Model Rail/Rapido Trains GER/LNER 'J70' 0-6-0T 'Project Toby'

[dibber25]

Kernow's mail order operation, which handles the Model Rail products on behalf of the magazine, is a very busy organisation and is unlikely to be able to monitor sites such as this on a regular basis. Similarly, I monitor RMweb on behalf of Model Rail, but whilst I can answer some of the technical and detail questions, I can't help with such things as faulty performance, or deal with returns/replacements. Rather than relying on someone to notice your problem on social media, the best bet by far is to use the old-fashioned telephone. 01209 613984 will take you directly to the Model Rail Offers dept at Kernow. (CJL)

[Salmotrutta]

6 hours ago, dibber25 said:

Kernow's mail order operation, which handles the Model Rail products on behalf of the magazine, is a very busy organisation and is unlikely to be able to monitor sites such as this on a regular basis. Similarly, I monitor RMweb on behalf of Model Rail, but whilst I can answer some of the technical and detail questions, I can't help with such things as faulty performance, or deal with returns/replacements. Rather than relying on someone to notice your problem on social media, the best bet by far is to use the old-fashioned telephone. 01209 613984 will take you directly to the Model Rail Offers dept at Kernow. (CJL)

I agree and appreciate your help. However sometimes it helps to get feedback from other owners when you are not sure if it's a real fault or just that you are expecting too much from a product; especially when returning it is going to be a hassle. Or if I'm doing something stupid like using a cheap DC controller (although not an ancient one like the instructions warn against!). However even with a decent controller poor Toby appears to have a bees' nest in him.....

 

Fortunately Bill from Rapido noticed my post and offered to help sort it out on the USA side of the pond; kudos to him and the company. 

 

Best regards R

[SomethingTrainLover]

I tried to remove the shell off the chassis to just check it over, I unscrewed the four corner screws but the shell just would not budge. Anyone else had this problem? I mean it's probably just well mounted and stuck on there, but I do want to NOT break it after waiting so long ;).

[dibber25]

6 hours ago, SomethingTrainLover said:

I tried to remove the shell off the chassis to just check it over, I unscrewed the four corner screws but the shell just would not budge. Anyone else had this problem? I mean it's probably just well mounted and stuck on there, but I do want to NOT break it after waiting so long ;).

The J70 is in three 'main parts' -

 1 the plastic body (the wooden part of the real thing) which unclips along the lower edges of the sides.

2 The die-cast 'innards' - the boiler etc

3 The chassis

If its a skirted model, it is worth unclipping the skirts and cowcatchers to start with.

Undoing the four screws in the corners of the underside of the chassis enables the die-cast 'innards' to be separated, allowing access to the chassis for decoder fitting etc. However, on some models this can be a tight fit. Care, persuasion and gentle leverage should do the trick. Be very careful not to damage the valve gear during handling. (CJL)

 

[dibber25]

I understand that Digitrains is now able to do a DCC sound installation in the J70. (CJL)

[NXEA!]

I'm planning on renumbering 68223 with 'BRITISH RAILWAYS' lettering to 68217, and I didn't know if anyone could advise me on transfers. As the numbers are on the bufferbeam, do I need 2mm, 2.75mm, or 3.15mm? I'm assuming 2mm as its pretty small. And colour-wise, do I need off white (straw)? I'd appreciate any advice anyone can give me, cheers in advance. 

[dibber25]

7 hours ago, NXEA! said:

I'm planning on renumbering 68223 with 'BRITISH RAILWAYS' lettering to 68217, and I didn't know if anyone could advise me on transfers. As the numbers are on the bufferbeam, do I need 2mm, 2.75mm, or 3.15mm? I'm assuming 2mm as its pretty small. And colour-wise, do I need off white (straw)? I'd appreciate any advice anyone can give me, cheers in advance. 

I've just done a 68217. I used the smallest numbers on an HMRS Pressfix sheet - they just fit nicely and they are straw-coloured. Its easy to renumber if you pop the ends of the body out first. If you're modelling 68217 with the doors open you'll notice that the supplied single doors have a diagonal brace on the inside. 68217 didn't have the diagonal brace. The closed double door moulding is without the braces, so I used that and cut it carefully down the middle in order to model the doors open. 68217 also had an odd combined top lamp iron and bump-stops for the sliding windows. We don't have that detail in our tooling suite, hence we didn't include 68217 as one of the options, though in truth, it hardly notices and 68217 was much-used on the W&U. (CJL)

[NXEA!]

39 minutes ago, dibber25 said:

I've just done a 68217. I used the smallest numbers on an HMRS Pressfix sheet - they just fit nicely and they are straw-coloured. Its easy to renumber if you pop the ends of the body out first. If you're modelling 68217 with the doors open you'll notice that the supplied single doors have a diagonal brace on the inside. 68217 didn't have the diagonal brace. The closed double door moulding is without the braces, so I used that and cut it carefully down the middle in order to model the doors open. 68217 also had an odd combined top lamp iron and bump-stops for the sliding windows. We don't have that detail in our tooling suite, hence we didn't include 68217 as one of the options, though in truth, it hardly notices and 68217 was much-used on the W&U. (CJL)

Thanks Chris. Just to check, which sheet - I'm assuming 14P, like this? https://www.petersspares.com/hmrs-14p-oo-gauge-br-steam-loco-coach-van-pressfix-transfer-sheet.ir

[dibber25]

1 hour ago, NXEA! said:

Thanks Chris. Just to check, which sheet - I'm assuming 14P, like this? https://www.petersspares.com/hmrs-14p-oo-gauge-br-steam-loco-coach-van-pressfix-transfer-sheet.ir

That's the one. The numbers are very slightly bigger than the Rapido originals but I found they fitted OK and look good. I like the Prefix because they are easy to position. There's a picture of my 68217 on page 39 of the current issue. (CJL)

[Martin H]

On 28/04/2019 at 09:55, dibber25 said:

The J70 is in three 'main parts' -

 1 the plastic body (the wooden part of the real thing) which unclips along the lower edges of the sides.

2 The die-cast 'innards' - the boiler etc

3 The chassis

If its a skirted model, it is worth unclipping the skirts and cowcatchers to start with.

Undoing the four screws in the corners of the underside of the chassis enables the die-cast 'innards' to be separated, allowing access to the chassis for decoder fitting etc. However, on some models this can be a tight fit. Care, persuasion and gentle leverage should do the trick. Be very careful not to damage the valve gear during handling. (CJL)

 

Can I just say how helpful this advice has been. I managed to wiggle the chassis off but putting it back on left me in fear of damaging the valve gear. The instruction manual explains how to remove the cow catchers but not the side-skirts. They do come off quite easily, however, there are two slots at either end attaching them to the body and then, about one panel in two vertical lugs - look at the parts diagram to see what I mean. If you pull the ends gently outwards and then downwards the skirt comes away.

 

In terms of DCC sound Youchoos have a sound file and there is helpful guide at:

 

http://youchoos.co.uk/Index-Resource.php?L1=IG-LNERJ70 

 

[Graham_Muz]

i have finished the weathering of the J70 and posted on my blog the first of a few planned Making Quay Changes posts with the Canute Road Quay being transported to either a different location or era or both.  In this case we have stayed in my usual era but moved Eastwards, to perhaps the docks of Ipswich or Yarmouth  

 



 



 

The full post with other information and images can be read here https://grahammuz.com/2019/05/15/making-quay-changes-1-moving-eastwards/

Edited May 20, 2019 by Graham_Muz

[dibber25]

3 hours ago, Martin H said:

Can I just say how helpful this advice has been. I managed to wiggle the chassis off but putting it back on left me in fear of damaging the valve gear. The instruction manual explains how to remove the cow catchers but not the side-skirts. They do come off quite easily, however, there are two slots at either end attaching them to the body and then, about one panel in two vertical lugs - look at the parts diagram to see what I mean. If you pull the ends gently outwards and then downwards the skirt comes away.

 

In terms of DCC sound Youchoos have a sound file and there is helpful guide at:

 

http://youchoos.co.uk/Index-Resource.php?L1=IG-LNERJ70 

 

I'm glad it was useful. I've worked on four J70s - including the one featured in the instruction booklet - but I've only had the chassis out of one. It was a little on the tight side but came out OK. I also had the valve gear on one 'lock-up' when the leading crankpin clashed with the crosshead. I think this was down to carelessness on my part when handling the model while fitting the details. It's a tiny engine with some very tight clearances on the moving parts. (CJL)

[coline33]

Thank you, Chris, for your article on W&U in MR 261 and that in MR 262 on transforming the J70.   Pity we still have not got a loco crew to fit leaning out of the windows when in the open position.   Good to see the item in MR 262 about the W&U goods office kit from Osborns.   All the best, Colin. 

[coline33]

Chris, the figures you used in the MR 262 article were they the HO or OO version please?   Colin.

[dibber25]

1 hour ago, coline33 said:

Chris, the figures you used in the MR 262 article were they the HO or OO version please?   Colin.

Oops, caught out! The article was a mixture of work that I did and work that George did. The figures went to George - I've never seem them, so you would need to e-mail him to ask, as he's not in the office at present and neither am I. As far as I know, they were specifically made for the J70 , so they would be 'OO'. (CJL)

[Pint of Adnams]

On ‎20‎/‎05‎/‎2019 at 19:54, Graham_Muz said:

i have finished the weathering of the J70 and posted on my blog the first of a few planned Making Quay Changes posts with the Canute Road Quay being transported to either a different location or era or both.  In this case we have stayed in my usual era but moved Eastwards, to perhaps the docks of Ipswich or Yarmouth  

 



 



 

The full post with other information and images can be read here https://grahammuz.com/2019/05/15/making-quay-changes-1-moving-eastwards/

Lowestoft is an option too - docks plus Oulton Broad/riverside industries and the Sleeper Depot...

[RateTheFreight]

What’s the minimum radius for these delightful little locos? 

 

Greg 

[Graham_Muz]

10 minutes ago, RateTheFreight said:

What’s the minimum radius for these delightful little locos? 

 

Greg 

Well they are perfectly happy on my http://www.canuteroadquay.com that is Peco short radius turnouts and Ys 

Edited June 15, 2019 by Graham_Muz

[RateTheFreight]

56 minutes ago, Graham_Muz said:

Well they are perfectly happy on my http://www.canuteroadquay.com that is Peco short radius turnouts and Ys 

 

Thanks Graham, I’m hoping that means they’d also be at ok on first radius curves? I’m trying to fit the smallest roundy roundy I can get with a siding. 

 

They look right at home on your stunning layout! 

 

Greg 

[PaulG]

7 hours ago, Pint of Adnams said:

Lowestoft is an option too - docks plus Oulton Broad/riverside industries and the Sleeper Depot...

 

Last member of the class worked Hythe Quay, Colchester.

 

Paul

[Ramrig]

On 14/06/2019 at 08:51, coline33 said:

Chris, the figures you used in the MR 262 article were they the HO or OO version please?   Colin.

 

Hardys hobbies 

try here

https://hardyshobbies.co.uk/product-category/oo-gauge/oo-sets/j70/

[coline33]

It is alright saying 'try here' but you will see that Hardys produce the range in both scales, so still to find which one MR used as CJL has suggested.   I find many circumstances where H0 figures suit the space better and do not look too cramped.   I also await to see if Hardys produce the J70 crew leaning on the open front windows, looking ahead, which has already been suggested to him.   I have an image run of three different sets of crew in that position which would just make the J70s more realistic and not have the same faces if you have more than one J70.

[MarkSG]

One of the problems with fitting a crew to a J70 is that, because it was driven from both ends, the driver has to change ends when it reverses direction. It's going to look a little odd pulling a train with the figures at the rear end. But it's not exactly easy to move them!

 

I suppose one solution is to have three people on the footplate, one fireman (who obviously stays at the firebox end all the time) and two drivers, one at each end. I'm not sure how prototypical that would be, though.

 

(I'm well aware that this is a generic problem with adding crew to locomotives, particularly tank engines where however you do it the driver is going to be facing the wrong way half the time. But it's worse with the J70. Maybe what we really need are holographic crew that change direction with the loco, in much the same way that many models already do with front and rear lighting).

[Wickham Green]

10 minutes ago, MarkSG said:

One of the problems with fitting a crew to a J70 is that, because it was driven from both ends, the driver has to change ends when it reverses direction. It's going to look a little odd pulling a train with the figures at the rear end. But it's not exactly easy to move them!

 

I suppose one solution is to have three people on the footplate, one fireman (who obviously stays at the firebox end all the time) and two drivers, one at each end. I'm not sure how prototypical that would be, though.

 

(I'm well aware that this is a generic problem with adding crew to locomotives, particularly tank engines where however you do it the driver is going to be facing the wrong way half the time. But it's worse with the J70. Maybe what we really need are holographic crew that change direction with the loco, in much the same way that many models already do with front and rear lighting).

Unless the driver is a real stickler for detail he's probably NOT going to be wearing a greasetop cap and immaculate overalls on this sort of shunting locomotive so his chosen attire may be indistinguishable from that of the shunter or - even railway enthusiast - who's hitched a ride in whichever cab's at the trailing end !

Edited June 17, 2019 by Wickham Green
spilling

[coline33]

I intend using 'wacky tack' to make the crew transferable.   However, my J70s are used on a W&U style oval layout with a fiddle yard at one end serving both directions.   There is some shunting at two depots in between so the end with the drivers will be scheduled to be at the appropriate shunting end.   The issue mentioned is identical to that I have with tramway operation on end-to-end layouts which is a reason for my latest tram layouts being circular!!!