Further to my post here announcing the LBSC E1 0-6-0T variations being produced by Rapido trains UK the Isle of Wight Steam Railway have today announced that they working with Rapido trains UK on an exclusive 00 gauge model of our E1 Class locomotive W2 Yarmouth.
E1 No. W2 Yarmouth (picture copyright IWSR)
The finished model will be depicted in Southern Railway green to match the real locomotive when her restoration is completed.
Amid some of the heart breaking events and issues that life is throwing at many of us at the moment, being able to step aside into model building can be very therapeutic. This is a quick post to show some of the progress being made on another one of Westhill Road’s key buildings, this time the Station House / booking office.
The ground floor inclduing interior walls and staircase takes shape
Being old school, no CAD or 3D printing malarkey here yet, using prototype images I create a series of quick sketches / plans on the trusty A3 graph pad to work out, to scale, all elevations and interior arrangement (with a little help from my Dad who worked most of his career in the building trade, thanks Dad!).
As one the features of Westhill Road is to introduce an element of perspective modelling as the overall layout depth is 18inches, I have purposely compressed the size of the Station House / booking office a little to help with the effect once its position behind the LSWR Type 3B ground signal Box and small tin tabernacle chapel becomes clear.
As with all the buildings, I propose where possible to include interior details and lighting (I will utilise the central chimney to hide the lighting wires). The next stage is cutting the windows in the upper rendered wall sections (Wills building material as are the brick lower walls) along with making from scratch the upper windows and creating the bathroom and bedrooms, so watch this space.
Hot on the heels of my post last month of the Rapido trains UK ex LBSC E1 class 0-6-0t Cad renders, that can be seen here, the list of the 14 ‘E1’ versions being produced so far to cover all key variations has been revealed as below.
127 ‘Poitiers’, LBSCR Goods Green
Rapido trains UK have done their best to ensure that all the detail variations are covered but, they advise: “to be brutally honest, the ‘E1’ is a nightmare when it comes to small detail changes.” The LBSC list is:
These are now available to pre-order with an RRP of £164.95 for DCC ready and £264.95 for DCC Sound fitted at Rapido trains UK and with a discount at stockists such as KMRC.
E1 Class as currently on the Isle of Wight steam railway, masquerading as W2. Originally B110 and sold to industrial use in 1927
My friends at Rapido Trains UK have now embarked on a customer research programme to allow them to determine if / how they might take the project forward direct themselves. They have created an online poll that can be accessed here, therefore if you are keen to see a RTR ex LBSC E1 0-6-0t please complete the poll as the more responses they receive the more likely we are to see the E1 project continue.
By way of some background into the E1 Class; with the exception of the final six built in 1891 under the auspices of RJ Billinton with different boiler, dome and chimney known as E1s from new, the rest of the 80 strong class were originally introduced by William Stroudley from 1874 as the E Class. Essentially a larger goods version of the A1 Terrier 0-6-0t, using the same cylinders, motion and boilers as the D Class 0-4-2 passenger tanks. Later all the E Class were reclassified as E1s.
E1 class 2506 in post war ‘Sunshine’ black livery. Picture courtesy and copyright Mike Morant collection
Although most of the class worked on the Brighton section some were used in Southampton Docks, (hence my own interest as ideal for Canute Road Quay), and on the Isle of Wight. Ten members of the class were converted between 1927 and 1929 to become E1/R Class 0-6-2t with new cabs, extended bunkers and the addition of a Radial axle for use in the West Country.
Despite withdrawals starting as early as 1913 many passed into British Railways ownership with the last surviving to 1960. Four members of the class ended up being sold into industrial colliery use, including the one preserved example B110 now located on the Isle of Wight steam railway.
