[MOC] WR 15xx 0-6-0PT

[ColletArrow]

Hello all! It's been a *very* long time since I posted here, let alone presented my own models. But here I am again, with a fresh (if somewhat hurried) model too!

It has become a tradition over the past several years that the family Christmas tree is adorned with a LEGO train at it's base. And it's a slightly-less-formal tradition that, each year, I rebuild the train into something new! The past few years I've had my Ivatt 2MT, the GWR "Collet Goods", and last year a very dubious GWR Mogul - a bodge of the Collett Goods with an extra axle. But all these ran using my custom 9V battery connector in the tender, which never gave great performance with our very old rechargeable batteries, so I wanted to build a fresh engine using the good ol' AAA battery box.

Gears started turning. What could I build? It would have to be black, have a short wheelbase for the R40 curves, but be a large enough engine to conceal the battery box. I also wanted to use outside valvegear for visual interest. And at this point I'm undoubtedly a Great Westerner... so the 15xx was the only choice! Oh, and my decision may have been influenced by my recent purchase of one of Rapido's lovely models...

If you're curious for the history of these distinctly... different Great Western engines, Rapido have you covered: https://rapidotrains.co.uk/br-15xx-pannier-tank/

Quote

Although designed during the days of the Great Western Railway, the ten ’15XXs’ were actually built by the newly formed British Railways in 1949. The design was a major departure from the GWR’s tried and tested pannier tank formula.

Designed by Frederick Hawksworth and his team, the ’15XX’ featured a very short wheelbase for negotiating tight curves as well as outside cylinders and Walschaerts valve gear. It is said that the bottom end design resembled the USATC ‘S100’ 0-6-0T (better known as the Southern’s ‘USA’), which had been used on the GWR during the Second World War. Above the (non-existent) running board, the locomotives resembled Hawksworth’s ’94XX’ 0-6-0PT, which shared the same design of boiler.

Sadly, as with most post-war steam designs, their working lives were cut short thanks to rapid dieselisation. The first ’15XX’ was withdrawn after only ten years of service and the last were condemned at the end of 1963. Three were bought by the National Coal Board for further use at Coventry Colliery where they continued to work until 1969. Happily, No. 1501 was bought from NCB by the embryonic Severn Valley Railway. It returned to steam in 1997 and has proven to be a popular and powerful member of the fleet, so much so that it’s earned the nickname ‘Raging Bull’.

As you will see, my attempt to recreate this Raging Bull in bricks has resulted in more of a Wobbly Calf! But in order for it to be completed for the Christmas tree, I had just 1.5 days in which to build it, from the ground up.

I started logically, from the ground up. I wanted it to be a reliable runner, so built the most simple chassis possible - a basic Technic frame, with a PF M-Motor mounted vertically, driving the rear axle via bevel gears.

Above the frames, the battery box sits directly over the front two axles; it is topped with brackets for mounting the side tanks, and then curved slopes to represent the boiler. The safety valve cover provides the on-off switch. In front of the battery is the cylinder and valvegear assembly, and behind is the IR receiver. Unfortunately, the PF plugs and motor are actually slightly too close, and push eachother slightly out of square - meaning the model isn't particularly stable, or indeed legal. But it works well enough. I'm very pleased with the whistles, which are mounted on a bracket attached to the underside of the motor!

Everything else is, of course, purely cosmetic. The bunker and rear of the cab is built entirely sideways, and mounted on technic pins inserted in the holes on the front of the IR Receiver. The cab roof is then mounted on top of the bunker, and the front windows and walls suspended from the roof. As you can tell, this loco is far more "evolved" than "designed"! The tanks are simple assemblies of the curved slopes I had to hand, and the smokebox is of course 4x4 round bricks.

A closeup of the bunker and cab assemblies (mostly for my own future reference). The front of the cab walls feature 1x2 panels, mounted upside down, in order to clear the rear drivers.

When it's all assembled it fits snugly enough, despite the fact the cab is hanging entirely on the IR receiver, which is pushing away from the motor! The receiver is hidden away down in the bunker, but it's open enough to get a reasonable signal sighting, even when it's away behind the tree. The cables mean there isn't a lot of space for the engine crew though!

Finally, a heavy freight engine needs a heavy freight train... this is the best I could manage! We have a basic bogie flat, a short-wheelbase Open, and a standard Guards van.

And, mission accomplished, at home around the tree.

Thank you for reading my nonsense! If you want some more photos, the whole album is shared on BrickSafe: https://bricksafe.com/pages/Collet22/gwr-15xx.

[TeddytheSpoon]

Very nice! The packaging is impressive, fascinating to see your thought process as well.

However... I can't quite wrap my head around the fact you did this in a day and a half!

[Murdoch17]

46 minutes ago, TeddytheSpoon said:

Very nice! The packaging is impressive, fascinating to see your thought process as well.

However... I can't quite wrap my head around the fact you did this in a day and a half!

I also am having trouble with that. Are you *sure* you don't have a time machine somewhere @ColletArrow? Possibly a TARDIS in your garden, or a DeLorean in your garage? 

Anyway, it's a fantastic little loco, and assembled almost like a puzzle box!

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Amazing compact design

Very nice steam locomotive!

[Feuer Zug]

Getting the entire PF package into a tight space in 36 hours is quite the accomplishment. Doing the rest of the locomotive to boot makes it even more impressive. Well done.

[ColletArrow]

Thank you, all!

The clue to the speed lies in the haste - a rugged, reliable loco it is not!

This was built with minimal testing, minimal prototype references, and using my existing collection of parts. No opportunity for thinking "would those parts look better" or "how do I reinforce the cab" - hence the slight wonkiness.

If I had the time, I would love to dig into it - make it a reliable runner, a sturdier model, and accurate to the real 15xx. But as a quick project for the Christmas tree, hasty construction is acceptable, and it does it's job admirably.

[zephyr1934]

Great build!

[Asper]

Great job to integrate all the PF elements into this engine!

[Man with a hat]

Nice one. I surely wouldn't be able to put this of in that time.

[Darkkostas25]

Powerful and compact! Nice one!