What to do with a GRS "Peckett"?

[John Candy]

As part of a P/Ex deal with another G3S member, I have acquired a GRS kit for the Peckett 0-4-0ST.

The GRS blurb describes it as a class R4 but the dimensions/appearance are unlike the class R4's I have been able to find in photos...no big surprise there then!

The dimensions are closest to a Bagnall drawing I have found (the wheels and wheelbase are very close) but the kit is still a scale foot longer than the drawing.

I had originally thought of converting it to a GWR (ex-Swansea Harbour Trust or Powlesland & Mason loco) but the kit wheels are too large.

I have found a few Hawthorn Leslie locos (owned by various Midland ironstone quarries) which have wheels of about the correct size.....but where do I find a suitable drawing?

Holwell No 30 (Irchester Quarries) and a couple of other Irchester locos look to be possibilities.

Any suggestions, please?

John.

[AllWight]

My peckett kit was kit bashed to represent a Hawthirn Leslie , particularly "INVINCIBLE" which used to serve the RAE in Farnborough. It is a kitchener class and the kit is very close to the prototype.

Mark

[454]

My Peckett was disguised as a pretend BR (W) Ex Swansea Docks & Harbour Board. As for the wheels. I don't care. There are 4, they are circular and it works. It surprisingly is one of my most run and for me one of my most favorite locos in my collection.

Here is my Youtube link circulating in my garden.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4e4uOUF5L0

The bell was from Brandbright.

Dave
454

[MikeWilliams]

Have you thought of asking GRS where their information came from?  It may be they didn't research properly, maybe sloppy designing, or maybe it is correct but we don't know what for.

If GRS themselves are not approachable, then maybe one of their associates like Tim could ferret it out for you?

Mike

[John Candy]

Mike,

The first page of the GRS instructions features a photo of R4 class "Nelson" at Greenhithe in 1966.
The statement continues by informing me of some of the features, including 3ft driving wheels (the model wheels scale out at almost 3ft 6ins).
The most obvious visual difference is that the buffer beams project above the level of the running plate, whereas model has a higher running plate with the beams flush at top.
Other photos I have found of R4 class have other differences (e.g. lowered footplate beneath cab on the CEGB examples for Croydon B).

There are classes of Hawthorn Leslie and Bagnall locos which have wheel size and wheelbase almost an exact match for the model but with a different length saddle (as with Mark's model of "Invincible").

I am still looking at the Swansea Harbour Trust 1144 and Powlesland & Mason 1153 (both Hawthorn Leslie) as well as at some Irchester (and other) quarry locos.

I have a drawing of a Bagnall which is similar the the HL designs (apparently the HL designer "defected" to Bagnalls) but is 1 ft shorter than the kit.
I could shorten the kit quite easily but probably need the extra space to fit the batteries and control gear.
Other problem is that I have not found a photo of a Bagnall which corresponds with the drawing....so I don't know who bought these locos.

I have six other GRS loco kits "on the go", so it is not a high priority and may simply end up in a cupboard!

John

[454]

Don't just put it in a cupboard John, they are really nice little locos even with their shortcomings in replication.

Dave
454

[hornbeam]

THe kit uses an LGB motor block and wheels along with the saddle from the J94 so I guess they made as much use of parts that they had to keep the costs down.


ADMIN NOTE : This thread locked, discussion continued at http://lakes-pages.com/gauge3.co.uk/G3Forum/index.php?topic=983.msg5354#msg5354