Modelling the North Eastern Railway in EM gauge

[Riverside]

While I've followed some great posts on modelling the North Eastern this is my own first post and possibly a cry for help from anyone who's built a NER BTP from a London Road, ex Steve Barnfield kit.

 

I have to say it's going reasonably well although the instructions lack any sort of drawings or sketches apart from some side views showing the many types of this locomotive. The chassis is at a 'basic' stage and I decided to get on with the body as I feel there is some advantage in that when it comes to fine-tuning the fit between the two. The cab is fiendishly tricky on this one with a combined cab/bunker etch with lots of rivets! At the moment I've rolled a curve onto the cab sides but am not particularly looking forward to rolling the cab roof and making it all line up smoothly with the sides.

 

It's an interesting loco and hopefully will be united one day with a a pair of NER Auto coaches I have to build from D&S kits. At least it won't be challenged power-wise having only two coaches to push and pull.

[Worsdell forever]

I found it went together very well, I will get mine finished eventually, it's all the edge lining that it's stopped at... 

I think mine might pull a reasonable amount, I have the motor vertical in the firebox attached to a HL Roadrunner gearbox so the whole of the boiler and smokebox is filled with heavy stuff, so much so that it can rock forward a bit on the compensation beams, it needs a bit of weight at the back to balance it. There's also some 1055 number plates somewhere. 

 

 

 

 

[Jol Wilkinson]

1 hour ago, Riverside said:

While I've followed some great posts on modelling the North Eastern this is my own first post and possibly a cry for help from anyone who's built a NER BTP from a London Road, ex Steve Barnfield kit.

 

I have to say it's going reasonably well although the instructions lack any sort of drawings or sketches apart from some side views showing the many types of this locomotive. The chassis is at a 'basic' stage and I decided to get on with the body as I feel there is some advantage in that when it comes to fine-tuning the fit between the two. The cab is fiendishly tricky on this one with a combined cab/bunker etch with lots of rivets! At the moment I've rolled a curve onto the cab sides but am not particularly looking forward to rolling the cab roof and making it all line up smoothly with the sides.

 

It's an interesting loco and hopefully will be united one day with a a pair of NER Auto coaches I have to build from D&S kits. At least it won't be challenged power-wise having only two coaches to push and pull.

The white lining on the wheels is very good. How did you do that?

[Riverside]

Thanks Paul,

Interesting that you've used the Roadrunner gearbox. I had a look at High Level's website and decided perhaps the Slimliner and one of their new 1015 motors would fit but then I did fit standard High Level hornblocks which in EM have made getting the gearbox in a bit tight. Like you I'm aiming to hide the motor inside the firebox.

 

Jol,

The wheels are lined by my painter which he likes to do as it makes his job easier. It makes mine harder as I have to be careful to avoid damaging the paintwork.

 

Regards,

 

David

[Paul Cram]

Here is mine. I found the build to be straight forward.

[Riverside]

NER BTP.

 

Well I'm not finding this one quite so straightforward. In EM gauge the frame spacers have produced a chassis width of 15.5 mm and given the back to back of EM wheels is 16.5 mm that does not leave much clearance! There is virtually no room for side play on the drivers but after a lot of fiddling with slim washers I do have a runner. I find most of my EM locos have 14 mm frames which gives some side play and allows the fitting of sprung pick ups which I like. Here I had to abandon the sprung pick ups and fitted some phospher bronze wipers which are working OK. I did manage to fit a standard High Level Roadrunner gearbox and Mashima motor which just fitted between the hornblocks.

 

Having got the chassis to a bearable stage where it runs round my track with only the odd complaint I decided to get back on to the bodywork. There's a surprising amount of fine detail to be fabricated and the roof was an interesting challenge with a central rolled brass section soldered between the curved cab sides. I ended up soldering some scrap brass locating strips onto the cab side/roof curves and then soldered the centre in place. More filling with solder and then smoothing out.

 

chassis completed but very tight clearances.
roof bearers soldered in place.filling the roof joints with solder.

[hayfield]

Its really nice to see some actual modelling taking place, a bonus when its in EM gauge, plus good to see how others locos turned out,  please keep us up to date with your progress

[Chas Levin]

Nice model and such an interesting prototype - looking forward to seeing the next stage here too 

[Riverside]

At last the BTP is complete and running sweetly after a marathon testing session.

 

There were some very tricky details to add including the spring hangers which were brass castings. No advice in the instructions about how one is supposed to attach these. I had misgivings about fitting them at all but decided to give it a go as they are a prominent feature of these locos. I ended up cutting the exposed parts of the springs and hangers from the castings and soldering them to the splashers. Any excess solder was removed by filing and a burr in the drill. It worked and there were no issues with shorting onto the wheels. I did experience problems with shorting of the bogie wheels onto the frames as the engine traversed curves - this was remedied by filing away more of the frames in the relevant areas.

 

As kits go - this is my fifth etched loco kit - I think the BTP is one of the harder kits I've attempted but it does capture the look of the prototype and is worth the effort. Now on to the pair of  NER clerestory Autocoaches.

 

[Riverside]

Been making some progress on finishing four NER scratchbuilt wagons in EM. The body shells were started by Richard Lacey and I added the underframes and details. There is a V1/2 outside framed birdcage brake, 2 x R1 coke wagons and a diagram P6 coal hopper wagon. The outside framed brake van has a lot of character I think. I am now working on some transfers for these. Of course - just as I finished the P6 Accurascale announced they will be doing it .. oh well at least the R1 coke wagons are unavailable commercially ... so far.

[Riverside]

I do finish kits ---eventually. Here is the LRM BTP finished and coupled to a pair of D&S clerestory Autocoaches (this lot took up most of my kitbuilding time last year). Plus the NER W class built from one of Arthur's kits. Locos were painted by Paul Moore who did a lovely job as usual. I painted and lined the coaches

 

I heard Arthur is unwell and back in hospital - so wishing him a speedy recovery.

[Chas Levin]

Wow, those are absolutely gorgeous models! The Class W looks especailly superb, wonderful job! I have one to build and was assuming I'd do it in LNER black, but seeing that, perhaps the more colourful livery is justified when it lifts the loco's appearance so dramatically!

I also hope Arthur recovers quickly, very nice, very helpful gent.

[Citadel]

Lovely models as Chas says.  Makes me crave a bit of North Eastern green to add to the cornucopia that Carlisle Citadel must have been in the 1880's/90's.

 

What did catch my eye though was half a 14' 6" LNWR horsebox (which aloo looks fabulous).  Have one on the go at the moment and can't really get my head round how the door support stay (on the end next to the Class W) might work and hence how to model it...   By chance do you have any end on photos or can anyone else help?

[Riverside]

Thank you Chas and Citadel,

The W class or 'Whitby Willy'! was a lovely kit to build and there's plenty of space inside those tanks for added lead  and a flywheel on the motor. My personal preference was to built one as the rebuilt version rather than the original 4-6-0T as I think they look better balanced. It depends on the period you're modelling as I think the class remained as 4-6-0T s until around 1917.

 

The LNWR horsebox was built from a very old etched kit (Micro Rail I think) and the end detail did cause me some concern as the instructions referred to an image of one of these horseboxes in 'LNWR Miscellany' which I borrowed from a club member and that showed an interesting rod arrangement for lowering the sides. There was no provision for this in the kit nor for brake gear which I assumed they would have by the 1890s. I'll attach some more images of the horsebox which hopefully will explain but I have to say I'm no authority so hope I got it right!

[Citadel]

That’s great, think beginning to make sense.  Have the photo in question but details a bit fuzzy….   I’m going to assume  the lower end of the straight stay slides on the curved section and prevents the door going beyond horizontal.

 

If mine ends up looking half as good as yours will be more than happy

[Chas Levin]

17 hours ago, Citadel said:

If mine ends up looking half as good as yours will be more than happy

As would anyone - gorgeous little vehicle!

[Riverside]

Hi 'Citadel',

 

If you have a copy of 'Historic carriage drawings vol 3 - non passenger coaching stock' by Peter Tatlow you will find on pg. 85 a useful couple of photos of a very similar M&SWJR horsebox with the odd fold down arrangement for the side doors.

 

[Citadel]

Many thanks for that, will look out for it.  Felt inspired by your model so though I’d better get stuck in and complete mine. Built the body in plasticard a while ago but just received the etch for the chassis, see below: 

 

 

Taken with my phone in the kitchen so white balance a bit weird.  
 

I’ll now go on the lookout for even smaller and cuter horse boxes!

[Nick Holliday]

14 hours ago, Citadel said:

Many thanks for that, will look out for it.  Felt inspired by your model so though I’d better get stuck in and complete mine. Built the body in plasticard a while ago but just received the etch for the chassis, see below: 

 

 

Taken with my phone in the kitchen so white balance a bit weird.  
 

I’ll now go on the lookout for even smaller and cuter horse boxes!

What about this tiny LBSCR one? 
https://www.roxeymouldings.co.uk/product/97/4c67-lbscr-sr-stroudley-horsebox/

At least one survived into SR days.

[Jol Wilkinson]

Perhaps not small and cute enough, this is a GER Horsebox from a D&S kit.

[Riverside]

What's not to like about horseboxes? That LNWR chassis looks great Citadel. Is it a home-etch? The safety chains are a nice detail.

 

Lovely teak finish on the GER box.

[Citadel]

Thanks for the kind comment - I was pleased how it went together.  I drew it up in Adobe Illustrator and had it etched by PPD.  Actually it was really a spacefiller on a 12 wheel 54' MR clerestory etch I am working on - the plasticard body has been sitting patiently in my 'to do' box since last year.  The castings are from LRM.

 

Wheels are sprung with guitar wire rather than the rocky W iron arrangement.  It's also 14' 6" rather than 14' 3" as reading through the interesting thread below understand this was a bone of contention with the original Microrail kit 🙂

 

www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=7481

 

Think the general consensus is that you can never have too many horseboxes!

 

Best Regards

 

Mike

Edited January 19, 2023 by Citadel

[pete55]

Lovely looking loco's Riverside.

Can I ask a silly question and ask which manufactures  green paint you use for these NER locos?

[Riverside]

Mike,

 

When I built the LNWR horsebox I was puzzled by the 4'3'' description in the Micro Rail instructions as 4'6'' seems to have been the length. Reading through the scalefour forum topic it looks like this 'mistake' was carried on when David Geen produced the kit. 

I assumed by the 1890s these horseboxes would have had some sort of brake gear although the kit has none! Friend gave me some details from LNWR publications showing the evolution of their brake gear for such vehicles - sorry but I can't find the drawing now - and I opted for a single brake block and lever on one side arrangement. I decided to fit the vehicle with through piped Vac and Westinghouse but can't say if that was accurate.

The brake gear was scratchbuilt from metal strip and bar.

 

Pete,

 

The NER 'green' locos are professionally painted by Paul Moore who uses his own cellulose colour which I believe he has mixed by one of the automotive suppliers. If you are looking for an enamel version the Precision Paints range one is good.

[Border Reiver]

Following on from the above. Does anyone know a good acrylic paint suitable for NER green?