Vacuum ejector for Fowler locomotives

[don9f]

Hi, I realise that this is probably a long shot, but does anyone have any sketches or drawings of the type of vacuum ejector fitted in particular to 3F tank locos (Jinties), but would also be fitted to many other types such as 4Fs, 7Fs and other Fowler locos etc.
There are plenty of photos on line of locos with these ejectors but infuriatingly not with anything like enough detail to be able to reasonably model one in 5 inch gauge.

Many present day likely candidates have been restored to working order using Gresham & Craven BR type ejectors which are different/bigger etc. and not what I would like to model. 

Cheers   Don

[Deleted]

Hi Don

have you tried searching for one of the instruction booklets that were published at the time? I had a quick search but only found items sold so far, did find one listed but expensive at £54. They do come up and usually have some detailed drawings in them, I'm assuming it's a Davies Metcalfe make? I also wonder if Adam might have anything?
I'm not familiar with the type fitted to the Jinty, I wonder if any of the diagrams in the engineman's handbook can be of help? Here's a link to a free online version
archive.org/details/HandbookForRailwaySteamLocomotiveEnginemen/page/n1

Cheers

Pete

[mbrown]

I've got various drawings of Midland/Fowler electors. They came in more than one size but I can copy the GA of the Jinty which should be definitive. I have replied to your PM.

Malcolm

[Midland]

Tom Parham did a beautiful one on his Jinty, apparently 14 different pieces went into it.
D

[don9f]

Thanks for the replies and I’m very grateful for Malcolm’s help with the info he has available.

Pete, I have a copy of the Engineman’s Black Book, but there’s nothing in there about these particular ejectors.....there are however some good drawings of the BR (Gresham & Craven) types used on the BR Standards and also used on locos built for export. Many examples of the G&C types have been recovered from abroad by various enterprising preservation people and indeed some of the brake equipment we fitted to 92214 during its restoration, came from Rhodesian Railways!

David, thanks and I fully expect this to be quite a complicated thing to model.....I bet the real ones have far more than 14 pieces, but as long as the model one looks something like, that will do for me. They are very prominent on the smokebox on these (and other) locos, although some Jinties were built without vacuum brake equipment, but I’ve already chosen my prototype.....47447 a Birkenhead engine I remember from the mid 60’s.

Cheers Don

[Cro]

Don,

Are you looking for the G&C SSJ Type G Ejector or is this slightly different?

I have castings for the above if that helps (plus I haven't forgotten about your brake valve, honest!!)

Adam

[don9f]

Hi Adam, no I want to make a model of the earlier type of Midland/Fowler ejector, specifically for a Jinty, but they were also fitted to numerous other “old” classes of locos like 4Fs, 7Fs, Crabs, Fowler Tanks and probably many more.
Many present day Jinties do have the G&C SSJ type of ejector that you supply, but these are a “preservation era” fitment, not what they actually had in Steam Days.

Glad to know you haven’t forgotten about the brake valve, don’t like to keep pestering you but it would be good to see it one day.....must be nearly 2 1/2 years now, but I realise you’ve probably got a lot on these days.
Poor old 92167 has taken second place to 47447 !

Cheers Don

[Cro]

Don,

That's what I thought but when David mentioned Tom's I got confused as his is a model of the SSJ. If you have any photos I can see if I have anything that will help.

Don't remind me (well do!). I am slowly getting the workshop sorted as I now have an office, as of last week, I can move all the boxes out and get organised again so I hope you will see something soon, your's is almost complete ahead of the others but I need to try catch them up too and finis them all together with a few other batches I'm work on.

Adam

[don9f]

The problem is that although there are plenty of photos on-line of locos with the type of ejector I want to make, they are invariably the standard “three quarter view” and I haven’t found any that show the detail I need to be able to make one.

I know that certainly one of the two previously operational Jinties that are resident at the Midland Railway Butterley has the SSJ type but there is a chance that there is one of the type I’m interested in stored away somewhere from the other one but this Jinty is completely dismantled and all the fittings locked away somewhere.

Malcolm (mbrown) has kindly offered to send some scans of info he has, so I’ll look forward to receiving them.

Cheers Don

[JonL]

I've been trying to find info for you (thats what happens when I'm stuck indoors...) and as you say, SSJ types are shown all over the place, but the Fowler type less visible. One little snippet that probably won't help I will share for completeness...

"LMS Locomotive Profiles No.14 confirms the following were built with steam brake only (i.e. no vacuum ejector apparatus) and no carriage warming capability:

16650 - 16749 (later 7567 - 7666) Built between September 1928 and April 1929 by three manufacturers - Hunslet, Bagnall and Beardmore."

If I find anything else I'll share.

[JonL]

www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blogs/entry/12199-midland-3130-8/

Thats a long shot as well...

[Midland]

Woud this help?
Ejector detail by David Goyder, on Flickr

Cheers from the Midland Railway Works Southampton

[don9f]

Hi David, I’ve just replied to your PM.....
Yes the drawing of that model ejector posted is very useful, thank you very much.

Cheers Don

[don9f]

Hi nobby, thanks for your efforts.....the photos of an ejector in your second post are exactly like the one fitted to the Midland Railway 156 Class 2-4-0 loco that currently resides at Butterley. Unfortunately despite some similarities, this one is much smaller than what I am seeking and is obviously a much earlier design.....but you can definitely see the family resemblance !

Cheers   Don

[JonL]

Ok, it was worth a crack. I learned a lot whilst looking, which I enjoy. Good luck!