Atlantic's works: Portable layout - Scenic details next

[Atlantic 3279]

Before I posted the last images of the GCR "Santa Fe" I had already gone over the filled recesses in the boiler top with a couple of coats of primer, rubbing down gently in between, but I've had no time to post a newer image until now. As you'll also see, I've started work towards the new parallel-twin outside cylinders too. On discovering that the original US Bachmann cylinders are partly cast metal, partly plastic, and that the two materials don't separate in a convenient place, I abandoned any idea of re-working those and decided to build something new, from scratch. I've soldered some pieces of 5/16" brass tube together to create the shape of the wrapped cylinders. These are currently merely blu-tacked, but will in due course be securely fastened, to the sides of a new combined saddle and valve-chest built in 40thou plastikard. Planning and cutting out the shapes for the front and rear of this structure seemed to take ages, with more trimming to do once it was assembled, as it must fit correctly in a number of different places.

[S.A.C. Martin]

Looking really rather powerful in its part-rebuilt form. The cylinders and boiler almost look out of the proportion to the rest of the locomotive!

[Bill Bedford]

The 40 ton ex-GCR all-steel bogie coal wagons to Livesey-Gould patent design are indeed on the agenda too, though I may have to draw the line at 15 on account of my loop lengths.

I think I have spotted the flaw i your plans..........
They was little possibility of using the GC 40 wagons for supplying export coal at the ports. The reason was that these wagons could only be unloaded by hand, and even at this date all the coal exports were handled mechanically at the docksides. This was either by hoppers an saithes in the north east ports or by end tipping wagons and lifts in the rest of the country. There is a slight chance that a wagon tipper and conveyer belt system could have been designed, but this would have been very much an expensive solution. The 40 ton wagons were really a solution looking for a problem, they could be used for loco coal, because the railways could always supply the manpower for for unloading, or in those colonies where there was plenty of cheap coolie power, but for high volume home coal exports they were basically useless.

[jwealleans]

I know the Midland ones were for loco coal as you suggest, Bill; what about the other railways who built/bought them? The NER ones were hoppers, but I'm sure there were other companies who had them as well.

How were the iron ore hoppers - the one the Ratio kit represents, was it a CR wagon? - unloaded? They must have faced a similar issue.

[Atlantic 3279]

I think I have spotted the flaw i your plans..........

An interesting point there Bill. Whilst I can't remember whether that's the first time it has been mentioned on this forum, I do know that I've discussed that very problem with somebody at some time. It seems that, had Sam Fay's alleged enthusiasm for these bogie wagons led to their rapid mass-adoption, then the cost of the several recently erected hoists for standard end-door coal wagons on the dockside at Immingham would have gone to waste.
Whether Fay's impressive money-raising skills would have been a match for that particular problem is a matter of conjecture. It certainly seems unlikely, but as this project is in any case a fantasy then it doesn't bother me too much.

Does anybody feel like constructing a matching fantasy model of a, massive, Immingham dockside, "elevating side tippler" for 40 ton bogie wagons, along with a plausible financial case for its construction in a pre-1920 world in which the Great War had never happened?

[Manxman1831]

I don't think it'd need an elevating tipper. A rotating side tipper, like one they had on display as part of the lead-mining display at Crich tramway museum, with a triple conveyor below would be simple enough to build and maintain. The shunters would need to be expert enough to get the heavier wagons in position so that the tipper could be used.

Edit: fifth image down is what I'm trying to describe

http://www.valente.it/en/wagons_muckcars.htm

[Atlantic 3279]

I subsequently thought about things again too. If an elevated approach to the bogie wagon side-tippler(s) were provided (which might not be a problem at Immingham where the reception sidings are on an embankment anyway) then coal chutes with broad mouths and adjustable position outlets to suit the differing positions of holds and hatches on collier ships would presumably take care of the rest.
Let's not get too involved with the question of whether such large empty wagons would then be allowed to run downhill, uncoupled, brakes off, into an empty wagons yard. Perhaps the fact that the handbrakes on these wagons had to be screwed-on, rather than simply levered down by a man walking/running alongside with a pole, would not favour gravity shunting!

[Atlantic 3279]

Pending further thoughts on how to make the slidebars and crossheads for the Baldwin, and on the matter of whether I have the necessary materials, I've been playing around with other details.

I've sawn and filed away a fair amount of the original casting around the front of the loco's frames. The original platform over the pony truck would have been too low for a OO model, as would the front "buffer" beam. I've therefore cut away much of that platform and almost everything else below British OO buffer-beam level, in the process creating room for new 10.5mm diameter spoked pony wheels - when I get some. These will still be samll, but more believable than the 9.5mm wheels currently fitted. The pony wheels ought to be 11mm, but as the practical choice of donor-model dictates that the coupled wheels are possibly 2mm too small (but don't tell anybody that) we won't get upset about 0.5mm! I've also reduced the buffer beam width to 32mm, built up its top edges somewhat, slotted the middle of it ready for a coupling hook, failed to make my mind up what shape to make the ends, drilled it for buffers and temporarily fitted some oval headed buffers. I've also started building up a new platform behind the buffer beam.

Here's a view of arrangements downstairs. Plenty of metal filed away to clear the bigger wheels when obtained, clearances made in the new plastikard strucure carrying the cylinders for pony side-swing, and the pony truck extended 3-4mm futher forwards by simply cutting it and adding a brass wrapper.

The cab roof now has a beading around itse edges too, and the attitude of the rear truck (which originally appeared to hang from its pivot as if excessively small wheels were fitted, which was not the case) has been corrected by adding a 1mm thick washer to the boss on which it pivots.

[Horsetan]

.....Just checked the painting again - I thought my eyes were deceiving me. 4 outside cylinders!!! Talk about power!

What I want to know is where the rest of the valve gear was hidden

[Atlantic 3279]

Stephenson, inside, with large piston valves between the frames, one large valve serving each pair of cylinders since the pairs acted in unison. A "simple" version of the Vauclain compound system as far as I can see.

[2002EarlMarischal]

The gradual but clear "Anglicizing" of the monster means it is starting to appeal to me now! Very clever stuff as always Graeme!

BTW, have I missed the conclusion to A1/1 Great Northern no: 2? Are you ready to sell your resin conversion parts for it yet?

[Atlantic 3279]

A good question. The answer, for everybody who may be interested, is that GN2 is waiting patiently for bespoke etched valvegear parts, and the delay is no bad thing as I have a lot on my plate at present. Once the etchings are proven by test assembly. I'll remake some of the moulds which have suffered as a result of turning out A2/3 parts, try to write up some instructions, and then it should be all systems go.

In the meantime, the Baldwin progresses. I've fitted eight spoke Gibson pony wheels, as I've seen spoked pony wheels on Baldwin locos but I'm not sure they ever went for the luxury of ten spokes. I've also temporarily substituted a more strongly GC style chimney. It is a kit-surplus part (no idea which kit now) and it gives the loco the height it ought to have, which the J39 chimney does not, but it possibly has too little girth for a loco of these proportions. I don't fancy spending time making a more suitable chimney of my own so I'm undecided on what to do at present.
The cylinders have now sprouted slidebars (filed up from 2 x 1mm N/S), some N/S hand cut crossheads (which need more detailing), 0.9mm wire piston rods (sliding in brass tube) and the cylinders have been filled with casting resin to keep all the installed gubbins firmly in place, as some of it had to be just super-glued. The slidebar location is now very firm indeed, and I've not yet added a bracket to support the rear ends of the bars. The original con-rods have been pinned to the new crossheads. The cylinders are again only blu-tacked back in place and I've not yet run the motor to test the arrangement, but everything slides smoothly and the reinstated motion parts clear the leading crankpins. I'm a good bit happier now that this is done, as time was becoming difficult to find and I imagined that creating of the new motion might be one of the most painful parts of this project. Holding the chunky N/S slidebars whilst soldering certainly was painful at times.....

[Saint Johnstoun]

Fantastic Graeme! The only snag is that you've got me going now on a USA S200 - I reckon that the Mehano body with a new boiler barrel and cab mated to the 2-8-2 chassis and a carved up tender will give me what I want.

[52D]

Whilst on the topic of yanks can someone point me to an OO S160 model.

Thanks 52D

[Horsetan]

Whilst on the topic of yanks can someone point me to an OO S160 model.

There isn't one.

There is a DJH HO/1:87 kit for the S160, but that's all.

Hence my very slow scratchbuild. Mike Sharman / Sharman Wheels produced the correct driving wheels for it, and I was very very lucky to buy a complete P4 set before the business closed down.