Building a J36 Kit in 4mm

[30368]

I have been asked to build (I shall not be charging) a 4mm kit of the exNBR/exLNER J36 locomotive for a Model Railway Club over in Calne Wilts. The club have a truly excellent Layout of the West Highland Line (Can be seen at TrainWest 2019 13/14th April at Springfield Community Campus, Corsham, SN13 9DN, I recommend a visit!)

 

I Know Hornby make an excellent model of the prototype but the kit has been lying around for some time and its owner and club member, intended to build it but unfortunately mortality caught up with him. I hope I can make a good job for the club who much revere the gentlemen and in my case before mortality gets me! 

It is a PDK kit and also has an alternative chassis kit made by NBR 4mm Developments someone I have never come across before but the quality looks high.

 

Has anyone out there built the PDK kit? If so I would welcome some advice on the following:

 

1. The J36 boiler is fairly small however I would like to fit a two stage gearbox if possible, any preferences?

2. What motor would you recommend?

3. Info on the prototype - I visited Dalry Road depot in Edinburgh back in 1963 and recall a named J36, I think it was Maud? Does anyone have allocation info on Dalry Road in 1963/4? 

 

Many thanks, there is no rush, I have 2 SR H15 4-6-0s to complete before I make a start.

 

[JeffP]

I built one in P4 from a GEM kit many years ago and wrote it up for RM.

The chassis had to be scratch built, as did the tender chassis, but the result was not bad.

Edited March 23, 2019 by JeffP
Mis-typed

[Steamport Southport]

For gearboxes try High level. There is a guide showing which ones fit each type of model.

 

http://www.highlevelkits.co.uk/gearboxmainpage.html

 

 

For allocations have a look at BR Database. Maude was definitely at Dalry Road.

 

http://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=class&type=S&id=601036

 

For BR era name transfers try Modelmaster. They do Maude as one.

 

 

 

 

Jason

[JeffP]

I had to handpaint Maude's nameplate. Years of numbering Subbuteo players on their shirts AND shorts, saw it looking OK. The originals were hand painted, of course.

[30368]

Jeff and Jason,

 

Many thanks for all the useful information and Jeff, Scunthorpe is a bit rough but I always thought the Goole was worse. Sorry all you Goolites just a bit of fun. At least you don't have the recent problems suffered by Salisbury!

 

From the research done so far a two stage gearbox is possible. I will look at the GEM build too.

 

Thanks very much,

 

Richard B

 

[JeremyC]

I've built the PDK J36, but used the chassis supplied with the kit.

The arrangement I used gives a Z drive and puts the motor in the boiler and drives to the rear axle, leaving the cab clear.

Motor: Mashima 1025

Gearbox: Load Hauler + with drive stretcher [IIRC you have to use the + version to fit a drive stretcher. The gearbox comes with a short extender but it wasn't long enough to reach the back axle]. I can't remember what ratio I used, probably 60:1 and if I've measure it right the stretcher is the D1 (16mm).

 

 

 

Edited March 24, 2019 by JeremyC
Added details

[30368]

Many thanks Jeremy. Very helpful.

I am finishing off my H15 project at present but will shortly make a start on the J36. 50 or 60:1 seems the right ratio for these small freight loco's. I have done some research and like you, will fit the motor into the boiler and probably drive the trailing wheel.

 

Kind regards Richard B

 

[30368]

Hi,

 

As promised, now that H15 30491 is finished its on the the J36 for my friends at The Bentley Model Railway Group.

 

Some progress with the frames - I have used the excellent fret produced by NBR Developments which were supplied by BMRG.

 

 

Firebox grate and ashpan fret soldered in place and guard irons likewise. Note that unusually NBR use small machined "plugs" which fit into holes in the frame to locate the brake arms rather than just a hole. Trusty old "Poppy" frame jig doing its job. Frame spacers soldered in jig.

 

First two frame spacers soldered in place.

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[Daddyman]

Sorry - just seen this. 

 

This combination fits fine in the PDK body, and you don't have to have a missing bottom to the boiler: the  motor (a 1020) sits vertically in the firebox, driving on the rear wheel. 

 

Bear in mind that the NB Developments chassis will be slightly short - it was originally made for a whitemetal kit with thick buffer and drag beams. I needed to add 1mm at the rear, and it could perhaps do with a little at the front too - just solder packing pieces across the chassis. 

[30368]

Many thanks Daddyman - have checked alignment between NBR chassis and PDK footplate mounting holes and all fine and as you suggest I have gone for a similar motor mount as you. Yes, I think the NBR chassis was designed to fit an old GEM kit of the J36.

 

Once again thanks for the help,

 

Richard B

[30368]

Some progress - footplate now fitted (temp) to frames I have reversed fixing arrangement - 8BA screws soldered to footplate instead of nuts, easier to align. Gearbox completed and motor mounted - gear train run in with electric drill. Will order Alan Gibson 20mm 16 spoke driving wheels.

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[Daddyman]

Which axle are you driving off? The extension on that gearbox is longer than mine. Have you confirmed it will place the motor in the firebox? I think you're going to have to move that frame spacer - I had to. 

 

Edited April 18, 2019 by Daddyman

[30368]

Hi Daddyman.

 

I haven't decided yet but probably the centre axle with the (short) motor in the firebox. There is just enough clearance for the top of the gearbox but if not I can trim it by around 1.5mm which should do the trick. Just checked the firebox backhead casting and it might just be possible to drive the rear axle without impacting the cab floor. The motor you used looks a little longer than the 1220 I'm using. 

 

Buy the way, whose driving wheels did you use? 

Thanks again for the advice - made me look again at the options!

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[Daddyman]

Mine drives on the rear. Gearbox is about 13.5mm from the centre of the wheel axle to the centre of the motor shaft, which lines it up well in the firebox when driven on the rear axle, well clear of the cab floor. If I drove on the centre axle with that gearbox it would scrape the throat of the firebox. So you might be OK with a slightly longer gearbox on the middle axle. 

Motor is a 1020, so the length should be the same as yours. 

 

Wheels are Gibson. 

 

 

[30368]

Have been doing a bit more than gardening etc.. over Easter. The splasher sides are a bit fiddly to solder to the footplate but once that is done, and providing you take care to get the profile right the tops solder to the splasher fairly easily. I have added a bit of rivet detail here and there - using pictures of Maude, both in service and in preservation, since I intend to model this loco. Saw the old girl on St Margaret's back in 1963.

 

 

Damnation - out of focus again!

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[JeffP]

Is that 64A?

[30368]

Yes Jeff, its St Margaret's as I remember it although this is not my picture. I recall seeing Maude there in December 1963.

 

 

Smokebox wrapper wired up ready for soldering. The second wrapper will be scratch built with full rivet detail. Sorry about my crap picture!

 

 

Footplate with all those tricky splashers assembled and fitted.

 

 

 

Boiler temporarily fitted and assembly united with frame.

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[30368]

Hi,

Driving wheels have now arrived. Daddyman I have decided to drive the middle axle with the motor located in the firebox, bit conventional but it all fits without intruding into the cab.

Boiler bands on and final smokebox wrapper (three in total is scratch built from v.thin brass with rivet detail added. Coupling rods made and soldered on the Poppy jig to ensure alignment with crankpins/axle centres. Will now fit gearbox, quarter wheels and fit coupling rods. Then time to run in chassis.

 

[30368]

Loco now wheeled and mechanism fitted. Driving on centre axle with motor in the firebox. No intrusion into the cab. Boiler temporary fit, splashers to fill.

 

Motor mechanism fits well.

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[30368]

Update primarily for Bentley Model Railway Group.

 

 

Chassis being run in - seems to run fairly sweetly.

 

 

Making good progress. Fabricated cylinder cover fitted. Pick ups next and then its a detailing dash to complete. I intend to paint it BR black with original lion and wheel. Does BMRG want me to weather? Perhaps dirty and then cleaned? I will check front number plate availability and report back before numbering. 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[30368]

Almost completed the loco, chassis pick-ups fitted. Just brake gear and a few body details to fit. Backplate and cab roof completed. 

 

 

 

[30368]

Almost finished the loco,

 

It honestly looks better than the pictures - so searching!

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[30368]

The prototype for this model is 65335 which was fitted with one variety (of which there seems to be about 4 so far including a really home grown looking wooden version) of tender cab so had to modify the PDK suplied tender.

 

 

 

Photo courtesy of Smugmug.com. Many thanks.

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[30368]

Almost finished, just final numbering etc and weathering.

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B

[30368]

All done! Looks fairly well now its numbered etc, allocated to Eastfields 65A.

 

 

 

I'm fairly happy with the loco, hope Bentley Model Railway Group are also happy. It will live on their excellent layout Kannotburn. 

 

Kind regards,

 

Richard B