844fan

Ok I'm still a bit slow minded at the moment (Just had three teeth pulled today) So I'll try to work the math out tomorrow. Hmm may I Pm you if I get stuck on calculating it my friend? Math was never my best subject as writing is my true calling alongside my Railway love of course. I need to look into that book honestly since it may give insight on my loco as well. Have to check Abesbooks. As for the info you gave that could be useful later on but again I'm not after BR, Highland, or Calidonian I'm looking for LMS spacing. I know BR took a lot of LMS' ideas and ran with them but we keep missing the station here.

Ok silly question how many feet between the visible chairs would you say the Chalk Pit had (Like in the above photo.) as I'd hope that you could say the chairs are centered on the sleepers and knowing their spacing would allow me to scale. Think of it like how most diagrams show buffer centers and distance between. Also I did not say LMR. I already know the sizes of the two engines I wish to model from there. (Gazelle and Gordon respectively) I said LMS London, Midland and Scottish Railway from grouping till the days of BR. I'm not sure how to narrow it any further.

Hmmm that may be a tough one to get then as the line I'm in particular about is a industrial line "Grays Chalk Quarries Co. Ltd" I have no idea on the panel length though. Perhaps a photo can help? I've attached the one Sam linked before beyond that I'd say LMS region is the easier of the two to figure.

Hey all got a small question I need a straight answer on so I can make a proper scale drawing based off a photo my good friend Sam (Sir_Douglas) found me and a few I've found myself and with the help of other members. Anyway I need to know Sleeper Spacing for two eras. One is Victorian circa 1866 the other is during the Big Four formation and up till BR LMS region. With these in mind I should be able to gauge (Pardon me not intended) the wheel base of the engines and make a reasonable replica drawing.

Thanks Duncan that is a great find. Seems a few photos were snapped during the big 4 era and being from Glasgow they went to LMS I do hope that they got a proper repaint before scraping. Hmm now if I could just get some measurements on wheel Diameter and running board length I'd be in great shape to make a drawing of the class.

Fair enough my friend. I guess I'm just going to learn how to fix them myself. Heh I got a good teacher for the basics on electronics and mechanical stuff I just need to figure out the bushings, Brushes and that stuff elsewhere. If I ever do get the hang of it I'll pass what I know on.

Indeed my friend.

Do you by chance have any experience rebuilding the motors as well Sam? Even my father as capable a mechanic and electrocution as he is (And trust me he's the best in the county we live in) gives up on motors that stop. I'd just like to be able to rebuild them myself.

Sam I have no idea how you do it but my friend you never cease to amaze. Great stuff for making a good little Kitson.

Makes sense to me. A engine on a steep grade must have a lot of heft to them to overcome the drag. Also sorry for the delay in replying guys. Been a busy few days house sitting alone. Also I recently got a gift in a game and it is one of those games you can't keep track of time with. You say I'll play for a mission and the next thing you know it's 10:00 at night. Got to break the habit heh but I'll reply to you all by the weekend promise.

Ok here is a question I had recently after my discovery of the Glasgow Class 14 Tanks and how similar it looked to a certain Blue E2 after his rebuild. But how common were Side Tank Extensions? I know the E2s had them (batch two anyway), Some of the aforementioned Class 14s and in fiction I know that two examples exist of Tank Engines with Side Tank Extensions. I do als think I've seen a Pannier with added side tanks that give it a look of extended side tanks but it's the other way around here. I am honestly wondering how many engines out there had these installed to improve their running distance as I can only think of that as a reason to even do such a modification at all.

No trouble at all Dave I never meant to insinuate any offense my friend. Just wasn't sure if I had made the mistake or not. Glad we are on the same page my friend.

Did I say Buffer beam? I swear I said Headstock as it was on Coaches and Trucks not engines. Though I know Mark one coaches had buffer beams I tend to call anything that looks like the LBSCR Twins from Sodor (Annie and Clarabell) frames Headstocks. Draw plate you say hmm makes sense I've heard the term Drawbar for loco couplings and more often in regards to Buckeye/Knuckle couplers (I call em Couplers not couplings due to a old documentary called "Golden Age of Steam" if you have time Youtube has the full thing though broken up into 5 parts on archive and while it talks most of the US and not of the UK it does remind us that the UK is the birthplace of railways and engines so it's not bad and I recommend it highly.) due to their connection mounting. Hmm depends on the Peckett I mean some times the engine is hard to see between the buffers.

Not a bad class evolution there indeed. I quit like many 04-2 tanks out there and I think that class would be perfect for a few branchline routes I have planned. If you'd like we can talk in PM more about them since this topic is about their progenitor and all. Anyway I've searched Google from Stephenson and back but I can only find the photo of the class 14/275 tanks I posted above. I had the same trouble when I researched the Drummond Paddleboats (T14 and F13 which are both called Paddleboats even though I see only a vauge at best and I quite like Paddle steamer Tugboats.) till just a few weeks ago found a great side shot of the F13 and a friend had modeled a T14 and shared front and sides of it with me. (Of note these are all CG renders he shared as he is a animator who loves locos too. Also most of mine will be models in Trainz till I can get more room to build a proper layout.) Anyone know of any more? I really hate to ask but I'm turning up nothing also while book recommendations are good digital photos are much more appreciated at this time as I still haven't had much luck getting overseas books. Even Abebooks was unable to get me two I ordered and they have a stellar delivery rate. Well I got my Shropshire and Montgomeryshire book so thats fine and they are amazing people to refund me for the others even if they still have a chance of getting to me. So I will try again but not for a while. Hmm one last thing I just had a thought on how common was the concept of extended side tanks? It must of been decently widespread seeing two famous Tank Engines both had them. One blue one red and by that I mean the Rev. W Awdry's Thomas and Sammy the Shunter (Forgive me I cannot remember how to spell the ladies name who created Sammy and if I can I never misspell a author I respect's name and she is in my high regaurds). I plan on modeling Sammy as well in what I like to call RWS style by that I mean Sammy's model will be based off a Parker J1 and then given the mods to make him look like the character in the books realistically. Not Rivet counting here just making Sammy have a counterpart for everyone but I digress.

Oh then I guess the stock in the old Model series of Thomas was GWR stock as if we look at this picture from Series one https://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/ttte/images/0/0b/Thomas%27Train27.png/revision/latest?cb=20160323191219 That coach had a Square "Shank" but to the point the Shank is the actual part of the Buffer that is compressed into the stock when shunted or the sprung part of the Buffer as it were. Am I correct? Also I had thought the chain couplings were only ever 3 links I just wanted to be sure and I've seen Instanters they look quite odd indeed. Some older Coaches were fitted with Chain couplings too but they were also hand braked if I'm not mistaken. A good example is the LBSC Stroudly 4 wheels. Though later on they received Air/Vacuum fittings.

Oh my. The only thing I can call clearly is Screw link Couplings. Everything else is Topsy turvy!

Hello hello what's all this then what's all *smack* Ow! *clears throat* Pardon me my John Cleese impression was on. Anyway Hello everyone, I got another interesting and out right look alike of a engine in my eye tonight. I was recently peruseing Mike Morrant's wonderful Collection of locomotive photos and I was looking through the Scottish region when I happened upon this little rather cheeky lookin tank with six small wheels, A short stumpy funnel, A Short Stumpy boiler and a short stumpy dome. Proper Gallery link: https://mikemorant.smugmug.com/Trains-Railways-British-Isles/Scottish-and-BRSc/Scotland-GSWR/i-HZ9krLv Will add better picture tomorrow darn mobile memory problems. However this little engine is not the little blue hero of Sodor but a small tank engine from the G&SWR. A class 257 and a adorable little one at that. I know only one loco of this railway survives to this day and it is perched quite dizzily over a Jones Goods. But that engine I plan to look into at a later date as a possible Dockyard Tank to take over for my Lochgorm, Pugsy and Kitson tanks (not alone of course but it would be one of the newer stock to my harbor at some point) so that is rather a moot point. No I want to know more about this Glasgowiegn cousin of Thomas and to find more easier to get photos of this class. It is a very interesting thought that a extended side tank with the flat running board and a splasher under said water tanks exsisted and that the Rev. W Awdry could of modeled this for his Thomas' Branch layout.

Ok we are narrowing it down thats for sure. So the Shank is either the cylindrical sleeve that would hold the buffer springs in place or the part of said sleeve that is mounted to the headstock with bolts and rivets. Then the Cylindrical part I suppose can be called a sleeve or a shank and both be considered correct or we have two parts with separate names. Now that I thin kof it and this is still technically on topic what is the mount for the coupling hook (Often square or oval in shape) called? I also want to be sure on this but a coupling made of three or four chain links named something special like the two loops with a screw fit between two flexing joints are called screw link couplings or are they simply as I've called them for years Chain link couplings?

No worries mate. Mum is the word.

Ok this is bugging me now and I'd rather not start a new topic on it but since this is here I can sk with it. What are each part of a buffer and Dumb Buffer called? From reading this I'm thinking the part of the buffer holding the spring mechanism and the part we typically see painted red on many locos is called the "shank" Unless I've misread the replies on it. Plus it's never too late to know your part nomenclature in this circle of transport am I right?

Um I was thinking those really short ones they put on Conflats. Not the Longer ones.

Ah yes that would be interesting to try but with no photo I could hardly even try it. I mean the Alderny Breakwater loco I plan to model at least has a blurry photo to go off but this crane tank is a relic not well preserved in any media beyond the writen word. Also I'm not going for out landish per say just unique and different. I just see no reason a Crane Tank can't be of use to the permanent way just how much use is the question. I know sometimes sections of prebuilt track were used to replace very short sections and I think that could be a use for the Crane Tank no need to steam up a 30 ton crane for a job a 2 ton can do and is also of use for regular hauling so it will be in steam all the time. At least that's my logic I know very flimsy but I just want character as well as reality if you take my meaning.

Very nice layout my good sir. I'm planning a coal mine or two for a set of Tranz routes (No room to model the proper way sadly) and this is quite inspiring.