"Russell" Hunslet Engine Co. No 901 of 1906
Russell, a powerful 2-6-2ST Hunslet, was delivered to the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railway Company in 1906.
Russell was only the third Hunslet narrow gauge locomotive in this country to be fitted with Walschaerts valve gear. [ "Jack" Hunslet 684 of 1898 was the first. ]
Russell's boiler parts [ on the right ] were completed in 2019, soldered together at Charminster LR, and tested in early 2020. It is 2.25 inches in diameter and has four bushes; the front bush is the sand dome which conceals a Goodall-type filler valve; the second bush is the steam dome; the third is for the safety valve and the nearest one is the steam turret for the regulator.
Brass body parts were cut out with a jigsaw and filed.
Each body panel was pre drilled and then rivets inserted
Phosphour bronze bushes in the frame and a representation of scale riveting
The tanks and cab front were made in one piece using milled angle for support. The angle was riveted to the tank tops then soft soldered to the sides.
The cab back attaches with angle to the footplate and with 10ba bolts in the top corners.
The chimney and base were later remade after I had discovered how to make them more accurately!!
Magnets were used to hold down the roof
Frames and rear footplate
I did not want to use large cut outs in the frames. After discussion with previous builders of Russells, including Paul Millington and Geoff Munday,
I decided to adopt the idea of stepping out the rear frame with two 1/8 square brass pieces whilst keeping the two pieces of the frame aligned.
The whistle seen here was later abandoned..a good idea at the time!!
rear footplate and cab rear
I found Russel's frames hard to make because of all the changes in levels and the many holes! This view shows them being painted satin black.
Front and rear bogie assemblies feature plungers which operate against the front and rear footplates
front bogie : Wheels were turned down to 6mm wide in order to improve clearance
I made the wheels, cylinders and steam chests. I used Brian Wilsons book for the 1/2 bore cylinder measurements and offset valve rods which gave adequate clearance between the valve gear and the crank pins.
The real valve gear. I attempted to copy this in principle!
I used Brian Wilson's method of producing the expansion link assembly
The slots have to be accurate so I made a jig to mill them.
The valve gear assembled including lifting links and combination bracket.
I made the mistake of not getting the valve rod in line with the centre of the expansion links. So this whole assembly had to be remade.
My first attempt at Walschaerts valve gear was a steep learning curve.
The smokebox was made out of a piece of 2.5inch copper with brass inserts to support the boiler and smokebox door.
A base with brackets to support the side tanks was fitted to the front footplate.
New chimney base and tapered chimney was made.
The chimney has a thread and domed nut to secure it to the smokebox.
slots were milled into the face of the door to take the hinges
A slot was cut in the base of the smokebox in order to fit the main steam pipe to the steam tee.
Airehose [ Swift 16 casting ]
I found an air pump casting from Swift 16 and adapted it to look like the Westinghouse pump
The painted casting is on the left with its pipe fittings
and attached to the front of the tank.
The coal bunkers were made and attach to the cab front sheet so that the whole assembly lifts off when the cab and tanks are removed.
The manifold casting is from Roundhouse. The small safety valve is from GR Kennions.
The tank fillers were made from 3 pieces then soldered together.
The rivets are 1/32.
This picture shows the rear sand pots with dummy coal loads. The coal load on the right hand side is removable. Underneath is a Roundhouse D type gas tank. The servo for the reversing gear is in the left hand side tank along with the receiver and switch.
A dummy fitting conceals the safety valve .
Pipes have been put into the manifold and a vent fitted to the cab front.
making the coal load with real coal
Spec plates are now in place as well as the rodding for the rear sand pots and pipes for the air pump and front sand pot.
The dome is a Roundhouse Russell dome.
rear steps waiting to be fitted.
Body etch primed
The first coats of RAL 3004
cylinders painted
Putting on the black tank tops and tank and cab lining
wrapper painted
getting there..just needs lining...
Geoff Munday applied the lining..completed over 60 Russells!!!!
Cooperlodgeworks
2020
