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Bachmann GWR Shunters Truck


gwrrob
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As I haven't collected mine yet has anybody got a pic of what comes in the 'goodies' bag?

 

When I've sobered up a bit I'll do you a photo of mine Mike. ;)

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Here's what's in the bag of bits.A pair of hanging type vac pipes included ,I think but these would interfere with the tension lock coupling but it would look nicer with them fitted.

 

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post-126-0-89287100-1388578456_thumb.jpg

 

 

Edited by gwrrob
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Just being picky, but shouldn't the lamps be tail lights (red glass)?

 

I don't know for sure but here's one with white lenses. http://www.tyseleylocoworks.co.uk/tlw/images100_2/9600_shunter_brw_v.jpg

 

Here is a nice end photo shewing where the hanging type vac pipes should go.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/svr_enthusiast/5491227289/

 

Here is one being used with a pannier tank.

 

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2951011

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Just being picky, but shouldn't the lamps be tail lights (red glass)?

What lights does the shunting loco carry?

 

e.g. which end is the tail end when shunting?

Sometimes it is moving forward, sometimes backward!

 

Keith

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What lights does the shunting loco carry?

 

e.g. which end is the tail end when shunting?

Sometimes it is moving forward, sometimes backward!

 

Keith

Quite right. Brain not in gear (its new years day after all!)

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Quite right. Brain not in gear (its new years day after all!)

It was meant as a straightforward question! (I don't know what the lamp arrangements are when shunting)

It wasn't something that was much photographed

 

Keith

 

For those interested in early BR period here is a picture of a 350hp 13XXX loco with shunter's truck, but no extra lamps!

 

http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrbg1333.htm

 

Note the chap with his pole by the adjacent track and the one riding on the step board.

 

There are several other pictures and info on Shunter's trucks in the B'ham area on Warwickshire Railways site

Edited by melmerby
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Shunters trucks would normally carry standard pilot lamps in the BR era (one red & one white) in GWR times and until Novemver 1949 it was a red lamp at each end, the loco lamp to go on the top bracket and no specific bracket named for the truck.

 

The 'bits & pieces' include 2 head lamps (obviously), the two hefty looking shunting poles and the pair of vac pipes - N.B.  not all trucks had vacuum pipes.  The other two objects look to be some sort of extended lamp bracket?

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There should be a couple of brake sticks, really. Some shunters I knew used the back of the pole, but it was frowned upon mostly, as a pole was not as strong as the stick.

 

Don't recall seeing a chock in real life. If the brake wouldn't make, then wired off to C&W for attention. Did see some half sleepers though! in fact, sometimes, a lot of half sleepers.... Bucket of sand, or two.... Spare coupling, sometimes hung on the 'hook'.

 

Ian

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There should be a couple of brake sticks, really. Some shunters I knew used the back of the pole, but it was frowned upon mostly, as a pole was not as strong as the stick.

 

Don't recall seeing a chock in real life. If the brake wouldn't make, then wired off to C&W for attention. Did see some half sleepers though! in fact, sometimes, a lot of half sleepers.... Bucket of sand, or two.... Spare coupling, sometimes hung on the 'hook'.

 

Ian

 

The well equipped Shunters Truck would usually seem to have come with a couple of spare couplings, possibly some fishplates and sprags (rerailing for the use of), several shunting poles and quite likely a brakestick or three.  Shunting poles were indeed not supposed to be used for putting down brakes unless they were the specially strengthened variety (which most yards didn't have) and having had fragments of one whistle past my ears at pretty close range I could quite see why it was verboten  :O

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 - N.B.  not all trucks had vacuum pipes. 

 

That makes it tricky Mike as they seem to be camera shy in most books I have.41734 might get them fitted and I'll let someone with photographic evidence prove me wrong. ;)

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That makes it tricky Mike as they seem to be camera shy in most books I have.41734 might get them fitted and I'll let someone with photographic evidence prove me wrong. ;)

 

Look at the allocation list and work it out from there - basically passenger yard trucks had vacuum pipes and freight ones didn't )no doubt folk will now roll out pics of all the exceptions to that rule of thumb approach).

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41734 might get them fitted and I'll let someone with photographic evidence prove me wrong. ;)

 

Rob,

 

I can give you the little bit of information I have on 41734.

 

It spent its whole working life at Newton Abbot and was fitted with pipes for both vacuum (for brake release) and steam (for carriage heating), both of which hung down below the headstock. This particular 'Chariot' was primarily used on the carriage siding shunt duty (hence the pipes) paired with 2021, 57xx, 74xx, 94xx and from 1959 onwards 400hp diesel shunters. One account questions whether the steam heat was ever used on stock in the sidings, but it seems odd to have gone to the trouble of so fitting the M3 truck if it was not to be used. Another snippet I have is that the original angled lamp irons were replaced with the sloping variant on the toolbox (as per the Bachmann model) in May 1936. Additional irons were fitted to the buffer beam in Feb 1950.

 

There is a photo of it attached to a diesel shunter in GWRJ 26, obviously in a guise too late for your period.

 

Hope this is of interest.

 

Regards,

 

Andy.

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Rob,

 

I can give you the little bit of information I have on 41734.

 

It spent its whole working life at Newton Abbot and was fitted with pipes for both vacuum (for brake release) and steam (for carriage heating), both of which hung down below the headstock. This particular 'Chariot' was primarily used on the carriage siding shunt duty (hence the pipes) paired with 2021, 57xx, 74xx, 94xx and from 1959 onwards 400hp diesel shunters. One account questions whether the steam heat was ever used on stock in the sidings, but it seems odd to have gone to the trouble of so fitting the M3 truck if it was not to be used. Another snippet I have is that the original angled lamp irons were replaced with the sloping variant on the toolbox (as per the Bachmann model) in May 1936. Additional irons were fitted to the buffer beam in Feb 1950.

 

 

Thanks Andy.There should be a double like button for posts like this one. ;) Vac pipes will be fitted then.

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  • 3 weeks later...

So, has anyone found out where the two upright brackets are fitted to the wagon yet ? They look as if they should go against the tool box to hold the shunters poles ?

cheers

Jim

 

Are they intended to hand down vertically from the buffer beam, for the 'free' end of the vacuum pipes to clip onto, to prevent them swinging whilst the chariot is in motion. ???

.

Brian R

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Resolved, spoken to Bachmann today and they have explained the mysterious brackets, they are as outlined in the above posts brackets that hang down alongside the vac hoses. They cannot be fitted if you use the coupling. I have managed to fit the vac hoses onto mine without any trouble. Job sorted !

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There's a review of the Bachmann shunter's truck (with a listing of the prototype trucks) by John Emerson online at:

 

https://www.model-railways-live.co.uk/Reviews/240/Bachmann_Shunters_Truck_reviewed_by_John_Emerson/

 

The two models represent different builds of truck - the Bachmann is a Diagram M3 whereas the Hornby is a later M4 Diagram.

 

Well, the report says Bachmanns trucks cover both diagrams.

 

Mind you, it also says the BR version has the lamp irons on the toolbox, which is at odds with the picture!

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  • 5 months later...

They were indeed departmental wagons Miss P - hence the 'OD' branding (which meant Operating Department of course - as opposed to, say, ED for Engineering Department).  Having stood right next to a couple of them in Reading West Junction Yard during most hours of the 24 back in the late 1960s they were very definitely black beneath the grime.  In fact in places there wasn't too much grime because Shunters riding on the footboards brushed against the wagon and any loose dirt tended to be 'brushed' off leaving relatively clean and shiny patches.

 

I don't doubt that at some time some might have been lettered in white but my recollection of the markings is that they usually tended to be grubby because they were within the channel of the solebar and thus didn't get the brushing against them that happened on some areas.  All the wooden areas were presumably unpainted as there never seemed to be any trace of paint on them  - just well weathered timber.

Noting that all wooden areas would be just well weathered timber I tried to portray that on my version, but does anyone know if there was ever a Shunters Truck based at Oswestry?! if not, I have to fall back to the 'modeller's licence'. Rationale: my planned layout will be based on the N&W route around Craven Arms. This (under the Terms & Conditions of the Modeller's Licence :) ) allows for a Pannier visiting from Hereford, a Shunters Truck on loan from Oswestry, a Toad to be returned to Machynlleth and Eastern iron ore hoppers coming back from Newport!

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