G3 Great Eastern backhead and boiler fittings

[geoff_nicholls]

I've drawn and had printed some more boiler fittings for my J65. They are mostly GER standard fittings, drawn using the GERS drawings.

They include: Chimney, dome safety valve cover and whistle
Smokebox door handle, Blow off cock, standard blower.
westinghouse pump exhaust and ball lubricator
backhead fittings: standard steam cock, regulator bracket, water gauge
reversing wheels and bracket
brake lever and cover
tank filler latch
loco spring
standard loco brake block
parts for the standard GER toolbox.
I'm planning to have some of these cast in brass in the near future. Are any of these of interest to anyone else?

just next to the smokebox door handle you can just see two designs of wagon sheet rope loop. I have already had these cast in brass by Abbey castings, and can get Richard to run off some more if there is demand. The ring is 3mm diameter.

 

[Rob R]

Very nice Geoff.

I would say put me down for a set but I don't think I could bank roll that much brass all in one go and that's just the postage!

 

[unklian]

Very nice indeed Geoff,

More power to your elbow for producing these.
I too would have to know how much, before ordering. A set would be nice, but I suspect I might have to pick and choose.

 

[geoff_nicholls]

I would not expect anybody except a GER modeller to think about the full set, but if anyone is interested in particular parts, I'll investigate casting them first.
Also it's a 'heads up' just in case anyone was thinking about doing something similar. there's too few of us for duplication of effort.
I'm not sure myself what to do about the dome, one area has come out a bit flat in the printing process. I didn't draw it myself as I can't do flanges. I think I should have asked for it to be done hollow

 

[Mike W]

I think you may have problems with sinkage if the dome is solid, but ask Richard first. And if there's a flat maybe it can be filled and sanded by hand now?

Mike

 

[Mike W]

The “heads up” is great to avoid duplication.

It seems a shame, having done all the hard work and I suspect some considerable cost in printing these, not to make them all available. The water gauge, for instance, may be purely Great Eastern, but in the absence of anything better in Gauge 3 and maybe just an over-scale Gauge 1 product if you dig hard enough, I am sure others would use them for things you and I have never thought of (16mm?).

So, I think you should set yourself up as “G3GER” or similar and sell them yourself. If you really don’t want to, then I suspect a Gauge 3 trader would be happy to pay for your costs from here in: moulds and castings, so you get your set (twist his arm for 2 sets?) free and he takes ownership of the moulds and gets to market them to that enormous pool of Gauge 3 scratch builders out there.

Also, since you own the CAD files, investigate whether there is a demand for a set in one of the G1 scales, or even 7mm – maybe by posting on those forums here?

Mike

 

[unklian]

Mike suggested a more specific answer would be more helpful. I would be interested in :

The Chimney and loco axle spring , maybe . I would have to check dimensions against projects .
Whistle, smokebox door handles, gauge glasses, ball lubricators, reversing wheel and bracket and an assortment of pipe fittings, valves etc.

Hope that helps
Best Ian

 

[geoff_nicholls]

thank you for your suggestions, Mike and Ian, I'm going to need enough for four locos myself, so I'll probably start negotiations with Abbey castings soon. I was wondering if the brake block, loco spring, Chimney dome and safety valve cover could be resin castings instead, if that would be cheaper, but would they be too delicate for the job?
I'm too lazy to deal with the ongoing stock maintenance etc, so a gauge 3 trader still sounds a very good idea to me, all I want to do at present is recoup some of my own costs, and ensure continuity of supply, so I can get on with my dia 217 carriage, sinclair carriages, Gooch class A, Derby Lightweight, J70 Y14 J15, fish wagon, fruit vans, Ipswich coke wagons, and that's just one small branch line in Suffolk, without even considering Leistons wonderful Avelling and Porter...

 

[geoff_nicholls]

the castings have arrived from Abbey Castings. They look good.

 

[geoff_nicholls]

it was easier to get Richard to do both printing and casting, after redrawing some items.
I have plenty of spares of
whistle
Smokebox door handle, Blow off cock, standard blower.
westinghouse pump exhaust and ball lubricator
backhead fittings: standard steam cock, regulator bracket, water gauge
reversing wheels and bracket
tank filler latch
and am happy to sell some to recoop some of my costs. the water gauge, smokebox door handle, and whistle would probably be about £5 each including postage, other bits should be cheaper.
I only have sufficient of the loco springs and GER standard loco brake blocks for my own use, but would be happy to order more for anyone else.
I'm still pondering the chimney dome, safety valve and toolbox.

 

[Jon Nazareth]

Geoff
Well done you, a nice lot of castings.
Could you put me done for; a pair of globe lubricators, a pair of whistles, a pair of regulators, a smokebox door handle and three water gauges.

Jon

 

[geoff_nicholls]

PM with a price on its way to you, Jon.