Hey guys, Check out the John English yardbird that I finished up this week.
Cool little engine!
Good job!
Very cool…
There aren’t a lot of those out there left. I built one in the late 50’s and and found an accessory kit that had a great valve gear addition. Tons of monkey motion. I still have it but have not put it over to DCC so it is on my “museum” shelf
They were good solid runners and strong pullers. The DC60 motor was bullet proof.
see ya
Bob
Yes the after-market valve gear addition (I cannot now recall whether that came from Kemtron or Cal-Scale) really helped the appearance of the Yardbird. While we are on the topic, remember the very similar looking plastic unpowered Pennsy 0-4-0 from Hobbyline that sold for a buck and half?
http://hoseeker.net/hobbyline/hobbylinecatalog1957page1.jpg
Some guys used that plastic boiler/cab casting and modeified it to fit on Mantua/Tyco 0-4-0 power chassis, but it called for modifications to be sure. And it badly needed extra weight. That conversion made sense only if you happened to have the Mantua engine and wanted it to be more like the PRR A5. If you were starting from the beginning the John English engine and added valve gear made more sense.
Dave Nelson
I remember grafting a Central Valley dockside valve gear kit into it. I still have about four of those kits laying around. In fact I may still have a few Mantua valve gear kits. I just can’t bring myself to let go of some of those old detail kits. I guess that if someone needed one I’d part with one but I just can’t throw 'em away.
see ya
Bob
[quote user=“Boise Nampa & Owyhee”]
I remember grafting a Central Valley dockside valve gear kit into it. I still have about four of those kits laying around. In fact I may still have a few Mantua valve gear kits. I just can’t bring myself to let go of some of those old detail kits. I guess that if someone needed one I’d part with one but I just can’t throw 'em away.
see ya
Bob
So Bob, are you willing to part with one of those Central Valley Valve gear kits. I think that would finish off my little locomotive pretty good.
Yep … I have an original one in an unopened package.
The Central Valley part number was k-11. and it has the instructions inside. They did not include a riveting too in these kits. I have successfully used an awl that is not sharpened to a fine point but flares quickly with about a 30 degree angle, rather like a drill bit and worked it with a peening hammer.
This is an early package that is before 1956… it might be criminal to open it
e-mail me at bobparrish770@gmail.com
see ya
Bob
Nice model. I started one in 1950 that I finally finished last year though I have not painted it yet. That is a nice looking model.