New Loco Project

While putting the finishing touches on my first 16 mm scale loco I'm already in full swing planning my next loco project. I have several locos listed that I would like to build, but my choise fell on a loco from the largest Danish narrow gauge loco manufacturer Pedershaab Maskinfabrik (Pedershaab Machineworks).

Pedershaab loco with 'semi-closed cab' at a major road viaduct project in Haderslev, Denmark in 1952. Photo: Historisk Arkiv for Haderslev Kommune B5921.

Pedershaab Maskinfabrik was established in 1877. After a major reorganisation in 1915 the company concentrated on equipment for the cement and concrete industry. In 1925-1926 the first narrow gauge loco was produced resulting in a production of close to 500 until the last loco was delivered in 1963. A small number of locos were exported to primarily Norway and Finland.

Pedershaab also produced excavators, cement mixers, gravel handling machinery, concrete formwork and road rollers. The factory in Brønderslev is still active designing and producing machines for the concrete industry as a part of HawkeyePedershaab. Advert from 'The Engineer' 1943.

Gravel sorting, storing and loading facility supplied by Pedershaab to the Hans Jørgensen gravel company on the Danish island of Fyn. To the left of all the cars a Pedershaab locomotive is parked with its rear end facing the photographer. Photo: IBK archive.

As Pedershaab quickly built up a good reputation and had sales channels to contractors and gravel companies, a large number of Pedershaab's production initially went to them. Later other companies looking for a dependable and solid little locomotive became faithfull customers.

Pedershaab's first locos were named type HSL after the designer H. S. Lindhardt. This HSL was built 1930 for Taastrup Brickworks (only 500 m from where I live). Photo from a film about brick production. See the film below.

Film from 1940 showing brick making at Taastrup Brickworks. Instructed by H. Andersen and filmed by Axel Ørsted. From the Danish film site 'Denmark on film' containing more than 1000 films from 1899-1995. Available for non-commercial use free of charge.

With the type PCM in the early 1930's the Pedershaab locos reached maturity and through the next 10 years about 100 locos of the type PCM and PM-F were built.

Pedershaab's next type of loco was the PCM - here VBV (Danish State Costal Protection Department) No 9 (PM 124/1934). IBK archive.

In the late 1930's Pedershaab introduced type D. With a sturdy welded deep frame and solid bonnet with rounded top, the type was the most numerous Pedershaab loco and with minor changes the type that ended the company's locomotive production. Even today type D locos are in service making valuable transport support for the Danish peat producer Pindstrup Mosebrug. Primarily in the Baltic countries, but a single Pedershaab is still available for peat transport on the Fuglsø Mose facility in Denmark. It's been rebuilt with modern drive line etc., but 65-70 years of service is nevertheless quite impressive.

600 mm Pedershaab loco with open driver's position at the German refugee camp at Oksbøl, Denmark. The crew is mostly made up from youngsters in leftover military coats. With 35.000 refugees the camp was the sixth largest 'city' in Denmark in 1946. Most Pedershaab locos were delivered without cab. Photo: Blåvandshuk Lokalhistoriske Arkiv.

The Pedershaab type D was delivered with a range of different engines. With a Ford-engine the locos were labeled type FD, with a Danish built BurWain-engine BWD and with a Fordson-engine the type was called FDD. Advert from 'The Engineer', 1942.

Pedershaab-loco at Fuglsø Mose, 2014. Probably built in the 1940's this loco is still in service. See more on this blog post from 2014. 

Modelling wise I have aquired a Swift Sixteen 'adjustable length power bogie' to ensure my Pedershaab model becomes as trusty a loco as a real Pedershaab. More on that and on drawings in a later blog post.