|
"Prototype models subject to change" - Photos by Aster Hobby
Bulleid Light Pacific in
original ‘Air Smoothed’ condition
"Spam Can"
Aster's 30th Anniversary Model
Southern Railway - British Railway
Battle of Britain class 4-6-2
Mr. O V S Bulleid is generally considered to be
the last giant of British steam locomotive design. For a number of years he was
the principle assistant to Sir Nigel Gresley on the LNER railway, but his chance
came to demonstrate his singular talents when he was appointed Chief Mechanical
Engineer to the Southern Railway in 1937. Innovation was Bulleid's credo.
Welded steel fireboxes, totally enclosed chain driven valve gear and 'air
smoothed' boiler casings were among his most striking concepts.
The 'West Country' & 'Battle of Britain' class
of 110 locomotives were introduced from 1945 and featured all Bulleid’s design
innovations. Often referred to as "Spam Cans" due to their unusual appearance,
these locomotives were intended for express passenger duties on the SR's
principle routes. But their light axle loadings allowed them also to be used
with success on the secondary routes. For nearly twenty years the 'West Country'
& 'Battle of Britain' class were to be found everywhere throughout southern
England. Their popularity on named trains like “Atlantic Coast Express, "Night
Ferry" and "Golden Arrow" is now legendry.
Although there were two classes of locomotives,
the 'West Country' class and the 'Battle of Britain' class, they were in
practice identical in all respects. The 'West Country' class was named after
towns and districts of south-west England served by the Southern Railway. The
'Battle of Britain' class was named after aircrafts, airfields, squadrons and
personalities of the Battle of Britain - a critical period in WW2 when Britain
stood alone against the enemy defended by the brave men and women of the Royal
Air Force.
Aster has chosen to model two
examples from the 'Battle of Britain' class.
21C166 Spitfire in SR livery was named
after the most successful fighter aircraft of WW2. The locomotive itself
is not preserved but was always very popular with the enthusiasts and the
crews despite being involved in a serious accident in 1957.
In BR livery and with modified tender is
34051Winston Churchill named after the famous wartime leader and statesman.
This locomotive had the sad duty of hauling the great man's funeral train in
1965. The loco is now preserved at the National Railway Museum, York, UK.
It is worth noting that of the 110 members of
the 'West Country' & 'Battle of Britain' class, no fewer than 60 examples were
rebuilt into a quite different format from 1956 to 1961. It should also be
remembered that no fewer than 20 examples are preserved throughout the UK in
both the original "SpamCan" condition and in rebuilt formats. This class is
still very much admired by rail enthusiasts after more than 40 years since they
last ran in revenue earning service.
The first live steam Gauge One model from Aster
Hobby Company, Inc was a Southern Railway 'Schools' class. It is entirely
appropriate that the 30th anniversary should be marked by another Southern
Railway locomotive; the 'West Country' & 'Battle of Britain' class. Aster
Hobby Co. Inc. wish to sincerely thank the Bluebell Railway and the Bulleid Society for access to their locomotive 21C123 "Blackmoor Vale"
and the National Railway Museum for access to 340151 "Winston Churchill."
Aster Hobby Co.
Inc. Japan has produced a limited number of the "Golden Arrow" detail kit for
the Southern version of the Spam Can. As illustrated in the picture above,
this kit contains 2 golden Arrow emblems for installation on both sides of the
boiler jacket, a twin boom flag pole with real fabric flags, and a golden arrow
emblem for the smoke box door.
Specifications
of Battle of Britain class (SPAM
CAN)
SCALE/GAUGE: 1/32 , GAUGE ONE (45mm) TOTAL WEIGHT: 6.00kg (13 1/4 lbs) (ENGINE 4.2kg + TENDER 1.6kg DIMENSIONS: LENGTH O.B. 649mm (25 1/2 inches) (ENGINE 427mm + TENDER 222mm) WIDTH: ENGINE 86.2mm TENDER 86.2mm HEIGHT: ENGINE 126.5mm TENDER125.5mm WHEEL ARRANGEMENT: 4 - 6 - 2 PACIFIC (2C1/231) DRIVING WHEELS: DIA 59.0mm PILOT TRUCK WHEELS: DIA 29.0mm TRAILER TRUCK WHEELS: DIA 29.0mm ENGINE CYLINDERS: 3CYLINDERS,BORE 12mmX STROKE 20mm, STEAM PORT 1.4mm LAP 1mm, CUTOFF 82.6% ,SLIDE VALVE TRAVEL 4.8mm VALVE GEAR: Axle Drive Valve Gear BOILER TYPE: C TYPE WITH WATER TUBES, WATER 255cc at 80%FULL PRESSURE 3-4 KG./SQ.CM AT NORMAL WORKING FITTINGS: 2 X SAFETY VALVES, PRESSURE GAUGE, WATER GAUGE, BLOW DOWN VALVE, REGULATOR VALVE, BLOWER VALVE,& SUPER HEATER AXLE DRIVEN PUMP: PUMP BORE 5mm X RAM STROKE 6mm LUBRICATOR: ROSCOE DISPLACEMENT TYPE BURNER: 3 WICK TUBE ALCOHOL BURNER TENDER WATER TANK: CAPACITY 190cc, HAND PUMP MOUNTED.. DISPLACEMENT TYPE ALCOHOL TANK: CAPACITY 180cc, METHYLATED ALCOHOL TENDER BOGIE WHEELS: DIA. 340mm MINIMUM RADIUS: 2 meters (6 1/2 feet)
click
to view component parts
an
illustrated assembly review by
Robert Youngjohns
www.bluebell-railway.co.uk
www.locos-in-profile.co.uk/Bulleid_Society/index.html
The Bulleid Society was originally organized in
1966 as the Bulleid Pacific Preservation Society. Their goal was to preserve an
original light Pacific in fully operational condition for haulage of special
trains on BR. The Society's website covers all things Bulleid and features
news, historical articles plus information on other preserved Bulleid
locomotives. Click on the link above to access their website.
Photos by Peter Trinder
Malachite Green - 21C166 Spitfire with high sided tender
BR livery - 34051 Winston Churchill with cut down tender as preserved
at the National Railway Museum, York.
Artwork courtesy of Richard Green,
Locos in Profile
| 
