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LOCOMOTIVE NOTES

As the CLASIG group has developed, I have become more and more interested in the type of locomotives that were supplied to colonial and Latin American railways. I wanted to make the loco roster on the C&BFT in some way reflect the development of these railways. In that regard it is good that the C&BFT is set in Australia, as this makes it easier to justify both American and British (and even German) locos on the same roster.

Locos of the C&BFT

Other Vehicles

VR Locos

Industrial Locos

Locomotives of the Corinella & Blackwood Forest Tramway

No. 1. Baldwin 2-4-0. (1881) This is to be a small loco, of American pattern, similar to "Little Yarra" on the Powelltown Tramway. A little small to be of much practical use, it now is a bit of a roundhouse pet, used mostly for inspection trains and other special workings.

No 2. Fowler 0-6-2. (1921) This is to be the second No. 2, the first having donated it's frames to the Kongwak turntable (curtesy of a Backwoods Miniatures kit). I became fascinated by the Indian 0-6-2's, an unusual wheel arrangement for a tender loco. The Innisfail Tramway aquired the Fowler locos about this time, making it feasable for the C&BFT to have acquired a 2'6" gauge version. Fortunately there is now a kit available, making this an easy option. However it will need a more substantial cab to cope with the bitter winter winds whipping in off Bass Strait.

Nos. 3&4 British outline 0-4-2. (1885) These locos could have been built by any of a dozen British builders of the era. And they may well turn out to be a 0-6-2T, or maybe even a 2-4-0T. So long as they are a small inside framed tank loco that might have been purchaced by the early C&BFT. There is, however an new Hornby 0-4-2T that might be convenient for a conversion. Too small for road use anymore, these locos are now used for shunting at Kongwak and Glen Forbes.

Nos. 5&6 Baldwin 4-4-0 (1889) American locos were widely regarded as being more rugged and easier to maintain than their British conterparts in this era. Several Australian railways placed orders with Baldwin at this time. These were normally catalogue locos, and it is one of these I want to represent. To date there is no obvious chassis to build one on, however there have been some broad hints that Bachmann may be considering a suitable model. The 4-4-0 was ordered by the land boomers as a passenger loco, and continues in that roll.

Photo to come

Nos. 7,8&9 Baldwin 2-6-0 (1889) The freight equivalent of the 4-4-0. These locos have inside frames, and so are just prior to Baldwin introducing outside frames on narrow gauge locomotives. I'm using a Roundhouse HO "Old Timer" 2-6-0 chassis. These have large driving wheels that scale out to 35", ideal for this loco. I'm hoping to use the RDA Lawndale conversion kit for the body, but am having difficulties placing an order. The cab will have to be changed though.

Photo to come

Nos. 10,11,&12 Kitson 2-6-4T (1898) Calthorpe-designed ,very similar profile to slightly larger locos supplied to India and Cyprus, and thus a typical colonial design. The prototype for the model is the Leek & Manifold Valley locos, which are available from Slaters in a 7mm-scale kit. When the 1/4" scale "ruler" is applied to this kit, the resulting loco is almost exactly the same size as an NA class.

Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway 2-6-4T built from a Slaters kit

Calthorpe was very careful in designing his locos out to have equal weight distribution across all axles, allowing maximum tractive effort for minimum axle weight. Applying weight proportionally to size, these locos would have had a similar tractive effort to the NA class, but an maximum axle weight considerably lighter, making them much more useful locos.

Nos. 13,14&15 Beyer-Peacock 2-6-2+2-6-2 (1924) Recently it has been suggested that a model of the Sierra Leone and Nepalese 2-6-2+2-6-2 Garratt may be made available in 1:48 scale. With a prototypical 6 ton axle loading, and inside frames, this is typical of the type of Garratt Beyer-Peacock would have supplied to the C&BFT. The C&BFT has turned to Garratts about the same time and for the same reason as the Emu Bay Railway - to handle heavy mineral trains over difficult grades with tight curves.

Nepalese 2-6-2+2-6-2 Garratt

Other Vehicles on the Corinella & Blackwood Forest Tramway

Railcar No. 1 Drewey Railcar. Many railways around the world tried to cut cost in delivering passenger service by providing railcar service. This example is a 4-wheeled, 20-seater double-ender that was used in Ireland, but is ideal for the C&BFT.

Worsley Works kit built by Mark Fisher.

Railcar No. 2 Sentinel Steam Railcar. Sentinel specialised in steam-powered road vehicles, and extended their range to small locomotives and railcars in the 1920's. Several were supplied to Australia, and a number of 2'6" gauge examples to India. The picture is of a kit for one that still exists in Sri Lanka. There was an articulated, double-ended example built for the 2'6" gauge in India which would be great, but require scratch-building.

Port Wynnstay kit

Steam Crane Many railways had a crane for breakdowns, or construction work. This one is a beauty, and is adapted to a Bachmann chassis. It is on the birthday list.

Backwoods Miniatures kit

Victorian Railways Locomotives

nA18 and nA19 Newport 2-6-2T (1919) These Baldwin-designed locomotives did not differ much from the original Baldwin pattern locomotives of 1898. They are typical of narrow-gauge Baldwin outside frame export locos of the time. Similar locos were supplied to various railways around the world. The numbers 18 and 19 were allocated to two locos the VR commenced building, but cancelled. I have one white metal kit, and hope to purchace a RTR edition when they become available. The livery on the loco to the right is from the early 1920's, which would be nice to duplicate on my nA's.

Photo by John Hurst from the
Puffing Billy website

G43 Beyer-Peacock 2-6-0+0-6-2 (1926) Victorian Railways introduced the G class Garratt to cut train miles, especially on the Beech Forest line. They were a success in this and soon paid for themselves. The question is whether they would have supplied one to the C&BFT? I've missed a chance to purchace one new, so whether the C&BFT sees a G class is now somewhat up in the air. Never mind I can always run up to Belgrave and see one in the flesh.

Photo to come

Industrial Locomotives

Having industrial locos for industries attached to the C&FT layout is probably something of an indulgence. In reality probalbly only the sawmill might have justified a loco, and even that would probably have only been a small tank loco.

Sawmill Shay Shay geared locos were the most common type of geared loco used in Australia, and were widely exported from the US around the world. There were many examples on 2'6" gauge railways throughout Asia and South America. The Bachmann shay is ready to run, inexpencive, and so an obvious choice. It is a T-boiler model, and only one T-boiler shay operated in Australia. A straight boiler model would be preferred, but it is not likely one will appear.	Bachmann Shay
Sawmill Climax Climax geared locos were not as popular as Shays, but were definite runner-ups. Several came to Australia, including the world's sole 2'6" gauge example, on the Tyres River Tramway. The Bachmann model is of similar size, but different in boiler shape to the Aussie climax. That is OK, as I'm not trying to model that line.	Bachmann Climax
Sugar Mill Loco 0-4-2T Fowler Patent Drive Jackstaff loco (1883). The sugar mill has a short track attached, which is meant to imply a tramway to service some local farms. This particular loco served on a Queensland sugar mill until it was sold to a Melbourne machinery dealer, where it sat through two world wars and a depression. It is not inconceivable that it could have been regauged and sold on to the Glen Alvie mill in the early 1920's. A model is proposed for production this year.
Dam Construction Loco Krauss 0-4-0T Small German tank locos were common in construction work. Fleishmann produce an example in their Magic Trains range. Unfortunately it is one of the largest of the type, and in 1:45 scale. It will have to do unless someone comes out with a smaller model.
Colliery shunting loco Maybe the colliery needs a shunting loco, maybe not. Well perhaps an example such as this Backwoods kit might be suitable. A husky American-style saddle tank.

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