GWR 2021 Class Project

[RosiesBoss]

Disclaimer

 

This project is one that includes more than a few compromises! It didn’t produce a fine-scale model, accurate in all respects. Rather, it was just an amusing diversion. Rivet-counters beware!

 

Introduction

What does one do with bits and pieces leftover from a lifetime of construction projects? Certainly not throw them away!

 

Browsing through my bits and pieces recently, these items surfaced:

·                     A dismantled Budgie 0-6-0T acquired around 1967 (see Ref 1.):

 

·                     Hornby 2721 body bought at a “bring and buy” stall (just in case) around 2018:

 

·                     Wheels from two Hornby Smokey Joes whose bodies were used for 1331 and 2195:

 

 

·                     Tri-ang X04 motor and gears from the Nellie chassis used for 3814:

 

The wheelbase of the Budgie chassis was almost exactly what was needed for a 4mm scale model of a GWR 2021 pannier tank. This little loco would fill a hole in my collection which already has a 64XX, 1076, 2721 and 1854 class examples.

 

 

 

Wheels from two redundant Smokey Joe chassis would provide the 16mm dia wheels needed. (I could not afford to import Markits wheels to Oz due to exorbitant Royal Mail charges.)

 

Locos that are relevant to Central Wales in the 1930s (a focus of my collection) were 2032 and 2068. These had no top feed but had enclosed cabs and enlarged bunkers. I chose to ignore the oversize bunker provided by the Hornby donor body. (Close observers may note a few other compromises.)

 

4mm scale drawings were prepared from Refs. 5, 6 and 7.

 

Construction – Chassis

The axle holes in the Budgie chassis were opened up until the Smokey Joe driving wheel axles were a good fit. The plastic Smokey Joe gear was replaced with the brass gear from the scrapped Nellie. (Lower gear ratio – less frantic top speed.) The ex-Nellie X04 motor and worm were fitted to the chassis and adjusted until the gears meshed silently.

 

The Smokey Joe connecting rods were cut and re-soldered together to provide the correct length between each wheelset, with two rods for each side, pivoting on the centre axle. The wheels were then refitted and quartered, making adjustments until everything rolled smoothly.

 

Pickups were made in the usual way with 0.4mm dia phos bronze wire soldered to printed circuit board screwed to the base of the chassis.

 

 

 

Construction – Body

 

The body was dismantled. The separate handrails were set aside for later use.

 

All cuts were marked onto the body before any modifications. The changes included:

·                     Reduce height of pannier tanks, cab and bunker by ~3mm

·                     Reduce length of footplate and pannier tanks: vertical cut in front of cab to remove 5mm

 

The first surgical cut was a vertical one, just in front of the cab. The front portion (lower half of pannier tank and footplate) were ground back to the mark. The cab was then cut from the footplate and ground back to its mark. The rear part of the footplate was smoothed off on its upper surface and its length trimmed until, when mated with the front portion, the overall length matched the drawings. The front and rear parts were glued together and reinforced with scraps of square-section brass rod. A piece of scrap copper sheet was trimmed to fit underneath the bunker and fitted with an 8 BA bolt to attach the body to the chassis, then glued into place. Using a jeweller’s saw fitted with a spiral toothed blade, the smokebox door was removed and stored as a future spare. The bottom half of the pannier tanks was ground back to the mark and filed smooth. The flange under the top half of the pannier tank was ground off. Top and bottom halves were glued together with 5-minute Araldite.

 

 

The height of the bunker was reduced by grinding back the lower surface. The cab front was smoothed off and its height trimmed to the mark. They were test-fitted and adjusted until they fitted well, then glued together with polystyrene cement.

 

 

The front mount to chassis was made from scrap brass and an 8BA screw, then glued to the body. New buffer beams – higher than existing ones - were cut from thin brass, drilled for the buffers and couplings, then glued into place.

 

The cab/bunker assembly was glued into position.

 

A new cab roof and back were made from brass and copper sheet and soldered together, but not fixed in place yet.

 

 

A new pannier tank front was cut (oversize) from thin polystyrene sheet and glued to the front of the tanks. It was then trimmed to size and a new smokebox door installed. New front steps were then cut and shaped from thin brass sheet and superglued into position.

 

Buffers and scale couplings were then attached and the body test-fitted to the chassis.

 

Hornby slim tension-lock couplings were fitted to the chassis. Vacuum brake pipes were made from an old guitar E string and glued to the buffer beams.

 

 3D printed injectors were fitted. The original handrails were adjusted to size and refitted. New tank vents were made from steel panel pins and fitted. Lamp brackets were made from office staples and installed. The original whistles were fitted to the new roof.

 

 

The model was painted with a mix of suitable Humbrol and Tamiya colours. It was finished with HMRS Pressfix transfers and home-printed numberplates.

Coal and crew finished the model.

 

Results

 

 

Parts list summary

·                     Budgie Jinty toy

·                     Hornby 2721 body

·                     Motor and gears from Tri-ang Nellie

·                     Wheels and connecting rods from two Hornby Smokey Joes

·                     Spare smokebox door from Hornby 14XX (Part No.X8071)

·                     0.4mm dia phos bronze wire for pickups and handrails

·                     PC board for pickups

·                     8BA screws & nuts

·                     0.010” brass sheet for cab back, pannier tank front and buffer beams

·                     0.015” copper sheet for cab roof

·                     ERG sprung buffers (ancient old stock)

·                     Scale couplings (H0 NSWGR Lost-wax castings )

·                     Hornby tension-lock couplings (Part No.X9072)

·                     Pewter H0 loco crew (Kerroby)

 

Reflections

2068 fits in well with other models in the collection. Here she is, posing with her cousins on shed:

 

She runs very smoothly through all speed ranges and has adequate power. Despite having all wheels flanged, she runs happily through 1st radius curves. She also looks well hauling a branch-line train:

 

How much did I spend on this project? Nothing! It all came from the spares box! To the best of my knowledge, no 00 scale kit is readily available for this class. The later 64XX class is available RTR from Bachmann for around GBP140 – around A$248, not including post from the UK to Oz. The end result was worth the effort.

 

References and Further Reading

1.                   https://www.diecastvintagetoys.co.uk/budgie-224-railway-engine

2.                   https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/72460-gwr-1331-ex-whitland-cardigan-0-6-0st-project/#comment-1058696

3.                   https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/148059-gwr-2195-cwm-mawr-project/#comment-3690206

4.                   https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/107593-gwr-1076-class-double-framed-pannier-tank/#comment-2181188

5.                   Great Western Railway Journal, No 20, Autumn 1996

6.                   Sketch of 2021 class in http://www.gwr.org.uk/nopanniers.html

7.                   J.S.Holden: “The Watlington Branch” (Oxford Publishing, 1974)