Ixion Fowler Diesel Conversion - Bodgers Away

[81A Oldoak]

Cwm Bach is reaching the stage of construction when it is time to start thinking about the next project. I have in mind a 1950s/60s military themed project inspired by Tonfanau on the Cambrian Coast line, of which more later and elsewhere. The army camp will be rail-served and I have always liked the Fowler centre-cab 0-4-0 DMs used at RAF Stafford. See the photos here:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/johngreyturner/3849464057

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/johngreyturner/3850259772/in/photostream/

 

The chassis is the same as, well very similar to the Ixion Fowler. So using donor parts from a rare faulty return and an engineering prototype I have decided to convert the Ixion original to a centre cab version. At this stage I should post a public health warning. This conversion involves the severe butchery and mutilation of innocent locomotives, a complete disregard for proper planning and design and total disrespect for rivet counting. Instead this project follows the Claude Monet school of modelling with the intention of creating an impression of the prototype. Consequently, it will be best appreciated from a distance through squinting eyes. I suppose it's like a David Smith project, but without the skill and finesse.

 

Stand by.

 

Chris

 

 

[peter220950]

I shall be watching this one with interest, some weeks ago I bought some bits on Ebay

 

And had already had similar impure thoughts for a freelance industrial based on........

 

 

 

So keep the pictures coming, I haven't dared take the body off one so it will be good to see what's going on inside.

 

Is there likely to be any butchery to the chassis??    Pretty please?

 

Peter

[81A Oldoak]

Okay, if you are sitting comfortably, preferably with a mug of hot Gunfire at your side, then let us begin. As I warned in the opening post, this project follows the Claude Monet impressionist school of modelling, sometimes known as "the-make-it-up-as-you-go-along" approach. Here is the step-by-step work so far. Note that the cab and bonnets are sitting loosely on the footplate.

 

Chassis and footplate.

1. Remove the superstructure from the chassis. The good news is that the chassis requires no alterations.

2. Cut the the footplate from a sheet of black 80 thou plasticard 121mm x 49mm. From the chassis measure and cut a hole in the centre cut to clear the motor and gears. Test for fit

3. Measure and cut the buffer beams from 30 thou plasticard to 49mm x 18mm.Cut two strips of 30 thou to 49mm x 7mm and round the corners to represent the ballast weights on the buffer beams.

4. Fit the weights to the buffer beams and round of the corners.

5. Cut the buffer mounting blocks from plastic strip 6mm x 3mm x 10mm and fix in place. I used evergreen strip 6mm x 3mm.

6. Measure up and cut the coupling mounting plate from 10 thou plasticard. Impress four mounting rivets from the river and glue in place in the buffer beam. Measure up and drill out slots for the couplings.

7. Measure and mark the buffer beams for fixing bolts. I then attached cosmetic hexagonal bolt head from a sheet of cosmetic polystyrene nuts and bolts designed for military modellers (Meng Supplies SPS-008 Set C).

8. Attach the buffer beams to the fottplate and leave to set hard. I have made the footplate a tight interference fit over the chassis side frames that should mean I don't need to use screws, nuts or bolts to hold the superstructure in place on the chassis.

9. Measure and cut a rectangle of 10 thou plasticard to overhang the black card and buffer beams by 1mm and the sides by 1.5mm. Mark and emboss fixing rivets around the edge and glue in place. When set, cut the clearance whole for the motor in the 10 thou overlay.

10. Measure, cut and attach valences to the sides of the footplate underneath the overlay.

 

The cab.

1. All I needed from cab were teh front and rear cabsheets, spectacles and  roof. The front, rear and side cab sheets are moulded integrally with the cab roof.

2. Shorten the cab's length from 47mm to whatever length you want by making two cuts either side of the centre.

3. Cut away the cabside sheets, clean up and glue the the residual cab parts together along the roof using scrap plasticard to strengthen the joint on the underside of the cab roof.

4. When hard, fill the joint with a suitable filler, allow to set and then sand to finish.

5. While the roof is setting, mark and cut new cab sides. I used clear plasticard with an overlay of 15 thou to give a near flush-glazed effect. I decided to make the cab doors flush with the sides because...I am lazy. The white overlay overhangs the glazing by the thickness of the front and rear cabsheets to allow a stronger, stepped joint at each corner. Mark and emboss rivetting on the cabside overlays before fitting. Scribe the door joints. Drill and fit handrails, which were salvaged from the donor cab.

6.  Door handles need to be sourced and fitted to the cab.

7. You will be able to see the flywheel and part of the PCB through the cab windows, but the appearance is not too bad. 

 

The rear bonnet.

1. Take one of the donor bonnets. Remove the starting motor and lever.

2. Carefully cut through the bonnet between the upper inspection hatches.

3. Clean up and, if necessary square-off the cut face. Cut a couple of pieces of 30 thou plasticard to brace the inside of the bonnet.

4. Mark, emboss with rivets and cut a piece of 15 thou to the profile of the bonnet and glue in place.

5. Mark, cut and attach the inspection panel on the end of the bonnet from 15 thou. The securing levers and handle were salvaged from the surplus half of the donor bonnet.

6. The electric lamp comes from the accessory pack supplied wiith the Fowler diesel. I decided to mount it on top rather than embed it in the face of the bonnet because...I think it looks nicer.

 

The front bonnet.

1. This is work-in-progress.

2. Remove the starting motor and associated impedimenta.

3. Remove the chimney and file down the base until flush with the top of the bonnet.

4. Remove the oil lamp.

5. Attach plasticard inside the bonnet underneath the holes left by the chimney and oil lamp and fill the holes with scrap plastic and model filler. Sand smooth when set.

6. Fill and smooth the gap on the left side of the bonnet left by removal of the starting motor apparatus.

7. Carefully cut out the radiator grill and front of the bonnet. This will be replaced with some etched mesh that is in the post.

8. Cut and fit the exhaust stack from 2mm brass tube.

 

I will be salvaging the sandboxes and one of the air-brake compressors from the donor parts. Replacement buffers are in the spares box. Step ladders will be knocked up from plasticard.

 

There will now be a hiatus for a few days as I have to go to Nice au sud de France for a senior leaders' management meeting to discuss reinsurance at the Terre Blanche penal colony:  http://en.terre-blanche.com/ 

 

Regards,

 

Chris

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[81A Oldoak]

I shall be watching this one with interest, some weeks ago I bought some bits on Ebay

DSCF6020.JPG

 

And had already had similar impure thoughts for a freelance industrial based on........

 

DSCF6021.JPG

 

DSCF6022.JPG

 

So keep the pictures coming, I haven't dared take the body off one so it will be good to see what's going on inside.

 

Is there likely to be any butchery to the chassis??    Pretty please?

 

Peter

That looks like a very useful part and I reckon it will fit over the exposed worm and gear-wheel without alteration to the chassis. You will then just need some plating to cover the gap left by the removal of the transmission housing.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[steve fay]

Looking good Chris,

[shandy]

Very nice Chris

[Mike Bellamy]

 

There will now be a hiatus for a few days as I have to go to Nice au sud de France for a senior leaders' management meeting to discuss reinsurance at the Terre Blanche penal colony:  http://en.terre-blanche.com/ 

 

 

 

 

Not up to your usual standards - I see there are only 6 different helicopters to choose from . . . . . . .

 

http://en.terre-blanche.com/destination/access-map-resort/helicopter-access.html

 

 

What more can I say - except "Enjoy" 

 

.

[Mike Bellamy]

 some weeks ago I bought some bits on Ebay

 

 

 

That looks like a very useful part and I reckon it will fit over the exposed worm and gear-wheel without alteration to the chassis. You will then just need some plating to cover the gap left by the removal of the transmission housing.

 

 

 

 

That's the "Slimrails" GEC Style Diesel Loco designed originally for 7mm Narrow Gauge (O16.5 or On30) by Roger Chivers and now sold by his son Simon

 

Details here  http://www.slimrails.co.uk/indexlocospage.html

 

A bargain at £18 . . . . . . . .

 

.

[peter220950]

That's the "Slimrails" GEC Style Diesel Loco designed originally for 7mm Narrow Gauge (O16.5 or On30) by Roger Chivers and now sold by his son Simon

 

Details here  http://www.slimrails.co.uk/indexlocospage.html

 

A bargain at £18 . . . . . . . .

 

.

 

Simon

 

Thanks for that, I was going to resin cast a short end to do a similar looking conversion to the Fowler, but as you say at £18.00 it's a bargain. I didn't know what the bits came from, but they are just about the right size for the Fowler chassis.

 

Peter

[Mike Bellamy]

On the Narrow Gauge Forum NGRM-Online there were some photos of a centre cab loco that just looked like two of those kits back to back (can't link you to it as it's a members only forum)

 

By the way, I'm Mike and Simon is the manufacturer . . . . !

 

.

[peter220950]

Mike apologies, I can't read!

 

 

Thanks, I'll look it up, I'm also on NGRM

 

Peter

[Mike Bellamy]

 

For those who use the Narrow Gauge Forum, this is the link

http://ngrm-online.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16379-another-use-for-the-chivers-finelines-ge-switchershunter/

 

A lot of various GE locos here http://www.northeast.railfan.net/diesel119.html including this one http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/uss45.jpg

 

Apologies to Chris for taking the topic away from his excellent conversion work on the Ixion Fowler - looking forward to seeing further progress and the end result along with the plans for the new layout.

 

.

[mervyn]

Great bit of modyfying there Chris ! reminded me of "Highflyer" that used to be on the SVR..

[Ruston]

Very interesting, Chris.

 

BOCM used one of this type of Fowler at Selby. The radiator end was more like that on the Ixion model than the loco in the photos you linked to.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/28530-industrial-locomotives-in-the-late-80s-to-mid-90s/?p=305644

 

I always thought the whole thing was larger but it may be an illusion. Your rebuild certainly looks the part.

[br2975]

Bearing in mind the supposed location of Cwm Bach, you could find your prototype inspiration (aka justification) a little closer to home:-

.

https://opobs.wordpress.com/2015/05/27/bridgend-rof-locomotives-1/

.

Brian R

[81A Oldoak]

Bearing in mind the supposed location of Cwm Bach, you could find your prototype inspiration (aka justification) a little closer to home:-

.

https://opobs.wordpress.com/2015/05/27/bridgend-rof-locomotives-1/

.

Brian R

 

 

Very interesting, Chris.

 

BOCM used one of this type of Fowler at Selby. The radiator end was more like that on the Ixion model than the loco in the photos you linked to.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/28530-industrial-locomotives-in-the-late-80s-to-mid-90s/?p=305644

 

I always thought the whole thing was larger but it may be an illusion. Your rebuild certainly looks the part.

Thank you both for the links. The BOCM Fowler centrecab version has quite narrow bonnets that I don't think will fit over the Ixion Fowler's guts. That is why I went for the RAF version and the version at ROF Bridgend looks very similar. As I said at the beginning, my aim is to produce an impression of the real thing. I'm back from my business  trip so hope to make more progress over the next few days. I'm still waiting for some mesh for the radiator to arrive in the post.

[81A Oldoak]

A little more progress was made today on the Fowler diesel conversion. Postman Pat delivered the etched mesh I had ordered. It is from the Eduard range of detailing parts and accessories made for aviation and military modellers. I have also knocked up a headlamp so the Fowler now has a face. She also has a name and plates for "Monty" have been ordered from Narrow Planet.

Chris

[peter220950]

Looking good Chris, you are encouraging a second wave of sales! The mechanism fits perfectly inside the Slimrails body, just waiting for another kit to do the back half.

 

 

Peter

[kes]

I like the look of this project Chris - perhaps you should manufacture it!

Best wishes,  

Kevin.

[br2975]

Chris, hope this helps.

 

Knew I had this in my hard drive somewhere.

.

Not sure of the provenance of the photo - so if anyone knows of any copyright problems with it, please let me know.

.

Brian R

[Andrew Young]

Your conversion is coming along very nicely, will give some nice variety, often people underestimate how effective styrene can be for projects like this.

 

Where did you get the electric headlamps from?

 

Edit: having re-read your earlier post, I see the electric lamps came with the Fowler. My loco was missing the electric lamps, mine just had the oil lamps. Do you have any spare?

 

Cheers,

Andrew

Edited April 22, 2016 by Andrew Young

[Ruston]

 

Edit: having re-read your earlier post, I see the electric lamps came with the Fowler. My loco was missing the electric lamps, mine just had the oil lamps. Do you have any spare?

 

Cheers,

Andrew

I was not aware of electric lamps being provided. Mine must have been missing too.

[alaneggleston]

I was not aware of electric lamps being provided. Mine must have been missing too.

Mine too!

[81A Oldoak]

Your conversion is coming along very nicely, will give some nice variety, often people underestimate how effective styrene can be for projects like this.

 

Where did you get the electric headlamps from?

 

Edit: having re-read your earlier post, I see the electric lamps came with the Fowler. My loco was missing the electric lamps, mine just had the oil lamps. Do you have any spare?

 

Cheers,

Andrew

 

 

I was not aware of electric lamps being provided. Mine must have been missing too.

 

 

Mine too!

I have spares. Send me PMs with your addresses and I'll post thm to you.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[81A Oldoak]

Chris, hope this helps.

 

Knew I had this in my hard drive somewhere.

.

Not sure of the provenance of the photo - so if anyone knows of any copyright problems with it, please let me know.

.

Brian R

Thanks Brian. I have seen this through other means. Lots of inspiration.

 

Chris