HE3806 - Wilbert
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Detaljeret beskrivelse
Detaljeret beskrivelse
'Wilbert', som vi kender ham, blev bygget af Hunslet, Leeds, i 1953. En af en række "efterkrigs"-nedskæringer, bestilt af National Coal Board. Den blev leveret i december samme år til Rawnsley lokomotivremise, Staffordshire, til dens første anvendelse i South Staffordshires kulfelt og blev malet i en lysegrøn farve. Fabriksnummer '3806' havde en gennemsnitlig levetid, hvor den flyttede rundt i kulfeltet til Cannock-remisen og derefter West Cannock. På et tidspunkt i løbet af sin arbejdskarriere blev den udstyret med ikke-standardiserede "lukkede sidetrin" til trinbrættet.
Austerity-lokomotivet blev erhvervet af en gruppe medlemmer fra Dean Forest Railway og leveret til Parkend i 1976. Her stod '3806' og ventede på sin tur til at blive restaureret, hvilket blev realiseret et par gange senere, efter at det blev overført til Norchard og ejerskabet blev overført til Dean Forest Railway-selskabet – og dermed blev det det første lokomotiv, der blev ejet af jernbanen. Nu udstyret med vakuumbremser og lakeret i en attraktiv mørkeblå, rød linjebemaling, fik '3806' sit første navn i august 1981. Det skulle være "GB Keeling" efter den første chefmaskiningeniør på Severn and Wye Railway, som senere skulle blive til Dean Forest Railway.
Den 13. september 1987 blev lokomotivet omdøbt til "Wilbert" til ære for pastor Wilbert Awdry, skaberen af Railway-serien og Thomas tanklokomotivet, som på det tidspunkt var formand for Dean Forest Railway. Der var en lille ceremoni, hvor Wilbert Awdry afslørede det nye navn for sine venner, familie og inviterede gæster. I 1994 udgav Christopher Awdry bog nummer 38 i Railway-serien (som han havde overtaget fra sin far) med titlen "Wilbert the Forest Engine", som var fire noveller om "Wilbert", der besøgte øen Sodor fra sin hjemmebane i Forest of Dean (endnu en austerity, "Sixteen", er beskrevet i denne bog, som har en slående lighed med "Warrior", som også findes på DFR og er tilgængelig i vores hovedparti).
Lokomotivet fortsatte med at arbejde på DFR og var udlånt, hvor det blandt andet var på Swanage Railway, Weardale Railway og Peak Rail. Den sidste kedelbøde udløb i 2016, da Wilbert blev sat på lager i afventning af en eftersyn. Denne eftersyn startede senere på året med fjernelse af dele, inklusive kedlen, men blev hurtigt afsporet, da jernbanen havde mere presserende problemer at finansiere, og der ikke var noget øjeblikkeligt behov for yderligere operationel nedskæring. Covid-19-pandemien satte eftersynet på pause på ubestemt tid, og Wilbert blev rangeret til enden af et sidespor. I 2021 var der et glimt af håb, da Dean Forest Railway Society havde indvilliget i at købe 50% af aktierne i Wilbert fra jernbaneselskabet, og en eftersyn ville være betinget af fundraising. Med en anslået pris på over £100.000 skulle dette ikke være nogen lille bedrift og gik desværre i stå igen.
I 2024 henvendte vi os til pastor Awdrys familie for at bede om deres velsignelse til at lave en model af lokomotivet med Wilberts navn, og det blev foreslået, at vi kunne bruge midlerne fra salget af modellen til at donere til det rigtige lokomotiv på Dean Forest Railway. Familien var enige om, at det ville være en fantastisk idé, så diskussioner med DFR-foreningen startede derefter. Der blev modtaget tilbud på en fuldstændig kosmetisk (ikke-driftsmæssig) renovering, og jernbanen indvilligede i, at Wilbert efter renoveringen skulle placeres på en fremtrædende plads på Norchard station sammen med informationstavler, der kunne fortælle historien om Wilbert Awdry (manden) og Wilbert (lokomotivet) og byde gæster og besøgende velkommen til jernbanen. Vi håber, at ved at restaurere Wilbert vil han fortsætte med at inspirere fremtidige entusiaster på samme måde, som mange af os selv blev inspireret.
Specifikation
Specifikation
Belysning og DCC
Belysning og DCC
Fælles funktioner
Fælles funktioner
This has to be one of the best Steam locomotives Accurascale has done. Smooth running and sound versions are great. The Wilbert Exclusive includes a letter from Richard Awdry ( Grandson of Revered Wilbert Awdry) nice touch to be included. Having owned the old Hornby version and poor running DJM version this one is a refreshing change.
Fantastic charity restoration charity purchase
Exclusive charity so proceeds going to a great cause
We’ve waited for a long while for this one, and Accurascale delivered something wonderful. This is easily the best Austerity tank in the market right now.
The details & livery application is beautiful, it runs super well, and it’s heavier than I expected it would be.
I’m so happy we finally have a good modern Austerity, and I’m even happier that Wilbert was included in the roster too. A superb job indeed.
What a worthy cause! The supporting documentation has been created with care and of the locomotive is Accurascale so is fabulous (manufacturer of the year)
Very nice edition with certificate and letter inside. The special box is also worth a mention as that also adds to the unique feel of the model. The model performs better than any other J94 I have owned, along with excellent detail.
Many Models of the Austerity Loco Have Been on the market for many years now but none come close to the Detail and Mechanism of Accurascale. This Model Of the famous Dean Forest Engine has come to life in Miniature, Not lacking in detail parts, Coming with lamps and Various accessories to make the loco pop. The Clear Transparent NEM couplings is something i hope stays in the future, as it makes the model more realistic, without having a noticeable NEM coupling. Bravo Accurascale for making a model many fans of the railway series will love and supporting the real Locomotive towards its restoration.
A Fantastic, well needed model, paired with excellent customer service.
Beautiful little engine with an exceptionally detailed cab
Touching letter (in envelope) from Rev Wilbert Awdry family
The model is a reasonable representation of 3806. A locomotive that I was very much involved in both restoring, firing and driving on the Dean Forest railway. the colour scheme is a fair representation including the cream interior on the foot plate. I was involved in getting the reverend W AWDRY to name the locomotive. There are two glaring obvious emissions. One, the nameplate shown on the model 3806 only carried for about three months as WILBERT shortly after naming was awarded an OBE so the name of underneath should really have OBE after his name.
Secondly, as shown in the photograph, the grab handle on the front step has been removed and a mechanical lubricator driven from the front wheel was fitted. This does not appear on the model.
Three, the registration plate from the railway executive is also missing. it is a cast iron plate and around the periphery says.” registered by the railway executive, number 65, 1952.”
I would suggest that perhaps you took a standard Hunslet austerity and repainted it.
I don’t know how the locomotive runs as I do not intend to run it on my model railway.
For the Price I would say it represent reasonable value for money. I just hope I live long enough to see the real 3806 restored once again and back in steam.
The best austerity j94 I own! Stunning
Lots of extra thoughtful exclusive materials
A lovely engine, the detail and decoration are great, plus it has a good weight to it. A smooth runner also.
After purchasing a previous model from the Austerity range, I was so impressed with the quality taken during manufacturing it seemed a no brainier to obtain a second one.
Another fantastic model and a very happy customer
It may just be 'another Austerity' to some, but the real-life locomotive has relative fame what with being named after the author of what is perhaps the greatest series of railway-related stories there is. The model has some real hefty weight to it and just looks superb all over. The fact that some of the price is going towards the cosmetic do-up of the original is another bonus and its comforting to know that major manufacturers are willing to support our heritage like this.
The extras in the detailing pack are also a pleasant bonus.
An excellent model, albeit with a wonky cabside step.
Runs smoothly and quietly, although the pickups were noisy without adjusting them.
Super easy to access the DCC socket, however servicing the model is very fiddly, and the instructions to take the base keeper plate or body off are incomplete (no mention of removing the brake rigging, which prevents the base keeper from moving, and no mention of where the various pipes you need to remove actually connect, or that you have to disconnect the cabside steps from either the chassis or the running plate, given the running plate is part of the body.
A big step up from the DJM release of 10 years ago, but a step backwards in terms of being able to service the model (important for 2nd hand models especially)
Let me start off by saying I don't even really like the Austerity Tank Engines (crucify me all ya want, there's a reason why they call them "buckets"). But this specific livery inspired my fictional passenger livery for my custom-painted models, and the late Reverend's works were both the majority and my favorite part of my childhood.
I only found out Wilbert (the engine) was in such a sad state when Accurascale revealed this project, and I immediately placed a pre-order, happy to help the cause. Fast-Forward a year and change, I've got the model in my hands and I adore the thing. The weight is immense, the detail is astounding (the cab alone is one of the best I've ever seen), it runs beautifully, and the little extras like the letter from the Awdry Family warmed my heart. The single minor nitpick/issue I found: The couplings are biased towards the Right/Driver side, which shouldn't be hard to fix, as I've already managed to fix one just while writing this review, and they provided 2 spares in the detail kit.
All around an astounding model that was absolutely worth the price tag!
Pictured: Side view of model in a Loco Cradle w/ contents of detail pack displayed beside the model & on top of the Accurascale Exclusive sheet
Excellent looking loco, detail inside cab is brilliant. Runs perfect as you would expect. Only thing to note is that the firebox flicker didnt work on DC. I have put decoder in and it works fine. Would have been nice to have light for DC mode though.
A supurb deatiled, smooth running tribute of a model overall, that would make the Rev.W.Awdry proud!
Looks wonderful
