# Aster GWR Kingswear Castle



## main131 (Jan 3, 2008)

The Engine recently exhibited at Swindon ran at Thurnby today for the best part of one hour. 
Early impressions indicate that Aster have a real winner here. 
'The Castle' was amazingly smooth especially when one considers that this was it's first real test. 
Pressure was steady throughout with the pump easily holding it's own. The safety valves lifted a couple of times in a controlled environment. 
Yep. It looked good to me with it's Great Western livery, sparkling in the late summer sunshine. 
Other engines running today was a Cab Forward. an Aster Duchess. also an Aster Shay plus an Accucraft Garratt, an S12 plus the Aristo live steam 2-8-2 live steam Mikado. O yes also a delightful Lady Anne from Roundhouse. 
Frankly, they all looked a lot of fun!


----------



## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Andrew 
Glad to see you enjoying an excellent running soon to be offering for the steam community.


----------



## Rob Meadows (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks for posting the pictures, I don't suppose anyone took some video?


----------



## AsterUK (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Trevor for a great afternoon of steaming. 

Picture of the Castle resting after the run in the Autumn sunshine. Also a picture of Tony's Duchess to prove that other quality locos were run too. 

TAC you were missed but your absence did mean more cake for everyone else!


----------



## Mike O (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for posting. Great pictures. A very handsome engine indeed. Does the fence extend around the entire layout? Nicely done. 

Who makes appropriate rolling stock for the Castle? 

Thanks 
Mike


----------



## F7 (Jan 29, 2008)

Andrew, 
Yes, the Castle certainly looks elegant with those long legged 6 foot 8 1/2 inch coupled wheels. 
Please, does the new Aster Kingswear Castle have working drain cocks? 
Patrick


----------



## AsterUK (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike, I think the fence runs all the round the track. It is very neat and makes a nice feature for photos. I am sure Trevor will give us the full story. 

Patrick. No cylinder drain valves on this one since there is just so much stuff between the frames already. And as can be seen from the other Castle MLS thread, we are using Slide Valves on this loco since Piston valves are too complex here. We will revert to Cylinder Drains and Piston Valves on future UK Asters as long as that is practical. Please keep in mind that the construction of kits is a holy grail for Aster who want the builder to succeed and gain pleasure and satisfaction from their building experience. Too complex kits are to be avoided. 

Andrew


----------



## AsterUK (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike, regarding stock to run with the Aster Castle take a look at - 

http://www.tower-models.com/ and follow liks to Gauge 1 and Tower Brass. 

These are good coaches and suitable for the Castle BR version. 

Andrew


----------



## F7 (Jan 29, 2008)

Andrew, 
Yes I agree that the Aster kits are real pleasure to build, in fact my SNCF-140-C-302 (Dabeg) was finished far to quickly as the instructions and the quality of the parts just made the build a real pleasure. I am now the lucky owner of a locomotive that runs like a Swiss hand made mechanical wrist watch (Patek Philippe of course). 

I just cannot make up my mind what to build next, so that is why I am asking myself the questions, should I buy another Aster or another Patek Philippe? ................ 

Patrick


----------



## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Andrew 

The Tower Models Mk1 coaching stock is fine for BR. Alan Wright in Canada lists his Collet coaches, and if Finescale delivered regularly, they (used to) have a fine range of Bars I Toplights, and had planned to dothe Collets as well. Since David Leech is "not in the game", can you suggest other 1:32 ( NOT 10mm) coaching stock sources for the GWR era Castle, regardless of price? I would not take these as recommendations, only a list of known manufacturers / importers / builders. 

My order is in. 

Thanks 

Dr Rivet 

Dr Rivet


----------



## AsterUK (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim 

Thanks for reminding me about Alan Wright and his rolling stock. The examples I have seen from Alan are good. 

The other builder who makes a varied selection in 1/32nd scale is Peter Rogers. I have some of his SR Bulleid coaches which are excellent. 

Golden Age Models make the best Pullmans ever although the GWR never used Pullmans! 

Also keep an eye on TMS models http://www.tmsmodels.biz for pre-owned stock. 

Don't forget Jim that you can have a Castle in BR livery (probably special order via Hans) and so the Tower Models BR Mk1's are then suitable and you can run the same rolling stock with a BR SpamCan, BR Duchess and 9F / Evening Star etc 

Hope that helps 

Andrew


----------



## Rob Meadows (Jan 6, 2008)

Andrew, 
Never say never. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/hehe.gif The GWR did indeed use Pullmans for a brief period. They ran the Torquay Pullman for two seasons out of paddington in 1929 and 1930. The south Wales Pullman in the 1950's under BR was Castle hauled. 
Is the proper colour on the Aster Castle a match to that on the Aster pannier tanks? 
Rob


----------



## AsterUK (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Rob, I didn't know of the Torquay Pullman. I did know about the S Wales Pullman in the 1950's and have asked Guilplates to make me a headboard so I can run the BR version of the Castle with a few Pullmans I have. 

I can't tell you if the new Aster Castle matches the paint on the Aster GWR Pannier tanks becuase I don't have a Pannier just now./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/sad.gif I would say at a guess that the Castle color is tending a little more towards a yellowish green but I could be wrong. 

Andrew


----------



## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Andrew 

Thanks for the suggestions. Does Peter Rogers advertise anywhere? Did not see anything in the G1MRA NL&J. 

Mike Moore and I have a set of BR Mk1 kits purchased from David L that will end up in the BR Maroon color. Unfortunately (for the purist anyway), not all Diagrams provided by DL were rostered in the WR of BR, so our train will have cars lettered for the other regions. For those willing to finish the semi-kits, these cars represent a moderately less cost alternative to the brass stock. These were purchased to run with the BR Spam Can and 9F. 

I admit to having several of the FSLCo cars, purchased when the pound/dollar ratio was far more favorable ($1.46 to $1.55 per GBP). 

Regards


----------



## Mike O (Jan 2, 2008)

Andrew, 

Just got back on. Thanks for the info. 

Mike


----------



## AsterUK (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim, check out NL&J 217 P81 for Peter Rodgers Coaches. Be sure to deal with Peter direct. 

I have one David Leech coach which was supplied so that I could get some reasonable publicity photos for the BR Bulleid Pacific/ They are fine but the wait (3-4 years) is just too much for me. 

In the UK the market is open for quality coaches at sensible prices, it may be the same in the US. IMHO a supplier has to attend the G1 meetings with coaches ready to sell. Just taking an order and waiting for years is no good. We have quality lcomotives on the shelves waiting for an owner but with coaches its a different story. 

The answer may be Tower Models who suply a good brass coach for the owner to detail and paint. At the meoment the price is too high. 


Andrew


----------



## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Andrew 

Thanks. I must have just looked right "through" the page. With Tower Models putting the 20% price increase on the site (due to the builder raising prices), the prices end up in excess of $800 for raw brass. Not unusual in the brass market, but still makes a full rake pretty expensive by the time you add in the finishing work. 

Jim


----------



## AsterUK (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim 

The Tower Models G1 coaches are expensive in comparison with their 'O' gauge coaches. I hope that if they have success in G1 with their initial 100 units of BR Mk1's that they will be encouraged to do others and the prices will be more realistic. 

For example a BR Mk 1 in 'O' costs GB Pounds 150 inc VAT if you buy 4 units but a G1 version of the same thing costs GBPounds 375 inc VAT. If Tower wake up and realise that they have a good market opportunity if they get sensible on pricing then we could be looking at a serious alternative. Meanwhile I like the look of Alan Wright's GWR Collett coaches. 

Andrew


----------



## tony23 (Jan 2, 2008)

Andrew, did you forget Curlew coaches he builds to 10mm and 1/32nd scale they may not be as precise as say 'Golden Age' but for everyday running and the price they are value for money.


----------



## Alan Wright (Jan 9, 2008)

Andrew, 

Thank you for mentioning our coaches. We were not able to post pictures of the GWR Colletts but Charles Bednarik was good enough to post some under the subject "Wright GWR coaches". Not shown are the Restaurant Composite Car and the three car Dining Third / Kitchen / Dining First set that match the coaches shown. 

The introduction of the GWR Castle by Aster has generated many enquiries and customers have ordered coaches to be ready for Asters delivery. 

Alan and Phyl Wright 
Orangeville 
Ontario 
www.wrightwayrollingstock.com


----------



## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

As per this discussion and Alan's reference here is the link: 
http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...rumid/11/postid/51427/view/topic/Default.aspx


----------



## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Alan 

If you have a 3 car dining set with a Dining 1st , it follows there must be some 1st class coaches in the formation attached. Compos would not do. Any plan to add a First to your range which shows, Brake 3rd, Full 3rd, and Composite? The Bristolian ran with a large formation and included 1st class cars. 

Regards 

Jim


----------



## Alan Wright (Jan 9, 2008)

Jim, 

There were no all first Collett coaches and it would have been more common for one of our Retaurant composite cars to be used with them. The three car set was used on long distance trains and it is quite possible that they would have been used in combination with Colletts and with other coach sets that were in use art that time on the GWR.


----------



## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi All - Especially the guys at Thurnby. What a beautiful model Andrew has provided for the many fans of the GWR over there in UK. I say, 'over there', because sadly for some, and happily for many others, I am writing this note to you all from a beautiful clear cedar-wood home built on a ten-acre lot half-way up a mountain-side about ten miles outh of Eugene, Oregon. This morning I dragged out of my bed to watch the sunrise over the nearby mountains and then dragged out to our shooting spot up in the hills, 'bout five miles away, where many a tin can was executed. 

Somebody has to do it, I guess..... 

I am glad that Alan has been pursuaded to post piccies of his fine GWR stock but what you cannot see, of course, is the detail inside the compartments. with mirrors and advertisements just like those of a certain age will remember. Beautiful work, Alan, and they will make a fine sight behind the new loco. 

As for the accusation that no cake is safe within cake-sniper distance, I have to hold up my paw and plead guilty. Now that I'm in the land of pie and cake for a while, you will be pleased to hear that I am doing my utmost to uphold a reputation gained over many years at countless venues where live-cake steam is run. 

Best to all at Thurnby and at Aster UK, and, of course, to all the rest of you too. 

tac & ig [the 'no pie is safe' vulture]


----------



## Alan Wright (Jan 9, 2008)

Tac,
While you are swaning around in Oregon WE are working our way through the order list for coaches. I say WE because my wife Phyl is the one that is in charge of the interiors and all the fiddly bits. I keep myself busy making coffee answering the phone and baking pies. 
We are working on developing a line of Gresley Teaks which we should introduce later this year.
Have a good holiday. Now get off the computer and enjoy the scenery.


----------



## Great Western (Jan 2, 2008)

The Great Western Railway did have some Collett all first coaches. They were 60'1" and built to diagrams A20 (lot1581), running numbers 8043-8052 of 1937 and A22 (lot 1586) , running numbers 8092-8111 of1938.

This information can be found on pages 230/231 of Jim Russells excellent book - A picture of Great Western Coaches Part II (1903-1948).


Which trains they were used in I can't say but there were obviously occasions where coaches were added to the regular formations due to extra bookings, or charters.


As in all modeling there was sometimes a prototype for every occasion.


----------

