STEAM TRAMS : is there much interest for them on here?

[phils2um]

I don't have any steam tram models myself but I do like looking!

 

[Henri]

My kind of stuff! Love it!

Double traction with the RTM steam trams. Something I didn’t know till recently. It is very rare that two engines were used. The first engine is a Backer & Rueb, the second one a Werkspoor. After building my own model, I’m keen in spotting the tiny differences

 

[Henri]

Sorry I couldn’t resist. Here is No. 16 Backer & Rueb from the RTM, Rotterdam Netherlands.


This is a family picture. The driver and his family, handing over lunch. I’m not sure if this picture was staged or if this did happen now and then, but I really like it.
My favourite detail is the youngest daugther sitting on the buffer... I wonder if her mother knew the results beforehand...



My creation, with an old Stainz as donor for chassis and boiler.

 

[dunnyrail]

My kind of stuff! Love it!

Double traction with the RTM steam trams. Something I didn’t know till recently. It is very rare that two engines were used. The first engine is a Backer & Rueb, the second one a Werkspoor. After building my own model, I’m keen in spotting the tiny differences

View attachment 260239

Chances are with Double Heading that it may be to get a spare Engine back to home base thus saving Track Occupancy. The other possibility is that this consist may have been 1 Coach with Goods to one branch and 1 coach with goods to another. Branch combining at the Junction on return as perhaps a Peak extra.

 

[DafyddElvy]

I rather like steam trams, I have a 1:24 scale version of a Sydney tramways Baldwin steam tram motor and trailer.

View attachment 231814

The little Baldwins were remarkably versatile survivors, over their careers doing everything from high frequency tramway service on busy city streets, to hauling goods, timber and shunting heavy rail wagons. They were fast too, there's anecdotal accounts of Bondi expresses in the steam days reaching 80km/h. An 0-4-0 with tramway profile wheels must have been rather exciting at that speed!

Three survive today, two of which are operational.

View attachment 231815

Of the three, 1A is the only one not currently operational, though it has run in preservation and from what I understand would only need minor work to run again. Here it is on display at the Sydney tram museum, where it is currently on loan from the powerhouse museum. 1A was one of several motors built locally in Sydney by Henry Vale under license.

At some point it was converted to driver only operation, with duplicate controls on the right hand side of the boiler at each end, and the headlight moved up to roof level to provide better driver visibility.

View attachment 231816
By contrast no. 100 (now at the Auckland tram museum in NZ) still retains the original headlight position, and both sets of driving controls are on the same side of the boiler. 100 is fully restored and operational, but I always seem to visit when it's not running, hence the rather average picture!

In service the motors were fired on coke, which apparently meant the fire didn't need a whole lot of attention. The fireman usually stood on the front platform to make rude gestures at careless road users who got in the way.

As well as the Baldwins, Sydney trialed a few different UK made steam tram motors, one of which is mentioned earlier in this thread. They were not successful, generally being too small and light for the work required. Supposedly there was also a UK requirement that all motors made there be limited to a speed of 10mph, something that would have been very limiting in Sydney!

Victoria also had some steam tramways, though nowhere near as extensive as NSW. Melbourne had a huge and well developed cable tramway network from the 1880's, and the regional tramway systems typically went from horse traction straight to electric. The exception was Bendigo, which employed Baldwin motors similar to the NSW ones before electrification.

The difference between the quiet, clean and refined cable tramways in Melbourne and the whistling billowing smoke of the Sydney steam trams was said to be indicative of the difference in character of the two cities, a difference that persists to the present day!

There was another obscure operation in Victoria that was technically a steam tramway, though this one was 3'6"

View attachment 231817
The Sorrento tramway ran from the ferry wharf on Port Philip bay across to the back beach, employing little Baldwin 0-4-0's. They were generally similar to a proper steam tram motor, though without the duplicate controls and with a locomotive style cab. In this photo from around 1900 a tram trundles along Point Nepean road past the pub in Sorrento, on the way to the back beach. Sorrento was just as much of a tourist town then as it is now, more than once I've thought about the tramway on the longish walk from the ferry to the beach, 100 years after it closed.

Out of interest did anyone ever produce a kit or ready to steam model of this steam tram?

 

[Melbournesparks]

Out of interest did anyone ever produce a kit or ready to steam model of this steam tram?

Argyle loco works has had a 1:32 live steam version in development for a while, Page hasn't been updated for a few years though, not sure if it is still making progress.

N.S.W. Govt. Tramways Baldwin Steam Tram Motor and Trailer

N.S.W. Govt. Tramways Baldwin Steam Tram Motor and Trailer Accucraft Scale 1:32, Gauge 45mm, Live Steam (gas), Valve gear: Two working cylinders with side valves, Slip eccentric reversing, 2 livery styles available. Set includes Motor and Trailer. Length: (Motor & Trailer) 530mm (21 inches) An...

argyleloco.com.au

The Sydney steam trams have been popular subjects for scratch builders (including me) so you see a fair few out there, especially in large scale.

This person has modelled a lot of Sydney tramways steam era rollingstock for 3D printing, and has kindly made the files availible for download:

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[dunnyrail]

0 Gauge admittedly, but if you like steam Trams this Rapido will be a lovely model.

Rapido Trains UK J70

Rails of Sheffield - Model Railways Specialists. Your First Stop for Everything Model Railways Related. All major manufacturers stocked. New and Pre-owned, including Bachmann, Dapol, Accurascale, Gaugemaster, Graham Farish, Heljan, Peco, DCC Concepts plus many more. Family Run Business, 50...

railsofsheffield.com

 

[dunnyrail]

Another one found today, this interesting site has LED lighting as well but the Dutch Steam Tram is an interesting new product. But at that price I would expect it to be G scale, ouch.

ooievaar

Buy steam tram in 1:87 of the HTM 8 'Ooievaar'.

tramfabriek.co.uk

 

[DafyddElvy]

Another one found today, this interesting site has LED lighting as well but the Dutch Steam Tram is an interesting new product. But at that price I would expect it to be G scale, ouch.

ooievaar

Buy steam tram in 1:87 of the HTM 8 'Ooievaar'.

tramfabriek.co.uk

Geese oh, your not wrong about the price, quite a bit for a H0 model.

 

[DafyddElvy]

0 Gauge admittedly, but if you like steam Trams this Rapido will be a lovely model.

Rapido Trains UK J70

Rails of Sheffield - Model Railways Specialists. Your First Stop for Everything Model Railways Related. All major manufacturers stocked. New and Pre-owned, including Bachmann, Dapol, Accurascale, Gaugemaster, Graham Farish, Heljan, Peco, DCC Concepts plus many more. Family Run Business, 50...

railsofsheffield.com

Your a bad man making me aware of temptation like that, a bad man indeed.
Hobby money has been ring fenced for projects and I am not going to get a J70.
Note to self, you are not going to get a J70 .......

 

[trammayo]

Tour a bad man making me aware of temptation like that, a bad man indeed.
Hobby money has been ring fenced for projects and I am not going to get a J70.
Note to self, you are not going to get a J70 .......

What does EOI mean?

 

[dunnyrail]

What does EOI mean?

Hm not sure exactly, but will be something to do with being in development.

 

[PhilP]

Tour a bad man making me aware of temptation like that, a bad man indeed.
Hobby money has been ring fenced for projects and I am not going to get a J70.
Note to self, you are not going to get a J70 .......

So, have you ordered one yet?


PhilP

 

[Degauss]

What does EOI mean?

Expression Of Interest

i.e. no money required

 

[Henri]

Financially it is not a good idea to resurrect this old topic…

 

[DafyddElvy]

So, have you ordered one yet?


PhilP

Naw
Just naw
Go away you bad man, I'm not listening to you.

This talk of steam trams has already seen me buy a set of cylinders around which to build a steam tram

 

[playmofire]

This talk of steam trams has already seen me buy a set of cylinders around which to build a steam tram

You're on the slippery slope.