Bassett Lowke Gigantic

[Jordan Leeds 1Participant @jordanleeds1]

Model Engineer & Electrician in October 1913 carried an article by then editor Henry Greenly detailing his latest project with Bassett Lowke entitled A Mammoth 15-In Gauge Locomotive “gigantic” Pacific type, in this short article Greenly details the design of the locomotive that E.w twining undertook on his behalf using as many standard Lowke components as possible this locomotive was ordered by J.E.P Howey for his railway at Staughton Manor. Ultimately the locomotive on completion ran briefly at Staughton manor before undergoing testing at the Duke of Westminster’s railway at Eaton hall, Cheshire where on one run it is said to of attained a recorded speed of 35 MPH which could be said is good going for a locomotive with 4 ½” x6” bore cylinders and 20” driving wheels .

On the outbreak of the first world war Howey was commissioned in the territorial army and the Gigantic locomotive “John Anthony “named after his son stored at Eaton hall until being sold in 1916 to Narrow gauge railways Whom had acquired the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway (R&ER) here the locomotive was renamed Colossus and set to work hauling the daily service trains and the heavier Stone trains from beckfoot Quarry to The Crushing plant at Murthwaite.

This service continued for over eleven years and for a “Scale locomotive “ built originally to be driven around a large garden took its toll with several heavy repairs and sustained issues with the mainframes flexing and cracking in places,this was partly down to the Lighter nature of their build and also the appaling state of the regauged 3ft Mineral railway to 15 inches , an account of from Tom Jones R&ER engineer of the period states “Some of the material used in building the locomotives were not of the best quality and they were sometimes not the correct materials. Some of the earlier scale models were fitted with cast iron Driving Wheels as in the case of Colossus when she was derailed at Katy Caddy. One twenty spoke driver was found to have most of the spokes cracked through, around the central boss. Some of these driving wheels had been in service for several months before they were discovered after the

several months before they were discovered after the accident, and it was assumed that the whole of the wheel had been held together by the steel rod tyre which was shrunk on to the periphery. At a later date, all the cast iron driving wheels were replaced by cast steel wheels, cast from the original pattern.

The slender and rather delicate side frames were always prone to cracks, especially where there were any sharp corners in the design, such as the cut out for the horn plates. Several of these defects were welded at various times, but with the continual flexing of the frames under working condition the metal became work-hardened and cracks in time reappeared”

The Locomotive was ultimately Broken up and the chassis shortened to 4-6-0 along with that of its near relation “Auberry Brocklebank”. These two chassis formed the unique if somewhat Ungainly locomotive River Mite an articulated loco which served the railway for a further ten years . Scale locomotive components again being used beyond their intended design and on withdrawal Heavy cracks through the frames and horn guides where noted.

Now during 2017 a group was formed to recreate Bassett Lowkes Sole Pacific the Gigantic Locomotive association Needs your help , We are Raising £5000 to aid the construction of the tender bogies, tank and other components . **LINK**

[Jordan Leeds 1Participant @jordanleeds1]

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