jamiepage
Western Thunderer
Very much inspired by Mickoo's splendid 16mm project, I've started to knock out some parts for a model of a small Manning Wardle 2ft 6in gauge wing tank loco.
It is absolutely not such a substantial project, being a very conventional outside cylindered 0-4-0 and only scaling at 170mm length, but it is directly inspired by it.
The loco itself has been a favourite since I first saw a photo in Fred W. Harman's MW trilogy and I have sketched out various ideas over the years but never actually did much.
32mm track is close enough to 2ft 6in at 13.5mm/ft scale, (indeed the German Spur IIe standards have adopted it), so the model can maintain scale compatibility with G3 whilst filching G0 wheel and track standards.
It will use 12v., pick up from the rails.
The model won't progress very quickly, mainly because I want to first make good a promise to someone to build a couple of wagons, and also because these sidelines are proving too good at distracting from what should be the main project currently.
However, I'm awaiting some plastic sheet so will mill mainframes and cylinder cross pieces this weekend, to achieve at least the beginnings of a frame assembly.
The prototype mainframes were cut from only 1/2 in sheet, so .028in. nickel is actually overscale, but the cylinder backplates have been cut from slightly thicker material.
Two cross members will slot into the mainframes at the front, and will incorporate front and rear cylinder faces as appropriate.
Likewise, a one piece assembly will slot in across the frames to represent motion plates and associated frame stretcher.
It is absolutely not such a substantial project, being a very conventional outside cylindered 0-4-0 and only scaling at 170mm length, but it is directly inspired by it.
The loco itself has been a favourite since I first saw a photo in Fred W. Harman's MW trilogy and I have sketched out various ideas over the years but never actually did much.
32mm track is close enough to 2ft 6in at 13.5mm/ft scale, (indeed the German Spur IIe standards have adopted it), so the model can maintain scale compatibility with G3 whilst filching G0 wheel and track standards.
It will use 12v., pick up from the rails.
The model won't progress very quickly, mainly because I want to first make good a promise to someone to build a couple of wagons, and also because these sidelines are proving too good at distracting from what should be the main project currently.
However, I'm awaiting some plastic sheet so will mill mainframes and cylinder cross pieces this weekend, to achieve at least the beginnings of a frame assembly.
The prototype mainframes were cut from only 1/2 in sheet, so .028in. nickel is actually overscale, but the cylinder backplates have been cut from slightly thicker material.
Two cross members will slot into the mainframes at the front, and will incorporate front and rear cylinder faces as appropriate.
Likewise, a one piece assembly will slot in across the frames to represent motion plates and associated frame stretcher.
