Any ideas as to the origin of this loco?

[ge_rik]

Presumably, the slightly taller similar locos don't have the dropped footplate?

Sorry, I thought I'd checked the numbers before I hit the post button. The driving wheel dia. on Anita was 2' 4"......

Unlike some builders, if their catalogue is anything to go by, Hunslet don't seem to have made a habit of lowering the cab floor. My Hunslet is about the same size as Anita and is based on one used on reservoir building contracts.
Regards,
Graeme
IMG_0624.jpeg

She is a little beauty! I like the dull livery. I've just given one of my locos a spray of semi-matt/satin varnish and I do think it looks better than the ones with a high gloss finish. More workmanlike.

Rik

[philipy]

I must have drawings of the F class. I'm away atm but be back home tomorrow and I'll rout them out and let you have them.

Sorry, I've searched high and low but can't find those drawings, I'm afraid, and I've no idea where I got them from originally, 30 years ago!

[Andrew]

I must have drawings of the F class. I'm away atm but be back home tomorrow and I'll rout them out and let you have them.

Sorry, I've searched high and low but can't find those drawings, I'm afraid, and I've no idea where I got them from originally, 30 years ago!

Just a thought, but following the trail of "who owns what", MW's intellectual property now seems to belong to Hunslet - who, these days, are based at (owned by?) Statfold Barn. They may be willing/able to help?

[ge_rik]

I must have drawings of the F class. I'm away atm but be back home tomorrow and I'll rout them out and let you have them.

Sorry, I've searched high and low but can't find those drawings, I'm afraid, and I've no idea where I got them from originally, 30 years ago!

Just a thought, but following the trail of "who owns what", MW's intellectual property now seems to belong to Hunslet - who, these days, are based at (owned by?) Statfold Barn. They may be willing/able to help?

That's useful info, thanks

Rik

[ge_rik]

Well, it's taken me about 18 months, but I've finally got around to creating the parts to 3D print this Manning Wardle loco I was enquiring about back then.

I was given what I think is the chassis for a Bachmann Porter loco a while back (in exchange for some Bachmann Lyn parts) and had no idea what to do with it. I managed to track down a motor which fitted and discovered a worm gear which meshed with the Bachmann work wheel and, after a quick bit of measuring, decided it could form the basis for this build.

As with most of my builds - my model is "inspired" by the original.

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Rik

[Durley]

Looks great Rik. That should make into an attractive little engine.

[ge_rik]

A bit more progress. Not finished yet, a few more details plus a final rub-down, top coat and varnish. Also, awaiting the delivery of some 18650 cells to do the electrics

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At present, she's very tail-end heavy - the balance point seems to be just ahead of the rear drivers, so I'm going to have to be judicious about where I put the weights. I can't help wondering if the real loco would have been a rocky ride for the crew. She's crying out for two-wheel bogie under the cab, but the original was without.

Rik

[ge_rik]

BTW - I've blogged the first two parts of the build
https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2026/0 ... reate.html

https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2026/0 ... te_16.html

and I'll post the .STL files in the 3D files section when I'm happy with them.

Rik

[ge_rik]

And the saga continues. After installing the electrics, I took Anita outside for a test run. "Lumpy" was the term which sprang to mind - though better in reverse than going forward - also sounded a bit like a bag of spanners, which was frustrating because on the bench it sounded quite sweet.

I dismantled everything and spent half a day trying to improve the mesh between the worm and worn-wheel. When it sounded as good as I was going to get it, I reassembled and took her outside for another test run. Much sweeter this time, but on the third run the loco stopped amid much whirring from the motor.

I dismantled again and discovered the worn had stripped the worm wheel of a goodly proportion of each tooth.

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Clearly, the worm I thought was a good match for the Bachmann worm wheel, wasn't!

I rooted through my bits-box of mechanisms and discovered a spur gear which seemed to mesh with the worm. I had to ream out the bore from 4mm to 6mm and gave it a go.....

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Almost the same result as previously - except the worm wheel de-toothed in about half the time!

So, a complete rethink!

Using what I'd learned from making my own mechanisms using GA25-370 gearmotors, I discovered I could fit one between the frames - but it would require a complete redesign of the chassis. Thanks to Tinkercad, this was achieved.

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TBC ........

Rik

[ge_rik]

A day's 3D printing, plus a half a day's tweaking and I now have what seems to be a working chassis.

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I reassembled the loco and gave it a good test run and ..... fingers crossed, it seems to run beautifully.

All I have to do now is tidy up the loco body and add a few finer details - oh, and a complete repaint as the body has become a bit tatty with all the recent heavy handling.

Life would be really dull if things went according to plan!

Rik

[philipy]

The new chassis looks neat and tidy Rik. Fingers crossed for the running.

[tommygander1941]

That looks much better now Rik! I would suggest thicker rods, as then they won't bend so easily although still keep a spacer between the connecting and coupling rods (unlike other locomotive manufacturers, such as Roundhouse... )

[ge_rik]

Hi folks
Does anyone know what that linkage which runs along the side of the tank is for? I wondered if it was something to do with sanding, but on the later photo (when the loco was renamed Derby) there is a sandbox on the running plate with its own separate linkage.

Also, would there be a duplicate linkage on the other side of the loco? The pencil sketch suggests not, but as has been pointed out, this is not a particularly accurate representation of the loco. I notice from other photos of MW locos and from Philip's fine model of the F&B MW that this linkage does appear on similar locos - but photos of other MW showing the LHS don't have this linkage, which suggests it is on only the RHS.

Rik

[philipy]

Rik,
I think it is only on the RHS of the F &B. There are only a couple of pictures but no drawings of the LHS, but the pics don't show it.
This is part of the Binnie drawing and that linkage is clearly shown. I've assumed it was a cylinder blow down mechanism and that there must have been some sort of hidden cross-link underneath to operate the other cylinder. I didn't put the down link on my model partly because it would be adding even more fragility low down, and partly because my saddle tank is removable for access to batteries and Rx so a fixed connection between tank and chassis would be a problem.

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[ge_rik]

. I didn't put the down link on my model partly because it would be adding even more fragility low down, and partly because my saddle tank is removable for access to batteries and Rx so a fixed connection between tank and chassis would be a problem.

I have a similar problem. My tank is also removable but the linkage disappears into the running plate so where it goes thereafter is a mystery

Rik

[Trevor Thompson]

That mechanism looks to me to be the drain cocks for the cylinders. However it looks (from the drawing) that it goes to the rear drain cocks. That doesn't mean that it didn't actually have a link behind the cylinder to go to a similar drain cock at the front of the cylinder. The drawing will just show what the draftsman thought was significant for a model. All real locos have drain cocks to prevent hydraulic lock when the engine starts off with cold cylinders - as I am sure you know. Interestingly the "cock" shown on the front of the cylinder is not a drain cock, but a lubrication point where tallow could be fed into the cylinder, as used before steam oil became common. It is drawn upside down of course. You might also find photos (such as of Linda) where these cocks are actually fitted upside down now! My own view is that these sorts of details are a bit fine to add to a loco for use in the garden - but they would look authentic if modelled.

Trevor

[ge_rik]

........ Interestingly the "cock" shown on the front of the cylinder is not a drain cock, but a lubrication point where tallow could be fed into the cylinder, as used before steam oil became common. It is drawn upside down of course. You might also find photos (such as of Linda) where these cocks are actually fitted upside down now! My own view is that these sorts of details are a bit fine to add to a loco for use in the garden - but they would look authentic if modelled.

Trevor

It's shown on the Works photo of Anita as well, that way up. Can't see it in the later photo when she was renamed Derby.

Rik

[ge_rik]

Phew!!! It's taken a while but at last the loco is a runner!




Rik

[Peter Butler]

Lovely job Rik and beautifully presented. Exquisite modelling!

[philipy]

Very nice Rik. Well worth the wait.