5" gauge BIG BERTHA

Hi------- Does anyone know if a 5" gauge Midland Railway BIG BERTHA..0-10-0 has ever been built ??-------Are there any plans available ?? etc......Any help much appreciated..

Hi Alan,

There was one model built in the early 80s by a R.Stubbs of Welling & District MES. I remember it being displayed at Model Engineer Exhibitions at Wembley. As far as I recall there no published designs, but contacting Welling Club may elicit more information.

Luigi

Hi Luigi,

Thanks for the swift and useful reply---I'll certainly be following-up on that..........A fellow Kinver club member has told me that one has been seen at the Bromsgrove Club track on occasions ( Naturally )..........Anyone know what happened to that unique centre cylinder casting oncethe full-sized one had been cut-up ??

Alan R

Hi Alan

Frank Stubbs of the Welling & District MES built the loco, he was a great friend of Fred Stone of Erith and I think he would have used AJAX cylinder casting of the outside pair, Frank has long since passed away.

Regards Ray Wood

Hi Ray,

Many thanks for that info,.............

Recently, I was looking at some Big Bertha drawings that a club member had produced via CAD etc and in particular the very narrow valve heads typical of the Midland Railway at that time.....He was concerned that with so small amount of "lap" he wouldn't get any expansive working and was considering re-designing the whole of that part of the cylinder / valve area......

I have an inkling that at some time in the past I've both read about the full-size one in our ME mag. and seen a 5" model in action but for the life of me I can't remember the details !! ...... My brain cavity also acts as a spare GWR 30" Vac. cylinder I think !!

It would certainly save my friend a lot of wasted research time if we could get some drawings for a known working engine and / or have access to that loco and its' current owner, if only for a chin-wag as to its' performance etc...

Any help from any source would be most welcome....

Best regards from}---

Alan R