SM32 “Clogher Valley” style loco - info/advice on scale drawings

[SteveyDee68]

Back in the day, my late father had a box full of Triang Big Big track, stock and locos that I could play with on the carpet or in the garden. (I think, perhaps, this was his “doorway drug” into O gauge modelling, as the MK2 coaches, “Blue Flyer” Hymek and mineral wagons all disappeared into the loft for his embryonic O gauge layout at some point!)

 

However, he did alter the 0-4-0 steam outline loco into something a little more “realistic” and when I saw the following up for sale on eBay recently, it reminded me so much of it that I made an offer and bought it straight off!

 

Yes, it is badly painted…

 

Yes, it has some damage (including a chimney that went missing between purchase and receipt)…

 

But it has (to my eye) the look of a cross between a Glyn Valley and Clogher Valley tram engine - see the photos attached to this post below.

 

 

 

 

Despite a thorough Google search, I haven’t been able to find any scale drawings on line; can anybody point me to where dimensional drawings for either (or even both) of the aforementioned locos might be found, please? (Even better if a free download rather than an expensive reference book!!)

 

Yes - I know I have (many) other projects I could (should) be getting on with, but this is sort of tugging at the heart strings a bit!

 

Thanks for any assistance or advice offered.

 

Steve S

 

 

[SteveyDee68]

The loco’s underpinnings, revealing the Big Big Train origins!

 

 

 

[cp409067]

On 05/09/2022 at 23:20, SteveyDee68 said:

.....

Despite a thorough Google search, I haven’t been able to find any scale drawings on line; can anybody point me to where dimensional drawings for either (or even both) of the aforementioned locos might be found, please? (Even better if a free download rather than an expensive reference book!!)

.....

Thanks for any assistance or advice offered.

 

Steve S

 

 

 

*

Not an exhaustive list, but this may be helpful. E&OE.

 

[1]  The CVR Sharp Stewart tram locos.

 

(i) E.M.Patterson: The Clogher Valley Railway, Colourprint, 2004, ISBN 1-904242-15- 4, pp.133-140. These pages describe the locos, include a number of photographs, and that on p.133 is a square on shot of No 5 "Colebrooke" that might be the next best thing to a drawing. There are other photographs of the locomotives elsewhere in the book.

 

(ii) Geoff Thorne: Scrapbook of Narrow Gauge Drawings - Narrow Lines extra No 3, the 7mm Narrow gauge Association, 1995, drawing No 1 (obviously to 7mm scale).

 

(iii)  D.B.Pinniger: "Narrow gauge Modelling in Plasticard", Model Railway Constructor, October 1966, p. 259 has a 4mm scale outline drawing.

 

[2]  The GVT Beyer Peacock tram locos.

 

(i) W.J.Milner: The Glyn Valley Tramway, OPC, 1984, ISBN 0-86093-286-9, pp.75-81. Therein is a description of the locos, several photographs, and on p.78 a drawing of "Sir Theodore". The scale of this drawing appears to be very slightly less than 10mm/ft. The locomotives of course feature in photographs elsewhere in the book.

 

(ii) John Milner and Beryl Williams: Rails to Glyn Ceiriog, vol 2, Ceiriog Press, 2015, ISBN 10: 1900622157/  ISBN 13: 9781900622158 will also presumably have a drawing. This volume is, however, out of print and changes hands for large sums.

 

(iii) Model Railway News, June 1967 has drawings of "Dennis" and "Sir Theodore". From memory these are 10mm/ft drawings.

 

(iv) Bernard Rockett: Glyn Valley Tramway Locomotives, 16mm scale drawings. No ISBN.

 

 

CP

 

[SteveyDee68]

Many thanks to @cp409067 for the pinpointed information towards possible basis of my eBay loco.

 

Currently wondering if the smallbrook 16mm chimney might to the right size or not to make good…

 

Steve S

 

 

[cp409067]

1 hour ago, SteveyDee68 said:

Many thanks to @cp409067 for the pinpointed information towards possible basis of my eBay loco.

.....

 

Steve S

 

 

*

Steve

 

I am happy to be of possible assistance.

 

On reflection may I make a suggestion?

 

If basing the loco on the 3ft gauge CVR trams, the proportions might need to be somewhat reduced for the implied 2ft gauge of "SM32". In 4mm scale FourDees have done this to make a model suitable for 2ft 3ins gauge. See -

 

https://www.fourdees.co.uk/clogher

 

- where there is a drawing indicating the proportional reduction used to make it suitable for "OO9".

 

 

CP

[SteveyDee68]

Thank you very much for the offer of help. The loco itself seems to be very much “in the flavour” rather than an accurate model, but things like the height of the cab checked against a scale drawing would tell me roughly what the “scale” is!

 

My plan is to add radio control and use it as part of a “Big Big Train” based “micro” - I have enough BBT tipper wagons to respray them in various bright colours (c/o Halfords car spray paints!) and track to build an Inglenook. Hoping I can build the necessarily large baseboard out of foam board so it can be easily moved about, with just a couple of structures.

 

Many thanks 

 

Steve S

 

PS

I’d already stumbled across the  Fourdees line drawing and downloaded it for comparison!

Edited September 14, 2022 by SteveyDee68