LUKEE. A Kerr,Stewart & Company Skylark 0-4-2T Narrow Gauge.

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LUKEE. A Kerr,Stewart & Company Skylark 0-4-2T Narrow Gauge.

Post by Minutehand » Wed Jun 16, 2021 1:43 am

How does someone go from making these:
RV6.JPG
RV6.JPG (64.42 KiB) Viewed 3575 times
to these:
DSCF0110.JPG
DSCF0110.JPG (318.12 KiB) Viewed 3575 times
to steam locomotives. I don't know, but last month surfing the net I stumbled upon 16 mm Today. Now here was something I could get interested in. Not the garden railway side of it, the bucket list is already far too long, but making a steam locomotive would be a challenge. Reading through some of the back copies of SMT, a Wild Rose III appealed. I started with the frames and cylinders.
Then I changed my mind, because I read an article about a local Victorian Historical Steam Railway at Red Cliffs, Victoria who operate a very nice Kerr Stewart 0-4-2T. Did I say local? 7 1/2 hours drive away but by Ozzie standards not too bad.
Some time spent on research and it looks to me that the loco is similar to Keith Bucklitch's Brazil, except that one has a saddle tank.
Being a novice at this, I decided to build the chassis and motion work to Keith's plans and freelance the rest to resemble "Lukee" as much as possible.
A small problem arose with the plans out of SMT, being that the copies of plan nrs 5 and 6 are very washed out and barely readable. Is there anyway I can buy, beg, borrow or steal a good copy of these 2 plans? Or can someone point me in the direction where I can find a copy of the cd Keith made of the build of this loco.
TBC

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Re: LUKEE. A Kerr,Stewart & Company Skylark 0-4-2T Narrow Gauge.

Post by GTB » Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:38 am

Minutehand wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 1:43 am Being a novice at this, I decided to build the chassis and motion work to Keith's plans and freelance the rest to resemble "Lukee" as much as possible.
A small problem arose with the plans out of SMT, being that the copies of plan nrs 5 and 6 are very washed out and barely readable. Is there anyway I can buy, beg, borrow or steal a good copy of these 2 plans? Or can someone point me in the direction where I can find a copy of the cd Keith made of the build of this loco.
Lukee is a Kerr Stuart Skylark, which are tiny little things, much smaller than the later Brazil class. The valve gear is very different as well. Sadly the boiler on Lukee isn't original either. It looks like it may have come from one of the ex-Bendigo steam trams owned by the SR&WSC and scrapped around the time Lukee was reboilered.

As it happens I'm building a 1:20 scale model of Lukee's sister that ran on a timber tram out of Gembrook. I decided a Skylark live steamer in this scale wouldn't be very successful, so mine will be battery electric. That's assuming I can ever leave the house to buy the electrical bits to complete it.......... :roll:

A friend is building a 7/8" scale Skylark using a modified set of 16mm Brazil frames, but in that scale the cylinders and boiler are big enough to give decent performance. Since you aren't committed to a particular scale, I'd suggest considering that path forward if you want to build a Skylark rather than a Brazil.

All of the drawings for Keith Bucklitch's designs are available to download from the 16mm steam loco group if you join. Keith is a member and the group is a good source of technical help. https://steammodelloco16mm.groups.io/g/livesteam

Hope that helps.

Regards,
Graeme

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Re: LUKEE. A Kerr,Stewart & Company Skylark 0-4-2T Narrow Gauge.

Post by Minutehand » Wed Jun 16, 2021 11:49 am

GTB wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:38 am
Minutehand wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 1:43 am Being a novice at this, I decided to build the chassis and motion work to Keith's plans and freelance the rest to resemble "Lukee" as much as possible.
A small problem arose with the plans out of SMT, being that the copies of plan nrs 5 and 6 are very washed out and barely readable. Is there anyway I can buy, beg, borrow or steal a good copy of these 2 plans? Or can someone point me in the direction where I can find a copy of the cd Keith made of the build of this loco.
Lukee is a Kerr Stuart Skylark, which are tiny little things, much smaller than the later Brazil class. The valve gear is very different as well. Sadly the boiler on Lukee isn't original either. It looks like it may have come from one of the ex-Bendigo steam trams owned by the SR&WSC and scrapped around the time Lukee was reboilered.

As it happens I'm building a 1:20 scale model of Lukee's sister that ran on a timber tram out of Gembrook. I decided a Skylark live steamer in this scale wouldn't be very successful, so mine will be battery electric. That's assuming I can ever leave the house to buy the electrical bits to complete it.......... :roll:

A friend is building a 7/8" scale Skylark using a modified set of 16mm Brazil frames, but in that scale the cylinders and boiler are big enough to give decent performance. Since you aren't committed to a particular scale, I'd suggest considering that path forward if you want to build a Skylark rather than a Brazil.

All of the drawings for Keith Bucklitch's designs are available to download from the 16mm steam loco group if you join. Keith is a member and the group is a good source of technical help. https://steammodelloco16mm.groups.io/g/livesteam

Hope that helps.

Regards,
Graeme
Hi Graeme,
Many thanks for your quick reply. Judging by your comments it is clear to me that I made a bad choice.or more likely an ignorant one. It shows how little I know about the subject. Very willing to learn,though!
So Lukee suffers an early demise and I will continue with the Brazil. I'll also take up your other suggestion and join the steammodelloco group.
As an aside, it sounds like you are in the vicinity of Melbourne and have suffered a fair amount of "house arrest". My commiserations!

Cheers.

Tim

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Re: LUKEE. A Kerr,Stewart & Company Skylark 0-4-2T Narrow Gauge.

Post by Minutehand » Wed Jun 16, 2021 11:55 am

LUKEE has suffered a terminal derailment and I will discontinue this subject.
Cheers,
Tim

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Re: LUKEE. A Kerr,Stewart & Company Skylark 0-4-2T Narrow Gauge.

Post by GTB » Wed Jun 16, 2021 2:36 pm

Minutehand wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 11:49 am Judging by your comments it is clear to me that I made a bad choice.or more likely an ignorant one. It shows how little I know about the subject.
I wouldn't necessarily say that, but on balance it's probably better to make your first build a published design. Not that I took my own advice....... :roll: It sounds as if you are like me and the build is where the main interest lies.

Something to keep in mind while planning your first build. Here in Oz 45mm is the common track gauge in use and the common scales for narrow gauge locos are 7/8"/foot, 16mm/ft and 15mm/ft.

With a bit of luck and a tail wind the GSSU in Gembrook may still happen this year, so keep an eye on the website. There are a few scratchbuilders around to talk to and it would also give you a good view of how everything works in this part of the model railway hobby.

https://greatsouthernsteamup.com/

From the look of your work on clocks, you know how to use tools, so building a steam loco won't be a stretch...... ;)


Yes, I'm just inside the boundary of Greater Melbourne. I grew up in Central Victoria and always planned to retire back there, but couldn't face the effort required to build a new house and move all my stuff when the time came. There have been days when I've wondered though............

Regards,
Graeme

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Re: LUKEE. A Kerr,Stewart & Company Skylark 0-4-2T Narrow Gauge.

Post by Mitch stack » Thu Jun 17, 2021 5:28 am

Looks like an interesting project, i like the brazil design a lot and i think if you can make clocks you can defiantly make a steam loco!
Mitch - Cockatoo Creek Tramway

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Re: LUKEE. A Kerr,Stewart & Company Skylark 0-4-2T Narrow Gauge.

Post by Minutehand » Fri Jun 18, 2021 10:44 am

GTB wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 2:36 pm
Minutehand wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 11:49 am Judging by your comments it is clear to me that I made a bad choice.or more likely an ignorant one. It shows how little I know about the subject.
I wouldn't necessarily say that, but on balance it's probably better to make your first build a published design. Not that I took my own advice....... :roll: It sounds as if you are like me and the build is where the main interest lies.

Something to keep in mind while planning your first build. Here in Oz 45mm is the common track gauge in use and the common scales for narrow gauge locos are 7/8"/foot, 16mm/ft and 15mm/ft.

With a bit of luck and a tail wind the GSSU in Gembrook may still happen this year, so keep an eye on the website. There are a few scratchbuilders around to talk to and it would also give you a good view of how everything works in this part of the model railway hobby.

https://greatsouthernsteamup.com/

From the look of your work on clocks, you know how to use tools, so building a steam loco won't be a stretch...... ;)


Yes, I'm just inside the boundary of Greater Melbourne. I grew up in Central Victoria and always planned to retire back there, but couldn't face the effort required to build a new house and move all my stuff when the time came. There have been days when I've wondered though............

Regards,
Graeme
Seeing I had started on the frames I have decided to keep on going with the Brazil.Frame is nearly done and the wheels are next.
Thanks for your other advise regarding scales etc. As far as building a track.....don't think so. Although I have plenty of space for one, I don't buy any more green bananas (78) so will stick to the loco build.
Gembrook has been added to the book marks
Keep safe
Cheers.
Tim

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Re: LUKEE. A Kerr,Stewart & Company Skylark 0-4-2T Narrow Gauge.

Post by Minutehand » Fri Jun 18, 2021 11:26 am

Mitch stack wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 5:28 am Looks like an interesting project, i like the brazil design a lot and i think if you can make clocks you can defiantly make a steam loco!
Hi Mitch,
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately "Lukee" has suffered a derailment but I am continuing with the Brazil.
Cheers,
Tim

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Re: LUKEE. A Kerr,Stewart & Company Skylark 0-4-2T Narrow Gauge.

Post by -steves- » Tue Jun 29, 2021 1:24 pm

Minutehand wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 11:26 am
Mitch stack wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 5:28 am Looks like an interesting project, i like the brazil design a lot and i think if you can make clocks you can defiantly make a steam loco!
Hi Mitch,
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately "Lukee" has suffered a derailment but I am continuing with the Brazil.
Cheers,
Tim
Please do keep us updated with the build :thumbleft:
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