4mm Cwm Prysor - Modelling the Bala-Blaenau Ffestiniog Branch

[AJC]

Nice work Tom. Here's my interpretation - in fairness to Cambrian, they've gone to the trouble of providing the bits (though I replaced some and altered others) which not every manufacturer would have done. I admit to going overboard with the linkages...



It's not as though they can be easily seen:



Adam

 

[7428 84J]

Cheers Adam

Yeah, I think it's one of those things that when you start you think 'how on earth does this go together'. I think I'll be ok on the second one.

The main issue I had early on, was that the bearing holes on one side where lower than on the other, so once you put wheels in, the whole thing was lob sided, so I had to lower the bearing holes on one side to line up.

2.5 miles from Cwm Prysor was Arenig Quarry which produced Ballast for BR, so my HERRINGSs will be branded 'Return to Bala'. I also won one of the illusive Hornby Shark's in Engineering Black on ebay last night (it wasn't cheap)....which will also be branded similar, as there was one allocated to Bala in the 1950s.

My intention is to depict a two HERRINGs, a STARFISH and a GRAMPUS with the SHARK at the rear. Most likely hauled by a 16XX. They did work out of Croes Newydd on the mineral branches, as well as down the Ruabon-Barmouth on short pick up goods serving Acrefair, Trevor and even as far as Llangollen. I do not have an evidence they worked as far as Bala or even up the Blaenau branch.... but as I've had one offered to me and I do like them....I think it's only a slight push out of historical accuracy.

Next up is this, the STARFISH.

 

[AJC]

Cheers Adam

My intention is to depict a two HERRINGs, a STARFISH and a GRAMPUS with the SHARK at the rear. Most likely hauled by a 16XX. They did work out of Croes Newydd on the mineral branches, as well as down the Ruabon-Barmouth on short pick up goods serving Acrefair, Trevor and even as far as Llangollen. I do not have an evidence they worked as far as Bala or even up the Blaenau branch.... but as I've had one offered to me and I do like them....I think it's only a slight push out of historical accuracy.

Next up is this, the STARFISH.
View attachment 58302

Would a Shark have appeared with all those flat bottomed wagons? The 'starfish' - parentheses because I've never seen a picture of the wagons so branded - is not one of Cambrian's better efforts from what I remember. Good luck!

Adam

 

[7428 84J]

I had read (somewhere)that they would be used as a Brake too. With Herring's in there is it possibly justifiable? I can built more Herring's instead if it comes to it and not bother with the GRAMPUS.

 

[AJC]

Ah, well, yes, you could. Photographic evidence suggests that you pay your money, and take your choice though Sharks were built for use with hoppers so that's what I'd expect (but wouldn't necessarily always see). Here's a few examples:

Shark before, Dogfish in the middle, Toad at the rear, a combination I rather like, visually:

9731

Much the same but with Herring:

5971

Shark at the back:

9731 (posted in error: this is the one I was after: 7221)

A mix of flats and a Dogfish, but probably empty (no brake visible):

1636

Adam

 

[7428 84J]

Thanks for those Adam, the one with a shark, 4 dogfish and Toad I think would look very nice, substituting the dogfish for herring. (Did you post the same picture twice by mistake?)

Starfish has gone ok, had to adjust the bearing positions and open out more so that it wasn't slightly pointing up at one end. It will do now I think. Tomorrows job is adding etched door springs (cambrian's method of bending plastic door springs didn't work with the 2nd one snapping).

 

[AJC]

Thanks - I've corrected the link. I'd forgotten about the plastic door springs. I'd have replaced these as a matter of course because they simply don't stand handling.

Adam

 

[7428 84J]

Cheers Adam

I might model two engineering trains, one like that first photo except 3-4 Herrings with a Shark at one end and a Toad at another. The other might be made up of a Toad, Starfish, Grampus...and something else flat bottomed.....unless I find a photo of a shark with a mixture of hoppers and flat bottomed wagons.

 

[AJC]

The two wagon types serve different purposes: hoppers, obviously, are for fresh ballast typically used for relaying works. Flat-bottomed vehicles could also be used for that purpose (and were, before mechanical tamping and when labour was cheap) but more typically seem to have been used for carting waste ballast and spoil from engineering work and, if carrying fresh ballast were used for maintenance - lifting and packing, levelling and so on.

As modellers were tend to lump all these jobs together and 'departmental stock' allies different departments: civil engineering, signalling and telegraphs (later telecommunications), mechanical and electrical engineering (notably on the Southern, but any electrified network) and various specialisms within those. The operating department had their own stock too: breakdown cranes being the most obvious, but also shunter's trucks. These distinctions seem to carry on today - and flat-bottomed opens can be seen with ballast hoppers but, and I'm going on passing Eastleigh yard on the journey to work about 8 times a week for a couple of years, that would be unusual. How about an ex-Chivers Tunny or two (GWR P23)?

SLIMRAILS

Adam

 

[7428 84J]

That makes sense Adam, I think I will go with that plan of two different trains.

Who produces the Tunny now? 'Tunny x2, Stafish and Grampus plus a Toad should make a nice train.

EDIT answered my own question, slimrails!

 

[AJC]

That makes sense Adam, I think I will go with that plan of two different trains.

Who produces the Tunny now? 'Tunny x2, Stafish and Grampus plus a Toad should make a nice train.

Roger Chivers' son - the link was in my post above (sorry that wasn't quite clear): SLIMRAILS

I haven't built one, but like the others in that range it should go together very nicely, though the sides may be a bit thick.

Adam

 

[7428 84J]

Cheers Adam

I've emailed my order to them.
I just got the Grampus out to build, but I now see it's Parkside's new kit which as 1958-1962 build 'as fitted'. I was after an earlier unfitted version, any suggestions?

Cheers

 

[AJC]

Cheers Adam

I've emailed my order to them.
I just got the Grampus out to build, but I now see it's Parkside's new kit which as 1958-1962 build 'as fitted'. I was after an earlier unfitted version, any suggestions?

Cheers

No probs. Trust me, the mk 2 Parkside Grampus is a better kit! There are some differences in the bodies, I think, and Paul Bartlett's galleries should show these (I think they applied to the ends, but vac' braked here: BR Grampus ballast open vacuum braked ZBV and non-fit here: BR Grampus ballast open unfitted ZBO), but basically, it's the brake gear that is the difference and all you really need are the push rod brakes and associated levers. Various options for these: you can buy the bits from Parkside (but note that the mouldings for the 21 ton hopper are better than those which can be found in the 12' wheelbase chassis - give them a ring); Rumney Models do an excellent etched chassis kit; Masokits do the parts (very fiddly) or scrounge some spare push rod brakes and levers from someone else/another kit. I'm sure I have some somewhere...

Adam

 

[7428 84J]

Cheers Adam

So it's the underframe bits for the 21T hopper I'm after?

I'll drop them a line and see about picking them up at Expo EM North.

So thats decided, I'll be modelling two engineering trains. It's a rather fascinating subject.

 

[AJC]

Yep - these have slightly better brake mouldings and substantially better brake levers (oh, and alternative axleboxes, roller bearing and plate front).

Adam

 

[Jim smith-wright]

There were 2 types of Tunney. A metal one that looked like a grampus (Iain kirk did a kit years ago.) And a wooden one that chivers do. I'll dig out some pictures of a few works in progress.

Cheers

Jim

 

[AJC]

There were 2 types of Tunney. A metal one that looked like a grampus (Iain kirk did a kit years ago.) And a wooden one that chivers do. I'll dig out some pictures of a few works in progress.

Cheers

Jim

Chivers actually produced both the GW and SR types. I haven't set eyes on one of the Colin Ashby versions in years, but as I recall, the body is quite nice, the chassis less so.

Adam

 

[Jim smith-wright]

That was the chap, couldn't remember who it was! The chassis was awful, all clunky and rounded off.

 

[7428 84J]

Thanks gents. Yes, I'm sticking to two exGWR models rather than the SR version. I'll probably do one as exGWR and the other as BR.

 

[MartinWales]

There are several shots of hoppers at Arenig which may be worth sourcing Tom