Garden Railway Forum

Excellent Keith, the springs improve it massivly, always glared at me as something that dosn't look quite right, but would add to the cost if Roundhouse tried something better

looking good!

nameplates will finish it off nicely

I’ve made some changes to this “Billy” over the years, and have just finished the latest round of modifications to make the engine look a bit more like I see it in my mind’s eye. It doesn’t look exactly like any particular engine that ran in real life, but I think it now looks like an engine that could have run almost anywhere in real life. Tenders, when they are seen at al on little narrow-gauge steam engines, tend to be more of a colonial thing, but shiny enamel paint and brass fittings aren’t typical on these engines. Let’s call the style “generic commonwealth” and leave it at that.

A few years ago I removed the cab bunkers and replaced the front cab sheet with more typically British circular spectacles. I had some injector castings from DJB, which I re-worked to look like they take water from the tender and are mounted under the cab.

But something still didn’t look right, and I realized it was the cab roof. A tank engine will have a short roof, because there is no reason for anyone to go out the back of the cab to be rained on. However one always sees an extension to the roof if there’s a tender, even on tank-engines that have had a tender added later. (Other than the George England locos on the Ffestiniog rwy, but that can be the exception) So, I added a little sheet-metal “lip” to the cab. While I was at it I put the Swift Sixteen cab roof hatch on, which I am quite pleased with.

The other thing I have done recently is to move the lubricator out of the cab doorway. I have always wished I could put a driver figure there, and to that end Roundhouse actually custom-made a new lubricator with longer steam-pipes. I didn’t know this was a service they offered, but they do and it’s very reasonable- about twenty quid. While I was moving things around in there I installed a DJB reversing-lever and replaced the angled “Billy” reach-rod with a straight one.

I thought it was fun to report this on my original thread about building this locomotive, so we can see the changes to the engine from when it was new. I think I’ve succeeded in making a unique machine, but one that is sensible and would actually be plausible and useful on a real railway. I like “generic” engines because it frees one from the constraints of scale modelling in terms of worrying about whether you’re getting it right. But it IS fun to research general railway practice, and to make an engine look “real” regardless of whether it’s an actual engine. With these modifications I think I’ve moved the loco a bit closer to that ideal. The other advantage of course is that my rolling-stock can be a mish-mash of models from various railways (in my case it’s mostly NWNGR, GVT, L&B, and who knows what else) and no-one can come along and,…well you know, I do what I want. Ha ha

Nice work Keith, glad to see you moved the lubricator out of the doorway, don't know why Roundhouse like putting them there. My first attempt was to hide it with a figure, After that I just re-sight them. Interesting about them supplying one with longer piping, could have done with that recently.
Grant.

A real little gem, that is. Your attention to detail is superb.

Thanks again for your help with the Swift 16 parts Aaron.. funny they went almost all the way around the world to get here.

Had the same thought! Makes me wonder how many times I.N. Spectre has covered enough distance to circumnavigate the globe..
Always happy to help.

Aaron, I have finally used all the parts you helped me acquire a couple of years ago. The cab steps and roof hatch are on the engine, along with all the little brass door handles on a coach I am rebuilding. The cab steps are nice. The old ones were just a little stirrup of sheet brass and used to get bent during handling. These ones are much stronger.

One thing I decided not to use were the scale centre buffers. The SS ones are nice enough but I decided I like the Roundhouse ones as they are. If you think you can use them I will post them back to you, otherwise will offer them to someone via the forum.

That's one very smart loco Keith, you should be very pleased.
Grant.

Glad to help, Swift16 parts certainly lift a model even further.
They're your couplings mate, keep em! I can't tell you how many times I've come to regret swiftly ridding myself of leftovers.

It's hard to think of any other improvements you could possibly add to that loco.