Dublo N2 tank

[Wolseley]

I would not use lined mixed-traffic black livery.  I’m not saying that it didn’t happen, but I would be very surprised if any tank engines of this size bore the wording “British Railways” and lined mixed-traffic black livery.  N2s bearing the wording “British Railways” were a different matter.  There may not have been too many, but there is photographic evidence that 69490, 69557, 69568, e9498 and the related e9451 (N1) appeared in this guise.  69490, 69568, e9451 incidentally, were fitted with condensing gear.  Whether these were apple green or plain black is hard to say, but there doesn't appear to be lining in any of the photographs I have seen.  I would guess that one of them at least might have been green, hence the Dublo model of e9550.  Gaiety, Kirdon and Pyramid Toys all seem to have opted for plain black for theirs - maybe at the time of nationalisation, the bulk of the N2 fleet was still in wartime black.....

 

So, if I do a “British Railways” N2, it will be in plain black.

 

On another aspect of liveries that we touched on earlier, I would suggest that there may be another explanation for black and white photographs showing engines that appear as if they may have been finished in LNER green while extant records state that the locomotive in question was always finished in black.  The smokebox, being the hottest external part of the locomotive may well have been finished in a different, more heat resistant type of black paint, which reflects light with differing levels of light that is invisible to the human eye (infra-red or ultra violet perhaps, I’m not sure which) but which are picked up by photographic film, with the result that the area so treated appears darker than the rest of the locomotive while, to the naked eye, it looks the same.  There is no way I could find a reference to it now, but I remember seeing this about 30 years ago given in the Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin as an explanation as to why a NSWGR locomotive (I think it was a C30T) photographed in the 1920s or 30s appeared to be painted in two colours, when it was known for a fact that this particular locomotive had never been painted in any colour other than black.

Edited February 2, 2017 by Wolseley

[Il Grifone]

In fact there are many photos that show the smokebox in a different tone to the boiler. It was indeed less obvious to the human eye (Mine at least!). My memories are of a uniform shade of dirty dark grey over everything. Often this included name and numberplates and even the lion emblems were sometimes indistinct.

 

The photos I mentioned suggest 69596 was probably black as the splasher is all one shade, whereas the splasher beading of 9522 (which records show as green) is picked out in a darker tone.

 

The standard livery of N2s in LNER days was black, until the decision was taken post war to paint locomotives green. Pre-war they were lined but this was dropped during the war. Dublo did their best to follow, Pre-war locos (2690) were black and the first post-war issue in 1947 was also black, but carried her new number 9596 (they missed out on the chance of a change in identity).The 1948 issue was still 9596, but now in green, which stayed until the 1953 issue in BR livery as 69567. Changes occurred in transfers but the 3 rail version was always 69567. The 2 rail version was 69550 of course.

Edited April 4, 2017 by Il Grifone

[Wolseley]

And my latest:

 

[Il Grifone]

I must get aroung to lettering mine!

 

I still can't decide whether to do one in GNR livery, but strictly it would require the addition of condensing pipes.

[Wolseley]

Another one arrived today.  Now I have nine.  Maybe I need one more to make it an even number, but I think I'll stop accumulating them after that.

[Il Grifone]

Another one arrived today.  Now I have nine.  Maybe I need one more to make it an even number, but I think I'll stop accumulating them after that.

 

I have rather more than that. I won't say how many as SWMBO might read this. I've just bought her a tablet....

[stewartingram]

I have rather more than that. I won't say how many as SWMBO might read this. I've just bought her a tablet....

 

Probably cheaper if she had got it on prescription?

 

Stewart

[Wolseley]

And here's my red one:

 

Edited June 2, 2017 by Wolseley

[Wolseley]

I now have ten Dublo N2 tanks. I think that's enough for the moment.

[Wolseley]

I would not use lined mixed-traffic black livery.  I’m not saying that it didn’t happen, but I would be very surprised if any tank engines of this size bore the wording “British Railways” and lined mixed-traffic black livery.  N2s bearing the wording “British Railways” were a different matter.  There may not have been too many, but there is photographic evidence that 69490, 69557, 69568, e9498 and the related e9451 (N1) appeared in this guise.  69490, 69568, e9451 incidentally, were fitted with condensing gear.  Whether these were apple green or plain black is hard to say, but there doesn't appear to be lining in any of the photographs I have seen.  I would guess that one of them at least might have been green, hence the Dublo model of e9550.  Gaiety, Kirdon and Pyramid Toys all seem to have opted for plain black for theirs - maybe at the time of nationalisation, the bulk of the N2 fleet was still in wartime black.....

 

So, if I do a “British Railways” N2, it will be in plain black.

 

 

And here it is:

 

Edited July 26, 2017 by Wolseley

[Wolseley]

And this Dublo N2 has been converted into a really useful engine:

 

[Il Grifone]

Yet another version!

I've just spotted this on eBay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-Dublo-Pre-1949-3-Rail-L-M-S-6917-Tank-Loco-Horseshoe-Motor/133165354291?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

 

I wasn't aware that the horseshoe LMS N2 came with 'Gill Sans' lettering* and thought they were all with serifs. I hadn't seen yellow lettering either; most are white/cream. This is obviously a 1948 version. in rather tatty condition and with a pony truck from a 1953/4 BR version. (The castings are slightly different and this gives the droop visible in the pictures. A washer or two should sort things - or the proper part - she should have alloy disc wheels with black centres.)

As the seller rightly says, the slots in the buffer beams indicate a post-war example. That said, there is little point in underlining the 'value' of a 1938  model. This price would be for a mint example anyway, which this most certainly is not. I would say it's a perfect example of 'play worn'. whether she's worth around £100 I'll leave to others and just say I'll pass on this one.

The list seems to seriously underestimate the value of the clockwork N2s Mint/boxed. They'd be nearer a thousand, especially a Southern Railway one (IMHO - not that I'd pay it!**) and seeing their valuation of unboxed examples.

 

* Is it 'Gill Sans' or just similar?

** Grifone funds don't run to it and they have a nasty habit of cracking and crumbling into dust....

 

Here is a more typical example, though this appears to have  mixed colours (white letters and yellow numbers). She also appears to have a horseshoe chassis, as one would expect from the gold 'Hornby' transfer on the bunker.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-Hornby-DUBLO-0-6-2-EDL7-BLACK-LMS-LOCO-No-6917-1948-9-TESTED-OK/153975420554?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225076%26meid%3Ded27bdca0aae40c99e14709383623ac2%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D133165354291%26itm%3D153975420554%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv5PairwiseWebWithBBEV1FilterZeroArw%26brand%3DHornby&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

 

And this is a typical example of a post 1949 model with the AlNiCo magnet (silver transfer). The price is also more typical. Why she is a non-runner is not stated, but it can't be much!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-Hornby-DUBLO-0-6-2-EDL7-BLACK-LMS-LOCO-No-6917-1948-9-https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OO-Gauge-Hornby-Dublo-3-Rail-LMS-Class-N2-0-6-2-Loco-No-6917/114286810444?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225076%26meid%3Ded27bdca0aae40c99e14709383623ac2%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D133165354291%26itm%3D114286810444%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv5PairwiseWebWithBBEV1FilterZeroArw&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851TESTED-OK/153975420554?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225076%26meid%3Ded27bdca0aae40c99e14709383623ac2%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D133165354291%26itm%3D153975420554%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv5PairwiseWebWithBBEV1FilterZeroArw%26brand%3DHornby&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

Edited July 8, 2020 by Il Grifone

[Wolseley]

I was spending the evening going through my collection of Dublo 0-6-2 tanks and, taking one apart to clean and lubricate its innards, I noticed the letters "L" and "R" stamped on the pole pieces.  I haven't taken every Dublo loco I have apart (although I have dismantled most of the at some point) but I can't say I have seen this before.  Does anyone know for how long this was done and why Meccano thought it was needed?  I mean, it's obvious what the letters "L" and "R" stand for, but it seems so unnecessary given that the parts are handed and can only go on one way around.

[cypherman]

Hi all,

Il Grifone/Wolsey.

I was beginning to think I was the only one who had a thing for these N2 tanks. I have like you about 10 of them. But some of mine have lent themselves to become something else. I realised that they bore an uncanny resemblance to a couple of Drummond engines. So I just had to have a go and see what i could do. So here are my Class X and Class 45 engines. A couple of other N2's in the back ground. Plus a couple of close ups of some of my other N2's

[Wolseley]

I think I need to get my hands on some more of these tank engines so I can convert them into approximations of the HR and G&SWR engines.  The NB had a fleet of 0-6-2 tanks as well, but theirs had a decidedly lean and hungry look compared to the well-fed Dublo tanks.

[Il Grifone]

There's certainly a closer resemblance between the Dublo tank and these, rather than the LNWR Watford tank (6917). I can see a couple of Scottish tanks appearing in due course....

 

I keep meaning to make a condenser fitted N2 (as preserved perhaps) and a Metropolitan 0-6-4T. Covid and lockdown in Sardinia has delayed matters. Acquiring a menagerie of dogs (2) and cats (8 'ours' and 5 'guests' hasn't helped either.

It looks like we are going to beat Brexit by moving permanently or at least until the UK sees the light and rejoins the EU.

[Wolseley]

On 24/03/2021 at 00:32, Wolseley said:

I was spending the evening going through my collection of Dublo 0-6-2 tanks and, taking one apart to clean and lubricate its innards, I noticed the letters "L" and "R" stamped on the pole pieces.  I haven't taken every Dublo loco I have apart (although I have dismantled most of the at some point) but I can't say I have seen this before.  Does anyone know for how long this was done and why Meccano thought it was needed?  I mean, it's obvious what the letters "L" and "R" stand for, but it seems so unnecessary given that the parts are handed and can only go on one way around.

 

I was just working on my Wrenn City of Stoke on Trent, adding a Dublo three rail pickup, and noticed that it also has "L" and "R" stamped on the pole pieces.

[cypherman]

On 10/05/2017 at 01:15, Wolseley said:

And here's my red one:

 

I know that it is the wrong livery, But doesn't she look beautiful in crimson.