Isaac Dixon

spikey faz

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
PhilH said:
If the drawing in 'The Chronicles' is correct the loco only had a brake shoe on the right hand trailing wheel, the bottom of it is just visible below the firebox. Apparently the drawing was made from photo taken at Landport, i.e. Portsmouth, where the previous owner to Boulton had a contract with the LBSCR, so might depict the loco before any modifications were carried out by Boulton who fitted larger diameter cylinders.

According to Bennett the loco was sold to the Roughdale Fireclay Company, Liverpool in June 1874. This company began operations in 1868 with a works at Lea Green near St.Helens. A branch line from the company's works to the Liverpool to Manchester Line at Lea Green - which had a length of 587 yards - was formally opened at 2pm on July 14th 1870 at Lea Green Station (the old Lea Green Station which was West of the present one). An account of the ceremony then states: "The chairman of the company Isaac Dixon and its directors, officers and shareholders then commuted on their new line to their works, where speeches and celebrations took place. The latter included dancing to a local band and a footrace", which all sounds rather grand for the opening of a private siding ! How the party actually "commuted" on the line or what worked traffic on the line until the arrival of the locomotive from Boulton remains a mystery. (maybe the loco was on hire by Boulton to the brickworks before its sale to them ??)



The siding actually ran alongside the Liverpool & Manchester Line for a short distance before the connection was made at Lea Green Station just off the map to the right. (OS of 1893/4 per NLS Collection)

A locomotive was offered for sale by the Roughdale Brickworks in 1877, which may have been the ISAAC DIXON, but there's no information about what happened to it or what may have replaced it on the brickworks siding. The owners of Sutton Manor Colliery acquired a financial interest in the brickworks about 1910 and a connection was made south from the brickworks to the Sutton Manor Colliery system and thereafter the brickworks traffic would have been worked by the colliery locos.

Its an interesting subject for a model.
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Thanks for that bit of history. :thumbs: I'll have to do a bit more research.

I suspect the real reason for the grand opening of the siding was an excuse to consume some alcohol! :))

Cheers!
Mike
 
spikey faz

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
Mick LNER said:
Crownline disapeared 20 or more years ago hence the marked prices . They also did conversion kits for r.t.r Hornby Locos at the same time.
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Ah yes. I do remember them now. I had one of their kits to convert a Hornby 9f to a Crosti boilered version. I never got around to using it and built a Scaleseven one instead!

Progress on the cylinders continues. I've made sure they're attached with a couple of bolts. I anticipate much adjusting later, so being able to easily remove key components is vital for me.
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Mike
 
spikey faz

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
I've encountered some problems with the wheels. One of them has become a bit loose on its axle. Another has developed an alarming wobble, and on closer inspection I can that the centre hub has split. Not sure why, but I'm not sure how to proceed now.

The obvious thing would be to source replacements. Alan Gibson lists the wheels on his website, but don't appear to be currently available.

The only other option I suppose is to use something from the Slaters range, but although they list wheels of suitable diameter, the spoke count is not quite right.

Mike
 
Overseer

Overseer

Western Thunderer
spikey faz said:
I've encountered some problems with the wheels. One of them has become a bit loose on its axle. Another has developed an alarming wobble, and on closer inspection I can that the centre hub has split. Not sure why, but I'm not sure how to proceed now.

The obvious thing would be to source replacements. Alan Gibson lists the wheels on his website, but don't appear to be currently available.

The only other option I suppose is to use something from the Slaters range, but although they list wheels of suitable diameter, the spoke count is not quite right.

Mike
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I would use Slaters S7 8 spoke wagon wheels as the starting point, with added cranks (brass front and milliput to build up the depth) and backing plates. Boring them out to 1/8 inch would be possible if you don't want the smaller diameter axle ends. Alan Gibson did make S7 wagon wheels which have 1/8 inch holes, not sure if they are in stock and made of the same plastic as the loco wheels so not as rigid as the glass filled plastic in the Slaters wheels.
 
spikey faz

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
Overseer said:
I would use Slaters S7 8 spoke wagon wheels as the starting point, with added cranks (brass front and milliput to build up the depth) and backing plates. Boring them out to 1/8 inch would be possible if you don't want the smaller diameter axle ends. Alan Gibson did make S7 wagon wheels which have 1/8 inch holes, not sure if they are in stock and made of the same plastic as the loco wheels so not as rigid as the glass filled plastic in the Slaters wheels.
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I think I may have to go down this route. My only concern would be how to ensure getting the cranks all in precisely the same place and how to attach them firmly.

Mike
 
spikey faz

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
simond said:
3DP?
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Hi Simon.

I would love to be able to print off replacement wheel centres, but sadly I don't have the necessary skills or equipment to undertake that sort of thing.

Although I use a computer for work, it's mainly for spreadsheets and emails. I wouldn't have a clue about how to draw something on a computer and then print it. My employers would also take a dim view of me using their computer for such things! :eek:

Mike

 
 
simond

simond

Western Thunderer
Mike,

I don’t have any S7 wheels, but it doesn’t seem like an onerous task to print some cranks, if the drawings exist.

if you‘re not in a massive hurry, and you can send me a drawing and a set of wheels, I could have a go.

atb
Simon
 
spikey faz

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
simond said:
Mike,

I don’t have any S7 wheels, but it doesn’t seem like an onerous task to print some cranks, if the drawings exist.

if you‘re not in a massive hurry, and you can send me a drawing and a set of wheels, I could have a go.

atb
Simon
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That is a really kind and and generous offer. :thumbs: The problem is that this evening I measured up a set of S7 wagon wheels and they're about 1mm too big in diameter. They're also a bit thicker, which isnt ideal. Boo! :( Otherwise that would probably be a great solution.

By coincidence there's a small article by John Walker in the latest Scaleseven newsletter depicting a set of resin-centred wheels he's made to fit Slaters square-ended axles. That's a solution that appeals to me. It might prove to be the prompt I need to look into this technology. But for now I guess I'm going to have to stick with the Gibson wheels and glue 'em back together.

Thanks again Simon. I do really appreciate the offer of help. :)

Mike
 
spikey faz

spikey faz

Western Thunderer
I've since realised that I misread the Alan Gibson list of wheels. Replacement wheels are indeed available, and a replacement set has been duly ordered. The originals are still in place and after a superglue session are actually working quite well. So, they may stay after all!

I've been working on the slidebars/crossheads and con rods. All bolted together and working. I'm scratching my head a bit now as to how to fashion the slidebar bracket. It needs to be soldered to the slidebars but ideally clipped or bolted to the mainframes so as to enable removal of the entire cylinder/slidebar assembly for maintenance or wobbly wheel replacement.

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I've also put the gearbox together. First test was a bit worrying as I couldn't hear anything. Turns out the motor/ gearbox is whisper quiet! :thumbs:
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Mike
 
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