Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

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BertieB
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Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by BertieB » Fri Mar 23, 2018 2:32 pm

Welcome to the parallel universe where British Railways seems to have been, in some strange way, metre gauge, or thereabouts... and where the Bulleid Leader was fabulously successful.

Here's the smaller, shorter derivative, the 'branchline' version, I guess. It's plasticard on LGB motorblocks and inaccurate in every detail and dimension - but you get the idea. The a-little-oversized chain cover thingies usefully hide the non-Bulleid wheels (and that there aren't actually enough of them). I’ve tested it and it goes round corners OK but I'm waiting for some better weather to tidy up the garden, clean the track and give it a proper go.

And then there's a cartoon scale, small pannier tank, on a Piko motorblock, constructed in much the same way, with additional white metal fittings. Not built to tow the Leader back to the shed as that won't be necessary.

Both have been built to run with modified LGB and GRS rolling stock. Scale is flexible.

Anybody else doing this sort of stuff?

Just under 2ft, so rather shorter than original would be. Smoke will, soon I hope, come out of that hole in the top
Just under 2ft, so rather shorter than original would be. Smoke will, soon I hope, come out of that hole in the top
Leader_1.jpg (158.43 KiB) Viewed 8021 times
You should know never to use superglue near clear plastic
You should know never to use superglue near clear plastic
Leader_2.jpg (198.61 KiB) Viewed 8021 times
Eventually I ran out of ladder trying, unsuccessfully, to make them the right shape
Eventually I ran out of ladder trying, unsuccessfully, to make them the right shape
Leader_Pannier_3.jpg (224.8 KiB) Viewed 8021 times
Tank engines should always have round cab windows! Guffy bits less obvious from a few yards and on the move, I reckon
Tank engines should always have round cab windows! Guffy bits less obvious from a few yards and on the move, I reckon
Pannier_4.jpg (235.6 KiB) Viewed 8021 times
Despite this picture, their relative sizes don't look too bad. It's the rolling stock I worry about...
Despite this picture, their relative sizes don't look too bad. It's the rolling stock I worry about...
Leader-Pannier_5.jpg (244.51 KiB) Viewed 8021 times
Last edited by BertieB on Sun Apr 01, 2018 5:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by Peter Butler » Fri Mar 23, 2018 3:43 pm

What a wonderful idea and well built too.... where are the rivet counters now?
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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by ge_rik » Fri Mar 23, 2018 5:05 pm

Delightful models. That's the beauty of scatchbuilding - you can build whatever takes your fancy in whatever scale feels right to you. I must also admit to having a somewhat rubberised scale ruler.

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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by tom_tom_go » Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:49 pm

Cor these are great, where have you been hiding!

They look huge, are they larger than Gauge 3 locos as that always looks bigger than G scale on YouTube?

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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by invicta280 » Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:00 pm

Stunning work. More of the same please.

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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by BertieB » Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:19 pm

Ho Ho. Thank you. Same size as G-scale (fortunately, as they use a lot of it) but to a different, inevitably elastic, scale - smaller than G3 (not that I've ever seen any). I have to cheat with the proportions because of available motorblocks, wheel sizes, track radius and so on. Gauge, I suppose, would work out to be a bit less than 4ft. Sometimes.
Last edited by BertieB on Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:05 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by tom_tom_go » Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:26 pm

Any videos of your locos running?

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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by Lonsdaler » Sat Mar 24, 2018 9:28 am

Well BertieB, thank you for introducing me to a locomotive type that I knew nothing about. I've just read up on wikipedia, and it sounds like they were tough on the crew!
Fantastic modelling, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of your line and rolling stock. 8)
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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by BertieB » Sun Mar 25, 2018 12:37 pm

Ooo-er. Well, there's a bright and chirpy video of the pannier tank but, rather dozily, the subject's often not sharp...

https://youtu.be/az58bWCXHP0

Another one with more, um, variety:

https://youtu.be/sJODAcNDmmI

[link fixed]

Both have G-scale stuff masquerading as BR, not always convincingly. But I suppose you can see how the notion evolved.

In fact it was a YouTube comment from tom_tom_go that alerted me to this forum. Ta.
Last edited by BertieB on Sun Mar 25, 2018 12:57 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Mar 25, 2018 12:53 pm

I thought I recognised the Pannier tank!

The second video does not work?

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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by markoteal » Mon Mar 26, 2018 8:44 am

Great locos - obviously well made

I also use a rubber ruler for scale - its whether it 'looks right' that matters and as someone very wise in Garden Railway'ing once said, its your railway, run what you bl**dy well like!
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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by Nomis » Sun Apr 01, 2018 10:14 am

Brilliant! :thumbright:

I have just subscribed to your youtube channel, please do keep us updated.

Your garden line reminds me very much of "classic" british garden railways where scale didn't matter nearly so much as atmosphere (like beckonscot).

There is also something of the isle of wight about it; how about a G scale terrier?.........

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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by Tingewickmax » Sun Apr 01, 2018 10:36 am

I think you have a talent for this. Love what you are doing, the models and the videos. However, mixing post-war BR livery with pre-war syncopated musical stylings ? Preposterous ! ;) Sorry I can't help the crotchet counter in me. Max

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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by BertieB » Sun Apr 01, 2018 5:52 pm

Tingewickmax wrote: Sun Apr 01, 2018 10:36 am ...mixing post-war BR livery with pre-war syncopated musical stylings ? Preposterous ! ;) Sorry I can't help the crotchet counter in me. Max
Tingewickmax - Quality feedback, thank you.

I'm still after reasonably brisk tempo, agreeable British instrumental sound track, without copyright issues...

Plenty of grungy guitar available for modern image stuff but 50s pre-rock'n'roll - tricky.
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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by FWLR » Tue Apr 03, 2018 8:54 am

Brilliant love them, great work. :thumbright:

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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by daan » Tue Apr 03, 2018 9:51 am

The railway and trains look like great fun to me. Really nice and with a lot of humor, like the plamobil train. It does look great in BR colours! I guess that in a parallel universe where not Brunel and Stephenson had their go, a narrow gauge version of BR excists. On the other hand, the swiss railways also own narrow gauge lines and they try to match the looks of their rolling stock. Imagine BR doing this too, and it's not that odd anymore.

The big experimental steam locomotive in the beginning of this threat is also brilliant! Never heard of it until now..
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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by Lonsdaler » Wed Apr 04, 2018 9:02 am

daan wrote: Tue Apr 03, 2018 9:51 am The railway and trains look like great fun to me. Really nice and with a lot of humor, like the plamobil train. It does look great in BR colours! I guess that in a parallel universe where not Brunel and Stephenson had their go, a narrow gauge version of BR excists. On the other hand, the swiss railways also own narrow gauge lines and they try to match the looks of their rolling stock. Imagine BR doing this too, and it's not that odd anymore.

The big experimental steam locomotive in the beginning of this threat is also brilliant! Never heard of it until now..
The (now) Vale of Rheidol line was owned by BR, and in the 70's the locos sported the blue with white logo
VoR1970s.jpg
VoR1970s.jpg (395.85 KiB) Viewed 6781 times
Phil

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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by Tingewickmax » Wed Apr 04, 2018 1:16 pm

Lonsdaler wrote: Wed Apr 04, 2018 9:02 am
daan wrote: Tue Apr 03, 2018 9:51 am The railway and trains look like great fun to me. Really nice and with a lot of humor, like the plamobil train. It does look great in BR colours! I guess that in a parallel universe where not Brunel and Stephenson had their go, a narrow gauge version of BR excists. On the other hand, the swiss railways also own narrow gauge lines and they try to match the looks of their rolling stock. Imagine BR doing this too, and it's not that odd anymore.
The (now) Vale of Rheidol line was owned by BR, and in the 70's the locos sported the blue with white logo
VoR1970s.jpg
As was the Welshpool & Lanfair, though that closed in 1956. Both were owned by the GWR when nationalised and absorbed into BR. Although it is recognised that BR ceased steam operations in 1968 in fact they didn't till they sold the Vale of Rheidol in 1989, the first part of BR to be privatised. I much preferred the lined BR green express livery though. :)
VoR 001.JPG
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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by Lonsdaler » Thu Apr 05, 2018 10:37 am

Tingewickmax wrote: Wed Apr 04, 2018 1:16 pm
As was the Welshpool & Lanfair, though that closed in 1956. Both were owned by the GWR when nationalised and absorbed into BR. Although it is recognised that BR ceased steam operations in 1968 in fact they didn't till they sold the Vale of Rheidol in 1989, the first part of BR to be privatised. I much preferred the lined BR green express livery though. :)
Couldn't agree more. The 'modern' BR livery looked so out of place on steam locomotives!
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Re: Semi-scale BR: Leader and Pannier Tank

Post by daan » Thu Apr 05, 2018 2:34 pm

Lonsdaler wrote: Wed Apr 04, 2018 9:02 am
The (now) Vale of Rheidol line was owned by BR, and in the 70's the locos sported the blue with white logo
That loco really looks odd with the BR logo on her tanks.. It shows that there really isn't that much space between fantasy and reality as one might think.. :D
"En schöne Gruess" from an Alpine railway in Holland.

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