K4 (or K1/1) from Hornby K1

[Paul_sterling]

Morning All,

 

I'm just wondering if anyone has given consideration (or already done) to a conversion of the Hornby K1 to a K1/1 or even K4, I'm looking at it myself and trying to assess complexity/feasibilty. 

 

Thanks, Paul. 

 

[MarkC]

Interesting thought. I picked up a K4 kit from Dave Alexander* earlier this year, so I don't need one, but will be interested to follow this.

 

*Dave is reported to be retiring very soon, so if you want any of his goodies, you need to buy them asap

[Paul_sterling]

Interesting thought. I picked up a K4 kit from Dave Alexander* earlier this year, so I don't need one, but will be interested to follow this.

 

*Dave is reported to be retiring very soon, so if you want any of his goodies, you need to buy them asap

Thanks for the info Mark. I'll admit that, despite years of railway modelling, I've tended to leave locomotives alone, but the recent good deals on k1's has got me tempted.

Thanks. Paul

[Butler Henderson]

IMO a RTR K4 cannot too far away from being announced; its one the increasingly few preserved classes not yet done as RTR.

[Poor Old Bruce]

If you come across the Silver Link book 'Model Railway Locomotive Building on the Cheap' (got my copy at a swapmeet), the first chapter covers making a K4 using a B17 body and a Southern N chassis. That was written before Hornby introduced their K1. Now the K1 is available with the correct wheelbase, that should be a better option - shouldn't it?

[Paul_sterling]

If you come across the Silver Link book 'Model Railway Locomotive Building on the Cheap' (got my copy at a swapmeet), the first chapter covers making a K4 using a B17 body and a Southern N chassis. That was written before Hornby introduced their K1. Now the K1 is available with the correct wheelbase, that should be a better option - shouldn't it?

 

It should yes, I was mostly curious in case Peppercorn Revised the wheelbase on the K1 away from that on the K1/1, i'll do some further research.

 

Yes I got that book some time back, it will certainly provide some help, though yes, all being well, starting with a K1 will be a better approach than starting with the N chassis.

 

thanks, Paul. 

[forest2807]

Some people have used a Bachmann K3 for the chassis beneath the B17 body. The wheels are (IIRC) not quite the right size for a K3 or a K4 but fall nicely in between somewhere. I have a GBL K3 body, a spare B17 body and a Bachmann K3 chassis that I might get around to cobbling into a K4 some day soon.

[Paul_sterling]

It should yes, I was mostly curious in case Peppercorn Revised the wheelbase on the K1 away from that on the K1/1, i'll do some further research.

 

Yes I got that book some time back, it will certainly provide some help, though yes, all being well, starting with a K1 will be a better approach than starting with the N chassis.

 

thanks, Paul. 

 

 

At the moment, it looks like the salient visual change from K1 back to K1/1 is the front end cylinder cover-in, and a smaller tender. 

 

From K1 to K4 there is a bit more involved, boiler, cylinders, running plate to cab, front end, tender etc. 

 

For now, i'll start with making the K1/1 as its more within my experience range, and try the K4 later (unless someone releases it beforehand)

 

Paul. 

[Markeg]

This sounds interesting.

 

Here is what the Modellers Guide to the LNER David Adair 1987 states as the wheelbase for the K1 compared to K4. I'll throw in the K3 as well.

 

Wheels & Spacing

 

K1  3' 2" bogie (10 spoke) 5' 8" Driving (18);  8' 7" +  7' 3" + 9' 0"

K3  3' 2"    "      (10)           5' 8"    "        (18);  8' 11" + 7' 6" + 8' 9"

K4  3' 2"   "       (10)           5' 2"    "        (16);  8' 11" + 7' 6" + 8' 9"

 

I think in 4mm, it would not be noticed unless you tell every one.

 

Mark in OZ 

[rowanj]

I,ll dig out and photograph the 2 conversions I did of the K1/1 and K4. In both cases, I used the Bachmann K3 chassis. The wheelbase is incorrect, but the wheels themselves are under scale for the K3 so look OK under the 1 and 4. It's a while since I did them,but both were normal cut and shut and join up jobs,with plenty of plastic padding. At the time the K1 wasn't available, but I wouldn't want to have a go at converting the single slide bar...though I'm sure it's been done.I also converted the tender to the shorter LNER GS.

Pics to follow if there is interest.

John

[DCB]

This sounds interesting.

 

Here is what the Modellers Guide to the LNER David Adair 1987 states as the wheelbase for the K1 compared to K4. I'll throw in the K3 as well.

 

Wheels & Spacing

 

K1  3' 2" bogie (10 spoke) 5' 8" Driving (18);  8' 7" +  7' 3" + 9' 0"

K3  3' 2"    "      (10)           5' 8"    "        (18);  8' 11" + 7' 6" + 8' 9"

K4  3' 2"   "       (10)           5' 2"    "        (16);  8' 11" + 7' 6" + 8' 9"

 

I think in 4mm, it would not be noticed unless you tell every one.

 

Mark in OZ 

 

That K1 is the Gresley 1912 - 1937 K1 later rebuilt as K2s.   The K1/1 and 1940s Thompson/ Peppercorn K1 is a different loco with 5' 2" Driving wheels.

 

The K4 was essentially a K3 with a smaller boiler and smaller driving wheels. The running plate curves were adapted to suit the smaller wheels so it is not the same as the K3 and essentially needs to be scratch built.   Gresley boilers were highly standardised as regards diameters so the K4, B17, B12/3 etc all shared the same diameters though with varying lengths.

 

The K1/1 was a K4 ruined with essentially the 1912 K1 cylinders, sort of a downgrade.  It took 2 1949 era K1s to haul the same train 1 X K4 could handle on the West Highland. 

The K1 was an upgrade on the J39 as a medium mixed traffic loco but not a patch on the K4.   Still seems to beat Black 5s hands down climbing out of Glenfinnan on the Mallaig rains though

[Butler Henderson]

Remember 3442 on the Worth Valley - its the only steam loco I've seen there that waltzed up the bank out of Keighley without seeming to be doing much work, its wheels just dug in and off it went. 

Edited November 10, 2018 by Butler Henderson

[rowanj]

At the moment, it looks like the salient visual change from K1 back to K1/1 is the front end cylinder cover-in, and a smaller tender. 

 

From K1 to K4 there is a bit more involved, boiler, cylinders, running plate to cab, front end, tender etc. 

 

For now, i'll start with making the K1/1 as its more within my experience range, and try the K4 later (unless someone releases it beforehand)

 

Paul. 

 

 I think the K1/1 cab was based on the B1, and is shorter than the K1. The slidebars are also quite different. It's not a simple conversion, and rather than carve up a K1, I'd be inclined to  start with a B1 body.