G-Train Locomotive Works - LNER B3 'Valour'

[t-b-g]

Slightly jumping the gun, but I’ve started my model of Valour, albeit only th tender frames so far. At least I will remember when the model was started.

 

Tim

 

Hello Tim.

 

Looks like you don't have 13 spoke wheels in your scale either. With the seeming increase in GCR interest, we could both do with somebody producing the right ones. I look forward to seeing your "baby" version. I am sure it will be a cracker.

 

Tony

[Michael Edge]

I can only see 12 spokes in those wheels, how many do you think they should have?

[t-b-g]

I can only see 12 spokes in those wheels, how many do you think they should have?

 

They had 13. Not an "I think" but an "I know". At least the ones on the O4 and the one on Butler Henderson do cos I have counted them. It isn't easy to see on photos or on a finished model as they are well hidden. You can, on some views, see that they have an odd number of spokes.

 

 

You can't see all the spokes on this shot but you can see that there are an odd number as they are not opposite each other.

[Chris Higgs]

Through the kind efforts of Nick Easton it looks like we will see a set of 2mm scale etches for the B3. I will be making Valour and am assimilating info at present. I’m minded to make a nominal start on it this Sunday evening: it would be appropriate. The self trimming tender does appear to be a bit of a challenge in the etches department, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world to scratchbuild it. It will look rather nice to see a GC liveried engine on CF.

 

Tim

 

Oh excellent. Where can I sign up for a set?

 

I already have a tender (OK not perhaps the right one but I can modify the artwork to be that from a D11).

 

 

 

 

Chris

[LNER4479]

Oh excellent. Where can I sign up for a set?

 

I already have a tender (OK not perhaps the right one but I can modify the artwork to be that from a D11).

 

 

DSCF2992.JPG DSCF2997.JPG

 

 

Chris

Hi Chris,

 

Just to clarify - is this a 2mm set of etches you are referring to?

 

Graham

[Chris Higgs]

Hi Chris,

 

Just to clarify - is this a 2mm set of etches you are referring to?

 

Graham

 

Yes.

 

Although I will also gladly take a 4mm set as well. I have always wanted one of these locos in P4.

 

Chris

[Nicktoix]

Yes.

 

Although I will also gladly take a 4mm set as well. I have always wanted one of these locos in P4.

 

Chris

I have sent you a pm

Nick

[gr.king]

As has been mentioned above the first almost complete OO B3 model to be assembled from the new parts will be on display, in my care, at the Warley show at the NEC, where I'm doing another resin demo this coming weekend, so please come along and have a look.

On a more serious note one or two people who have mentioned a desire for resin bits to collect from me at the show have failed to respond to recent e-mails, so in the hope that they may be looking at this will they please note that under the show rules for demonstrators I CANNOT TAKE PAYMENT AT THE SHOW, SO ANYBODY WANTING TO COLLECT PARTS MUST MAKE ARRANGEMENTS WITH ME REGARDING ANY NECESARY PAYMENT TODAY OR TOMORROW.
It is also now too late to request any further parts for collection at the show.

Edited November 21, 2018 by gr.king

[LNER4479]

Been a while since any update on the B3 build that started all this off. Been a bit busy with show commitments last month; however, tender construction has been taking place in the background (the Bachmann tender that it has hitherto been towing has just been for show).

 

I have obtained a set of etches from Mike Edge for a standard Robinson 4000 gallon tender, which is also in nice n easy-to-solder nickel silver, of the same thickness (16 thou) as the loco etch so should look nice n homogeneous together. Here are the basic tender frame parts going together.

 

A simple sub-chassis is provided, which can be removed via a couple of 12BA bolts.

 

Here is the start of the tender tank, which caused me to stop and think through the best order of assembly to make overall construction as easy as possible. In the end, I decided to start at the top and work down. I've sweated on the four lifting links from the underneath (I reckoned this was more or less impossible once the complete box is assembled) and am now making up the coal shute assembly.

 

Sides and ends prepared. The flares are separate pieces which I've soldered on first prior to bending as I find this easier. The inner support midway along is - I think - meant to be a former for the end; however, I felt that the end was strong enough as it was and I found this inner piece more useful as shown (even though there are separate inner supports provided). I soldered it in a specific position such that it would line up with an edge of the central wheel cut out in the base for ease of soldering. The coal shute assembly has been completed.

 

Now with the tops flared and the basic tank assembly complete. The base has been prepared and can be seen test fitted to the frames. I could test fit the tank over the base in this configuration and check for a snug fit before final soldering up. The fit of the parts is excellent.

 

Now assembled and showing the end detail (lamp brackets and handrails). I end up soldering the latter in place before fitting the base as, again, it was much easier to do.

 

Latest picture from a few nights ago, showing fitting of the coal raves in progress. I've bent up the support brackets from scrap etch as shown; not only does it add a bit of detail, but it also does the job of the real thing by adding a little extra support. I sliced a little off the top from the rear coal plate as the very helpful pictures recently posted on this thread showed that this plate didn't quite go up as far as the top pf the raves.

 

Meanwhile, the loco itself has been on its travels again to a most appropriate location. I'm sure I don't need to tell you where the location is?

 

Valour was of course a regular on the Manchester-Sheffield route in the 1930's and there are plenty of pictures giving testimony to her visiting this location on numerous occasions. This is a layout I am helping build and whilst I've done the trackwork and electrics, the owner himself can take a bow in terms of the impressive scenic work. The layout should be quite a stunner when it is finished.

Edited December 9, 2018 by LNER4479

[Michael Edge]

Don't forget that you can unbolt the tank from the footplate any time and there are big holes (which could be made bigger if required) in the tank baseplate. It's all designed to be soldered from the inside. Looks a nice neat job so far.

[LNER4479]

Well, nothing like a holiday season to spur progress on the modelling front...

 

The tender is now essentially complete.

 

Front end detail, including water scoop wheel, water valves, fire iron holder (bent up from a spare etch window frame!), brake handle and brake shaft

 

Rear detail including lamp brackets, handrails, steps and guard irons. Buffers currently on order.

 

Underside, mainly showing brake gear. The rear two stretcher beams aren't quite right but they were doing nothing in the spare etch box.

 

Looking nice and homogeneous matched up to the loco. No further need for the Bachmann J11 tender.

 

Now just need to finish the detail on the loco and we're done.

[gr.king]

Nice to see a correctly six-spoked water scoop control wheel of the right sort of size, in metal for strength, and even if the etched fire iron fork is perhaps a shade heavy in profile it has to be easier to use than a DIY one made up from wire, with or without the assistance of a handrail knob. I've made up such fire iron forks several times, and broken one or two....

I wonder if the Edge emporium might consider offering a few of the wheels and forks on a separate little etch, unless of course that is seen as a disincentive to buy a full Edge tender kit rather than to detail up another maker's tender....

Edited January 2, 2019 by gr.king

[Michael Edge]

I can put a few around the edges of a new etch, they aren't very big and I'm usually looking for things to fill unused space.

[CF MRC]

I can put a few around the edges of a new etch, they aren't very big and I'm usually looking for things to fill unused space.

Could they be made in 2mm scale as well, pretty please?

 

Tim

[Barry O]

Could they be made in 2mm scale as well, pretty please?

 

Tim

but very few people would even notice they were there Tim!

 

Baz

[LNER4479]

fire iron holder (bent up from a spare etch window frame!),

 

... even if the etched fire iron fork is perhaps a shade heavy in profile it has to be easier to use than a DIY one made up from wire ...

 

Do pay attention at the back there!

 

In my spare etch box I found a window frame. I removed the centre window bars until I had a very slim 'T' shape then bent the two horizontal legs up into a 'U' shape, with a little tweak the other way at the top end. I obviously made a reasonable fist of it?

 

There should be another bracket (a sort of half 'U') which goes further back along the rave for the far end of the fire irons - one more for Mike's additional mini etch pieces, perhaps? As a further suggestion (Mike?) a pair of support brackets for the brake cross shaft (to solder on the sub-frame at the front) - you might just be able to see them on my underneath picture. Looks like Tony (t-b-g) made some up for himself as well.

 

I noticed that Tony also included the sandboxes at the front (two shallow 'D' shaped boxes either side on the footplate). They're not shown on the original drawing for the Standard 4,000 gallon tender but are shown on the equivalent for self-trimming variant. They are however included on the Bachmann 4,000 gallon tender so could have been a later addition?

Edited January 2, 2019 by LNER4479

[gr.king]

Well blow me down!

 

Apologies for my oversight, but I do find it terribly hard work these days to read the words as well as looking at the pretty pictures.....

 

Fancy not bothering to fit the rear tool fork!

[Woodcock29]

I can put a few around the edges of a new etch, they aren't very big and I'm usually looking for things to fill unused space.

Mike

 

That would be terrific - I'd be after about 12 I reckon.  Let us know when they are available as I will purchase some with a GC tender kit as I've now decided my 'Lord Faringdon' warrants getting a N/S kit tender rather than using a Bachmann tender.

 

I have been following the building of your S1 with interest. I also still have one of your B9s to build at some stage when I get through the list of priority builds.

 

Regards

 

Andrew 

Edited January 3, 2019 by Woodcock29

[t-b-g]

Do pay attention at the back there!

 

In my spare etch box I found a window frame. I removed the centre window bars until I had a very slim 'T' shape then bent the two horizontal legs up into a 'U' shape, with a little tweak the other way at the top end. I obviously made a reasonable fist of it?

 

There should be another bracket (a sort of half 'U') which goes further back along the rave for the far end of the fire irons - one more for Mike's additional mini etch pieces, perhaps? As a further suggestion (Mike?) a pair of support brackets for the brake cross shaft (to solder on the sub-frame at the front) - you might just be able to see them on my underneath picture. Looks like Tony (t-b-g) made some up for himself as well.

 

I noticed that Tony also included the sandboxes at the front (two shallow 'D' shaped boxes either side on the footplate). They're not shown on the original drawing for the Standard 4,000 gallon tender but are shown on the equivalent for self-trimming variant. They are however included on the Bachmann 4,000 gallon tender so could have been a later addition?

 

The sanding gear is one of those where some tenders had it and some didn't. Trying to pin down exactly which batches of tender had it and what they were attached to is a job for somebody else! Too much like hard work for me.

 

The give away is the sand pipe coming down almost to rail level ahead of the leading tender wheel. The GA in Johnson shows a standard tender without sanding gear and a self trimmer with. The sanding gear in the standard tender was the same. The published GA just happens to be a non sanding gear fitted variety but I do recall Malcolm Crawley getting a different GA from York, which did show the gear on the standard tender.

 

I haven't done much (any) on the 4mm Valour for a few weeks but the big brother has moved on quite well. It is probably not totally off topic, so here is what she looks like now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 3, 2019 by t-b-g

[LNER4479]

Wow - that cab view is simply awesome. Not only for the detail that's been added but the viewpoint just makes it look so convincing. Pretty handy too for detailing yet to come on the 4mm version.

 

Putting my railwayman's cap on for a moment, would it not be the case that the sanding gear would be of most benefit for goods locos, when hauling being pushed by partially or totally unfitted trains descending significant gradients?(!) Yes - I agree, check photos - but in terms of explaining why some tenders had them and some didn't, perhaps the idea was that they be prioritised for goods locos? I wonder which tender Bachmann crawled all over when doing theirs - the NRM O4 perhaps? (I think that was the first GCR loco they did)

Edited January 3, 2019 by LNER4479

[Michael Edge]

2mm etches, possible but you've just missed the latest 2mm sheet and it might be some time before we do another. I think the fireiron brackets would be far too small in this scale, personally I prefer to make them from round bar as they should be.

As Tony says not all these tenders had sanding gear, a pair of sandboxes wouldn't be difficult to add but I don't think I have a suitable pattern at the moment. Tender sanding was once very common but fell out of favour during the grouping era on most railways, although Bulleid on the Southern continued to use it. It was only used in reverse and dropped the sand a long way in front of any driving wheels in most cases.

I din't bother with any of the brake rigging, partly because this a fairly old design now, mostly because it's just about invisible behind the steps unless you get your eye down to rail level. Leaving off useless invisible detail was one of the original design aims of all our kits.

[t-b-g]

One of the difficulties with the tender was that the raised footplate at the front varied to suit the loco. The sandboxes, when fitted, were on the metal footplate and the visible bit varied depending on the height of the front raised platform.

 

So doing a "one size fits all" casting is not possible.

[t-b-g]

Wow - that cab view is simply awesome. Not only for the detail that's been added but the viewpoint just makes it look so convincing. Pretty handy too for detailing yet to come on the 4mm version.

 

Putting my railwayman's cap on for a moment, would it not be the case that the sanding gear would be of most benefit for goods locos, when hauling being pushed by partially or totally unfitted trains descending significant gradients?(!) Yes - I agree, check photos - but in terms of explaining why some tenders had them and some didn't, perhaps the idea was that they be prioritised for goods locos? I wonder which tender Bachmann crawled all over when doing theirs - the NRM O4 perhaps? (I think that was the first GCR loco they did)

 

The cab detailing is based on a photo of Butler Henderson but with extra lubricators for a 4 cylinder loco, plus a bit of information from the GA, which is so full of lines there that it is very tricky to follow.

 

I cannot guarantee 100% accuracy but I was very happy with the way it looks. About 75% of the details were in the kit, the rest has been made up from brass, copper wire and other scraps of metal.

[Barry O]

Tony

 

take any pipework drawing on a GA with a big pinch of salt. Pipes are generally made to fit.

 

baz

[t-b-g]

Having been prompted by Barry O at the Pontefract show this weekend, I thought it was time I had another go on the 4mm B3.

 

This hadn't been touched since November and I was feeling a bit guilty that the big one had taken all the attention on the workbench.

 

It was time to look at the cab interior and I really struggled to make sense of the parts supplied and the instructions. I just couldn't see how it should go together. Luckily, I had the 7mm one to copy, so I set about making a smaller version of that.

 

So a couple of hours resulted in this.

 

 

There is still a bit of detailing to do, with the toolbox/locker doors in the curved panels at the back, plus a reversing wheel and perhaps some dials on the cab front but in 4mm scale, with an enclosed cab, you can probably spend a huge amount of time for very little end result if you are not careful.

 

The cast resin backhead is from a two cylinder loco and should have more lubricators for a 4 cylinder one but I bet nobody would have noticed if I had kept my gob shut.

 

It is certainly a nice enough moulding as far as I am concerned. Nice one Graeme.

Edited January 28, 2019 by t-b-g