GWR & BR (WR) Models 5

 

This is an OO gauge model of an ex-GWR 94xx 0-6-0 pannier tank. I could have built this loco from an excellent South Eastern Finecast kit, but as I found an old Graham Farish body for £3.00 in a bargain bin at a show one day, I decided instead to fit it with a Bachmann 57xx chassis - same wheel diameter and spacing. I did detail the body a little (finescale handrails and knobs, lamp irons etc) to improve its looks, but otherwise it was a very straight-forward project, which saved me money, and a lot of time.

 

No.1500 is mine, and was built from a Nu-Cast kit. I always wanted one of these, ever since I saw an article in Railway Modeller nearly 40 years ago, which labelled them "ugly ducklings". Perfect I thought, something quirky and unusual - for the Great Western anyway!

 

This is an 'Aberdare' class loco, built from a Nu-Cast kit. Designed by William Dean in the late 19th century for the South Wales coal traffic, they eventually worked all over the Great Western system, and some lasted until nationalization. It was quite common to see them coupled to old R.O.D. tenders to give them a bit extra coal capacity, and hence, greater range.

 

Talking of R.O.D.s, here is one - again a Nu-Cast kit. Originally designed by Robinson for the Great Central Railway, they were also built in large numbers for the Railway Operating Division (hence their name) during World War One, and then sold to British railway companies after the end of hostilities. They differ a little from the GCR /LNER versions by having GWR boiler fittings. They had quite long lives, some lasting on the Western until the late 50s.

 

This quaint little creature is a 'Barnum' class loco, built from a Blacksmith Models kit. Another William Dean design, dating from the 1880s, they had very delicate looking sandwich frames, and gained their name because they were often used to haul Barnum & Bailey's Circus around the country. Some of these engines survived in traffic until the 1930s. See page 8 for another example.

 

Another 2-4-0 design - this time originating from the Midland and South Western Junction Railway. This line ran from Andover in the south, up through Marlborough, crossing the Great Western at Swindon, and carrying on to Andoversford near Cheltenham. In later years these locos could often be seen working the Lambourn branch in Berkshire, surviving until the early 50s. This loco is built from a Nu-Cast kit.

 

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