HS4000 Kestrel

[Andrew Thompson]

This is an old project that has had a 40 year gestation period.
When I was a lad in the late 60s and early 70s this was the one engine that eluded me and then was shipped off to Russia so that was that.
When I started in O gauge in the mid 70s, I promised my self I would build a model of the said loco, which would have to be scratch built as no kit existed and doesn't to this day.
My intention was to built it from brass and to this end in 1978 I purchased a spare brass class 47 body from DJ Parkins for the princely sum of £12. This was hacked about (which I still have.) A start was also made on the cabs.(see photos)
The cab roofs put a stop to progress and the need to create all the roof details.
To cut a long story short it got put on to do shelf as other projects took precedent.
Coming upto date about four years ago as technics had improved namely 3d printing and drawing packages.

A member of my local club had become very proficent at 3d printing and agreed to draw and print the cabs.In the event he did the 3d drawings and then these were printed by shapeways.

I drew up plans to have all the roof details etched.Unfortunately the plans to etch the roof details didn't come to anything.
However the 3d printing was completed and was the spur to resurrect the project.

A review of how I could get this loco completed led me to build the main body and roof details from plasikard.

Progress is as follows :

Main body is wood with plasikard laminates to create three laminates.

The roof is based on formers with stringers to form the basic shape. This was then sanded down and a 10 thou skin stuck down.

I had acquired two abc motors chassis from a previous 47 which will be used to power the loco.

Also acquired over the years are some up graded class 47 bogie kits that i need to find. In the attic stash away.

As you may or not be aware the orginal bogies were exchanged for class 47 bogies later in its career .

I think thats enough for now.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

An idea if what it will look like. Plenty of fettling to do. The cab roofs need sanding down to match plasikard body.

 

[Dog Star]

Excellent project and posts to boot, thank you for posting.

If you had not said I would bever have thought of wood as the structural basis of the body.

regards, Graham

 

[Andrew Thompson]

Thank you Graham , I cant take credit for that it comes from Steve Hoather who has written up his methods in the Gauge O Gazette and a recent you tube video a evening with available through their media page or just do a you tube search.
Incidentally i purchased the correct paint colours many years ago hopefully as never opened should be aright. Transfers were also purchased from Fox at the same time just a matter of thinking were i put them probably with the bogie frames.
Andrew

 

[Andrew Thompson]

I thought I would mention the rivet detail in case anyone had thought about going down this route rather than plain rod.
Rivets by MasterClub do all different sizes these are a mixture of spherical head 0.5 and 0.8 mm also do Hexnut and heads. Supplied by Historex Agents Dover. Excellent service.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

Control desks this week.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

A bit more done.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

In a moment of madness purchased these from Airscale to do justice to the cab desk. Dials and bezels .

 

[Andrew Thompson]

Maybe it will fly after all.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

Hi All
I am trying to identify the wording on the work plates attached to doors of the Kestrel. I can identify the top line as Brush second line as Hawker Siddeley and bottom two corners as No711 and 1967.However the third line defeats me. I attach two photos of the only ones I can find that show the work plates although these arent very clear. The originals can be viewed by searching flicker or Facebook, Derby Works Open Day 1968.

Any help or suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

[OzzyO]

Hello Andrew,

sorry I can't help you with the third line, but could it be something like. Engine Number ABC 1234 . Brush/ H.S. did want to show this engine off. It's just a pity that B.R. did not put this type of loco into fleet service. One of the better prototype diesels in my opinion.

Looking through the photos on the web I did find two photos of Kestrel in Barrow that I had not seen before, one of them is the engine that was one of the most powerful in the world at the time getting pulled along Mickelson Road by a tractor with about a 20hp engine.

ATB

OzzyO.

 

[Dan Randall]

Hi Andrew

Heljan did a 4mm scale “Kestrel”. Perhaps someone on here (or on RMweb), who has said model, could wave a magnifying glass over the worksplates, to see what wording (if any), Heljan put on the third line?


Regards

Dan

 

[Andrew Thompson]

Hi Dan

Thanks for that but unfortunately Heljan fudged the job. Incorrect font and no third line. Maybe they had the same problem .

 

[Dan Randall]

Good old Heljan!

Hopefully, the information will turn up elsewhere for you.


Regards

Dan

 

[34091 Weymouth]

That is a lovely piece of work, it's a very interesting prototype & it's a shame it's gone. I remember reading about someone who went to try & track it down.

Si

 

[Andrew Thompson]

Despite further research I am no nearer. Other than Brush archives are held in Leicester and may hold the answer.
I have decided to go with :

Sulzer 16LVA24 Engine

Off to see Diane Carney at Kettering.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

Two years on oh dear me.
Changes have happened and now slowly getting there.
I was never happy with my plastickard efforts especially the lourvers . I decided to reboot the body in metal. I had some nickel silver in hand and made a start on the roof .I was able to curve the roof on the clubs bending bars with a bend back to sit on the body sides when built. This was when I realised that I would have been better using a smaller gauge ie 10 thou rather than the one I had in I think 18 thou. I was too far in to change but it did have consequences further down the line.
The lourvers are brass L shaped solder on a flat backing panel. Other parts are small irregular L shape strip to create framing etc . The body is a more sensible nickel silver flat with formers for the roof sections .
The problem arose in attaching the roof to the body the nickel silver was too thick to create a neat kick back angle causing distortion along the edge. This also caused problems in alignment with the sides.
After several attempts I decided that I would solder the roof to the body as best alignment I could achieve. I have solder a thin 1mm x 1.5 strip along the top of the body and will use isopan filler to get the correct profile.

Having put the build to one side for several months following this year's guild ex I returned to assess my work. I noticed things I hadn't ordered just ignored like miss aligned panels etc .These were re soldered but I couldn't live with the three inspection panels on each side . These were unsoldered and in the process of being rebuilt.

So lesson is take a step back if it isn't right don't press on thinking it will alright as it won't and always annoy you.

The chassis is a ABC one I acquired some time ago under a 47 on a second hand stall . Bogies are upgraded Dave Parkin also acquired on the bring and buy.
Under belly tank is scratch built based on the best I can ascertain from photos.

I have drawn the cab desk in 3D 360 auto Fusion and some smaller parts just need to get someone to check them out for errors.

Hopefully the attached photos may explain things better.

 

[Andrew Thompson]

And there's more.

Top one is current state of play . Ones below are were I noticed errors on misaligned hinges and panels.
Plenty to clean up .

 

[Andrew Thompson]

Bottom one is current state of play .

Cheers

 

[Andrew Thompson]

There is some distortion in the photos which makes things out of line or is it my glasses.