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E1 Billinton (awaiting picture) |
E1 Marsh |
The E1 (initially E) class 0-6-0T tank locomotive was introduced in 1874 by William Stroudley, largely to work local goods trains and carry out shunting duties.
79 engines were built in eight batches up to 1891. Many passed to the Southern Railway on Grouping in 1923, with the final working engine being condemned by British Railways in 1961.
Brief Historical Survey:-
Stroudley Period (1874 – 1889) – {Goods Green but some engines painted temporarily in Ochre Livery for passenger duties}
Locomotives were originally outshopped with no Westinghouse brake equipment, but with wooden brake blocks and single link couplings. Later, Westinghouse equipment and ultimately iron brake blocks fitted along with screw link couplings.
R.Billinton Period (1889 – 1905) – {Goods Green Livery}
The final batch of six engines were built in this period and there were numerous detail changes which are outside the scope of this kit. As earlier engines came to be reboilered, some of them were subject to similar changes.
Marsh & L. Billinton Period (1905 – 1922) – {Marsh Goods Black but some locomotives were painted in Umber Livery}
Many engines were fitted with new Marsh boilers, including a new chimney in many cases, new dome, safety valve and whistle position. Stroudley fittings were retained on other engines and some had a mixture of Stroudley and Marsh fittings.
Southern Railway Period (1923 – 1947) – {Black Goods Livery}
Vacuum brakes were introduced. Permutations of boiler fittings continued and even Drummond fittings were added in some cases.
British Railways Period (1948 – 1961) – {BR plain Black Livery}
Quite a number remained in service after nationalisation but the end came in July 1961 when No. 32694 was withdrawn.
The modeller is strongly advised to choose a particular engine and a particular period to model. Whilst the boiler remained of virtually identical dimensions throughout the life of the class, the diversity of fittings was significant.
Ten engines were rebuilt in 1927 by the Southern Railway as 0-6-2Ts for use in the West Country and classified as E1R. There is a separate MSC Models kit for these engines.
No.157 “Barcelona” was specially built for service on the Eastbourne/Tunbridge Wells line and cannot be built from this kit. E1X N0.89 (689) is also outside the scope of this kit.
Reference to the text and photographs in the books listed below should help in both selecting which locomotive to build and the construction of the kit:-
Stroudley Locomotives – A Pictorial History by Brian Haresnape–Ian Allan 1985
Locomotives of the LBSC – vol 2 by D.L.Bradley – RCTS 1972
A Pictorial Record of Southern Locomotives by J.H.Russell – OPC 1991
(Copies of all the above publications are available secondhand)
The MSC Models Kits
The kits are produced in two basic forms:
• With Stroudley Fittings;
• With Marsh/Southern Railway fittings.
However, MSC Models can supply alternative fittings if, for example, a model is required of a Marsh period engine with a Stroudley chimney. An information sheet is enclosed with the kits.
These instructions are common to both versions of the kit and the varying fittings used in the different periods are described fully.
The kits can be powered by a number of different motor units, but the MSC Models JH or SM motor units are particularly recommended.
Wheels have not been provided in the kits as there are a number of different standards available in O Gauge. Slaters Plastikard Ltd and Walsall Model Engineering wheels are recommended. Driving wheels are of 4' 6” diameter with 14 spokes.