Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

BrockleyAndrew
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Joined: Wed Jan 30, 2013 12:18 pm

Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

Postby BrockleyAndrew » Thu Oct 14, 2021 7:10 pm

While researching the Lydd railway branch I have seen various photographs of the Drewry railcar/railmotor number 5 - at least it seems that this is the beast. 4 wheeled for 24/26 passengers. There is a Shapeways body available. I haven't had much luck in finding out much else. There was a 7mm kit for this and I have found a side on photograph of the underframe on eBay or similar.

Any suggestions on how to build a chassis and motorize?

Many thanks in advance

Andrew
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martin goodall
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Re: Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

Postby martin goodall » Thu Oct 14, 2021 9:16 pm

There was at least one 4mm etched kit (perhaps two?) on the market at one time.

I have one in the kit cupboard, earmarked for the Mid Wessex Light Railway.

As I think is well-known, Col Stephens bought the Drewry railcar from the SR and put it to work on the Weston, Clevedon & Portishead Light Railway. Hence the interest of this vehicle to light railway modellers.

A scale drawing was published in Model Railway Constructor (and later re-printed as I recall).

Several modellers who have modelled this vehicle (such as Andrew Ullyott, among others) might be able to tell us how they motorised theirs.

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pete_mcfarlane
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Re: Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

Postby pete_mcfarlane » Fri Oct 15, 2021 10:10 pm

If you can track down a copy of the 1984 Model Railway Constructor annual, there's a brief article on scratchbuilding one in 7mm, complete with drawings.

Daddyman
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Re: Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

Postby Daddyman » Sat Oct 16, 2021 5:57 am


BrockleyAndrew
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Re: Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

Postby BrockleyAndrew » Sat Oct 16, 2021 11:10 am

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't aware of the high level powered wheels, so thanks for that. I think I'll go ahead with the Shapeways print as I haven't been able to find any kits - the only one I did has a website that seems to be inactive. Thanks again.
Andrew

Daddyman
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Re: Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

Postby Daddyman » Sat Oct 16, 2021 12:11 pm

BrockleyAndrew wrote:Thanks for the replies. I wasn't aware of the high level powered wheels, so thanks for that. I think I'll go ahead with the Shapeways print as I haven't been able to find any kits - the only one I did has a website that seems to be inactive. Thanks again.
Andrew

Before ordering, you might want to read some of the recent threads on RMWeb discussing price hikes and surprise courier bills from Shapeways - this one for a start:
https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index ... b=comments

Andrew Ullyott
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Re: Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

Postby Andrew Ullyott » Sat Oct 16, 2021 4:46 pm

Ooo. Railcar no5.built for the Southern and ended up on the WC&PR in Somerset.
As Martin Goodall has noted, I’ve built one of these for my WC&PR layout. Mine was a Falcon Brass kit.
Mine has a small open frame motor (9/16 from memory) mounted vertically in the guards compartment driving the adjacent wheel directly via something like a 38:1 worm and gear. The other axle is compensated with pick ups. I used a MJT internal pedestal style rocking iron. If I was using this body I’d make a false floor from 10/15 thou brass and do something similar, using one of the high level/Mashima 1015 motors. The body would fit on top. Simple but it would work.
You could be clever and use high level gearboxes or even drive both axles but you’d need to hide gubbins.
I’ve quite a few photos of the prototype along with a drawing somewhere. The model in the picture has a few control rods missing.
I’m away from home at the moment but can take some photos and send you copies of what I have.

BrockleyAndrew
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Re: Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

Postby BrockleyAndrew » Sun Oct 17, 2021 9:03 am

Thanks Andrew, that's really helpful. I had looked through the Falcon website without success and have now emailed their enquiries address to ask if the kit is still available.

Also thanks to Dadddyman for the link for the Shapeways debate. I had tried ordering from them before but was surprised by the postage and final price so hadn't gone ahead with the purchase. I still might if I can't find an alternative but at least am forewarned, thanks.

Daddyman
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Re: Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

Postby Daddyman » Sun Oct 17, 2021 10:45 am

BrockleyAndrew wrote:Thanks Andrew, that's really helpful. I had looked through the Falcon website without success and have now emailed their enquiries address to ask if the kit is still available.

Also thanks to Dadddyman for the link for the Shapeways debate. I had tried ordering from them before but was surprised by the postage and final price so hadn't gone ahead with the purchase. I still might if I can't find an alternative but at least am forewarned, thanks.


I'm afraid there's another cautionary thread if you're thinking of ordering from Falcon Brass though....
https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index ... a-warning/

I wonder if you could commission someone to design an etch for you for less than the price it would be on Shapeways...

martin goodall
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Re: Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

Postby martin goodall » Sun Oct 17, 2021 11:25 am

I am pretty sure my Drewry railcar kit didn't come from Falcon Brass. I think it may have been a 'Taurgem' kit.

(Sorry I can't check; my kit is buried deep in the kit cupboard and would require a major archaeological dig to find it and get it out.)

Jeremy Good
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Re: Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

Postby Jeremy Good » Sun Oct 17, 2021 1:02 pm

From comments elsewhere I’m not sure Falcon Brass are actively trading.

They have, however, over recent weeks released a number of etches only kits via eBay. It is worth keeping your eyes open there.

At the Uckfield show yesterday WM Collectibles (also on web) had several Falcon Brass kits available but I didn’t see whether or not this one was in the stock.

Jeremy.

Andrew Ullyott
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Re: Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

Postby Andrew Ullyott » Sun Oct 17, 2021 4:45 pm

martin goodall wrote:I am pretty sure my Drewry railcar kit didn't come from Falcon Brass. I think it may have been a 'Taurgem' kit.

(Sorry I can't check; my kit is buried deep in the kit cupboard and would require a major archaeological dig to find it and get it out.)

That’s right Martin. Taurgem did do a kit for the railcar. No idea if it was the same set of etches.

BrockleyAndrew
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Re: Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

Postby BrockleyAndrew » Mon Oct 18, 2021 7:18 pm

I contacted Alan at Worsley Works on the off chance and it transpires he has some 3mm etches for the Drewry railcar which he will re-size to 4mm. It won't be straight away but will be very roughly under half the (shifting) price of the Shapeways printed body. I'm prepared to wait, just glad to find this option.

The shapeways print looked like an easy option but around £85 total (with postage) seemed a lot. I don't know, I'm not against paying for the design effort & time, and it's good to see niche stuff produced, it's just hard to judge and if Shapeways were my only option (other than scratch) I might well cough up. But, as I said, really pleased to find another option.

Daddyman
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Re: Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

Postby Daddyman » Mon Oct 18, 2021 7:27 pm

Pleased for you. I think you'll be a lot better off going down the etch route.

BrockleyAndrew
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Joined: Wed Jan 30, 2013 12:18 pm

Re: Drewry petrol motorcar #5 chassis

Postby BrockleyAndrew » Tue Oct 25, 2022 9:24 pm

Well, it's been a while but I think things are finally moving. I bought the starter battery radio control kit at Scaleforum and thought that the Drewry vehicle would make an ideal candidate for its small motor.

Thanks to Pete McF I have ordered a copy of RMConstructor 1984 and await the article with its drawings.

Thanks to Andrew U for his advice regarding how he motored his and his suggestions about various ways to do it.

I have purchased the Shapeways printed body from a shop where the seller is looking at supplying scratch aid prints. I've read through one of his threads on RMWeb and can see his point - as I understand it he wants to provide basic scratch aids. He is asked many times if he wants to produce a detailed kit of the more obscure prototypes but he says that, across the scales that Shapeways print, there is so much variety and difference in detail expectation that it makes it impossible or at least too much for him to do if he is to offer many different types.

So, for example, I have sanded down the nubs that were the torpedo ventilators and will add extra bits later.

I have been re-reading Guy R's thread on his early SECR carriages (Socially-distanced challenge) for some hints on modelling drop light windows etc)

So I have a body, a motor and some planning to do!

Andrew


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