Page 11 - November December 2012

UPDATING THE CNR
W A Corkill
The Autumn 1979 ‘Continental Modeller’ contained a list of HO scale brass imports which needs ending off with the very last Canadian brass model imported by Van Hobbies, which had started under Phil Crawley and Ron Small in 1947 and had imported a wide range of Canadian brass locos and cars before by the late 1980s they complained loudly that hobby shops only ordered one or two samples of a new model at first, then they waited until it was too late before sending large orders nobody could do anything with. Their very last project was a Canadian National U­1­a/b class 4­8­2 from 1923–24 which, when fitted with a jutting feedwater heater tank atop the smokebox, looked every inch the rugged Big New Power of the 1920s era.
As I rode behind No. 6034 on the Ocean Limited from Halifax, Nova Scotia in December 1941 I always wanted one, and I converted a “Bullet Nosed Betty” or U­1­f (minus its Vanderbilt tender). I then ordered a spare tender, but the Far East suppliers
cut costs and ignored all spares orders. And that shut the door on modellers who had wanted to take short cuts!
In 2012, “Roundhouse” illustrated some new Bachmann 2­6­0 models at affordable prices but disguised as CNR 6000 class 4­8­ 2s. Well, Xmas offers sometimes include freelance models adapted by repainting in strange liveries such as CNR instead of Southern Pacific Daylight, or Alaska RR, and because it is the festive season (and it gets little Johnny started on a new hobby) everybody is happy. Or so it seems.
What was not available in 1979 was colour printing, so I enclose shots of CNR No. 6015 taken at Jasper, Alberta in the early 1980s, to show a wine red stained cab window (but not the green cab interior).
While on the ‘Continental Modeller’, Autumn 1979 showed pictures of CNR 4­6­4, 4­8­2, 4­8­4s and a GTW 4­8­4. Spring 1980 (the Continental Ltd) showed models of U­2­g 4­8­4 and U­1­f 4­8­2 or Bullet Nose Betty. Summer 1980 (the Mountaineer), Autumn 1980 (the Chinook, with partial list of CPR models) and Winter 1980 (the Dominion) were obviously CPR related but the CNR returned with July/August 1981 (the International Ltd), Sept/Oct 1981 (Picton Peddler, with pictures of ex­GT E­7­a class 2­6­0 with taper boiler which was typical) and H­6­g class 4­6­0. Nov/Dec and 1981 and Jan/Feb 1982 cover types seen at Winnipeg and Montreal, including more of “6000 class” 4­8­2s. Perhaps the best for CNR and GT fans is “Grand Trunk Heritage” by Dr Phil Hastings which shows CNR “6000” class between Montreal and Portland, Maine, as well as USRA light 2­8­2s of both CN and GT and CN Pacifics and GT USRA 0­19­a class switchers.
One or two USRA light Mikes would make an excellent starting point for some Montreal­based scale model locos/CNR scale model locos, while some plastic models based on Southern Pacific 2­6­0 types were on sale at one time and not so very different from CNR ex­GT ones.
Bachmann 2­6­0s are similar enough to industrial and mining locos to make good freelance models but of course before about 1938 we all accepted Hornby gauge O 4­4­2s painted and lettered for the LMS, LNER, GWR and SR, as well as NORD for the French market!
My pocket money at about 25p per week did not run to anything so grand, so I had to repaint a clockwork Hornby 0­4­ 0T SR green and give it the number of a Brighton Line 4­4­2T that ran south of Croydon, through the North Downs. A bit of imagination helped to get trains round sharp curves and past scenery painted on vertical backdrops, as in a theatre. Today, of course, smoother mechanisms may blur the division between toys and scale models for some but not all readers. Those who care about such things may find what they want in Clegg & Corley’s “CN Steam Power”.
Railfare 1969 ISBN0­919130­13­5 And good luck to them all!
CNR U-1-a #6015 preserved at Jasper, Alberta in the 1980s.
A jutting feedwater heater tank atop the smokebox gave it a manly appearance that enabled it to “Sweep the blizzard from its path across the prairies of Saskatchewan” in a popular 1923 poem. In 1923,CNR tracks could not support the weight of heavy Pacifics with their axle weight and hammerblow, so lighter-footed 4-8-2s had to be paid for by the taxpayer. Cab interior was green, windows stained wine red.
“CN Lines”, Feb 1999 CN Lines SIG Vol 9 No 2 has an article on CNR’s Class U-1-b Mountains by Ken Skolyan
Photos: W A Corkill
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