7mm Hudswell Clarke Ixion

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Oliver Bulleid

Guest
Having missed the accompanying froth feast to the release of ixion's Hudswell Clarke, may I ask about the actual locomotive.

Were they only used by contractors or collieries in the North of England, I have failed to find any reference to their use in the South or West Country.

The model does look superb and an ideal candidate for Peco's Set Track.

Tim
 
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Simon Dunkley

Guest
They were used in various iron quarries in the East Midlands, and also on the Wissington light railway in the Fens. Can't tell you about other parts of the country, but it was a "stock item" for the manufacturers so could turn up anywhere.

It's a nice model of a lovely prototype, but completely spoilt (for me) by the skirt under the boiler.
 

Osgood

Western Thunderer
[quote="Simon Dunkley, post: 63072, member: .......It's a nice model of a lovely prototype, but completely spoilt (for me) by the skirt under the boiler.[/quote]

I almost didn't get one for this very reason Simon - then I discovered photos of these models where the under boiler area had been very cleverly disguised by toolboxes and oil cans on the footplate, and I thought "OK why didn't I think of that?"!!!!!!! How simple a solution can sometimes be, yet so far away.

Need to get some nice oil cans now!
 
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Simon Dunkley

Guest
Dark grey paint on the skirt would also help - fading it into the body colour would be even more effective. Why this should be necessary in this day and age with modern motor technology is beyond me, but apparently acceptable to the froth merchants and magazine "reviewers".
 

Osgood

Western Thunderer
Most likely cost - and you can't argue about that!!! It is what it is - value for money even if not exactly what some including me would have liked in a ideal world. I'd wager that engineering a clear view under the boiler would add little additional sales and possibly reduce total sales by virtue of higher price. The boxes are very nice too - it really stands out amongst my growing collection.........
 

daifly

Western Thunderer
Most likely cost - and you can't argue about that!!! It is what it is - value for money even if not exactly what some including me would have liked in a ideal world. I'd wager that engineering a clear view under the boiler would add little additional sales and possibly reduce total sales by virtue of higher price. The boxes are very nice too - it really stands out amongst my growing collection.........
I bought a black one which IMHO gives the same effect as a 'shadow' under the boiler. At least, the blackness does not draw attention to the lack of openness.
 
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Oliver Bulleid

Guest
The Hudswell Clarke seems to bear a remarkable likeness to the Manning Wardle W 1601 that worked at the Gravesend cement works, eventually retiring to the K&ESR.

Why two types of locos should be so alike is a happy coincidence, a short bit of 7mm Kent is a possibility.


Tim
 

Osgood

Western Thunderer
Same reason that I went for black. But then I saw a weathered red one (I think there is a link from the Ixion site) which looked just great, oh well.
 

Osgood

Western Thunderer
To answer your original question, Tim - later tonight I can look through the Hudswell Clarke build list and see what I can pull out for that class. I'm sure many were used by Sir Alfred McAlpine on construction contracts.
 
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Oliver Bulleid

Guest
The connection between the two companies is explained on Wiki, they shared the same address and employees in Leeds.

A lovely photo of the MW is located in Michael Poulter's colour album on page 39

and here on the Middleton Railway

http://c9425687.myzen.co.uk/MRT2/images/Matthew Murray.jpg

BTW, the Fowler is perfect for Yeovil, Westlands used a Fowler until the 60s.


Tim
 
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Oliver Bulleid

Guest
That is odd, the above photo of the exKent Cement loco Arthur at the Middleton Railway seems to show a covered space under the boiler - maybe not so unprototypical after all?

Tim
 
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Simon Dunkley

Guest
The Hudswell Clarke seems to bear a remarkable likeness to the Manning Wardle W 1601 that worked at the Gravesend cement works, eventually retiring to the K&ESR.

Why two types of locos should be so alike is a happy coincidence, a short bit of 7mm Kent is a possibility.


Tim
They are very similar, partly because there isn't much scope for variation when producing such a tiny prototype. Although individual companies, they all ended up as part of Hunslet. At one point there were four different loco builders in the same road in Leeds.
The details vary, though - a typical Manning Wardle loco had double-boss wheels, whereas HC tended towards a more normal arrangement of spokes, albeit usually with a flat face. But as with all of these things, there are no hard and fast rules, and at the of the day you need a drawing, specifications from the order book, and a dated photo if you have a specific loco in mind.
 
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Oliver Bulleid

Guest
Simon,

As the subject is factional*, I can stretch my imagination to allow a Hudswell Clarke rather than a Manning Wardle.

Tim

*Fiction based on fact
 
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Simon Dunkley

Guest
Simon,

As the subject is factional*, I can stretch my imagination to allow a Hudswell Clarke rather than a Manning Wardle.

Tim

*Fiction based on fact
Easy explanation: they wanted a loco urgently, but MW couldn't oblige to the required spec, but HC had one that could be ready in a couple of weeks. During "slack" periods, the workforces of the Leeds loco builders were retained by getting them to part-build the most popular models, which could be quickly finished off if an order came in. This way, the skilled workers weren't wandering down the road and taking jobs with competitors.

Enlightened capitalism, with investment in the future during periods of recession and low interest rates leading to tolerant banking. Not so enlightened nowadays, sadly.
 
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