W.G Bagnall 2024 of 1915 in 7.25" Gauge

[jordanleeds]

Introduction
The Cliffe Hill Granite Quarries in Leicestershire had throughout its operation several locomotives of various sizes and from a wide range of Manufacturers, the most notable locos where supplied by W.G Bagnall and took the form of two 0-4-2T locos with 8"X12" Cylinders and Bagnall-Price valve gear both these locomotives operated until the railways closure in 1950

1239198_1475426136002282_89527276_o by jordan leeds photography, on Flickr

Robert Smith of Comrie railroad fame Built the first Bagnall in the 1980s and it was meeting bob at the last running weekend of the railroad and discussing his engine that spurned me on to look into it. bob went into the workshop and Produced the patterns that he had used all those years ago and a single sheet of Drawings that details the bottom end including wheels and brake gear. Buffer beams and Frame Stretchers.
He gave them to me and It is to this end that I have promised to show progress.

That was over 12 months ago and i have spent the time Researching the engine and playing Tennis with the Archive office in stafford who hold the drawings. copies of these are now on there way here and the wheels have been cast in grey iron for the moment ( I am expecting that fitting tyres will be a compromise on these)
the steel is now in place for the Buffer beams and Stretchers and I recently had the Trailing wheel pattern made in some High density foam and this along with the other patterns is awaiting a trip to the foundry. trying to master Auto-cad to draw the frames out for Laser profiling shortly as finances permit.

[ejparrott]

That's going to make one very nice engine Jordan

Let me know if there's anything I can assist with.

[bhk]

I agree is going to be a stunner! Love my narrow gauge!

[jordanleeds]

I collected the buffer beams and frame stretchers from the laser profilers this weekend and hopefully will get chance to drill them all this week.

Some slight adjustments to allow for metric angle iron to be used will be made but other than that they will be as drawn.

[Deleted]

that loco has a lot of character, very pretty...looking forward to seeing progress...

Pete

[Deleted]

Gerald Chandler from the 2½" gauge Association has a 2½" gauge version built by his father. Don't think it's been steamed for some time though. The cab was probably 'simplified' to aid driving.



John

[jordanleeds]

Now that 2 1/2" Jack Looks Lovely .. tempting as N2.5ga member to consider doing another project but i best stick to the one. the works drawings are being gathered up and Photographed by Stafford archives at the moment then the real work can start in ernest Along with teaching myself How to rivet bits together with small sizes of rivet.

[mbrown]

Cyril Chandler built his 2.5" Jack to the (very rough) drawings I made for my version, called "Darent" which I completed in 1983. When I used to attend 2.5"G rallies more often, it was good to see the two together - just like Jack and Mary on the Cliffe Hill Rly. I built my model mainly from the GA in Michael Billington's book on the CLiffe Hill railway - fairly rudimentary but enough for a fairly accurate model. I didn't use Bagnall valve gear - mine has Netta cylinders and Purley Grange valve gear - both work very well.

Both the original locos ran with weatherboards for most of their lives - Mary later acquired an all-over cab and Jack had a lash up as in the photo at the head of this strand - you can make out the original weatherboard under the home-made roof. I must dig out some pictures of Darent and post them sometime, but all I have at present are old transparencies.

In a recent article in "The Narrow Gauge" (No.228) Allan C Baker notes that, in the opinion of W S Edwards, former Bagnall manager, the design of Mary and Jack was "the ideal one for narrow-gauge light railways". Allan comments that Edwards had been Chief Draughtsman when the design was prepared! I am sure the design is ideal in "our" scales too - Darent goes like the wind, steams on a candle and is very forgiving.

In fact, the photo by Baggo of Cyril's Jack shows the rear end of the tender of my latest 2.5" NG model - the Burma Mines Rly North British 0-6-0. This was the first 2.5" Assoc rally I'd been to for about 15 years - I must get back into the habit.... Malcolm

[ejparrott]

Rugby, early June Malcolm!

[jordanleeds]

Well the works drawings should reach me next week and hopefully I will be able to begin working out the frames and scale that the patterns Bob used are done to.

Plan is to re teach myself cad and use laser cutting as much as possible to produce the main lumps. The wheels will hopefully be machined at work

[jordanleeds]

Drawings arrived from Stafford archives this last week and where duly printed off and now the work to produce a set of basic working drawings has begun whilst working out what scale the original model was built to !

[jordanleeds]

In a recent attempt to actually produce something that may spurn me on further I took the patterns to a local Foundry and expect them all to be cast in the next few days, Heads are being scratched about the valve gear as this has a bearing on producing everything that is chassis based.

I have also Ordered some 20mm laser cut plate for the smokebox ring and rear ring these will be machined to give the correct internal profiles and I am waiting for a price on a large lump of 11" Diameter tube for the smokebox itself.
the Smokebox saddle is now on the drawing board and will be a fabrication rather than casting primarily to save multiple cores for the steam & Exhaust passageways.

Once the above is completed work will then be focused on the rear trailing truck or as Bagnalls refered to it the Bogie. this will follow full size practice and have the correct side control springing fitted to endsure it does its job correctly and isnt following just for the ride

[fostergp6nhp]

For the smoke box instead of thick pipe how about rolled and welded plate and machining that to size.

[Deleted]

I was just reflecting on what a sad sight that heading photo is.....Just dumped, very neatly it must be said--- but dumped non the less........

[jordanleeds]

Nov 18, 2014 7:43:51 GMT fostergp6nhp said:

For the smoke box instead of thick pipe how about rolled and welded plate and machining that to size.

Nov 18, 2014 7:43:51 GMT fostergp6nhp said:

For the smoke box instead of thick pipe how about rolled and welded plate and machining that to size.

Thats the current plan , Ive Requested a quote from Accurate section to supply this rolled to size. The original engines had the Join line along the top under the chimmney and a Butt Strap inside the smokebox to join them .
I am also working quietly on the boiler design before sending to Royal Sun Alliance for A full design review and then will order in the correct platework and tube before making a proper start on building the boiler myself.

alan, its a photo i quite like as it shows the pride the drivers and fitters had in their engines even when laid up with all the bearings carefully greased and the piece of stone placed over the chimmney , they where all sold and scrapped sadly apart from Isabel and Peter - Both more tradidional Bagnall locos with drumhead boilers

[fostergp6nhp]

For the boiler have you checked that there is not an existing design that could be used as is or with tweaks to fitting locations. For existing designs don't forget traction engine boilers.

[ejparrott]

Thta's all i've done really, my Manning Wardle boiler is a stretched Hunslet boiler

[jordanleeds]

Technically speaking i could just copy what is fitted to Bobs " Mary" But am wishing to improve on it with a steam dryer and 120Lb WP

[ejparrott]

That's ok, that's still only a modification. I am also upping to 120lbWP

[jordanleeds]

Yes it's something to look into