daifly
Western Thunderer
Provoked by Simon's comment in the 40HP Simplex thread, I thought that now would be a good time to join in!
Whilst chatting to Derek Mundy at Telford in 2011, I was admiring not just the semaphore signals that he was making but also some of the locomotives that he had built which were also on display. Among them was a diminutive and unusual Greenwood & Batley 4wBE (4-wheel battery electric) locomotive. This is the loco that the kit replicates:
This is Greenwood and Batley No.2000 (built 1945) in the sidings at Stourport Power Station on 14th April 1974. This locomotive had previously been used at Worcester Power Station.Photograph taken by Andrew Smith
Derek had designed a basic set of parts to satisfy a client’s needs and was selling off the surplus as basic ‘kits’. My traditional prevarication meant that it was only at the Swindon ‘Steam’ festival a couple of weeks later that I bought his last remaining kit. It is the cheapest 7mm locomotive ‘kit’ that I have ever bought but is far from a complete kit! What I got for £47.50 is a set of etchings for the chassis and body plus cast whitemetal axlebox/springs. Derek has also included several pages of notes with colour photos covering the prototype history and assembly.
This little lot is also needed:
Slater's wheels, industrial buffers (Walsall), 1420 motor and 40:1 gearset, couplings, wheel bearings and a Dick, Kerr-type tram controller from Terry Russell trams - thus more than doubling the initial cost!
It will be DCC-fitted but, being a battery-powered prototype, a sound chip is probably superfluous.
Achieving adequate adhesion with only one powered axle will not be easy but packing under the battery box covers with lots of weight will help. The prototype normally only moved 4 or 5 wagons on the level. Having recently seen a photo of the Delrin drive on one of John Dale’s Ruston 48DS models, I have also added that to the inventory to assist both drive and current collection. I also spoke with kit designer Derek and inspected his completed model, I shall copy him by springing the unpowered axle to assist adhesion and current collection.
A prolonged power cut this afternoon provided a perfect opportunity to mke a start on fettling the frames and body. There is a large number of rivets to be formed and for that I used my GW Models rivetter. In anticipation of needing to use it, a couple of weeks ago I mounted it on a lump of 18mm ply to give it stability and allow it to be clamped if necessary. But where were all of the extra anvils and punches that it came with. Unable to find them, I contacted George Watts and he supplied a complete new set of 5 for £12.50 + £2 p&p.
Power has now been restored and assembly of the body can start. The wheels are with Colin D. being reprofiled to S7.
So why S7?
My erstwhile Aldbourne layout plans have been stalled as I wasn't happy with the balance of the design. I have been tinkering with the plan over the last couple of months but have not really moved forward much. I have found myself increasingly distracted by the several ScaleSeven threads on WT and confess to long having had a desire to build a S7 layout. My original intention had been to build to O-MF standard but, since I will need to build all of my own pointwork anyway and have several locos and wagons still to be built then, on reflection, I might just as well be building everything to S7 standards.
The possibility of a house move in the next 12 months has made me focus on building stock for a new layout. The existing baseboards will remain empty until the final shape and size available in a new house becomes clear.
Spending several days at a stretch working away from home also limits the modelling opportunities so there will not be frequent updates or rapid progress!
Dave
Whilst chatting to Derek Mundy at Telford in 2011, I was admiring not just the semaphore signals that he was making but also some of the locomotives that he had built which were also on display. Among them was a diminutive and unusual Greenwood & Batley 4wBE (4-wheel battery electric) locomotive. This is the loco that the kit replicates:
This is Greenwood and Batley No.2000 (built 1945) in the sidings at Stourport Power Station on 14th April 1974. This locomotive had previously been used at Worcester Power Station.Photograph taken by Andrew Smith
Derek had designed a basic set of parts to satisfy a client’s needs and was selling off the surplus as basic ‘kits’. My traditional prevarication meant that it was only at the Swindon ‘Steam’ festival a couple of weeks later that I bought his last remaining kit. It is the cheapest 7mm locomotive ‘kit’ that I have ever bought but is far from a complete kit! What I got for £47.50 is a set of etchings for the chassis and body plus cast whitemetal axlebox/springs. Derek has also included several pages of notes with colour photos covering the prototype history and assembly.
This little lot is also needed:
Slater's wheels, industrial buffers (Walsall), 1420 motor and 40:1 gearset, couplings, wheel bearings and a Dick, Kerr-type tram controller from Terry Russell trams - thus more than doubling the initial cost!
It will be DCC-fitted but, being a battery-powered prototype, a sound chip is probably superfluous.
Achieving adequate adhesion with only one powered axle will not be easy but packing under the battery box covers with lots of weight will help. The prototype normally only moved 4 or 5 wagons on the level. Having recently seen a photo of the Delrin drive on one of John Dale’s Ruston 48DS models, I have also added that to the inventory to assist both drive and current collection. I also spoke with kit designer Derek and inspected his completed model, I shall copy him by springing the unpowered axle to assist adhesion and current collection.
A prolonged power cut this afternoon provided a perfect opportunity to mke a start on fettling the frames and body. There is a large number of rivets to be formed and for that I used my GW Models rivetter. In anticipation of needing to use it, a couple of weeks ago I mounted it on a lump of 18mm ply to give it stability and allow it to be clamped if necessary. But where were all of the extra anvils and punches that it came with. Unable to find them, I contacted George Watts and he supplied a complete new set of 5 for £12.50 + £2 p&p.
Power has now been restored and assembly of the body can start. The wheels are with Colin D. being reprofiled to S7.
So why S7?
My erstwhile Aldbourne layout plans have been stalled as I wasn't happy with the balance of the design. I have been tinkering with the plan over the last couple of months but have not really moved forward much. I have found myself increasingly distracted by the several ScaleSeven threads on WT and confess to long having had a desire to build a S7 layout. My original intention had been to build to O-MF standard but, since I will need to build all of my own pointwork anyway and have several locos and wagons still to be built then, on reflection, I might just as well be building everything to S7 standards.
The possibility of a house move in the next 12 months has made me focus on building stock for a new layout. The existing baseboards will remain empty until the final shape and size available in a new house becomes clear.
Spending several days at a stretch working away from home also limits the modelling opportunities so there will not be frequent updates or rapid progress!
Dave
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