So the next project...

With the King Tiger project out of the way and the W1 project awaiting for airbrushing it was about time I moved forward to the next project, so since the Oxford Rail LNER N7 has fallen into my possession and the locomotive has returned from weathering, I thought the locomotive needed a set of coaches which accompanied the gracefulness of the N7, and well there is only one set of coaches which suits the N7 more, so I have managed to find a company which specializes in LNER coaching stock via 3D Printing. So thanks to a friend I found Isinglass Models and I've asked them to produce the LNER Gresley Quint-Articulated set which I plan to build as per the 1930's batch built by Metropolitan Cammell. Who was one of the many companies who built the LNER the Quint sets for the LNER. (Further history on these sets will evolve as we go through the blog)

T.Crouch (2019) 

Background Info

Building or owning an LNER Quint set is a project I've wanted to do for some-time now, but with the Ian Kirt kits being so expensive and the lack of production of this kit has made it highly valuable and the majority of these kits are now being sold in BR Maroon which is not my era and doesn't look as nice as LNER Teak. Plus the likelihood of various well-known companies producing such a set it's fair to say that Dinosaurs roaming the earth again is more likely than it being produced in RTR. It seems that the old ways of getting kits of various types of LNER coaches are becoming harder and harder to do. Meaning serious younger modelers, like myself, are having to find or spend more to get what was an easy set to get hold of. Shame really. 

In this case, the LNER Quint-set is one such set of articulated coaches Isinglass has worked or developed since starting out. So as per the plan, my aim is to build 2 sets of these coaches in LNER & BR condition, the reason for doing this is so I can have a set which will run on my personal layout of Norton Wood and so the other set can run on Mile End Park, which since the last update has moved on from just being a large locomotive shed...Further details to follow on the Mile End Park Blog. 

Locomotives Illustrated (1997) 

The Plan -

The plan is to write about the build of one of the sets as I feel I don't want to repeat myself regarding the build of the second set, so this blog will only focus on the LNER liveried version. 

The aim is to follow the prototypical formation of a set so, for this model, I plan to do Set No. 137A with:

• Diagram 81. lst/3rd Comp (Former 1st/2nd Comp) - No. 64055
• Diagram 82. Full 3rd (Former Full 2nd) - No. 6573
• Diagram 83. Full 3rd (Former 2nd/3rd Comp) - No.64054
• Diagram 84. Full 3rd (As built) - No.60072
• Diagram 85. 3rd Brake (As built) - No. 62072

Those in the know will understand that the quint sets used to run with 1st - 2nd & 3rd class passengers on board however set no. 137A will be set after the 1st January 1938, at which point the LNER had decided to remove 2nd class seating, so more 3rd class seating could be accommodated, essentially earning the maximum profit, as 3rd class was the most utilized, so the Quints could carry more people who could only afford the 3rd class seating.  If I could afford 2nd class I should imagine passengers would have been rather disappointed by the LNER's move. 

This information was kindly given to me via information request regarding an article, which was written in 1997 regarding the Quint sets. Fortunately, it also has diagrams displaying the different companies which made the sets and the coach numbers. Plus further reading has been recommended to me, in the form of Steve Banks who has produced an article on the LNER GE Suburban lines. All very interesting, in addition to that, I have also had to ask colleagues of mine if they would be able to take photo's of the only other LNER Articulated set of coaches preserved being the LNER Quad-art set, to use as guidance for the quints along with the drawings which have been provided. with the Isinglass model kit and the drawings in the articles produced.

Locomotives Illustrated (1997)

Recommended Watching & Reading: 

Of course to understand the purpose for these set's it would be rather necessary to find some reading, so I'd recommend looking through; Charles Phillips book on 'The Great Easter Railway in south Essex', David McIntosh 'Gresley's Legacy - Locomotives and Rolling Stock', Kevin McCormack 'The Eastern Around London - A colour Portfolio' and  finally Locomotives Illustrated No.116. All of which, have some excellent photographs of the Locomotives and Quint-art set's in service.  Further programs which I'd recommend watching is the Old VHS called Memories of the Great Eastern, which a whole segment of the video is dedicated to the 'Suburban Services into Liverpool St' covering the N7's carrying out the suburban traffic into and out of Liverpool St, hauling the Quints. 

What has been great is the information and available archive video, which has meant I have been able to get all the relevant information I can, and having spent a dedicated week on research on this subject.

K. McCormack (2008) The Eastern Around London

To Finish Up

On a final note...

So with that blurb out of the way, I hope you enjoy this as I progress my way through the build, which begins in the next part. As the coaches have only just been ordered I cannot say how long it'll be before the next part but I do hope that in the next few months something will bear fruit. 

Thanks

Tom