5439 joins the roster

The standard goods locomotives (50, 53 and 55 classes) were the backbone of the NSWGR locomotive roster until the introduction of diesel power. Even during the transition era, there were still a significant number of 50 and 53 class working on the Main North. In that context, with just one running locomotive (5069), the standard goods locomotives seem significantly underrepresented on the Philip's Creek roster. Therefore I have been searching for ways to expand my fleet of standards. The currently available ARM 55 class was never an option because I understand that the 55 class did not operate on the Main North during the transition period.

Regular readers may have noted the occasional references made in several posts looking forward to the long foreshadowed SDS models of the NSWGR 50/53 class locomotives which still appear on its website (https://www.sdsmodels.com.au/locos1.htm ). Given the progress of other locomotives in its stable, the development of this model appears to have stalled. So, I started looking further afield and came across a seller on Ebay who manufactured 3D prints of 50 and 53 class bodies designed to fit onto the ARM 55 class chassis. He also produced a turret tender body to complement the locomotive. I hesitated for a bit and then decided to purchase a 53 class body and a turret tender. I think I probably purchased the last one of each. Almost concurrently, I purchased the ARM 5502 oil burner to provide the necessary chassis.

While waiting for the various components to arrive, I went looking for information that would assist me during the conversion. Ray Pilgrim had written a fantastic blog post detailing his conversion of oil burning 5502 to coal burning 5597 (Modifications to an ARM D55 to Improve Traction ). Ray's extensive photos assisted my understanding of the 55 class chassis and his observation of the lack of pulling power of the model was spot on. My preliminary testing on a DC test loop showed that the ARM model certainly lacked traction on any significant grade.

This influenced me me in two ways. Firstly, I needed to improve the pulling power of the locomotive. I wasn't game to tackle Ray's solution of re-motoring the model but it did make me focus on the need for extra weight on the locomotive. The ARM locomotive body weights around 45-50 grams with all of the weight concentrated at the front of the locomotive. While I also added weight to the nose, I also added lead under the cab roof and elsewhere in the cab in attempt to ensure a more balanced distribution. Ultimately, the new 53 class body weighs around 60 grams but all of the extra weight at the rear of the locomotive. Hopefully this will give a better distribution of weight over the driving wheels.

Secondly, even with the improved weight distribution, I anticipated that it will probably need some assistance on the helix between the lower and upper levels of Philip's Creek. Therefore, I would need to retain the front coupler already fitted to the model. A quick perusal of Ron Preston's book, 'Standards in Steam', showed a photo of 5439 with a front coupler in 1972 at Ourimbah. Close enough! So the new locomotive would be 5439.

[R.G Preston, Standards in Steam, The 53 and 55 Class p89. The late A.E. Durrant is acknowledged as the photographer]

The next challenge was the removal of the southern valve gear. This was relatively easy by undoing a small two small nuts on the connecting rods to facilitate the removal. The bigger challenge was trimming the sidebar support brackets to enable the new body to fit snugly on the chassis. I became concerned that the top bar of the bracket was becoming too thin, so I added a couple of styrene angle pieces to reinforce it. Not prototype, but hardly noticeable. 53class cylinder bodies were included as a separate item in the 3D print.

The decoder plug is located between the motor and the cab. I fitted a non-sound basic decoder. I may upgrade it later but it's not a high priority. I could not fit the decoder into the locomotive body space but it was easily inserted into the lower part of the tender. The ARM model did not include a working head light and I have not added one to 5439. Again, perhaps a task for a later date!

 

The tender comes in two parts, a body and a separate chassis. A bit of filing was needed  to ensure that the two parts fitted together easily. No bogies are provided and it seems that the only external provider of the 2TM bogies is not stocking them at present. As an interim measure, I have reused the bogies from the 55 class oil tender. Not ideal and these will be replaced if the 2TM bogies. Consequently, I have not added pick-ups to the tender wheels and so, for the time being, I am relying on the driving wheels only for power supply.  In addition, using the oil tenders bogies means that the tender is slightly higher compared with the locomotive. This will have to be accepted until prototype bogies become available. I also fashioned a coal load to fit into the tender. 

A couple of other small parts such as the front ladder and air hoses were also transferred from the ARM model. The front coupler fitted to 5502 did not look right, so I fitted a shorter shank version that I had in my tool box. It will need to be replaced by a Kadee scale head coupler in due course.

There have been a fair bit of test running over the past few days in an attempt to establish the locomotive's capabilities. It can haul six empty AR Kits BCHs but falls short of lifting the desired load of 10 wagons up the 2.5% grade on the helix. The 10 wagons can be hauled up the helix if double headed with 3390. Individually 3390 cannot lift the 10 wagons either but that's what double heading is all about. It can pull a mix of 15 LCH and CCH wagons up the grade without difficulty and this is about the same as the other 50 class in the roster, 5069. A short video of one test is shown below - sorry a non sound decoder.

So now, 5439 albeit with a few outstanding jobs to do, joins the Philip's Creek roster. It will be used for the mainline coal or general goods services, doubled headed where necessary. And if SDS does finally release a 50/53 class locomotive model, I can add yet another Standard to roster.