monsanto loco: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Asterix2012 Posted February 25 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 25 1 hour ago, Mol_PMB said: back on page 1, the Monsanto loco: Ah now I see I wonder if the pipe work behind the Croda loco in the next picture down is for the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busmansholiday Posted May 14 Share Posted May 14 I apologise for being rather late to the party (I hated parties anyway) but finally managed to pull my finger out and find this drawing I have a copy of. It references four locos supplied to Dorman Long (Steelworks) at Skinningrove (2269/70) and Lackenby (2328/76). It may be useful for anybody modelling one in future. 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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