Tal-y-llyn in 7mm

[Marc Dobson]

Following on from my Layout thread Tywyn Wharf, ive put this seperate thread together so to keep thing a little seperate.

So the plan was to build the Peco Tal-y-llyn body on the Branchlines chassis to represent Tal-y-llyn in her 1900-1923 condition. I got the peco kit off Ebay. All parts present and correct to the list. tick. Finally got my hands on a chassis kit. Tick. Started to assemble the kit checking against the photos and drawings, not good not correct. Tal-y-llyn doesn't have a foot plate but the kit does. I should say that in the 1960-70 it did have one for a time but this was a later addition and has been removed. Big problem. So the tank is correct, as is the smoke box, firebox and the buffer beams. The cab is correct for the 1920's. So the kit has a 1920/30s boiler/smoke-box/fire-box, a 1920's cab and a 1960's foot plate so you can't actually build any one loco form the kit.

So To the drawing board.

 

[Rob R]

Marc,
The Peco kit holds up well considering it's age - mid 1970's - designed to fit a Fleischman "Black Anna" chassis.
Back in those days that, and the GVT tram, was about all there was for 7mm ng from the trade.

 

[AdeMoore]

Nice bit of cad there Marc.
I hit watch to see this develop.

 

[Marc Dobson]

Just been informed that the kit is more wrong than just the foot plate. So not taking anything at face value I got my copy of The Tal-y-llyn by Boyd out as there is an ok drawing in it. He was correct. The Smoke box is 2mm to long, and the tank is 1.75mm to long and there is details missing from both. I stopped looking at that point. I'm now thinking about the money I have potentially wasted. I'm going to draw out and build the chassis to see if that is anywhere close.
Marc

 

[Overseer]

I'm going to draw out and build the chassis to see if that is anywhere close.

Not likely to be if it is based on the current chassis. Fletcher Jennings used built up frames consisting of two longitudinal flat plates with horn block plates etc riveted to them. You could see light where it wouldn't normally be. Baxter on the Bluebell still has its original frames of this type but preservation has not preserved much of the original locos on the Talyllyn.

Edit - Found a scan of a photo taken on 12 November 2000 of Baxter which should help explain the built up frame. Baxter has two upper longitudinals and a smaller lower one - all black with white edge lining. From my measurements, the upper 2 members are 140 x 25mm with a 125mm space, then 395 space and 76 x 25 lower member. Also shows the Fletcher's Patent valve gear with the eccentrics on the front axle.