Crane Locomotives

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
My Wantage Tramway loco project has slowed down due to some parts not being available yet (understandable under the current circumstances). So I got distracted and decided to create another crane loco. A while back I heavily modified an Ixion Hudswell Clarke to resemble one that I had a picture of. I'm still not sure if it is actually still a Hudswell Clarke now! Anyway, I decided to finish it off as a crane locomotive with the addition of a Gladiator Models crane. 20200623_194822.jpg

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If anyone's interested I can post some pictures of my other two crane locomotives. There may even be a fourth crane locomotive project coming up. :eek:

Mike
 

oldravendale

Western Thunderer
Always good to see more photos, Mike. That one looks the business. I'm always sad that I never saw one in the flesh.

Brian
 

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
And the one that started it all. Although there was and still is a kit available for this loco, I preferred to scratchbuild my version. Think I must have built this about twenty years ago.
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It's looking a bit careworn now and could probably use some new hornblock bearings but money's a bit tight at the Findon Limeworks, so it'll have to wait! :)

Mike
 

Podartist79

Western Thunderer
Evening Mike,
Never thought I'd see a Doxford Crane Tank in 7mm scale - it's absolutely brilliant! The colours, and weathering also - exquisite! (Should add I like the other two very much also)
Unfortunately I'm not a builder (certainly not yet) but I would love one of these in model form.
I've been trying to collate GA's and information on it, but I was aware that the Gentleman from Backwoods Miniatures was no longer operating, and hasn't been for some time, due to the health of his Wife(?) sadly.
Very interested in anything you might have on this loco.
Best wishes, and terrific work once more,
Neil.
PS Also interesting your working on the WT. I'm 40, but I lived not 8 miles from this line for the first 26 years of my life. I'd like to create a small part of it in a 7mm scale diorama...
 

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
Hi Neil

Thank you for your kind words. I'm afraid the info on the Doxford loco went ages ago in a major cull of old paperwork. There wasn't however a GA drawing, but just a photocopy of the 4mm etchings which I enlarged to 7mm. Now, I'm aware that the etchings might have actual been to HO scale, so goodness knows whether my loco is correctly proportioned! :eek: The valve gear is I believe 'modified joy valve gear'. Trust me, there was nothing joyful about constructing it! :D

You've got to start your Wantage Tramway diorama now to give me an incentive to finish No.5.

Mike
 

Osgood

Western Thunderer
This might be of use - appeared recently on the Industrial Locomotive Enthusiasts FB page.
Reputed to be from a Railway Modeller and described as a dimensioned sketch rather than a dead scale G.A.
Also a comment that the brass kit was 3.5mm /ft.
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Rippers

Western Thunderer
There wasn't however a GA drawing, but just a photocopy of the 4mm etchings which I enlarged to 7mm. Now, I'm aware that the etchings might have actual been to HO scale, so goodness knows whether my loco is correctly proportioned! :eek: The valve gear is I believe 'modified joy valve gear'. Trust me, there was nothing joyful about constructing it! :D

Mike

The Backwoods Doxford Tank was indeed etched to 3.5mm scale. Something we discovered when building a pair of them for our EM gauge shipyard layout 'Walker Marine' many moons ago. Something we discussed with the kit manufacturer later and apparently it had been done accidentally using a 7mm scale drawing that had been halved in scale (so if you doubled the etches it may indeed be nearer than you think!):D.

We overcame the under-scale issue on ours (on the width anyway) by the less than finescale approach of fattening the tanks up a bit on either side!;)

As you can imagine valve gear on the 4mm (sorry 3.5 m) version was mind boggling!:))

Nice to see one in 7mm scale.

Cheers

Neil
 

Osgood

Western Thunderer
This is my favourite crane locomotive because it was the very first I came across - in an 1876 volume of either The Engineer or Engineering. Scrapped in early 1920s when the works closed (info from IRS article).
I have a suspicion there was a G.A. or detailed drawing or sorts in the article too - should I take a look in my file? :eek:

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spikey faz

Western Thunderer
Nice. I've not seen that photo before. I'm currently working my way thought the mine field of NSWGR class D open wagons with the help of Ian Dunn's book. there are a few photos of 73xx on page 60. If you have any drawing of the tank or know were i can get my hands on a set I would be interested.

Marc
I was in contact with a chap out in Australia on BRM a few years back regarding these locos. I'll see what info he referred me to. I think some of the links he sent me no longer exist though.

That book sounds interesting. I may have to check it out. Could you let me have the full title please?

I'm currently undecided whether to go for a full-blown conversion to Australian spec, or whether to do a UK version. An enterprising UK engineer may have been on an overseas trip to Australia, spotted a crane tank and thought ' I know where there's an abandoned Terrier back in the UK. Maybe we can do something similar'.

Mike
 

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
This is my favourite crane locomotive because it was the very first I came across - in an 1876 volume of either The Engineer or Engineering. Scrapped in early 1920s when the works closed (info from IRS article).
I have a suspicion there was a G.A. or detailed drawing or sorts in the article too - should I take a look in my file? :eek:

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Hi Tony

Please post any pictures of drawings of crane tanks that you might have. I've got this weird fascination with them! :))

There are so many different types it would be a lifetimes work to even build a fraction of them. I even came across a picture of a fireless crane tank recently.

I suppose I should start compiling pictures of them . As far as I'm aware there is only one book on the subject: Crane Locomotives by R A S Abbott.

Mike
 

Marc Dobson

Western Thunderer
I was in contact with a chap out in Australia on BRM a few years back regarding these locos. I'll see what info he referred me to. I think some of the links he sent me no longer exist though.

That book sounds interesting. I may have to check it out. Could you let me have the full title please?

I'm currently undecided whether to go for a full-blown conversion to Australian spec, or whether to do a UK version. An enterprising UK engineer may have been on an overseas trip to Australia, spotted a crane tank and thought ' I know where there's an abandoned Terrier back in the UK. Maybe we can do something similar'.

Mike

Hi Mike

The Book is Goods wagons of the NSW Railways 1855-1905. by Alan A Dunn.published by Eveleigh press in Australia.

I have been commissioned to produce some 7mm kit for a group of people associated with the Australian version of the HMRS. I have started with to D class wagons: a 2 plank with a centre door; 2 plank with a dropside; 3 plank with centre door and a 3 plank with a drop side to start with. I designing them so they can be built in FS or S7 with a simple wheel swap.
I hoping to have to them finish and the first kits shipped by the end of September. It should have been earlier this year but germageddon got in the way.
I'm now into the final detailed design work etched parts etc. I have attached some screen shots

Marc

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Overseer

Western Thunderer
Greg Edwards of Datasheets provided the drawings and Ian Dunn wrote the words for Goods Wagons of NSW. The drawings in the book are available in 7mm scale from Datasheets, as linked to by Mike above. There are some oddities in the book, one being the sheep van section where Ian wonders where the design of the first sheep van came from - it was an exact copy of the LNWR double deck van down to the last detail as published in DK Clark in 1855, designed by HH Henson. The drawing in the NSW book is longer than it should be to be accurate.

The NSW Terrier conversions were different to most crane tanks as the crane was low capacity, just enough to lift the coal tubs to coal locos as the were intended to. Presumably they were quick acting to speed the process up.
 

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
Hi Mike

The Book is Goods wagons of the NSW Railways 1855-1905. by Alan A Dunn.published by Eveleigh press in Australia.

I have been commissioned to produce some 7mm kit for a group of people associated with the Australian version of the HMRS. I have started with to D class wagons: a 2 plank with a centre door; 2 plank with a dropside; 3 plank with centre door and a 3 plank with a drop side to start with. I designing them so they can be built in FS or S7 with a simple wheel swap.
I hoping to have to them finish and the first kits shipped by the end of September. It should have been earlier this year but germageddon got in the way.
I'm now into the final detailed design work etched parts etc. I have attached some screen shots

Marc

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Marc

I use a computer at work but I admit to not having a clue about the kind of design work you are doing. It looks excellent! Keep us posted on your progress.

Mike
 
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