Americanizing a Flying Scotsman

[richard]

One project that I've been considering, is to "Americanize" a (pre-Bachmann) Graham Farish "Flying Scotsman". I've managed to get some of the detailing bits from BH Enterprises, but I'm having problems coming up with a source for the cowcatcher. The ones I've found in places like the Walthers catalgoue are the very pointed "Wild West" type.

Does anyone have any ideas or possible sources?

Thanks

Richard

[daveinstoke]

I do have a picture of the Dominion of Canada, in full flight with its Bell still attached in front of its Chimney. The Loco is pulling a rake of the Gresley Teak coachs. The Loco still has its Valence's fitted.
Dave.

[richard]

I do have some photos of Flying Scotsman on its US trip - mainly culled from the web and generally of low quality. Good enough to do a conversion from though.

I now have a second tender which I need to work out how to hook up with the previous one. I also have a headlight which I bought at a recent show. It is from a US diesel, but with some plasticard, I think I can make it look right. Also have the bell and Westinghouse pump.

The cowcatcher is proving to be the difficult thing to find...


Richard

[thx1955]

Richard,
I came across a nice resource for some archive LNER footage, that includes the Scottie's trip to the USA in 1969. The footage is from the BBC and is relatively good quaity.

Here's the link to the BBC footage:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nationonfilm/topics/railways/

The Flying Scotsman clips are about halfway down. It may help with your project.

[richard]

Thanks Jim - I'll have a look.

I really need to start building/modifying this weekend!


Richard

[x568wcn]

I do have a picture of the Dominion of Canada, in full flight with its Bell still attached in front of its Chimney. The Loco is pulling a rake of the Gresley Teak coachs. The Loco still has its Valence's fitted.
Dave.

Yes it will have the vallances still on, as the bell and vallances were removed in the war, and the bell refitted but not working (it was steam operated) then when the double chimney was fitted 19/11 - 27/12/1957 it was taken off and stored, then shipped to Canada with the engine, but not refitted.

Mark T

[daveinstoke]

Richard, I have noticed that the Headstock on the front of 4472 seems to be alterd for the cowcatcher. it seems as if it has another bolted over the original, hence making it look more like a dumb buffer. Check out the pic of it in San Fransisco !.
Dave.

[richard]

I've just checked the photos. One of them, there are two sloping edges near the top of the buffer beam - as if something has been bolted onto it. And the other one has rivets in a line across the top - ie. no sloping lines, it looks like one piece (from the front anyway). So I think things must have been changed at some point during its US trip. I can't see any obvious differences in the cowcatcher, knuckle coupler and hoses, though.

My Americanised Flying Scotsman was packed up lastnight. I'm happy with the job, although I know where the problems are. The second tender still says "LNER". I think I've mounted the headlight slightly too high, and my scratch-built whistle is a little oversize.


Richard

[daveinstoke]

Its a shame there seems to be no detail pictures or drawings avaliable on the conversion. as an engineer myself I would love to know what they had to do to make the Loco compatable to North Americal rules & regs.
Dave.