Darjeeling Saddle Tank 0-4-0 New series starting in ME 4378

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There

I have been editing this series this morning.

This is a superb looking locomotive and it should be on display in Harrogate.

This is the North British Locomotive Works version.

At least one other manufacturer made some of these locos.

 

If anyone has any photos of the original locomotive or any information they would like to share with readers please feel free to do so.

 

I am going to run this series every fortnight.

I know I may get a few complaints but I think they will be outweighed by the many people who will build this locomotive.

regards David

PS Don’t forget to take out a subscription so you don’t miss an episode.

 

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

[Robin KingParticipant @robinking15611]

Excellent – that’s one I particularly look forward to as they’ve long been a favourite of mine, my interest being revived by the episode in the recent tv series on Indian Hill Railways.

 

Is there a castings supplier lined up?

 

Robin

[Kelvin BarberParticipant @kelvinbarber70274]

Here’s a photo of Ray’s completed Darjeeling Himalayan Class B 0-4-0 Saddle Tank Locomotive to whet your appetites!

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There

Yes, Blackgates are supplying castings.

They hope to have samples on display at Harrogate.

regards David

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Hi David

 

would this be suitable for a first time loco builder, (with good engineering background), or would something like Rob Roy or Juliet (LBSC) be a better bet?

 

Terry

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi Terry

I think a beginner with engineering experience could build this as a first model.

It has the advantage of minimum or no castings.

Ray took around five years to buld it but reckons it could be done in 3 years now

the drawings are done.

regards david

 

[Eric CoxParticipant @ericcox50497]

I’ve always had at the back of my mind an idea of building a brewery loco from Burton on Trent. They were nearly all 0-4-0 saddle tanks. This series will give me an idea of how to build the tank and secure it to the boiler.

 

[Eric CoxParticipant @ericcox50497]

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Eric,

 

I remember seeing an 0-4-0 shunter without a boiler, just a big reciever for high pressure steam. was it at the Bass Museum (AKA Coor’s Visitor Experience!!) or Coalbrookdale?

 

Neil

[Eric CoxParticipant @ericcox50497]

Neil,

 

Probably Coalbrookdale as the 0-4-0 at Bass Museum is complete.

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Neil,

 

As you probably know these engines were known as Fireless Steam Locomotives.  The steam receiver would be charged from an existing static boiler in the factory and would operate for several hours before being re charged (depending on usage of course).

 

They were used where a normally fired loco could not be used due to dirt and smoke.  Examples were used in places when cleanliness was important such as food and paper manufacturing (and I presume breweries such as Bass), where the fire of a normal loco was a hazard such as munitions or where there was a copious supply of readily available cheap steam.

 

The last ones were made as late as the early 1960’s.  They had the advantages of being very simple and cheap to build and run, using readily available steam from an existing static boiler. They also had the advantages of steam power, e.g. high torque at low speed, no gearing, flexibility etc and were easy to maintain due to their simplicity.

 

There are several preserved and sometimes run being charged with steam from the boilers of normal locos. 

 

Terry

[A SmithParticipant @asmith78105]

There’s a good example of a “Fireless” at the Waterways Museum in Gloucester Docks.

Andy

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There

We will have a preview of the first article on display with the locomotive at Harrogate.

regards David

 

Edited By Kelvin Barber on 05/05/2010 12:53:19

[BizibilderParticipant @bizibilder]

Attached is a scan of the cover of issue No 3550 3-16 Dec 1976.

 

The credit inside says: “Darjeeling narrow-gague tank locomotive at New Jalpairuri November 1975. Photo by ARW Crowhurst”

 

(I cannot get the full size scan to load 6.54Mb) – hope tis is of use – maybe ME has access to the original?

 

BIzibilder

 

 

Edited By Bizibilder on 24/05/2010 18:19:18

[Paul AndersonParticipant @paulanderson26848]

Do you know if there’ll be laser cut frames?

[Dave HarrisParticipant @daveharris36943]

Following the earlier question regarding a supplier of drawings and castings for the Dargeeling loco, could the moderator please tell us how many drawings are involved and what castings are involved/available for this loco as no mention has been made of this in any of the articles so far published. It would be helpful if such information could be posted on this site as soon as possible and also included in the next article for those who have not got a computor, or havent joined this web site?

[SteambuffParticipant @steambuff]

I am about to start building the ‘B’ Class, (my first loco that is bigger than than 16mm/ft) one thing I have not seen yet are the overall dimensions. (I have not had chance to see it in the flesh yet)

 

So can someone tell me :-

 

The overall Length (Buffer to Buffer) (I think it is around 36″)

The overall Width

The overall Height

The Weight

 

and finally the scale … I think it is about 1-3/4″ tot the foot (1:7) is this correct?

 

I have the drawing supplied by the DHRS and Various photo’s I took when I was in India several years ago.

 

I have ordered the drawings from Blackgates.

 

Dave

 

[steve milnerParticipant @stevemilner53244]

Dear Steambuff,

 

As requested overall dimensions of B-Class in 3 1/2″ gauge.

 

Length from front buffer beam to rear cab foot plate arc. (this being the furthest point on the length to the rear of the frames) 34 3/4″

 

Width over running boards 11″

 

Total height from rail to cab roof. 14 3/4″

 

Scale 1 3/4″ – 1ft.

 

Weight heavy!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hope this helps, any additional information please contact.

 

Regards,

 

Steve Milner

[DustyParticipant @dusty]

Steve has beaten me to to the dimensions you asked for. As to the weight there is, floating about a formula that allows you to calculate the weight of a model in relation to the full size. I am afraid that the passage of time has errased that part of my memory which allows me to remember those sort of things or at least where I found the formula.

But using my skill and experience (known by most as bullshit) I reckon that the weight will be about 160/170 lbs. I suspect that Ray, through the services of Donald, may be able to answer that question better than I.

[peter ravenscroftParticipant @peterravenscroft57700]

dear steambuff

i would stongly recomend that you get hold of all the relvent copies of model engineer as this would assist you in the constuction if you follow raymonds instructions you will not go far wrong i have nealy compleated the cylinders this morning and i am not far off a running chassis (see recent model engineer ) if you ned any help please feel free to get in touch

regards

peter

[SteambuffParticipant @steambuff]

Many thanks Steve and Dusty for the dimensions. I was not far off, I based my scale and length on the wheel diameter and wheelbase on the drawings in ME. comparing it with the actual loco.

 

Thanks for your offer of help Peter … I have a Digital only subscription to ME, so I have printed all the pages to PDF and to paper (After merging all the single page PDF’s into 1 PDF file).

 

I have also being going through all the post’s copyiing all the issues/solutions etc into a spreadsheet, so hopefully I won’t hit any of the issues encountered by other builders. (One advantage of starting late)

 

I have just ordered the material for the Frames etc along with the drawings.

 

Dave

 

[Colin Jacobs 1Participant @colinjacobs1]

As a beginner it is way above my league. But I am enjoying the read and hope to one day build it but how long do I have left? Should I give up smoking so I can live that bit longer to build one?

 

Seriously I would love one, perhaps if a club was started in my area of Suffolk it would be a great “club build”

 

 

[peter ravenscroftParticipant @peterravenscroft57700]

hi colin

you should start now save your pennies and buy as many parts that are profiled laser or jet cut it speed the build up and having seen some off the parts available it makes me want to throw mine in the bin and start again i have been building mine since the series began last may (2010) spending about 4 hours a day 4or 5 days a week in constuction of it and i still do not have a rolling chassis

the locos where all on display at harogate this year and a splendid show they made

regards

peter

[SteambuffParticipant @steambuff]

I agree with Peter …. Give it a go, you won’t regret it.

The hardest bit is starting…..

This will be my first project in this scale, previously having only built kits in 16mm/ft. So I class myself as a beginner, and I havn’t used a lathe since I was at school over 35 years ago, I purchased a mini-lathe over 5 years ago and it is still sitting in the Garage un-touched.

So I have taken the bull by the horns, ordered material for the frames etc along with the plans and have also booked myself onto a course on how to use the lathe.

Where abouts in Suffolk are you located? I am about to join my local club (15 miles away).

So give up smoking and get your first bits ordered with the money you will be saving.

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