844fan

Dang those are some big buffers.

Wait does the van it's coupled to also a quad buffer?

Well your in for a surprise witm my model as it doesn't yet exist and will not for a while. Well at least not as a physical model as until I am able to move into a larger home I haven't even the room for a HO/OO railway. Till then I am going to broaden my skills in 3D rendering and code my models to run in Trainz Simulator. I've been busy with research and creating the drawings I'm to make into 3D so I've yet to get started on the technical side but I am making excellent progress with the drawn plans in TT scale which I'll be enlarging for the modeling. As soon as I can I'll show off Gazelle and all my other locomotives. 4 of which are what if situations being of 1860s-90s American Locomotives rebuilt to run in the loading gauge of all regions. No you will not be seeing a Big Boy or a early american Mallet with buffers all my engines are around the size of a Black 5 at their largest (Sierra No.3 is the basis of the largest one and I did a comparison of two existing models a Black 5 and said engine and she was just as tall and wide so safe if given some alterations.) I do my research unlike Hit Entertainment. I follow a well known man's philosophy on railways as you can see in my signature below. But I'm also not a fool since I plan to make real models of these one day.

One possibility I could say for improvement on Leader is to do away with a coal burning firebox and instead use oil fireing setups. At least the problem of a poor fireman being roasted would be delt with. I could see a improved leader being a possibility if we took some of the more problematic systems away from the equation as well. Honestly I cannot see it being impossible to correct issues of drive train, Fireing and the minor things. I always have enjoyed steam locomotives and certain Diesel locomotives as well from many facets of my life my father loves all motive power finding steam to be astounding engineering wise, He knows the technical side of diesels and the odd petrol driven engine thanks to his majoring in automotive study in his collage years so they aren't quite as majestic to him but he will never bad mouth them either. My Great Uncle (My fathers Uncle) Enjoyed railways as well as my grandfather on his side though he wasn't quite as much a rail enthusiast as we three are. Rails are in my blood (both metaphorically and possibility literally since all human blood is iron based) and another person well persons I can thank for that love is the late Rev. W Awdry, His Son Christopher Awdry, Britt Alcroft (forgive my spelling of her last name if it is incorrect it is late and today was a long day for everyone in my house.) and the late and just as amazing David Mitton (Incidentally also a man I can thank for my lesser but still fascinating love of Tugs and old steamer ships) these four shaped railways into my life with a certain blue tank engine. But more to the point and to bring it back to improving Leader in Awdry's supplemental books on his world of Sodor (And we all know this man knew a lot about real railways and were he a youth today would probably end up being banned from forums like this one for how passionate he was for realism) mentions the character Bo-Co a Metrovick type 2 as I'm sure you all know. Well Metrovicks were sad victims of teething troubles too but Awdry made it clear that at some point Crovan's Gate Works managed to fix his engine and electric faults. Fiction yes but fiction written with a full on knowledge of what the problems were and how it could possibly be done. Now Leader is much like a Metrovick in this regard if given the chance old dangerous faults could of been fixed or removed. Maybe not a true success and indeed Leader was well too late to save steam but it could of been wonderful to see anyway what a fully realized and nonexperimental Leader could of become. I guess it's just a silly dream and a possibility in a fictional story like Bo-Co's. But like the best of dreams we'll remember it long after it is gone and I for one won't stop dreaming of such a possibility.

No no you've been nothing but helpful my friend. If anything I'm making the mistakes if you can give examples of good PW cranes by all means I'm willing to listen I only wanted to try and work the Ash Crane and the Tanks into my PW service but if anything I am learning that may be impossible with the only engine I've had so far that can do PW work is Gazelle but that's only inspection and extremely light repairs (Like the tightening of nuts and bolts) since that kind of engine has been used principally as this in real life for the LMR. The Ash crane and Crane Tanks can be useful in the goods yards or for minor rerailing (Only one set of wheels off the track) so I'm sure I can find a home for them just not in the PW department.

Hmm the Ash Crane is more likely than you think for Permanent Way work than you think. I give you a American Permanent way crane https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/92/51/4f/92514fea98276861c239e87994b905a4.jpg Looks about the size of the Ash crane to me and beyond having bogies I think it can still work realisticly. As for the crane tank would having it for a goods yard to load and unload? Only in dire emergencies would a Crane Tank be PW.

I am sure PW can and in my case will use crane tanks for smaller tasks that involve track maintenance. But your right a crane tank is not going to be sufficient on it's own but I think I've found a good candidate for the heavy lifter https://mikemorant.smugmug.com/keyword/773044/ Now I'd classify this as a locomotive wrecker (Read Railway Tow Truck) in nature which I mean it's a locomotive capable of pulling trains for repairs and other duties such as rerailing another engine. It's Jib is definitely of good range and I'm quite sure it can outdo any of the crane tanks. That said my primary three Permanent Way Locos are The inspection and minor repair Gazelle like engine, A Barclay "Stanton" crane tank for line clearing and medium repairs, and a Sentinel Ash Crane loco for all other types of repair needed for the lines. Three locos each with a purpose and more. I do hope I'm not sounding stubborn on the crane tank thing but I really want one for my roster. I think I found a acceptable compromise here though.

Well my setting is a mainline affair and the small Gazelle like loco is doing the same thing it's prototype did for the WD as a track inspection vehicle. The crane tank in this case would be there for maintenance of the track and sleepers where a crane on it's own would be overkill. Small sections of line at a time would be well worth the use and I'm sure that most crane tanks could lift a couple rails and sleepers with no problem. There would be rail cranes for anything beyond the Tank engine. As for the Jib problem it's one of the reasons I don't want to use Dubsy (I like the engine just not for this kind of work) or the Funnel tanks since they have a fixed radius the Stanton Crane Tanks had a Jib that could raise and lower allowing for more distance and a better radius. Those remind me alot of Hercules actually. Also they are the earliest example I've seen so far since the Stanton engines were from the 20s. They are Andrew Barclay built too like the Stanton engines if I'm not mistaken. They are quite nice though I like their cousins a tiny bit more with the way they have tanks and the crane's flywheel just looks neat to me.

Hey all, I just recently realized that for one of my railway projects the lone track maintenance loco would be horribly inadequate on it's own the loco in question is a slightly modified S&M No. 1 Gazelle Track inspector loco. Mods are raised buffers so it can push or pull standard stock within it's tractive effort. I know she can pull a small coach and I would assume also she could haul a conflat or small wagon or two behind her but flatbeds full of sleepers or rails not a chance. So I've decided to add a crane tank to the roster for such duties. Question is what one? I'm not too versed in CTs as I only know of the Andrew Barclay engines sold to Stanton Iron Works, Dubs of Glasgow built Dubsy (or if you like the character Harvy) the GWR "Hercules" Pannier and the outright goofy looking GER (I think) "Funnel Cranes" which I personally find to be simply dopey and I'd rather not use them (Funnel crane Tanks that is). So yeah were there other crane tanks out there? They are quite interesting industrial locos and all though I find it funny only besides Hercules most CTs were 0-4-0s you'd think that a 0-6-0 wheel set would be suited to it better since it'd be far more stable on it's wheels. Anyway thank you in advance for any help. Take care.

Ah I had thought that my self Springs on coaches would be of far more leaves than a goods wagon especially since goods wagons do indeed ride ruffer since they carry nonliving things. All this talk on Leaf Springs reminds me of a old Milk Truck my father tried to restore the leaf springs on it always caught my attention thanks to my love of railways and knowledge of Goods wagons and coaches. If I remember correctly as that truck had to be scraped due to fire damage the springs were short in length and many in leaves so it was suited to I'd say some what gentle rides but not as smooth as a car.

Oh yes indeed my friend those will do nicely. Thank you very much for the help.

Hey All I have a small question can anyone link me to a good photo of a regular journal box and leaf spring up close. I'm talking like on most old LBSCR Coaches (Or the kind of coach that the Thomas Tv series depicts Annie and Claribell as) or most four wheeled Rolling stock such as Wagons, Vans and others. I need a really good reference for a drawing I am currently working on and I cannot find and pictures close up enough to give me a clear view of the construction and shape mostly due to so many Coach stock having the step boards running along side the wheels and obscuring them. If anyone also has a set of photos showing the journal Box mounting and bearing hole that would be even better. Sorry for such a silly request and I hope that I make sense here as I know the terms but I'm not 100% I used them all correctly. But just incase This is what I mean only not a toy and the real deal.

Hey all, I've been browsing the RailfanEurope photo galleries and in the UK section I found this This coach is apparently historic and known as Coach Number 57a in York. She is quite spectacular in appearance and one of the most interesting coaches this side of W&U Tramway (I do apologize for the shorthan on saind Tramway's name but I'm not misspelling it seeing how late it is as I post this.) Now the biggest questions I have are obvious but I'll jot them down anyway. What railway did she serve on, what is her story and what role earned her her place in the collection which I am thankful she did receive. To me she looks something like a observation coach with steps for stations that may not yet have platforms or the like.

Indeed that is the photo my friend. Looks a sad sight no mater if it did run again or not. It's quite clear she was not treated well thanks to the test bed nature she was in. Heh I am modeling a CIE K3 but as a Standard Gauge interpretation and it is heavily inspired by 356 but it's not going to be full on accurate and all. Heh heh one variation of said model that is 3D computer rendered is based off how I first inturpreted the first photo of her I ever saw which is where her Franco-Crosti boilers looked quite a lot like Pannier Tanks. Awesome news my friend. Since I'm modeling a Standard Gauge interpretation of the loco I'm sure No one will mind either way Please thank Mr. Clements for the help for me.

Thank you so much that will be a big help my friend. I only have one last question is the last measurement from buffer to buffer or just from beam to beam? Thank you again for the help.

The book doesn't by chance list any measurements like wheel diameter, Overall length (Buffer to buffer would be best but you know take what you get.) or anything like that? By the time CC1 came to be 356 was by far the more interesting engine in just looks alone I mean when I first saw it I thoug it was a attempt to give a engine the benefits of both a tender and pannier tanks. A real long distance runner as far as water would be concerned (Granted that wasn't what I was seeing but it sounds and looks interesting) Fact is CC1 is a redesign of the Leader and it to me looks more interesting than CC1 does.

Hmm funny I see no disturbing mental images. All I see is a horse with a eye half closed, it's tail raised, a humorous sound and a rather nasty smell. Which in hindsight is rather not so much a mental image but a olfactory imprint and a permanent one for anyone behind it. Who would be so cruel to a horse as to feed it beans for a week?

How did I make that mistake? Ugh must of been due to the time of night I posted. Again I live in the US and give or take a hour I am roughly six hours behind Wales. (And before you make the joke not all of us in the states are two centuries behind. Some of us are just a few decades off then there are those who are still stuck in the stone age compared to the rest of the world over. Baghdad Alabama seriously makes the one in Arabia look positively friendly to everyone.) So I was half awake. Going to amend the first post now. I'll have a good look at that LBSCR site too. I honestly have no clue how heavy a Chauldron was filled. I made a blasted slip up on more modern wagons so I'll need to look it up properly. Also I've seen the Seaham loco videos so I know a small loco can surprise I mean those Hoppers dwarfed a lot of tank engines. Let alone a Lewin built Tank. I would say your right seeing as he seemed to be able to pull a small coach a bit smaller than Annie or Claribel which is much larger thank it was designed for so Stephen and the engine I'm figuring out all this for is probably at least as strong if not stronger due to smaller wheels than Rocket. Oddly enough I would love to see a interpretation of Locomotion No. 1. I'd say they'd give it a smokebox cowl over it's funnel and have some buffers but even with those liberties I'd like to see it. Hmm I would hope not as it was Rocket may have shaken apart at that speed. I mean a loco like Sierra No. 3 tops 45 MPH and 50 MPH she shakes terribly. Be afraid Rocket would truly end up a "Rocket" At that point. Yeah I have a good photo of a Bluebell wagon of the 12 Ton I still can't understand why I said 30. Maybe I was thinking of a Loco. Perhaps Rocket could make short hops faster than wanted but to quote the late great Alan Rickman "You don't hold the Turbo down it's for quick boosts!!!" I would not advise any more than 35 MPH if she could get passed her known 30 MPH which is true. Well tease a engine and like a bull it'll take on the challenge. Least he was smart enough to know not to let that valve be held down while running her with a good head of steam. Unlike the Best Friend of Charleston's driver such a foolish man. And if that don't stop you they pay others to shout at you about a court or something. Waste of money if you ask me.

Hey all, This is something I've been kind of wondering for a while. What sparked it was the Thomas and Friends special where they introduced Stephen AKA The Rocket of Rainhill (I have it on good authority of a friend from Sodor Island Forums that Stephen is Rocket for that universe) in said film Stephen tries to pull a set of contemporary 7 plank trucks filled with stone. Now if these are standard 16 ton trucks then he would of been trying at first to pull 120 tons at the start and only 30 by the end of it (Everytime he failed to move the uncoupled a truck till he only had one left) This makes full sense as Rocket was designed to pull much smaller chaldron wagons in long rakes. But that got me to wondering what kind of wagon would of been between the two extremes? Between chaldron and the 7 plank thirty ton open end truck what kind would be useable by a Terrier or a A Jones Goods as well as Rocket and still get more of a load? Basically the middle of the wagon evolution is the kind of thing I'd love to see.

Welp looks like I got another book to buy from Abebooks. Heh excellent though I can't get a copy for some time. Price is reasonable but I am saving my money for the dreaded Steam Summer sale. I got gifts for my friends to buy and I also have one in mind for myself. Hmm I may just have to make my engine as a look alike and base it off another Mogul. Well for the CVR anyway I'll make a proper K3 scaled for standard gauge for my garden railway. Thank you for the advice on a good book. As far as I heard 356 was converted as a stationary test bed. She never was stripped down to be a stationary engine ther just kept adding things to her seeing how well the pressure held and such. Now don't hold me to that I think it was on Mike Morrant's gallery for Ireland. The photo's caption said she never moved again. I hope that isn't true no engine should end up as part of a building's heating system. Running on rails or sittin on a short plinth with rails in a nice roof over them is the only way if you ask me. But I love locomotives much as the Rev. W Awdry did. "Steam locomotives are as close to creating true life." and unlike the fiction of man creating new life Steam engines were symbiotic with those who built them. Treat a machine with care and love and you will always be rewarded. Especially if it happens to be a locomotive.

Hello, I recently discovered a loco I had long been interested in was a model of the K3 class Moguls fitted up for experiments that gave way to the Turf Burner. From the little infomation I've gathered on that engine it had a ignoble fate and after it's mods was used as a stationary boiler for the rest of it's days. But I wish to know more about it's class mates. I know she ran on broad gauge 5 foot 3 if I'm not mistaken and I have plans for making a theoretical Standard gauge version of the experimental one only it would receive a better working life. But first befor any of that can happen I need help finding out more info for the real deals. So if anyone by chance can help me out I'd appreciate it very much. Every dat I see locomotives of all shapes and sizes from every corner of the world and each one is just as interesting as the last. Thank you for your time and take care. I do hope I posted this in the correct area too I'd rather not end up with a repeat of my last mistake.

Ok going to ask that we leave the whole "part of the UK or not" subject alone. I am not going to have my thread end up a battle ground. Last say on the matter is my phrasing could of been better. End of discussion. I really don't want anyone at all fighting over a stupid mistake.

A very nice and happier feeling recreation there Sam. I always hate seeing Locos in such condition. I've seen a photo of a old firebox that was by the looks of it ripped off in a explosion (Cannot think of any other way it could of landed like it had otherwise.) and the ribbing of the box rusting away made me just see a set of rib cages removed and laid aside to rot. The feeling of it even though I knew it was steel or copper or some other metal it just made me think flesh of a proud worker. Guess I have the heart of a true railway man because seeing a loco fall apart is like watching a friend or family member succumb to something they have fought and lost. "Those colossal creations of Iron, Steel, Copper and Aluminum were powerless to turn the clock back. The young boys watching in awe as the huge Iron Horses passed are grown up now."- Golden Age of Steam on the end of the era of steam. Most of us know they had spirits of their own and it is just so sad to see parts of such living machines rot so callously. But thanks to many out there their legacy is coming back. Keep the modles looking great Sam you really have some good skills and a knack for showing engines not many even knew were out there.

I fully understand my friend. I know Wales is not England nor is Scotland or Ireland. England is England, Wales is Wales and Scotland is Scotland but together they are as of now a united kingdom under the Union Jack. You could say the three are brothers really and Ireland is just it's own nation who happens to be really close to the UK distance wise. I have friends in Wales and Scotland and the only thing about the UK I've learned that is 100% the same for culture is the time zones. From where I sit it is six hours later in the evening than here. i can be culturally ignorant at times but I'm willing to learn about the things I don't know. I have a open mind and no matter what I never mean to offend. Thank you very much for the advice my friend. With that all said should I tak my topic over to the Overseas Prototypes? i am after all looking for information on the K3 Moguls now. I have a idea for adaption. Not really that big a differnce I mean not anymore than my Paget Outlined Engine whis looks 98% just like the Paget Loco only No Jackshafts, It has proper Inside Motion and a normal if large firebox. So yeah I'm not shy on the idea of a fictional equivalent that could run in the UK.

Your a magician my friend. Thank you very much.