Crane Locomotives

[spikey faz]

Progress on the crane mechanism continues at great pace!

Mike

 

[spikey faz]

I've been adding a few pipes and operating rods/levers.

The box of parts is looking significantly less full now, which I take as a sign of progress! Still need to do a bit more to the crane, but I reckon not far off from getting the loco body and boiler ready for some paint.

Mike

 

[Osgood]

For the resin - metal bits interface, what has been your sticky stuff of choice?

 

[spikey faz]

For the resin - metal bits interface, what has been your sticky stuff of choice?

The smokebox front is epoxied (Araldite 5 minute) onto the resin casting. I drilled a few holes into the resin (where it couldn't be seen) to allow the epoxy glue a bit more 'bite' to hold the smokebox front in place. The kit instructions do not recommend using superglue for this.

Any components not epoxied onto the resin will be bolted into place.

Mike

 

[spikey faz]

I'm trying to figure out what the large cylinder thing is that I've circled below.

It looks like some sort of counterweight, but why add weight where its not needed.

Mike

 

[Osgood]

Thanks for glue info, I've recently been having issues with superglue and some materials (not helped by using glue that is 2 or 3 years old) and have resorted to good old Alraldite (and it is old - really old - like 20 years old, but it hasn't gone off).

Surely not a counterweight - the only thing you might find in this position is a second rope pulley to allow heavier lifts at a shorter reach. Strange.

Is this photo taken at Crewe Works by any chance?

 

[Osgood]

The only thing I can find in this position on similar cranes is this magnet cable reel - picture from Crane Locomotives by R.A.S. Abbott.
It would need a steam generator (e.g. Stones) on the crane to provide the power.
Have you looked through any published info on Crewe Works?

 

[Osgood]

It might possibly be a chain block, for precision lifts, with the operating chain wrapped around the side nearest the building?

The only other view I can find of it (3249 - no evidence of other engines having the same attachment) is here:

19th century railway enthusiasts | L.N.W.R. 0-4-2 Crane Tank No.3249 , to traffic 1894. | Facebook

L.N.W.R. 0-4-2 Crane Tank No.3249 , to traffic 1894.. photographed post grouping at Crewe Works .. no date. Image source via Reddit

www.facebook.com

So with the attachment not present in an early LMS view, it must have been fitted in later LMS days.

 

[spikey faz]

It might possibly be a chain block, for precision lifts, with the operating chain wrapped around the side nearest the building?

The only other view I can find of it (3249 - no evidence of other engines having the same attachment) is here:

19th century railway enthusiasts | L.N.W.R. 0-4-2 Crane Tank No.3249 , to traffic 1894. | Facebook

L.N.W.R. 0-4-2 Crane Tank No.3249 , to traffic 1894.. photographed post grouping at Crewe Works .. no date. Image source via Reddit

www.facebook.com

So with the attachment not present in an early LMS view, it must have been fitted in later LMS days.

View attachment 268296

Ah! Some sort of pulley or chain block. Makes far more sense. I'll see if I can cobble together some sort of representation of this, as I'm modelling 3249 in its later years.

Mike

 

[Overseer]

Ah! Some sort of pulley or chain block. Makes far more sense. I'll see if I can cobble together some sort of representation of this, as I'm modelling 3249 in its later years.

Mike

I think Tony was right the first time with the electric supply cable retracting reel for use picking up scrap steel with an electromagnet. It would be a twin reel with a coil spring like a vacuum cleaner cord retractor (but without the ratchet). The would be turbo generator mounted somewhere on the loco to provide the electricity for the magnet. Electro magnets on cranes or excavators are very common now for handling scrap but would have been cutting edge technology when the LMS installed it in the 20s or 30s.

 

[spikey faz]

I think Tony was right the first time with the electric supply cable retracting reel for use picking up scrap steel with an electromagnet. It would be a twin reel with a coil spring like a vacuum cleaner cord retractor (but without the ratchet). The would be turbo generator mounted somewhere on the loco to provide the electricity for the magnet. Electro magnets on cranes or excavators are very common now for handling scrap but would have been cutting edge technology when the LMS installed it in the 20s or 30s.

That is really helpful. Thank you.

It makes sense as the turbo generator would have needed a steam feed. By coincidence there is a pipe coming out of the safety valve mounting on the right hand side that is not present on earlier pictures where the crane appendage is absent. I'm guessing that this would feed the generator.

Mike

 

[spikey faz]

I've yet to find a decent picture of of the aforementioned electric supply cable reel, so I'll probably end up adding a basic drum. I'll clip it in place and if more information turns up I can then change it. In the meantime I've been adding a few more bits to the crane. In one or two pictures there's a faint image of some sort of additional plating to the crane sides. I've cut some very thin Plastikard out to represent this.

Mike

 

[spikey faz]

Hmm. I seem to have mislaid my supply of chain that I was going to use for the crane and also for the restraining chains attached to the sides of the tank.

I expect it'll turn up, but if not does anyone have any suggestions for a source of a really fine chain?

Thanks
Mike

 

[Lawrence Boul]

The finest I have found (with good link shape too) is that intended more 1:700 model ships. A search will turn up options.

 

[spikey faz]

A few scraps of plastikard later and I have something that vaguely looks like the real thing.

And a rather revealing close-up.

I'm sure there should be many other parts to add, but in the absence of a decent prototype picture I'll stop here for now.

Mike

 

[spikey faz]

I've started to get some primer on.

After declaring myself happy with the chimney I'd cobbled together, I then decided it needed a bit of work on it after all. It's just some layers of thin plastic sheet smoothed over with a bit of filler.

I also bought some Trumpeter model chain. Looks small enough to me!

Mike

 

[spikey faz]

More paint has been going on. As usual the camera tends to pick out the worst bits!

Just waiting for the number plates from Narrow Planet. In the meantime I need to order some LMS transfers.

I'm also hoping to do the lettering 'Not to lift more than 3 tons' that adorns both sides of the crane. Not looking forward to that, as I'll have to make it up from individual letters off an alphabet transfer sheet!

Mike

 

[Lawrence Boul]

Custom decals? Shouldn't be too hard to find somebody.

 

[spikey faz]

Custom decals? Shouldn't be too hard to find somebody.

Hi Lawrence

Thank you for the 'Like'

Yes, I was wondering about that. I'll do a bit of Internet research and see what's out there.

Mike

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[Lawrence Boul]

Hi Lawrence

Thank you for the 'Like'

Yes, I was wondering about that. I'll do a bit of Internet research and see what's out there.

Mike

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I've used www.pdc.ca. But they are in Canada, you need to produce the artwork in the right format and the economics don't work well for one or two decals. Very good though. For small stuff I know people who shove a ghost white toner cartridge in their laser. Not as good as pdc, but still quite reasonable, and typically inexpensive. I have no doubt there are local options.