Johnson044

The Lima 4F is actually quite a useful starting point for a small 0-6-0 - the width is about right for 4mm but the overall proportions, being HO are not too far out for a small Furness / Cambrian or similar Sharp Stewart. I do like the raised firebox version that you've built. Maybe a similar raised firebox will work for the 4-4-0 as well. It still puzzles me why the 009 or 0/16.5 fraternity allow themselves so much more freedom than people who model the standard gauge. Narrow gauge freelance locos are very common but as soon as we get into the realm of 4' 8 1/2" we become so much more inhibited. By becoming your own CME you can re-write history as you see fit and no Midland, GW or LNWR expert can point out your wrong-doings.

Hi folks- I've really enjoyed this thread and find it hugely inspiring. I've found a copy of the MRC article, which I've scanned. I don't know if there was ever an article on the layout itself or what became of these wonderful models. The whole ethos of the article is one of scratchbuilding at minimal expens- but the end results are high in quality and pretty convincing. MRC_SIOG_Article.pdf

Thanks for the response Northroader- when I saw your loco I did think of the little Kirtley well tanks and whilst they are truly delightful I think your chosen prototype really interesting- and, as you say, less likely to be the subject of criticism- anything from Derby, Swindon or Crewe is so well documented. The NBR loco you illustrate seems very familiar- much the sort of thing that I hope to build, although I have considerable freedom, being CME of a completely freelance railway. My loco rather controlled by the Slaters 7'4" x 7'8" coupling rods, which dictate the wheelbase, so possibly a bit bigger than the Kirtley. The Rhymney had some quite big saddle tanks with double frames and 4'3" wheels- and I rather want to capture the ambience of one of these, albeit with a tender- a certain brutish solidity to them. I did look at having a raised firebox and longer chimney etc, which would certainly have been appropriate- and a bit Furness or Cambrian Sharpie in aspect- but seemed a bit effete somehow, so the chimney, dome and firebox front which I'd bought from Laurie Griffin will go on a Beyer Peacock single (one day) and I'm substituting the SER Kits 01 boiler, which I hope will give the feeling of massiveness that these beasts seem to have. Maybe one day some new build group will re-create a full sized double framed six coupled goods- it would fill a noticeable gap - apart from half a loco chassis in the Armley Mills museum they seem to be pretty much extinct!

Hi Northroader - just found your double framed 0-6-0. Any progress? Looks really good. I've had a very similar loco in gestation for ages- freelance but so, so similar. I had some old Slaters 4'3" tender wheels that needed a home and a set of parts has grown around them- nothing assembled yet but a large stack of parts including some frames, a resin boiler (SER Kits SER 01), LNWR tender body and all sorts of other odds and sods. What is your prototype? A double framed tender loco with such small wheels is something of a rarity- the Rhymney Railway had something pretty similar, I think- there are some drawings in the Mike Sharman Oakwood Press book of 7mm scale drawings of GWR 0-6-0's. It would be good to know how you are getting on with this- there are so many similarities!

This is a little mechanical jewel Sir Douglas! An imaginative and skillful piece of modelling. The photo of 13th September, showing the flywheel side just captures the look of one of these beasts. Really good stuff!

I think inside possibly more likely, looking at precedents- Sir Vincent and Sirapite both have very narrow cabs between the splashers- must be very claustrophobic but locomotive manufacturers were not always best known for ergonomics! There's a nice one in The Chronicles of Boulton's siding- two photo's, one from each side- of a Marshall loco, which has an inside cab. Geared locos made by firms that generally made traction engines- be they built as actual railway locomotives or convertibles- generally seem to follow road locomotive practice, with cab sheeting- however rudimentary- on the inside of the driving wheels. I don't know enough about these breeds to fully understand where all the gubbins are likely to be but somewhere there may be rods and linkages for injectors, sanding etc- so these will need to go inside or outside the sheeting. Personally, I think the inside arrangement with the fully symmetrical gear train cladding and splashers exposed and the curving handrail could be very elegant. Outside sheeting perfectly possible- but maybe a later rebuilding for ergonomic reasons rather than as the manufacturer intended? I love the project- the workmanship excellent and really looking forward to seeing the loco develop.

Inside, without a doubt! I'm sure the crew will grumble but so much more elegant.

Hi folks- please could the 3D printer owners have a look at this? The NHS seem to be accepting amateur-made 3D printed frames for face masks. They are desperately needed. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JhUENVDW341R0P4NfHq-IdCD0jT9QGge7onhx-wTUY4/edit Not something I can do myself but might be worth a look? Thank you! Be safe!

Hi Killian- I've just seen your thread- as part of the building of the Odin replica, an excellent analysis of the loco was published- it's full of drawings- plans, sections and elevations and detailed drawings of most components. Here's a link which might be of help: http://www.glias.org.uk/books/216books.html The book is ‘The Odin Project: Design and Construction of Denmark's First Locomotive’, by Michael R Bailey and John P Glithero ISBN 87-982227-7-5. Available from PO Box 421, 15 Mill Gardens, Elmswell, Bury St Edmunds IP30 9DQ. £25 + 4.10p&p (cheques to The Danish Railway Museum) The Danish railway museum at Odense had a stack of them going for 20DKK when I went last year (about £2.50) and you could probably get a copy from the museum- but the postage will be expensive. If you're stuck I could photocopy my copy and send it to you at cost. John