Class N2 Tank

[beeman]

Thanks 40something[Joe] you have just taken the wind out of my sail, your site link says 9555 had its condenser system removed in 1942 yet on Railuk supposed to still have it at Colwick, wonder which is correct, was going to renumber mine to 9555 , Still if between them they don,t know, then no one else will either, Beeman.

[Guest 40-something]

Sorry 'bout that Beeman! I agree though, if they can't make up their minds....!

[beeman]

Bought a second N2 did'nt bother with the Airfix motor went ahead to fit another of the Mabuchi's. This one not quite as good as the first ,a little more wear. This will have the condensing gear removed and re liveried to LNER. There was a pickup problem on slow speed with the first, when traversed over a short crossing the driving wheels just sit on the insulated 'frogs' so it stops. This was the only place appearing to give trouble. Contemplating how to fit pickups to the rear bogie so there were no wires to unsolder etc on the rear bogie ass. I settled for an idea of fitting 2 connection 'plates' of thin brass above the wheels on the plastic chassis, these would have to press down onto the wheel flanges, and be of maximum width so the wheels can radius. Found 5 thou. too heavy, then 3 thou. and ok. Had to move the rear single motor mounting screw back to clear. Little vertical clearance so removed some 10 thou of the plastic to allow a little more vertical clearance. Result OK, wheels rotate, the radius 'track' mark of the wheels rubbing can be seen on the 'plates', and the crossing now traversed with no probs. The first had a 38-553 chip fitted to go inside of the boiler, the second in the bunker/cab side, much easier. so the first will be altered to the same config. along with the pickups. Look quite impressive as a double header. Beeman

[beeman]

Anyone fitted a Seuthe smoke unit to a N2, and how was it done, Beeman.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Haven't done it, but I can see two possibilities. Either a very compact unit fitting inside the smolkebox shell with flying leads (with slack in them to enable body removal) led back along the boiler interior to some convenient terminals near the motor or decoder. Or a hole through the bottom of the smokebox, avoiding weakening the chassis securing screw boss too much, to enable the smoke unit to be mounted on the chassis and be permanently wired in.

 

Does it have to go in the smokebox though? Another approach would be to cut a hole in the ballast weight amidships in the chassis, drill holes in the tank tops, breather pipes, boiler backplate, etc and just let the smoke drift out all over the place. That would be a good look for one emerging from 'the hole' wreathed in fumes as it entered the Hotel curve platform.

[45568]

 

Colwick's 69552, a "de-condensered" Hornby model, modified as per the MRJ article, but using the Hornby chassis and fittings. Removing the condensing gear and changing the ejector side alters the appearance considerably and shows it is a "big" engine!

Cheers,

Peter C.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

A comparison of the N2 with the J2 and J6 0-6-0s reveals the N2 to be the tank engine equivalent. The latter 0-6-0 - the well liked 'knick-knack' - was a very capable machine, and as a result the one place on the LNER and BR(ER) system where the otherwise ubiquitous J39 was a rarity, was the ECML between London and Doncaster. Between them the GNR designs of 0-6-0 and 0-6-2T were well on top of the class of work available for 0-6-0s on this route.

 

Love the 'ant hill' of Victorian terraces in the backscene BTW.

[GraemeR BR (WR)]

They were used for inner suburban passenger (for which the most appropriate RTR stock is Hornby's Gresley non-gangwayed, Bachmann' BR mk 1 non-corridors, and the announced Hornby Thompson types) and also ECS at KX (LNER and BR designs of corridor stock), and local freight in the KX - WGC section and along the branches in this section. If you want the classic inner suburban train that the N2 hauled, a pair of quad arts, then it's kit building time; plastic and brass kit options.

Just wondering whether there is anything appropriate RTR for an N2 in original GNR livery (I do love this livery.) Would they have ever pulled clerestory coaches?

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Since Gresley had been designing carriages for the GNR, and continued in the same style for the LNER, the closest you can find in RTR are in the Hornby range, the three Gresley non-gangwayed arguably the most appropriate.

 

They will have pulled clerestory coaches, but almost always as ECS workings, between carriage sidings and KX. The clerestory roof was already dated by the time the N2 entered service, Gresley having introduced the higher roofed stock years before, but clerestoried vehicles (variously of ECJS, GNR, NER and NBR origin) were still to be seen as late as the 1950s. More typical though of older appearance carriage stock was the Howlden low roofed stock which had been built in quantity and carried on in secondary service in the KX area well into the LNER period.