This months picture…
Posts Tagged ‘Beattie Well Tank’
Picture of the Month – May 2016
Posted in Fisherton Sarum, General, Picture of the Month, tagged 0298 class, Beattie Well Tank, British Railway Modelling magazine, Bulleid, Bulleid Leader, Bulleid West Country Class, Fisherton Sarum, G16 Class, Light Pacific, M7 Class, Paul Bason, Southern, Southern Railway on May 1, 2016| 2 Comments »
From the armchair, pre-grouping models and R-T-R, is back dating that simple?
Posted in Armchair, General, Kernow Models, Model News, tagged Adams, Adams o2 class, Bachmann, Beattie Well Tank, Billington, Billington E4 Class, Drummond, Drummond 700 class, Drummond T9 Class, Hornby, London & South Western Railway, lswr gate stock, M7 Class, Southern, Southern Railway, Southern Region on February 27, 2016| 9 Comments »
In a way this post follows on from my previous ramblings in my ‘armchair’ series such as “Armchair R-T-R Designers” and “Armchair R-T-R tooling and manufacturing Logistics” and even my comment piece on “The process in producing an R-T-R Models”.
Questions were recently raised on a popular model railway forum why certain Ready-To-Run (R-T-R) models either have not been or are going to be produced in either Pre-Grouping liveries or form, even to extent that the manufacturers were losing sales because of it. I would point out however that if the demand was not actually there to sell a complete batch, as minimum production run sizes often come into play, of a certain livery then it might be a case of not enough sales rather than one of loosing sales.
I picked up on this because the models in question being discussed were the recently released Adams O2 class 0-4-4t and the forthcoming Pull Push Gate Stock from The Kernow Model Centre, that were not being produced in London South Western Railway (LSWR) liveries. The particular post also cited the fact some manufacturers had already managed to issued Pre-Grouping livery versions such as: the Bachmann E4 Class 0-6-2t and C Class 0-6-0; and the Hornby M7 0-4-4t. Whilst other models including the Hornby 700 Class 0-6-0 and T9 class 4-4-0 and the aforementioned O2 have not yet been so issued.
In an ideal world if money was no object I am sure the likes of The Kernow Model Centre and even the larger manufacturers such as Hornby would love to tool for all permutations and variations of a particular prototype, but economics do rule and decisions have to be taken based on the size of a potential market for a specific variation / livery and the return possible.
Where the existing tooling is correct / accurate for the same locomotive / rolling with either no or very limited detail changes for an earlier period such as the Pre-Grouping era, or even early Grouping times, then producing such liveries, in perhaps a smaller production run becomes a viable option. However where there would need to be substantial tooling changes, complexities or even completely new tooling the return on such an expense, that can easily run into tens of thousands of pounds, against potential sales needs to be taken into account.
I would therefore not perhaps rule out an LSWR liveried Adams O2 at some stage, as this importantly could be achieved from the existing tooling.
With respect to the Kennow Model Centre ex LSWR Gate Stock these were modified in the early 1930’s from the original LSWR design and therefore the proposed tooling would not be correct for any liveries before that modification took place. Sets 373/4 were converted to Southern Railway air control system in 1929/30 and at the same time gained the standard Southern Railway four window pull push unit style front end, instead of the earlier LSWR 3 window front end. Set 272 was disbanded in 1929 (prior to driving front end and air control conversion) and reformed as set 363 in 1933, with standard SR front and air control, as per sets 373/4.
A version of the Kernow Model Centre ex LSWR Beattie Well Tank was produced in SR Maunsell 1930’s livery No 3329 but as in the early 1930s the Well Tanks were already on their second substantial rebuild, completely new tooling would have been required to be correct for any earlier livery application.
Both the Hornby produced 700 class 0-6-0 and T9 class 4-4-0 engines were fitted with superheaters from the very end of the pre-Grouping period onwards that not only extended the smokeboxes but in the case of the 700 class also raised the pitch of the boilers, by some 9 inches, extended the frames and a new taller cab, and in such a case would not only require a totally new body tooling but would effect the chassis design as well, which even with the high pitched boiler of the superheated version produced is already very tight for space for the motor a gearbox etc. I do note however that that there would be possibly 4 or 5 members of each class that could legitimately be produced in late LSWR livery in the superheated form from the existing tooling, if Hornby felt the the market was there for them.
I hope this post goes a little way to further explain the issues and complexities of producing Ready To Run models and that sometimes it is neither practical or cost effective to be able to please all modellers all of the time. I am pretty sure that none of us want to return to the days of putting any livery on any model regardless of any historical accuracy!
Kernow models announce further batch of Beattie Well tanks
Posted in General, Kernow Models, Model News, tagged Beattie Well Tank, kernow model centre, Kernow Models, London & South Western Railway, lswr, Southern, Southern Railway, Southern Region on July 11, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Kernow Model Centre has today announced the following:
Following many requests we have decided to produce two more versions of our award-winning Beattie Well Tank models. We will be using the same upgraded coreless motor that will be incorporated into our Adams O2 models and the economies of scale from this mean we can keep the price of this batch of Well Tanks to £94.99 for pre-orders. The Well Tank will be produced in the same factory and by the same people in China as previously, which is also the same factory producing our Adams O2 models. We will be making these Well Tank models to order and guarantee to supply every order placed by 31st August this year. At this stage we will decide on the final quantity to be produced but there will be at least 250 of each version. As always, no deposits are required and we do not charge for the models until we are about to despatch the orders. We will be offering DCC Fitted versions which will have the Gaugemaster DCC 23 Decoder fitted. We expect delivery by the end of this year and as soon as the models are on the way to us the price will rise to £99.99 for new orders. See more information on our website

The Kernow model of 30586 in early British Railways Livery with Bulleid Sunshine lettering will be as per my own repainted version
K2056 DJ Models 2-4-0WT Beattie Well Tank Steam Locomotive number 30587 BR Late Crest £99.99 (£94.99 pre-orders)
K2056DC DJ Models 2-4-0WT Beattie Well Tank Steam Locomotive number 30587 BR Late Crest DCC Fitted £119.99 (£114.99 pre-orders)
K2057 DJ Models 2-4-0WT Beattie Well Tank Steam Locomotive number 30586 Early British Railways 1948 livery with Sunshine lettering £99.99 (£94.99 pre-orders)
K2057DC DJ Models 2-4-0WT Beattie Well Tank Steam Locomotive number 30586 Early British Railways 1948 livery with Sunshine lettering DCC Fitted £119.99 (£114.99 pre-orders)
Kernow Model Centre exclusive models update
Posted in General, Kernow Models, Model News, tagged 0 Gauge, 7 Plank Open Wagon number 30 in Helston Gas Company livery, Beattie Well Tank, Bulleid diesel, China Clay 5 Plank Open Wagon, Dapol, DJModels, gate stock, Helston Gas Company, kernow model centre, Kernow Models, London & South Western Railway, lswr, O gauge, o2, Southern, Southern Railway, Southern Region, Well tank on November 8, 2013| 1 Comment »
The Kernow Model Centre have today made the following announcement about their exclusive models and commissions and I post it below in full.
In our determination to provide high-quality detailed models we are constantly reviewing progress of our projects. Sometimes this can reveal that changes need to be made, most of which are invisible to our customers.
After careful consideration we have decided to manage the production of our Adams O2 and LSWR Gate Stock OO Gauge models directly with the factory in China, this being the same factory that built our award-winning OO Gauge Beattie Well Tank. We have asked Dave Jones of DJModels to oversee these projects which will continue the close working relationship we have had since we started commissioning exclusive models.
Work on the OO Gauge Tiger Clay Wagons, Bulleid Diesel locos and D6xx Warships also continues as well as other yet-to-be announced projects, all of which will be produced under a new commercial agreement of which details will be given in due course.
All existing orders for these products will be held and there is no need for customers to contact us about this change unless they have changed their phone number, email address or house address and not previously advised us.
A consequence of this decision is that Dapol no longer feel able to progress the O Gauge Beattie Well Tank project and associated clay wagons. We had been working with Dapol to find alternative ways of producing this model, but the pre-orders have been disappointingly low with fewer than 200 orders placed. This is despite a huge discount being offered to encourage and reward customers who placed a pre-order and it being made clear that the pre-order could be cancelled at any time. While we may look at this again in the future for the time being we are going to concentrate on our core OO gauge market. We have already emailed and written to all customers who still held a pre-order for the O Gauge models with details of a special offer to reward their loyalty and patience.
Even after the above changes we had around £275k of special projects remaining with Dapol and it was our intention to continue with these, but Dapol have cancelled all of these with the exception of the OO Gauge models of D1003V Western Ruler and B850ZA and B850ZB Weathered Silver Bullets which are already in production. Our exclusive Class 73s, Bubble Cars, Turbots and Class 22s have all been cancelled and we are obviously very sorry and disappointed that Dapol have chosen to do this. This unexpected act means that we have had to remove these models from our website and have not yet had chance to contact everybody who placed pre-orders but will do so as soon as possible.
We thank all our customers for their patience and understanding for bearing with us and with our new agreement in place we expect rapid progress to be made on the Gate Stock and O2 models and look forward to sharing positive news about these very soon.
Regular updates are available by subscribing to our weekly email newsletter at http://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com
I will not make any personal comment on the above other to state that I continue to assist Chris Terise at the Kernow Model Centre with respect to their Southern related models.
Kernow Model Centre – Beattie Well Tank goes large
Posted in Kernow Models, Model News, tagged 0 Gauge, 7 Plank Open Wagon number 30 in Helston Gas Company livery, Beattie Well Tank, China Clay 5 Plank Open Wagon, Helston Gas Company, kernow model centre, Kernow Models, London & South Western Railway, lswr, O gauge, Southern, Southern Railway, Southern Region, Well tank on November 24, 2012| 3 Comments »
The Kernow Model Centre have today announced:
We have commissioned Dapol to produce on our behalf the LSWR (SR) Beattie Well Tank 2-4-0WT in 7mm Scale O gauge.
Associated for many years with the Wenfordbridge branch while based at Wadebridge these models were commissioned in response to customer demand for the model to be produced in the senior scale following the award-winning model produced in OO gauge last year. This model was initially designed using the very accurate ‘Laser’ scanning technology with the original scan taking place at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in 2009. With the research already completed this model is off to a flying start and we hope the O gauge model will be released around the end of 2013 or early 2014. The tooling for this model will be owned by Kernow Model Rail Centre.
The price of the Well Tank in O Gauge will be £299.99. You can save a massive £100 by paying a deposit of £100.00 immediately and the remaining £99.99 will be charged when the models are ready to be sent, making the total just £199.99. Paying this deposit does not commit you to buy and you are free at any time to cancel your order and receive a refund of this deposit in full. There are a limited number of this launch offer available and it may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice.
If you would prefer not to pay a deposit you can still place a pre-order without paying anything until the model arrives. If you chose this option you will still save £50 as the price will be reduced to £249.99. This offer will be withdrawn as soon as we receive the model after which all new purchases will be at the full £299.99.
These models will be sent post free to UK addresses.
We will be producing two models:
K7051 Dapol Well Tank number 30587 in BR Black with early emblem
K7052 Dapol Well Tank number 30587 in BR Black with late crest
In addition we are pleased to announce that we have commissioned Dapol to produce two exclusive 7mm scale O Gauge wagon models.
The China Clay 5 Plank Open Wagon
This will be produced with four alternative running numbers and a weathered finish. This will be a newly tooled model with the tooling exclusive to Kernow Model Rail Centre. The price will be £59.99 and we expect the models to arrive towards the end of 2013. These models will be sent post free to UK addresses.
K7001 Dapol 5 Plank Clay Wagon BR weathered as B743171
K7002 Dapol 5 Plank Clay Wagon BR weathered as B743353
K7003 Dapol 5 Plank Clay Wagon BR weathered as B743306
K7004 Dapol 5 Plank Clay Wagon BR weathered as B743198
7 Plank Open Wagon number 30 in Helston Gas Company livery.
The Helston Gas Company operated a fleet of 5 wagons, numbered 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 to give the impression of a much larger fleet!
We expect this model to arrive in the 1st Quarter of 2013 and the price will be £49.99. This model will be sent post free to UK addresses.
K7071 Dapol 7 Plank Open Wagon number 30 – Helston Gas Co
We have set up a dedicated web page to our exclusive O Gauge models – http://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/page/70/beattie
With this years announcements by Dapol of an 0 Gauge A1X ‘Terrier’ and also SR 25T ‘Pillbox’ brake vans it seems an interesting time for Southern 7mm modellers.
Kernow / Dapol – Beattie Well Tank Wins Model of the Year Award
Posted in Kernow Models, Model News, tagged Beattie Well Tank, Dapol, kernow model centre, Kernow Models, Model of the year award, Model Rail Magazine on March 19, 2012| Leave a Comment »
I am extremely pleased to advise that the ’00’ gauge Beattie Well Tank commissioned by the Kernow Model Centre and manufactured by Dapol has come first place within the 4mm Steam locomotive category in the Annual Model of Year award 2011. The annual poll is organised jointly between RMweb, Model Rail Magazine and Model Railways Express online magazine and asks modellers to vote across a number of categories. Congratulations to the Kernow Model Centre for making the inspired and brave step to commission the model and for Dapol for manufacturing the model so nicely.
As readers of this blog will be aware I have been providing assistance to the Kernow Model Centre with this model and also their future Southern related models so I am extremely pleased (without any bias of course) that the hard work and effort that has gone in to this model by all parties has been recognised in this way.
The full list of results can be found in the newly published ‘Spring’ issue of Model Rail Magazine and also here on RMweb and on Model Railway Express online magazine in due course.
A Beattie Well Tank goes ‘UnderGround’
Posted in General, tagged 30587, Beattie Well Tank, Beattie well tank on the underground, inner circle anniversary, London Underground, Sarah Siddons, Underground steam test on March 6, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Although this happened a week or so ago now on Saturday 25th February, and already quite widely reported, I thought I would for the record, post a few links to the interesting night time working of ex LSWR Beattie Well Tank 30587 doing some tests on the London Underground Circle / Hammersmith and City Line between Lillie Bridge Depot, Earls Court and Baker Street.
This was testing in advance of next year’s 150th anniversary of the Inner Circle line and the feasibility of special steam hauled trips to mark the event, hopefully utilising some of the preserved ex London Underground stock such as the Metropolitan Railway ‘Ashbury’ stock from the Bluebell Railway and maybe the Metropolitan Railway ‘T’ Stock from the Spa Valley Railway.
The testing with 30587, from the Bodmin and Wenford Railway, along with Metropolitan electric locomotive ‘Sarah Siddons’ and a couple of LU Battery Locomotives was to test and evaluate the effect on station fire alarm panels and passing trains of running steam engines through this section. Once again the London Underground demonstrate their forward thinking and willingness to hold such unique events, which they should be heartily congratulated for.
A selection of Photographs can be found on the London reconnections site here and also Bowroaduks Flickr Photostream here.
A great short video of the testing at Baker Street is on Leon Daniel’s, Managing Director of surface transport at TfL, youtube site here and also here if the embedded first clip below does not appear.
Kernow announce new Bulleid liveried Beattie Well Tank
Posted in Kernow Models, Model News, tagged Beattie Well Tank, Bulleid Sunshine Livery, Kernow Model Rail Centre, Kernow Models on January 24, 2012| 3 Comments »
Following on from the success of the first four versions of the Beattie Well Tank, Kernow Model Rail Centre has today announced the release of 3314 in Bulleid ‘Sunshine’ livery. 3314 carried this livery between November 1942 and November 1949 when she was renumbered 30585 and gained British Railways early emblem livery.
The Kernow Model Rail Centre announcement is below:
“We are pleased to announce that a fifth Beattie Well Tank has been produced and is currently on board a ship from China due to arrive in the UK at the end of February.
Item reference K2055, this will be number 3314 in Southern Black livery with Bulleid Sunshine lettering and will be priced at £94.99 plus postage.
This model is limited to just 500 pieces and as the previous Southern model sold out very quickly we anticipate demand for this model will be very strong.
Orders can be placed through our website or by phone – or on Kernow Model Rail Centre website here. “
As with the previously released versions the model comes fitted with 6 Pin DCC Decoder socket (conveniently located behind the removable smoke box door, should a DCC decoder be required to be fitted) and an accessory bag containing etched fire irons, coupings, vacuum pipes and SR Route Discs.
That was the Warley that was…
Posted in Exhibitions, Model News, tagged 247 Developments, Ashland, Bachmann, Beattie Well Tank, Dapol, Hornby, Hornby Magazine, Kernow Models, Mike Wild, Southern, Southern Railway on November 22, 2011| 3 Comments »
With a nod to David Frost et al for the title… although I am not really that old… honest… As regular readers of my blog will know last weekend was the last of three exhibitions in three weekends, and was the third year in a row that I have exhibited with a layout at the Warley National Model Railway Show. This time it was turn of the Layout Ashland which was built by myself, Richard Proudman and Hornby Magazine Editor Mike Wild as a challenge, which we duly completed, to build a layout in a weekend at the Hornby Magazine Live show in Hartlepool last July.
Ashland formed part of the Ian Allen / Hornby Magazine stand at the show and is based on the North Cornwall Line, the track plan being a mix of Ashwater and Dunsland Cross. We ran my own Southern 1946 to 1948 era stock on the Saturday and moved forward 10 years or so on the Sunday with Mike’s own BR Southern Region stock being used. Along with a couple of Bulleid light pacific’s, M7’s; an O2, N, N1 and a T9, my recently re-liveried Beattie Well Tank also put in a sterling performance hauling a mix of suitable stock.
Warley is a bit of a marmite show you either love it or hate it, however a number of changes made to the show this year including widened aisle widths and increased seating available for visitors to rest weary legs (due to the extremely hard concrete floor) which seemed to improve circulation around the show. There will always be discussion on the cost to visitors attending taking into account the entry fee (still half the price of the next door motorcycle show) and parking, but even all in, its still cheap when you consider the cost per layout ratio or the cost per hour of entertainment as most visitors appear to spend all day there (which is needed to see all or nearly all the 75 layouts and nearly 150 traders!)
Many of the suppliers and manufacturers now appear to time announcements and new releases for Warley, with respect to the latter also Christmas is possibly a factor, however this must put strain on the traders stocking policy and cash flow having to suddenly stock so many new items.
Bachmann released a number of new items and had on display a number of pre production tooling’s in both 2 and 4mm with the most noticeable being the 6 car Midland Blue Pullman. The N Gauge Society’s commissioned, from Graham Farish, fine model of an SR Queen Mary brake van was also available.
Hornby had their livery sample Brighton Belle unit on display, and very nice it looks too, and their non corridor Gresley suburban coaches now released certainly look excellent despite not being Southern.
Dapol have just recently got there 4mm Class 22 into the shops. Kernow Models had the excellent looking livery samples of their commissioned weathered versions on display. Dapol also announced their intention to enter the 7mm market with a 6, 7 and 8 plank private owner wagons to start with. Hattons although not having a stand had a presence with Dapol showing off their stunning looking LMS Twin diesels 10000 / 10001 (both of which ended up onAshlandtowards the end of Sunday!).
Heljan announced their intention to add to their range of transition ear diesels with the Class 16 The prototype, not the most reliable of engines, “worked” mainly out of Stratford so am not sure if they ever reached Southern Region metals via transfer freights.
Gary at 247 Developments showed me his new etch of Southern engine head signal discs (often incorrectly called route discs or headcode discs) that are complete with half etched handle.
This post is not intended to be a full review of the show but just a snapshot from my perspective / interests. Operating a layout at Warley does not really allow the time to fully view all on show and therefore the above are just some of those things that came to my attention. I am sure that there will be a fuller roundup in the various next magazine issues or on some of the web forums.