Topic: Narrow Guage Loco - Dougal

[Ferd]

That is a perfect size loco. Most of the 7.25" engines end up a logistics exercise moving them to the track. Will keep following your build. Looks great so far.

cheers
Ferd

[chris b]

Hi Ferd

The castings are very clean, I am fortunate to have such a good foundry within 15 miles of home. The 5" model comes out at 24" long so mine will be 36" as I have multiplied everything by 1.5 other than the frame stretchers etc to give me 7 1/4" rather than 7 1/2".

Cheers

CB..

[Ferd]

Hi Chris
The castings look really crisp and clean. How long will the loco end up being? Just trying to get and idea of size for the final loco. The chassis looks great.

cheers Ferd

[chris b]

Called at the foundry this afternoon after work to pick up the Steam Chest and Slide Valve castings.

[chris b]

All of my patterns are made of what ever I have in the shed and is the right size, offcuts of pine, ply or even MDF.

I have now got the frames assembled and have started on the eccentrics so i can get it on it's wheels soon.

[Ferd]

The castings look great - what material did you use for the masters?  I am not happy with the wheel castings for the Marie Estelle I have and I can't justify the costs for shipping etc.. from Reeves, be great to follow you route and have them cast locally.

cheers Ferd

[chris b]

OK here are a few pics I had taken earlier this year



Some of my patterns



Castings from the above patterns



Smoke box saddle and frame stretcher

[Ferd]

Hi Chris
Be great to see some photos of progress if time allows. 7.25" is a great gauge.
cheers Ferd

[chris b]

I just found this board when "googling" "Dougal"

I too got a set of drawings from Reeves but decided to multiply them by 1.5 and build a 7.25" model

This meant that  I had to made all my own patterns and fortunately ther is a local foundry who will do small one offs, so my 7.25" castings cost considerably less than those comercially available 5" castings.

So far I have made patterns/castings for wheels, horns, couplers, motion brackets, frame stretcher, smokebox door, front ring and saddle and the eccentric straps.

The frames are erected, horns fitted, axleboxes made, footplates made and fitted.

Next job is to finish the eccentric sheaves then I can machine the wheels and axles.

After that more pattern making for the valve chest and cover plus the cyls and end covers.

I too will have a bit of a squeeze getting the firbox to fit between the frames with it being 7.25" rather than 7.5"

CB

[davybray]

This loco was built by Andrew Barclay & Co in 1946. Gauge is 2ft 6in.
The model I am building was for 5" and which I have converted to 4 3/4" gauge. The fitting of the firebox between the frames was a tad tight - but it fits!
You can find various references to the prototype on the web. It is pretty small!

[russ]

One typically doesn't make many boilers in one's life so I have always assumed that I wll never do one ... so appreciate your comments.  What gauges are the real and the model  loco? .. you didn't say.

[davybray]

Hi Russ,

I am working from plans I received from Reeves about 2 years ago. I also have the castings from the same source and to save time (not that I am in a rush!) I also ordered from UK, and have, the boiler. My excuses for going this route are:1 - the tubes are an oddball size for Canada or difficult to get, 2 - same for the boiler barrel, 3 - I no longer have access to OxyAcetylene equipment!

[russ]

Dave:

Are you working from plans such as one gets from Reeves or other sources?

Russ

[davybray]

Is anyone out there built, or is building, this 0-4-0 narrow gauge side tank loco? The full size loco is at the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway in UK. It was originally working in Glasgow for the Glasgow gas Works, but, I believe, in 1946. I am 2 years into building it and would be interested to hear from anyone who knows of any existing models. It seems quite a simple loco to build, but I wonder how well it will run!
No pictures yet.