Bradstock Loco

[Pencarrow]

Where is Mr Pencarrow with his black magic?
I do admire the tidy workbench though!

I'm on best behaviour...

 

[paulc]

Where is Mr Pencarrow with his black magic?
I do admire the tidy workbench though!

Hi Mike , it's purposely not a very large bench (31" x 17" actual work area) which makes me keep it uncluttered although over the Christmas period it got 'interesting '.

 

[Quintus]

Another shot of 40634, possibly my favourite model. I built her from a David Andrews kit some years ago. As a young enthusiast these 2P's were a very common sight on the S&D. Apparently they were very economical, and did the rather mundane work for which they were designed reliably.
The sight of one of these piloting a 9F was a sight to behold.
I think they are rather elegant, and with their 6ft 9in driving wheels, look rather graceful in motion.

 

[Quintus]

On a Saturday afternoon visit to Bradstock we find Mogul 5369 being prepared to go off shed

 

[Quintus]

5369 has caused a slight dilemma at Bradstock, with an overall wheelbase of 48ft 6in, she is a tad too long for Bradstock's 48ft turntable.
This situation was not unknown on B.R., and to overcome the problem, extension bars could be fitted to one end of the deck, and a few photographs of these exist either lying near the turntable or in use.
So, how to replicate this caused some head scratching. The prototypes consisted of two separate items, which must have been pretty heavy to move and fix in place. I wanted something I could easily clip on at an exhibition without causing too much distraction.
To date I have come up with, what I will call a Mk1 version, cobbled up from some brass angle and copperclad sleeper strip.
The device is a bit flimsy and needs careful handling, but it does work, although differing a little from the real thing.
I am hoping to develop this idea further when time permits, but for now I attach a few photos of the current state of affairs.

Device clipped in position
Loco being turned.


Loco moves forward enabling extension bars to be removed.

 

[LarryG]

I have never come across turntable extensions. Heath Robinson or not, they do the job.

 

[daifly]

Minehead had a turntable with extensions until the end of BR steam. The 43xx class were the largest locos that the turntable could accommodate.




It made the turntable more difficult to operate by hand due to the out-of-balance caused.

Dave

 

[LarryG]

That's a terrific picture of the prototype extensions.

 

[Quintus]

Dave, thanks for posting those really useful photos. I note the extension bars are a little longer than the tender wheelbase, so my Mk2 version will reflect this. As you say, it must have been impossible to balance the loco for turning, as fore and aft movement was almost nil.
I reckon having the right amount of water in the tender would help, and I bet the loco crew would have had a good idea how much!
Regards
Mike

 

[adrian]

Dave, thanks for posting those really useful photos. I note the extension bars are a little longer than the tender wheelbase, so my Mk2 version will reflect this.

Hope that you've spotted the little kick-up, mini-chocks, at the end of the extension bars for the Mk 2 version

 

[Quintus]

Incidentally, the (Modelu) loco crew on 5369 are 1:48 scale.
The same figures in 1:43.5 scale figures wouldn't fit under the cab roof!

 

[Ian@StEnochs]

Being a modeller of the Edwardian Railway most model figures are too tall for my loco cabs. Men were around 5’6” average in height in 1905. Almost all the figures I have bought scale out at 6’ or more.

Ian.

 

[simond]

As a member of the Modelu Patreon “club” I get a regular download of Modelu figures, 5 most months. I then print them, and can flip right/left and scale to preference.

I’ve left them at 1/43.5 - never thought about making them a bit smaller - thanks for the thought!