Hudswell Clarke Cab Interior Details and bonnet top?

[Beatty 139]

I though I would ask the question of the ever knowledgeable RMWeb folks, before I set off to trail around the UK looking at locos.

 

As I have the current project on the bench heading to completion rapidly I want to gather the information to finish another one of my half built loco, I started a BR Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 as per Birkenhead docks some time ago.

 

As these have no vac brakes I presume the cabs are purely industrial except maybe for a DSD treadle.

 

The other issue I have is the arrangement of the equipment/fillers on the top of the bonnet, I know that Birkenhead was equipped with high level filling lines for these locos as they were not fitted for ground level filling as per other BR classes. but non of the images or drawings I have make it clear how this was laid out, again I would presume this was as the industrial version as I am sure if BR had gone through it's usual specifications low level fillers would have been provided.

 

Has anyone got any better ideas or even photos? The curse of large scale modelling in G1 is you can see all the detail!

 

I know this is the Industrial section and I am asking about BR locos but I think the 10 Hudswell's were the closest BR ever came to ordering a 'stock' industrial loco as they were not even fitted with electric marker lights just extra lamp irons!

 

Any assistance appreciated.

 

Andy

[Michael Edge]

HC photo of cab interior of this type of loco - not sure what it is but the works number in the bottom corner is 903.

[Beatty 139]

Many Thanks Michael, that's just fantastic I understand the first batch of BR locos were W/N 898-902 so 903 stands a good chance of being close, out of all the Industrial diesels I have worked on and driven at various presavation sites over the years I have never driven or even been in a traditional HC I just love the steam regulator !!!

 

Out of interest do you have the key for the various items?

[Michael Edge]

Don't rely on consecutive works numbers - it could be a completely different loco but at least it's not an earlier one. I'll dig through what I've got (it's on another drive) and see if i can find the key and a photo of the loco.

[Michael Edge]

I can't find the key to the photo, or a photo of the loco itself but it's definitely not a BR one. This is the view in the back of the cab with references to flameproofing. Also the roof shape is wrong for D2500-9 so this may well be misleading.

 

[Beatty 139]

Many thanks again Michael for that, I did notice the cab front images had Buxton certificated switch gear and that it had the 'pointed' roof but I think the general layout would be similar and the images have the rear bunker fuel tank as per the BR batch, I had already come to the conclusion that the BR ones had the handbrake stand to the rear of the cab so, unless something better comes to light my model will be based largely on the layout of equipment as per the photos, but with more normal switchgear and conduits.

[EddieB]

Hudswell Clarke had separate number series for their steam and diesel locomotive production.  Diesels were generally prefixed by "D" or "DM" (the latter refers to mine locomotives, i.e. intended to work underground, not to denote mechanical transmission).  From what I can tell (I have yet to come across a full, consolidated list of HC diesels) the "D" and "DM" constitued a single series.

 

HC DM903 was a 3'0" gauge 100HP 0-6-0DMF (diesel-mechanical flameproof) loco of 1956 delivered to NCB Brodsworth Colliery (Doncaster area), originally no. 2.  I haven't seen any photographs, but expect its appearance would be quite different to the BR Birkenhead series.

 

Hudswell Clarke built many similar locomotives to the BR D2500 series and many still survive in preservation (in fact I saw one just last week, albeit with boarded up cab, but I cannot give the location as it was on private land).  The Port of Bristol operated a large fleet which were later sold on to various concerns - here's an example of one of their former HC locomotives (HC D915/1956) which ended up in industrial service at Charleroi, Belgium.  Unfortunately the locomotive appears to have been scrapped a couple of years after these pictures (taken in 1999).  Despite the invitation presented by an open cab door, these are the nearest I took to interior shots!

 

 

Edited October 27, 2014 by EddieB

[steaming_chris]

Mike Cottam has some interesting Hudswell Clark pictures on his Flickr page

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimctomcat/9552181041/in/photostream/

 

Regards, Chris

[Barry O]

Gents 

 

would the info below help?

 

 

Baz

Edited October 30, 2014 by Barry O

[Beatty 139]

Thanks for that Baz, do you have an indercation as to what loco that drawing is for? The BR ones were built 1955-56 as HC 898-902/938-942 and were 204 HP as the cover of your book, the triangular gauge panel is intriguing as it looks like something that you can just make out through a window in one of the photos.

The general controls are very similar to the second batch of BR Hudswells D2511-19.

Out of interest does your book have any infomation about controls at the rear of the cab?

Many thanks again for posting.

[Barry O]

Unfortunately the only thing it does say is that it was printed in December 1960 and the line drawings in it are all of a piano front.

 

It has no info on the controls at the back of the cab unfortunately. 

[steaming_chris]

Hello Baz

 

that diagram brought back many memories of riding the footplate at PBA Avonmouth. I'll be darned if I cant remember what "item 8 - scoop handle" was for. Does the handbook explain this ?

 

Regards, Chris

[Barry O]

yes but I need to check ..I seem to think its something to do with the clutch... but don't hold me to that...

[rope runner]

At a guess, and if similar to the layout of a Thomas Hill then the scoop could be the clutch, which must be disengaged in order to change direction, then subsequently re-engaged?

 

Paul A. 

[Beatty 139]

Just to update the group, I finally found an image showing that the BR batch as used at Birkenhead were fitted with control desks and vertical handbrake wheels.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/24041160@N02/5330365229/in/set-72157611785219426/

 

So it appears that the post by Barry O is most appropriate for the BR locos

Edited December 7, 2014 by Beatty 139

[Ruston]

On 27/10/2014 at 07:43, Michael Edge said:

I can't find the key to the photo, or a photo of the loco itself but it's definitely not a BR one. This is the view in the back of the cab with references to flameproofing. Also the roof shape is wrong for D2500-9 so this may well be misleading.

 

Any ideas what the small handle that looks like a miniature regulator, just under the notice, is for?

[34006]

Could it be the rear sanders? The upright rod between that and the hand brake could be a fuel gauge.

 

atb

Phil

[Michael Edge]

I don't think you could operate sanders with that, the rod and handle coming up from the floor looks more likely for sanding.

[Ruston]

I think I've answered my own question. Looking at Mike's first photo of the interior and the electrical box looks to be heavy duty and with lots of bolts. I wonder if this could be flameproofed? If it is, and the rear view is the same loco, then the handle could be for ringing the warning bell.

 

On 26/10/2014 at 19:26, Michael Edge said:

HC photo of cab interior of this type of loco - not sure what it is but the works number in the bottom corner is 903.

It may be some kind of photo reference number. It can't be the works number as 903 was DM903, a 100HP narrow gauge mines loco.

 

Bell mount on flameproofed D615, at Chasewater. The handle would be in the right place on the other side.

As an aside, I don't think that the bunker is for fuel. That filler lid doesn't seem suitable for fuel. It's more likely a water tank for the exhaust flameproofing equipment.

 

Edited June 20, 2021 by Ruston