GWR 944 0-6-0T Project

[RosiesBoss]

Disclaimer

This paper describes the kitbashing of a 00-scale 0-6-0T inspired by GWR 944, making use of components already to hand – a kind of “scrapyard challenge”. The resulting model does not pretend to be a fine-scale example, but does represent many of the absorbed 0-6-0Ts  which ran in the Welsh Valleys. Rivet counters need read no further!

 

Introduction

What do you do with redundant Nellie bodies left over from using their chassis for such projects as 3297 Earl Cawdor or 3717 City of Chester?

 

 

Answer: Adapt them to another GWR model, using a modified chassis of a Bachmann Thomas 0-6-0T.

 

GWR 944, absorbed from the Llanelly and Mynydd Mawr Railway has a generally similar design with the same wheelbase. This loco was sold in 1928 into colliery service and remained in use as Hatfield No.4 until 1968. Photos seem to indicate that, as Hatfield No.4, the loco was reboilered, as the GWR safety valves disappeared and were replaced by pop valves mounted on the dome. The parallel GWR chimney was replaced by a taller tapered one.

 

I chose to model it generally as seen in an image taken in Llanelli MPD, where “Great Western” may just be seen on the tank sides:

Where possible, I have used components from my scrapbox or fabricated my own parts.

 

Parts List

·         Bachmann Thomas model

·         2 x Tri-ang Nellie bodies

·         Brass sheet

·         Handrail knobs – Markits

·         0.45 mm phosphor bronze wire

·         Chimney, dome & safety valve: Home-turned brass

·         Whistle: Cal-Scale  190-606

·         Buffers – from Thomas

·         Scale couplings – Ozzy Brass #75.2

·         Tank fillers: made from brass tube and plastic sheet offcuts

·         Front sandboxes – home-3D-printed

·         Finely-ground sodium bicarbonate plus super glue – used as filler

 

Construction

The Bachmann model was stripped:

 

The body and footplate were set aside for another project.

 

The motor/gearbox unit is too high for this project and contained redundant gears used for the moving eyes, so was modified to fit the rebuilt model.

 

As the motor/gearbox is designed to be screwed to the (discarded) body and thence to the footplate and chassis block, another system needed to be designed. I chose to make a new, rigid brass footplate which would include suitable brackets to hold the gearbox. This would also facilitate assembly of the body shell using Nellie components.

 

 

The Nellie body, from the side tanks back is a reasonable match to 944, although the cab front windows need correcting. The boiler needed extending, hence the use of a second body.

 

Bodies joined and some old details removed:

 

Cab roof and boiler join smoothed, smokebox gaps filled with epoxy, test fitted to footplate:

 

Splashers (salvaged from Thomas) fitted to footplate:

 

Redundant beading, whistles, chimney, dome & tank fillers removed; cab front altered:

 

Chimney, dome & safety valve were turned from brass, using the technique detailed in Ref 4:

 

Buffers, couplings, handrails, boiler fittings, beading and tank fillers added:

 

Sandboxes, steps  and lamp brackets added:

 

Finishing

The body was spray-primed. The chassis and wheels, as well as the steps were painted with Tamiya NATO black. The footplate, tank tops and splasher tops were painted in Humbrol satin black enamel. The smokebox and cab roof were painted with Humbrol matt black enamel. Tank sides and bunker were painted with Humbrol GWR green acrylic. Buffer beams were painted with Humbrol matt red enamel. “Brass” details were picked out in Humbrol “gold” enamel.

 

GWR lettering was made using HMRS Pressfix transfers. Cabside numbers were home-printed.

 

After allowing time for transfers etc to stabilise, the model was varnished with Humbrol satin clear.

 

Results

 

Reflections

The model is by no means a perfect representation of 944, but has made possible the use of many otherwise unused items from my scrapbox. It runs superbly and has more than adequate pulling power.

 

References & Further Reading

1.       RCTS “The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway – Part 10 – Absorbed Engines 1922-1947 (RCTS, 1966)

2.       J.H.Russell: “A Pictorial Record of Great Western Absorbed Engines” (OPC, 1978)

3.       http://www.gwr813.org/GWR944a.htm

4.       Guy Williams: “Model Locomotive Construction in 4mm Scale” (Ian Allan, 1979)

[SteveyDee68]

That is a really inspiring Nellie bash, and the photo sequence is a great guide for anyone wishing to do the same. I wonder - if assembled “t’other way baht” would the motor block still make ‘side skirts’ on the boiler necessary? (I’m squinting a bit and wondering if the motor block sits more to one end than the other on the chassis)

 

Not meant as a criticism - indeed, I have such a chassis ripe for bashing in a similar manner, and although others have put a (single) Nellie body on that chassis, your version does seem more ‘balanced’ overall and worth emulating.

 

Steve S

 

UPDATE

 

Further perusal of your photos shows the block is pretty central, so no is the short answer. Could the sloping section at the front be further trimmed, or would the block then disintegrate?

Edited January 4 by SteveyDee68
Further pondering

[RosiesBoss]

G'day, Steve,

 

Thank you for your observations.

 

I trimmed the chassis block as much as I dared, leaving just enough "meat" around the front screw holding its 2 halves together. As this ends up right behind the leading driver, I chose to leave Nellie's skirts in place to hide it.

 

Use of the Nellie bodies provided a short cut alternative to fully scratchbuilding  the body over the Thomas chassis. Even then, the offending screw would still have needed a skirt or some other way to hide it.

 

The Nellie bodies could have been used over a scratchbuilt chassis without the skirt, but I had been storing most parts in my "to do" pile for several years and so chose the approach described above to avoid the cost of purchasing a new motor and gearbox.

 

Regards,

 

Rob

[Halvarras]

A very nice conversion - looks convincing enough to those of us unfamiliar with the prototype (which will be just about everybody 😉!)

 

Isn't it gratifying to forge piles of long-idle bits into usable models? I seem to have spent much of the last three years doing this, including a major upgrade of my own 'Nellie', the first engine I bought in 1966 and, although it has been a serious distraction from the original intention - to work up a collection of newer models into desired subjects (mostly diesel rename/renumber) now that I've retired and have the time - I can't knock it when I look at what I've achieved, and for next to nothing. However I think the long-idle bits pile has reduced to a point where nothing sensible can now be constructed from it, so my New Year's resolution......well, one of them......is to get back to those rename/renumber tasks. I'll start on Monday.......probably 😁!