The Chronicles of Canary Sidings - Eastern Eccentricity in EM

[Herb Garden]

Right! 2025 let's get cracking!

Some of you who have followed this thread for a while may remember in post 20 3 part built locomotives appeared next to #74 in it's early stages. Before anyone gets exited no none have them have progressed in any way shape or form but the two No 1 class locomotives have been joined by a third.


After the decapod the number 1 class locomotives are the best known of the GER locomotives that didn't make it into LNER service. Designed by Sam Johnson in the late 1860s and built by Sharp Stewart and company which is how they got their nickname 'Little Sharpies'.


I however tend to believe that this nickname only came about in later years when the number 1s where outsized by T19s, D27s and T26s. When compared, as above with an original Sharpie 2-2-2 they are huge. I appreciate this model is a later Holden rebuild with the same boiler as the E22 (J65).


I was very happy to give this beautiful model a good home. And given how high quality the construction I'm wondering apart from essential numbering and weathering I'm going to leave the body well alone. It's a real tribute to the skill of the builder.


The chassis however by the looks of it was never quite completed so a bit of work is needed if this little beauty was to run. A tight spot in the motion and the fact the front compensation beams were seized led me to strip the chassis down and re true it up in my reliable chassis jig.


Once rewheeled with EM wheels, It originally had P4 wheels but the frames were luckily EM, it rolls lovely. I've been able to scrounge from the bits box a appropriate motor and worm gear to match the worm wheel that was allready part of the chassis


I've added a drawbar to the tender and adjusted the chassis so that the tender weight rests on the back of the loco. Like @James Spooner's 4MT but with a lot less valve gear


I've also added the brakes which are a tight fit on this class and the next steps are the pickups and hopefully then we should have a running loco.


Like the Y14 she is way too mainline a loco for Skeetsmere and also won't cope with the dodgy track on the mill board but hopefully once that is delt with she can pay a visit to the tiny hamlet whilst the greater layout is under construction

 

[AJC]

So you've three of those 2-4-0s? That must represent a reasonable percentage of the kit's production run? Handsome thing, however.

Adam

 

[Herb Garden]

So you've three of those 2-4-0s? That must represent a reasonable percentage of the kit's production run? Handsome thing, however.

Adam

Yes Adam I suppose I must have....


It was always the intention to have at least a pair of them as all of the plans for a permanent large layout at home keep coming back to my favourite route in Norfolk. The Norwich - Whymondham - Dereham - Wells route of which in the first decade of the last century the number 1s were the staple motive power on this route.

Having this new one and scrounging bits to get it to work from the other 2 has meant they have come out of their boxes this week so we can do a comparison.

#160 in the foreground came to me In this state as a 'im sure you could finish this off' project. Whoever had started it, and they certainly were a craftsman, had allready started kitbashing it to back date it to it's original 1870s condition. I plan to continue this line of activity so it will join #74 in Johnson era condition and be part of my 1870s fleet which will allow the home layout to be run with Victorian stock or Edwardian stock.

#0107 in the middle looks a bit sad now it's wheels have been 'borrowed' this week. This was one of the last loco builds I started before it moved to EM gauge and still haven't got round to converting it. Hopefully I can get it back together soon and it will join its new shedmate in post 1904 rebuild condition but with the special boiler this particular one had.


In the same box as the Sharpies was this sad looking T26, a Gibson one. Which although I have a couple of these kits awaiting construction I probably don't have the same percentage of the entire kit production as I do with the sharpies. This again is one of the locos I started building in OO and never plucked up the courage to convert. Maybe I really should.

However locomotive building will have to be limited as today I received a formal invitation to this year's Workington show for Skeetsmere.... Which if you are following the other thread you will know it has some snags and very little scenery so I can't just spend all my time working on 2-4-0s as much as I would like to.... Also there is an M15 and B32 which have allready been mentioned on these pages that would be more useful on Skeetsmere that require finishing.

Before I stop rabitting on about GER 2-4-0s there is also one of my own kits for a Johnson intercity 125 to be built as well..... If you keep reading this thread long enough eventually they will get built!

 

[asterix2012]

Hi George

Very interesting thread you have here.

I am interested to see how you tackle the T 26, I have one I “saved” which was partly started and I am aware there are some inaccuracies which would be useful to see your take on.

Thanks

Mark

 

[Herb Garden]

Hi George

Very interesting thread you have here.

I am interested to see how you tackle the T 26, I have one I “saved” which was partly started and I am aware there are some inaccuracies which would be useful to see your take on.

Thanks

Mark

Yeah there are some inaccuracies but it's still the most accurate T26 kit out there.

I will probably use some precision fudging to get round these but watch this space!

 

[Flymo748]

Hi George

Very interesting thread you have here.

I am interested to see how you tackle the T 26, I have one I “saved” which was partly started and I am aware there are some inaccuracies which would be useful to see your take on.

Thanks

Mark

Hi Mark,

George does a superb job on the GER locomotives that he builds. I have no doubt that it will be a fine example when it progresses through the workshops.

He and I have been comparing notes over time, as I've also been building a T26 by backdating the Gibson kit. Annoyingly, I don't seem to have written up the early parts of the build anywhere. However I did start a topic on the locomotive on the Scalefour Society Forum in response to a question that someone asked:

Alan Gibson GER T26 (E4) kit build

The build then stalled about four years year ago. The kit doesn't include, and I couldn't think of an easy way to fabricate, the small splashers over the front carrying wheels:


I do now have a solution. Progress will resume soon, after a couple of other projects I need to clear from the building queue first. It's waited four years - a little longer won't hurt.

Best wishes,
Paul

 

[Herb Garden]

Goodness doesn't time fly.



Been away for work recently and the travelling doesn't seem to look like it will abate until April.

Last week I was in Aberdeen so had the joy of that fantastic rail journey along the coast



And some classic traction as well!


Sadly modelling takes the hit, but slowly but surely the big Sharpie is going to become a working locomotive.


I've now found some suitable screws to attach the loco to the chassis and fit some pickup plates. Where does one buy BA screws now Eileen's is no more? The wires are attached with high melting point solder then the pickups themselves will be attached with a lower melting point solder. All wires will run back to a decoder in the tender as there's literally no room on the loco.


Pickups are the usual .3 phosfor bronze wire shaped into complex forms.


However I keep getting distracted....

 

[Herb Garden]

The works have slumbered for a bit whilst all resources were diverted towards the layout but today a new project has started mainly as after a period where the impetus to model has been reduced I thought something was needed to kick me back into gear.

The GER 204 class are little known locomotives but rather important in the genealogy of tank engines. These 0-6-0Ts where built in 1868 to the design of Sam Johnson by Ruston and Proctor who later became Ruston & Hornsby. The design of these locos could be considered not only to be the grandsire of the GER buckjumper but also that of the midland 0-6-0Ts which resulted in the LMS Jinty.... There's some pedigree for you.

This loco will be 206 built September 1968 this is the only loco of the four that remained in original condition until rebuilt as a works crane tank by Holden the rest had an intermediate rebuild by Adams/Bromley. As a crane take 206 was renumbered (should that be relttered?) D in 1894 and was remembered by the LNER (class J92) in 1946 as 8669 becoming BR 68669. She was condemned in October 1950 and cut up at Stratford after an 82 year career.

The model itself is from a set of etches I designed to speed up scratch building after #74 I have decided there are some aspects of construction I don't enjoy and having all the profiles parts made for me really helps get a project going.
The chimney is a spare from when I built #74 and the dome is a standard Gibson midland dome

It's important to note that I I will have to get back to more appropriate projects for the layout but is nice to have a bit of fun in the meantime and I hope to be able to progress this a little more before I get back to watermills and barns

 

[Herb Garden]

A little bit more progress sees the trims added to tank and bunker, buffer beams, the distinctive valances such as they are and the boiler soldered in place and hollowed out so there is motor space




I did take some advice with this project and etched the parts in NS rather than brass. What a difference that has made in comparison to how hard the B32 that is lurking in the background was to put together.... Although it does help not having a cab!

 

[Rob R]

George,
You have mail (GA etc)
Rob

 

[Herb Garden]

A couple of good friends have been kind enough to bring to my attention a couple of errors with the body work which needs correcting. Things I'm glad to find out now. Whilst I work out how best to make these mods I'm cracking on with the chassis.


The rods are a series of neat laminations which looks rather pretty. I've etched the crankpin holes a little too small so there is a bit more opening up than I would like


The benefit of designing my own etches rather than a kit is that I can make a fold up chassis as I don't need to worry about accomodating frame spacers for broad and narrow gauge. The rest of the chassis is my standard formula. Highlevel gearbox and hornblocks and one fixed and two rocking axles

 

[Herb Garden]

Progress on the gearboxes

Wait! Gearboxes?

 

[AJC]

Progress on the gearboxes
View attachment 239280
Wait! Gearboxes?

Is it breeding? Or are you batching?

Adam

 

[Herb Garden]

Is it breeding? Or are you batching?

Adam

Batching.... Some old unfinished projects have found Thier way onto the workbench to join the fun

 

[Herb Garden]

So yes the workbench has multiple locomotives on it which ain't helpful as I'm meant to be getting on with the layout but it's going to be fun for a bit before I get back to Skeetsmere.

I like doing chassis work in batches as each task is pretty standard but specialist and it finds it easier to get into a rhythm doing the same task for a bit them move onto the next one. It helps me get in the zone


The first of the two gearboxes is obviously for 206. Here it is balanced in the chassis frames trying to get the position right for when it goes in the body.... Might have to cut some bits out....


The second is the one for the never quite finished M15 (F4) chassis that at the rate it is being constructed will probs take another 17 years but at least some more progress has been made

 

[Herb Garden]

I need to get the Dremel out to do the next bits of work on 206. Unfortunately most of my modelling is done early in the morning whilst the rest of the house is asleep so I need to choose my moment carefully.

In the meantime

I've added a floating gearbox support to the M15 chassis. All axles float on compensation beams so it's a bit tricky to do a hard fix.


And it sort of works.


Body still fits which is a bonus

 

[simond]

I do understand the “Softly Softly” approach.

I’m very lucky as the workbench is in the living room (not really the “lounge”!) but milling whilst ‘erself is watching something on telly generally causes grumbles…

and before morning coffee…. Oooh, no, rather you than me, sir!

 

[Herb Garden]

I do understand the “Softly Softly” approach.

I’m very lucky as the workbench is in the living room (not really the “lounge”!) but milling whilst ‘erself is watching something on telly generally causes grumbles…

and before morning coffee…. Oooh, no, rather you than me, sir!

Well the Sidings are based in the extension over the garage so I can make some noise but a Dremel has a tendency for the sound to carry somewhat.... And it's not a nice sound to wake up to. I did do that once early in my my marriage and suffice to say I will never ever ever do that again.

After a few years in manufacturing I learnt that I would rarely be able to predict how the day would go so I try where possible to bookend the day with something positive so most of my modelling is done between 6:20am and 7:50am before I head off to work and guitar practice when I get back home (believe me it doesn't work the other way round).

Today I had planned to get the dremelling done when I got home but it had been such an awful day I decided to just sit in the garden and watch the starlings nesting in the roof opposite.

Gearbox number 3 has arrived from high level so normal service will be resumed shortly

 

[Herb Garden]

So I mentioned earlier the help of two friends, I just want to thank both Rob and Adrian who both were kind enough spotting I had made a few errors in the design of the etched parts for 206 to send me drawings and photos I hadn't access to and photos I didn't know existed. I am blessed to be part of such a wonderful modelling community. Thanks gents!

Taking that feedback on board I've finally had the Dremel out this afternoon.


I've hollowed out the underside of the loco so it can now take it's gearbox.


I've removed the weatherboard as I had got that completely wrong and roughly cut the instep that these locos had in the footplate. Both need tidying up with a file or two.


And removed the tank front material that curled under the boiler as the real things didn't have this feature.


I mentioned that gearbox 3 had arrived and I find I need to get hold of a fourth. This is the pile of half finished locos on my workbench at the moment. Will I get them finished before I drag myself back into layout work no, but my aim is to get the chassis work all finished on all of them at least.

From L to R: the never finished Drewery Diesel form previous posts (in the background) still needs brake gear fitting. M15 tank loco, B32 buckjumper, Johnson class 3 tank loco and the 204 class.

The Johnson class 3 is a departure for me, mainly as it's midland . But it's nice to build Johnson's first and last 0-6-0T designs at the same time

The model is an old Ks kit that I rescued for a criminally low price from a well-known auction site. I allready had a perseverance Jinty chassis hanging around so the plan is to use this and other parts to give it that much needed upgrade. The body is thick with paint but I looks like It has been glued together. So do I dare put it in paintstripper or not?

 

[RichardG]

So do I dare put it in paintstripper or not?

Supposing the paint is sound, how about an air eraser to remove the worst of the excess mechanically? Then re-prime over the newly-exposed flatter layer of paint.