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Wright writes.....


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27 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Chris,

 

Returning to the subject of spoked or disc V2 tender wheels: were 16mm disc wheels available over 40 years ago? 

 

From memory, the tender wheels of the day were rather crude, with the apertures between the spokes just stamped-out.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

I think Maygib did 16mm as part of their range in the late 80’s as did Romfords. The recollection comes as they were also used to provide finescale driving wheels for Mainline Peaks and Joueff class 40’s in RTR, and the driving wheels on Modern Outline Kits 40 too.

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Went to TINGS (The International N Gauge Show) yesterday. Numbers seemed to be down on previous years but still a large queue outside at opening. And aisles between stands felt larger than usual. Less than half were wearing masks.

 

A couple of layouts caught my eye including this tiny quarry shunting layout:

 

DSC02243cropred.jpg.c077869441d16ac58ca231ca1b4f9dfa.jpg

 

DSC02288cropred.jpg.155fc9a3ce68c04dc4d5f89c68c7f414.jpg

 

DSC02286rcropred.jpg.aee6260de824ada74eb2b6a21cfba758.jpg

 

There was also a 2mm fine-scale layout present:

 

DSC02278crop2red.jpg.6078cf09101037744e2f730b812365d8.jpg

 

Edited by grahame
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16 minutes ago, APOLLO said:

The quarry layout is very nice, I presume a fiddle yard / traverser etc is behind the bridge ?

 

 

Yep, stock trundled on-scene and off-scene under the bridge on the right hand end. The layout was probably my favourite of the day although there were a few other very nice ones.

 

 

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On 07/09/2021 at 09:24, Compound2632 said:

 

Any idea of date here? The first and fourth wagons carry 1936-style lettering but the ninth looks reasonably freshly-painted with the large initials that ceased to be used in that year. The eighth is presumably another LMS wagon, quite freshly painted in bauxite; the first wagon, also bauxite, looks rather more worn.

Sorry - late to the party - the picture was taken at Clifton, near York, in 1938. A crop of the same photo appears in 'The Big Four in Colour' by David Jenkinson.

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1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Good morning Andy,

 

A splendid job. Thanks for showing us.

 

I still think the Jamieson V2 kit makes up into a very-acceptable model of what many consider to be Gresley's best-looking loco. 

 

I still have two running on Little Bytham; 60821 (seen earlier) and this one.

 

1358346914_V2Jamieson60820.jpg.9936a6c3ee98442e1f1b7f9cad4277ce.jpg

 

I spent a bit more time detailing the cabsides on this one, and it tows a DMR etched-brass tender.

 

The frames are Jamieson originals (with brakes added) and Comet valve gear.

 

The painting is the work of Ian Rathbone. 

 

As mentioned, I built a V2 for the 1938 weekend on Little Bytham (which also saw service on Grantham). This, too, was from a Jamieson kit.

 

1853636228_JamiesonV2GreenArrow01.jpg.fa34c4c72794d203ea339cf96351036f.jpg

 

1272995469_JamiesonV2GreenArrow02.jpg.503da134209fb0aa54cbdf9baa85edee.jpg

 

This also has Jamieson frames (again, with added brakes), but this time the motion is from Nu-Cast. 

 

Since it's unlikely that there'll be a repeat '38 weekend on LB, and Grantham is well-served with V2s, I subsequently sold this one on.

 

Geoff Haynes painted it (the slight difference in colour between these two shots is because of my using two different cameras).

 

I think what these images show is that a detailed Jamieson V2 can hold its own with more-modern alternatives; even the forthcoming latest RTR one from Bachmann?

 

Your own painting is much more-laudable.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

The V2 in LNER green is a superb looking beast.

 

Comparing the Jamieson built locos and the new Bachmann product, the side windows on the cab look to be a bit different in size.

 

Is one of them correct and the other wrong, are they both wrong or is it my eyes and they are both really the same size?

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I don't think I've ever shown a photo of this V2 I built in 1978 from the Bristol Models kit. Subsequently I decided that the front section of the boiler and smokebox was a bit too small in diameter, ie the opposite to the original Bachmann model. The handrails on the boiler are also a bit too low , their position being governed by the position of the superheater header covers which are a bit too low.

 

It has Ks P2 valve gear as the Bristol Models kit came as only body and tender and a separate brass chassis with no cylinders or valve gear. The cylinders I originally fitted were modified Triang Britannia cylinders but during the 1980s I got a pair of Nucast cylinders and a Nucast chimney for it. Its fitted with a MW005 motor and Romford gears. I originally numbered it 4791 but then changed it to St Peter's School as I wanted a named loco. It looks very bare with no brakes and other finer details. It hasn't been on the layout for a long time. Next time I come across it I should give it a run!

 

I did intend to build a better V2 so purchased the Proscale kit in 1985 - which is another story of course and its still waiting to be built! When I got the Nucast cylinders for the V2 below I also got a Nucast boiler so possibly this could be fitted to the Proscale kit? I do intend to buy a Bachmann LNER V2 so then I'll have 4791 again. But looking at the photos we've seen and as I commented on Gilbert's Peterborough North thread I expect I might need to make a few mods to it but then we are railway modellers and we like changing things - or at least I do.

 

Apologies for the quality of the photo which was taken back in the 90s on a friend's layout.

 

Andrew

 

1124676615_CopyofDSC_1167.JPG.8592fdf79c8c30b4879382f1efe81ffa.JPG

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1 hour ago, t-b-g said:

 

The V2 in LNER green is a superb looking beast.

 

Comparing the Jamieson built locos and the new Bachmann product, the side windows on the cab look to be a bit different in size.

 

Is one of them correct and the other wrong, are they both wrong or is it my eyes and they are both really the same size?

Good morning Tony,

 

Regarding the cabside windows on the V2 models, I honestly don't know. The Jamieson cabsides are stamped-out, with crude edges to the window apertures. These need cleaning up, and beading/frames soldered in place. I suppose these processes could alter the proportions slightly. That, and the painting of the lining around the windows on the LNER example. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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Out of possible interest................

 

A friend brought round an Alan Gibson ex-GE 2-4-2T (F6?) on Friday.

 

332730331_AlanGibsonF601.jpg.1ede43f634e755fe8e4fe6797bf3fe17.jpg

 

It was bought from the estate of a deceased modeller (not via me), and the builder is unknown. 

 

At anything under 4' 6" radius, the carrying wheels just derailed.

 

The cure?

 

1043317792_AlanGibsonF602.jpg.f9664440701ddbd5309fa27a71240f5e.jpg

 

I put a joggle in the front frames and arranged this simple arrangement at the rear. 

 

The result? It'll now go round 2' 6" curves with ease, in both directions.

 

Success, and a donation to CRUK.

 

 

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31 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good morning Tony,

 

Regarding the cabside windows on the V2 models, I honestly don't know. The Jamieson cabsides are stamped-out, with crude edges to the window apertures. These need cleaning up, and beading/frames soldered in place. I suppose these processes could alter the proportions slightly. That, and the painting of the lining around the windows on the LNER example. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

If I had to guess, I would suggest that the Bachmann windows are a bit small. There looks to be a bit too much cab side showing between the tops of the window and the edge of the cab roof. Of course they could be the right size and it could be the cab side that is too tall or the windows might be too low.

 

Without having one to measure and check dimensions against a "proper" drawing like a GA, it has to remain a guess.

 

 

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Readers of the Railway Modeller might be aware of the recent comments in the letters pages regarding the shape of the A4s' cab roofs at the front. It began with my being critical of the Ian Beattie drawing of the class, which shows it flat -fronted right at the top. Someone wrote in defence of the drawing, but his comments have since been (correctly) debunked by another correspondent. 

 

According to all the evidence, it should have a full 'V'-front to the cab roof, with the safety valves effectively inside the roof space. 

 

It occurred to me how some of the 4mm manufacturers have interpreted that shape. Yes, I know one should never model a model, but it's of interest in my opinion. 

 

1323382940_A4cabroofsHornbyandBachmann.jpg.7373a43ea5c005900db7efc28537980b.jpg

 

Current Hornby (left) and Bachmann (right). The Hornby one actually describes a curve (which is at odds with the Isinglass drawing). Neither are on their original mechanisms.

 

566874086_A4cabroofsWillsandPro-Scale.jpg.1aebb37613e80ce53c944108b963feee.jpg

 

Wills/SEF (left) and Pro-Scale (right). 

 

All are sitting on the Isinglass drawing (sorry for the slight distortion in this, caused by my using a wide-angle lens). 

 

Ian Rathbone painted all four over the years (very well, as usual), proving that not all the Brunswick green came from the same pot (like the prototype?). 

 

This is Dapol's N Gauge interpretation...........

 

254013367_DapolA44490GarterBlue2S-008-00901.jpg.6d5a43c6f1fec5908b258bc530de6538.jpg

 

Definitely 'V'-fronted.

 

1039669892_DapolBlackLabelA414.jpg.52fbdff29bf69ddbec9671ae8cf3f98d.jpg

 

As is the same firm's Black Label A4 in OO Gauge (the smoke is 'real', not digitally-applied). 

 

I've passed my observations on to the RM

 

 

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55 minutes ago, t-b-g said:

 

If I had to guess, I would suggest that the Bachmann windows are a bit small. There looks to be a bit too much cab side showing between the tops of the window and the edge of the cab roof. Of course they could be the right size and it could be the cab side that is too tall or the windows might be too low.

 

Without having one to measure and check dimensions against a "proper" drawing like a GA, it has to remain a guess.

 

 

Tony and Tony

Although I can't yet measure the Bachmann cab windows I'm almost certain they are too small. The space between them seems to be too wide for starters.

Andrew

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It's fairly easy to see why there's all the doubt though as it's a complex shape with an apparent change in curvature around the valves. Comparing these two stock photos of the same loco:

 

https://www.alamy.com/stock-image-6009-a4-pacific-steam-locomotive-union-of-south-africa-on-shed-at-163646063.html

 

https://www.alamy.com/stock-image-6009-a4-pacific-steam-locomotive-union-of-south-africa-on-shed-at-163646066.html

 

Simon

Edited by 65179
To shorten links as per Bucoops's post below
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41 minutes ago, 65179 said:

It's fairly easy to see why there's all the doubt though as it's a complex shape with an apparent change in curvature around the valves. Comparing these two stock photos of the same loco (please excuse the massive links):

 

https://www.alamy.com/stock-image-6009-a4-pacific-steam-locomotive-union-of-south-africa-on-shed-at-163646063.html

 

https://www.alamy.com/stock-image-6009-a4-pacific-steam-locomotive-union-of-south-africa-on-shed-at-163646066.html

 

Simon

 

You can get rid of most of the link - everything from the ? onwards. Anything after that is usually info about how you got to that page and sometimes is used to track you. Hope that helps :)

 

I've shortened your links in the quote to show what I mean.

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The pointy bit on an A4 roof is a separate curved piece that unbolts from the rest of the cab. The actual roof above the spectacle plate terminates into the side of the boiler cladding. It doesn't follow through to the end of the point as its own curve. Theoretically, the removable part is almost flush with the cladding on top. To facilitate this, Hornby simply paint on the point of the V to the top of the boiler cladding. If the loco is repainted, the point can disappear under the new layer of paint.

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8 hours ago, PMP said:

I think Maygib did 16mm as part of their range in the late 80’s as did Romfords. The recollection comes as they were also used to provide finescale driving wheels for Mainline Peaks and Joueff class 40’s in RTR, and the driving wheels on Modern Outline Kits 40 too.

I seem to remember those wheels.
The tyres came off, unless I was just unlucky.
I think Nucro made 16mm disc wheels, way back in the mists of time.
Chris.

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10 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Chris,

 

Returning to the subject of spoked or disc V2 tender wheels: were 16mm disc wheels available over 40 years ago? 

 

From memory, the tender wheels of the day were rather crude, with the apertures between the spokes just stamped-out.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Tony,

 

I recall that back in the 70s all that was available were the spoked style. Then white metal discs appeared (cannot remember the producer) with a hole in the middle to accommodate fitting in to the spoked wheel to make it into a disc wheel. These discs came onto the market sometime in the early 80s. 

 

Eric

 

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1 hour ago, 60027Merlin said:

 

Tony,

 

I recall that back in the 70s all that was available were the spoked style. Then white metal discs appeared (cannot remember the producer) with a hole in the middle to accommodate fitting in to the spoked wheel to make it into a disc wheel. These discs came onto the market sometime in the early 80s. 

 

Eric

 

Eric,

 

I remember those white metal ones, but from where?

 

DJH, in the A1 and A2 kits still supply etched-brass discs to change 16mm spoked wheels into discs (though they no longer supply wheels in their kits). 

 

Though some firms might have made 16mm disc wheels 40+ years ago (I don't think I've ever seen any), the 'standard' was the stamped-out 16mm Jackson spoked wheels, hence my erroneous use of them on that V2's tender. They were all that was available at the time, and I knew no better.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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