7mm D6315 "The Cornishman"

S

SteveO

Guest
Rescued from the 'Loft of the Lost' is the Steve Beattie resin NBL Type 2 kit I've had for a while. I did contemplate resurrecting the RJH 31 but thought better of it.

D6315.jpg
©Peter Barnfield/Irwell Press

I've checked the box and everything appears to be there except for the instructions. Armed with a few pics I'm sure I shall overcome – unless anyone has a set of the instructions to hand, in which case I'd be very grateful.

I was thinking of an Eastern Class 21 but I thought I'd wait for JLRT to bring out their kit and do something with that. Plus, this is an opportunity to post something in WR Action, which I've not done before. This will be a winter distraction so there's no timetable or deadline, although things will develop quicker if the predicted snows arrive.

I've not finished research yet so if anyone has any favourite online resources please let me know. This is the only picture of D6315 in 'as built' condition that I've come across so far, although there are quite a few of its siblings to call upon. I'm not going to spend a lot of money on it replacing parts so this will be as close to 'out of the box' as possible.

My first questions are what are the small circles at the top of the nose and what are the oval parts across the middle of the nose? My guess is lights and windows, but I'm hoping I'm wrong on the windows. Finally, where on earth do I get wheels from?

Wish me luck!
 
daifly

daifly

Western Thunderer
Wheels from Slaters - 7843NB. I'll have a look for more photos and info tomorrow.

Good luck with the build!

Dave
 
S

SteveO

Guest
Thanks Dave, appreciated.

Just browsing through MLI and I've answered my other two questions. The round holes are air vents and behind the oval grills are the horns.

I'm having trouble believing the photograph above. The loco is only 1000hp but, as far as I can see, 'The Cornishman' is a big train. How was this possible? Double-heading?
 
Simon

Simon

Flying Squad
SteveO said:
Thanks Dave, appreciated.

Just browsing through MLI and I've answered my other two questions. The round holes are air vents and behind the oval grills are the horns.

I'm having trouble believing the photograph above. The loco is only 1000hp but, as far as I can see, 'The Cornishman' is a big train. How was this possible? Double-heading?
Click to expand...


You have answered your own question Steve, these locos were used in pairs on the Cornishman.

Your picture was actually taken by my friend Peter Barnfield, the loco is heading the up Cornishman at Truro in 1960 and it is his favourite picture of the class.

Interestingly he photographed the same loco being towed towards Bath Road (Swindon?) at Pyle Hill on Dec 31st with accident damage to the "longitudinally opposite" corner, covered by a tarpaulin, trailing D831 and being hauled by an unidentified Warship.

D6315 has acquired electrification flashes by this date. This loco is also the subject of my unbuilt Fred Phipps kit, I'm going to do it in green with no warning panel and discs, one day....

Simon
 
daifly

daifly

Western Thunderer
Steve, I've only found 2 photos of D6315 in green in:
'Diesel Hydraulics Class 22' ed David Wilson pub Western Legacy Pubs on p25 with SYE - colour photo.
'Looking Back at WR Hydraulics' by Kevin Derrick pub Strathwood on p67 same condition as above.
Like you, I'm waiting for the 'mid-December' publication of the Class 22 book by David Wilson from Western Legacy. You may have completed the build before it is published though as the publication date has slipped so many times!
D6315 is a good choice too as one of the class that escaped the corporate livery change.
Dave
 
S

SteveO

Guest
Simon said:
You have answered your own question Steve, these locos were used in pairs on the Cornishman.

Your picture was actually taken by my friend Peter Barnfield, the loco is heading the up Cornishman at Truro in 1960 and it is his favourite picture of the class.

Interestingly he photographed the same loco being towed towards Bath Road (Swindon?) at Pyle Hill on Dec 31st with accident damage to the "longitudinally opposite" corner, covered by a tarpaulin, trailing D831 and being hauled by an unidentified Warship.

D6315 has acquired electrification flashes by this date. This loco is also the subject of my unbuilt Fred Phipps kit, I'm going to do it in green with no warning panel and discs, one day....

Simon
Click to expand...

Thanks for those juicy nuggets, Simon. I've edited the © info to reflect that new information. I found the picture in a magazine which didn't seem to have any credits.

Was hauling The Cornishman a regular task for this particular loco (until its accident)? Tracing its history has proved to be a bit difficult – from Jan '60, when it was built, until summer I've found nothing. I'm also not sure how long it lasted on The Cornishman, or when its accident was – or how long it was out of service for. All exciting stuff to find out in due course!

Good luck with your NBL. The size of those G1s is very impressive.
 
S

SteveO

Guest
daifly said:
Steve, I've only found 2 photos of D6315 in green in:
'Diesel Hydraulics Class 22' ed David Wilson pub Western Legacy Pubs on p25 with SYE - colour photo.
'Looking Back at WR Hydraulics' by Kevin Derrick pub Strathwood on p67 same condition as above.
Like you, I'm waiting for the 'mid-December' publication of the Class 22 book by David Wilson from Western Legacy. You may have completed the build before it is published though as the publication date has slipped so many times!
D6315 is a good choice too as one of the class that escaped the corporate livery change.
Dave
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave, good stuff, thanks for having a browse. I was holding off starting this until I got the new book but I'm forging ahead armed with my MLI. When it eventually arrives I'm hoping it can fill in a few gaps – after all, hauling a named train is a big deal for these little things.
 
Simon

Simon

Flying Squad
SteveO said:
Thanks for those juicy nuggets, Simon. I've edited the © info to reflect that new information. I found the picture in a magazine which didn't seem to have any credits.

Was hauling The Cornishman a regular task for this particular loco (until its accident)? Tracing its history has proved to be a bit difficult – from Jan '60, when it was built, until summer I've found nothing. I'm also not sure how long it lasted on The Cornishman, or when its accident was – or how long it was out of service for. All exciting stuff to find out in due course!

Good luck with your NBL. The size of those G1s is very impressive.
Click to expand...


Thanks Steve, I didn't mean any criticism of your accreditation but thank you for adding Peter's name to it anyway.

I really ought to start mugging upon D6315's history, it was one of the "interesting" liveried ones I think. There is a picture of it as the second loco this time on a train that has just arrived at Falmouth in August 1968, it is still in green livery at this stage. (p57 of MLI 197)

I think the Cornishman double heading was a regular thing in the early 60s, I'm guessing it happened until there were enough production Warships to head the class A trains.

We are very very lucky to have Fred's model in G1, it is just lovely!

Simon
 
daifly

daifly

Western Thunderer
The D63s were often used in multiple with others of the same class to give a Type-4 equivalent or with Warships. They could be seen in pairs on 'The Cornishman' and e.g. the 'Cornish Riviera' St Ives portion. This was, as Simon says, an early 60s feature which declined as more suitable Type 4 power became available.
I've just found another rather indifferent photo of D6315 on p46 of 'Hydraulics in the West' by David Cable pub Ian Allan. This book has a better selection of D63xx locos than many others of the genre.
 
S

SteveO

Guest
Simon said:
Thanks Steve, I didn't mean any criticism of your accreditation but thank you for adding Peter's name to it anyway.

I really ought to start mugging upon D6315's history, it was one of the "interesting" liveried ones I think. There is a picture of it as the second loco this time on a train that has just arrived at Falmouth in August 1968, it is still in green livery at this stage. (p57 of MLI 197)

Simon
Click to expand...

No worries at all. As they rightly say, "credit where it's due".

I must admit I've only lightly skimmed MLI so far and just started to read it properly, starting with the 21/29s. I've nearly finished that section and will move onto the 22s tonight. Excellent resource. I have a few of these MLIs on all the locos I plan to build. I'm looking for the Class 17 version if you have one?
 
S

SteveO

Guest
40126 said:
Does this help ?, or Hinder ?

30.11.68 Plymouth Station
http://www.railphotoarchive.org/rpc_zoom.php?img=0720010109000

&

1969 @ Laira
http://www.railphotoarchive.org/rpc_zoom.php?NextImg=1579020331000&aid=&InFrame=&_PAGE=

Steve :cool:
Click to expand...

Every little helps mate! I'll be reproducing* the loco before conversion to split headcodes but the history of it is still important. Cheers!

*'Reproducing' in this case is very relative to the limitations of Beattie's resin and metal castings, and my skills...
 
S

SteveO

Guest
Good luck Steve, I can't find it anywhere except for Kernow – and they want £4 to post it!
 
S

SteveO

Guest
Let's shake the box and see what falls out.

I bought this already started – the etched bogie chassis' had been soldered up, bearings and axles installed. Although both bogies have a worm gear attached, along with delrin sprockets, I'm only going to power one bogie with a motor I already have.

contents.jpg

The kit also came with glazing, which appears to be cut to fit each individual window. You can see the code system marked on the body. I'll get some cab interiors and wheels from Reading, plus any other parts I plan on replacing – pipework springs to mind, and maybe the buffers too.

I'll take photos of the individual etchings and castings to identify each individual component later. We're pretty much exploring this together!
 
40126

40126

Western Thunderer
OMG !! I only looked on Ebay for the mag, & found a few that i havnt got, that i will now be buying !! :rant:

Thanks Daifly :mad:

Steve :cool:
 
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