Back in 2007, a UK company called Skytrex introduced a ready-to-run 7mm (British 0 scale) model of an unusual prototype: a 19th century, 0-4-0 steam tram for the Wisbech & Upwell Tramway. I bought one – because, well, I like unusual models. It then sat in its box for many years because I had no real use for it.
Earlier this year, when I decided I would attend the Great British Train Show 2024 at the end of April, I thought it would be fun to take something along – and realized this model is the smallest British locomotive I own so it would fit nicely into carry-on. But if it was going to go to the ball, it would need a better dress…
I’m no expert on trams, but thanks to The Wisbech & Upwell Tramway by Peter Paye (Oakwood Press, 2009), I can share the following. The Great Eastern Railway (GER) built 10 of these tram engines for the W&U between 1883 and 1897. They were classed G15 and numbered 125-134. By 1924, six of them were still on books, but for the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER), which called them the Y6 class . Two survived into the British Railways era and were withdrawn from service in the early 1950s.
The unusual design was due to the nature of the railway, which ran alongside various roadways over much of its five-mile length. Board of Trade regulations stated the wheels, rods, and other workings would be hidden behind skirting with no more than 4″ of clearance from the railhead, and the firebox would be shielded from view. This was done because it was thought that visible motion and fire would scare horses sharing the roadway.
The box on the roof is the receiver that captures steam from the safety valves (described below).
In addition, the safety valves – which prevent steam from building up dangerous / explosive levels of pressure – would not vent to the atmosphere, but rather into a receiver on the roof that drained back into the water tank. This reduced the noise from these important safety appliances – again, so as to not frighten the horses.
Because the tram would share space with the public, it was also fitted with a bell – a common railway appliance in many parts of the world, but rare in the UK. Since the tram engine could be driven from either end, there were cords to each cab for the engineer to ring the bell.
I added the two rope bell pulls to the model’s roof, and real glass to the windows.
(Those familiar with the Thomas the Tank Engine stories by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry will recognize this model as “Toby”. According to Paye, Awdry was familiar with the Wisbech & Upwell because the line ran through his parish and he became friends with many of the staff on the tramway. He introduced Toby the Tram in Volume 7 of his Railway Series. But this model doesn’t have a face – and Awdty’s character was actually a later model with an 0-6-0 wheel arrangement – so don’t call the G15 Toby.)
The Skytrex model is ready to run and nicely finished. For a mass-market plastic model, it’s thoughtfully designed. The roof lifts off to reveal a silhouette of the firebox, boiler, and smoke box, with a vertically-mounted motor tucked into this assembly. The prototype’s teak cabin is nicely painted and while there’s no glazing in the windows there are recesses so the modeller can add some if desired.
I started by upgrading the model with DCC. This is one of the easiest upgrades I’ve done, since splicing a decoder in between the track pick-ups and motor required me to simply pop off the roof – no screwdriver required.
Note the recesses around the windows for adding glazing.
I fitted the model with a Loksound Select that I had in my spares box after upgrading another locomotive to Loksound 5. (Since there are no lights or other fancy functions required for this model, I didn’t need to use a more modern decoder.) The model has four-wheel electrical pickup but no suspension so I knew it would definitely benefit from a stay-alive. I fitted it with a Loksound Power Pack Mini. With so much space inside the model, I realized I could add not one, but two speakers – one to each side of the boiler – in enclosures that sit below the window line.
Given that we see the roofs of our models, I added the bell ropes. I used some EZ Line, but left it slack. It’s not perfect, but it’ll survive getting bumped by errant fingers. Two short pieces of C-channel where the bell ropes would enter the cabs completed the roof.
I then applied some light weathering with an airbrush, primarily to lighten up the black skirting and add some character to the roof. Dry-brushed silver paint spotted on the buffers suggest wear from shoving goods wagons about.
While the paint cured I painted up a pair of 3D printed tram crew from Modelu and cut glazing from microscope slide covers. I installed the glazing with Microscale Kristal Klear and CA’d the figures into place. I do like how they’re leaning out the doorways…
These trams were fitted with a governor to ensure they moved at a sedate pace, so I programmed the DCC decoder to limit the top speed. Here’s the finished tram, running on the test track in my workshop:
This was a fun project that was long overdue. I’m glad I was able to finish something carry-on-friendly in time to take it to the Great British Train Show. I’m still deciding whether I want to subject it to airport security…
The Model Railway Show 