K's GNR Atlantic to LBSCR H2

[hayfield]

I was first drawn to this by seeing an advert for a K's SR H2 4-4-2 Atlantic loco, as far as I know K's never made one

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KEYSER-K-s-OO-METAL-KIT-BUILT-SR-SOUTHERN-GREEN-H2-4-4-2-ATLANTIC-LOCO-B40/372818174472?hash=item56cdb1e208:g:By0AAOSwPx5dtUiG

 

Well this certainly is a Keyser loco and looks to be the GNR Ivatt Atlantic C2? with a few deductions, so I thought I would look a bit closer as many years ago a friend gave me a box of bits for the GNR Atlantic, look to have been rebuilt at lease once before and many of the parts had been attacked with a file and had to be rebuilt. The loco and tender bodies are passable, on the plus side the chassis has Romford drivers but the motor is the K's HP2M. I never got the cylinders working properly, found out belatedly they should be attached to the body and not the chassis, so it ended up being another unfinished project

 

Looking at some plans the loco body is much the same, the exception being the cab is completely different and the frames are extended slightly rearwards, the tender is a bit different, the wheelbase is slightly out and the tender top layout would need a bit of surgery. The GNR is of no interest to me but I built the loco as it was a gift for a friend, and I must admit I enjoyed the challenge of rebuilding the body and tender. Now I would never even contemplate using a K's HP2M motor  and plastic gears. Using a ent modern can motor and a decent gear box certainly would improve its running, as to how square the chassis is another thing. I guess putting it on a Chassis jig may improve things, or even using a set of Alan Gibson mainframes

 

Still perhaps this long abandoned project may have a future after all. The biggest issue would be to extend the footplate and cast mainframes, less difficult a new cab. 

 

 

 

 

[Barclay]

Sounds like a good plan - They can't be too different - the Bluebell Railway is using a GNR boiler as the basis for its Atlantic project.

[hayfield]

I think there are a few examples of Southern locos being either the same or similar to some Northern/Scottish locos. Then you have a similar thing with GWR absorbed locos especially for the rebuilt ones 

[mclong]

The Brighton H1 atlantic  is closer to the GNR version. The footplate is nearly identical, the H2 is very different, but neater. Top H1 bottom H2.

Edited October 31, 2019 by mclong

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

2 hours ago, mclong said:

The Brighton H1 atlantic  is closer to the GNR version. The footplate is nearly identical, the H2 is very different, but neater.

The major consequent benefit in going for the H2 is that the cylinders are neatly below the footplating. That means a potentially simpler model construction as the cylinder representations can be attached to the chassis as usual, with the footplate as part of the body. Lovely lookers too...

[hayfield]

I had a quick search  of the spares box and have 2 pairs of the rear frames with steps as they need to increase by 4mm appx.

 

I could cut the steps off the frames on the body, then cut the steps + 4mm off the spare rear frames, after filing the bits of spring flat, I could then solder them in place along with a flat footplate extension piece

 

The cab front and sides will be the next challenge, the sides and roof would be easier parts to make, it may be easier to convert the existing cab front.

 

Still a might be project in a pile of things to do

[Virgil]

Hi, just caught up with this topic as I plan to do the same ie converting a K's C2 Atlantic to a Marsh H2 , have you made any progress with the project ?