G3 Hellingly Hospital Loco

jamiepage

Western Thunderer
A set of Slaters G3 wheels, which were to hand, have been modified to better represent this prototype.
The wheels are very good representations of those fitted to small Ruston and Hornsby diesel locos. For this loco however, the dished appearance needed unfortunately to be modified to a flat simple disc, four lightening holes needed filling in, and importantly, crankpins fitted.
A brass disc was let into the rear face of each wheel with 24hr Araldite; a generous quantity of glue was used to fill any voids between brass disc and the dished wheel centre as supplied.
Once dry, the front face was also flooded with Araldite, holes and all.
When fully hardened, the rear face was cleaned up and the front face turned with a round nosed tool to look more like the prototype. The Araldite turned quite nicely.
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The photo shows some paint flooded on to highlight imperfections requiring filling.

Pads cut from 1/4 in. brass rod were then made up with ends reduced and threaded M6 for 2mm. Overall length of each pad matched the wheel's tyre width.

The wheels were then set up in turn, on a simple jig (to maintain quartering), and each drilled through, the brass disc tapped M6, and the Araldite/ plastic bits opened out to 1/4in. dia. (A quick plunge with 1/4in end mill did the job).
The pads were threaded onto the brass disc, again with Araldite to secure.
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Finally, and again when fully dry, the wheels were returned to the jig and the pads drilled and tapped for Slaters crankpins.
The pads could have been drilled/ tapped for crankpins before mounting on the wheels but it seemed logical to mount the pads first then drill/ tap, to reduce the possibility of things drifting off register.
Again this photo shows the wheel blown over to show up imperfections.

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I really don't know whether the original wheels did have this sort of round pad arrangement but it is feasible- and will be largely hidden by coupling rods anyway.
 

AJC

Western Thunderer
Could I please ask whether any WTer has a clear photo of the coupling rods for this loco? I'm struggling to make out any detail on the rather muddy photos available to me.
Ditto the adjacent brake linkage arrangements, actually, whilst I'm asking.
Thank you.

There's a nice clear shot in 'The Southern Way' volume 29 - I just happen to have flicked through a copy in Waterstone's in Southampton. Very plain ends, almost exactly the size of the crankpin fixings (which were round). Sadly, there's not sufficient in the rest of it, for me anyhow, to buy a copy...

Adam
 
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jamiepage

Western Thunderer
There really isn't much room for the electricals and mechanicals if the cab area is to be left free. As part of the space saving, a small motor/ gearbox combination is being used, which has necessitated a bit of bodging with the Slater square ended axle part turned down to accommodate it. The square end is left almost unaffected by turning the axle down from 1/4in. dia to 3/16. Not ideal but functional.
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More space is required to fit batteries, R/C gear, loudspeaker etc, than is available within the chassis below floor level. False bulkheads will be soldered to the chassis in an attempt to make use of the vertical space within the bonnets at both ends.
 

jamiepage

Western Thunderer
A copy of Southern Way vol 29 has arrived, and is of a great deal of use. Thank you very much, Adam.

The photos have answered a number of questions. An early casualty has been the brake gear; rather than the rather fanciful centre pull linkage, it looks as though it was fitted with a simple tumbler set up. It is possible the links had screw adjustments protected by leather gaiters, and I've modelled some replacement parts on that assumption.
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(Poor photo, sorry.)

The Southern Way photos show tantalising glimpses of the interior although still not enough to feel terribly confident. However, all the switchgear, controls etc will be fitted to removable bulkheads so can be modified later if necessary.
In fact, not too much need show; the 'shunter' has been modified and now hangs on fairly naturally to the cab edging whilst neatly obscuring a fair bit of the interior, from one side anyway.
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There was only room underfloor for a 6v battery pack, so the original motor/ gearbox has been replaced with a splendid set up from ABC gears.
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Finally a quick view from the underside. Very, very simple 3 point compensation. On/ off switch and charging point hide behind the rear skirt.
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AJC

Western Thunderer
I'm pleased the tip off has proved useful - the results are singularly impressive. So, what about the G3 overhead equipment? ;)

Adam
 

Ian@StEnochs

Western Thunderer
Like your work Jamie but every time I look at your photos I see a hill billy cowboy on the footplate. I think it is his hat! Doesn't detract from the quality of your loco though.
Ian
 

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
Hi Jamie

I came across these from a German website which may give a clue as to the interior. These are from a preserved AEG locomotive (albeit slightly larger) and the Hellingly loco was purported to be a Siemans & Halske design. It would appear a simple tram style controller and handwheel brake will suffice (ignoring the modern fittings). The drawing, again a different loco, shows another style of brake gear.

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jamiepage

Western Thunderer
Following the previous info., a pleasant little session has been spent soldering up a representative control panel.
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The control box/ pedestal has been roughed out from wood/ paper and tried for compatibility with its driver.
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Finally, the ensemble has been gross- checked for fit within the cab.
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Some panelling, hinges etc can go on the pedestal to give a bit of interest. A handbrake pedestal is also needed alongside, which will also add interest and 'clutter'.

I think I missed a trick by previously assuming the floor was metal. It now means some of this detail will need to be carried on panels which will stand proud and may not look terribly convincing. The Southern Way photos however, suggest some wood planking along with some metal panels, a mixture which would have enabled the false floors to be better camouflaged.

This detailing may not be entirely accurate for the Hellingly loco, but maybe the model should now represent an entirely fictitious second loco, similar but with detail differences, as delivered to the Tidworth Military Hospital Railway. Anyway, it's fun having the odd session on this sort of detail.
 
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Overseer

Western Thunderer
Just a point, before you put the controller together look at some photos of tram controllers of similar age, or the photos above. They are quite standardised. The top should align with the base cover otherwise it couldn't work. The front has hinges on one side to provide access to the workings of the controller.
 

jamiepage

Western Thunderer
Yes indeed, thank's for that. The idea is that .020" panels will be fitted around the carcass which will bulk it out but still leave a slightly protruding lip around the top. The 'front' panel will have representation of hinges hung on a vertical pin.

The prototype's photos also seem to show some kind of floor mounted box on the rear bulkhead. I can't think the controls were duplicated but not sure what it could have contained. Above it seems to have been another panel, this time with two gauges of some sort and some circuit breakers or fuses. I'm guessing the power was fed down through this equipment from the overhead pole, thence underfloor (?) to the controller.

Any ideas gratefully received, thank you.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Jamie, yes power would probably enter through the roof and through cab mounted protection, circuit breakers or more likely fuses, from thence it'll go to the power cubicle in one of the noses and then off to the relevant parts like controllers etc.

Gauges by the fuses would probably be a voltage meter to see if the line suply is present, the other may be a current meter, to be watched carefully if you want to avoid blown fuses ;) when pulling heavy loads.

In Daves internal view above, that panel on the far wall holds four fuses, one small and three large ones, coloured white, they are what's called in the trade 'bottle fuses', the round bit screws in and out to allow replacement of the fuse, in the end of the round bit is a small glass window so that you can view the bottle fuse inside.
At one end of the bottle fuse is a fuseable link tell tale, usually a little colored ball or disc, through this runs a small piece of fuse wire, when the main fuse ruptures then this link breaks as well and the little coloured tell tale drops out of the fuse and rests against the glass, thus you know the fuse is blown without taking it out. We have these at work so if you need some photos I'll see what I can get, there not exactly the same but I suspect if you just Google bottle fuses and fuse carriers you'll get more than enough of an idea :thumbs:

I can't see the black items on that panel very well, but at a guess I'd say they were switches for lights etc.

Mick D
 

jamiepage

Western Thunderer
Mick D,
Thank you very much for that. Most useful. Much googling of bottle fuses and other things I didn't hitherto know existed, along with the other contributions above, has produced enough ideas for some representative detailing.
It feels as though the project is on the home stretch now.
Thanks.
Jamie
 

jamiepage

Western Thunderer
I think the loco is almost there, at last. Internal bulkheads have been built up (including bottle fuses), painted, and now await final fitting with glazing. The detailing is simplistic, blocky, and almost certainly wrong, but enough's enough really and boredom is setting in. I'll hide behind the fact that with a crew in and roof on, not much can be seen.
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The nonchalant shunter has turned out ok overall, and adds a bit of colour. Unfortunately, he also adds scale to those rivet heads.
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(He's looking rearwards; the front bonnet has a socket ready for a headlight.)

The green colour wasn't first choice. I had been taken with Heather's milk cart (there are definite similarities), and tracked down a rattle can of a nice red/ brown. (Upol). Unfortunately it reacted badly with the primer (also Upol) so the whole thing had to drown in paint remover for a while. After that, it was simple to prime again and turn to an unused Railmatch rattlecan of SR stock green, so following a path already taken with the plastic PMV to a nice smooth finish.
Headlight for the front, bell for the rear, couplings, glazing, assemble and a bit of weathering , and that will be that.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Looking good, I'm with you on the green, but needs must ;) I know it'd be a pain but perhaps cut back the paint and have polished brass window frames might offset it a bit. Interior looks fine, they're naturally utilitarian and basic so your's fits the genre just fine and the rivets look fine to me :thumbs:

The weathered roof board looks very authentic.

MD
 
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