Neville the New Engine - OO Gauge

Neville the New Engine, is based on what can be called the last working mainline 0-6-0 steam locomotives designed by O.S.V. Bulleid for the Southern Railway Company in 1942. My model of Neville was made using a Hornby Q1 0-6-0 that already exists in the range, with some slight modifications, the removal of the southern 'C' number and the lettering from the tender, and the addition of the running number '33010', and a plaster moulded face which was formed using a basic latex mould from a trackmaster Neville model.

Historical Information on Bulleid's Q1 Locomotives

The Q1 was fitted with Bulleid Firth Brown driving wheels of 5' 1" diameter, the design first seen on the the Merchant Navy class. The boiler was the largest that would fit, using the boiler plates from a Lord Nelson class. The stepped light-weight external cladding was minimalist 'streamline' styling again, and not having running boards reduced the weight further. The 1942 design that emerged was the most powerful 0-6-0 steam locomotive that has ever run on Britain's railways. Powerful and light, the forty Q1s formed the backbone of the Southern's heavy freight capability.
Although built under the wartime 'Austerity' regime, which stressed functionality first, the styling can also be attributed to Bulleid's modern streamlined boxy look.

But this loco was also designed to be driver/fireman friendly, including an enclosed cab which both protected the crew and reduced the chances of being spotted by enemy aircraft. The tender's sliding shutters also revealed water fillers accessible to the footplate, saving the fireman from always having to go the top of the tender.

All of the forty Q1s were built during 1942; half were built at Brighton (C1 - C16), and half at Ashford (C17 - C36), there being distinct differences between the two builds. After the war the shed allocation varied in the main between Guilford, Feltham, Eastleigh and Tonbridge, and later Three Bridges; just a few being placed at Nine Elms and Hither Green sheds.
Most worked for over 20 years, though their war-time weight saving caused some problems in later life, when thin steel plates became rather porous. I have been told that in latter days some crews were instructed to shut off the regulator when entering stations, so that they didn't blow ash out of the sides of the smokebox on to passengers !
Bulleid's Southern Railway Q1 was a great success, the ultimate development of the British 0-6-0 freight engine, and remains the last class of 0-6-0 main line steam locomotives built in Britain.


Images are copyright © Daniel Snell