Parkside Dundas Linda/Blanche rebuild - part 1 a first look and references.

The Hunslet Engine Co. supplied three 'main line' locos to the Penrhyn railway, these being large 0-4-0 saddle tanks used for moving slate between the quarries and Port Penrhyn. The first, Charles, and the second and third Blanche and Linda differed slightly in detail, the most obvious difference being that Charles had square cab front windows and the Ladies round. I recently bought a Parkside Dundas model of a Penrhyn Railway 'Lady';

This model is an old kit, the previous owner Tom having bought it eighteen years ago in its present state, with the intention of rebuilding it. However, that never came to pass so it was sold to me for the sum of fifteen pounds.

Unlike the newer version of this kit, this model uses an Ibertren Cuckoo chassis, once commonly used under all sorts of 009 locos. The chassis appears to be quite worn out, there's a lot of play in the axles.

Someone put a lot of time and effort into this build. The axles have been extended and cranks added, and the remains of plastic outside frames can be seen. Unfortunately there's a crank missing from one side, along with that sides connecting and coupling rods. Despite appearances the loco does run!

It looks like the loco once carried full lined black Penrhyn livery, which can still be seen on the cab and cylinders. For some reason the saddletank has been repainted blue with splodges of gold.

My first job will be to strip it down, but first I need to remove the chassis which I think is glued in place. Then I need to strip the paint off, which will hopefully reveal whether its been glued or soldered together. My intention is to reduce it to a kit of parts, once I've done that I can work out some sort of plan.

This will be an interesting exercise for me, as a rule I don't buy built kits as I like everything to be my own work, and I certainly don't buy very tatty builds. So stripping and rebuilding something like this will be a first.

With thanks to Mike for providing me with an instruction sheet, dated 1986.

I've taken lots of photos so I know just what I started with. This might end up being a long project...

References;

Quarry Hunslets of North Wales - Cliff Thomas, Oakwood Press.
Narrow Gauge Railways of North Caernarvonshire Vol. Two The Penrhyn Quarry Railways by J.I.C. Boyd, Oakwood Press

Linda and Blanche are of course still at work on the Festiniog Railway. Albeit modified with tenders and pony trucks.

Paul.