7mm Stroudley Park

[Yorkshire Dave]

I have this book

As well as this book I also referred to the September 1995 issue of Modelling Railways Illustrated (Yankee Tank profile) which has a 7 page article (Yankee Tank profile) with photos and pages 66 to 70 of D L Bradley's Locomotives of the Southern Railway Part 1 (published by RCTS 1975) together with loads of photos gleaned from various sources.

Fortunately the KWVR is in the next valley to me and I was able to pop down t'road to have a look at at 30072 when I was building the chassis..

 

[spikey faz]

As well as this book I also referred to the September 1995 issue of Modelling Railways Illustrated (Yankee Tank profile) which has a 7 page article (Yankee Tank profile) with photos and pages 66 to 70 of D L Bradley's Locomotives of the Southern Railway Part 1 (published by RCTS 1975) together with loads of photos gleaned from various sources.

Fortunately the KWVR is in the next valley to me and I was able to pop down t'road to have a look at at 30072 when I was building the chassis..

I'll have to look out for a copy of that magazine article. There seems to be no lack of pictures of these locos on the Internet. Which is handy!

Cheers
Mike

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

Is the ACE USATC S100 the ex-Oakville Kit?



Yes, it is a challenging kit. As I recall when I built mine I started with the frames to get the chassis working followed by the side tanks and cab as this forms the datum with the frames. The boiler was the last major item to be slid in and secured.

I started an Oakville kit many years ago and is currently a shelf queen. It took me a while to work out what was wrong and it turned out to be the front of the frames were a buffer beam depth too long - which I shortened. Mine (coincidentally No.68) is being built as depicted after the first SR modifications whilst retaining the US fittings prior to second modification where they received standard SR Wainwright fittings.

View attachment 193887





As @SouthernFan Ian alluded to get as much reference material as you can and take your time .

That’s a nice looking, well made beast Dave. Hope the front buffer beam steps are not the white metal ones in the kit. They are extremely vulnerable.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

I made new front steps from scrap brass as I felt the whitemetal ones were too chunky.



I also mounted the smokebox pipes on the cylinders rather than to the smokebox as suggested in the instructions as it is easier to disguise the join. I notice in your photo the pipe has trapped the lubricator linkage between the pipe and cylinder.

 

[spikey faz]

My kit arrived yesterday. I'll start a new build thread once construction commences.

I'm aware that Minerva are looking to introduce an O scale rtr version of this loco to the market next year. Hopefully my efforts will measure up well!

Mike

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

My Ace K Class has progressed to the stage of build the backhead. Oh, what fun. It proving to be a protracted build but strangely satisfying. I’ve a great photograph from Southern Way (Shown below for reference) which will prove extremely useful for building the backhead. However, can anyone help with what the finger is pointing to please as I don’t know what it is or if it’s available from Laurie Griffin. Any assistance is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Regards,
Ian

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

At first glance this look like a hydrostatic lubricator.

What date is the photo - 1913? It obviously pre-dates the SR cab modifications and addition of the vacuum brake ejector, and which period will you be finishing the K?

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

Hello Dave,
It is envisaged the K Class will be finished in Maunsell lined green, numbered in the 2000 series which sets the period around 1931.
The cab roof on my model is the original style before the K’s were converted to the composite loading gauge as shown below.


When painted, the K will be numbered 2351. The horrible Ace whistle on the cab roof has been replaced by a more elegant whistle from Laurie Griffin.
Regards,
Ian

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

The Ace Kits Brighton K Class build has progressed from being a pain in the batty to that of something quite pleasing.
Having received the ministration’s of my good friend Bill Rankin, who breathed over the K Class chassis to make it run like a sewing machine, I turned my attention to adding those all important details. Some of which were scratch built and some were from Laurie Griffin.
The etched back head from the kit formed the basis of the back head. Laurie Griffin’s parts for the Brighton Atlantic were used in part for the K back-head and although not completed, a progress shot is shown here.
There’s more to do in the cab such as a planked, real wood cab floor but it’s looking something like I want it to.
Some time has been spent on making brake gear and sanding pipes plus something that purports to be brake rodding.
The Weir feed pump caused some trepidation as I couldn’t find a clear reference to build it! I think, after close scrutiny of K Class photographs, looks OK-ish.
Anyway, progress on this kit is shown below as a result of studying photographs of the prototype….


Oops! I left the scratch built hinged fall plate in the vertical position. Doh!


I hope this image meets with the approval of the esteemed Western Thunderers.
Regards,
Ian

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

What a milestone day this is. Construction on the K Class has drawn to close. Phew!
When I started building this kit, I knew Ace had a reputation for components fitting where they touched. In some respects this kit wasn’t as bad as I expected but it wasn’t good either. If you want a ‘K’, it’s either tackle this kit or scratch build.
The result is a mix of both. I kept finding bits that I wasn’t happy with so out came the brass/file/soldering iron for a re-work.
The result is shown below although the loco will be subject to more cleaning up I am pleased I now have a handsome Brighton 2-6-0.
If the class were named, I think I would have chosen the name: ‘Humbug’.
Special thanks must go the Brian Dale for his encouragement and support. A fellow K aficionado, who’s previous postings on his build on Western Thunder proved immensely helpful.
Thank you Brian.



I’ve got to find something else to build now.
Regards,
Ian

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

I’ve got to find something else to build now.

How about a LB&SCR 'Greyback' - using the K kit as a starting point for the boiler, running plate and tender.

Spoiler: Greyback

A R J Billington B4 4-4-0 rebuilt by L B Billington in 1922-24 using the K boiler with new frames. Nicknamed greybacks as they passed into SR ownership in works grey without receiving the LB&SCR umber livery.

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

The

How about a LB&SCR 'Greyback' - using the K kit as a starting point for the boiler, running plate and tender.

Spoiler: Greyback

A R J Billington B4 4-4-0 rebuilt by L B Billington in 1922-24 using the K boiler with new frames. Nicknamed greybacks as they passed into SR ownership in works grey without receiving the LB&SCR umber livery.

View attachment 203352

Sadly Dave, I’m all K’d out. I do have a rather nice Southern bogie luggage Van to build. At least the interior won’t be too daunting!
Regards,
Ian

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

There is one fact about Stroudley Park that is not generally well known.

Under Station Road, there is a tunnel behind two large gates from the platform to the Royal Mail sorting office on the other side of the road. At this time of year, Stroudley Park is very busy with letters and parcels. The main tunnel access is just under the station building window to the left of the stop block lamp.

A train of two Mail coaches, one stowage and one sorting are usually shunted into the bay platform for loading and unloading.

It must be tea break time as there is no sign of the postal workers in the picture, maybe they were due for a break?

The Royal Mail coaches are built from Westdale kits and provide the opportunity to run something different
Happy Christmas everyone.
Regards,
Ian

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

A little late to play an active part in the Christmas traffic arrangements a recently completed CRT Kit now graces Stroudley Park’s metals.
Purchased originally to run on a friends sadly now defunct garden railway, this vehicle makes up my Brighton-Bournemouth set comprising of two Maunsell high window brakes, a composite and a Pullman third. Thankfully the luggage Van will run as a stand alone vehicle when attached to a Van B with a guard on board.
This van was an involved but enjoyable build (like all CRT kits) and I look forward to seeing it in Maunsell green when the warmer ‘painting weather’ arrives. That’s when the distinctive white painted window grills will be added.
Wishing all on this inspirational and helpful group a very happy Christmas.
Regards,
Ian

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

Time for another coach while I’m in the coach-building mood.
In my stash of unbuilt kits is an Alan Gibson arc roof third and I have a question for all you knowledgeable Western Thunderers out there concerning the accumulator cabinets on the drawing in the kit.


My question is this:
Are the accumulator boxes shown on the drawing in the Isle of Wight location or would they have been in that location on the mainland thirds in Southern days?
Thank you for your help.
Regards,
Ian

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Hi Ian

I've just dug out my copy of David Gould's Bogie Carriages of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway and working from the IOW number 2416 in the drawing.

6/1916 built no. 641 as 6 compartment brake third.
6/1927 SR no. 4019 - air brake removed and vacuum brake fitted
5/1936 IOW no. 2416 - rebuilt to 9 compartment third, vacuum brake removed and air brake re-fitted

Then I went and dug out my old Mike King drawings I purchased way back in the dark ages of the 1980s when I was modelling the LBSC. This is a photo of the 9 compartment third (two actually - one with annotation ).



This shows the battery boxes offset however Mike King's notes do say the positions do vary.



The down side is upon reading David Gould's book you would be struggling to find a green mainland 9 compartment third as they were all rebuilt around 1924-27 as electric 3-sub units or rebuilt as paired electric intermediate trailers marshalled between two 3 car sets to make 8 car rush hour trains.

To have a loose ex-LBSC 9 compartment third I would build the kit and paint it in Marsh umber lettered and numbered for LB&SCR.

Or alternatively finish it as 2416 in green and say it never reached the IOW in 1936 - rule #1.

 

[ianlbsc]

The underside of a Brake vehicle being lifted to load for the Island. This also shows staggered battery boxes. From Getty.
Cheers, Ian Mac

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

View attachment 206754
The underside of a Brake vehicle being lifted to load for the Island. This also shows staggered battery boxes. From Getty.
Cheers, Ian Mac

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

Sorry for the late reply gents, Mrs M and I have been swanning about the Atlantic. I really appreciate your help and I think Rule One will apply in this case. Doh!
Regards,
Ian

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

Well, I never thought I’d see this day. A painted K Class on Stroudley Park. Thanks to Warren Haywood’s painting skills the sow’s ear of a K is looking more like a silk purse. There’s still some detailing and weathering to complete the build but there she is in all her Maunsell green glory.