The Dunkirk/Gilbert Class 'B' geared locomotive.

[Anonymous]

Now I've firmly decided to model a timber tramway in 1:20.3 scale I've been on the hunt for smaller sized prototypes that would best suit the picture I have in my mind's eye of how a light laid timber tramway should be. I've decided my brand new 'Heritage' 2-6-2 loco No:8 will be dubbed the 'Big Lokey' by the workers on my line, - which means that everything else has to be smaller. This is entirely practical since I don't have a lot of space for railway building.
I like geared lokeys, but some of them were a bit on the big side and I don't really want to have one of the standard 'big three' (Shay, Climax, Heisler). I could build one of the classic New Zealand bush lokeys built by Price Engineering, but I don't want to tackle one of those just yet. So I decided it was going to have to be something essentially simple, not entirely common, maybe a wee bit obscure ......., BUT it did have to be small and run on two 4 wheel trucks.
Then I found a picture of a Dunkirk Class B (rays of light burst thru the clouds to the sound of a full symphony orchestra). Wow, perfect was my immediate thought. Have a look for yourselves and I';m sure you'll agree.



Isn't it a nice lokey? The mechanical layout is just the sort of thing I like too.




Has anybody on the forum built a Dunkirk class 'B'? It looks like a perfect prototype for a small logging tramway and I'm sure a few more folk than me must think so too.


Annie

[Anonymous]

I have not bulit one of these yet. However, I have Some cool interesting info on Dunkirk locomotives. It so happens that I live in Dunkirk NY. A bought 3 Blocks from the site where this guy was built. There where 2 locomotive shops here in Dunkirk. We had the “Brooks Locomotive Shop” and the American Locomotive works”. At one time Dunkirk was quite the town with 5 different railroads counting one trolley line.

[Anonymous]

Definitely sounds to have been a busy place Phantom. I thought the vertical boilered Dunkirk locos were interesting as well, but I was mainly wanting a loco I could use up a few New Bright fittings and bits and bobs on. I may even be able to use the New Bright boiler provided I can file all the moulded on acne off the outside of the boiler casing. I'm hoping part of the tender body will be useful too, - and the archbar trucks from the tender ..... and ....

Annie :-)

[Anonymous]

O dear hears that "New Bright" thing again. I should refer you to my response under the other topic. Or I could just quate it.:

I had some New bright once, also had some M-80’s and about 60 seconds of delight. I do understand your point of keeping cost down though. Most of my equipment is the lower end Bachman stuff. I have 2 high end spectrums and 3 USA. It comes down to time and money and welp the M-80’s where worth it.

Sorry…..

I guse, If I can make a semi good looking model out of the lower end Bachman then I should not nock the " New Bright". For that I'm sorry. I just cant get passed the 60 seconds of delight there. The truth of the mater is my " New Bright "
Experience was due to my own error. It seemed I was really new to G scale at the time and was biding on this wonderful G scale set I found on Ebay. Welp I wondered why it was so easy for me to be the top bidder on this wonderful find! Imagine the horer on my face when it arrived! Welp not a total lose. M-80’s + “ New Bright” = 60 seconds of delight!

Again sorry if I have a fended any “ New Bright “ fans. I did end up using the steps off the caboose. Just keep that 60 seconds of delight in mined….

[vsmith]

Annie

Thats the same engine I did my first almost-scratchbuilt engine from!





I used a Bachman flatcar, an AMC 1/24 scale plastic model of the Civil War engine "General" and lots of CA adhesive. The powerblocks are from Aristocraft from their centercab switcher and are available seperatly. I havent redone the sideframes yet, get to that one of these months[;)]

[Anonymous]

I've used the Aristocraft motor blocks for virtually all my scratchbuilt models and so far--so good.The bugger is that I have to import them from the US.
I've used Polk's Model Craft and Internet Trains.Both seem OK on overseas orders.
When it comes to kitbashing in England,forget it.The locos are too bloody expensive to start with !
Troy

[cabbage]

Errrmmm... (you mean one of these?)



Quote:
Big John — 0-4-4-0 Logging Locomotive

Based on a Dunkirk engine, this handsome loco is typical of those used in logging operations in heavily timbered regions of the U.S. and Canada. Hartland's beefy logging locomotive features two power trucks and will pull dozens of fully loaded log cars. This workhorse is also very affordable.

09600 "Hickory Lake Lumber" - Red
09602 Undecorated - Red


For Price Information Call Your Favorite Dealer

Unquote:

regards

ralph

[Anonymous]

Favourite dealer ???
UK .
Who are your favourites?
Troy

PS.Do they do on-line ?

[Anonymous]

Um ........ I thought you'd built a model of an early steam electric vsmith :-) You're really going to have to do something about those side frames. Seriously though it is a great model and definitely appeals to the kitbasher in me.
Troy, the expensive cost of importing locos to New Zealand is why I'm so keen on doing extreme mods on New Bright locos. I only want to make and fit up a boiler tube pilot/cow catcher and new smoke stack on my newly arrived 2-6-2 Heritage loco and give it a repaint, - AND I'm terrified enough about making a start. Crikey, imagine if I'd purchased a Spectrum!!!
Those Aristo motor blocks sound interesting though, I must check them out.

Ralph, I had a look at one of those HLW 'Big John' locos and I was somewhat interested, BUT to my critical eye it sits too high over its power trucks and lacks the more lightweight proportions of a Dunkirk loco. The other thing is the price which is a bit terrible when converted into $NZ with the shipping cost added in.

Annie

[Anonymous]

For those in the UK, the Aristo motor blocks are available from several UK G scale dealers. Cheapest place I have found is GRS in Princes Riseborough, Bucks. I have had both the large type (from U25, RS3 etc) and also the small all-metal type (centre cab, railbus) from them. Find them here: www.grsuk.com.

Current price on their web-site is 29.05 UKP for the large one, 35.20 UKP for the small one, this price is for a single block.

Usual disclaimer - satisfied customer, no connections!!

cheers
DaveK

[John Busby]

Hi Annie
Nah Beyers cricket I think is more my size looks interesting with its "T" boiler and vertical cylinders.
But none the less an interesting choice of locomotive to build
regards John

[vsmith]

Hey Annie,

I gotta get some pics posted here, but I figured out how to do some REALLY inexpensive archbars for the Dunkirk/Climax to fit the Aristo centercab powered blocks.

I discovered that the archbar trucks on the Hartland Loco Works (HLW) really cheap flatcar/gondola are the same wheelbase as the Aristo block. I cut them off the bolster, added a 3/16" styrene L across the top and added two stryene strips to make up the sidebar extentions seen on a Climax type truck, added some tube and wire pieces to represent nuts and bolts and used the same screw mounts from the Aristo sidebars to mount them onto the block, WOW what a difference and Dumb Cheap! Why didnt I think of this earlier!

Will try to get some pics posted later tonight. Keep an eye out for them.

[Anonymous]

Hey that's excellent Vic. Wow now I know that, I guess exactly the same thing could be done for other geared locos with archbar like trucks. Speaking of Hartland bits and pieces I've just pillaged a slightly damaged 0-4-0 HLW switcher for its motor block for my Barclay saddle tank and I'm going to use its wagontop boiler and other left over bits on my own Dunkirk based geared loco.

Annie.

[wchasr]

Annie (& everyone),
There is an out of print book (softcover) that is strictly about the Dunkirks. I managed to find one several years ago at a train show in the Buffalo area or was it at an antique shop? Anyway if you want some scans let me know! Phantom, Greetings neighbor! I live the other side of Cattaraugus county from you!

Chas Ronolder