My First Austerity

[SR71]

15 hours ago, Ruston said:

Can modelling masking tape be bought in sheets? I know someone who has a laser cutter and that's given me the idea that a mask cut to size, and with the corners already in it that match the radius of the lining corners, could be used.

 

Probably a bit coarse for our needs but you can get masking sheet for a vinyl cutter. These get used to produce writing and shapes that go on the sides of vans and race cars. You start off with a sheet of your chosen colour (or mask in this case) then the machine cuts the design into the sheet and you peel off the half you don't want leaving you with a sticker to apply. Not sure if anyone does a miniature version though.

Edited July 4, 2020 by SR71
spelling

[JSModels]

16 hours ago, Ruston said:

Can modelling masking tape be bought in sheets? I know someone who has a laser cutter and that's given me the idea that a mask cut to size, and with the corners already in it that match the radius of the lining corners, could be used.

 

42 minutes ago, SR71 said:

 

Probably a bit coarse for our needs but you can get masking sheet for a vinyl cutter. These get used to produce writing and shapes that go on the sides of vans and race cars. You start off with a sheet of your chosen colour (or mask in this case) then the machine cuts the design into the sheet and you peel off the half you don't want leaving you with a sticker to apply. Not sure if anyone does a miniature version though.

 

For a vinyl cutter, that's ok, but don't be tempted to try to cut vinyl with a laser cutter - it gives off some VERY nasty fumes, including (but not limited to) an acid that will eat into and destroy various components of the cutter itself, and cyanide gas. 

[Ruston]

In for a penny. in for a pound.

I have cut the boiler out and made an opening in the running plate. Barely visible in the foregound is a piece of plasticard that I taped around a brass tube and dunked in the kettle. This will weld to the plastic bodywork but before fitting will be reinforced by gluing cut down length of brass tube inside. I'll have to clamp the running plate to the old chassis before fitting it to ensure it all remains straight and level.

 

The leading tank handrail holes have been filled and new holes drilled.

[Ruston]

I'm still waiting for the wheels and chassis but a package has arrived from RT, containing a chimney, dome, tank filler and some etched parts for steps, buffer beams etc.

 

All of the moulded steps have been removed, including those on the tank, which appear to have been too high on the tank, anyway.

 

[doilum]

Don't forget the handrail knobs, boiler bands and balance pipe before fixing to the footplate. There is a reason why Diana , my first austerity, doesn't have them.....,.

[Ruston]

I was thinking of boiler bands as fitting them before fixing the boiler in place would be easier but I couldnt see any on the photos that I looked at, so didn't fit any.

[doilum]

I might need to check . The ancient Mercian kit had them so I fitted them to Antwerp as well. This is also the reason why I will eventually have to redo the cab roofs. The heavy duty frame for the sunroof hatch is wrong, as discussed earlier. A copy of Gordon Edgar's book arrived in this morning's post. There is an excellent shot of Bold colliery yard showing not one but three roofs.

 

[doilum]

17 minutes ago, doilum said:

I might need to check . The ancient Mercian kit had them so I fitted them to Antwerp as well. This is also the reason why I will eventually have to redo the cab roofs. The heavy duty frame for the sunroof hatch is wrong, as discussed earlier. A copy of Gordon Edgar's book arrived in this morning's post. There is an excellent shot of Bold colliery yard showing not one but three roofs.

 

There is a definite seam ( there is a good shot in Google image of a loco under repair without the boiler cladding) but no band as such. One or two seem to have a small bore additional balance pipe which may have been mistaken by the original Mercian designer. This shows up best on yellow liveries! They all have the larger balance pipe a couple of feet behind the smokebox.

[Alister_G]

Hi Dave,

 

I realised I have some photos of a Hunslett Austerity, taken at Peak Rail in 2013. This is of course as preserved, and may not be original, but I hope these are of some use to you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was snowing at the time, so I apologise for the flakes getting in the way...

 

Al.

[doilum]

16 minutes ago, Alister_G said:

Hi Dave,

 

I realised I have some photos of a Hunslett Austerity, taken at Peak Rail in 2013. This is of course as preserved, and may not be original, but I hope these are of some use to you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was snowing at the time, so I apologise for the flakes getting in the way...

 

Al.

Forget the snow flakes, this is the money shot of the cab roof. Looks like I have three to revisit!

[Alister_G]

Gah! missed a couple!

 

Here you go:

 

 

 

 

Al.

[Alister_G]

13 minutes ago, doilum said:

Forget the snow flakes, this is the money shot of the cab roof. Looks like I have three to revisit!

 

Thanks, my only reservation is that this is a preserved loco, and therefore this might not be as originally built?

 

It does show a single band or seam on the boiler casing, too.

 

Al.

Edited July 7, 2020 by Alister_G
spillong

[Ruston]

This one shows a thin band, half way along the bottom of the boiler https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yqeOgmkNO_Q/maxresdefault.jpg

 

If there is a band, it's very thin and doesn't stand out much at all. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/uploads/monthly_06_2013/post-7071-0-36280800-1370528789.jpg

 

Another detail I've noticed is that some have the raised edges to the cab and front steps but some don't. Is this down to some builders not fitting them, or is it a later fitting for safety?

Edited July 7, 2020 by Ruston

[doilum]

The new austerity is now a smooth belly! I agree with the caution of basing research on preserved locomotives but, on the total evidence I have seen in the last few days I am confident that this how it should be. In 4mm this equals a hatch cut from very thin shim brass or 5 thou Plastikard and a couple of lengths of the finest wire in the scrap box.

[doilum]

1 hour ago, Ruston said:

This one shows a thin band, half way along the bottom of the boiler https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yqeOgmkNO_Q/maxresdefault.jpg

 

If there is a band, it's very thin and doesn't stand out much at all. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/uploads/monthly_06_2013/post-7071-0-36280800-1370528789.jpg

 

Another detail I've noticed is that some have the raised edges to the cab and front steps but some don't. Is this down to some builders not fitting them, or is it a later fitting for safety?

Agreed there is much variation but no pattern. Using the wartime pictures from Continent, Coalfield and Conservation it would appear that the original "austerity" spec was a simple flat plate ( a great help to scratch builders). Some appear in time to have had the ends turned up slightly with a big hammer. Gordon Edgar's book has photos of two locos at Longmoor taken in 1966. Interestingly, the one that had been " retired" for fitter training has the full side cap types of steps. 

Once in NCB ownership they were subject to the health & safety views of individual mechanical engineers. S134 (aka Wheldale) ended up with a ladder type cab steps whilst several other Hunslet and Hudswell Clarke's had a boxed in cab step fitted. Some ( it may have been an Ackton Hall thing) had the front nearside steps removed to ensure crew mounted from the offside making use of the extra footplate to tank filler handrail.

And then there is RSH 7098/43 which, in addition to the extra third pair in line with the dome, has three steps on the cab steps. Must have had a short driver! Looking more carefully at Gordon Edgar's book,  this might have been a North Eastern thing as several others are similarly fitted.

Back to rule one. Find a prototype on a given date and model it!

Edited July 7, 2020 by doilum
Additional information

[Alister_G]

As far as I have found from researching the Cromford & High Peak Railway locomotives, all of those had the third set of steps in the middle of the running plate. These steps all seem to have the edge plates on them.

 

They also all appear to have originally had the extended coal bunker - although these were removed when the locos were in service at the C&HPR - and therefore have the narrow "arrow-slit" cab windows, rather than the porthole type seen on other Austerities, and as in the above photos.

[doilum]

On 07/07/2020 at 13:59, Alister_G said:

As far as I have found from researching the Cromford & High Peak Railway locomotives, all of those had the third set of steps in the middle of the running plate. These steps all seem to have the edge plates on them.

 

They also all appear to have originally had the extended coal bunker - although these were removed when the locos were in service at the C&HPR - and therefore have the narrow "arrow-slit" cab windows, rather than the porthole type seen on other Austerities, and as in the above photos.

It maybe that the extra set of steps is an LNER / BR thing. Watch out for fake J94s!!

Or maybe not. RSH 7098/43 went new to store and then spent much of its life in various opencast mines before finding a colliery home.

 

Gordon Edgar's book suggests that around half of the LNER J94 class had the third set of steps.

Edited July 8, 2020 by doilum
Additional information

[Alister_G]

According to the BR database, 7 J94s were allocated to the C&HPR: all of which were ex WD locos.

 

3 were built at Hunslet Engineering, 2 by Hudswell Clarke, 1 by Vulcan Foundry and 1 by Andrew Barclay, between 1944 and 1946.

 

Al.

[5050]

Well, I must admit that prior to reading all this i had always assumed that a J94 was a J94 etc. etc.  No idea there was so much that distinguishes individual locos.  With this in mind I will desist from building one in case I get accosted  at an exhibition with a verbal "Did you know that that loco was fitted with a left hand grommit widget and not a right hand one like what you have fitted etc. etc."

[doilum]

10 minutes ago, 5050 said:

Well, I must admit that prior to reading all this i had always assumed that a J94 was a J94 etc. etc.  No idea there was so much that distinguishes individual locos.  With this in mind I will desist from building one in case I get accosted  at an exhibition with a verbal "Did you know that that loco was fitted with a left hand grommit widget and not a right hand one like what you have fitted etc. etc."

So: back to rule one. If that fails, rule two. ( It's my xxxxxdx railway so xzxzx off!!)

And we haven't started on the 50550 class.

Edited July 7, 2020 by doilum
Additional information

[Caledonian]

On 07/07/2020 at 13:59, Alister_G said:

As far as I have found from researching the Cromford & High Peak Railway locomotives, all of those had the third set of steps in the middle of the running plate. These steps all seem to have the edge plates on them.

 

They also all appear to have originally had the extended coal bunker - although these were removed when the locos were in service at the C&HPR - and therefore have the narrow "arrow-slit" cab windows, rather than the porthole type seen on other Austerities, and as in the above photos.

 

And something that constantly gets missed is the extra set of steps on the rear buffer beam.

 

As has been mentioned, most if not all of the Austerities acquired by the LNER were eventually fitted with a diagonal handrail at the forward end of the saddle-tank - as perpetuated by Hornby whether they are selling an industrial Austerity or a LNER/BR J94.

 

They also acquired a third set of footsteps to middle of the running plate - with a corresponding handrail on the running plate.

 

At the back end most of the LNER ones got the hopper extension to the bunker, with the narrow windows, and a ladder on the back of the bunker. Hornby and DJM both reproduced this ladder, but neither of them added the narrow set of footsteps on the buffer beam under the ladder, which was necessary to actually reach it.

 

This shows up very clearly in photies once you know to look for it.

 

 

[Ruston]

This one has three sets of steps each side but doesn't have the extra step or grab rail on the tank.  Lambton 58 was the same but I don't think either of them were ever owned by the LNER.

https://www.deviantart.com/lampwortroy/art/The-Lambton-Colliery-Railway-145137544

[doilum]

Which is why we have rule one!

And to prove my point: Antwerp HE 3180 only acquired a high capacity bunker in preservation at Grosmont.

[Ruston]

I thought I'd just see what mine would look like with a Lambton cab. The cab isn't fixed down, hence the gap.

Hmm... No, I think I prefer the standard cab. Soeaking of which, in the RT Models detailing etches there is a cab rear. The problem is I can't get the plastic cab rear out. It's firmly glued in and woud be a massive butchery job to cut it all out.

[mike morley]

Try sticking it in the freezer overnight.  Lots of glues become brittle at low temperature and will crack quite easily when flexed.