HR 18 Class, Small Goods.

HR 18 Class, Small Goods No.27 

Construction of this rather difficult prototype is now complete, the model has been built without the aid of a kit, though relying on commercial castings to complete it. Most of these were obtained from Laurie Griffin (LGM) practically all of them were modified in some way or other to suit this engine. The model ran with a light train on the club layout in Carlisle on Saturday where it performed impeccably, without a single derailment, much to my satisfaction.

I modelled No.27 as rebuilt in 1891 by David Jones the Locomotive Superintendent of the Highland Railway at the time and the engine displays many features typical of a Jones engine. No.27 was the last survivor of this class lasting until 1923. A grainy photograph shows the engine forlorn and abandoned at Culloden Moor, the short parallel buffers seen above are attested to by this source.

There was room inside the superstructure for an ABC Gears Mini Gooch with an M1833 motor and flywheel which provides plenty of power for an engine which typically was intended to pull a train of about 15 wagons. Weight is in the firebox between the driving wheels.

No.27 c. 1920

The tender is built from an etch given me to evaluate by Walsworth Models and described in an earlier  blog posting on 7/10/21 as "A tender in search of a Loco ". It was certainly a good help though I don't know whether it will ever see the light of day as a commercially available kit. The Small Goods, Glenbarry and  Medium Goods classes all ran with this tender, so a kit would be most welcome to Highland modellers. 

 

The reversing lever can be seen in this left hand view, emerging behind the sand box. Probably the most taxing problem encountered in building this engine was providing clearance for the cross head in the tight space between the inner and outer frames. The outer frames, front springs and cylinders form part of the superstructure which can be removed from the chassis to which the slide bars are attached. The "Culloden Moor" photo of No.27 provides evidence for the tablet catcher and the position of the front vacuum pipe.

The shape of the fall plate enables the engine to negotiate curves without it fouling the tender upright stanchions. The cab interior is typical of a Jones engine, details owe much to the cab of the Big Goods in the Transport Museum in Glasgow. On the left hand cab side sheet can be seen the handle for the tablet catcher. Backhead fittings are modified LGM and 62C castings, the reverser is of my own devising. 

Brass rivets are soldered into holes drilled in the outer frames and filed flush inside so as not to foul the chassis assembly when this is removed. 

Self-contained sprung buffers add a further challenge to the model maker; the buffer beam is mounted on the ends of the frames which protrude beyond the smoke box and cylinders. 

The large rivetted balance weights are a prominent feature usually hidden by the splashers in photos of the prototype in conventional pose with coupling rods on show. Note the sanding mechanism on the sandbox top and the difficult to make trim to the splasher/sandbox assembly. 

A New Locomotive Project, Stroudley HR56 Dornoch.

 All 6 of HR56's wheels are similar and solid with 2 small opposed holes. 

Three 0-6-0T engines to William Stroudley's design were constructed at Lochgorm Works, the first and the subject of my model was number 56, built in 1869 and originally named "Balnain". The engine was substantially rebuilt in 1896 when it gained its Jones chimney. By 1910 a rear bunker had been added and the engine, renamed "Dornoch", was turned out in unlined olive green livery, which rather suits my painting skills. In 1917 her good looks were compromised when the tanks were extended back to the cab, thus drawing a line under my interest in the engine. My model will be built to illustrate HR56 in the condition in which it ran between 1910-17.

Photos of no.56 in Highland Railway livery are in short supply, I have found five though non of these shows the engine in my chosen time slot. There are a further six photos extant which show the engine in LMS days and these are of value as they show details inherited from earlier days. The model will be scratch built, though it will depend on castings from Laurie Griffin, who made fittings for a kit which never materialised, and without which my model would be a non-starter.

HR56 is in most respects similar to HR57 "Lochgorm" and a  drawing by Laurie Ward of the latter is my starting point. There are a surprising number of differences between the sister engines each of which will be noted and incorporated in my model. In addition to Laurie's drawing there is a very useful article by Charles Wrigley in HRJ 107 (Autumn 2013) concerning the differing braking arrangements of the Stroudley tanks.

The chassis has already had a test run on the club layout in Carlisle and proved a good runner. The motor gearbox is an ABCgears Mini7S with an M1824 which provides ample power though there is no space for a flywheel. Pick-ups are wires bearing on the back of the left hand wheels while the wheels on the right hand side are shorted out.

The overlays to the wheels are etches from my own design left over from building HR 57 some time ago.

HR123 Loch Class 4-4-0 Progress

HR123 Loch an Dorb

I bought only the superstructure kit from Lochgorm Kits, the chassis I decided to scratch build to my own design. All castings are lost wax cast brass and have been sourced from Laurie Griffin at LGM.
A substantial number of the etched components in the kit have been replaced with parts that I've made myself. The boiler as supplied had rather oversize bands so was the first item discarded followed closely by what seemed to be a rather clever cab interior fold-up which it proved on closer inspection was better replaced by something nearer the real thing. The boiler backhead was scratch built as LGM had run out of castings of this item; making this was quite a mini project in its own right. The boiler castings, chimney and dome that is, are very good however the safety valve casting leaves much to be desired, the upright valves are too far apart and too slim, and will need working on.

Wheels with the correct crank pin position are only available from JGM, these are cast iron ones which it seemed a good idea to try. As supplied the wheel castings needed a good deal of work to clean up and still need attention with some sort of filler here and there, I doubt that I'll go down this road again.

Power will be provided by an M1833 running in an ABCgears Mini gearbox which will be mounted on the front axle, pointing backwards towards the cab, which just leaves room for a flywheel which I consider essential, the running qualities of the engine being paramount.
Inside motion is a possibility however I'm not sure at this stage whether to complicate matters further, you can't see much under the boiler.

HR Loch Class cab details.