Locomotives

The whole project began from the locomotives of the Cyprus Government Railway. With 009 Kits available from Roxey Mouldings and a typically British Colonial design I found it difficult to resist owning one of these fine locos. The only problem was that my only 009 railway, the HBLR, was a bit on the small side for them. Off my imagination went and the project began. My strict policy of 2ft 6in (give or take half an inch or so) deliberately prevents over stocking my loco department!


No.1 - Kerr Stuart Skylark Class 0-4-2T

(Currently operating as a 0-0-0T...)

Acquired in 2006 as a convenient HBLR/WVLR crossover, this Chivers Skylark has never been given the chassis it deserves. It may seem an odd choice, but I wanted a small loco of around 2ft 6in gauge to act as station pilot and have always been a fan of these little engines. With 51 examples built (including a 2ft 6in contractors loco that built the Leek & Manifold) this narrowly beat my other ideas of Talybont/Rheidol (Built to 2ft 5 1/2in for Brazil) or a Kerr Stuart Brazil class (Sittingbourne, for example).

Along with some lining and some numberplates this sat around as a reminder to start the project. Well, I ended up somehow skipping straight past it! But I will certainly add a chassis at some point and have something to please the more traditionalist narrow gauge fans!

Livery: Lined Black (well, it will be...)


No.2 - Naysmith Wilson 4-4-0

 
With nowhere to build the railway and no suitable chassis available, I perhaps should have thought twice before buying this in 2013... "It's ok" I thought, "It can go in store for the time being..." Within a couple of months I cracked and built the tender... So good did it look that the loco soon followed. A quick look on ebay sourced the chassis and the yet-to-be-built WVLR had a working loco!

I have added false frames above the bogie, a fall plate, a more Cypriot smokebox door wheel (from an Academy Messerschmitt Bf109 interior!), coal rails, real coal and some minor cab detail to this already excellent kit. This was my first attempt at handrails and I am well aware they will need replacing when I have learned to do them straight! I will also rebuild the chassis to give a more prototypical bogie (larger  wheels would be a good start) and larger cylinders. Running is smooth, if a little noisy.

Livery: Lined Dark Green


No.3 - Naysmith Wilson 2-6-2T

I had a chassis for this lying around for some time but the body was not bought until I was at an exhibition in Autumn 2013. Much like No.2 I never meant to start it but got carried away one weekend and found myself with a loco! It is at an acceptable stage but has fallen behind some carriages in the queue so only one side has been numbered and varnished and the body isn't entirely stuck together!

False frames have been made and the larger cylinder covers attached but there are still lots of detail bits that need doing. Running is eratic (due to a faulty pickup requiring replacement) but since I only have 4ft of test track it is not important. (The dome is not good quality and as such is omitted)

Livery: Lined Dark Green


No.4 - Reserved for CGR 2-6-0


No.00 'Dick Dastardly' or 'The Mean Machine'

I felt that a modern narrow gauge railway of this calibre would have a little diesel to aid the PW in building the line. I only had number plates for 1-4 and didn't want to mess up my plans, so thought I'd make this one up as I went along... This is a Five79 (Chivers) RC26 "Freelance British Outline Shunter" kit running on the (not suggested) Grafar pannier chassis. I could have gone out and bought the recommended Class 08 (old style) but instead hacked about with the body until it fit on this one, from HBLR No.3.



I have never weathered a loco before and don't know what works. Nor did I know what colour to paint it (Lined Green or Lined Black?), so I combined the two... I decided to paint it in a faint yellow (as if just bought from industrial service?) in the style of the Cyprus Mining Corporation, CMC and gradually chucked on watery brown or black paint, smudging it or doing whatever I felt like. However in January 15 I finally cracked and settled on lined green (picture on the way). I have also taken the opportunity to glaze the windows and build more substantial cab door.  Running is nice and Smooth.

Livery: Lined Dark Green