"Sentinel" 0-4-0 VBT loco.

[454]

John,

My Sentinel wheel width is 7mm & flange width is 1.6 mm for the record. So is not G3S minimum at 5.4mm but only just.

Dave
454

[John Candy]

Thank you Dave.

[John Candy]

Can you help?

The Sentinel 100HP project is advancing in "leaps and bounds" but there are still some "grey areas" where detail needs filling in.

1) Do you happen to have a photo of the small square (it may be rectangular but looks to be almost square) works plate which is positioned by the cab opening on all these locos?

I have "Googled" in vain but the only illustrations I can find are of the "Super Sentinel" type which are shaped rather like a church Gothic window and were not fitted to the loco type being modelled.

2) Do you happen to have a photo of the interior of the cab of one of these post-war 100HP locos, in particular showing the vertical boiler and controls?

Finally, do you happen to have an empty Carr's 50ml plastic bottle you can donate, of the type which they use to package flux and other chemicals?
Why? Well it happens to be 42mm in diameter and is exactly right to form the basis for the boiler pattern/mould!
I have several but they are either full or almost full.

Thank you,
John.

[John Candy]

Thank you Dave ("454") for the photo of the works plate you sent by email.

John.

[Jon Nazareth]

John

I have some 41mm copper pipe that you are more than welcome to if you think that it would do.

Regards
Jon

[John Candy]

Jon,

Thank you, I would need a section 50mm in length and can increase diameter by wrapping it with thin plastic card .... it is to form the basis of a pattern to make a silicone rubber mould so I only need to do it once.

Will send you an email.

Regards,
John.

[John Candy]

The Sentinel project update

A lot of progress has been made in the two months since the three of us (Ian T, Mike W and myself) decided it was time to try to "kick start" a greater interest in G3 by making a low-cost (but good quality) "starter set", to entice newcomers to "large scale" to take the plunge and go with G3.

Ian has been preparing the correctly scaled drawings (from available drawings in other scales and photographs of detailing) to enable me to the prepare patterns for the parts which are to be cast in resin and brass. Ian has also worked out the mechanical arrangement for the chassis, which (on such a small-wheeled loco) has posed a few problems, now largely solved, and is pressing on with the assembly of the two rolling chassis for "Arthur" and "Plantagenet" (yes, we have even decided on names for our locos...and the plates are on order from Guilplates)!

Mike, meanwhile, has been dealing with "contractors" to place orders for the brass castings (whistle, buffer guides, steps, etc.) and turnings (e.g. wheels and the extra large diameter buffer heads carried by industrial locos.).

Photos of a few completed patterns for brass casting are attached to show the level of detail we are aiming for.... this may be a low cost loco but it will NOT be "cheap" in appearance or quality.

Photo Buffer Guide Pattern (Note : buffer head is not of the larger type to be used on model)



Whistle Pattern



Cab Step Pattern



The power on the prototypes will be by 9.6V cell pack, Powermaster motor, 50:1 gearbox, Viper 10 ESC and 2.4GHz radio control. There will be drive to all four wheels, so with the small wheels (30 inch diameter) and plenty of weight provided by the steel, brass and resin superstructure, there should be plenty of pulling power at a realistic speed.

The patterns for the main body components (which will be resin) are well-advanced and expect more photos of progress early in the New Year.

Seasons Greetings from the Sentinel Team.

[John Candy]

To put the record straight......

If you have received your G3S Newsletter, you may have read that Ian Turner and I will be displaying a "Muir Hill tractor" on our stand at the AGM but I have no idea from whence that information emanated.

Sorry to disappoint all you avid Muir Hill fans..... our project loco is a "Sentinel", which will be displayed alongside the latest "Flexikit" wagon designs (which will include the corrugated steel ended LMS 5-plank).

On the subject of the Sentinel, it is a "post-war" 100HP design which dates from 1945 ..... there is a misleading reference in the Newsletter to it being a 1957 design .... in fact this type was nearing the end of production by 1957.

Merry Christmas,
John

[John Candy]

An update on the specification and progress of "Project Plantagenet".

Basic Specification:

Chassis : Steel mainframes with 1/4 inch Oilite bearings; insulated steel wheels; both axles driven.
Walsall 50:1 gearbox with "Powermaster" motor.
Outside cosmetic frames cast in re-inforced resin.

Body : Cast resin body/cab/bunker on steel running plate.
Detailing by cast and etched brass components (including etched brass cab roof).

Specification for the radio-controlled model :
9.6V 2000mAh rechargeable NiMh (low drain) cell pack; Mtroniks "Viper 10 Loco" electronic speed control; 2.4GHz transmitter/receiver.
There will also be an adjustable voltage regulator which will enable the maximum speed to be "fine tuned" to suit the owner.

State of progress:

Chassis:
Wheel sets currently being produced to special order by Peartree Engineering.
Other mechanical parts fabricated/sourced and ready for assembly (being handled by Ian Turner).
All power/control electronics/radio control parts are in stock and I will be installing the electrics and testing the chassis when received from Ian.

Body :
Metal components:
Large diameter steel buffer heads being produced to special order by Peartree Engineering.
Cast brass buffer guides (special order); delivery imminent.
Orders to be placed for cast brass components : Whistle; cab/running plate steps; lamp irons (patterns made).
Orders to be placed for etched brass components : Cab roof ; bonnet side steps; inspection door latch handles; spark arrestor mesh (CAD design being handled by Mike Williams).
A note of thanks to John Taylor who has kindly assisted by machining the patterns for lamp irons.

Resin components:
Bonnet pattern completed and ready for pouring of mould and test casting.
Cab/bunker pattern completed and ready for pouring of mould and test casting.
Buffer beams (two types : Sprung and "dumb") patterns and moulds completed and parts cast.
Cosmetic chassis frames (with springs/axleboxes/sand boxes, etc.) : Work to start within a few days.
Cab detailing : Work on pattern for boiler/flue casting to commence soon.

It is hoped that two completed prototypes will be available for running demonstration at the AGM but the schedule is tight and any delays by suppliers could thwart our plans but (at worst) there will be "substantially complete" models at the AGM.

John.

[Geoff Nicholls]

This website doesn't a button to click, so I'll just write

Geoff Likes this  (very much)

[John Candy]

For those of you not able to be at Biggleswade, here are some photos. of the Sentinel.

There remains the cosmetic, outer, frames to be fitted (they carry the axleboxes/springs/sandboxes and other detail) together with the brass castings for buffer guides/running plate & cab steps/ bonnet side steps/ lamp irons and the large diameter steel buffer heads.

There was a great deal of interest shown in the model, with several stating an intention to purchase the kit when available.
There were questions as to whether the "bunkerless" version would be available and a conversion option will be offered.

The parts for new Flexikit wagons with a steel-type underframe skeleton casting (to suit either 9ft or 10ft WB) were also shown.
The initial wagon types on offer being the LMS D1838 5-plank with corrugated steel ends, LMS D1927 3-plank dropside wagon (both to suit the 10ft WB skeleton underframe) together with the LMS D1828 all-steel vans (in 3 versions.... Gloucester/ Chas. Roberts / Metro Cammell) which fit onto the 9ft WB skeleton underframe.

John

[John Candy]

Here are some photos (rather better than those taken on my workbench) sent to me yesterday by Ted Sadler and Ian T (taken at AGM) .

The buffers, brass castings and (Walsall M.I.) turned handrail knobs are still to be fitted and the cosmetic sideframes are work-in-progress.

All being well, should be completed by end of month.

John.

[hornbeam]

Hi John,

How is this project coming along?

[John Candy]

Hi Simon,

I have to confess that not much has happened recently ..... there have been some small changes to the design to improve the strength/ease of assembly of the (outside) cosmetic frames.

The outside frames are now to be of laser-cut steel and the springs, axleboxes, etc. are to be of whitemetal.
The earlier spec. was for a one-piece resin casting.

More progress reports before too long.

Regards,
John.

[John Candy]

The first Sentinel to be completed is "Arthur", destined for Ian T and finished to his specification.
The Sun was shining this afternoon, so I photographed it outside.

The second loco ("Plantagenet") is almost complete.

John.