Norton Wood

Probably quite right about that, I mostly post about them on the LNER Modellers page, but only when there's an update. Yes, it would be nice to know where they go, it'll be very nice to see if the drawings are updated slightly to incorporate the extras. I was sent these images quite recently, as Andy's working on the Dia 81 (Vehicle No.1) & 85 (Brake Vehicle No.5)

Well thank you, I've looked at the drawings myself, as I wait for the kit to arrive, it refers to the brake actuating cylinders on coaches 1,3 & 5 and well they are not visible, so I won't be looking to model it. But the 4 Large Battery boxes are featured and I have got those in White metal ready to go on the model. But I've not inquired about it myself, do you follow him on Facebook?

Hattons got a close up to the BR Late Crested N7 Must say it does look very smart indeed.

Thank you both

As I understand the LNER all overpainted brown was known as Scumbled teak, simply as they just painted them brown and it was to attempt at matching the LNER Gresley Teak stock

@Hattons Dave Hi, with the Batch 2 GER coaches, are their thoughts about doing them in the LNER Scumbled Teak as you have for the current LNER versions? Thank you in advance.

Honestly, this is an amazing project. It'll fill such a gap in the market. I'll be following this project with great interest!! Thanks Hattons

Indeed, I should think photos will appear on Facebook or there website during the week.

3 of the painted samples are with Hattons now: Mallard - 4468 - 1938 Condition Bittern - 4464 - 2013 Condition Sir Nigel Gresley - 1950/2013 Condition?? - In BR Blue

Well, here we go... Since the new-plan, and my re-hash to the whole project, I've been designing track plans and gathering materials. Baseboard: The track diagram presented in the photo's below, this shows how complicated piece this layout will be, this diagram excludes signaling as I would like to speak to someone in the know about LNER Suburban Signaling, so if anyone can help that would be marvelous. The boards are 4ft in length and just over 1ft wide. This is so the Bachman retaining wall pieces are a match and allow the board to fit in a tight space at home. The only things that are not shown in the photo below are; the double slip which will go in linking the two points on the LH side allow locos to run from P1, P2 or P3 onto the siding. Plus the road that'll come off the siding going towards the LH side of the layout. This will be a small stabling point for the loco's on the layout mainly, of course, the LNER N7 or J15, that'll end roughly where the track rubber sits in the photo. As you can see board 1 is the most complicated and is where I'm currently putting most of my focus into, the aim will be that before Christmas the track will be down and board prepped for electrical working. So I can have some locomotives running on there over the festive period. So far as you can see the track has been loosely laid and some trains have been set up to give an impression of what could be seen on the layout in the future. Modeling work: So far some small projects have been carried out on the layout, mainly in the form of the Signal box and retaining walls and tunnel mouth. Firstly with the retaining walls and tunnel mouth, these are the low relieve versions produced by Bachmann, sadly when you get them they are painted blue, but have no signs of cement in-between the brickwork. So I've taken a wash using Humbrol No. 30, washing the brickwork and then taking some kitchen cloth, and rubbing the excess off. Following this, I've then taken Military modeling powders and dirt washes to the walls with successful results. This has then been repeated to 11 more retaining walls and the tunnel mouth, allowing a limited result to be completed. As this was able to set off the old Mile End Park with the weathering and brickwork painting it'll allow this layout to look completely different. As for the Signal box, this has been a project that I've been able to complete in a week, the kit is from LCUT, who produce laser cut kits, producing a number of different signal box kits. I purchased the medium-sized kit, which gives you the choice in building an LH entrance or RH entrance to the signal box. I chose the LH entrance as the signal box needs to face towards the public, and have a view looking at everything going on. During the build, I wanted to add a bit of modeling interest, so I cut out one of the window frames out of the card. I thought I'd move it a little too the left so it appears that the signalman has moved it open a jar so he can get a bit of "Fresh air" not that it's fresh as it's London but still, it was fun to do. Finally I think it's turned out rather well, the plan is to put the LCUT interior kit into the box so the box has that little more detail. So with that said, I'll leave it there till part 2, I hope to have all the trackwork I need for the Board 1 and I aim to get it all together ready for Christmas.

Oxford Rail has produced photo's of OR76N7004 the BR Late Crested painted sample, looks pretty good I must say. Still waiting on a round-topped LNER Lined N7, might get that out next year... I hope...

You know, after you asked that I had wondered myself. As I can only remember No.9 carrying the Coat of Arms & her LNER Worksplate. But I did some digging and found these on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/44232489@N02/7526696540/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/44232489@N02/7526696774/in/photostream/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/44232489@N02/7264237554/ All the photos are from the same chap and as it's tag "60009 - Aberdeen Ferryhill c 1980" Hope that helps

Indeed, I know they are using the BR A4 body for this, but I hope they have an LNER version where the front oil pot cover which seat's below the chimney is not visible as all A4's pre-WW2 didn't have that extra pot. But I trust them to know that, we modellers just worry too much sometimes.

Hatton's just released on Facebook, official painted sample photo's of 4 of the A4's Mallard Silver Link Union of South Africa Sir Nigel Gresley

Quite alright, I do hope they put the extra cowling on the Streamlined Corridor Tenders, it really will add to the model. Curious about your comment on Commonwealth of Australia, I didn't know it kept the same tender for all it's life! Rather strange considering that A4's swapping Corridor tenders was commonplace at Doncaster.

@silverlink Does it not say on the website that they will be carrying the LNER Streamlined Corridor tender? - Of course, I have a few questions which surround these models, mainly if they will have the metal stroud which went over the water filler cap & on the LNER (non-preservation era) A4's will they not have the Oiling point which was fitted post BR (I think) below the chimney as all LNER A4's had 3 Covers to the oiling points rather than 4..? However, considering how well Tony Wright, examined the A3's in Hatton's most recent video, and he seemed fairly complementary. Bar a few things which modellers have raised prior. Even a suggestion to build the GNR 8 Wheeled Tender. Also after I asked on there 'Platform 1' Live Stream on YouTube, Hattons will release photo's of the 0 Gauge A4 bodies early next week, so no doubt there will be a few answers and probably some more questions.

Very Interesting video with Hattons & Tony Wright, I've certainly learned a few things, look forward to seeing when you come to look a little more in-depth into the A4's ;-) Thanks

Now you come to mention is it does rather, could be the angle of the photo. Funny that Hattons haven't put the painted samples of the Teaks or A4's shown at the GCR show on their website or news sections?

A question for Hattons, Will the A4's fitted with the Streamlined Corridor tender have the cover which went over the water filler cap? Also with Silver A4's I keep seeing the forward Oil point cover on BR & LNER versions. I just like to know will that be absent from the LNER1935-38 versions as I understand they were not on the loco at the time? (Photo attached by DJH Models)

Hi, Just joined the page, this will be my first drop into O gauge, I think a un-numbered Silver A4 for me, please. Very tempted to do 2512 Silver Fox These models look fantastic

Since the last update, major changes have occurred within the club and how this layout could/will be built, much like the LNER and latterly British Railways, the W&RMRC has gone under a massive rationalization scheme, as club members are now building 1 Exhibition layout each which reduces the amount of layouts to 4. Those being: Wiveton - M&GN 1949 Corpusty & Saxthorpe - M&GN 1920's Cromer Esplanade - M&GN 1950's Mile End Park - LNER 1935-1939 Of course, the model club has an M&GN theme as it's based at an M&GN station, my layout stands as the lone as the only GER/LNER themed layout. Further discussions have broken out as to the goal that the club is trying to show. Of course, Mile End Park has taken the back seat for quite sometime recently, and with Inglethorpe Rd hitting a few snagg's due in course to other circumstances. One project has to come first over the other. SO MEP Mk2 is now back to full power and on the frontline. Since the layout has been sitting on the back burner, myself and the club began talking about what we wanted to see on the layout circuit, feeling that there wasn't enough good LNER -M&GN layouts, and if we saw them at a show it was few & far between. So the group has been working on each layout, trying to fill a gap which we feel is a criminally under modelled theme. The Layout: So the aim of the layout is to give an example of the very intense services out of Liverpool St, to do this we will need multiple locomotives, coaching stock types and regular freight duties not to mention light engine moves. I will agree that it will be simply impossible to operate a 100% replica of how intensive the services in this area were, but myself and the club are gonna have a bloody good go at it. The Layout has been planned in standard DC, with the plan to have 2 mainboards at 4ft Long by 1.5ft wide and the fiddle yards being big enough to take the LNER Express Service "The East Anglian" giving maximum length coupled with a good amount of width for the layout to give a proportionate operational depth. So the only thing that can be said is a I'm glad for a large amount of change the layout has seen and is about to see, I hope to get the first board made in the coming months and set something up for the layout, Inglethorpe Rd blog will close down for now but I will re-open it at a later date, so I can work on this as my main focus. More updates to follow... Cheers Tom

Thank you, I thought it turned out well, my collection consists of a Male mkV, Female MkIV, Whippet Medium A, Churchill MkVII, Sherman M4A3E8 Fury, King Tiger (Tiger II), Centurion & Chieftain Mk9. I've recently given the Centurion & Churchill VII away and brought in a SAS Jeep & LRDG Truck. But now turned my attention to an LNER Quint set which I'm now waiting for them to tip up

Since ordering the set from Isinglass Models and having been informed of how long it can take for the set to be produced I spent a bit of time collecting resources, so I thought I should briefly talk through what I found and what you'll need if your to build a similar set whether it be a; Quint, Quad or Twin. So recently these items arrived: Transfers - X2 LNER Coach Numbers - X2 LNER Class door numbers - 1 Pack of LNER Corporate lettering & Guard lettering - 1 Pack of White A-Z 0-9 numbers (Quint Only) Phoniex Paints - P995 Teak Basecoat -P997 Golden Teak - P65 LNER Roof Grey - Plus Humbrol No.32 Grey (This'll act as weathering for the teak at the end) Interestingly before I purchased the transfers I checked how many 3rd class door transfers I'd need to apply onto the door sides the total being 66 doors, this is fine except Fox only give you 60 3rd class decals. (Just to be clear that's not a complaint but it's annoying when you're doing such a large set of coaches). So it meant I had to purchase 2 Sets of the LNER Door class numbers. Photo below: Fox transfers are well known for producing high-quality stuff but of course, with that comes a premium. Although I do feel that it's worth it when the final product rolls out. While looking for paints I spent a bit of time looking for how I should carry this technique out, so I came across this page on RM Web discussing at length how teak should be finished. Of course, looking at the sets of teak even on one coach all the panels have different states of finish upon them so when doing teak it's been recommended to me to spray the base coat while hand-painting the panels, before gloss varnish and transfers, followed by the satin coat & the weathering. Thanks to the people on this page I have learned quite a lot and will use this info when going forwards. Interestingly Isinglass, produced these 3D Printed Bogies, these were sent out to modelers who were interested, so we could test them and see how they would perform. The result of that was the bogies are fine to use under Ian Kirk kits but work is required to make them fit in and operate perfectly. I had to drill out the holes for the brass bearings to go in, allowing the wheels to roll smoothly. Which proved to be fine, and put under a Hornby Teak & kitbashed coach I'm working on I had no problems at all. From what Andy / Issinglass models have said, a little bit more work is required to finalize them, but it has meant that I will no longer require spare Hornby Teak Bogies, and I'll be able to get more accurate, a closer connection between the coaches. As for the rest of the build, at the time of writing work on the CAD files for the coaches has begun, as is such to the detail that Isinglass go to, I was asked the era and type of quint I wanted to model, as the LNER had a number of batches made and under different diagram's. Too which I have requested the latter LNER Metropolitan Cammell, built stock, of which they only built 4 sets 136A & B and 137A & B, which follows the LNER Diagram's 81,82,83 & 85 set, which makes these coaches completely unique to the original batch built in the 1920s. Which is what we expect when you go to extra-long lengths to get these things right. Hopefully, I will be able to produce another update soon, as I'm enjoying the writeup's far too much. Cheers Tom

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