A STRANGE LION ?

Several years ago I bought a part built 3.5" Lion. The frame members were of cast bronze and had all the rivets and detail cast in, this included the horns. The smoke box door was also bronze and similarly adorned.Can anyone tell me who made or sold these castings ? Was there a set of drawings that took account of the above ? The only drawings I have seen require the frames to be built up from steel. Noel.

Regarding he smokebox front I don't think it was ever described in full or drawn in the magazine.

Cast frames or tender frames were usually the production of individual suppliers - if I had to guess I would suggest perhaps W.K.Waugh, trading as Wilwaugh - but this is only a guess. These 'extra' castings were something he often produced alongside the standard ones. Long gone and when his passing was announced in ME there was no indication that his patterns were taken over by anyone else.

It's 2 years since I asked the question ! Apart from Nicks answer are there any new thoughts ? Noel.

Noel I seem to recall Reeves selling cast gunmetal frames for both sizes of Lion, I think they also done them for Virginia, that would be back in the late 70s to early 80s. Perhaps someone with an old Reeves catalogue could look it up. Must have missed your posting first time round.

Wilwau patterns and castings were taken over by Norman Spink , some of his castings still had the Wilwau trade mark on them years later. I was fortunate to get hold of some original untouched1950's Waugh castings originally sold from his home in Bearsden, Glasgow, complete with the original receipt, and very superior castings they were too. Far above the sorry mis-shapen lumps that made up my last casting purchase.

Edited By Dave Wootton on 03/06/2023 18:17:00

Thanks Baz and Dave, The date mentioned would be about right I think and having done quite a bit of brass and bronze casting I can say the mold making for the set of castings was very good, there is no excuse for the poor castings sold sometimes other than taking the urine. The buyer should return them for exchange or full refund Noel.

Noel

I just had a look through my old Reeves catalogues and they list cast frames as an alternative to bar material in their catalogues 1977 through 1993 ( the last one I have ) for the 3 1/2 " gauge Titfield Thunderbolt (Lion ). Don't show cast frames for Virginia though.

John

Edited By John Purdy on 04/06/2023 17:48:34

Hi Noel, there are drawings of the smokebox of Titfield Thunderbolt in both 3-1/2" & 5" in issue 2762 Vol. 110 April 29th 1954 of Model Engineer. It can be a casting or built up, to which is outlined in the text. The frames were also said to be castings or built up.

Regards Nick.