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The
prototype of this most famous of GWR 4-4-0 classes was the 'Atbara' class engine
Mauritius rebuilt with the larger Standard No. 4 boiler in September 1902. Ten
new engines followed in 1903 and nine more 'Atbaras' were similarly rebuilt in
1907-9. The 'Atbaras', and hence the 'Cities' rebuilt from them, originally had
Dean 'swing-hanger' bogies with shallow framing. The new 'Cities' were
built with 'swing-hanger' bogies with deeper framing. All were
built with steam reversing gear which was subsequently (by the early 1920's)
replaced with screw reverse on most, if not all, of the class. There are
many further detail differences both between individual locomotives and as the
class changed through time. When built, the 'Cities' were fitted with standard Dean 3000 gallon tenders. Subsequently some acquired Churchward 3500 gallon tenders. The photograph on the left is of a 7mm model built and painted by Chris Wesson - the 4mm version of the kit builds up to produce a similar model. |
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Ref |
Specification |
Price |
To complete |
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L16 |
Etched nickel silver frames, motion and brass superstructure Lost wax, whitemetal and turned fittings Flexichas suspension Non-working, ‘dummy’ inside motion Designed by Martin Finney Kit to convert to working Inside Motion - IM16 |
£175 |
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Wheels |
Driving: 6' 8½" diameter 22 spokes, outside crank- Ultrascale, Alan Gibson, Markits Bogie: 3'8" diameter 10-spoke - Ultrascale, Alan Gibson, Markits |
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| Motor | Designed for a Portescap 1219; alternative is a Mashima 1224 | |||
| Gearbox | High Level Road Runner Plus | |||
| View the etches |
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Variations / Modifications possible from the kit |
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Chimneys: two different types provided. Safety valve casing: with or without top-feed. Bogies: many rebuilt to 'De Glehn' type without swing-hangers and fitted with strengthening patches - built with beaded bogie splashers. Coupling Rods: built with fluted rods - many subsequently replaced with plain rods. Frame strengthening: the locomotives acquired frame strengthening plates surprisingly quickly, probably during their first major shopping around 1904-1906. They were first fitted with separate plates for each axle and later larger, one piece plates were fitted to some of the class. Smokebox: originally quite short and later front and back rings riveted. |
Smokebox saddle: early flush rivets - later snap head rivets. Sandboxes: originally below footplate for leading coupled wheels only - at around the time of the frame strengthening larger sandboxes fitted above footplate for all driving wheels. Cab roof: early canvas covered wood - later steel - two types. Splashers: early with beading - later beading removed and rivets visible Leading coupled wheel splasher: Built with a beaded splasher, below the footplate, on the leading coupled axle which were gradually removed up to WW1. Cab spectacle windows: plated over during the late 1920s. Vacuum pipe: originally tall - later a shorter pattern introduced. |