Time to build a railway...but where?

[dudeface]

Looks really good!

[Peter Butler]

On the previous page I mentioned cab fittings for the Garratt and have been given a detailed drawing of typical cab fittings for a steam locomotive. This is from my friend Keith again, this time adopting the 'how to turn a house into a home' technique! Nothing excessive at all, and perfectly in keeping with the project in every way! I spent the appropriate time studying the drawing then, a millisecond later, put a more sensible hat on.

This is Keith's offering... (all tongue in cheek)...

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This is the way I decided to fill the space...

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Looks like a suitable workplace I think and will soon be occupied by a driver and fireman too. This will ensure that the majority of my work will be completely obscured, so I have to ask.... was it worth it?
Well, I know it's there.

[-steves-]

Loving the colour of that boiler, looks like it's having a nicely worked life

[FWLR]

I love it Peter. It's brilliant, wouldn't want to put all of that drawing in though...it would take me 3 years at least to finish it..

May I suggest something though Peter if I may. Put some coal dirt by the boiler and around the floor, it far to clean mate.

[ge_rik]

This is the way I decided to fill the space...

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Looks like a suitable workplace I think and will soon be occupied by a driver and fireman too. This will ensure that the majority of my work will be completely obscured, so I have to ask.... was it worth it?
Well, I know it's there.

Remarkable, especially knowing that everything on the backhead is scratchbuilt!

Rik

[Peter Butler]

Thank you all, it has been a bit of a challenge to make it look acceptable, especially as I have no idea what I'm doing!
Now I see the photograph it looks kind of cosy in there, somewhere Emett would have installed a rocking chair I think. I can imagine myself sitting there with the warm grate glowing in the winter months.
Perhaps a full sized mock-up in my shed would do the trick?

EDIT... Rod, glad to hear you are keeping up with the posts. I forgot to say you are well ahead of me this time. I have both the bunker and cab to put coal and dust into once the loco is fully operational. I still have some wiring to do so need to be able to turn the whole thing over and not cause damage to vulnerable parts. I haven't yet fitted chimney, dome etc. for the same reason.

[Old Man Aaron]

To be fair, that drawing is a Black Five, (if memory serves) and much busier than the average narrow gauge backhead.
Your work in detailing looks pretty realistic to me.

[Peter Butler]

All pretty much assembled now following a fairly traumatic evening yesterday when I finally plucked up courage to install the wiring. It was a little more complex (for me) trying to work out how to connect two separate battery packs in series, one in the water tank and one in the tender, and conceal the connecting wires under the length of the boiler section. I have pushed all four through a tube inside one of the side frames and attached miniature connectors at each end. The receiver, on/off switch and charge socket are in the ash pan, so completely hidden. To my surprise it worked first time and I celebrated with a large scotch.... well, it is Christmas!
Today was the first road-test on the layout and it looks OK and runs smoothly. It is very controllable and has a good slow speed. From the outset I chose to remove the 3-6v motors from the power bogies (supplied by Wood Lane Works) and fit 12v instead. They are powered by eight (two x four AA battery packs) slow self discharge, rechargeables, giving 9.6v in total.
Although the batteries are quite heavy, I found it necessary to add weight at the extreme ends of the bogies as the boiler section is carried from pivot points above the cylinders. Unfortunately, the water tank end is still too light so the front wheels tend to lift a little. It means having to strip the unit to add more lead. Not a serious issue as everything is screwed together.
Most of the detailing has been fitted now, with only some small additional items to add.... coal, lamps etc...
First a reminder of the inspirational design...

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[SimonWood]

Absolutely wonderful. Bags of character. I love it.

[philipy]

You've outdone yourself this time Peter. Superb!

[ge_rik]

Wow!!! That does look good, Peter!
Great to hear she not only looks good but works well, too.

Rik

[gregh]

Yes, yes, YES. I love it. Another Garratt version is always good for the soul.

(I am just a little bit glad to hear even you are having weight distribution problems. If the Master has trouble, I don't feel so bad.)

[FWLR]

Greg and the rest of the guys are so correct. The 'Master' has done it again and turned out a superb model of a Garret. The weathering is perfect and shows what can be achieved with what is some excellent scratch building.

One question Peter. Did you take a photo of how you did the wiring, it would help me no end when I get around to do a build involving a loco.

[Peter Butler]

Well, I'm really grateful for all your kind and generous comments, however, I must bow before the likes of Rik, LNR, Aaron, Dazza and other wonderful contributors to the Forum. The amount of skill shown by so many here is truly inspirational.
I have to admit to being well pleased with the Garratt, it has turned out better than I had set out to achieve, particularly with the additional cab and pipework fittings.... I still have absolutely no idea what they represent!
I have become more confident at light weathering (I think), paying more attention to dry brushing techniques. One day I really must play with my airbrush.
The weight issue has been addressed by adding a strip of lead flashing behind the front buffer beam, a simple fix.
In answer to Rod's question about the wiring, no, I didn't take pictures at the time and I don't think it would be of any use if I had. Despite wiring more than twenty locomotives, I still need to refer to Rik's 'idiot's guide' every time.....

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This is easy to follow and, under normal circumstances, easy to install. My problems are self imposed by the desire to conceal controls, thus making wiring routes more difficult. Also, the Garratt has two separate battery packs which had to be wired in series sending current forward and back to power the motors on each bogie unit. In the past I have to admit to wiring single batteries together and causing a lot of heat and much melting! I certainly didn't wish this to happen to the batteries concealed inside my Garratt tenders.
Below is my own diagram to show how to achieve the result I required... not pretty but it works. In the diagram I have put boxes marked 'loco' which was the way I identified the wires running along the length of the boiler through a small tube. As can be seen, there are four wires only, sufficient to transfer power via the switch, receiver and charge point, all concealed in the ash pan underneath the boiler.

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I say again, I'm not an engineer, my models are artistic interpretations, the fact that they work is an added bonus.

[Peter Butler]

Timing!!!!!

Having already completed the Garratt I have just discovered this short, but interesting video, showing lots of detail on a East African Garratt. A much bigger and more impressive locomotive than mine, but showing detail of additional components which I might be tempted to add...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-_9oPuGqBA

[Old Man Aaron]

I still need to refer to Rik's 'idiot's guide' every time.....

So do I.

Never easy to conceal wiring without compromising functionality. I'd hate to attempt wiring up a Garratt. Nice work.

[Peter Butler]

Still adding bits and pieces to the Garratt. Whilst watching the short video previously mentioned above, it became obvious I had missed something quite important, the air cylinders for braking! These are now fitted to both sides of the chassis...

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The additional weight on the front power bogie has certainly solved the lifting issue and running is much improved. Here is a picture with carriage attached for size comparison. Garratts are big locomotives and usually much taller than passenger stock, clearly demonstrated on the Ffestiniog Railway....

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Here's one for FWLR Rod, just to prove I eventually got around to filling the coal bunker. Also, a view inside the cab with the driver and fireman obscuring the fittings. Unfortunately, with the roof attached, very difficult to see!...

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Still waiting for lamps and my trade-mark Welsh Dragons.

[dudeface]

Very nice weathering. The cab looks great.

[ge_rik]

That looks excellent, Peter. The subtle weathering works really well and the finishing touches make it look really workmanlike.

Hopefully, I'll get to see it in action sometime.

Rik

[Peter Butler]

It would be a pleasure to see you here again Rik. Hard to believe but four years have gone by since your last visit and there are just a few new items of stock to add to your film library. I often revisit your first BURPS video and am so proud of the way it was filmed and edited to make the railway look so good on screen.
Perhaps a 'Day in the life of....' would work?
With your new-found narration skills I'm sure you could produce an Oscar winning performance!