Avontuur railway Walmer branch Bagnall

[GTB]

Anyone out there seen a model of it or built one themselves?

As you've already found, about the only published information is in Sydney Moir's book and the Bagnall catalog reprint. I gather there is a SAR diagram around, but it is basically just a larger version of the weight diagram in the book.

I doubt Alsthom have kept anything, but if you are lucky the Bagnall drawings may have gone to a museum or library collection somewhere in the UK, as the Bagnall drawing office wasn't closed down until '61, when EE took over.

A friend started building one using a Roundhouse boiler and cylinders, but had clearance problems around the front end when running through #4 turnouts, and it was completed as a 2-6-2T.

Large, low-slung cylinders and an outside frame leading truck are a recipe for problems on tighter than scale curves. I assume you have already tested your NG4 chassis on your track?




It runs faultlessly and was running at the Great Southern Steam Up this weekend in Melbourne.

The Walmer branch engines are basically what Bagnall thought a Baldwin tank looked like and we've heard the model identified as a VR NA class by viewers that don't really know what they are looking at .........

Regards,
Graeme

[INJIN]

That is VERY nice indeed.

The Ng4 goes over Peco turnouts with no problem which have the sharpest curvature on my line. I'm going to try it around the Phurcombe Hall layout next weekend & I'm pretty sure it'll get around that too. The VOR 2-6-2 I built last year has no cut outs in the frames & manages Phurcombe, so fingers crossed.

The cylinders although not fitted when the photo was taken are smaller than the part of the frame that they mount on to.

The Walmer loco I hope will be the next in the workshop.

[GTB]

The Ng4 goes over Peco turnouts with no problem which have the sharpest curvature on my line.

Ah ha...     I tend to forget that not everyone uses 45mm gauge.

Crossovers are usually where things go wrong, but it looks like you have plenty of clearance, due to the combination of narrower gauge and the wide spacing of the frames.

The model in the photos I posted runs on 45mm gauge and there is nowhere near the same clearance around the cylinders.

Regards,
Graeme

[jabsteam]

I tend to forget that not everyone uses 45mm gauge.

Crossovers are usually where things go wrong, but it looks like you have plenty of clearance, due to the combination of narrower gauge and the wide spacing of the frames.

The model in the photos I posted runs on 45mm gauge and there is nowhere near the same clearance around the cylinders.

Regards,
Graeme

I have that same problem with my Accucraft WD Baldwin 4-6-0 on 45mm track. Had to to some judicious Dremel work to the backside of the cylinder heads for better wheel clearance.

Seems like the 4 wheel lead truck loco's don't scale up well from 32mm to 45mm track...

[Keith S]

Does anyone remember seeing those old videos of the Beatles when they first arrived in America...how the girls were screaming, fainting, and practically pissing themselves when they first got glimpses of the fab four getting out of their aeroplane?

That's almost how I felt when I saw these pictures:

What a nice looking engine, and what good pictures!!

[IrishPeter]

Painted that colour grey it looks as though it needs white metal numberplates with GSR above the number... and be heading the 11.50am to some sort of Ballygobackwards.

The loco looks absolutely smashing!

Peter in AZ

[Spule 4]

The pilot "cow catcher" is REALLY well done. What a nice locomotive you have!

[INJIN]

Here is a very nice 5" gauge version..............

[New Haven Neil]

Does anyone remember seeing those old videos of the Beatles when they first arrived in America...how the girls were screaming, fainting, and practically pissing themselves when they first got glimpses of the fab four getting out of their aeroplane?

That's almost how I felt when I saw these pictures:

What a nice looking engine, and what good pictures!! [/quote]

Seconded!  Stunning loco, simply gorgeous.

[TommyDodd]

That is an absolute cracker! To me, it also looks closer to the prototype in proportion. It MUST be possible to bring out a scale drawing from a photograph and a few known dimensions, it's only geometry. I must fire up the CAD program and have another crack.

[INJIN]

'Still have not found any more info on the Walmer engine, but have made progress on the NG4.
The loco probably looks more complete than it actually is. Dummy firebox top, handrails tank fillers , & many more details to do. There is still the "worst job of all" to do yet. Soldering the edge trims around the cab aperture. Arrgghh...

I'll put the arm on the safety valve the right way round during final assembly!




Keith

[IrishPeter]

VERY nice. An absolute stunner, mate!

[90733]

That does look good! Unusual Loco too.

[williamfj]

Ooohh, fantastic!

[Big Al]

That's a stunning looking Loco well done.

[INJIN]

Here is a fairly recent picture of the real thing at Sandstone. There was a celebration earlier this month as the engine is 100 years old this year!! Also gives an idea how much more there is to do....




Keith

[Paul H]

Wonderful model, Keith! I really enjoyed the video of the test run, and I am really looking forward to photos and videos of the model as it nears completion.

Paul

[GTB]

The loco probably looks more complete than it actually is. Dummy firebox top, handrails tank fillers , & many more details to do. There is still the "worst job of all" to do yet. Soldering the edge trims around the cab aperture.

Coming along nicely.

Loco building is like QC work in my experience, 10% of the work takes 90% of the time.

Beading is always 'fun'. The cab edge trim shown on the prototype photo looks like it's flat strip applied to the edge of the cab side sheet rather than the face. Should be easier to apply than using half-round brass around the opening. Been there, done that.........

Graeme

ps. re the Walmer engines. Apparently at least part of the W. G. Bagnall records ended up in the Staffordshire County Archives. Might be worth contacting them to see what they've got, as they mention microfilms and drawings in one of their accession lists.

http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/leisure ... tions.aspx

[INJIN]

Here is the NG4 now ready for paint.

[90733]

Very, very Nice