The Heybridge Railway, 1889 to 1913

[RichardG]

The proportions I want are seen in this Fowler A7 locomotive from 1913:
Fowler A7 Road Locomotive No. 13141 of 1913 'Jo' SO737 - Berrybrook Steam & Classics

Now I need to find out what "A7" and "B6" mean in the context of a traction engine! So far, I know the number is the power output.

(the last sentence is not true)

 

[mswjr]

There should be a line of rivets on the tender bunker sides, this is where the floor line would be and the water tank top.

 

[mswjr]

And A7 and B6 are the size and power of the engine a B6 is a large powerful one, Mostly cylinder size. ill find some online info for you.

 

[alastairq]

What about removing the chimney altogether at the bolted flange, and lay it down alongside somewhere? Also, would the 'crew' be anywhere near the beastie if it was being transported?

 

[RichardG]

On a Fowler locomotive, the chimney was hinged rather than detachable at the flange. So if I model the chimney lowered rather than stowed separately this would be good. Like many things, a photo of a chimney in its lowered state would be helpful before starting.

 

[Dog Star]

a photo of a chimney in its lowered state would be helpful before starting.

As in one of Fred Dibnah's videos?

 

[AndyB]

! So far, I know the number is the power output.

No, sorry, it isn't.
Fowler's classifications, on the face of it, don't have much logic to them and basic variations (such as single or compound cylinders) existed for the same classification.
The B6 engines are 10nhp.
As a dimensional check (data from Michael Lanes' book on Fowlers) , the flywheels are 4'6" dia x 6" wide at the rim, height to chimney top 12' 1 1/2", width 7' 6", length 18'7"

Scaling off a side-on photo, the chimney top should be approx 5' above the top of the smokebox.

Hope that helps.
Andy

 

[RichardG]

@mswjr yes the line of rivets is present along the side of the machine, just below footplate level and indeed around the back of the coal bunker.

@Dog Star I will try for YouTube this evening.

@AndyB sorry I read that a A7 is 7 nhp and jumped to the wrong conclusion.

If I view this 1:50 B6 as a smaller locomotive in 1:43.5 scale, these are the main dimensions:

hind wheel diameter 44 mm, 6 ft 3 in​

front wheel diameter 29 mm, 4ft 2 in​

flywheel diameter 28 mm, 4 ft​

width 48 mm, 6 ft 10 in​

length 112 mm, 16 ft measured to rear of bunker, excludes towing bracketry​

All dimensions rounded to the nearest mm and equivalent inch.

Height of chimney top 73 mm to ground, 29 mm to top of boiler. I'm sure, if I give the model a taller chimney then the model will resemble a smaller Fowler. Michael Lane's book sounds useful.

 

[Dog Star]

@Dog Star I will try for YouTube this evening.

On reflection, my comment and your response may lead to disappointment. Apologies.

 

[RichardG]

Graham I enjoyed Fred Dibnah's steeple jacking videos but ignored his traction engine ones. I did mean a chimney lowered not dropped

 

[AndyB]

Height of chimney top 73 mm to ground, 29 mm to top of boiler. I'm sure, if I give the model a taller chimney then the model will resemble a smaller Fowler. Michael Lane's book sounds useful.

It will be a compromise whichever way you go.
The wheels have too many spokes to be on a smaller engine.
From the nature of what they were built for, the big road engines were just massive in every respect. The smaller tractors were quite delicate in comparison.
Many people perhaps wouldn't spot the difference - I've just been around road steam and works drawings for too long, so apologies if I've come across as being negative or discouraging.

 

[RichardG]

Andy you are not seeming negative or discouraging. Rather, if I lay a photo of the Corgi model on top of a photo of the Fowler A7 of 1913 ‘Jo’ (SO 737) I see more similarities than differences.



Photo from the website of the vendor at
Fowler A7 Road Locomotive No. 13141 of 1913 'Jo' SO737 - Berrybrook Steam & Classics




Clearly, I am ignoring the matter of scale; but the hind wheels have the same number of spokes and on the front wheels I have just two spokes too many. The smokebox is longer and the underside of the chassis is lower. The chimney is shorter.

The only detail on the model which really screams at me is the towing bracketry. The back of the bunker is matt black, so I might to be able to cut this off, add something closer to scale, and repaint.

Fundamentally, I do think the Corgi model is very good for its price (around £25 secondhand but in as-new condition), and above all, it will look okay on my layout or as a wagon load because there are no other traction engines to compare it with. The hardest part is deciding whether I should depict it in working order or with chimney arranged for rail transport.

 

[RichardG]

For comparison, here is another Corgi traction engine laid over the same Fowler A7. This model is chained down onto a Lomac built by @Rob Pulham.



I have rotated Rob's photo clockwise to help the wheel centres to line up.

Corgi have used a greater variety of tooling for these models than I had realised up until now.

 

[Osgood]

And the photo of the A7 13141 gives you all the info you need for the hinged chimney ( it simply folds forward and hangs vertically against the smoke box door)

 

[RichardG]

And the photo of the A7 13141 gives you all the info you need for the hinged chimney ( it simply folds forward and hangs vertically against the smoke box door)

And with the chimney hanging vertically, the round thingy above the front axle sets the limit on the height of the chimney. On this loco, about 3mm taller than it is already, and this is pretty much exactly what I think the chimney needs to convince me in 7mm scale.

 

[Ian@StEnochs]

Richard,

The round thingy is the spud pan or tray which stored the spuds, shaped metal grips which bolted onto the rear wheels for better grip on soft ground. Only fitted on agricultural engines with strakes not road locomotives on rubbers.

The bit between the pan and the smokebox is called the perch bracket, it looks much too heavy on the model.

For a dicast model the wheels are quite convincing but in real life they are relativly delecate looking and fabricated from tee shaped plate spokes riveted onto wrought iron rims. The wheel centres are cast around the inner ends of the spokes.

Having built a number of large scale steam traction engines it is easy to be critical. However I apprciate that you are trying to make something which looks right from a cheap toy so please don't take offence at my comments.

Ian

 

[RichardG]

. . . I appreciate that you are trying to make something which looks right from a cheap toy so please don't take offence at my comments.

Ian (and everyone) I am really glad this Corgi model has prompted so much discussion. After all, it is far better to know about the compromises of these models before trying to work one up. I am getting a sense of proportion on what I can hope to achieve. I had some doubts about posting the unmodified model at all, but I know it is going to work out for me.

I would like a traction engine posed with its driver on the layout but really there isn't space for one. A load on a Lomac is much more sensible. I am almost certainly going to cut off the chimney, arrange it so it appears to be hinged forwards and stowed vertically, and hide my butchery with a tarpaulin. This will hide the worst of the perch bracket, and the spud pan can remain for simplicity.

If this works out then a some paint on a few details, etched plates, perhaps some better handwheels. I know this is the antithesis of what I would really like ("fewer, better models") but I will get a result in a few evenings, as opposed to weeks building a kit. And then I can settle down with something different and a bit more involved.