Baguley-Drewry E 10

Back during the Covid 19 period in 2021 I bought an Accucraft Baguley-Drewry 6 wheel loco in 32 mm gauge in a relatively good bargain on eBay. I wanted a Baguley-Drewry because a loco of that type worked in Denmark and ended its career at Nystrup Gravel. Now the model is on the worktable for conversion into the Nystrup Gravel version from the early 1950's.

The finished TU4 is ready to go on a shelf while the Baguley-Drewry will be 'living' on the workbench for some time.

The 150 hp Baguley-Drewry locos were built and marketed for sugar cane lines Africa, Australia and the Pacific area from 1948-1949. The locos did good service until they became too small for the longer and longer cane trains, some surviving a little longer in use as shunters at the mills. A single 150 hp Baguley-Drewry loco came to Denmark in 1949 working as E 10 at the sugar factory in Saxkøbing and working there for a few years before doing limited service on the Nystrup Gravel line.

Not the E 10, but one of Saxkøbing Sugar Factory's 16 ton 8-couplers from Frichs, Denmark. The Baguley-Drewry E 10 was painted in the same characteristic livery of light blue and ivory.

I began work on the model back in november 2021 with removing current collecting gear and test running the loco on battery power with an interim battery installation. Since then the loco has been standing in a cupboard. Now it's been taken out to be my current major project, and the list of planned modifications is quite substantial:

• removal of the original coupling gear and adding new scratchbuilt ones
• working headlight front and rear
• 3 red warning lights arranged in a triangle on each cab side
• new warning horn 
• new radiator cover
• hinges and handles on bonnet doors
• adding manufacturer's sign on bonnet front
• lid for sand box on bonnet top
• jack and brackets for mounting
• battery installation
• fitting LocoRemote Maxi control unit
• adding rudimentary cab interior and floor
• driver figure
• total repaint and custom designed decals

While the list is overwhelmingly long, only the installation of the 3 warning lights on each side of the loco will be a new challenge. I'm sure the wiring job will see me sweat, though! 

The old radiator cover has been cut out with the Proxxon's cutting disc. The remaining pieces will be removed with knife and sanding stick. On the top of the bonnet I have cut away the old handrails and horn. Sanding is in progress.

I have removed the old horn and handrails on the bonnet and cut away the old radiator cover, and I will be working my way slowly through designing and adding parts in the coming weeks. It's unthinkable that I shouldn't fall for the temptation to add in between-projects, and the Baguley-Drewry is probably destined to become a long drawn out project. I hope you will have the patience to follow the proces!