Industrial 0–4–0 Saddle Tank Locomotive
Built by Adrian Ashford in June 2013
This is modelled on a typical locomotive of its type, of which there would at one time have been hundreds in service at collieries and in the sidings of various works and factories around the country, some of which had their own extensive railway systems.
There were a number of different makers who built locomotives of this type. 0–4–0s were ideal for negotiating the sharp curves frequently found on industrial railway systems. This model is not based on any particular make, but has been made to have general resemblance to this type of locomotive, a number of photographs of various locomotives of this type being studied during the building of this model. Though it is not built to any particular scale, I have aimed to get the proportions right, as far as possible. The wheels are 3” Pulleys with flanges made from a circle of 2½” Stepped Curved Strips, which I have used in previous models. It is free-running at the moment — I may well fit a motor later, and various small details need to be added.
September 2013
Since the June meeting, when this model was first shown, small details have been added, and the cab roof has been remodelled so that it overhangs the sides, front and back, (a characteristic feature) by approximately ¼" (½” would have been too much). This entailed making it 12 holes x 10 holes, so centering it on top of the cab measuring 11 x 9 holes, wasn’t exactly easy!
It has also been motorised using a Motor and 6 Ratio Gearbox, set on the 3:1 ratio, with a Worm meshing with a 57-tooth Gear on the rear axle, via a simple friction clutch, consisting of a 1” Pulley with a Rubber Ring which is pressed against the 57-tooth Gear by a Compression Spring.
Incidentally, this useful clutch arrangement can only be done with a metal gear; plastic gears have slightly thicker section around the boss, so a Rubber Ring won’t even make contact with the Gear, and the moulded number 57 is slightly raised, so the gear is not perfectly smooth.
Power comes from 3 AA-size batteries in the tire-box.