Mutebo-Aspnäs Jernväg

Background and a Brief Account of Facts

Hans Hellsten Proprietor and Builder

What is a miniature models of steam engines – typically railway and what is live in scales 1:16 or 1:12. steam? The prototype engines could be locomotives, ship engines, steam Miniature railways are common in tractors, or stationary engines. The the Great Britain. Also, there are models were true miniatures of the several in Switzerland, Germany, real thing, operating on steam, fired Holland and in the US. In most other with coal and strong – not toys. Such countries they are rare. In Sweden, models are called live steam – three such railways are open to the “echtdampf” in German. Mainly in general public, viz. “Sandlidsbanan” the United Kingdom, at the zenith of outside Borås; one at the State the hobby, there was some hundred Railway Museum in Gävle; and this model engineering clubs. Many still one. exist and they operate their own train Miniature railways are an old tracks for running the model phenomenon. It started as a curiosity engines. Standard gauge models loco in the end of the nineteenth century. in the scale 1:12 runs on 5” (127 Miniature railways did also find mm) gauge track and may weigh 100 some local use for goods transports. kg. Originally the gauge was 15” (381 It is not clear whether the model mm) allowing 50 and more engineering hobby is a growing or passengers. Some of these original diminishing movement. The hobby railways still operate. has evolved and changed form. Forty In the twentieth century smaller years ago the live steam models scale model trains appeared. In always were hand-made out of scrap Sweden we are all familiar with metal and iron and bronze sand electric model trains in gauge H0, castings to be machined by the i.e. in the scale 1:87. However, the model engineer. This took a very British hobby of “Model long time – 2000 hours or even Engineering” did not spread much in more. Just a few people have that Sweden. This was leisure activity time (or patience) today. With amongst thousands. Men, with a modern CNC machines, beautiful variety of professions like engineers, machining can be done to a mechanics, lawyers, doctors, and the relatively small cost. Thus today like, constructed a mechanical many of these models can be bought amateur workshop in their home, as kits for self assembly. with a small lathe and drilling Another trend today is that miniature machine. There they spent the long railways, i.e. railways with very winter hours before the advent of large scale models used for carrying television. The products were real passengers, are becoming common. Today, these railways are 2 built in gauges 7 ¼” (184 mm - this gauge is scale 1:8 for standard gauge My history and is the one used at Mutebo- Aspnäs Järnväg), 10 ¼”, 12 ¼”, 15” When 12 years old, I came across and 18”. The locomotives for these the model engineering hobby in the railways will be large and weigh form of a book “Miniature from hundred kilos to several tons. Locomotive Construction” by Martin Apart from CNC machining, there Evans. Most of the English I did not are today improved techniques for understand, but I grew fascinated by quality welding and for precision the possibility of making engine cutting of steel plate. Exploiting the miniatures. Plans for quitting school new techniques in boiler and training to become an instrument manufacturing for instance, the maker were stopped by my parents. boiler will be just as functional and Later, as a university student, I safe, but much faster to produce than equipped a spare room in my an old riveted boiler. In all, it is grandmother’s flat in Stockholm possible to build large miniature with a small lathe and milling engines with much less effort than machine and started building a 7 ¼” before. gauge locomotive in the little spare time I had. After 20 years a friend Nostalgia activities are probably a eventually completed it, and I ran it useful thing helping people to put on the “Sandlidsbanan” outside the modern society in a bigger Borås. I bought a minibus to context. One should have the deepest facilitate transport of the engine in possible respect for the enormous order to use this very nice track technical and social development layout. However, it was a lot of which has occurred in today’s effort to load the train into the bus society. However modern and go off to the track. The idea technology is scaringly streamlined emerged that I would build my own and efficient and provides little miniature railway. understanding of its internal workings. Experiencing steam engines and former days transportation technology helps in giving perspective to its modern counterparts and hopefully to uphold the interest in taking these even further. It is thus hoped that a visit to Mutebo-Aspnäs Jernväg could be of some little benefit and joy in these respects for children of all ages.

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Figure 1: Railway Layout: 1. Visitor’s Parking; 2 Main Terminus; 3. Café; 4. Theatre; 5. Living House; 6. Meeting Loop “Mutebo Nedre”; 7. Turning Loop “Mutebo Öfvre”, with workshop, engine shed and sidings.

compels you to all labour of keeping Thus, I and my wife Monica started the railway in good shape year after to look for a house in the year. One such can be forming a countryside, sitting in a piece of land club as is done in the UK. However I suitable for a railway project. and my wife were appealed by “commercial” running. We wanted In 1997, in the rush of being the first to keep the railway for the general to get the present house, the public with the sensation that people inspection of the surroundings had to actually are paying for what we be a quick one. A later more careful offer. I run the railway and my wife survey revealed elevations making a small café adjoining. We have both the subsequent construction more much enjoyed this combined complex than appreciated. Also the concept, having received 18000 land premises had to be extended by guests up to the present time, which acquiring an adjoining farm field. By is 7 seasons of running 3 hours in this addition our land lot has a total Saturdays and Sundays during June area of about 10 000 sqm. to August. All visitors have been a For me personally, a railway for true joy to meet; many have become your exclusive individual use would regulars visiting us over and over not be fun in the long run. There again, and some our dear friends. must be some basic reason which 4

makes one complete loop. It then winds on a bank to the higher Layout and operation plateau where there is another turning loop. Here there is a building The farmer selling the adjoining adapted as a workshop and rolling field knew a small digging enterprise stock storage. There are also service run spare time by a fire fighter and tracks leading to ash pit, engine his son. He also knew about a small shed, sidings and a traverse crane by family enterprise running a gravel which engines and coaches are pit. The digging firm was closing shifted into the workshop and down so for them to take on making additional stables. the earth works, construction had to start right away, which was in 1997. Midpoint on the track there is a So moving into the house was mixed passing loop. with land survey, planning and the railway construction. The turning loops allows for continuous running while at the Laying out the railway a number of same time a complete tour uses part things had to be considered. There of the track two times in different should be a terminus with the directions giving variation to the tour adjoining café, and there should in spite of a limited track length. The parking places for the public. The length of the railway excluding layout had to cope with the height sidings is 450 m, while a complete differences of around 7 meters from tour is 700 m. Due to the fairly slow one end of our premises to the other. process of climbing the incline, a Also the living house should be tour takes a quarter of hour. The separated from railway layout in passing loop makes two-train order that the railway traffic should operation quite interesting, with the not intrude on the family private life. down train holding and letting the up Moreover there had to be a train pass at this spot. Supporting supplement of suitable water for two-train operation there is steam operation. There had to be a semaphore signal system based on workshop and a storing place for the the line blocking principle. It will be rolling stock and also arrangement described in more detail later on. for lifting trains into the workshop for storage and service. The overall height variation to be encompassed by the railway is 6.1 The layout is showed in Figure 1. meter. In view of the limited track Basically our land lot is divided into length this difference is significant. two relatively level plateaus with a To reduce gradients the entire lower slope in between. The bottom loop is elevated to a constant level plateau is the former farm field by extensive banking. The remaining where the terminus café and parking height to the upper loop is thereby 5 place now is. Here the railway meters. The turning loop curves have 5

Figure 2a: Construction of passing loop showing several elements of track construction. Before laying into place, the track is preassembled with only one rail attached. It is thus still highly flexible and can be sprung to its proper location (with the proper bends) and weighted down with stones as required. Reference stake pins are then located at some offset besides the track. In the picture, also note stop signal showing clear and signal box for driver control of signals.

15 meters turning radius, while first, thus encircling the café. The curves on the open stretches have a train proceeds slowly, whistling slightly larger radius. For the 15 several times, making a show for meter curves the gradient is relaxed people sitting in the café. The turn by 1% and for the curves on the also provides some time for the open stretches by 0.9%. The gradient driver to watch that boiler pressure is on the straight stretches thereby ample and stable for the coming becomes be 2.4% while the gradient severe uphill work. Several is 1.4% and 1.5% respectively on passengers do not understand where curved stretches. the track is heading. They become happily surprised when train Some miniature railways are built approaching the terminus suddenly with aluminium rails. Mutebo- deviates, the throttle is opened up Aspnäs Jernväg uses steel rather and the engine really starts working. aiming at a better friction on the Having made the first careful turn steep gradients. after the loop, the engine is notched up, speed increases and the sound of Going uphill with full load is the engine pounding hard is familiar exciting to both the driver and the to everyone from child memories, passengers. Normal procedure is to the movies or television. The start the train making the lower loop constant climbing is thrilling, the 6

Figure 2b: Construction of passing loop showing several elements of track construction. With the stake pins of the foregoing figure providing reference, the track is removed and a shallow ditch in the track position dug, so the track can be sunk into the bank. Only then the second rail is attached. The photo shows the new track in this situation, before the final filling of ballast. A fiber cloth is present at the bottom of the ditch but cannot be seen in the photo. The new point has not yet been provided with its throw mechanism.

more so since the train largely run on banks, where you can look down to In wet weather my experience is that see how you gain height. An friction for Black Five is reduced so interesting psychological pheno- that just one third of this load can be menon is that people do not sense taken when rails are wet. This is that the railway is so short. Quite little more than the weight of the often they believe they have engine plus driver. It was originally travelled for two kilometres or more. impossible to run Black Five with even with the smallest passenger During the first years wheel slip due load in rainy weather. Installing an to wet rails was a concern. At that electric booster bogie on one of the time the only useful motive power coaches was an innovation which was the 4-6-0 passenger loco improved things greatly. Adhesion “Stanier “Black Five”. In dry on the bogie increases with increased weather, train weights of 1200 kilos passenger load and the modern (excluding engine and driver) were electronic speed provides the electric possible. With the scale coaches this motors with excellent characteristics means trains with around 20 to minimize wheel slip. passengers, mixed children and adults, or a dozen adult passengers. The non-scale Roanoke petrol locomotive is also prune to wheel 7 slipping, but using sand it is a There is a trestle crane over the functional alternative to the Black railway by which scale engines can Five combined with the electric be lifted. The crane can move booster. The load capacity for either sideways on its own pair of rails alternative is maybe 600 - 800 kilos crossing the railway track. There is a when weather is wet. bridge extension to the elevated workshop track made of aluminium The non-scale Exmoor steam and thus easy to lift into place. locomotive is much heavier than the Having shifted the trestle into place, other engines. The problem of wheel the bridge is stuck in under it, slipping with this engine is small. On attached to workshop track; the occasions of heavy rain the engine engine is lowered onto it and rolled can pull three non-scale coaches into the workshop for storage and containing 16 people viz. a train of maintenance. It is 1 ½ hours of work 1300 kilos without sanding. oiling the engine, lifting it out of the workshop and onto the track and For full-size railways, friction is raising steam. There is another 1 ½ reduced by the wetting of the rails, hours of work of cleaning the engine but only by – say – 20%. The and lifting it into the workshop after difference in friction for models and running. full-size practice is due to the difference in the pressure excised by On the same crane rails there is an the wheels on the rails. For light additional low slung trolley with 7 models, this pressure is evidently not ¼” rails forming a cradle that tips to sufficient to overcome the viscosity meet the outside tracks or those on of water - the water film remains the floor of the additional shed. The intact preventing direct contact. trolley allows the Roanoke engine and the non-scale coaches to be Rainwater is used for the boilers, brought outside in 10 minutes. The adopting the 100 sqm workshop roof engine shed is a very small but to collect it. There is a 3000-litre insulated and heated building. The water tank in the shadow on the Exmoor steam loco can roll into it north side of the building. A 0.7 m without lifting and it allows storage diameter cone of fine wire mesh (the all year around. same material as used in the loco tank filters) clad inside by a synthetic fibre blanket filters the water. Experience is that the surface of the roof is sufficient for all demands. Today consumption is 300 litres a week (including watering of some plants), which requires an average rainfall of 3 mm a week. 8

Track construction built around a core of this sand with additional drainage piping put in. To In contrast to the UK and the obtain a non-eroding surface a 0.2- continent, Swedish annual climate 0.3 m layer of crushed stone is put changes must be taken into account on top of the sand. A vibrator was in miniature railway construction. used extensively to pack all material. Swedish summers involve days or It has not been necessary to remove even extended periods as hot as in the original vegetation soil layer southern Europe. Autumns may before putting on the sand. On the include massive rainfall followed by bank slopes a grass mixture intended freezing, leading to extensive ground for the sterile conditions of road frost. The effect of ground frost on banks was sowed. This mixture was roads in springtime is well known. originally obtained from the The same effect can ruin the technical department of the Swedish miniature railway track unless Road Department. Later similar seed appropriate precautions are taken. bought in a garden shop did not yield the same good results. All in all the To minimize the effect of ground banks have remained remarkably frost, drainage is very important. For stable during the eight years since the railway, large quantities of pure they were built. sand were available. The banks are

Figure 3: The stop (red wing) and distant (yellow wing) semaphore signals are distantly operated by computer controlled electromechanical servos. The plastic tubing for communication and illumination power cables is plainly seen. In the photo the engine is Brasken pulling empty coaches complete with their smoke protecting canopies.

Figure 4: Close up of semaphore servo mechanism. The signal wing is connected to the counterweight arm, which in turn is lifted or lowered by a DC servo motor. The motor, its reduction gear and winding drum is housed in a watertight box and pulls the orange string. The rotation of the motor is controlled by end position microswitches. Microswitch responses and DC motor current are checked and controlled by the signal box computer via 4-pole electrical connection to the signal.

with the type of screws normally Standard sleepers are cut to from used for sheet metal roofing. These best quality larch or oak in 400 mm screws are equipped with a metal lengths, with a rectangular or and a rubber washer to water seal the trapezoidal section 35 - 50 mm wide hole made in the roof sheeting. The and 50 mm high. No impregnating screws are almost ideal to hold the agent for the sleepers is used since rail flange to the sleeper. The screws drinking water is collected from a are self drilling and in spite of a well in the close vicinity of the track. good non-corrosive coating quite In fact, it is claimed that non- cheap to buy in quantities. The one impregnating larch will age better draw back is that they are hardened than pressure impregnated fir, the (to be able to go through roof sheets) latter being the customary type of and thus a bit brittle. Probably due to wood for outdoor construction in ground frost, some screws have been Sweden. Oak will survive even found broken when maintaining the better than larch. The majority of track. For this reason the original larch sleepers has been out for eight screws are currently replaced by years, most still in good shape. heavier non hardened screws with the same type of head. The one draw The steel rails are from the company back with the new type of screw is “Cromar White” and 26 mm high. that sleepers have to be pre-drilled. They are attached to the sleepers 10

The major earth works was kinks arose at some joints in the completed in the summer 1997, and curved rail sections. A tool has were allowed to settle during winter therefore been made in the form of for the actual rail laying in the two heavy section steel levers, which summer 1998. During the winter the are clamped to the rails about 150 required length of track was mm apart. A threaded M12 bolt prefabricated in 4 m straight track forces the levers apart or to each sections in a jig providing a 125 mm other thus bending the 150 mm gap between sleepers. 8 mm holes section of the rail. With this tool the were drilled in both ends for the rail rail in the vicinity of each joint can joints. The section was built to a be pre-bent to the required radius to gauge of 184 mm for the essentially remove the kink and restore the straight stretches and with a gauge smoothness of the curve. Having 185 mm for the 15 m radius curves. used this tool for maybe 25% of the joints in the curved sections the track The actual track bed rests on plastic has by now settled to maintain or glass fibre blanket sheets smoothness with very little further preventing seed to root itself down maintenance. into the ground. Track laying consisted of removing one of the Another climate problem in the form rails of the prefabricated track of rail wandering was recognised. sections so that continuous lengths What happened was a gradual of track could be formed to the sidewise shift of track position required shape, holding the track during extended periods of hot temporarily in place by stones while weather. Letting this process develop attaching the other rail. M5 screws the intended curvature of track were used for the rail joints, which changed so that some parts of the were securely tightened. With both track straightened while curvature rails attached the shape of the track grew sharper in between the became given and rigid. Rail joints straightening sections. The were “staggered” so that the rails on increasing curvature eventually one side were joined at the developed into real kinks. A remedy approximate midpoint between the has been to put in 50 mm section oak joints on the other side. Whenever a sleepers wherever the side suitable stretch of track had been movement is large. The oaks completed, it was ballasted with sleepers are drilled to let 12 mm 8x12 mm macadam. steels rods maybe 800 mm long be driven down through these into the Even the 15 m radius curves could ground. This will lock rail be constructed in this way and movement. Maybe twenty such smooth bends formed without kinks, sleepers have been put in at critical without any pre-bending of the rails. places and again this seems to have However as time went by and in stabilised rail the movement so that particular during the first winter, 11 rail wandering now is a small the driver is told by the stop signal to problem. remain in one of the three loops in which trains may meet. The driver Initial points were bought ready- remains there until he is given a made from “Cromar-White”. Later clear sign to go. This occurs by points were copied using the ready having at either end of a block one made ones as a template. Point push button for request to enter and thrower mechanism are made in the one push button for the clear workshop. The initial points were of declaration. For each loop there is aluminium for reasons of cost. one signal box containing the push Aluminium is however a weak link buttons for the lines adjacent to the to the risk of wheel slipping. The loop. Typically the clear declaration later points for the recently built and the request to leave are passing loop and sidings are all conducted at signal boxes at opposite made of steel. ends end of the block. There is one master and two slave boxes, where the master box obtains status, carries out the logic, and provides Signals instruction to either slave box. The railway is equipped with a line- The signals were manual, as blocking semaphore signal system. delivered by their manufacturer Semaphores were a forerunner to “Scaleway Signals” in Bristol. They present day light-only signals. The have subsequently been motorized semaphore outline is British. by DC servo motors, actuating the semaphore mechanics. Servo motion Semaphores with red wings are stop control is accomplished by the signal signals, which means that stop boxes of each loop. indication must be obeyed by the train in front of the signal. The required cabling consists of 240 Semaphores with yellow wings are V mains and computer cables in distant signal, warning the driver between the signal boxes - these are that the nest stop signal ahead held together in an underground displays stop indication. The plastic tube. Between the signal diamond on the signals, indicate on boxes and the semaphores there are the prototype signal that “Rule 55” low current servo motor cables and applies, viz. that a low voltage 24 V cables for signal lamps hold system is in place sensing whether together in a plastic tube. The 240 V there are trains on the track within and 24 V cables are of a heavy the line block or not section, thus shielding the computer cables from any ground current in Signals are located so as to provide connection with lightning. outgoing (in contrast to the approaching) traffic control. Thus 12

Figure 5: The Stanier Black Five and the LMS scale coaches pulling out of the terminus station on a cold autumn day (seen by the amount of steam condensation). The first coach is equipped with an electric motor booster to support operation in rainy weather.

a coupling should loosen, the vacuum is lost and the train The coaches automatically breaks.

There are two types of coaches – The coaches resemble those of LMS, scale and non-scale ones. i.e. “The London Midland and Scotland Railway”. They are The scale coaches were typically British with their curved manufactured by Rob Hall in sides and division into compartment England. Their bodies are made of designs, which really are artefacts glass reinforced epoxy. Each coach from the time of horse carriages. has one braked and one non-braked Each compartment is only accessible bogie. As is the case for the full-size by its own separate entrance while counterparts of the coaches breaking the conductor has his place in either is by means of vacuum and is of the train ends where he can remotely controlled from the supervise the train from the “bow locomotive by a pipe system running window”. The wine red colour was a along the train. The vacuum brakes characteristic of LMS. have the property that the coaches only will roll freely as there is a In Sweden, the state intervened in vacuum in the system. This means the building of railways already from that if the train should split up, e.g. if the start in the mid 1800. Apart from 13 the state railway “Statens Järnvägar” Locomotive Works in the case of there was private railways but LMS) providing for the supply of generally these were quite small. locomotives. The non-scale coaches Rolling stock and locomotives were are manufactured by Scaleway generally built by specialised Signals, though they have later been Swedish private companies, though equipped with a canopy. The canopy in the early stages of Swedish is not so much for preventing rain, as railway development they were for preventing soot to fall on the imported from Britain or Germany. passengers when using steam.

In contrast, as late as in the thirties, The coach design follows original railway operation in Britain was still miniature railway practice and is carried out by a number of reminiscent of typical designs from individual companies. Only after the the early twentieth century. Just as Second World War these were the scale coaches, they have one united into a single state company – bogie braked by vacuum. The “British Rail”. Each company had couplings are of the central buffer their own colour scheme to the type, and are similar to those of most coaches, as they had their own Swedish narrow gauge railways. design preferences for locomotives”. The large companies like LMS had The weight of the scale coaches is 50 their own plants (Doncaster kg and the non-scale coaches 180 kg.

Figure 6: Close up of the Black Five cabin. Seen are the steam and vacuum (painted red) brake controls and the gauges showing degree of steam pressure and vacuum. The slit in the fire doors reveals the glow of the fire. In the tender lies the electric booster control.

Both types of coaches were The engines frequently derailing as originally delivered. It turned out that the There are in all four completed coaches were very sensitive to any engines and one in an advanced sideways irregularities in track tilt. stage of manufacture. Again they can be divided into scale and non- In both cases the coach body rested scale designs. with its full weight on rollers on top of the bogies. This design has been The three scale locos are accurate modified by also installing a central and fully working miniatures to the spring adjusted to carry nearly the scale 1:8 of full-size steam full weight of the empty coach. By locomotives. All three models follow this modification weight of the coach British locomotive practise, though body is fully exploited to increase they are built in Sweden. The reason the bias load on each wheel (rather for slavishly following British than having the coach body resting practice is that in the English on resting either of the rollers and tradition of model engineering, also thus pressing on the bogie wheels on for these large scale locomotives just one side). there are published designs. In view of the limited model engineering As it turned out, the modification has experience in Sweden, the three greatly increased the reliability of engines follow closely these designs. the coaches and made derailments rare for the scale coaches. The non- In spite of their smallness, the scale coaches still derailed with engines are surprisingly strong. The heavy loads. A mathematical “tractive effort” of the “Black Five” analysis of the spring suspension is 500 N. for instance. The speed is was conducted the summer 2007. It not so great – 10 km/h - so the revealed that the original bogie main developed power is just 2 HP. The springs were too light and located thermal efficiency is about 3 %, too far out from the bogie centre to which means that the heat power be functional even when track tilt developed by the burning coal is 50 irregularities were small. A heavy kW – enough for the heating of two load could result in near-zero rail ordinary villas in Sweden at loads on one side of the bogie, thus wintertime! The gradients of the making derailment imminent. railway restrict train weights to 1.5 tons. On level ground the weight can The non-scale coach bogies have all of course be much greater. been modified according to the analysis. The problem of derailments The other completed scale engine now seems to be solved. “Jonas Bagge” is about 1/3 as strong as Black Five. The still incomplete third scale engine “Paddington”, though considerably shorter, has 15 essentially the same cylinder The original Black Five was one of dimensions and weights on the the most common and successful of driving wheels as “Black Five”. It all British locomotive types. It was should therefore be able to pull just designed by Sir William Stanier at as well as “Black Five”, though at a the LMS in 1934. 842 engines of this slower speed (the boiler and thus its type were produced, many which steam generating capacity is stayed in service until the close smaller). down of the steam era in England in 1968. The type could handle most Steam pressure is 7 bar for Black jobs from goods trains to fast Five and Jonas Bagge and 8 bar for passenger traffic operating at speeds Paddington. In all models the steam up to 90 mph (145 km/h). is superheated, increasing the temperature from 170° C in the William Stanier belonged to the last boiler to maybe 250° C reaching the generation of steam locomotive cylinders. At full power, the “Black developers. Others were Sir Nigel Five” consumes 1 kg. of coal and 7 Gresley in England and André liter of water per kilometer. High Chapelon in France. Using new grade coal, such as “Welsh Steam materials and scientific design Coal” or Antracit, is called for. methods they produced steam Because evaporation is so large the locomotives during the thirties water must be free from lime and capable of operating at speeds of 160 other mineral deposits, so rainwater km/h and more. Development came is used. to a halt with the outbreak of the Second World War. After the Second World War there was an Stanier Black Five: The model was immense demand for expedient ways built by Bengt Jansson between 1975 of performing the enormous – 1980. Construction time amounted transportation task connected with to 5500 hours. For several years the regaining what had been destroyed engine ran at the “Sandlidsbanan” in by the war. That meant a massive Borås, carrying 13 000 passengers introduction of diesel locomotives and totalling a distance of 1 000 km. and the end to the steam locomotive A new boiler was fitted 1996. The development. Still 12 “Black Fives” engine was brought to Mutebo- are preserved at various museums Aspnäs Jernväg in 1998 after which and veteran railways. the vacuum brake system was added. Between 1999 and 2006, it was The early electrification in Sweden responsible for all running at (starting in earnest already in the Mutebo-Aspnäs Jernväg. This means twenties) meant that Sweden did not running 900 km carrying about 9000 participate in this late development people. of “high end” steam. Nor was the permanent way in Sweden of a standard, which permitted high 16

Figure 7: The Stanier Black Five and Jonas Bagge standing side by side in the workshop. Note the saddle tank and the small boiler of Jonas Bagge.

speed running as in England, France tank engine, which carries its water or Germany. and coal in tanks onboard the locomotive. This was the preferred arrangement for engines, which had to run in the backward directions just Paddington: Dick Larsson started as often as in the forward. However, upon this still incomplete model. It these engines were less suitable for was acquired to the Mutebo-Aspnäs long distance trains which required Jernväg in 1999.Orginally it was ample amounts of both coal and intended to relieve “Black Five” water. handling passengers to the railway. Later on this plan had to be Great Western Railway – GWR – reconsidered. Scale models wear to was one of the big British private rapidly and will in not so many years railways, apart from LMS, before be run down by the intense use. nationalisation. It provided for the west and northwest train services “Paddington” is a model of the 1500 from London reaching Cornwall and class of locomotives designed for the Wales. Its terminus in London was needs of GWR in 1948. While Black Paddington station. The 1500 class Five is a tender engine, which carries was designed for heavy shunting its water in separate wagon, coupled duties. However, the shunting role to the locomotive, Paddington is a 17

Figure 8: The 1500 class engine model. The relatively large dimensions of boiler and cylinders are evident.

had already been given to diesel Characterised by a conical boiler locomotives as the class emerged out barrel ending in a firebox as large as of Great Western Swindon in consistent with the loading gauge. Locomotive Works in 1949. In effect This type of boiler was held in high this meant that production was esteem by GWR as providing terminated after only 12 engines of superior performance over the the class had been built. The engines cylindrical locomotive boiler used in were given the job of pulling empty Sweden for instance. This high coaches between the depot and regard may have been well founded, Paddington station. All were since the shape was inherited in most withdrawn from this duty by 1963. of the very late designs for steam Several were sold and found work locomotives in Britain, performance for a few more years on industrial evidently outweighing the sidings. One engine of the class considerably more difficult remains and is still in working order manufacturing of the conical on Severn Valley Railway. Belpaire boiler.

Like “Black Five”, the 1500 class is an example of “modern” steam locomotive practise. A common Jonas Bagge: It was mentioned in feature is the tapered “Belpaire” the introduction that the railway boiler (the name is from the Belgian started with the making of the inventor Alfred Belpaire) chassis for this little model some thirty years ago. The boiler was 18

Figure 9: For comparison. A full-size 1500 class engines now preserved at the Severn Valley Railway.

made in England. After many years colonies. Also they produced small in an unfinished stage, Bengt engines for domestic use on the Jansson completed the model in small private railways and for 1996. Overall time for its industrial use. construction was 2500 hours. A characteristic feature of Jonas The British naval engineer Ken Bagge is the saddle tank riding on Swan designed this model. It is not top of the boiler. The saddle tank is an exact replica of any specific full- very common feature of older size engine, though it adheres to the industrial locomotives. This was design used by “Stephenson and allowable since boilers still were Hawtorn Locomotive Company” at quite diminutive – coffee-pots they the end of the nineteenth century for were called later. In contrast the light industrial tank locomotives, so 1500 class exploits a so-called in this it is also a scale model. Pannier-tank arrangement, allowing “Stephenson and Hawthorn”, “Beyer for boiler diameters just as large as and Peacock” and several other for Black Five. There is one striking British locomotive manufactures anachronisms concerning Jonas operated beside the locomotive Bagge – superheater was not plants belonging to the big private invented when this type of mainline railways in Britain. These locomotive was made. Superheating other locomotive manufactures is a sacrifice to well-working model. thrived on export business, shipping their locomotive to all over the The name Jonas Bagge derives from world – not least the British one of the early Swedish scholars in mechanical engineering, who was 19 active in the mid-nineteenth century real narrow gauge steam locos taking in Sweden. the narrow gauge practise to the extreme of only 184 mm gauge. Actually also in this context there is an old tradition started by Sir Arthur Honken: As said, over the years it Heywood of designing not models has become evident that models in but practical steam locos for 15” scale 1:8 are too fragile for gauge. commercial use. They will certainly do the job during favourable This practise has been followed by circumstances. However in rain they Trevor Stirland, who together with slip, and wear from that. They his family operates the company become dirty, possibly rusty and “Exmoor Steam Railway” also require a very careful and extensive located in the little village Bratton maintenance to keep even Flemming. Brasken is an example of reasonably in shape. As a remedy the this “Exmoor type” steam loco. It is petrol locomotive Honken was designed to be able cope with the bought for the season 2004. Honken tasks of a commercial miniature is made by the company “Roanoke” railway running, requiring (Dave Carder) in the tiny village of performance in all types of weather, Bratton Flemming in Devonshire. a reasonably comfortable riding for The company produces this type of the driver, simple maintenance and engine in fairly large numbers – they so on. In contrast to the scale locos it are used as back up engines on many burns full-size coal lumps. Just as miniature railways. Honken, Brasken is equipped with vacuum equipment for breaking of The engine has an outline of the coaches. industrial narrow gauge diesel engine. Actually the motor is a 9 HP Though not a scale model, Brasken industrial petrol engine driving the reminds in general layout very much wheels via a hydrostatic gear box. of two feet narrow gauge steam The engine weights about 300 kg, practice, in particular in its British providing a tractive effort slightly version. The bright colours, the better than the Black Five. lining and the brass (hopefully polished) are all examples of that. So

are the tall chimney and steam dome Brasken: The inadequacy of scale and the outside frames with exterior 1:8 engines has been noted by cranks. several miniature railway operators. Brasken is about three times stronger An innovation was made when than any of the other locos. It weighs Roger Marsh, several decades ago, in service about 900 kg. came up with steam engines that were not models but more very small 20

Figure 10: Honken with an appropriate load of passengers.

The future are the maximum length simply because this is the number of What about the future of Mutebo- coaches available for either the scale Aspnäs Järnväg? What are the or non-scale trains. However, given possibilities of expansion? more coaches, the strength of Brasken allows train lengths to be As for the track itself it can not be increased. There is however an largely modified within the current increased risk for accidents in doing land lot. One could of course so. With longer trains the driver can speculate what could be done if not view the train and the passengers boundaries were of no hindrance. as well. Also if a long train would For instance the track could be derail inertia would be very large expanded to the village “Skeda and there is a risk of coaches piling Udde”. Still it is not clear what could up on top of each other with injuries be gained by that. Would the following. Even presently Brasken pleasure of going with the train with four coaches and 20 adults increase by this to such an extent amounts to an overall weight of that ticket price could be raised to 3200 kg. cover the investment and maintenance of the longer railway? Another type of expansion is by This seems debatable to say the increasing train density. This is a least. true possibility – it is “simply” more a problem of having a sufficient Another expansion is by increasing number of drivers. Willing, train length. Presently, four coaches 21

Figure 11: Brasken being cleaned outside its shed. Note the arrangement with outside frames and cranks. The valve gear is of Marshall type, also characteristic for well-known Ornstein and Koppel narrow gauge engines. It has the advantage of avoiding the complexity of an expansion link, present in most other valve gears.

sufficiently skilled and reliable engine. The choice of engine is a drivers are however few and rare. consequence of both practical experiences, e.g. a wish to avoid the The best way forward is considered fragility of scale 1:8 models, and the to be to keep to the established and popularity the scale models has with successful practises but to continue visitors. Then a good compromise to introduce novelties in the would be scale models of large operation, like new engines and narrow gauge engines. In the scale coaches With an increasing variation 1:5 or so a large narrow gauge in what is offered new and old engine is very massive and as strong customers alike would come and as Brasken, but certainly so much visit us and a few would no doubt more reminiscent of full-size steam like to function as volunteers practice. At the same time it just so keeping the railway active and much more robust in its general eventful. dimensions that it’s a practical proposition for the commercial Plans for the future involve new running. non-scale coaches of a luxurious and practical design, as well as a new

Close-up of Paddington’s motion gives a clear impression of the near-scale proportions of the model.

July 2007