517 Rear (Closed Cab - 1473 Late)

00 Gauge, 1:76, 4mm/Foot

Body Rear Only

The GWR Armstrong 517 Class 0-4-2T locomotives were built by the Great Western Railway at their Wolverhampton Works, in several batches between 1868 and 1885. These locomotives were the for-runner of the GWR 48XX Auto tank which later took the 14XX series of numbers which some of the 517s carried.

The kit is designed to fit a modified HORNBY 48XX/14XX chassis (Originally made by Dapol)

Please Note: This kit is NOT designed to fit the original Airfix version as this has a larger motor.

Chassis Modifications:

(a)    At the front of the chassis, part of the casting which protrudes up into the smoke box to be filed back to allow the body to fit (see image above);

(b)    The front and rear sandboxes will also need to be removed;

(c)     Depending on which member of the class you are modeling and at what time in its life, you may wish to remove the outside frames around the trailing wheels and sand boxes.

These locomotives were rebuilt many times throughout their lives resulting in a wide number of variations. I have therefore split this kit into seven components to allow some of these variations to be modeled by mixing and matching alternative parts. The full list with links is as follows:

(Note not all variants are available at present as they are still being developed)

1.       1 x 517 front available as two alternatives:

(i)                  Front Body Assembly (Early); - UNDER DEVELOPMENT

(ii)                Front Body Assembly (Late) https://www.shapeways.com/product/FQJMKQK6T/517-front-body-assembly-late.

2.       1 x 517 rear available as 3 alternatives follows:

(i)                  517 Rear-Round Firebox, Open Cab Straight Bunker https://www.shapeways.com/product/8MSWB98A4?key=5370eeeb10f2a1a773984b796a34d853;

(ii)                517 Rear-Belper Firebox, Open Cab Straight Bunker https://www.shapeways.com/product/SW7TBQEN5/517-rear-belper-firebox-open-cab-straight-bunker;

(iii)               517 Rear (Closed Cab - 1473 Late) - This Print.

3.       1x Smoke box door available as follows:

(i)                  GWR 517 Smokebox Door – Early https://www.shapeways.com/product/ENF3S2GY8/gwr-517-smokebox-door-early;

(ii)                GWR 517 Smokebox Door – Late https://www.shapeways.com/product/BPJ6BGXWN/517-smokebox-door-late;

4.       1x Tank Fillers & Tool Boxes Type 1 (best printed in brass or bronze for strength https://www.shapeways.com/product/QF7UXAQW3/tank-fillers-tool-boxes-type-1.

This print, Part 2, 517 Rear (Part 2c - Closed Cab - 1473 Late), represents a closed cab version with a Belper firebox which were fitted to many of the class towards the end of their working life and is based upon the Woodstock branch locomotive No 1473. This locomotive was based at Oxford for most of its life and was named "Fair Rosamund". However, this part would be suitable for some other members of the same class.

In addition the chassis and the above body parts you will need the following:

1.       GWR flat bottomed Safety Valve Cover (you will need to widen the hole if you intend to use the one from the 14XX);

2.       A replacement Body Fixing screw (10 BA);

3.       Buffers (Slatters Ref 4908 GWR Dean/Churchward/Armstrong);

4.       Vacuum brake pipes, name and number plates, paint and transfers;

5.       A pair of whistles will be needed for the open cab versions.


517 Rear (Closed Cab - 1473 Late)