John M

I decided to model the locos in GSR rather than CIE condition, mainly something a bit different from the CIE era commonly modeler, the greater variety of locos & stock both in terms of greater number of different classes and level of detail variation between individual members of the same class, although all over grey locos seem to have been better turned out and I prefer numberplates to large transfer numerals Stepping a bit ahead but focusing on detail variation. Line up of locos in the erecting shop. 229 & 1?? waiting for their boilers to be dropped in & the "white engine" now fitted with a new set of frames. The loco on the left is based on 229 a Coey J15 of 1903 one of the last of the class to be built. The Coey locos had direct rather than linkage reversers, slightly raised front sandboxes and exposed cab splashers. I am planning to model the loco with a sloping smokebox and double doors, though I have assembled a conventional smokebox as a spare. The superheated loco is assembled using a test etch frames, spectacle plate and smokebox I designed about 5-6 years ago. It would need to re-design the artwork to produce a production version of the etch to make everything fit/simplify assembly. I originally acquired the white engine as a part assembled kit and initially assembled the loco with a direct reversing lever like the 192-199 as the linkage reverser was missing. I have retrofitted the loco with the linkage reverser a spare from 229 to bring the loco more in line with the majority of the class adding another "standard" j15 similar to 191. I need to repair/replace the riveted strip at the base of the cab side sheet and improve the fit of the boiler fittings. 193 will probably go in for a rebuild with the re-conditioned frames from the white engine once the three locos on the bench are completed and running.

I fitted a Bachmann replacement axle with a brass gear wheel in my Consolidation in 2015 in 2005. Replacing the gear and axle in the consolidation is reasonably straightforward but a major stripdown. The Mogul is a bit more complicated on account of the inside Stephensons motion . If you are unable to source replacements form Bachmann North West Shortline manufacture a replacement derlin gear NWSL Part No 2226-6 for my Consolidation http://nebula.wsimg.com/fccfcd478cf207c2eb8227b18669cea9?AccessKeyId=08BEE66B97B387F20C0D&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

I will concentrate mainly on the aspects of building the locos to 21mm gauge and the different variations. 5XP wrote an excellent piece in 2010 in assembling the kit in OO gauge. Although the kit was originally produced in etched brass with turned brass chimney and dome, the kit was later produced in nickel silver with cast whitemetal fittings. On the positive side nickel silver is more rigid and easy to solder, the downside is that it is more difficult to form the complex curves in the running board and the waisted section at the bottom of the smokebox. The other issue is that it is extremely difficult to fold up and drill the brake hangers as the hangers and rigging are very fine, the simplest solution from my point of view was to replace the kit brake gear and reversing gear with new parts of my own design. One of the challenges in building in 21mm gauge to OO/EM standards is ensuring that the wheels will fit between and inside splashers without fouling at an early stage NMRA110 & Markits wheels are too wide to fit between the splashers of a J15. Gibson or Ultrascale EM profile wheels will clear. One advantage of nickel silver over brass is that I did not need to reinforce the frames above the trailing axle hornblock cut out. Three sets of loco mainframes. I finally got round to assembling the parts for a superheated J15 I designed in 2012-3? I replaced the SSM frame spacers with turned and tapped spacers of my own design which assist in squaring and lining the mainframes, the chassis for the superheated loco has more conventional fold up frame spacers. I decided to fit the motor horizontally in the firebox of these locos adding a stiffening plate in the ashpan which will act as a motor mount. I have decided to fit springing (continuous beam suspension) in the superheated loco and compensation in the two saturated locos. I find that compensation significantly improves power pick up and smoothness of running with small 4 & 6 coupled kit built locos compared with a rigid chassis in similar locos

Although OO works have produced a rtr J15 the SSM kit is probably the best option short of scratchbuilding for someone who works in 21mm gauge or wants to capture some of the major variations within the class. I built up a collection of these locos since the kit was released by Terry McDermott in 1985 and gradually improved my skill in building locomotives from kits. The TMD J15 was an ingeniously designed and complex kit when introduced and generally stands up well by present day standards. My first attempt at building the kit was not the most successful mainly because I did not have the necessary skill or experience. I sucessfully re-built/re worked the chassis several years later, which lead me to build a second J15 which was the winner in the kit built loco category of my local model railway clubs annual competition. Irish broad gauge locos were somewhat rare in Milton Keynes MRC competitions. I acquired a third (part built) SSM J15 as part of a job lot of TMD/SSM loco kits at a swap meet and later bought a further two kits from Paul Green before SSM changed ownership. My initial plan was to scrap my original J15 193 saving the tender, boiler, cab and fittings for a scratchbuilt 52 or 60 Class 4-4-0, but eventually decided to retain the loco and build a replacement chassis. The original locos 193 rebuilt 1994 an early Coey J15 sitting high at the front end, no brake gear and a missing tender spring, 191 assembled 1995 missing tender axleboxes & the "White Engine" another early Coey loco a non runner. Mechanically the locos demonstrate the evolution of the 4mm drive train. 193 has an Anchorage DS10 with MK2 Sharman 40:1 gearbox and sprung chassis Blacksmith? models axleboxes and Sharman wheels. Driving and tender wheels are shorted one side with pick up through the tender. With a DS10 motor and 40:1 box 193 is more a racer than a goods loco! Built nearly 8 years later 191 has a Mashina can motor and a Branchlines slimline gearbox with 80:1 reduction a bit slow for mixed traffic work or the odd excursion train. The "White Locos" underframe was a bit of a mess. The original owner had attempted to assemble the locos to S4 standards but came unstuck with seized axles and dry soldered joints. Photo was after I removed the hornblocks (early Perseverence) I decided to build one of the "new locos" as a superheated J15 with heavier mainframes similar to RPSI 186 and use the spare set of frames as a replacement for the "white locos" underframe. The new locos would be fitted with High Level Load Hauler gear boxes and Mashima 10X20 locos to bring a bit of standardisation into the fleet just like the GSR standardisation efforts of the 1930s. In the end I decided to replace 193s mechanism with frame gearbox and motor salvaged from the white loco. I used framespacers of my own design to replace the original frame spacers and reinforce the chassis in the ashpan area a weak point in the original design. 21mm chassis assembly jig turned up in the Unimat the bolts and springs are from a OO gauge roller gauge Completed main frames reinforcing strips above the rear hornblock cut outs are cribbed from an idea in Iain Rices etched loco construction. This loco will be fitted with Mashima 10X24 motor and Branchlines gearbox and Sharman wheels similar to 191 which should result in the two locos having a similar speed range and performance. The "white loco" and the two new locos will be fitted with smaller 10X20 motors and High Level gearboxes and it should be feasible to hide the motor and flywheel in the boiler. Test set up of motor and gearbox. I will leave the superstructure and variations built to another day!

I managed to combine work and railfanning in the Waikato today with freight traffic from the Kinleith branch in the South Waikato to the Port of Tauranga and Hamilton. I covered much the same territory more than a decade ago on a Cloudy Day in the Waikato. Motive power at the time was mainly two loco consists of EMD & GE road switchers in a glorious mixture of Toll Rail green & yellow, Tranz Rail Bumble Bee and Cato Blue schemes and the odd loco still in the NZR red & yellow fruit salad scheme of the 1980s. Today's trains were worked exclusively by single CNR built double cabbed DL units. DL 9066 approaches Tower Road with a train of export logs and paper from Kinleith. Running downgrade to cross the Waihou before entering the Kaimai Tunnel. The train had left the Kinleith Branch at Waharoa and is travelling over the ECMT Kaimai Deviation en-route to the port of Tauranga. DL9193 passing Waharoa, junction between the Kinleith Branch and the ECMT with a shunting service from Kinleith. The train conveying traffic from a South Waikato District Council sponsored intermodal terminal near Kinleith and traffic from the Litchfield dairy processing plant. Used to be classed as M72 a long distance shunt service from Hamilton to Kinleith and return which mainly carried dairy and log traffic. The buildings on the left are a replica of butter factory that once existed on the opposite side of the line and re-used roof vents recovered when the original plant was demolished. The building on the right is a rail served cold store. Morrinsville. The train has pulled into the yard to detach wagons with container traffic for Tauranga and allow a westbound Genesis Energy coal train to overtake. The yard is also used for attaching and detaching wagons for two local dairy plants. Yard tracks are often ballasted to rail level to allow shunters (human) use utes and vans to perform their duties. 9538 passes on the main line as the driver of 9193 and the shunter discuss their next move. Nearing its destination 9193 crosses the peat lands near Eureka. Gorse on the left Toetoe on the right. Toetoe was traditionally used as a roof covering similar to straw or rushes in Europe.

The Comet 2MT 2-6-0 is an excellent kit, very straightforward to assemble. I am not sure if it is currently available from Wizard Models. J Brighton Article on assembling the Comet kit https://steamlinesheffield.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/ivatt.pdf

Although I had basically planned to shut down the railway for the peak of the leaf fall season in April-May, we ran some trains during the fine weather over the Easter Holidays. Maximum train length was 15 cars with a K27 2-8-2 and mid-train helper, I also operated an 11 car train behind a single K27 but had to "double the hill" to return the train to storage at the end of the session. Live steamer C16 268 proved capable of hauling a reasonable load over the 2% grades on the main line. Reversing the 15 car train and turning the locos to run up the 4% grades on the "High Line" is quite a logistical challenge with the train longer than the passing siding, though the Wye comes in very useful! 15 car freight passing Arboles. The passing siding here is only long enough for a loco & 5 cars (incl caboose) and is usually used as a double ended spur track for stock & box cars. Spur track to left of train handles tank car and gondola traffic. Freight arriving at Utah Junction. "High Line" to storage above caboose. Running round/reversing a long train involves a number of shunts as the tail track of the wye is currently only long enough for a loco and a single car. Track is currently on order to extend the tail track/Utah Extension by 16' Buildings removed to storage for the winter.

We had a successful operating session/group running day using JMRI "Operations Pro" as a freight car dispatching routing system to create Train Manifests. We found that the system works best on a large scale garden railway with a 2 person crew one driving the second acting as conductor/brakeman/shunter planning the next move, making the road, coupling/uncoupling cars not unlike a full size shunt or trip working. Although there were only four of use we managed to keep two trains in operation during the session. I would have worked better with another operator to act as host/dispatcher/train controller and would have avoided dropping an un-familiar crew in at the deep end to both learn the road and American operating terminology. The crew seems to have enjoyed themselves and have asked for another session during the Winter. JMRI Manifest for a local freight working or Turn The main issues were that crew members found it difficult to read the Train Manifests and figure out where they were in the absence of town/yard name boards. On the plus side its a lot easier to read car numbers on large scale rolling stock and crews were happy to run short trains and drop off/collect one or two cars at most sidings/stations along the line. We were too busy operating to take any photographs during the operating session though managed some steam running at the end of the session with a visiting Leak & Manifold 2-6-4T and my DRGW C16 The heavy 1;20.3 stock cars and caboose on gave the L&M 2-6-4T a good work out on my 2 & 4% grades. Although I got most of the stock away before dark the mails got in a bit late with the end of Daylight Saving.

A higher proportion of non-UK visitors to Ireland are more likely to arrive by air and hire a car than by ferry from Great Britain or France. There are direct flights from North America to Shannon Airport and flights from Europe to Shannon and regional airports in the South & West Being faced with a narrow twisting Irish road can be challenging enough for someone arriving off a long haul flight without having to adjust to driving on the "wrong side" of the road! Those DRIVE ON THE LEFT road signs and rental car dash board stickers may save lives.

Going back to the original topic the Great Northern (Board) review of the 1st round of tenders for locos in the 875-1000hp power capacity provides a useful cost comparison of diesel electric and hydraulic types. The GNR specification for a lightweight (15t axleload) compact (39' long) loco due to infrastructure constraints, effectively ruling out the majority of the diesel electric proposals and steam heating. 1. English Electric single and double cabbed 1000hp A1A-A1A £55,120-£62,940 l 2. NBL 1000hp B-B diesel hydraulic. More expensive than German MAK proposal. 3. Metropolitan Vickers 1200hp Co-Co £61,433 4. Alsthom 1180-1250hp Bo Bo off the shelf Europeam design £41,700 5. GMOO 875-900 hp Bo Bo or A1A A1A £50,937 & £52,179 (GM G8 export model?) 6. Sulzer Bros (London) 1160hp Bo Bo £46,546 (Compact single cabbed hood unit) 7 MAK 1000HP B-B diesel hydraulic (double cabbed) £38,675 ( met spec) 8 Nydquist & Holm (Nohab) A1A A1A £63,413 (European version of GMOO G12?) 9. Arn Jung 1000Hp B-B Maybach MD650 or Damlier Benz MB820 double cabbed £38,675 The Arn Jung loco was recommended both on the grounds of cost and the only loco that fully met the spec. Interestingly the English Electric and Metrovick diesels were in a similar price range and substantially more expensive than a standard GM export model. There appears to have been a high level of design co-ordination between German loco builders and component manufacturers with a high degree of engine and transmission inter-changability between locos built by different manufacturers. This would have both helped keep purchase and maintenance costs down, especially if maintenance was carried out on a component replacement basis.

It would be understandable if GM declined to build a batch of Pilot Scheme locos if there was an expectation to set up an assembly plant in the UK or manufacture components in the UK. Its likely GM would have agreed to a British builder or a British Railways workshop assembling Pilot Scheme locos under license in a similar manner to Nohab or Clyde Engineering. Whether British Railways could have agreed to a licensing arrangement at the time is another matter. During the 1960s GM supplied engines to CIE to re-engine the Irish Metrovicks during the late 1960s, the conversion programme was successful, although GM initially had reservations about supplying the engines. Internationally GM tended to set up licensing arrangements with local builders to build locos using components supplied from the United States. Often locos are specials to suit local operating and climatic conditions and produced in similar numbers to the Pilot build. .

I think the decision to buy British built diesel locomotives was primarily political to provide what we now call a direct stimulus British locomotive builders and to provide a showcase for potential export orders to Commonwealth countries. GM, General Electric and Alco were exporting and manufacturing large numbers of American designed locos under-license in the Commonwealth and South American since the mid-1950s. All three companies had developed light weight and compact designs to suit local conditions, GM & Nohab (Sweden) tendered to supply locos to the Ulster Transport Authority & Great Northern Railway (Board) in the early 1950s. While Australia and New Zealand railway operators initially implemented a buy British policy, the GM G-12 export model quickly became the standard NZR main line locomotive following engine problems with the English Electric DF (basically a 1500hp narrow gauge version of the EE Class 40). Victoria became a GM state, New South Wales GM & Alco, while Tasmania & Queensland remained loyal to English Electric. Interestingly Nohab produced a European version of GM F Series under license in Sweden during the mid-1950s, which basically became a standard type of diesel locomotive outside of France, Germany and Italy. These locos including the NSB Di 3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSB_Di_3 would have fitted within British Railway's weight limits and could have been modified to fit the British loading gauge.

I introduced live steam on the Jackson County with an Accucraft C16 almost a year ago. Loco was second hand though had not been steamed. I have not fitted radio control yet, though quite controllable by hand even with a light load. 248s cab gas tank is in the tender which carries water to regulate the tanks temperature The beginning of another Autumn Stock rush with JMRI Operations car dispatching system thrown in to make operation more interesting. I basically am experimenting with operating one or two through freights from the staging (Placerville) to the main yard (Jackson City) with trip workings of Turns with smaller locos to hand local freight work. 1st laden stock special of the season and a manifest freight wait departure from Jackson City, 348 waits to haul in 248s train once she has finished her running! 463 approaches Arboles as 248 waits in the siding. No fixed signals strictly Train Order or TWC territory. The raised switch stands at most other yards act primarily as point indicators. 348 pulls into Arboles on a Turn. The loco is an Accucraft DRGW C-16 re-numbered by a previous owner as a slightly larger C-19. Before switching the yard 348 will set back with her train and drop the caboose on the far (West) side of the bridge. The tank car is routed to the spur track on the left hand side of the loco, the box cars to the siding (Passing loop) on the right. The siding is a bit short for a passing siding and generally used for local freight traffic. 348 has finished switching at Arboles and has picked up her caboose ready to depart for Utah Junction her destination with one flat car.

DCC ready locos are fitted with a decoder socket, which basically determines the number of pins and available functions on a particular loco. Traditionally American outline locos are/were fitted with a standard 8 pin NMRA (National Model Railroad Association) socket, a 21 pin socket tends to be used for European Models. The major manufacturers produce chips to suit particular rtr locomotives and more generic chips with a choice of different plug types and decoders with leads that can be hardwired into locos that do not have a decoder socket. Personally I find an 8 pin decoder adequate to control speed and direction, directional headlights and basic sound functions such as whistle and bell.

I would agree with Simon's comments on the D13 motor, they were considered to be a superior motor with a lower rpm and a higher torque than the similar though shorter D11 motor. A Mike Sharman milled brass gearbox would be an alternative if you are unable to source a suitable gear cradle. The photo is of one of the original batch of Sharman boxes which had helical gearing.

It looks like an Anchorage D13 motor marketed by MG Sharp during the 1980s. The Craftsman & DJH loco kits were designed around Anchorage motors. The motors were usually used with Romford single stage gears, sometimes with an etched or lost wax gear cradle https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/mashima-d13-motor-e-finecast-motor-753578909 I am reasonably certain I have some suitable gearboxes for your motor. I will post an update when I check my spare parts box.

Thanks Robert I am planning to release a Midland Standard (J19) goods and possibly an Achill Bogie rather than a further GSWR loco as a follow up to the 52 Class though the GSWR 0-4-4 back tanks sure were pretty locomotives. The Midland locos fit in more with my personal long term plans and I already have the patterns for most of the detail castings in stock from the 2-4-0

Leslie How could I possibly respond to such flattery. GSWR 52 Class 4-4-0. Mainly designed during my daughters Saturday morning music lessons. The artwork for the loco superstructure and chassis is at quite an advanced stage.

Thanks for the advice. I did not realise the old style Seep motors could draw up to 4amp. I decided to control the pointwork using Triang point switches salvaged from a layout last used about 10 years ago. Ironically the Triang levers were last used in a couple of lever frames to control the Seep motors re-used in the new layout, luckily I was able to re-use existing cable looms between the frames and the layout.

Dapol rather than Airfix Irish 5'3" gauge ESSO Class A tank wagons The Airfix/Dapol tank barrels were extended with tank sections cut from a spare kit. The solebars were packed out 1mm each side for the wider gauge. I have an earlier conversion of an Airfix tank wagon somewhere with MJT internal suspension units, better quality plastic than the later Dapol wagons.

I expect to start shipping these kits from 25th February. I am currently finalising the instructions. Two separate kits are now available: 1. MGWR early GSR condition with solid valences and can be assembled with MGWR pattern canopy cab or GSR style cab, superheated or saturated boiler, MGWR or GSR boiler fittings, tender coal rails or side plates. 2. Late GSR/CIE condition slotted valences, GSR style cab, superheated or saturated boiler, GSR boiler fittings, tender coal rails or side plates. Wheels, gears, motor, pick up wire/strip, spacing washers, paint, decals, number and name plates required to complete the locomotive. For those that have not already placed an order a small number of kits are available at $250NZ plus $30NZ shipping.

I am planning to use Lenz LS110 Accessory Decoders to control Seep Point motors. I had the units in stock for several years and don't particularly want to build a conventional switch panel to control the pointwork on a new N gauge layout. Does anyone know if it is feasible to control two point motors used in a crossover from a single accessory decoder output? The unit appears to be unable to reliably operate a crossover with the pulse set at the default 0.1 sec. Would increasing the pulse duration and or increasing supply voltage above 15V/1A DC improve operation or potentially burn out the decoder? The decoder load capacity 1.7A continuous 3A peak (max 20 sec) (individual & whole decoder) supply voltage 8-25V pure DC or 8-18v AC or pulsing AC. The pulse duration for solenoid operation can be varied between 0.1 & 15 Sec.

We regularly operate live steam locos during conventions and when the local garden railway group visit the railway. I have an Accucraft C16 2-8-0 which is awaiting conversion to radio control, the C16 is challenging to operate manually on account of the grades and good at finding the weak points in my tracklaying/maintenance. Currently running is either RCS on board battery RC or live steam. I abandoned DCC operation mainly as a result of un-reliable reversing when using DCC radio throttles outdoors rather than track cleaning or pick up problems, tyre plating wear/spark erosion was also a factor with some locos that had run on DC. I used to clean the track after steam running or before running if the railway had not operated for several weeks, most locos had pick up on driving and tender wheels and a couple had Lenz decoders with UPS.

Very nice! Interesting family resemblance to Russell & the Sierra Leone Hunslets.

£28 - £35 seems in line with prices quoted for the Bachmann Class 4 loco body on e-bay https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bachmann-31-6102A-BODY-ONLY-for-BR-BLACK-4-6-0-STANDARD-CLASS-4MT-LOCO-75072-nj/362060999776?epid=2160258387&hash=item544c846c60:g:DjgAAOSw2gxYvvdA. Funnily enough at one stage it was fairly common for modelers to buy Mainline or Bachmann loco bodies to fit on Comet chassis if they wanted a loco with good running qualities. Replacing the wheels on a Bachmann split axle chassis with Gibson or Markits wheels is basically a non-runner unless you have or know someone who has the capability of machining new stub axles and insulating muffs and likely to cost an arm and a leg. As Johnster advised a current spec Bachmann Chassis or assembling a Comet Chassis are the best options for upgrading Mainline/Bachmann split chassis locos.