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This British Railways class 37 diesel locomotive LEGO model has been heavily modified by me from a file by LazarusBricks that I bought off Bricklink back in 2013. I recently rediscovered it and added opening doors, blue paintjob, yellow ends, an new roof, and a sliding center-wheel bogie design derived from an Sava Railways design, among other things. The engine's number is D6757, which is based on a real world operational loco still used in service to this day (albeit under a different number), some 66 years after being built! Although, I don't know if this specific blue livery was ever worn by D6757, but as a lot of it's classmates did wear it for a time, I decided it was probably good enough to use on my MOC. The other end of the loco. I wasn't sure where the tail lights were, and looking at pictures didn't really make it any clearer as to what lights were for what on the real locomotives. I hope somebody with experience seeing these locos in the real world can help me understand what needs to change on my MOC. (Please and thanks in advance!) The cab doors at both ends open and you can place a figure at the controls. Thoughts? -
Hello everyone, attached is a brief preface: This post was actually supposed to be published back in March, but I have only just uploaded it now. Therefore, you will find Update #2 immediately following this. Best regards, Niklas Hello everyone, Today, I’d like to introduce you to my latest project. After building several locomotives in 1:22.5 scale, I decided to try my hand at narrow-gauge rolling stock designed for 4-wide narrow-gauge tracks (21.5mm gauge). Naturally, this time around, it just had to be the HSB again! ;-) Down the road, I also plan to build a small (modular) layout to go with it—we’ll see how that goes. Kicking things off is my favorite locomotive class: the 99.23. For this build, I chose the specific prototype locomotive 99 7239-9. When scaled to 1:45—a scale widely adopted by "Gauge L" railway enthusiasts—the Class 99.23 (which has a real-world width of 2,645 mm) translates to a width of 7.4 studs. (I personally consider the width to be the most critical factor for a locomotive's visual appearance; if certain components appear disproportionately large relative to the overall width, the locomotive can very quickly end up looking too narrow. Therefore, I decided to let the width of the 99.23 dictate the specific scale for my model.) I ultimately decided to build at an 8-stud width rather than 7 studs, as a 7-stud model of the 99 7239 would have resulted in a scale of 1:47 or 1:48. The consequence of that would have been that minifigures would no longer be correctly proportioned relative to the locomotive (given an average adult height of 1.73 meters, minifigures actually correspond to a scale of 1:41). Furthermore, working at an 8-stud width allows me to implement most of the details in the first place—such as the lights using "Tile Round 1x1 with Bar (20482)," the snowplows using standard tiles, or the windows using specialized molded parts (60592 and 60032). This would not have been possible at a 7-stud width, as the individual bricks would have been too large, resulting in a model that was neither true to scale nor nearly as detailed. Likewise, I would not have been able to fit the full, true-to-prototype valve gear—complete with all its connecting rods—underneath the locomotive at a 7-stud width without it protruding beyond the sides of the chassis. The 8-stud width establishes a scale of approximately 1:41 (or 1:41.32, to be precise) for the locomotive; the length and height were adjusted accordingly to match this 8-stud width and the 1:41 scale, ensuring that all dimensions remain proportional to one another. The track system that best complements a 1:41 scale is the 4-stud gauge (with a track width of 21.5 mm); consequently, the locomotive is fully operational on standard 4-stud narrow-gauge tracks. I take a particular sense of pride in the lamps, which I was able to recreate with remarkable fidelity to the original prototype. In theory, LEDs could even be integrated into these lamp assemblies. As with my other models, both the windows and the side panels of the tender feature the characteristic inward taper seen on the prototype. Furthermore, by utilizing a combination of brackets and slopes, I was able to shape the cutouts for the leading and trailing wheels to mimic the appearance of the original locomotive as closely as possible. The air reservoirs located beneath the boiler have also been included in the design. The locomotive is designed to negotiate curves with a radius of R84. In the real world, this corresponds to a radius of approximately 35 meters—a figure well below the 60-meter minimum radius permitted on the HSB (Harz Narrow Gauge Railways) network. To ensure it can handle such tight curves, only the two outermost driving axles are fitted with wheel flanges. Initial running tests have yielded very positive results. The gap between the snowplow and the tracks is also prototypically narrow, yet remains wide enough to ensure safe operation. Due to the frame being only 2 studs wide, I decided against installing a motor inside the locomotive; doing so would have rendered the frame extremely unstable (even now, with the clear line of sight between the locomotive and the tender, the structure is quite delicate—though still sufficiently sturdy). Furthermore, I intend to use Powered Up (PU) motors for propulsion, in order to remain within the "Danish" ecosystem. Consequently, my next project is to build a baggage car equipped with its own drive unit. Shunting the locomotive at the terminal station will be done manually—which, frankly, I find genuinely enjoyable and therefore perfectly acceptable. For couplings, I use the familiar magnetic couplers featuring an exposed magnet (parts 73092 or 2920). If necessary, thin Liftarms can also be installed using pins to serve as rigid couplers. Additionally—for aesthetic purposes—I have the option to install a brick-built coupler (featuring a Jumper Plate [15573] and Minifigure hands acting as coupling hooks) on either end of the locomotive, or whenever it is displayed in a cabinet, to enhance its visual appeal. The cylinders and valve gear have been replicated as faithfully as possible; however, certain sections of the linkage could only be implemented as static, non-articulated parts. Nevertheless, the entire assembly has been fully reconstructed and features the correct, prototypical width. For both aesthetic and technical reasons, it was impossible to complete the model entirely without custom parts. For this locomotive, I utilize custom-designed wheels, a custom-developed crosshead, and custom-made connecting and coupling rods. All of these components were produced using an FDM 3D printer. All other bricks are genuine parts from Billund. I have endeavored to replicate all other details as accurately as possible; however, any piping or lines that would have been disproportionately small were omitted—as, in my opinion, it is better to leave something out entirely than to represent it using parts that are visually too large. For this locomotive, bricks are used (wherever possible) to reduce the total piece count; I resorted to using plates only where there was no other option (unlike with my Gauge II models). In the cab, I was also able to place an engineer and a fireman, who are clearly visible from the outside as well. I hope you enjoyed this excursion into the world of the Harz Narrow-Gauge Railways. Perhaps my Class 99 will make it to the BSBT someday ;-). Best regards, Niklas ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello everyone, Attached is the update regarding my Brocken locomotive that I announced back in March: I have now reached Version V8 of my 99 7239-9. Compared to the last version shown, the following modifications have been made: - A completely new front boiler section - A more prototypical mixing preheater, now offset by half a stud and recessed into the boiler - A more accurate smokestack, now modeled using a tire element - Corrected positioning for the upper headlight - Rear lighting that now sits flush with the tender, with no visible gap - Valve gear/linkage in Light Bluish Gray - A revised staircase leading to the cab - More prototypical snowplows - A sturdier mount for the front headlights - Added piping/lines to the boiler and frame - The tender, which was previously one stud too long, has been corrected (it is now just 5 studs long) - New, more detailed coal load - Stickers featuring text rather than solid colored fields - A more prototypical radio antenna on the roof - The ashpan is now also represented - Revised running boards around the smokebox You can find the video featuring the latest images here: I will also be uploading the images to my Flickr channel shortly: https://www.flickr.com/photos/201318707@N05/ Best regards, Niklas
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The BR class 38 seen here is a one-off prototype. Engine number 7939 was made in 1989 to compare a Metro-Cammell made class 38 to a Brush Traction built class 60. The class 60 won the contract, and subsequently Metro-Cammell was sold and closed. The single class 38 soldiered on until 1997, when British Railways was fully privatized. The engine was then sold with a number of spare parts to Lego Rail Transportation Society, which has kept the engine running ever since as unit 7940. In the real world, the class 38 was never built. It was proposed and then dropped in favor of the class 60, which is what I based the story on. Metro Cammell really existed and was dismantled in 1989 sometime after loosing out to Brush Traction for the class 60 contract, and everyone knows that British Railways was taken apart in the mid-1990's. This LEGO model is a mash-up of a William Howard's diesel locomotives and the official Lego sets 7939 and 60098, with a set of Anthony Sava-derived three wheel sliding bogies. The rear of the bidirectional loco. The numbers "7940" go on printed 1 x 1 tiles on the sides while "LRTS" goes on the front and rear ends. The color scheme for this model was inspired by the British Rail Class D16/1 (also known as LMS engines 10000 and 10001), the first two mainline diesel locomotives in Great Britain. (see here for more on them.) Both ends of the locomotive have a engineer's cab that opens up to seat a figure at the controls, just like sets 7939 and 60098. (I just noticed there is one letter spot too few on the ends of the loco for the railways name as seen in the pictures, as there should be four studs, not the three shown) Bricksafe LDD file link: BR class 38 file Comments, Questions, and Complaints are always welcome!
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This started out as a test in LDD as to whether I could build my BR 9F in orange and not use unavailable parts. (I obviously succeeded!) However, you may be asking, why Orange? And why change a model eight years after building it originally? Does this have something to do with your username, 'Murdoch17'? The answer to all these questions are intertwined: The model is based off the BR standard class 9F 2-10-0 steam engine Murdoch from Thomas and Friends (introduced in the last year of the "pure" model series, 2005), which was also the basis for my half my original Lego website username from 2007, and then everywhere else later on. But more on that later! I originally built the model in late 2013 based off this unfinished 9F Murdoch model by @ScotNick. It was uploaded on Brickshelf first, and later on Flickr after I uploaded my copy (LDD only, at first) in November 2013. When I had redesigned the engine to build it IRL, I realized orange had virtually been eliminated as a color choice at that time. Windows were (up until that summer when CITY Arctic dropped) only from the 2004 BNSF loco, and orange was VERY expensive as a color. It was impossible. I thus decided on "works gray" as the only option I could do it in... you can see the original February 2014 version above. ...and here it as of 2019. Orange's pallet of parts would increase in the intervening 8 years, culminating in 2022 with every orange part I needed being buyable! The rear of the tender with the number 17 on it. A view inside the cab. This brings us back to me and my username: Murdoch is the part you know, but where did "17" come from? Well, Murdoch also had a wooden railway model released in 2005 (my favorite, even though I was WELL out of the age range), and I didn't like that he was never assigned a number in the TV show. So, I randomly chose 17, had my dad printed me a sticker, and slapped it onto the wooden tender. Fast forward a few years to late 2007, when I was thinking of a username for the Lego website. I wanted something catchy, and something I could easily remember. (and something nobody else could take!) The wooden Murdoch was sitting on my desk, and caught my eye and I typed it in. Thus, my online moniker was born. Thoughts? EDITED 9/24/22: real world photos added!
