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Mikemeg's Workbench - Building locos of the North Eastern & LNER


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18 hours ago, rowanj said:

Hi Mike. Will the released kit have the boiler pre-rolled, as is usual with Arthur's locos?

 

John,

 

I'm not sure, though Arthur might like to comment. I always receive the test etches flat but I know that the boilers in the production kits are often pre-rolled.

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

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NORTH EASTERN KITS LNER J21

 

 With the addition of the two layers of smokebox wrapper - the snap headed rivet version as the top layer - then a quick check to ensure that everything lines up and sits square. As yet, nothing is fixed, so if it fits in this state then it should all fit when soldered together.

 

So the major loco superstructure is now largely complete, though still a great deal of detail to add.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

 

P1010032 (1).JPG

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Oh, a J21 - didn't see that one coming (although I suppose it shouldn't be a big surprise as Arthur already does a J24 and J25 and there must be lots of commonality).  I already have a Nucast one that I built ages ago, and an LRM one unstarted in the drawer, but I can see me getting one of Arthur's as well as I suspect it will be superior to both.

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I guess regular readers of this thread will have seen some of the photographs, from Mick Nicholson's growing collection, posted on here. I continue to receive copies of some of Mick's photographic acquisitions which are assiduously filed away on my PC.

 

Given the recent postings on the test building of Arthur's North Eastern Class A/LNER F8, then this photo, again from Mick's collection, is particularly applicable as it shows an F8 on a train. The date of the photo isn't known but it is certainly 1923 or later as the locomotive carries LNER markings. The location is given as Croft Spa and just look how tidy the permanent way and the ballast shoulder is!!

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

 

469 Croft Spa..jpg

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Per Yeadon 469 was vacuum fitted July 1929 while allocated to Hawes. It was transferred to Richmond Dec. 1929. It returned to Hawes Dec. 1933 and moved to Tyne Dock in May 1935. Withdrawn Feb. 1937. Photo. probably taken between Dec. 29 and Dec. 33.  

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3 hours ago, JoeF said:

Per Yeadon 469 was vacuum fitted July 1929 while allocated to Hawes. It was transferred to Richmond Dec. 1929. It returned to Hawes Dec. 1933 and moved to Tyne Dock in May 1935. Withdrawn Feb. 1937. Photo. probably taken between Dec. 29 and Dec. 33.  

Darlington - Richmond would have been ideal for these locomotives. She certainly got about though - and from Tyne Dock she was probably used on the South Shields - Sunderland - Durham services?

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Thanks to the two contributors above. These old photographs often have no place or date attribution, so the history of the locomotive can give some indication of probable place and time.

 

By the time of its withdrawal - Feb 1937 - this loco must have been around fifty years old. They lasted well, these old North Eastern locos. Some of the G5's, J71's, J72's, J77's, etc. must have seen sixty plus years of service.

 

That said, some of the surviving English Electric Type 3's (originally D6700 - D6999) must also now be approaching or even have reached sixty years of service. Strange how, as kids, we almost resented the intrusion of these main line diesels as they replaced the steam locos which we loved. Now these same diesel locos are, themselves, historically important machines, much admired, much photographed and much missed. 

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

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52 minutes ago, Pebbles said:

When it comes to longevity the B52H has already seen almost 60 years service with the expectation of a further 30 years.

 

Indeed - Rolls Royce's US branch has just won the contract to supply replacement engines for them. 

 

I think I read somewhere that the BBMF are planning on flying their Lancaster until it is 100 years old. Whether it continues after that, I guess we will find out in about 20 years.

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2 hours ago, Bucoops said:

 

Indeed - Rolls Royce's US branch has just won the contract to supply replacement engines for them. 

 

I think I read somewhere that the BBMF are planning on flying their Lancaster until it is 100 years old. Whether it continues after that, I guess we will find out in about 20 years.

Hooray; a British company supplying a German designed  twin shaft turofan to power a USA Bomber. 

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8 hours ago, Asterix2012 said:

Is NASA still flying the American version  of the Canberra?

Who knows? There are possibly 2 to 3 WB-57Fs still flying, although with their modifications the only parts left of the Martin B57 are parts of the fuselage.

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On 29/11/2021 at 18:18, Pebbles said:

When it comes to longevity the B52H has already seen almost 60 years service with the expectation of a further 30 years.

 

Yes, I photographed one of these aircraft, stationary, at the Royal International Air Tattoo, at Fairford in 2019. Had to go a very long way back to get the whole thing into frame.

 

As you say, this must be some kind of record for longevity for any  piece of military hardware, though the Tu 95 'Bear' might also come close.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

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1 hour ago, mikemeg said:

 

Yes, I photographed one of these aircraft, stationary, at the Royal International Air Tattoo, at Fairford in 2019. Had to go a very long way back to get the whole thing into frame.

 

As you say, this must be some kind of record for longevity for any  piece of military hardware, though the Tu 95 'Bear' might also come close.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

I shouldn't highjack your thread, indeed I was only trying to illustrate machine longevity. You are quite correct about the TU95, indeed in its maritime version as the TU142 it remain in production long after the B52. However, how about the TU16 that flew in 1952. In its Chinese form, the Xian H-6,I believe it is still in production. It's called a technological plateau! I will now go away! 

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23 hours ago, Pebbles said:

I shouldn't highjack your thread, indeed I was only trying to illustrate machine longevity. You are quite correct about the TU95, indeed in its maritime version as the TU142 it remain in production long after the B52. However, how about the TU16 that flew in 1952. In its Chinese form, the Xian H-6,I believe it is still in production. It's called a technological plateau! I will now go away! 

 

No need to go away. These diversions make the thread more interesting. Like you (I'm assuming) I've had a lifelong interest in aircraft and aviation. In technology terms, an odd companion to the steam locomotive, I grant you but, at their design best, each is equally impressive as pieces of beautiful engineering.

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

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20 hours ago, KeithHC said:

Also hijacking I will add the DC-3/C-47. But also this as a thread is fascinating and I wish I could build locos that you have.

 

Keith

 

Keith,

 

Many thanks for the kind words. I really don't mind folk going off topic on the thread; I do it frequently.

 

As must be obvious, I do enjoy building the locos, though in my retirement, I enjoy building all sorts of things. I spent my working life in computing, later Information Technology, so largely office bound. The contrast, in now 'using my hands' to do things and make things, is hugely enjoyable and rewarding.

 

Once again, many thanks.

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

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Reverting to the topic area (I knew we'd get back, eventually) I have re-started work in the N8, while also doing the J21. So a reminder of what one of these locos looked like, way back in the early 1950's. This photo, which is the prototype loco for the model, was taken in one of the darker recesses of Hull Dairycoates shed around one of the six turntables under cover. What a place this must have been, on a Sunday in the early 1950's!!

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

 

N8 69382. Dairycoates, August__ 1951..jpg

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2 hours ago, mikemeg said:

Reverting to the topic area (I knew we'd get back, eventually) I have re-started work in the N8, while also doing the J21. So a reminder of what one of these locos looked like, way back in the early 1950's. This photo, which is the prototype loco for the model, was taken in one of the darker recesses of Hull Dairycoates shed around one of the six turntables under cover. What a place this must have been, on a Sunday in the early 1950's!!

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

N8 69382. Dairycoates, August__ 1951..jpg

Is that a Sentinel next door with a chalked on number?

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1 hour ago, Asterix2012 said:

Is that a Sentinel next door with a chalked on number?

 

Yes, it is a Y1 0-4-0 Tank. At the time of the above photograph, Hull Dairycoates had four Y1's - 68137/39/40/41. So 8139 is the one with the chalked on number.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

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8 hours ago, mikemeg said:

Reverting to the topic area (I knew we'd get back, eventually) I have re-started work in the N8, while also doing the J21. So a reminder of what one of these locos looked like, way back in the early 1950's. This photo, which is the prototype loco for the model, was taken in one of the darker recesses of Hull Dairycoates shed around one of the six turntables under cover. What a place this must have been, on a Sunday in the early 1950's!!

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

N8 69382. Dairycoates, August__ 1951..jpg

Wonderful photo, so atmospheric! Funny how the efect of random shadows adds such realism and interest...

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On 02/12/2021 at 20:37, Chas Levin said:

Wonderful photo, so atmospheric! Funny how the efect of random shadows adds such realism and interest...

 

Yes!  I guess like many of my generation, who loved the railways, an abiding memory of the age of steam would be these great sheds with their soot and grime; especially on a Sunday.

 

On a sunny day, the shafts of sunlight coming through any broken or missing panes of glass, would light the places with almost solid beams of light, piercing the stygian gloom and illuminating some part of a locomotive, creating a myriad patches of light and shade; or reflecting off oil filled puddles of water creating prismatic ripples of colour which shone up from the floor.

 

On a Sunday, almost silent were these places, save for the sound of hissing of steam, the faintly audible dripping of water and the occasional flutter of a pigeon disturbed in its lofty roost.

 

Magical places!! Happy days!!

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

 

 

DAIRYCOATES COPY.jpg

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Or, perhaps, this one. I don't know where this is, though it's obviously a North Eastern shed; the smoke hoods are the North Eastern design. It could be Hull Botanic Gardens, though there are other more likely contenders for the photo's location, particularly as there are J27 and Q6 freight locos in the shed. Hull Botanic Gardens was only ever a passenger locomotive shed.

 

Again, this photo just 'tells it as it was' inside one of these places.

 

Both this photo and the one above are courtesy Mick Nicholson.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

 

UNKOWN 5.jpg

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One final photo of the inside of the roundhouse shed at Hull Dairycoates. This building, up to 1955, housed six turntables within a single building. There was also a four road straight shed and various other buildings on the same site.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

 

DAIRYCOATES table c1960 .jpg

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On 03/12/2021 at 10:51, mikemeg said:

Or, perhaps, this one. I don't know where this is, though it's obviously a North Eastern shed; the smoke hoods are the North Eastern design. It could be Hull Botanic Gardens, though there are other more likely contenders for the photo's location, particularly as there are J27 and Q6 freight locos in the shed. Hull Botanic Gardens was only ever a passenger locomotive shed.

 

Again, this photo just 'tells it as it was' inside one of these places.

 

Both this photo and the one above are courtesy Mick Nicholson.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

UNKOWN 5.jpg

That one's terrific too Mike - I'd seen the previous one before (which is not to ignore that fact this it's a wonderful picture too!) but not this one: that's a good-sized boiler diameter facing us in that second pic, isn't it?

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