A Frog (Not a Toad!) In the Canefields

[Old Man Aaron]

That's right, it's not a cane toad.
It's not even a Fowler, either.


I'd been after a 16mm "Victory" Decauville for years, and in late 2021, I was lucky enough to nab one on farcebook's Garden Railway Trading Group.

It had belonged to the late Mike Ousby, and was an un-started kit on his work bench when he passed.
However, it was far from the only loco in pieces on his bench.
It's missing many small parts, and several major ones. The boiler is from something else entirely - a much older RH Jack, by the looks of it..
Then there's extras of some parts like coupling rods, smokebox aprons and boiler bands. Mixed in were hex keys, an Accucraft axle and a Billy sandbox.



This is why I keep things separate and organised. But it's no disaster.
Most of the missing bits are standard Roundhouse items. Anything else, I'll just make myself.

Several Decauvilles, including the preserved "Victory" at the Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway, worked at a number of mills in Queensland.
We have the sister to "Victory", (or "Frenchy" as it was known in Australia) "Lord Lamington" at the Woodford Railway.
Dating from 1897, it's our oldest (and unfortunately in poorest shape) loco. So once again, I have convenient access to the prototype.


I'll begin by dismantling the frames and stripping the atrocious paint job from it. It's full of grit, and chips off like it was never primed..
On the plus side, the loco was supplied with a complete set of Darjeeling cylinders. Roundhouse doesn't sell these separately anymore, so I'm very pleased to see the kit came with these.

[ge_rik]

Although I'm not a steamie, I'll follow this with interest. Always good to see a project evolve.

Rik

[LNR]

I too will be watching this build with interest.
Gee! very lucky to have the Roundhouse Darjeeling cylinders with the angled mounting surface. Should really set the frames off as a Decauville.
Grant.

[Keith S]

I have some Roundhouse bits lying about. Just small rubbish really but maybe something useful:

2 lubricators
Safety valve
“Classic series” slidebar and crossheads (the simple kind)
Regulator handle
Reversing lever (with quadrant and spring)
“Billy” style smoke box dart
Extra handrail mounting thingies + nuts

You can have ‘em if you want.

[Mitch stack]

Now this will be a nice Build!! keep us updated please!!

[Old Man Aaron]

That's very kind of you Keith, thanks. I'll have to take you up on that..
Been busy working on the full-size stuff this week, haven't had the chance to strip the frames. Hopefully Friday or Sunday..

At this stage, I'm thinking about styling of the loco, and where it fits in with my future tramway plans. I think I'll base it on our loco at Woodford, with a similar chimney and electric headlights. Model it in a mid-to-later stage of it's working life, stabled at an out-depot to work an extensive branch. With lots of grime. My very own "Valdora".



I wanted to substitute the usual Stones generator for a pair of dummy 6V car batteries, perched atop one of the tanks - but I don't think that'd make sense for an open-sided out-depot shed, which wouldn't likely have electricity for recharging.

[LNR]

Lots of weathering scope there Aaron.
Grant.

[GTB]

Paint it in your usual shade of green and it will be a tree frog.........


When I was growing up the SECV was still building it's power supply system and a lot of the farms outside towns generated their own with a low voltage DC diesel generator chugging away in a shed. A few may still have been using old hit & miss engines at the time.

Even an open side out-depot shed might have had power if available, as the driver of a loco at an out-depot would have been responsible for the routine maintenance jobs. I've read somewhere that some mills provided a house nearby for the driver, or some other company officer.

If the out-depot was out past the black stump in an area without power, would it be possible that the mill owned house had a generator that could also be used to charge the loco batteries? Or were mill managements too tight fisted for that sort of thing and left their employees to get along with kero lighting?

I can't see a mill putting in a generator just to charge a couple of batteries for lighting. Probably cheaper to install a Stones alternator on the loco.

Graeme

[Old Man Aaron]

I'll refrain from puns about the abundance of "ribbits" in the bodywork..
Definitely some interesting ideas there, Graeme. Something to mull over..

It's about time I posted some progress. Only been meaning to for three weeks.

01/07/24
The paint was rather stubborn, but eventually wire wheeled away. Annoyingly, the axle bushings were soldered in, requiring a torch for removal.

The "victory" kit is compromise incarnate. This is not a complaint, but an observation. I'm told the loco is scaled entirely around the Roundhouse Billy smokebox, which puts the loco at 1:16th scale - squarely between 16mm and 7/8ths.

The huge reverse bend in the frames is to let the trailing wheels negotiate 600mm radius curves on 45mm track. I have another loco for 45mm sojourns, and R1 curves have no place in my life.
I could straighten the frames out, but if I start changing proportions, I won't stop till I've made the kit redundant.
The loco at 1:16th looks pretty good with other Roundhouse-based 16mm models. I'll just call it a twelve-ton model rather than a seven-tonner.



20/07/24
The headstocks were modified in the usual way, silver-soldering screws into them for a flush front face.
The sharply-etched brass overlays were then soldered on. IP Darj. couplings were cleaned up and fitted at my usual 20mm height.

The kit was missing two of it's 35mm driving wheels, but standard RH 33mm wheels do the trick, running in my usual ball bearings and requisite brass axle spacers. You'll notice the previous owner drilled the wheels. None too accurately, but it won't be noticeable.
Speaking of drilling, I've compromised on a simplified rivet layout, owing to the inaccuracies of the frame.
Using different pins this time, they have a much more domed head than the rather flat ones used in the past.



24/07/24
Rather than say, whitemetal castings, the pony axle detailing is achieved by soldering layers of 0.9mm brass together, then filing to shape.

[LNR]

They are indeed interesting frames Aaron, I must say I'm in complete approval of four screws holding the floor of the cab in place. Every time I picked up the Fowler to know there's only one screw holding it in place, and if you lift the rear corners they flex. Rear pony truck assembly an interesting approach too. Watching with interest.
Grant.

[Andrew]

Lots of weathering scope there Aaron.
Grant.

Oooh, yes indeed!

I admire and marvel at the more technical side of things but only have a vague understanding of what's going on. Which possibly makes me one of those awful enthusiasts who'll start the livery debate before a restoration's even finished! I'll be patient, I promise - but I'm very much looking forward to seeing the finished thing!