Oxford N7

[Bucoops]

1 hour ago, D9020 Nimbus said:

They could do the Liverpool Street station pilot version—B.R., but in GE blue...

 

Did they do an N7 like that? I thought it was just a J69?

[Classsix T]

I thought that but wasn't absolutely sure* an N7 was so bedecked by Stratford's masters of the paintbrush, dismissing it as confusion with the J69, which I'd gladly buy if OR decided to do it!

 

*(I didn't go digging in the library either, btw) C6T. 

[Izzy]

In R.C.Rileys Great Eastern Album (Ian Allen c1968) on p76 there is a shot of the two Liverpool street station pilots, East side/West side, side-by-side at the terminus on 11th May 1957,  J69 68619 & N7 69614. Both are in immaculate lined livery with 68619 having the lion-on-wheel emblem and 69614 the later totem. Further shots show east/west pilot engines being pressed into service on 'Jazz Trains' when the need arose.

 

Izzy

[Joseph_Pestell]

20 minutes ago, Izzy said:

In R.C.Rileys Great Eastern Album (Ian Allen c1968) on p76 there is a shot of the two Liverpool street station pilots, East side/West side, side-by-side at the terminus on 11th May 1957,  J69 68619 & N7 69614. Both are in immaculate lined livery with 68619 having the lion-on-wheel emblem and 69614 the later totem. Further shots show east/west pilot engines being pressed into service on 'Jazz Trains' when the need arose.

 

Izzy

 

Lined black or lined blue?

 

I have only found two colour photos of 69614. Both show her in lined black but with GE style red coupling rods.

Edited May 23, 2019 by Joseph_Pestell
Add info

[Classsix T]

Yeh, I've colour volumes that show the J69 with a GER blue/BR hybrid livery. I'm pretty certain the N7 was fastidiously kept but essentially black with polished brightwork.

 

https://railphotoprints.uk/p86258800/h29F56BB6

 

Yea, b&w, I know. C6T. 

[gc4946]

3 hours ago, Izzy said:

In R.C.Rileys Great Eastern Album (Ian Allen c1968) on p76 there is a shot of the two Liverpool street station pilots, East side/West side, side-by-side at the terminus on 11th May 1957,  J69 68619 & N7 69614. Both are in immaculate lined livery with 68619 having the lion-on-wheel emblem and 69614 the later totem. Further shots show east/west pilot engines being pressed into service on 'Jazz Trains' when the need arose.

 

Izzy

The same photo in colour appears on the front cover of "On Great Eastern lines" by Peter Swinger (Ian Allan, 1998) Pages 5 and 8 in the same book feature 68619 in GER blue, it was repainted in April 1959. 

Page 9 has a photo of 69604 (from the batch modelled by Oxford Rail) with round-topped boiler, in lined black and late crest, taken at Bethnal Green on 28th February 1959.

Edited May 23, 2019 by gc4946
Added details of N7 69604

[Stentor]

According to R.C. Riley’s The Colour of Steam - The Great Eastern Line:

 

J69 68619 was the East Side Pilot and N7/4 69614 was, from 1956, the West Side Pilot. Both were in lined black with red coupling rods.

 

N7 69614 lasted in that role until the end of 1960.

 

In September 1959 J69 68619 was repainted by Stratford into GER blue livery returning to traffic in October 1959, having first been on display at a Colchester Trades Fair from 25th to 28th September. 68619 carried the BR insignia on the side tanks and the GER coat of arms beneath the number on its bunker.

 

I had always thought that 68619 was the J69 preserved as GER No. 87 but this was actually  Parkeston’s 68633.

 

This book is a little treasure trove of unusual and interesting colour photographs and well worth getting if you see it.

 

//Simon 

[Stentor]

On 23/05/2019 at 16:53, Izzy said:

In R.C.Rileys Great Eastern Album (Ian Allen c1968) on p76 there is a shot of the two Liverpool street station pilots, East side/West side, side-by-side at the terminus on 11th May 1957,  J69 68619 & N7 69614. Both are in immaculate lined livery with 68619 having the lion-on-wheel emblem and 69614 the later totem. Further shots show east/west pilot engines being pressed into service on 'Jazz Trains' when the need arose.

 

Izzy

 

What is even more remarkable about that photograph is that according to R.C. Riley:

 

“I asked Ted Carron, the local Running Foreman, if he would be kind enough to arrange for them to be turned to face into the sun.”

 

Imagine the reaction you’d get to that request at Liverpool Street today.

 

//Simon 

 

[Sasquatch]

Hattons are listing the LNER unlined version in stock as of today!

https://www.hattons.co.uk/254692/oxford_rail_or76n7002_class_n7_0_6_2t_8011_in_lner_black/stockdetail.aspx

 

Looks nice, now where's my flexible friend.

[45568]

Just wish they'd hurry up with the BR lined one!!!

Cheers from Oz,

Peter C.

[Norton Wood]

2 hours ago, 45568 said:

Just wish they'd hurry up with the BR lined one!!!

Cheers from Oz,

Peter C.

 

It's quite interesting with Oxford's move on this, to have produced 3 versions of the Locomotive and not produce all three at the same time. Initially, I thought could it be that OR want modelers to purchase the GER liveried version first to see whether the interest is there. Testing the water you could say, which brought me to my next thought, well why not bring the BR version out first, at the moment BR steam is very popular with pre-grouping steadily on the increase and the Big Four era standing as strong as ever? 

 

Or it could be very simple, they're getting them out as and when they are completed, and Oxford Rail is doing the BR version last as it's a little more complex compared to the first two produced?

 

I'm not positive on these theories but I'd like to hear what others have to say

 

Thanks, Tom

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

I simply find it strange that they haven't led with the BR round top. It will outsell the other two announced versions, the old Belpaire versions went extinct pretty rapidly once better boiler thoughts were implemeted.

[Sasquatch]

1 hour ago, Norton Wood said:

 

It's quite interesting with Oxford's move on this, to have produced 3 versions of the Locomotive and not produce all three at the same time. Initially, I thought could it be that OR want modelers to purchase the GER liveried version first to see whether the interest is there. Testing the water you could say, which brought me to my next thought, well why not bring the BR version out first, at the moment BR steam is very popular with pre-grouping steadily on the increase and the Big Four era standing as strong as ever? 

 

Or it could be very simple, they're getting them out as and when they are completed, and Oxford Rail is doing the BR version last as it's a little more complex compared to the first two produced?

 

I'm not positive on these theories but I'd like to hear what others have to say

 

Thanks, Tom

Two theories, When Oxford made the Adams radials they kind of flooded the market which might have cost them or crated some kind of problem. Or being new to the RTR loco market,  could be trying to work out the best way to release new models.

What ever their reasons I for one hand it to them for bringing two excellent models to the market and hope they have every success. While we're on the subject an N1 would be most welcome, I'd buy those by the bag full! 

 

Regards Shaun.

 

Edited May 28, 2019 by Sasquatch

[Norton Wood]

3 minutes ago, Sasquatch said:

Two theories, When Oxford made the Adams radials they kind of flooded the market which might have cost them or crated some kind of problem. Or being new to the RTR loco market so could be trying to work out the best way to release new models.

What ever their reasons I for one hand it to them for bringing two excellent models to the market and hope they have every success. While we're on the subject an N1 would be most welcome, I'd buy those by the bag full! 

 

Regards Shaun.

 

 

Ah there's an excellent point, but you are quite correct. Even getting an N7 is amazing (Bring on a J69 or E4 (T26) and I'll be very happy) we have to be thankful that the model is being produced anyway

 

Thanks Tom

[Sasquatch]

11 minutes ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

I simply find it strange that they haven't led with the BR round top. It will outsell the other two announced versions, the old Belpaire versions went extinct pretty rapidly once better boiler thoughts were implemeted.

You know like when you're watching a period piece on TV and there's a train from the 1950s in Edwardian times, a bit like putting concord in a WWI movie. Proves most people know absolutely  nothing about trains!

Could be that!

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

5 minutes ago, Sasquatch said:

...While we're on the subject an N1 would be most welcome, I'd buy those by the bag full! 

There's no shortage of subjects in small black loco territory, and I can quickly point at a couple of dozen more attractive smaller locos in decent size classes in service into the BR period that have never had a RTR model, or in most cases even a sniff at being proposed for a RTR model, that are going begging. If Oxford want to specialise in this area and can make a good thing financially out of it, there's work for them for years to come!

[Sasquatch]

Fingers crossed that they are reading this then!

 

I was just thinking that most consumers fall into three basic groups. The collectors, Mr average who just runs what they like on their layout (That's me BTW) and the true modelers. The true modelers must be the smallest group and the hardest to please.

(shed plates, washout plugs, boiler type etc). Pleasing the full spectrum of consumers would be the manufacturers  goal!

[Izzy]

1 hour ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

I simply find it strange that they haven't led with the BR round top. It will outsell the other two announced versions, the old Belpaire versions went extinct pretty rapidly once better boiler thoughts were implemeted.

 

It might be that they want to squeeze as much sales out of the early versions, hoping those waiting would sucumbe to getting one while they hung on for the BR livery types, and that once they change the tooling to produce the roundtop they won't make any more belpaire for some time. However, I am sure I read a while back - before Xmas I think -  that they had all been produced and it was just a case of shipping them over.

 

Izzy

[PhilJ W]

10 minutes ago, Izzy said:

 

It might be that they want to squeeze as much sales out of the early versions, hoping those waiting would sucumbe to getting one while they hung on for the BR livery types, and that once they change the tooling to produce the roundtop they won't make any more belpaire for some time. However, I am sure I read a while back - before Xmas I think -  that they had all been produced and it was just a case of shipping them over.

 

Izzy

Perhaps its a case of not wanting to flood the market. Then again Oxford Diecasts new release schedule is somewhat erratic and Oxford Rails is the same.

[Sir TophamHatt]

I had an idea of getting one of these and even sold another loco to fund it.

I don't have many steam engines but thought I'd make an exception for this one as it does look quite nice.

 

Problem is, the livery I'd get is simply taking to long to come to the market that I've lost interest and diverted funds to something else I am looking at instead.

 

There's discussion on the Class 90 thread about manufacturers holding back liveries to try and get more sales but it's risky as per my example above.  It'd be interesting how many lost sales there are from this sort of approach.

[Robin Brasher]

I am modelling the preserved Swanage Railway.  The preserved N7 made several appearances on the passenger service on the line both in LNER livery and in BR livery. I have just received the LNER version. Perhaps the different versions of the N7 are made in different factories and some have taken longer to produce them than others.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

20 minutes ago, Sir TophamHatt said:

...There's discussion on the Class 90 thread about manufacturers holding back liveries to try and get more sales but it's risky as per my example above.  It'd be interesting how many lost sales there are from this sort of approach.

The retailers have a part in this too, never forget they are actually the model railway manufacturer's customers. A manufacturer's sales team should be checking with retailers 'how does this work for you?'. The flood of new RTR products from multiple sources is all very exciting, but the retailer has to manage the cashflow carefully to stock all this product, and find storage and display space for all of it.

 

When it's a subject like the N7, which is never going to face any direct competition, a phased release of the variants may be relatively low risk in terms of lost opportunity at retail, while easing some of the retailer's many headaches.

 

5 minutes ago, Robin Brasher said:

...Perhaps the different versions of the N7 are made in different factories and some have taken longer to produce them than others.

Oxford have been consistent from the off in the statement that they have their own dedicated production facility. Without trawling the entire thread, I believe it has been implied that the initial production runs of all the announced variants had been completed.

[Norton Wood]

3 hours ago, Robin Brasher said:

I am modelling the preserved Swanage Railway.  The preserved N7 made several appearances on the passenger service on the line both in LNER livery and in BR livery. I have just received the LNER version. Perhaps the different versions of the N7 are made in different factories and some have taken longer to produce them than others.

 

Oooh, if you don't mind photographing it and putting a few photo's it on here that would be fantastic

[Pint of Adnams]

On ‎22‎/‎05‎/‎2019 at 15:57, Norton Wood said:

An interesting new comment put up Oxford Rail: 

 

"Since the announcement of our N7 we have received a number of questions about producing this locomotive in GE Blue. The N7 never carried this livery in service and was painted in the grey from new. Would you want this as a possible future release." 

 

Of course as previously stated for it to be accurate, the locomotive would need to be slightly altered with a slightly different Cab & boiler due to the placement of the dome & various other items, which I cannot remember off the top of my head. 

 

Personally, if Oxford Rail was to do another N7 I'd like another LNER model with the round-topped boiler and red lining. 

It's not just a comment but a Poll - inviting a 'Yes' or 'No' response to producing a version in GE blue (even though it never ran in that livery under the GER or LNER). The Poll closes in about 3 weeks: https://www.facebook.com/Oxford-Rail-2176618712550434/

 

[gc4946]

I felt sufficiently tempted to order the LNER version to go head to head with my Hornby N2