Hello modeling friends
At the risk of boring you, I would like to present you another Fordson conversion: the Hudson rail tractor.
The Prototype
Manufacturer | Robert Hudson Ltd. of Leeds, UK |
Year of construction | 1924 |
Works number | 39924 |
Drive | Fordson N |
Drive power | 20 hp |
Number of gears | 3 forward and 1 reverse |
Track gauge | 2 ft (610 mm) |
Operational | Yes |
Today's location | Satfold Barn Railway, Staffordshire, UK |
Robert Hudson Leeds Ltd were established in 1865. The company specialized in providing light railway equipment such as prefabricated narrow gauge track sections and various designs of wagons.
When the Fordson petrol tractor became widely available in the 1920s Hudsons adapted this unit to make a simple locomotive. The locomotive used a four-wheeled cast chassis to which a roller chain drive connected to the tractor axle. The tractor gearbox had three forward speeds but only one reverse gear, which clearly was a limitation for a locomotive that has to operate bi-directionally. Only a few of these machines were constructed.
The following picture shows locomotive No. 36863 of the Leeds Industrial Museum. It was delivered to Stanton Ironworks in June 1929.
(Image: Leeds Industrial Museum)
Rail tractor No. 39924, which serves as the prototype for my model, is currently on loan from the Leeds Industrial Museum to the Statfold Barn Railway.
(Image: Statfold Narrow Gauge Museum Trust)
Using the dimensional data from the Statfold Narrow Gauge Museum Trust, the first thing I did was create a 3D model of the rail tractor, and then used that to derive all the necessary drawings for making the parts.
Bernhard
Yay! No arguments from me!
I agree with Chuck. In fact I was so bored that I studied each photo and everything you wrote for a long time and compared the black-and-white photo to the color photos to see how Stanton Ironworks modified it. And now I want to see how you build your model. -- Russ
Yes Please - a daily dose of Fordson conversions keeps you going for the day
Barney
More on this little critter can be found on an excellent CD by J Tilstons Industrial Narrow Gauge illustrated I think its still available - plans /photos and information lots of it
That's right, Barney. And the next conversion is already on the bench.
Thanks for pointing out the CD. I'll try to get it, even though the model is already done. But I'm always happy to get new background information on my projects.
Bernhard
Cool project. I love how grimy the loco is in that vintage photo.
Today I'll show you how to make the frame.
From the first sections ...
... the base frame is soldered together.
The side plates follow.
The side ballast plates are 3D printed from plastic. Note the neat raised lettering on the center plates!
The ballast plates and a few other parts are mounted, and thus the frame is more or less finished.
The missing parts can only be attached after painting.
Bernhard
What a great start. Are the cypher parts printed in FUD?
Volker
Thanks Volker. All ballast plates are printed from Fine Detail Plastic in high resolution.
Bernhard
Thank you for showing us the soldering jig. As important as it is, I have never seen such a tool in any of my catalogs. -- Russ
Yes, a really useful tool, Russ. Here you can often get such plates from tool suppliers for jewelry making.
Bernhard
Here's one on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Honeycomb-Ceramic-Soldering-Jewelry-Making/dp/B083G1YSLZ/ref=asc_df_B083G1YSLZ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=416760125247&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1178606824791391461&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061191&hvtargid=pla-880011040245&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=95471650498&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=416760125247&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1178606824791391461&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061191&hvtargid=pla-880011040245 (https://www.amazon.com/Honeycomb-Ceramic-Soldering-Jewelry-Making/dp/B083G1YSLZ/ref=asc_df_B083G1YSLZ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=416760125247&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1178606824791391461&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061191&hvtargid=pla-880011040245&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=95471650498&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=416760125247&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1178606824791391461&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061191&hvtargid=pla-880011040245)
Russ:
The fixtures come in different sizes and shapes. Mine sits on a small turntable with a ceramic tile under it so that I can turn it while working.
Since most of what I am doing at the moment is in 1:1 scale on a 145 year old RR car not much need at the present.
Thank you all for the information. I really could have used something like that between 1995-2000 when I was fumbling around with 1:32n3. I have since concluded discretion is the better part of valor .... -- Russ
Hi Bernard another gem in 1/35 scale on the bench.
cheers Kim
Unfortunately, nothing has happened here for some time. The reason is that I have dismantled my large H0 layout and then renovated the basement. Thus I have created considerably more space for my workshop.
But now we are moving on.
Drive and brake are two simpler assemblies.
Nevertheless, a few parts need to be made for it.
As an example, I will only show the production of the two bearings for the actuating shaft of the brake.
First, the foot of the first bearing is milled.
Then the outer contour is milled, ...
... and finally the bearing is drilled and then cut from the bar.
And this is the result.
A little more difficult is manufacturing the parts for the roof.
The two roof supports are made of bent angle sections 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.25 mm.
First I tried to bend an angle section accordingly. Although I have soft annealed it, unfortunately an impossible undertaking.
I therefore milled out the supports from 1.5 mm thick brass sheet. This is no problem with a CNC machine, but a bit of a challenge with a hand-operated machine.
The raw material is screwed onto an MDF board mounted on the rotary table.
The first step is to mill the outer contour with the large radius at the top. The small corner radii cannot be machined. They must be filed at the very end.
Then the angle section is milled with a wall thickness of 0.25 mm. I was not sure whether the vertical legs would be deformed during milling. I therefore supported them on all three sides with shaped pieces made of Pertinax.
Next, the inner contour of the support is milled. Three thin webs remain to hold the workpiece still in the plate.
Then carefully detach the support from the plate, and file the outer radii. And the parts are ready!
The canopy must be bent to fit the supports exactly.
This is only possible with a corresponding jig. This is milled from a plastic block.
Then the large radius is turned on.
The small corner radii can neither be milled nor turned. I therefore milled a shoulder and inserted a suitable round bar into it.
Then the sheet is carefully bent over the gauge. This is relative ease if the sheet is annealed several times and reshaped somewhat by hand.
The end faces are reworked on the disc sander.
The long sides are cut to size with a circular saw blade.
And with that, the canopy is ready.
The side panels are etched and just need to be bent.
First test fit. Looks good to me after all!
Bernhard
Quality and precision you have it all - I admire your metal work its 1st class and the keeping to the prototype in all ways
Barney
It is going together very nicely.
Impressive even at this stage. -- Russ
Very impressive step by step post. Love seeing metal working like this.
Going to be one fine looking rail tractor.
Bernd
Amazing work! Very impressive!
Bernhard, you have just been able to take a moment to look at your very good contribution, even if only on your smartphone. If you use etched folded profiles, you can bend them with a roller bender as this brass is softer. However, milling out of a plate is the easier, better way, especially if you have a CNC machine like me. Thank you for showing the creation of the model.
Hello model building friends. Finally I can report here about the successful finishing of this project.
As drive for the rail tractor I use again the model from plusmodel.
It is equipped with some project-specific, scratch-built additional parts.
And with that, all parts are ready for painting.
The raised cast (3D printed) lettering on the center side balast plates I can hand paint only under a microscope.
The drive can be installed in the frame now.
The subtly weathered tractor is put on.
The inscriptions on the roof and the decorative stripes on the side panels are decals.
Finally, the model is ready to be assembled and weathered a bit.
...
...
...
And with that, the Hudson rail tractor can go into operation on the layout.
This completes another project. Next I will build a Wilford Powershovel, which, who would be surprised, is also powered by a Fordson tractor.
I will of course report about it.
Bernhard
Absolutely superb! -- Russ
Hi Bernard.
Yes, a really great job well done.
All the best Kim
That's lovely Bernhard... well done!
Excellent work.
I agree with all - a fine bit of prototype modelling
Barney
Absolutely amazing!
You're using a jeweler's microscope, right? That would be handy for some of my work, especially when sculpting and painting figures.
Lovely work .
Beautiful work, terrific looking model!