David L O Smith - Home

Some Examples of My Model Engineering

I enjoy improving new, and refurbishing old, workshop machine tools and making jigs and fixtures.  I make model parts for others and clock parts for a local antique clock dealer, but most of my model engineering effort is towards the end of building 7mm scale (O Gauge) railway locomotives and rolling stock.  Some examples with images, prototype notes and construction details are given here.  

click on the images below for larger views and more details

7mm Scale (O Gauge, 43.5 : 1) Railway Models

Kerr Stuart Victory class 0-6-0T
Kerr Stuart 'Victory'
'Victory' class locomotive built by Kerr Stuart and Co. of Stoke on Trent in 1917 for the Inland Waterways And Docks Department and later to work on the  Lambton Hetton & Joicey Colliery Railway where its cab was 'rounded off' to enable it to work down the narrow bored tunnel.  A description in captioned picture of the extensive reworking of the RTR model marketed by Minerva Model Railways.
Anglo-American 4-6-0
Anglo-American 4-6-0 
 Not for the serious UK modeller but I share a Anglo-American fantasy that has been forty years in the making, but still not quite finished.

LMS British Legion 
Although No. 6170, British Legion, was listed at the end of the number series of Royal Scot class of locomotives, it was unique.  It was built by the London Midland and Scottish Railway in 1935 using some parts of Fury, an unsuccessful experimental high pressure locomotive, and it became a model for the rebuilding of the Royal Scot class.  Along with some others of the class, it was withdrawn in December, 1962 and scrapped.  
GWR Signal Gantry 
GWR Signal Gantry
As a bit of light relief between building locos, I have worked on a signal gantry.  The original concept was to build the gantry to adorn my late friend’s extensive garden railway on pleasant summer running days, but I have now built it to sit on a shelf.
Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0DM 
 Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0DM
David No. 58 built by Hudswell Clarke of Leeds for the National Coal Board to work at the Cadeby Colliery, Conisburgh near Rotherham, Yorkshire.  A summary of the techniques used and the challenges encountered in building this model from a Mercian Model Rail kit.
GWR 1361 class - Link 
GWR 1361 Class
GWR 1361 class 0-6-0ST No. 1365.  Description in captioned pictures of additional details of the extensive reworking of this RTR model from the San Chang Crafts factory.  Work in progress.
LMS Jubilee and Black Five
LMS Jubilee and
Black Five
LMS Jubilee No. 5663 Jervis and Black Five No. 5018.  Descriptions in captioned pictures of additional details of the extensive reworking of these RTR models marketed by FineScaleBrass.
7mm model of Great Central Railway Class 4 No.278 Humber
GCR Humber
Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST Great Central Railway class 4 No. 278 ‘Humber’ of 1909, which was originally a contractors loco but entered GCR ownership in 1911. A description in captioned picture of the extensive reworking of the RTR model marketed by Ixion.

GWR Fowler Diesel Mechanical
GWR No.1 a diesel mechanical 0-4-0 with jackshaft drive built by John Fowler of Leeds in 1933 for shunting at the Swindon factory.

LNWR 'Cauliflower'

London North Western Railway No. 2469, one of the class of 0-6-0 18" Express Goods locomotives, commonly known as a 'Crested Goods' or a Cauliflower' due to the LNWR crest on the middle splashers, that were built in batches from 1880.

LMS 8F 8105
LMS 8F
LMS 8F class No. 8105 built at Crewe in January 1939 and withdrawn by British Railways in March 1967.  A detailed description in captioned pictures of the extensive reworking of this RTR model marketed by FineScaleBrass.
GWR Saint David 2920
GWR Saint David

Saint David, an early member of the Great Western Railway saint class of locomotives, built in 1907 and broken up as the last survivor in October, 1953.
Awarded a Silver Medal at International Model Engineering Exhibition (London), 1990

GWR 4081 Warwick Castle
GWR Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle, an early member of the Great Western Railway castle class of locomotives, built in March 1924 and withdrawn in January 1963.

GWR Rood Ashton Hall
Rood Ashton Hall an early member of the Great Western Railway hall class of locomotives, built in November, 1930, withdrawn in December, 1963 and currently preserved at Tyseley Locomotive Works. A detailed description in captioned pictures of the extensive reworking of this RTR model marketed by FineScaleBrass.

Steam Turbine Electric
Steam turbine electric locomotive built as a mobile test bed for electric motors.
LNER A1 Royal Lancer
LNER A1
Royal Lancer, a London & North Eastern Railway 4-6-2 A1 class locomotive

'Dean Goods'
Great Western Railway No. 2415, a member of the ubiquitous and numerous 'Dean Goods' class that was originally built in 1891-2 but modelled in its mid 1920s rebuilt condition.

LMS Fowler Diesel Mechanical

LMS No. 2, a diesel mechanical 0-4-0 with jackshaft drive built by John Fowler of Leeds in 1935 for shunting at the Beeston Sleeper Works in Nottinghamshire, England. Includes a description of making the louvres.

 

Andrew Barclay Fireless Locomotive
Andrew Barclay
Fireless
 
Calderstones, 0-4-0 fireless locomotive built by Andrew Barclay in 1925.
Walschaerts valve gear in 7mm scale (O gauge)

Joy valve gear in 7mm scale (O gauge)

Three video clips that illustrate 'working' Walschaerts, Stephenson and Joy valve gear; from a Great Western Castle (No. 4081 Warwick Castle), a Great Western Saint (No. 2090 Saint David) and  from No. 2469, a London North Western 0-6-0 'Cauliflower' (18" Express Goods).

Go to valve gear video clips page

GWR 5710 0-6-0 pannier tank
GWR 57xx
Great Western Railway No. 5710, one of the class of 0-6-0PT locomotives introduced by C B Collett in 1929.
GWR 4869 0-4-2T
GWR 48xx
Great Western Railway No. 4869, one of the class of 0-4-2T locomotives introduced by C B Collett in 1932.
MR 'Jinty' 0-6-0T in 7mm scale (O gauge)
MR 3F
Midland Railway 3F 0-6-0T in early LMS livery No. 16582.

 

Airedale, 15" Hunslet
Airedale

Airedale, the first of the Hunslet standard 15" class 0-6-0ST, built for shunting at collieries in Yorkshire in the north of England.  Photograph by Martin Nellist.       Details

 

Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST
L&Y Pug
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway 0-4-0ST, commonly known as a 'pug', in early LMS livery No.11247.
W&UT tram engine
W&UT
Tram Engine

Wisbech & Upwell Tramway 0-4-0 tram engine No. 132 (Great Eastern Railway class G15; LNER class Y6).

 

LSWR C14 in BR mixed traffic livery
LSWR C14
London & South Western Railway 0-4-0T Drummond C14 class locomotive in BR mixed traffic livery,  No. 30588.
LSWR Southampton Docks B4 0-4-0T
LSWR B4
Honfleur, a London & South Western Railway 0-4-0T B4 class locomotive introduced by Adams for shunting at railway docks.

 

Westdale DMU Bogie - thumbnail
Westdale DMU Bogie
Some ideas and suggestions, with captioned pictures, for assembling Westdale Coaches powered and non-powered 7mm scale (0 gauge) bogie kits.
LMS gas holder truck
LMS Gas Holder Truck

LMS gas holder truck No. 278472
Awarded a Gold Medal at International Model Engineering Exhibition (London), 1992

 

LMS Ballast Wagon
LMS Dropside
LMS (ex London & North Western Railway) 2-plank dropside ballast wagon (Diagram 62a)
GWR Rectank - bogie bolster
GWR Rectank
GWR Rectank with a bridge girder load.  These bogie vehicles were originally built for transporting military tanks during the Great War but most were sold into commercial service at the end of the hostilities.
Harrington Coke Ovens No.31 private owner wagon
Harrington Coke Ovens PO Wagon
  
 Harrington Coke Ovens No.31 private owner wagon.
Salt Union Private Owner Wagon No 790
Salt Union PO Wagon
  
Salt Union Ltd No. 790 private owner wagon.
Wisbech & Upwell Tramway (GER) Van No.9
W&UT Van No.9
 

Wisbech & Upwell Tramway van No. 9.

GWR Fitted Open Wagon
GWR Fitted Open
Great Western Railway fitted open wagon No. 30145 with sheeted load.

Elsewhere I have described my early efforts at restoring and improving 0 gauge tinplate and also my later entry into 0 gauge Fine Standard.

David L O Smith - Home

Some Examples of My Model Engineering