rowanj

Another Tyne Dock loco, 9F 92063, has a break from grinding up to Consett with a load of iron ore. It must be 1964 o r65 , as the loco has been turned out by Darlington with 12 inch cab numerals - I have a photo confirming this. The block train is probably empty tanks heading back to Jarrow. The date is confirmed by the empty fish heading back to Aberdeen behind Haymarket's Class 40 D345. Of course, we didn't call them that in 1964, and I don't remember calling them "Whistlers" either, The second photo is more or less what we saw looking over "Scottie Bridge" When I visited a few months ago, I saw it is really Little Benton Farm Bridge. No farm in sight now.

A better lit shot of 63712 as it enters the relief sidings, built in 1940 to help protect stock in Heaton from Luftwaffe raids. Though they were usually full of open wagons, I only ever saw one train actually running into them from the north-- 60001 of all things on a freight . The reason for parking the O1 in the sidings is revealed by the passing of Gateshead's 60020., suitably scruffy, on an Edinburgh relief.

I have a Hornby O1, a lovely loco, but not really suitable for Little Benton. I was ready to put it on eBay, when a Dave Alexander Tyne Dock modification kit turned up. This is no longer available, but is really only a couple of Westinghouse pumps, pair of air tanks which fit under the footplate, the backing plates for the pumps, and some wire to represent the pipe runs. All of these can be sourced or fabricated. Five O1's went to Tyne Dock to supplement the Q7's on the Consett trains and were adapted to allow the hopper doors to be opened and closed from the loco. After similarly adapted 9F's arrived, the o1's tended to be used on routine freight duties. The photos show the basic modifications to the Hornby body to produce 63712, In addition to the kit, vacuum pipes need to be fitted to the buffer beams. I also coaled the tender, and weathered it using Tamiya powders. The starting point The rear of the RH handrail needs cutting and lifting to clear the pumps. Pumps in place. The air tanks fit on each undersideside of the footplate, below the pumps. they fit into backing plates. And you finish up with something like this.

Gateshead's 60018 "Sparrow Hawk" has the Up Queen of Scots. This would be unusual, as I think it was a Haymarket turn. The model is getting a spin, as it has just morphed from 60008 to 18 as part of my re-numbering scheme. Though "Dwight" certainly got to Newcastle, 34A locos rarely ventured further north other than on The Elizabethan. the origin of the model is the superb GBL clone of Mallard, which was on sale for the princely sum of £2.99 a few years ago.

The K3 61869 is now complete, bar crew and a dummy buckeye coupling. It heads back to Newcastle on a fully fitted freight. These would normally have a V2 on the train, but an ex-works K3 would easily handle a load like this. I hope the photo shows that the GBL loco can be "scrubbed up" sufficiently to be a decent loco. Just as well really, as I have a couple more. Next into the works is an O1 to be converted to a Tyne Dock loco with air brakes, fitted to run on the Consett iron ore trains,

I have just been catching up on the recent posts. My goodness, this Railway Modelling is serious stuff, isn't it? Makes Brexit look like child's play. For those seeking prototype fidelity, look away now from this post. Even I can't dream up an excuse for these two to pass Little Benton, so Tyneside has somehow been translated to East Anglia. These locos have a bit of sentimental value, so I dig them out from time to time. The BEC J17 was the second kit I ever built - a birthday present from my then-girlfriend, now my wife of 45 years. It originally ran on a Triang chassis, then had Romfords fitted, then had the chassis ground out to take a motor/gearbox, and now runs on a Hornby Jinty chassis. The K5 was an early carve-up of a GBL K3, and is, frankly, a bit of a mess, but it runs OK on a modified Bachmann V1/3 chassis and just about passes muster from normal viewing. It was actually at Blaydon shortly after rebuilding, but too early for my period, and was probably still in LNER livery when it headed south.

Even I can't dream up an excuse for these two to pass Little Benton, so Tyneside has somehow been translated to East Anglia. These locos have a bit of sentimental value, so I dig them out from time to time. The BEC J17 was the second kit I ever built - a birthday present from my then-girlfriend, now my wife of 45 years. It originally ran on a Triang chassis, then had Romfords fitted, then had the chassis ground out to take a motor/gearbox, and now runs on a Hornby Jinty chassis. The K5 was an early carve-up of a GBL K3, and is, frankly, a bit of a mess, but it runs OK on a modified Bachmann V1/3 chassis and just about passes muster from normal viewing. It was actually at Blaydon shortly after rebuilding, but too early for my period, and was probably still in LNER livery when it headed south.

To be fair, the LRM descriptor for the K2 on the site makes it clear that this is not a kit for the beginner. However, if care is taken, and help sought when needed via this thread, I think a successful build can be achieved. Just keep posting, Richard - my experience is that there are plenty of folk around to help on RM Web. The 2 previous posters are excellent cases in point, as I know from my own experiences.

Another loco from the collection. These Midland things are a mystery to me, so Brian will explain...

I have built a few PDK kits, and my advice would be to leave the valance/jig attached as long as you can, for extra security. Having said that, it's impossible to fit the cylinders/ valve gear with it still in place and I tend to remove it once I have the chassis carcase assembled and checked that all is level, nut and bolt holes between chassis and footplate aligned, and I tend to have soldered the cab in place to keep the back square. But as long as you can handle the footplate without distorting, I don't suppose it really matters. I do think, though, that in principle , at least for beginners, it is better to leave the valance as supplied while fitting to the footplate, and then remove the bottom part later in the build. This thread has tempted me to think about building a Scottish K2, having found a photo of 1 passing my prototype location in 1957 heading for Tyneside, Goodness knows what it was doing there an a Class B freight. John

Just to finish this thread, as I was kindly sent the instructions for the SEF K3 chassis, this is what I did with it, I still need to paint the buffer beam, fit ATP, dummy coupling, coal and cab doors. An original of the donor is shown, Thanks to Thane for the instructions, and the others who also offered. John

The latest addition is Heaton K3 61869. It's origins are the GBL-Bachmann clone. I bought a couple, but this one was a gift from Sir William Stanier, It is ex-works so should really have a lined valance. Still to fit is the dummy coupling and ATP banger plate, and the cab doors. This will be done after the LH side is lined and the buffer beam painted. GBL body on SEF chassis. The original GBL is posed to show how it started. Being ex-works, Heaton has rostered it on an empty Parcels to Craigentinny.

The need to use glue on the worms is the only drawback to the otherwise excellent High level geaeboxes. I find they stay in place OK, but you only get one chance to get the mesh right..The design is so good that the mesh is easily found with the worm loose on the shaft. I do hope that at some point Chris can upgrade to a screw fixing, as he did with the axle gears. It was a pleasant,and a simple task, to post the videos, and to see in action the loco s described during their construction. John

I'll let Brian add the description - looks to be running well, my friend. Well done.

Garratts and then Bertha- some big lads at Water Orton, Brian.

Hi Brian Best I could do was a link to YouTube.

Thanks, Brian. As you know, it's kit building which is my main pre-occupation these days, and the layout is really a large diorama on which to run the locos before they go onto the shelves, hardly ever to run again. I stopped showing the building of the kits, as it was becoming repetitive, and a fear the same is happening here, so we will see how it goes. Having said that, this is the GBL K3 you sent me, on the SEF chassis which I put together having been sent a set of instructions, after I asked for some, by a contact on the Site. So, though I dislike a lot of the fluff which can fly around from time to time, I have made several great contacts via posting. The chassis itself is excellent, though I'm not a fan of the crosshead/cylinder arrangement, preferring the more modern etched versions.

The N15 on the cattle wagons is a lovely photo. I cant really justify one on my "just north of Newcastle" layout, but confess I was sorely tempted the other day when the package from Modelmaster announced the planned release of 5 NBR locos in resin, including an N15 and J37. Get thee behind me, Satan.... John

I don't actually spend a lot of time playing trains, but spent a half-hour or so to run a few locos which haven't turned a wheel in a while. 60506 is passing Little Benton South. Another 5 miles will get it to Newcastle, and then the last 80 or so to York. I was taught at school by the famous local photographer I.S Carr, who told me the last Queen of Scots would run on the coming Saturday, so I walked the 3 miles from our caravan site at Beadnell to Chathill to see it - Deltic-hauled, going north. I have a transparency somewhere. I cant remember which Deltic, but it wouldn't be D9012,CREPELLO. a GBL model on Lima chassis. After the expresses, there is time for the Q7 to take its' freight northwards to Callington and Ponteland, and the B1 to escape the relief sidings and head for either Heaton Yard or New Bridge Street Goods, probably the former given the tank wagons in the train - now safely between the barrier wagons.

Having proved it can run, 61322 has been entrusted with a train, albeit only a Newcastle- Berwick stopper. The rake is a mix of Hornby and Kirk. It must be a Saturday, as 60506 WOLF OF BADENOCH emerges under Hall's Bridge with a SO Edinburgh-York. Memo to self- must fix the ladder on the Stop signal protecting the Down exit to the siding.

These oddities are interesting if they can be confirmed after all this time. I'm sure D49,s could have been borrowed in an emergency,and, of course, it gives us the excuse to have them occasionally turn up at our prototype location. In my case, I have a 1957 photo of Scottish K2 Loch Laidon passing Little Benton,just north of Heaton, heading for Tyneside. Quite why an Eastfield loco was on a routine freight is puzzling, but it gives me a reason to have a go at the LRM kit again. So anything is possible..

This is, more or less, the view we had as young teens when spotting at Little Benton. However, it was unusual to be as busy at this. The B1 on the Down, running light, is Heaton's 61322, re-numbered from KUDU. 61275 has dropped off a freight in the sidings, and waits a path back to either Heaton or Gateshead. K2's were reasonably frequent visitors on Tyneside, usually en-route to or from Cowlairs,and I have photos on both Gateshead and Heaton Sheds. Normally, they ran light, but on odd occasions, as here, they would be used to take a freight if nothing better was available. The K2 is an old NUCast kit, on its' original whitemetal chassis, and was one of the first kits I built, and as a consequence, never really worked. Recently, I dug it out, carved out the chassis to take a modern motor gearbox combo, and, sods law, it now runs well. I cant quite fathom the distaste some folk have for whitemetal chassis, as I find they can be set up satisfactorily, have brakes etc fitted, and have a bit of weight to boot. Edit..I also have a picture of Scottish K2 Loch Laidon passing Little Benton South in 1957, so another kit,this time from LRM, is a future possibility, along with a PDK Hunt.

B1's were around on Tyneside, but not in huge numbers. Heaton and Gateshead had fewer than a dozen between them at any one time, though Blaydon's worked the Carlisle line, and Tweedmouth and Edinburgh, particularly St Margaret's worked to Newcastle. The picture is Tweedmouth based "ORIBI" heading north. Like many,I have too many Pacifics and not enough mixed traffic stock. On the B1 front, I have three, two of which need re-numbered, and a Pro-Scale kit in a box. But 61273 is authentic for Little Benton, and heads a train similar to ORIBI, probably an Newcastle-Edinburgh (or possibly Berwick ) stopper.

Richard Just to add to Tony's helpful post, the K2 kit leaves VERY little space between the coupling rods/ crankpins on the leading drivers and the connecting rod/crosshead/slidebar assembly. I built mine as a rigid chassis, and followed a tip from Tony Wright and separated the cylinder block into 2 parts - i.e LH and RH sides, and eased the cylinder block out 1mm or so on each side. I'm almost certain I soldered the block(s) in place. It isn't really visible when the loco and chassis are fitted together. Otherwise, I'm sure you will enjoy the kit - it's not the most straightforward, but produces a nice loco. John

One more for the spotters before a return to normality. 84009 was the only one of the class on the NE Region, albeit at Hull. The loco is a converted Ivatt 2MT from the GBL model on a Bachmann chassis. More realistically, J21 65033, ex-works, has a Newbiggin- Central train, probably an early morning "express", as most of these trains went via Benton and South Gosforth, terminating at Manors North. A few took the direct route down the mainline to Central. The loco is an early Dave Alexander whitemetal kit.