Atso

Very nice Mr Wealleans. I have to say, I'm really surprised by this, I was under the impression that there had never been a kit in any scale for one of these.

To be fair, I figured that once you'd worked it out elsewhere, it wasn't worth trying that again due to the cross pollination of members. Besides, I had to work it out from the running number in the CWB! Besides, I've not see the answer to what formation I'm modelling yet on the other site! Many thanks for your kind words.

Good evening Tony, Both those J50s look good and each has its merits and drawbacks. I prefer the Hornby model's wheels but really don't like to obvious separation between the running plate and the tanks. I have the same observation about the cab (although I'm certain it is a more accurate shape than the kit built example). However, I agree that the kit built one has additional value of being somebody's work. As somebody who is making much of their locos and stock from scratch (if you can call CAD and 3D printing from scratch), I'll put my hands up to purchasing N Gauge RTR when a suitable model is available. If I waited for the RTR companies to bring out everything that I wanted to model however, I'd be waiting a very long time indeed! Speaking of which, here are some of my current efforts that are slowly making their way through 'the works' (apologies for the poor photos). I've also been busy designing another couple of carriages. A Gresley ex-GNR Dia. 46 65'6" Restaurant First body which is just awaiting the final few details. This one will be paired with a Pantry Third of similar outline in due course. A Dia. 256 Third Brake, modified from my CAD of the 257s that run in my 'Cambridge Buffet' set and modified to create a suitable carriage to run with the Restaurant First.

Looking great Graeme, but I don't envy that poor guard should the loco separate from the tender like that!!!!

Not quite. Rewind an hour (1937 timetable) for the triplet and 40 minutes for the RF.

Some more work done on the Howlden/Gresley triplet. I've still got to do the other side and I'm annoyed by the wonky 'LNER' on the brake third - thankfully this is the side that won't be normally visible from the viewing side of the layout. Despite having now returned to work, I've been slowly working on designing another carriage. A Gresley ex-GNR 63'6 RF which will ride on six wheel bogies. I've designed this one for a specific early 1930's formation that only ran in the summer months and it will be paired with a pantry third of similar outline. The express was named; any ideas as to the train to be modelled?

Following on from the above post, here is what these bogies will have on top. Still very much a WIP but it's starting to provide me with a feel for the finished product.

Late to the discussion (as usual!) but another vote here for the 25% Tenacious mix, though in my case with Anycubic Grey resin which I've been playing with for the last week. The Fox bogies below were printed using the above mix (after numerous breakages trying to get the wheels in using just grey resin). N gauge wheels with 15mm axles requiring quite a bit of flex to get them in. Printed at 50 microns with a 2 second exposure on my Mono.

On the subject of rough riding on Gresley locomotives, it would seem that, if the (tender) loco didn't have a Cartazzi truck then it would be a rough rider at speed; especially when due to a works visit. I've just finished reading a book on the LNER mogul classes and it seems that crews didn't like running them at speeds. Therefore, when deputising on express passenger duties, mogul crews would attack climbs as hard as possible so that they wouldn't have to rely on fast downhill running to make up time. Pacific crews on the other hand apparently let their locos find their own pace on a climb knowing that they could always make up time on the downhill stretches. From a modelling perspective, I prefer the Gresley aesthetic over other designers (especially Thompson who designed some ungainly Pacifics) - thankfully my loco crews don't complain about anything!

Not the best light for a photo but the printed parts for my Howlden 45' BV are now done. Yes, the back catalogue is a bit bigger now but I've stopped putting new stuff on Shapeways as it was becoming too much hassle with all the regular changes they make.

The domed roof is a rather complex shape so the CAD needs to be told where profile needs to go. It's a bit like the frame on a ship or aircraft and the more references you can give the program, the better the shape becomes. To only give the loft function a reference for the start and end point will result in it creating a straight line from one to the other (hopefully that makes as much sense to those reading as it does in my head!). For something that has no change throughout its length, a simple extrude function is fine though. That's how I design the bulk of my carriages and wagons and add detail once the basic shape is established.

Thanks Duncan. I've not used Fusion 360 myself, instead I use a program called Alibre Design. For beading and paneling, I tend to go with a depth of 0.15mm. Heights can vary so careful measurements from the drawings is required here. Nick Campling's Volume Two of Historic Carriages is really good and I've used that quite a bit to design stock including this: I really must get around to designing the Brake Composite to go with it. The Gresley domed roof is a real pain, isn't it. To do this, I draw out the profile of the dome at 1mm intervals and then use the 'Loft' function in Alibre to render the final shape. Hopefully the screen grab shows the idea (red outlines are the various drawings). It takes awhile! Hope this helps.

Hi Duncan, I assume your question was directed at me and apologies if not. I'm modelling Hadley Wood from after the LNER's resignaling work in 1932 up to the outbreak of WW2 in N gauge. The aim is to provide a reasonably comprehensive representation of the variety of services that passed the station during this period, starting in 1932 and working forwards in time (both by hour and year).

Some bits and pieces that I've been working on recently to get a more rounded view of LNER 1930's passenger formations. Ex-GNR Gresley 56'6" Full Brakes representing Dia. 286 (top) and 287. These seem to crop up quite regularly in the 1935 and 1937 copies of the Carriage Working Books I have (more so than the later LNER 61'6" versions) so I had to have some. The printed Dia. 287 in the process of being 'teaked' using oil paints. There was another variation of this type with a different style of ducket and lower panel detail. A set of Howlden carriages as converted by Gresley from six wheelers into an articulated triplet set. The triplet set straight after post cleaning and curing. Some revisions to the underframe are needed to get these to print a little better. These will form part of the 10:50am King's Cross to Doncaster semi-fast. Finally the body for a Howlden Full Brake to Dia. 296. I mainly worked from a very good dead side on photo (scaled to 4mm scale) but also referred to known dimensions in various books I have. This one is still to be test printed. One of these will go along with the triplet set above, the fifth carriage listed is an ex-GNR Gresley 61'6" corridor Brake Composite which will certainly give the 10:50am a different look.

I've got three...

Hello Tony, While I cannot compete with the lovely 9Fs you (and others) have built, I humbly offer the following N gauge 3D printed carriages. First is my ex-GNR 56'6" full brake to Dia. 287. I really love the mix of Gresley and Howlden features on this BG. Next are the three carriage bodies for my Gresley/Howlden triplet set fresh off the printer. I've only got the bodies to the printing stage so far but the underframes are not far behind (although the interiors have yet to be started). Several carriages that I've not seen in N gauge before (or any scale in the case of the Dia. 287) that I hope that you all find interesting.

That makes a lot of sense Jonathan. Here is mine adapted to the same, many thanks.

I thought so and very nice it is too! I notice that there are no torpedo vents or gas lighting on the luggage compartment of the composite. I'm working from Nick Campling's drawings which shows them; are the drawings incorrect?

Progressing on my virtual workbench is this triplet set of Howlden carriages converted by Gresley into an articulated set. It'll form part of the 10:50am King's Cross to Doncaster service along with a couple more Howlden carriages. Now I really must get the FEP replaced on the printer and start printing some of the stuff I've designed!

LOL! I'm afraid it is an illusion caused by the CAD program's shadowing effect. Here are the almost finished bodies for the complete set. This triplet set will be 46041-3 which will form part of the 10:50am King's Cross to Doncaster service. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think that Grantham has the same set (built by you).

Tony and Graeme, While my comment was largely (by not totally) tongue in check, thank you for your kind words. Graeme, now if only I could become an expert in ignoring 'unhelpful, time-wasting distractions' in general life... Anyway, I've been working on some more CAD work. I'm going to guess that Mr King, Mr Wealleans or other members of the Grantham team can identify where I'm going with these.

The only thing I'm a self appointed expert in is ignorance.

Thanks for letting us know Grahame, my order is in!

Well, while the layout might not be progressing much, it doesn't mean that things aren't going on. After being taken apart and tinkered with/rebuilt more times than I care to count I'm finally at a point where I think the performance of this little loco is good enough for my needs. Please don't asked me about the electrical equipment in the video, not my area of expertise I'm afraid... Now I just need to sort out the other two C1s and get them running like this. BTW, 4436 will handle 14 Gresleys with a little slipping on the curves and 16 with a lot of slipping.

Interesting reading about RTR, kit built, scratch build, etc. I offer my own take on making something otherwise not available. It has been seen before but I've been tinkering with it to get better performance. One of my N gauge C1 Atlantics having now been rebuilt with a sprung front bogie and new tender chassis. Both of these have been machined from brass and the bogie sports a turned kingpin and hand wound spring. The split frame tender chassis late in its construction. The wire provides an electrical paths from this side of the chassis to the motor - the other is provided by one of the fixing screws. So, a Dapol Hall chassis, Dapol Britannia driving wheels, Farish bogie/cartazzi wheels and Peco tender wheels, a mix of 3D printing, scratch building and modifying RTR to get a loco not otherwise available in my chosen scale. Better still, it now runs a lot better and can haul loads in excess of anything my layout will ever require it to pull. All that's left to do is investigate why it loco is sitting a smidge lopsided (hence the slightly high loco footplate compared to the tender. That's going to be tomorrows job. 12 (ish) years after starting my journey to make this class of locomotive, I think I've finally cracked it.