Cwm Bach - A South Wales Branch Line

[81A Oldoak]

A new small project will be to finish a Minerva 57XX 0-6-0PT as 7788 shown here still with GWR insignia in 1961 at Ashchurch on the Upton-on-Severn branch train. She was allocated to 81D Reading at the time so doesn't really fit into Cwm Bach. However, if 7788 could be detached to run on an ex-Midland Railway branch a long way from her home shed, then it takes only the stroke of my special "Rule One" pen to reallocate her to 86J Aberdare. The fortunate absence of the shedcode plate will help to maintain the fiction. I expect work to progress slowly. 

 

Regards,

 

Chris

 

[Hal Nail]

Photos of the 57XX as requested. They are available immediately from stock.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

Very good, thanks. Sods law having trawled through my books, the St Blazey locos I’ve seen were riveted (albeit somewhere under an inch of grime) so will have to wait a little longer.

[bgman]

Good morning Chris.

 

Silly question please.

 

May I ask what the oblong panel is beside the chimney on the loco ?  It appears on the offside front left as pointed out.

 

I haven't seen this on photographs and wondered what it represents.

 

 

 

 

Grahame

[81A Oldoak]

Good morning Chris.

 

Silly question please.

 

May I ask what the oblong panel is beside the chimney on the loco ?  It appears on the offside front left as pointed out.

 

I haven't seen this on photographs and wondered what it represents.

 

 

57xx question.png

 

 

Grahame

It's definitely there. We think it is some sort of vent. Perhaps someone else can enlighten us.

[coachmann]

Superheater header pipe?  It is there on 57XX's but is under the tank on a 64XX but with an inspection lid.

[steveNCB7754]

A new small project will be to finish a Minerva 57XX 0-6-0PT as 7788 shown here still with GWR insignia in 1961 at Ashchurch on the Upton-on-Severn branch train. She was allocated to 81D Reading at the time so doesn't really fit into Cwm Bach. However, if 7788 could be detached to run on an ex-Midland Railway branch a long way from her home shed, then it takes only the stroke of my special "Rule One" pen to reallocate her to 86J Aberdare. The fortunate absence of the shedcode plate will help to maintain the fiction. I expect work to progress slowly. 

 

Regards,

 

Chris

 

 

Will also need the front tank steps and a whistle guard by the look of it.

 

 

Steve N

[Marshall5]

Superheater header pipe?  It is there on 57XX's but is under the tank on a 64XX but with an inspection lid.

The 57xx panniers carried the 2301 type boilers (class P) which were unsuperheated.  Could it be a cover for the oil pipes?  I seem to remember some discussion about this cover when the San Cheng/Tower 57xx came out.

Ray.

[Johng]

The 57xx panniers carried the 2301 type boilers (class P) which were unsuperheated.  Could it be a cover for the oil pipes?  I seem to remember some discussion about this cover when the San Cheng/Tower 57xx came out.

Ray.

 

I concur, the panniers I think where saturated, the 94xx aside, and then only the first ten being superheated. The cover is a cover for the lubrication system, if you look closely you can see the two isolation cocks with the 'saw cut' indicator markings, take a look at other GWR engines, there is a cover that bridges between boiler cladding and smokebox which in essence is the same.

 

The superheater header when fitted to a GWR locomotive was in the smokebox, not a nice place too work when it requires attendance I can assure you.

 

John

[81A Oldoak]

Will also need the front tank steps and a whistle guard by the look of it.

 

 

Steve N

Both styles of steps for the fronts of the tanks and long and short whistle shields are supplied with the models.

[81A Oldoak]

Some progress on a Minerva 57XX with most details and decals applied. Numberplates for 7788 from Narrow Planet are in the post. NB the strange spark arrestor is the top of a platform lamp. I have also attached another view of 7788 at Ashchurch in 1961.

[MarshLane]

Some progress on a Minerva 57XX with most details and decals applied. Numberplates for 7788 from Narrow Planet are in the post. NB the strange spark arrestor is the top of a platform lamp. I have also attached another view of 7788 at Ashchurch in 1961.

 

 

Nice work - I'm fascinated by the 1961 photograph!  Hadn't realised (although never gave it much thought) that locos still had GWR branding at that time, having not been touched since nationalisation.  Gives opportunity for something to run alongside diesels!!

 

Rich

 

PS. Chris, if you get time, have a look at my Marsh Lane thread - thanks to your inspiration, I now have a 3D printed centre-cab Fowler! Thanks for your help

[81A Oldoak]

Nice work - I'm fascinated by the 1961 photograph!  Hadn't realised (although never gave it much thought) that locos still had GWR branding at that time, having not been touched since nationalisation.  Gives opportunity for something to run alongside diesels!!

 

Rich

 

PS. Chris, if you get time, have a look at my Marsh Lane thread - thanks to your inspiration, I now have a 3D printed centre-cab Fowler! Thanks for your help

Rich,

I have just looked at the Fowler. Great job.

 

There were some remarkable survivors of pre-BR liveries. GWR 74XX 7428 was still carrying "GWR" in 1962 at Aberystwyth and Frilsham Manor had a similarly decked out tender in 1964. There's a prototype for everything.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[Regularity]

Although it doesn’t massively affect us as modellers - we model what is there - it is worth remembering that the lettering was largely hidden under grime, or barely there. The key fact was that there had been no repainting and hence no new lettering/crest/herald applied.

 

What you see in the photos is usually not the original lettering, but the work of an enthusiast with some chalk, tracing out the original line of the lettering and then shading it in. I doubt the real lettering was ever that bright!

[daifly]

This is chalk

 

This is grime

Dave

[Jack]

This is chalk

This is grime

 

Dave

 

This pannier is small

 

This pannier is far away ...

 

... sorry folks, been a long day!  Love the layout Chris, and the pannier which arrived a couple of weeks ago

[81A Oldoak]

These goodies have just arrived from Narrow Planet. I will be fitting 9610 to a customer's Minerva 8750. 7788 is for my 57XX with the old GWR livery and 6724 and the Bagnall plates will be for a Minerva riveted 57XX. As always, first class products from Narrow Planet.

[Andrew P]

Morning Chris, I'm looking forward to getting 9610.

 

Cheers

Andy. 

[81A Oldoak]

Morning Chris, I'm looking forward to getting 9610.

 

Cheers

Andy. 

Andy,

Just off to watch "Star Wars - The Last Jedi" and will try to fix 9610 later today.

 

Chris

[Andrew P]

Andy,

Just off to watch "Star Wars - The Last Jedi" and will try to fix 9610 later today.

 

Chris

No rush Chris, I'm busy with other things at the moment anyway, so PS is stored under the Kings Moreton Fiddle Yard at the moment.

[81A Oldoak]

A Very Pannier Christmas to you all.

[coachmann]

A very pannier, saddle & side Xmas more like haha......

 

And a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year to you guys.

[Miss Prism]

Courtesy of Kevin Dare (Didcot's "Mr Pannier"), here are a couple of pictures, the first of which (as enquired about above) is officially called the "lubricator & blower pipe cover" - it allows the pipes from the cab to come from under the boiler lagging, around and into the smokebox. There are two lubricator pipes, one to the cylinders and one to the regulator, these have the two square-headed shut-off cocks that protrude through, and also the pipe to the blower.

 

The second pic, in fresh green, is of the smaller box-shaped cover at the cab end, where the pipes exit the cab front and go under the cladding.

 

 

Edited December 18, 2017 by Miss Prism

[Barnaby]

Merry Christmas Chris K & Chris B.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LZpBjnOMYY

Edited December 19, 2017 by Barnaby

[81A Oldoak]

Work proceeds on my Minerva 7788. I have made a covering plate that clips into the bunker to conceal the Protocab Wifi equipment. It is a simple press fit and is easily unclipped to allow recharging of the battery. Unfortunately, the lamp iron on top of the bunker was an early casualty so I will probably drill and pin a replacement.

 

I have also fitted the number plates and buffer-beam pipework. The BR shedcode plate is missing per the reference photos of 7788 on the Upton-on-Severn branch in 1961. The vacuum pipes are from Laurie Griffin. The steam pipes are those supplied with the Minerva Pannier, but I modified them by fitting supporting chains made from simulated barbed wire from the Three Armies range that was used for the security fencing on my Tonfanau Camp layout. The photo shows how this was done and thechains are fixed in place with thin superglue.

 

7788 is now ready for the weathering shop. I will make a start tomorrow.

[81A Oldoak]

One of my projects over the Christmas break was to install the Protocab WiFi control system into a Minerva 0 Gauge 57XX 0-6-0PT loco. The system employs a compact wireless controller and a Locomotive Control Unit (LCU), lithium battery and onboard battery charger. On advice from Tony Hagon, MD of Protocab, I built a small harness from plasticard and fitted all of the on-board equipment in the bunker. Two leads from the LCU were connected to the motor and the current-collection wires from the chassis were disconnected and isolated. A small plug and socket under the footplae allows the superstructure to be disconnected from the chassis. The bunker will be topped with a removable plate that will be loaded with coal. A comprehensive video describing the installation is on YouTube

 

On testing, the engine runs faultlessly. I am still not used to it passing through points, crossing uneven joints and traversing dirty patches on the rails without any hesitation or stalling. I will try to upload a video clip showing 7788 running on bare boards at Tonfanau Camp. Because the loco is completely isolated from the rails I can run it on DC Tonfanau Camp or DCC Cwm Bach while still operating other locos through the rails.

 

I have yet to do a full endurance test for the battery with the loco on a continuous run with a load, but all is well so far. At this stage, it does not have sound, but I am sure that is only a matter of time, as is further miniaturisation of the battery and acceleration of the recharging cycle.

 

The cost of setting up is comparable to DCC sound. Next, I think I will build a kit loco without any current collection apparatus. The prospect of building a layout and locos without any of the impedimenta associated with supplying power via wires, switchs, rails, soldered joints, wheels and bits of springy wire scraping wheels is rather appealing. Stand by for further bulletins. The Protocab website is at https://www.protocab.com/about/introduction

 

Regards,

 

Chris