A Swedish American ten wheeler.

[Graffen]

Hi all!

I have just completed a brass locomotive build for a client.

It is an HO scale model of the Richmond built ten wheeler "Albo".

The original locomotive:

 

It was built in 1900 for the Swedish railroad "Ystad-Eslöfs järnvägar".

The model, which has a chassi from a Bachmann ten wheeler, was a really tricky build.

That was mostly due to the fact that there is just that photo that is available, and the building manual left a lot to own interpretation....

Here are the pics of the finished model:

 

 

 

 

I am really satisfied how it turned out though.

 

[7j43k]

Very nice!

 

And I love the Belpaire--not enough of them in the world.

 

 

Ed

["JaBear"]

Marvellous!!! I’m particularly impressed with the “colourised” builders’ postcards.

Thanks for sharing, Cheers, the Bear.

[M636C]

There appears to be a problem with the Belpaire firebox on the model...

The model appears to have a wide firebox reaching across the frames, but the builder's photo shows a much narrower firebox curving inward to fit between the wheels.

This narrow Belpaire firebox was a distinctive feature of many Alco locomotives, although more often products of the Brooks works rather than Richmond. The Brooks design was adopted by G.J.Churchward of the English Great Western Railway and was used right up until the end of steam construction in the UK (well not the very end, since "Evening Star" had a wide firebox, but the Standard Class 5 had the narrow pattern).

In the early years of the 20th century, the English Midland Railway had  wide casings on their narrow Belpaire fireboxes, which looked a bit like the model shown here. The last of these were on the "Patriot" class 4-6-0s built in 1933-34.

M636C

[Anonymous]

Very nice, indeed!

Two maybe minor discrepancies catch my eye - one is the size of the drivers, which appear to be a tad to small on the model and the other one the form of the counterweights of the drivers, which are different on the prototype.

I am not sure about the size of the Belpaire firebox. I think it´ll look different with slightly bigger drivers.

[M636C]

Sir Madog wrote the following post 14 minutes ago:

 

I am not sure about the size of the Belpaire firebox.

 

The problem is not the size but the shape:

The lower side of the firebox curves to match the radius of the boiler in the Richmond builder's photo, while the model has flat sides, as is clear from one of the model photos.

 

M636C

["JaBear"]

....and the drivers have too many spokes; Naaahhh, I’ll stick with Marvellous!!

[Ray Dunakin]

Wow, very nice work! 

[hon30critter]

Graffen:

I think it turned out very nicely indeed!

I hope the comments you received about the differences between the prototype and the model were mere observations. Changing the profile of the fire box would have required some major surgery which would be neither cheap nor easy. As far as driver size and weight shape, in this case I think that is getting a little too far into the realm of rivet counting.

You did a great job, as usual!

Dave

[Graffen]

Thanks! The shape of the firebox? Yes it is required by pure necessity as the Bachmann drive would have made it impossible to have it curve inward. The same about the counterweights, to replace the drivers? Ehhh, no! Then it would have been easier to build a new drive/chassi.

[Anonymous]

Graffen

Then it would have been easier to build a new drive/chassi.

I thought so!

You have done a remarkable job - despite all comments. The loco really captures the flavor of "Albo"

[M636C]

Graffen

Thanks! The shape of the firebox? Yes it is required by pure necessity as the Bachmann drive would have made it impossible to have it curve inward. The same about the counterweights, to replace the drivers? Ehhh, no! Then it would have been easier to build a new drive/chassi.

 

The original Bachmann model has a correctly shaped firebox, although since it is an extended wagon top, the diameter at the firebox  would be larger than that of a parallel boiler with a Belpaire firebox. 

 

It appears that you used the original smokebox of the Bachmann model, so the boiler diameter at the front must be the same. It might have been better if you had curved the firebox inward, even if not as far as the prototype, but enough to give the impression of a curve.

 

It is always disappointing to have a feature on a model that would not have been possible on the prototype. In this case, the firebox would have to have been too shallow to work correctly since the grate would be above the lowest point of the boiler barrel.

 

M636C

[Graffen]

Sure, but it is a question of my clients budget as well.

I could have made so many changes, but at the cost? I don't think so...

A small? change of the firebox would lead to new walkways, front wall etc.

[Anonymous]

Graffen - Don´t let anyone kid you - it´s a superb job!

Jack - you are better of opening a new thread with your question.