Overseer
Western Thunderer
I hold WT totally responsible for this diversion into scattergun modelling. Well maybe not totally, but it has lead me astray. The challenge of making the bunker shape has proved irresistible hence the decision to build a model of 1646 or 1649 as they appeared in Scotland. The last pannier, and the last Western loco, I made was a Wills white metal OO kit in about 1980 - not very inspiring. So I am far from being knowledgeable on the subject of pannier tanks. I recently bought the 16xx Pannier Papers book with plenty of useful photos. Remembering that Cyril Freezer's GW loco drawing book had a drawing of a 16xx I thought that might be enough to scratchbuild a model but then compared the drawing to the photos. Then I realised Warren Shephard sells kits and etches at a reasonable price, and an email or two and a week later I have a set of etches for a 16xx with the intention to use what I can to build a Scale7 model.
Now the reason for revealing this half baked plan now is to ask for assistance and advice. Is a GA available or published? What was the corner radius of the pannier tanks? It is sharper than the earlier locos but how much sharper? What size were all the funny little hatches with knobs on the tank top, or really in the sheeting over the boiler? What wheels do people use? Slaters don't seem to do the correct 12 spoke 4' 1 1/2" crank pin between spoke wheels, the closest seem to be the 4' 1904 GW rail motor wheels but the crank throw is a bit short, or the 850 class 12 spoke wheels but they are pin in line.
Don't expect rapid, or much, progress on this one for a while, but I do want to see if I can build a cab and bunker that looks like the real ones as a start.
Now the reason for revealing this half baked plan now is to ask for assistance and advice. Is a GA available or published? What was the corner radius of the pannier tanks? It is sharper than the earlier locos but how much sharper? What size were all the funny little hatches with knobs on the tank top, or really in the sheeting over the boiler? What wheels do people use? Slaters don't seem to do the correct 12 spoke 4' 1 1/2" crank pin between spoke wheels, the closest seem to be the 4' 1904 GW rail motor wheels but the crank throw is a bit short, or the 850 class 12 spoke wheels but they are pin in line.
Don't expect rapid, or much, progress on this one for a while, but I do want to see if I can build a cab and bunker that looks like the real ones as a start.