MINIATURE LOCOMOTIVE DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Building a DUCHESS
The idea of writing this article, was inspired by the informative article written by Mike Savage, 'Building a Britannia' and published on his web site. There will be some, not mentioning any names, who, reading this will be saying 'He never built it all', 'he didn't machine that' and this is true, however for my sins I am designing it, producing the drawings, and with many attempts assembling it. Where modern methods can be used to enhance the finish or reduce the build time I will take, and advise others to take advantages of them, I do not believe this detracts from the end product. I have always said "If Brunell, Gresley, or Stainier had Computers, Cnc Machines, etc. they would have used them"
Why build a Duchess? Well, when I was a small boy, like many others I had a train set, which my parents bought me for Christmas, yes, you've guessed it, a Hornby 00, 3 rail 'Duchess of Atholl' was in the stocking. Since that time, for me, the Duchess has always been the Number 1 British locomotive. I am sure for others, it would be a 'King', 'Castle', 'A4' or one of the many other locomotives used throughout the regions, but here is not the time to get into that discussion and digress. When I purchased the business, which is now 'Jim Vass Miniature Locomotives', within the miscellaneous pattern box, there were some Duchess patterns and some works drawings of a Duchess, namely Sir William A. Stainier. It was then I had the idea to build this locomotive, as I thought at the time, 'without the worry of doing drawings', 'nobody waiting for castings', just something to do as and when I pleased', it soon became apparent that this was not to be, because when customers came to visit, and saw what was being built, in some it no doubt stirred thoughts of their younger days, and their love of this loco, can we build one to
The first two customers decided to start with same few works drawings as I had, but it soon became apparent it would not be ideal as they wished to do the original design of Duchess. By now having obtained a few more works drawings I agreed to do some basic drawings that they could work from, it did not take long before other customers asked about building a Duchess in the future if drawings and castings were going to be available. I remember one customer, who is now a good friend, talking to his wife, in my workshop, and convincing himself and her that he should build one, with a "If that's what you want to make, then make it" he there and then ordered a set of Laser cut Frames, what a lovely lady. With more interest being shown, it was decided that proper drawings would have to be produced and the model added to the range. I started to search for more works drawings, and eventually I found two very kind people who let me borrow their drawings which they had obtained from BR Euston many years earlier, when they had the thoughts of building a Duchess, one also loaned a collection of photographs, of Duchess of Hamilton, taken on visits to the National Railway Museum, during a full strip down. With these now to hand, I started on the drawings and had the necessary patterns produced
It is not my intension here, to describe how to build a Duchess, but hopefully with some notes and photographs, progress of build can be observed.