Building "Tin Lizzie" (AKA DS74) - LSWR electric shunter

[Pierview]

Determined not to get side tracked into any more rebuilds of derelict white metal loco kits (at least not for the moment!) I decided to turn my attention to some of my unmade kits, and began with the Judith Edge DS74 Bo Bo etched kit.

I never consciously saw the prototype loco at Durnsford Road Power Station although as a schoolboy I must have travelled past the site by train on several occasions in the late 1950's and early 1960's. However I was probably far too busy  copping Arthurs, Nelsons and Bulleids and wouldn't have noticed such an humble machine. According to one source, staff at Durnsford Road referred to their elderly charge as "Tin Lizzie".  Over the ensuing  years I became intrigued by this archaic survivor and a couple of years ago my wife treated me to a Judith Edge kit as a birthday present.

I have limited experience of etched kits  and whilst I am still learning the ropes I am keen to push myself a little more. I have to say that this kit took me  out of my comfort zone at times but I managed to get there in the end. I did get stuck on the configuration of the resistance shelf frame but Mike Edge responded quickly to my e-mail to him and kindly put me in the right direction. I began with the mechanism.

 

The motor unit was constructed from a High Level Quad Driver  which I believe was specially developed for this kit. It has a 97:1 reduction and I enjoyed building the ingenious mechanism. Whilst the prototype was a Bo Bo Mike Edge has cleverly designed the model version as a 2-4-2 with the outer wheelsets pivoting on pony trucks as shown. The assembled version still seeming to be a Bo Bo.

 

 

 

Because this is such an obscure prototype I was completely unfamiliar with it and had to depend upon the limited number of photographs  in existence, together with shots of completed models by other folk. I will not dwell on construction details as I suspect this has been described on previous occasions by better modellers than myself. I did get some satisfaction in completing the kit though and have inevitably learned a little in the process. 

 

 

 

 

Quite what it is doing on my dockside layout with no 3rd rail is perhaps a matter for conjecture! I thought that this kit was very well designed and I am now sufficiently encouraged to consider other kits in the Judith Edge range.

DS74 has been sprayed with etching primer and the biggest challenge I now face is its final livery. I have read the discussions about this and the consensus seems to be that in BR days it was a faded green and very dirty .In the absence of a colour photograph of the beast I will have to do the best I can I think.

 More to follow in due course.

 

Barry.

 

 

Edited May 2 by Pierview
update

[Pierview]

I have now completed DS74 as shown here. The livery is very much conjecture as no-one seems to have a definitive answer. The only clues are that it appeared to be a dull green and very dirty. it is odd amongst SR departmental locos in that it carried neither markings nor its designated (DS74) number. Anyway, for better or worse it's done and now on to the next project....  

 

 

Barry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Oldddudders]

9 hours ago, Pierview said:

now on to the next project....  

Which is presumably a low-relief model of Durnsford Road power station, complete with the steep slope for DS74 to strut its stuff! 

[Pierview]

2 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

Which is presumably a low-relief model of Durnsford Road power station, complete with the steep slope for DS74 to strut its stuff! 

Interesting thought - but perhaps  not!