Mystery 2&1/2″ gauge 2-2-2 locomotive rolling chassis

[OldMetallerParticipant @oldmetaller]

Can anyone please tell me what prototype this locomotive represents?

I'm very tempted to buy it, but I know I'd struggle to complete it unless there are plans available.

It's on the Station Road Steam home page right now, that's where I borrowed the photo from.

Sorry I can't post it as a hyperlink.

https://www.stationroadsteam.com/2-12-inch-gauge-2-2-2-locomotive-chassis-stock-code-9437/

Thank you,

John.

Edited for 04:00 vagueness. 

Edited By OldMetaller on 09/03/2021 03:55:40

Edited By OldMetaller on 09/03/2021 03:56:01

Edited By OldMetaller on 09/03/2021 03:57:25

Edited By OldMetaller on 09/03/2021 03:58:48

[OldMetallerParticipant @oldmetaller]

What is it?

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Hi John

From the wheel arrangement and the paint colour I think it may be " Belle Stroudley" a LBSCR class G 2-2-2 one of LBSC's designs for 2 1/2" gauge. It is certainly a rare bird I've never seen one. According to the 2 1/2" gauge association website plans are not available. There may have been a write up in one of the magazines such as Modelmaker or Practical Mechanics. I'll see what I can find out. Would make an attractive and interesting model.

Dave

I've just had a better look ( after a coffee!"  in " LBSC his life and locomotives" it was described in M.E in 1932, from SRS's website it looks decently made, I'm guessing it was intended for Joy valve gear as there only seems to be a pump eccentric on the crank.

Edited By Dave Wootton on 09/03/2021 07:15:23

Edited By Dave Wootton on 09/03/2021 07:16:03

[OldMetallerParticipant @oldmetaller]

Posted by Dave Wootton on 09/03/2021 07:05:35:

Hi John

From the wheel arrangement and the paint colour I think it may be " Belle Stroudley" a LBSCR class G 2-2-2 one of LBSC's designs for 2 1/2" gauge. It is certainly a rare bird I've never seen one. According to the 2 1/2" gauge association website plans are not available. There may have been a write up in one of the magazines such as Modelmaker or Practical Mechanics. I'll see what I can find out. Would make an attractive and interesting model.

Dave

I've just had a better look ( after a coffee!" in " LBSC his life and locomotives" it was described in M.E in 1932, from SRS's website it looks decently made, I'm guessing it was intended for Joy valve gear as there only seems to be a pump eccentric on the crank.

Edited By Dave Wootton on 09/03/2021 07:15:23

Edited By Dave Wootton on 09/03/2021 07:16:03

Fantastic! Thank you Dave, I'll have to have a ferret about in my old ME backnumbers!

John.

[Nick Clarke 3Participant @nickclarke3]

Don't expect too much – the 'description' consists of 4 pages in ME August 27 1931 with a side elevation of the loco, one of the tender and a couple of views of the boiler although not all of the stays needed are indicated an there is no view of the backhead or any fittings at all.

There is no information on valve gear, cylinders or crankaxle other than references to past descriptions and while the chassis here is outfitted with an eccentric presumably for a pump there are no details of the pump described.

Certainly if you have access to a number of old MEs it would be possible to match the deatils to this chassis however I suspect that buying the bound volumes necessary might cost you as much as the chassis itself – you would probably need at least volumes 63,64 and 65 as these contain the information on 'Dairymaid' the loco most referred to in this article.

[Nick HughesParticipant @nickhughes97026]

I thinkt there was a photo of a completed one on the Dust cover of the original LBSC's Shop SHed & Road book:-

[Former MemberParticipant @formermember12892]

[This posting has been removed]

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

The one on the cover of shop shed and road is of curly's Grosvenor in 3 1/2" gauge, it was his own pet engine, true to scale but never published .

br has hit the nail on the head the drawing is " Belle Stroudley" , I'm afraid it's one of Curlys updated engines where he fits an oversize boiler which to my eye makes it look like a caricatureof the original engine, there is a small grainy picture on Page 35 of Brian Hollingsworth's LBSC book, so at least one has been built.

In one of the museums , can't remember which one, is a beautiful model of a LBSCR G class, built by J.N Maskelyne in O gauge, I remember being very impressed by his craftsmanship. It may have been the old London toy and model museum.

Dave

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, I concur with Nick Clarke 3.

Regards Nick.

[OldMetallerParticipant @oldmetaller]

Thanks gentlemen, so it's, 'Gee up, whoa back' then. I agree about the oversize boiler, it looks like a six foot bloke with size 3 shoes!

I will follow up the Dairymaid lead thank you, I don't know much about that engine.

I'm just dipping my toe in the 2&1/2" gauge waters at the moment, I'm trying to find a small engine with proper valve gear and a coal-fired boiler that will suit the projected light railway I've got room for in my new garden.

I've been reading The Chronicles of Boulton's Siding by Alfred Rosling Bennet- a cornucopia of small, old engines that one Isaac Boulton bought from the big companies, renovated, and hired out to other companies, and I'm all fired up about small, old engines!

Thanks again for all your invaluable help- you've saved me a wild goose chase!

John.

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Hi John

Hope we didn't put you off too much! worth looking at the Gauge 3 Society and the 2 1/2" gauge association websites. There are some designs for this gauge by Chris Barron of The Locomotive design company that might suit your requirements, he hasn't got a website but will send out lists of his drawings. I know he does a LNWR Jumbo " Hardwicke" ( my very favourite engine!) and Caledonian Cardean amongst his designs, all are coal fired , close to scale and have proper valve gear. Time so short and so many beautiful locomotives!

Dave

[OldMetallerParticipant @oldmetaller]

Posted by Dave Wootton on 09/03/2021 18:47:28:

Hi John

Hope we didn't put you off too much! worth looking at the Gauge 3 Society and the 2 1/2" gauge association websites. There are some designs for this gauge by Chris Barron of The Locomotive design company that might suit your requirements, he hasn't got a website but will send out lists of his drawings. I know he does a LNWR Jumbo " Hardwicke" ( my very favourite engine!) and Caledonian Cardean amongst his designs, all are coal fired , close to scale and have proper valve gear. Time so short and so many beautiful locomotives!

Dave

Hi Dave, no, you've not put me off; Hardwicke is one of my favourite locos, I managed to get a sneaky footplate visit when I was a child!

John.

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