Ixion Fowler Diesel Loco Update

[Dava]

I just wonder if this chassis would also fit other jackshaft-drive diesels, such as those built by Hudswell-Clarke? Away in Scotland at present so not able to check dimensions but worth a thought.

[81A Oldoak]

I just wonder if this chassis would also fit other jackshaft-drive diesels, such as those built by Hudswell-Clarke? Away in Scotland at present so not able to check dimensions but worth a thought.

The wheels are 3' diameter, but I can't remember the coupled wheelbase. I'm abroad and will measure it when I return home. Here is a Youtube link to a later Fowler on the Poulton Railway. It appears to have an identical chassis, but with a newer that is reversed:

 

 

 

Check out this video on YouTube:

 

 

For some reason the link won't paste, but go to Google or Youtube and search PWRS Loco First Run and you will be able to watch it.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad

 

 

Sent from my iPad

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad

[ngtrains.com]

I meant to post this yesterday but forgot

 

Just to reassure Chris whilst he struggles with the hardship of being abroad that the Fowler prototype does work once it has both the wires connected to the motor here it is annoying my entire 0 gauge wagon fleet

 

 

 

I can assure you it runs very smoothly and that any appearance to the contrary is likely to be down to my poor camera work, my not so smart phone or You Tube

[switcher 1]

Thanks for the video, good to see it up against some wagons, to get a proper idea of its size.

[Guest Isambarduk]

The coupled wheelbase is 5' 6"

[81A Oldoak]

The coupled wheelbase is 5' 6"

Thanks David.

[Andrew Young]

According to my copy of the Oakwood Press book on the North Sunderland Railway, the wheelbase & diameter is the same as for their diesel 'The Lady Armstrong'. The crank is set higher and a different design on 'TLA' unfortunately otherwise could be an easy scratch build if Ixion would sell you a chassis...

 

Cheers,

Andrew

[Dava]

OK, back from Scotland so able to check the Hudswell Clarke diesel dimentions against the Fowler to see if the Ixion chassis might be a contender for a HC version.

 

Acc. to Brian Reed's 1973 book on the British IC loco, HC did a standard 125hp DM loco of which many were built.

 

It had a wheelbase of 5'9" (Fowler: 5'6")

 

Wheel diameter: 2'9.5" (Fowler: 3')

The wheels are a slightly different pattern.

 

Length 24'

 

So the Ixion chassis is a close match but not exact, however HC did do many variations on their design.

 

Maybe an option?

[81A Oldoak]

OK, back from Scotland so able to check the Hudswell Clarke diesel dimentions against the Fowler to see if the Ixion chassis might be a contender for a HC version.

 

Acc. to Brian Reed's 1973 book on the British IC loco, HC did a standard 125hp DM loco of which many were built.

 

It had a wheelbase of 5'9" (Fowler: 5'6")

 

Wheel diameter: 2'9.5" (Fowler: 3')

The wheels are a slightly different pattern.

 

Length 24'

 

So the Ixion chassis is a close match but not exact, however HC did do many variations on their design.

 

Maybe an option?

So the wheelbase is 1.75mm too short and the wheel diameter 1.46mm under size. That sounds bearable to me.

 

I'm rather interested in this derelict centre-cab Fowler that is in store at the Derwent Valley Light Railway in York. The chassis looks the same as our model. There is a tantalising photo of a similar loco - it may even be the same one -  at the old AEI Lydbrook cable works in the Forest of Dean in Black Dwarf Lightmoor's superb new book "West Gloucestershire & Wye Valley Lines". I wonder if I can persuade Paul Martin of EDM Models to pop over and take a few shots and measurements?

[switcher 1]

That would make a good partner loco/body replacement for the soon to be released Fowler.

[ngtrains.com]

I wonder if I can persuade Paul Martin of EDM Models to pop over and take a few shots and measurements?

 

Yes. Leave it with me. We're recording Woodbine this week so I am out of time but I also plan to record Churchill at the DVLR when I can arrange it. As its about twenty minutes from home it should be easy to fit in

[81A Oldoak]

Here is the photograph of the Fowler 0-4-0 DM with a centre cab in the Forest of Dean that I mentioned earlier. It is on track recovery duties at Lydbrook in June 1964. The caption believes it is works number 22892 of 1940, which was sent new to the Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF) at Glascoed near Usk in Monmouthshire. It was later transferred to ROF Risley in Lancashire before being sold to Pittrail at a later date. Hopefully, we can find some more information about this variant. 

[Osgood]

In my growing collection of boxes (aka unmade kits) I have a D.A. Model Engineering / Precision Scale Kits centre cab 150HP Fowler.  No idea where or when I obtained it - it's been in the cupboard a long time now......

 

Anyone familiar with this product?

[daifly]

This thread may help

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/39552-da-model-engineering/

Dave

[ngtrains.com]

Over the last two days a start has been made on the sound files for the decoder.

Picture shows the start of a loaded recording run having done a number of light engine runs.

 

As a result of this we have come up with a new combined sound and function button to program on to the decoder to produce what has happened in this picture.  With this set-up when you have coupled to your train you will ramp up the power steps. The engine noise will increase and the train start to move with a lot of noise but little movement. Just as it starts to move if you press F29 the loco will make a couple of very sudden jerky movements at which point the loco and the sounds will stop and you'll have to redo the start sequence before it will move again. I think I am joking but it would be an interesting one to program

 

 

In fairness to Woodbine the tanks were full and hadn't been moved for weeks.

 

Many many thanks to the guys at the Swindon and Cricklade Railway who made us very welcome and couldn't do enough for us. It did get a bit confusing at times with three Pauls two of whom were Paul Martins plus a Peter and, of course, the shed foreman Garfield

 

[81A Oldoak]

Woodbine looks very attractive in the open air. When I visited earlier in the year she was stuck in the shed and it was pouring with rain. However, the hydraulic Fowler was out and running.

 

Phil Badger, Ixion's technical director, flies up to Hong Kong from Sydney in a couple of days to oversee production of the Fowlers. So far all is progressing according to plan.

[Guest Isambarduk]

"So far all is progressing according to plan."

 

Fingers crossed for you!

 

David

[Guest 838rapid]

Mind you Woodbine has had its moments.... It did in the early years move Port Line,just after it arrived at the Swindon and Cricklade Railway from Barry Scrapyard.

 

Power beyond its size.

 

It soon got relegated though due to bigger locomotives arriving on site,allowing Woodbine to enjoy its retirement.

[switcher 1]

 

 

....and, of course, the shed foreman Garfield

I did wonder why there was a photo of the cat......

[81A Oldoak]

Ixion's technical director, Phil Badger, is at the factory in Hong Kong overseeing the production and quality control of the Fowler diesels. Despite a 24 hour delay in arrival due to Typhoon Usagi, all is going well. We have commissioned new chain links for the couplings that are the correct shape and had to order a length 1 kilometre. We may use some of the surplus to create a 3-link coupling accessory pack.

[Dava]

1km is a lot of 3 links! I'd certainly find a 50 or 100 mm length of coupling-size links a useful accessory as locos like this often carried extra chains around.Another idea for the future might be some plastic moulded footplate crew?

 

Dava

[Osgood]

I'd be pleased to buy a few feet of 3 link if it is the mutt's nuts - and the correct size for 7mm scale (see below).

 

I once went to look at some anchor chain - I phoned a yard advertising it and asked if they had any 10" links (to use as a curtain on a mineral processing plant feed hopper), they said 'Yes loads'.

So off I go on a 4 hour drive, the guy walks me down the yard and up a large hill made of rusty iron.  He says 'What do you think?' 'I says 'Well where is it?' He says 'You're standing on it!'

I look down at my feet and we are indeed standing on a mountain of chain which - instead of being 10" link length - is actually 10" section diameter (around 3 feet length with the central web) 

 

The is a moral somewhere in there about being specific about your requirements, but I guess having successfully launched the HC and others you will have discovered most of the pitfalls!!

[Dava]

Dragon Models were saying at the weekend that the Ixion Fowler diesel could be with us by mid-November or so, has the ship left China yet?

 

Christmas could come early (unless you asked for a Dapol loco of course!).

 

Dava

[81A Oldoak]

Dragon Models were saying at the weekend that the Ixion Fowler diesel could be with us by mid-November or so, has the ship left China yet?

 

Christmas could come early (unless you asked for a Dapol loco of course!).

 

Dava

 

 

Production of the Ixion Fowler diesel shunter is complete and the models are being tested and packed. They will be sent by air-freight and we hope to have them here in the first half of November.

 

Stay tuned to this frequency for sitreps. 

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Yes. Leave it with me. We're recording Woodbine this week so I am out of time but I also plan to record Churchill at the DVLR when I can arrange it. As its about twenty minutes from home it should be easy to fit in

 

Hi Paul,

 

It's a small world.

 

Glad to see that my Link - on the t'other thread may have made a difference LOL.

 

Doesnt Woodbine look superb in that livery.

 

It doesnt take much to make Woodbine slip to a standstill these days - LOL!

 

When you were recording Woodbine, you finally got to meet Peter, Paul and Richard Martin (all)? Which are the fellows that I mentioned to you some time back, when we were chatting about the Ffestiniog drivers et al.

 

Here is a detail shot I took there a year or two back (when photographing the guys 08 and GTi 09), my favourite detail photo, being though, those of Garfield having lunch - not sure if he, after giving us a guided tour, was trying to tell us that he was hungry or grabing his grub before we did (in his mind anyway). All the local visiting kids love him and he is an endearing little chap!

 

Chris,

 

Are we likely to see you guys produce a model of the more common-or-garden variant Fowler, or are you now well underway with the next project model?

 

Kind regards,

 

CME

 

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