With the building of the Stella and the Duke classes, there came a need for a small 2000G Tender. The turntables in Cornwall were too small to allow a locomotive and any bigger tender to be turned, so the wheelbase of 5'6" + 5'6" was adopted for these new tenders. Eighty of these short wheel base tenders were built to Lots A24 (1895) and A25 (1896) with building completed by 1901. In 1914 Long Rock loco shed opened allowing the larger tenders to be used. We have two photographs of a Dean Goods fitted with a 2000G tender.
This kit can be built with either coal rails or coal fenders, narrow or wide footplates and the three arrangements of the coal space. Some tenders had a filler plate on the inside of the coal rails between the front bracket and the division plate. Some of the tenders received a bigger capacity 2400G tank but this variant is not covered by this kit. All these tenders kept their light springs. None were fitted with vacuum tanks. All these tenders were scrapped.
So far, we have only found five photographs of these tenders. All these five tenders were fitted with coal fenders, a fire iron tunnel and lyre. None seem to have the water scoop but we have included the parts to build it in; there is no space between the axles to fit it and we are unsure how, or even if Swindon fitted the scoop. One photograph shows a low coal space bottom with a scoop standard and a coffin water filler. Most tenders have the high coal space bottom without casings although one might have the casings; one didn't have a scoop standard! They all seem to be fitted with tank vents and while we can see the water gauge on only one, fitting vents normally implies the fitting of a water gauge.
As always, we recommend the use of a photograph of the selected prototype.
To obtain a pdf copy of the instructions please click on the link below; the pdf will open in a new window.