Wilwau Castings

[bilwau]

To all model makers and in particular steam engine enthusiasts.

My name is Bill Waugh,  son of W.K.Waugh (prop.WILWAU Castings). For most of my professional life I have been an artist. I originally served a mechanical engineering apprenticeship followed by several years in business with my father and was responsible for making the first ever set of Britannia patterns.

Because of the interest in Wilwau castings I would like to share my knowledge and memories with you, but nothing too technical.

With best wishes,

Bill Waugh

[Jim]

Hi Bill, Nice to hear from you.
Just for interests sake I'm building 70036 'Boadicea' from a part set of your father's WILWAU castings which I was fortunate enough to be given and very nice they are too. I've also got the copy of the ME that carried the article about the arrival of the castings accompanied with photos of J Perrier's Britannia.
Regards
Jim

[bilwau]

Hi Jim, 
    My name is Bill Waugh and just happened to have come across your letter of the 5th Jan 2016 and do apologise for not replying sooner but I’ve got to confess that l don’t think l ever  checked to see if there had been any replies to my note.
   l was very interested to hear about the set of Britannia casting you’ve recieved and was wondering whether they were for a 5” gauge or not? Hopefully by now you’ll be well on the way to “ steaming up Boadicia 
     I was also interested to read some of the letters from members relating to Tom Adlington and my Fathers joint venture in creating the first ever 5”” Britannia. Father scaled up LBSC’s 3 1/2” drawings to 5”  hence the reason why they were not that detailed, Wilwau Castings did all the patterns, castings,  machining and motion gear etc., l have got to confess that l my claim to fame was being responsible for making  the driving and coupled  wheel patterns.  Forget what Tom’s occupation was but he had access to to forge facilities at the Rolls  Royce factory at Hillingdon so the boiler, frames and metalwork were not a problem.   Somewhere l do have photos Britannia steamed up with Tom  on the RR track if any members are interested  
    Unfortunately there is a rather sad end to their story as both Tom and my Father died within one month of each other and often wonder where their Britannia ended up?
  Although l left Wilwau Castings  in the early sixties l have many happy memories and if any members  have any queries l might be able to help them 

Happy modelling 
Bill

[Jim]

Thanks Bill for the comments and information regarding your father's castings. Boadicea is now completed and has been steamed and dependent on me getting it over to the club sometime for a steam test by the club boiler inspector. If certified as 'OK' then a run on the club track would be great.

Jim