GWR Saddle Tank

[753]

After exploring foreign railway territories, LBSCR, and LNWR I have returned home to Gods Wonderful Railway, were real engines are made.
One being an 850 class Saddle Tank, I built one of these many years ago in G1. They were the foruner of the ubiquitous Pannier Tanks and came in several versions. I have not seen one modelled in G3 so maybe the first.


Mike



image hosting

[MikeWilliams]

That will be very nice Mike.  Interesting wheels - I don't suppose they happen to be 4ft 6in, because if they are then suitable ones are available.

Mike

[753]

Mike



The drivers are 4' 1 ½", as you say the tank engines had unusual wheels with square section spokes and no balance weights, an ideal candidate for the CNC mill.
Here is a test in ali made with a 3mm cutter.

Mike

[MikeWilliams]

Very nice Mike.  I suspect the spokes are actually H section, but it hardly shows on a model, even in our scale.

Mike

[Nick]

Close examination of the photo shows the spokes are H-section. Etched overlays to simulate such spokes have been used in the smaller scales so why not Gauge 3?

Nick

[753]

Nick

All things are possible given enough time and effort, but we all take licence when constructing our models to our own satisfaction.
I admire those who go the extra mile to recreate the original.

Mike

[MikeWilliams]

You are right Nick and they are available in Gauge 3, but only 4ft 6in and 3ft 9in sizes to fit the cast iron T section spoked wheels made by the N2.5GA.  The overlays are made by those people who do wagon kits ... they do some coach kits too ... what's their name ... WilliamsModels.

Mike (Williams) !

[IanT]

Never heard of them!  :-)

IanT

[Nick]

Mike,

I didn't wish to imply that it was something one should do, only something one could do. It's a hobby, and we're all perfectly right to enjoy it in our own ways.

Nick (still thinking about CNC)

[MikeWilliams]

You are quite right Nick.  Although many scratchbuild, I just feel sometimes people don't realise what is available for Gauge 3.  In many (not all) ways we have a far larger range of parts than for Gauge 1 and maybe even some of the smaller scales.  But, my website doesn't give everything (I'm not a web designer) and Walsall also have a lot of things not on their website.

Sorry to have hi-jacked your thread Mike - this should be an interesting build.

Mike

[753]

Well there are many ways to communicate seller wares, in the old days there was such a thing as a catalogue, where sellers sent information to prospective buyers.

If we don't know it's available how can we purchase??

Mike

[753]

Basic chassis of the Saddle Tank, front and back axle run in fixed bushes while the middle axle can float up and down. The low-cost motor /gearbox comprises of a motor with integral gearbox rated at 400 rpm driving Delrin bevel and spur gears to get the motor to clear the cab and sit in the firebox.

Mike

[IanT]

An ingenious solution Mike.

Have you used this type of geared motor before? I've found something very similar on eBay and they are not expensive. I also noticed a 16mm loco builder using one recently and wondered at the time whether they were practical in this type of application.

Regards,

IanT

[753]

Ian
If you look at this post

Motor choice

http://g3forum.org.uk/index.php/topic,2436.msg15942.html?PHPSESSID=7b56b03307c5792d887ce95e2b355cd2#msg15942

There is an exchange of views on these motors, I have used them successfully in several models, they come in different speeds.

Mike

[IanT]

Ah yes Mike - sorry, I'd forgotten some of the other detail from that thread.
I was very impressed with the CAD!  :-)

Regards,

IanT