Arthur's Workshop

[ArthurK]

More Progress on the A6

 

Another afternoon (or rather two) and the A6 is beginning to look a bit more complete. boiler in place, cab rails and doors in place and the front and rear steps. I wasted a lot of time fitting the sandboxes under the footplate only to realise that these would be better on the underframe, so off they came. This is where I am up to.

 

FIrst two shots of the A6 itself.

 

 

Next for comparison the A6 alongside the original 4-6-0T. The difference in the bunker size is tne most abvious change. Also the original long smokebox on the latter although this was only used on five of the class of ten.

 

[will5210]

This thread is an inspiration & an education!

 

Superb.

 

Will

[James]

Arthur, that looks wonderful!

 

Having seen this, I will beg you for an A7 if I have to!

[ArthurK]

Arthur, that looks wonderful!

 

Having seen this, I will beg you for an A7 if I have to!

 

Some day Jonathan, some day.

 

Lets get the backlog cleared first - Q5/2, B15, Tennant2-4-0, Q7, "W" and A6. Then we will think about it and why not the A8!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Horsetan]

.....B15....

 

Mmmmmm.....Stumpf Uniflow.....mmmm........

[jwealleans]

Stumpf Uniflow

 

You do it, I'll applaud it.

[ArthurK]

Mmmmmm.....Stumpf Uniflow.....mmmm........

 

Could be done but it would call for a very messy and time consuming design. I don't think that I have the time for that!

[Horsetan]

You do it, I'll applaud it.

 

 

Thing is, the B15 is not a class I would normally touch (none preserved, for a start). But Arthur's proposed etches for the "standard" B15 did make me wonder what hacking could be done to modify the resultant model to resemble the Stumpf experiment. One thing could lead to another.....

[ArthurK]

Sorry fellas I can't do everything that you all might like!.

 

Perhaps I should have started at NER "A" and worked my way through to "Z" not forgetting 3CC and 4CC of course.

[Jol Wilkinson]

Sorry fellas I can't do everything that you all might like!.

 

Perhaps I should have started at NER "A" and worked my way through to "Z" not forgetting 3CC and 4CC of course.

 

Arthur, it doesn't matter what you produce, some people will always want the ones you don't. I wish I had a £5 (it use to be a £1, but you have to allow for inflation) for each time someone has said "why don't you do a kit for so and so?".

 

It is easier to bang on about what you want someone else to do, than get down to it and do it yourself. RTR wishlists are a good example of that, when a kit for a particular model often already exists.

 

Jol

[ArthurK]

More Progress on the A6

This time I added the coal rails to the bunkers of both "W" and A6. As I remarked earlier in the thread I used the same coal rails on the fret of both "W" and A6 which was a bit daft. On the "W" I used the open rails from the fret. No problems there except that I should have made the tails a bit longer. there wasn't much to solder. Fot the A6 I made up a new backing plate, soldered that in place the used the two open rails from the J24 fret. I had used the plated rails which left the open ones free. It didn't turn out too badly. There is still some cleaning up to do there.

 

 

I felt like abit of a change so I got out underframe etches and tackled the frames for the A6 first. The rear frames are inset (3' 7 1/4" apart on the real thing). I decided to inset mine by 1mm each side (6" as opposed to 4 3/4"). I did this by overlapping the front and rear frames and inserting a filler between to give a total of 1mm.

 

The raw frets for both W and A6 are below.

 

 

The upper is the W without the extension. Note the springs, these were compensated between the axles so they were etched in one piece. I will have to modify the A6 as this appears to have lost the compensation between the central and rear axles. The two etches are, at present, identical.

 

The second etch is that for the A6. The extension and infill pieces can be seen. I used location holes to fixall three layers together. These together with the five boltholes to attach the brackets for the brake shaft brackets give seven in all. When it came to putting them together I used lengths of 0.5mm wire and soldered them up. The only problem that I had was that the holes were etched a smidgin large and gave a sloppy fit. After my experience with the first side I used 0.6mm wire for the second side but only in the holes at the top. This was literally forced into the (now) undersize holes and gave a more solid alighment. Wire projecting from the two upper hole was filed flush both sides. The others were filed flush on the back but left proud on the front by filing down using a 12thou guard to prevent it going too far.

 

The guard irons at the front were added, again using 0.5mm wire to represent the bolts. The row of rivete on the frames between the bogie wheel was treated in a similar way. The rear guard irons were again copied from the "W" and are incorrect for the A6. I had one in place before I realised this. I thought that it looked a bit odd. More to correct!

 

The first shot show the "outside of both frames. The second shows both back and front.

 

 

Next: time to add the horn blocks. But that means making up the coupling rods first but that is for another day.

 

 

 

[ArthurK]

Holiday break

 

Just got back from a break in England's finest county - Northumberland! But Judge for yourself.

A photo looking East along the Roman Wall at Steel Rigg.

 

 

I guess it is back to work this week with a bit more work on the A6.

 

Arthur

[James]

Just got back from a break in England's finest county - Northumberland!

Sorry Arthur, I think you'll find that Yorkshire is England's finest county - anyone who either can't see or doesn't think so is just deluded!

 

But I do love Northumberland - in fact the whole Borders area is just lovely! I find the railway history of the area fascinating too!

 

A photo looking East along the Roman Wall at Steel Rigg.

 

Not far from where I used to stay with my parents on family holidays - we used to stay at Twice Brewed.

 

Hope you had a good holiday

[ArthurK]

James, we will just have to differ about England's finest county but I know I am right!

 

Things are happening.

 

Yes I know that I promised more work on the A6 but a bunch of whitemetal castings arrived last weekend so instead I have been detailing the Q5 and its tender ready for EXPOEM this coming weekend, it's all go. The Q5 body is about complete apart from the globe lubricators by the front sanboxes. Now I need to push forward work on the underframe.

 

Today I have spent the afternoon detailing the tender with its castings. Although the Q5s spent most of their days without water pickup (most never had it) I decided to model this tender with it fitted (mostly because there was a gaping hole to take the water dome which would be difficult to fill). Hands up those who spotted that I have forgotten the water scoop hadle on the left tank front. Too much rush!

 

The revised etches do not have thie hole in the top layer but the lower layer has holes fot the vents and water dome which are drilled through only the top layer if required .

 

[Blue Max]

Arthur,

 

I assume that you are going to be on David Geens stand this weekend at EM North, are you going to be there on bothe days?

[ArthurK]

Arthur,

 

I assume that you are going to be on David Geens stand this weekend at EM North, are you going to be there on bothe days?

 

Sorry I will be there only the one day, Sunday. I had thought about staying over but decided against.

 

Arthur

[ArthurK]

DETAILING THE Q5

The Q5 is begining to look complete. There were a lot of fiddly bits to add but it has been worth it. The steam reverse cylinders have come out well but I have still to decide on the best way of mounting these. On this they are stuck onto the back of the sandbox with superglue and with a piece of wire for additional support. I think that it might be better to mount it on the top of the frame. This is probably where the real thing was mounted. Altough this looks complete there is still two operating rods to add, one from the cab to the steam valve on the boiler and the other from the cab to the control box on top on the rear cylinder. The NER used a two handed system for most of their early locos with steam reverse. Later they used a single handed system. Other details are the grate rod and the reversing lever on the Left sandbox.Also the draincock rod runnig above the right frame. I still haven't add the sandbox fillers to the front sandboxes.

This is the slide valve version, note the emblem on the front splasher commemerating its service in France in WW!.

 

Must straighten out the handrail.

 

 

A close up of the reverse cylinders.

[ArthurK]

Q5

As I remarked above I will be at EXPOEM North on Sunday. I will bring the build shown above along with the etches and lost wax castings used on the model. The first built of the Q5/2 will also be there as well as few other bits and pieces.

 

Arthur

[jwealleans]

Looking very tasty, Arthur.

[nerfanatic]

Looks fantastic Arthur, cant wait to get my hands on one.Any idea when uou will be able to release the kit to David Geen?.With the Q5, Tennant, B15 and class W to look forward to you really are spoiling us.

 

The futures bright, the futures NER green.

[ArthurK]

I know that some of you out there are awaiting the Q5 release. There has been a change of plan. It was intended that this would be a full kit. However to push things along it will be offered as etches plus all the necessary castings. The builder will supply the extras such as wire, handrail knobs etc. and of course the wheels and motor/gearbox. The etches cater for P4, EM and OO. Spacers will be supplied for all three (including the tender).

 

There will be an annoucement in the "Small Suppliers" section in October.

 

Following the Q5 will be the rebuild with the Hull & Barnsley boiler from the Q10 class. This became Q5/2. The two classes lasted until the first years of the BR period.

[nerfanatic]

Great news Arthur, will be my belated 66th. birthday present .

[ArthurK]

COMING SOON THE LNER Q5

It is some time since I last posted here. However this is (I hope) about to change. I have not been idle but have been concentrating on getting the first batch of Q5's ready for release. All I need now are the boxes to put it in and a last small fret to include with the rest. I have the castings (brass and white metal) for this first batch. Included will be the etches for engine and tender and all castings to complete the model. The builder will source wire, handrail knobs and wire from normal trade sources. There will be a list of what is required will be in the instructions.

 

That is the good news. The downside is that I have decided to redesign the tender springing. This will not affect anyone modelling a rigid chassis for EM or OO. I have found, during test builds, that assembling the tender chassis with its brake gear and pinpoint sprung bearings is nigh on impossible though it can be done. The smaller tender (3038 Gallon) was much easier to assemble as the brake rods are on the inside rather than outside as on the NER revised tender brake gear. In reality the latter later ran both sides of the wheel. Thankfully my copy of the 3940 gallon GA shows it only on the outside. The outcome of all this is that I am reverting to a non prototypical inside frame to carry the axles with conventional axleboxes and hornblocks. Any adulteration of the inner frames (the originals were simply parallel plates) will be kept to a minimum and being behind the wheels will not detract from the visual appearance. The springing system will be a continuous spring beam (CSB). The major advantage is that the tender chassis can be dropped down as a unit without having it inveigle the axles out of their bearings first. The changes will only affect those modelling in P4 or those needing sprung frames. I ask these people to be a little patient. The wait will be worthwhile.

 

Please drop me a PM or Email if you are interested. I already have a number of people on the waiting list.

 

Once I get over this hurdle the Q5/2 should not be too far behind.

 

[ArthurK]

LNER Q5/1 - NER Class T/T1

 

To let would be builders kow what to expect I am posting some of the bits included in the package.

We will start with the etches for the loco.

 

First the body etches. Note the alternative spectacle plate to cater for the early locos with round windows

 

 

 

Next the underframe. Note that there are spacers for OO, EM and P4. For those that don't want a flexible underframe rigid coupling rods are included as stan dard. The can also be adapted for hinged rods if the forked version is to daunting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next post will be the Tender Etches

 

[Horsetan]

Gorgeous artwork.....*sigh*