ModelRail USTC 0-6-0 Tank Loco Project USA

[GreenGiraffe22]

1 hour ago, Graham_Muz said:

 

It's a Warley weekend offer and will end Sunday evening .

 

I better make a decision! (I am SO indecisive)

[Graham_Muz]

1 minute ago, GreenGiraffe22 said:

 

I better make a decision! (I am SO indecisive)

 

Go on, go on, go on...

 

Pictures courtesy and copyright C Nevard / Model Rail

Edited November 26, 2020 by Graham_Muz

[MrTea]

8 minutes ago, Graham_Muz said:

 

Go on, go on, go on...

 

Pictures courtesy and copyright C Nevard / Model Rail

I’ve caved in and ordered a BR green one. Planning to change the buffer heads and renumber as 30072 as I remember it from trips to the Worth Valley as a kid. 
 

Anyone got any recommendations for good DCC chips for these? I know they have a 6 pin socket but there do seem to be quite a few options for small decoders including the obvious Bachmann one. 

[Graham_Muz]

1 hour ago, MrTea said:

I’ve caved in and ordered a BR green one. Planning to change the buffer heads and renumber as 30072 as I remember it from trips to the Worth Valley as a kid. 
 

Anyone got any recommendations for good DCC chips for these? I know they have a 6 pin socket but there do seem to be quite a few options for small decoders including the obvious Bachmann one. 

 

30064 looks good in green as she simmers on shed at Canute Road Quay.

 

I cant help with your DCC question as I only use one C. 

 

[LBSC123]

3 hours ago, Graham_Muz said:

 

It's a Warley weekend offer and will end Sunday evening .

 

This was news I didn't need to see, having seen on of the Yugoslavian derivatives working in the Zenica coal mine back in 2014 these have always been a favourite class of mine....

 

[JSpencer]

I saw that and thought about getting a 4th USA  tank, but my money went on a J70 also reduced of which I have none. In fact this week, I have filled in quite a few nice-to-haves (a class 121, a Heljan Lyn, a Barclay tank) and this on top of a 2-Hap and a Beattie Well Tank. And all just before the xmas postal rush I hope.

[PMP]

 

Five years ago the engineering EP’s ran faultlessly across the Warley 2015 weekend on Shelfie. All three ran (DC), constantly, very rarely hesitating. I was so impressed I actually bought one when they were released.

[No Decorum]

1 hour ago, PMP said:

 

Five years ago the engineering EP’s ran faultlessly across the Warley 2015 weekend on Shelfie. All three ran (DC), constantly, very rarely hesitating. I was so impressed I actually bought one when they were released.

They are outstanding models. I got four before I managed to get myself under control and I still have a hankering for the K&WV one just because I like it. If only it were easy to fit sound to them.

[Pacific231G]

On 24/11/2020 at 14:26, Steamport Southport said:

 

Bought diesels?

 

They were bought cheap and weren't expected to last ten years as they were so knackered. The other railways looked at them but didn't bother as they were so poor. The GWR built their own version and the LNER ordered another batch of antiquated J72s.

 

They were a stop gap and was hardly used after the 07s turned up. Most of the survivors ended up as shed pilots or departmental stock.

 

 

Jason

I'm surprised at that Jason. I always understood that the 14 (+1 for spares) S100s bought by Bulleid were war surplus locos that had been kept in store at Newbury rather than going over to Europer after D Day so how would they have been "knackered".  Most weren't withrawn until 1967  either on or a few months before the end of steam on the Southern. A twenty year life wasn't bad going for a fast built wartime loco.

 

They also did well elsewhere. They were used in many countries for many years, including by ÖBB in Austria and  FS in Italy, though the largest numbers seem to have been the 106 that went to JZ (Yugoslavia also built 90 of their own version of course) and the 80 that remained in France.

 

In 1948 SNCF bought 77 of the hundreds that had been brought over by the USATC (so they had presumably been working since 1944 some of that time "borrrowed" by SNCF) and most of those lasted until 1967-68 with eleven having been converted to oil firing. Three more were bought by or for the local CF des Bouches de Rhone (The round number of 80 does rather suggest a government purchase) 

 

The SNCF ones were mainly used as dock and depot shunters. Most larger depots in every region seem to have had one or two of them  but those serving major ports often had a small fleet with, for example, 8 at Cherbourg and 7 at Le Havre (in 1962)  and they appeared even in fairly small ports like Fecamp. They were never AFAIK fitted with Westinghouse pumps or speed recorders (so couldn't be used as line locos) though I think the Bouches de Rhone three may have been. 

 

Though the SR's  14 were bought for and associated with Southampton docks, I'm pretty sure I've seen photos of one of them working on the quays at Littlehampton. The NCB also bought three of them as war surplus and used them on Tyneside though those don't seem to have lasted very long. There's a reference in Wiki to the Austin Motor Company having them as well- presumably at Longbridge. 

 

I'm also wondering why, of the many railways that used them post war, the SR seems to have modified them the most heavily. Was that just because of the need, at Southampton Docks, for them to be able to handle and heat passenger stock? 

 

 

Edited November 27, 2020 by Pacific231G

[MrTea]

Mine arrived this morning. Fantastic service from Model Rail/Kernow!

 

...just about managed to intercept the postman before my missus got there!

[GreenGiraffe22]

I've gone for one in USA Army livery =)

 

It'll be suitable even if I'm having a post-war day on the layout 

 

https://mikemorant.smugmug.com/Trains-Railways-British-Isles/SR-and-BRS/SR-tank-engines/i-RXjFxfV

[MikeParkin65]

4 hours ago, No Decorum said:

They are outstanding models. I got four before I managed to get myself under control and I still have a hankering for the K&WV one just because I like it. If only it were easy to fit sound to them.

Haven't got one myself but equally tempted. This wont help lessen the temptation https://www.youchoos.co.uk/Index-Resource.php?L1=Guides&Item=OOSRUSA 

[Philip Jackson]

I ummmd and ahhhd about the kwvr one for some time. Then saw the offer and I had to have one, i just had to

[No Decorum]

2 hours ago, Philip Jackson said:

I ummmd and ahhhd about the kwvr one for some time. Then saw the offer and I had to have one, i just had to

I’m glad to hear that. I have all the will power of a limp lettuce and have just ordered one as well. Coming up to Christmas too, when my outflow exceeds my inflow by many times.

[GreenGiraffe22]

arrived already in less than 24 hours!

 

10/10

[JSpencer]

15 hours ago, No Decorum said:

 Coming up to Christmas too, when my outflow exceeds my inflow by many times.

 

Yeah, all these special offers this week on top of a 2-HAP too.... I could quite easily have brought 10 locos but remained wise by buying just six.....and some wagons.... and.....

[MrTea]

Lovely:

 

Does anyone know if the smaller buffer heads on MR-108 are available separately as spares? Or what a close equivalent after market alternative would be? I’m sure I could replace the buffers with alternatives but I’m hoping   I can just swap the heads then I won’t need to repaint etc.

 

Also, is the green used on MR-104A the same shade as that on MR-110? There seem to be some alternative shots of ‘Maunsell’ around where the green is a bit more malachite? The green used on 30072 in the late 1980s early 90s certainly seems brighter from the old photos I have of it at the KWVR. 

[PMP]

1 hour ago, MrTea said:

Lovely:

 

Does anyone know if the smaller buffer heads on MR-108 are available separately as spares? Or what a close equivalent after market alternative would be? I’m sure I could replace the buffers with alternatives but I’m hoping   I can just swap the heads then I won’t need to repaint etc.

 

Also, is the green used on MR-104A the same shade as that on MR-110? There seem to be some alternative shots of ‘Maunsell’ around where the green is a bit more malachite? The green used on 30072 in the late 1980s early 90s certainly seems brighter from the old photos I have of it at the KWVR. 

This might give part of the answer, I recall that there were two correct shades of green used, different loco’s as a second run of the BR green versions were run. @dibber25 might be able to confirm.

 

Edited November 29, 2020 by PMP

[dibber25]

1 hour ago, MrTea said:

Lovely:

 

Does anyone know if the smaller buffer heads on MR-108 are available separately as spares? Or what a close equivalent after market alternative would be? I’m sure I could replace the buffers with alternatives but I’m hoping   I can just swap the heads then I won’t need to repaint etc.

 

Also, is the green used on MR-104A the same shade as that on MR-110? There seem to be some alternative shots of ‘Maunsell’ around where the green is a bit more malachite? The green used on 30072 in the late 1980s early 90s certainly seems brighter from the old photos I have of it at the KWVR. 

No, sorry, we don't carry any component spares. The green shade(s) replicate those used by BR not preservation. (CJL)

[MrTea]

2 hours ago, dibber25 said:

No, sorry, we don't carry any component spares. The green shade(s) replicate those used by BR not preservation. (CJL)

Thanks Chris. That was my understanding on both of these queries. 
 

Looking forward to trying out the model soon!

[PhilJ W]

Is it easy to re-gauge these locomotives to EM or P4?

[Wickham Green too]

11 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Is it easy to re-gauge these locomotives to EM or P4?

The only appropriate wheels are from Alan Gibson - but only available on eighth inch axles at present .................... if we all shout loudly enough Colin might hear our pleas !!?!

[barrymx5]

I bought mine in 2017 and fitted a Hattons decoder. Simple. 

[Mallard60022]

On 27/11/2020 at 12:20, Pacific231G said:

I'm surprised at that Jason. I always understood that the 14 (+1 for spares) S100s bought by Bulleid were war surplus locos that had been kept in store at Newbury rather than going over to Europer after D Day so how would they have been "knackered".  Most weren't withrawn until 1967  either on or a few months before the end of steam on the Southern. A twenty year life wasn't bad going for a fast built wartime loco.

 

They also did well elsewhere. They were used in many countries for many years, including by ÖBB in Austria and  FS in Italy, though the largest numbers seem to have been the 106 that went to JZ (Yugoslavia also built 90 of their own version of course) and the 80 that remained in France.

 

In 1948 SNCF bought 77 of the hundreds that had been brought over by the USATC (so they had presumably been working since 1944 some of that time "borrrowed" by SNCF) and most of those lasted until 1967-68 with eleven having been converted to oil firing. Three more were bought by or for the local CF des Bouches de Rhone (The round number of 80 does rather suggest a government purchase) 

 

The SNCF ones were mainly used as dock and depot shunters. Most larger depots in every region seem to have had one or two of them  but those serving major ports often had a small fleet with, for example, 8 at Cherbourg and 7 at Le Havre (in 1962)  and they appeared even in fairly small ports like Fecamp. They were never AFAIK fitted with Westinghouse pumps or speed recorders (so couldn't be used as line locos) though I think the Bouches de Rhone three may have been. 

 

Though the SR's  14 were bought for and associated with Southampton docks, I'm pretty sure I've seen photos of one of them working on the quays at Littlehampton. The NCB also bought three of them as war surplus and used them on Tyneside though those don't seem to have lasted very long. There's a reference in Wiki to the Austin Motor Company having them as well- presumably at Longbridge. 

 

I'm also wondering why, of the many railways that used them post war, the SR seems to have modified them the most heavily. Was that just because of the need, at Southampton Docks, for them to be able to handle and heat passenger stock? 

 

 

Saw a couple of PKP versions around Poland; I didn't see one in steam in 2003/4 but I have seen plenty of pictures of them working until the mid/late 80s IIRC?

[adb968008]

40 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said:

Saw a couple of PKP versions around Poland; I didn't see one in steam in 2003/4 but I have seen plenty of pictures of them working until the mid/late 80s IIRC?

Pkp version is a home nation design, an Eastern european copy you could say, but they arent the same.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fablok_TKh49

There is an 0-8-0 version too.

 

 

Some of the ones working until just very recently in the Balkans were copies of the USA tanks, made in Yugoslavia to the same s100 design. One of these was imported to the UK and numbered 30075, though there are some deviations from the original design.

https://midhantssteam.fandom.com/wiki/Represented_as_USA_Class_62_0-6-0_30075_USA_Tank_Lookalike

 

Edited December 6, 2020 by adb968008