I got the DJB Cedrig boiler kit a few years ago and an Accucraft Edrig chassis. I spent ages trying to find a suitable British prototype loco to base it on, but none seemed to fit my needs. I needed a good bit of room for R/C as I am unable to trot along after a loco. That meant servo control of the blower as well. I also wanted to extend the rear of the footplate so that there was room for a driver and fireman. Fitting a rear pony truck under the extended footplate would have been a problem due to the depth of the firebox.
After nearly 4 years of thumbing through narrow gauge books, and old loco manufactures catalogues, I was one day looking through my old "Garden Railway World" magazines and came across some drawings for an American Forney loco. I have always had a soft spot for the Forney loco's. I had a minor "eureka" moment.
Just for fun I scanned the drawings and increased the size to 16mm scale. I suddenly realised that the drive axles, wheel diameter and cylinders (size and position) of the Forney in the side elevation drawing, were pretty well spot on with the Edrig chassis, not only that, the boiler was the same length and the smokebox too. The only drawback was that the chassis was not bar frames, and the DJB smokebox was nothing like an American smokebox, so I tried to put it out of my mind !
However it niggled at me, especailly as the large rear bunker and cab would give me a good bit of room. I loaded the side elevation drawing into Paintshop Pro and made some adjustments by altering the smokebox to the one I had ( I had considered making a new smokebox, but chickened out). After a few modifications I found I had created a freelance Forney with a fantasy history of once being a Manning Wardle 0-4-0 which had been "Forny-fied" by a crazed previous owner.
So a couple of years ago I finally got started loosely working from the modified side elevation drawing! :D
One of my main wishes was having a good capacity of water. I had originally intended to build a saddle tank, but have since decided to try using a water tank in the bunker as it gives a larger capacity, I can always change it later ! The coal will be stored in the bunker in a removable container (mini oblong coal scuttle) which when removed will give me room to shovel in the coal.
Here are a few pics of progress over the past 2 years.
Chassis and added frame for bunker, and a rather crude and basic rear bogie.
The bunker floor is in place, cab cut out, and bogie attached. a spring at each side of the bogie keeps the rear of the loco centralised on curves. It can go through standard Peco 45mm turnouts without problems.
Cab nearly finished and fitted to footplate.
Bunker sides completed and fitted. I went somewhat beserk with the rivet detail, and ended up removing a few rows after this photo was taken. Drilling all those holes and soldering brass pins was great fun !!!!!
The bunker is now nearly finished, just a little more horizontal rivet detail to add at the bottom and top edges of the bunker. The reversing servo has also been fitted, and the blower valve has been modified for the addition of a servo lever.
And this is how it is looking today. Next job is the water tank and piping, then fitting the rest of the RC. I hope to get it finished by the end of this summer, but I said the same thing last year !!!!
