Steve Johnson Modelmaker
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DS1173, Drewry
0-6-0DM DS1173 was built by Vulcan Foundry for the Drewry Car Company in 1947 as a demonstrator. It ran trials on the LNER based at Gorton shed. During this time, it was painted LNER green with black and white lining. During 1948, it was moved around various Eastern Region sheds in East Anglia. The Eastern Region rejected it and it moved to the Southern Region, allocated to Norwood. BR took it into capital stock on the 20th November 1948 and gave it the number DS1173 and based it at Hither Green. DS1173 remained in Departmental Stock until 1967, when it was renumbered D2341. It was withdrawn shortly after in December 1968 and scrapped. The result of this demonstrator was an order for some 142 Class 04 diesel shunters from Drewry and was used as the basis for the 230 British Railways built Class 03 diesel shunter. The obvious starting point for a model of DS1173 is the Bachmann Class 04. However, the Bachmann version features the later type cab with larger windows and the distinctive triangular front cab windows. At first, I though I was going to have to scratch build a new cab, but then came across a 3D printed replacement cab intended for converting a Class 04 to the early tram versions used on the Wisbech & Upwell and Yarmouth tramway. I duly ordered a cab and a very nice bit of printing a design it is too. It comes as a direct replacement and features holes for the handrails as well as a separate sprue with the lamp irons. Apart from the cab, there are a number of other differences. The most obvious is the one piece connecting rod running from the fly crank to the centre axle. The rear cab steps are slightly slimmer and can be modified by trimming off the excess. The sand boxes appear to be more of a rectangular boxy style and the slightly smaller air tanks are behind the front steps. The other most obvious difference is the lack of the conical exhaust stack. DS1173, like the early Class 04's, had a very small cylindrical stack, barely above the engine casing. Other items to look at are the size of the buffers and the extra two lamp brackets on the front and rear as per Southern Region practice. I had acquired an old Bachmann Class 04 some time ago with a view to a conversion. I seem to have picked up one of the old split chassis versions, which will make conversion to DCC interesting! The body is quite crude by modern standards and there are some other items that could do with upgrading. One of these is the handrails running on top of the engine casing. They are a bit 'chunky', so I will remove these and add finer turned brass handrail knobs. There is that gap in the bottom of the buffer beams for the tension lock couplings. I shall fill this in as well as adding slightly bigger buffers.
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