Wright writes.....

[Clive Mortimore]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

The J50 made its debut on Little Bytham this morning..............

 

 

 

 

 

Now complete with front numberplate (ian Wilson's Pacific Models). 

 

It stretches both the eye and imagination of faith to believe that an Ardsley-based J50 (even ex-works) would be seen at LB on trip workings, but heh-ho; it's not for LB, anyway.

 

Trying to be dispassionate and not be critical of a beginner's work, there's no way that this is 'superior' to the Hornby RTR J50. In fact, it's probably 'inferior', but that's not really the point. This has been made, it's unique and represents more than just 'purchasing power', even though, all in, it'll be more expensive than the RTR equivalent. Much more! 

 

 

Hello Tony

 

We all know your attention to detail and historical correctness, I just have a question. 68938 was withdrawn in October 1959, and you have photographed it with a BR Vanwide that wasn't built until 1962, is this to see how awake people are?

[Dunsignalling]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Eric,

 

Though there are still a lot of classes not available RTR, that number is shrinking with every latest piece of RTR wonderment (I'm talking OO here). Just think of our favourite types, particularly the RA9 stuff; only the A1/1 and the A2/1 to go. The other 'Big Four' big types are even more-represented by RTR than those of the ex-LNER. Other than PRINCESS ANNE for the LMR, is there anything left to do RTR? Anything ex-SR or ex-GWR? 

 

What's left are the rather more esoteric types, which might not have the same appeal or popularity as to make them feasible for kit manufacturers. 

 

I don't know, and this has been discussed at length before. Perhaps what's really going is that 'uniqueness', which only something which has been made possesses. Just think, if Stoke Summit were still out on the road, the questions asked might well be along the lines of..............'Is that Hornby?'. 'Is that Bachmann?'. 'Is that Heljan?'. And so on; previously questions which would never have been asked.........................

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

What Hornby have produced so far can barely cover half the Bulleid Pacifics. The common combination of a wide-cab air-smoothed WC/BB and cut-down 4500 gallon tender (having lost its original 5500 gallon one to a rebuilt) could be produced from existing tooling. It's just they have never bothered.

 

Even allowing for the extra versions that come with the latest air-smoothed models, there are as many types of MN tenders that haven't been done as have. The body of one, the BR 5250 gallon rebodied type, would also expand the number of Rebuilt Light Pacifics they could cover.

 

Seeing the pictures of the 9F CADS, it seems Hornby ARE capable of producing five different tenders for a single class, so there may yet be hope.

 

John

[Dunsignalling]

27 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Hello Tony

 

We all know your attention to detail and historical correctness, I just have a question. 68938 was withdrawn in October 1959, and you have photographed it with a BR Vanwide that wasn't built until 1962, is this to see how awake people are?

I clearly wasn't. I'm normally onto time-travelling Vanwides like a shot!

 

John

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, Compound2632 said:

 

There's a vast range of prototypes not done in RTR which are really essential if you want a realistic range of locomotives - above all for the LNER. Where are all those ex-NER, ex-GER, ex-GNR, ex-GCR classes that are essential if you're modelling any line set in the relevant areas of the Eastern or North Eastern region in the 50s? Looking through my Summer 1958 ABC: Q6 - 120 engines; J6 - 98; J11 - 82; J28 - 50; J72 - 115; J67/J69 - 89; N5 - 46 to mention just the most numerous non-Scottish classes.

My question was related to RA9 motive power.

 

Anyway, isn't there a Q6, J11 and a J72 RTR? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, drmditch said:

 

Please excuse a slightly cheeky question.

What is the provenance of the Cattle Wagon behind the J50's smokebox?

 

I think they're both modified Bachmann ex-LMS types, and probably incorrect. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

36 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Hello Tony

 

We all know your attention to detail and historical correctness, I just have a question. 68938 was withdrawn in October 1959, and you have photographed it with a BR Vanwide that wasn't built until 1962, is this to see how awake people are?

It's a picture in a parallel universe!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

14 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

What Hornby have produced so far can barely cover half the Bulleid Pacifics. The common combination of a wide-cab air-smoothed WC/BB and cut-down 4500 gallon tender (having lost its original 5500 gallon one to a rebuilt) could be produced from existing tooling. It's just they have never bothered.

 

Even allowing for the extra versions that come with the latest air-smoothed models, there are as many types of MN tenders that haven't been done as have. The body of one, the BR 5250 gallon rebodied type, would also expand the number of Rebuilt Light Pacifics they could cover.

 

Seeing the pictures of the 9F CADS, it seems Hornby ARE capable of producing five different tenders for a single class, so there may yet be hope.

 

John

Half the Bulleid Pacifics? Not even half? 

 

Something has to be left which requires actual modelling, doesn't it?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Gibbo675]

45 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Hello Tony

 

We all know your attention to detail and historical correctness, I just have a question. 68938 was withdrawn in October 1959, and you have photographed it with a BR Vanwide that wasn't built until 1962, is this to see how awake people are?

Hi Clive,

 

Is this the kind of in depth knowledge one may pick up from watching Sam's Trains videos ?

 

You will telling us that the ballast should look more like carpet next !

 

Gibbo.

[Barry O]

£80 is a ridiculous amount to pay for a motor and gearbox.. It takes very little time to build a Hi Level One, whose gears are the same as those that DJH use (apparently) The motor can be sourced from China for £2  ( and comparing the  ones I have to the DJH ones they are very similar) and even I, the master bodger, can get these combos to work.. and Portescaps on the second hand market are no longer such as "precious" item.. selling for about £60.  I would imagine that a professional builder would knock out a high level gearbox and motor combo in no more than ten minutes.

 

Only problem at the moment is that Chris is on Furlough as he can't get some of the component parts to produce High Level Gearboxes.

 

Baz

[Denbridge]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Eric,

 

Though there are still a lot of classes not available RTR, that number is shrinking with every latest piece of RTR wonderment (I'm talking OO here). Just think of our favourite types, particularly the RA9 stuff; only the A1/1 and the A2/1 to go. The other 'Big Four' big types are even more-represented by RTR than those of the ex-LNER. Other than PRINCESS ANNE for the LMR, is there anything left to do RTR? Anything ex-SR or ex-GWR? 

 

What's left are the rather more esoteric types, which might not have the same appeal or popularity as to make them feasible for kit manufacturers. 

 

I don't know, and this has been discussed at length before. Perhaps what's really going is that 'uniqueness', which only something which has been made possesses. Just think, if Stoke Summit were still out on the road, the questions asked might well be along the lines of..............'Is that Hornby?'. 'Is that Bachmann?'. 'Is that Heljan?'. And so on; previously questions which would never have been asked.........................

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

There is a huge gap in the availability of GWR motive power, the Saints. I do find it puzzling that such an important part of UK motive power development history doesnt even have a decent kit, let alone rtr. Virtually every successful British locomotive design owes its success to a greater or lesser degree to the work of G.J Curchward and his groundbreaking developments which first appeared on these superb locomotives.

[Tony Wright]

3 minutes ago, Barry O said:

£80 is a ridiculous amount to pay for a motor and gearbox.. It takes very little time to build a Hi Level One, whose gears are the same as those that DJH use (apparently) The motor can be sourced from China for £2  ( and comparing the  ones I have to the DJH ones they are very similar) and even I, the master bodger, can get these combos to work.. and Portescaps on the second hand market are no longer such as "precious" item.. selling for about £60.  I would imagine that a professional builder would knock out a high level gearbox and motor combo in no more than ten minutes.

 

Only problem at the moment is that Chris is on Furlough as he can't get some of the component parts to produce High Level Gearboxes.

 

Baz

Each to their own Baz,

 

Ten minutes to build a gearbox? Wow! I have nothing but admiration.

 

Though I've never timed myself, I'd say it would take me at least an hour to make a gearbox, checking, at every stage, that all was sweet and true. I've built a few High Level gearboxes, but never in ten minutes. I've also had to fix one or two, which appeared to have been built in haste.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

I suppose a list of what's not available RTR could go on forever.

 

The point I was trying to make was that, with regard to 'big steam stuff', just about every type is now available RTR in OO. And, big engines have always been the most popular, particularly for the likes of my trainspotting generation. Speaking personally, though I noted the numbers of everything I saw, it was the big locos, usually namers, which were the most-sought-after. Most-sought-after in model form as well. 

 

As participants in this wonderful hobby, should we expect the RTR manufacturers to produce everything, with every variation? Different tenders have been mentioned. Are we to bleat because, say, the three A4 tenders which had their rears cut-down for the 1948 Exchanges are not available RTR? They're not even available in kit-form, so, for 60034, I modified one from a South Eastern Finecast tender. 

 

If we're not careful, the craft of modelling (out of necessity) will become a dying practice.

[Dunsignalling]

18 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Half the Bulleid Pacifics? Not even half? 

 

Something has to be left which requires actual modelling, doesn't it?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Perhaps, but matching a kit-built tender with a r-t-r loco will inevitably demand a full repaint of the latter. In my (admittedly limited) experience, getting a good match when one is brass and the other plastic is a job for a professional painter. I long ago concluded it to be well outside my suite of abilities, however many undercoats I applied to the brass!

 

John

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, Northmoor said:

Err, Bachmann make an extremely good J72 and if they still work (many don't), S/H Mainline ones are available since they were introduced in 1981.

 

J72 there is a typo for J27! (As should have been evident from the quantity quoted only 113 J72s in the Summer 1958 ABC as against 115 J27s! But given my typing, you're excused.) Corrected in post.

Edited April 5, 2021 by Compound2632

[Dunsignalling]

33 minutes ago, Denbridge said:

There is a huge gap in the availability of GWR motive power, the Saints. I do find it puzzling that such an important part of UK motive power development history doesnt even have a decent kit, let alone rtr. Virtually every successful British locomotive design owes its success to a greater or lesser degree to the work of G.J Curchward and his groundbreaking developments which first appeared on these superb locomotives.

It has traditionally been the case that, to attract r-t-r attention, the prototype needed to survive into BR ownership, and ideally long enough to carry either emblem.

 

On that basis, the Saint is perhaps a bit "borderline", with final withdrawal in 1953.

 

However, Hornby have done the Star, few of which lasted very much longer, so there is hope. Even more so now the Saint has been reincarnated at 12" to the foot scale, I'd think.

 

If anyone were to announce a model in OO, I'd bet tomorrow's breakfast that we'd quickly discover Hornby already have one on the go....

 

John

Edited April 5, 2021 by Dunsignalling

[sandra]

5 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Good morning Alan,

 

Regarding how expensive the DJH motor/gearbox combos are and whether they're good value for money could be open to debate. However, what cannot be disputed is how quiet, smooth and powerful they are, allied to their ease of installation. Granted, the 'boxes are quite large and difficult to disguise in smaller prototypes. 

 

Some time ago, DJH used to sell the motor/gearboxes as kits. They were less expensive. Unfortunately, it would appear that too many folk messed up the making of them, resulting in complaints. Complainants invariably blamed the product, never ever considering their own incompetence. Now, without being too pompous, I've built scores of them with no trouble at all; just care in assembly at every stage - common sense, really. 

 

In the end, DJH gave up and now only sell them as complete units (or if they do sell them as kits, they're more expensive than made-up!). Selling them complete means they have to be assembled in Consett by a skilled practitioner; that has a cost imperative. 

 

I know many will throw their hands up in horror at the notion of shelling out some £80.00 for a prime drive. That said, that's less than second-hand Portescaps cost, and the DJH ones are quieter and, in my experience, no less able for powering great big locos, hauling heavy trains at speed. 

 

Of course, the cynics will say I have a vested interest. After all, I test-build for DJH and test-installed the two latest AM9 and AM10 motor/gearbox combinations. I put the former in an A1 and the latter in a K1. For those who remain cynical, both those locos have appeared of late in moving footage of Little Bytham, so they can form their own opinions. Both run superbly.

 

I might add that I have over 120 of these DJH units in the locos I've built, both for myself and for customers, all working to complete satisfaction. As, I hope, the recent footage of Little Bytham illustrates.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Tony,

 

I agree with you that the DJH motor and gearbox combination is smooth and powerful, I’ve used a few in locomotives for Retford.

 

My only problem with them is that in a loco such as an A1 or A2 the gearing is such that the top speed is limited to much less than the real thing could achieve. As you know there is a speed recorder on Retford and no loco with the DJH gearbox has managed more than 67 MPH flat out. I know the speed limit over the crossing is only 65 MPH but I would like the locomotives to teach a higher speed. With some trains in the up direction it’s necessary to take a run at the gradient south of the crossing.

 

As they run so well and as they save a lot of time when building a locomotive I will be buying some more. I certainly cannot build a High Level gearbox in 10 minutes.

 

Sandra

[Clive Mortimore]

19 minutes ago, Denbridge said:

There is a huge gap in the availability of GWR motive power, the Saints. I do find it puzzling that such an important part of UK motive power development history doesnt even have a decent kit, let alone rtr. Virtually every successful British locomotive design owes its success to a greater or lesser degree to the work of G.J Curchward and his groundbreaking developments which first appeared on these superb locomotives.

A Saint class loco is only a Hall or Grange with bigger wheels.

 

The GWR made their first Hall by altering a Saint and the folks at Didcot have done the reverse with their new Saint. We as modellers should be able to make a Saint from a Hall model.

 

As a Diesel modeller, before Heljan decided to make the stuff I have done I had

Converted Tri-ang class 37s into class 40s, Baby Deltics and the variations of class 37 applicable to my modelling period.

Lima class 33s into class 26s both English and Scottish versions, the same with class 27 including the NER freight version. As well as a Slim Jim and a bagpiped loco.

Lima class 40 into a Baby Deltic

Hornby class 47 into a class 48

Hornby class 25 into class 24, Scottish 24 with headcode box, English 24 with headcode box, class 25/0, class 25 mid design body without boiler, class 25 late body including one with boiler and one Scottish one. 

Lima Warship to one with headcode disc and Zulu with roof mounted horns.

Mainline Peak into class 44, D9 and D10, all variations of class 45 and 46.

Slimmed a few Jouef class 40s, one of which had split headcodes.

Hornby class 21/29 into class 21s complete with an example of the last batch with tablet cathcers, class 29s. Several versions of class 22, not leaving out the pilot version and the big Warship.

Converted both Tri-ang and Airfix class 31s into locos without headcode boxes.

Tri-ang Hymek into D7001

Wrenn class 20 to have headcode boxes.

Lima Deltic to full length, and DP2.

 

Scratch built

Classes 15, 16, 17, 23, 31, 37, 40, 47, Lion, Falcon, Kestrel, Hawk (10800), 10001, 10203. The 15, 16, 17, and 23, more than once.

Not finished due to Bachmann releases, but should have been, classes 24, 25 and 55.

 

Kit built

Class 14

 

I will not bore you with DMUs, EMUs, and shunters I have made or I am making.

 

So to hear someone say a particular class of loco hasn't been made RTR makes me think I am in the wrong hobby.

 

 

[drmditch]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

I think they're both modified Bachmann ex-LMS types, and probably incorrect. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Thank you. I am nowhere near achieving your overall standards in modelling, especially as regards locomotives and coaching stock, and have been rather pre-occupied for the last seven years in dismantling and rebuilding my railway.

However, I do find that building freight stock, together with the appropriate research,  provides a useful diversion from wiring etc.  I did try once to modify Mainline/Bachmann ex Midland Cattle Wagons to produce a more accurate model (it takes two mouldings to get the correct length), however when Parkside produced their kit for the D 1661 vehicle, it made mine look like rubbish! The kit can be modified to represent some of the variations.

 

 

(Sorry for the couplings etc. These are be best ones for my railway.)

 

I find it quite surprising that there is relatively little LMS freight stock available RTR, but since I like making things that's not really a problem!

 

Thank you for providing inspiration, and instruction.

 

Edit - just realised that these are old pictures, and are missing the vacuum pipes. (These are piped and not fitted vehicles.)

I will try to take some proper pictures.

 

 

Edited April 5, 2021 by drmditch

[BMacdermott]

4 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

 

Though there are still a lot of classes not available RTR, that number is shrinking with every latest piece of RTR wonderment (I'm talking OO here). Just think of our favourite types, particularly the RA9 stuff; only the A1/1 and the A2/1 to go. The other 'Big Four' big types are even more-represented by RTR than those of the ex-LNER. Other than PRINCESS ANNE for the LMR, is there anything left to do RTR? Anything ex-SR or ex-GWR? 

 

What's left are the rather more esoteric types, which might not have the same appeal or popularity as to make them feasible for kit manufacturers. 

 

Hello Tony and everyone

 

Here are some 'yet-to-be done' locos which have been high in The 00 Wishlist Poll over the years...

 

GWR:

County (current model very long in the tooth)

Great Bear

 

LMS

Turbomotive (which you mentioned)

Big Bertha

Caprotti Black 5

 

SR

The SR doesn't have a vast range of 'big locos' yet-to-be-done, but the following have been popular...

U and U1 2-6-0

Q 0-6-0

Z 0-8-0T

K 2-6-0

H15 4-6-0

W 2-6-4T

D1, E1 and L1 4-4-0

C2X 0-6-0

 

LNER

U1 Beyer-Garratt 

B16/1, B16/2 and B16/3

B2 (although this one is always in the Low Polling segment!)

 

BR

WD 2-10-0

Standard Class 5 Caprotti

 

Brian (on behalf of The 00 Poll Team)

 

[Tony Wright]

3 hours ago, sandra said:

Tony,

 

I agree with you that the DJH motor and gearbox combination is smooth and powerful, I’ve used a few in locomotives for Retford.

 

My only problem with them is that in a loco such as an A1 or A2 the gearing is such that the top speed is limited to much less than the real thing could achieve. As you know there is a speed recorder on Retford and no loco with the DJH gearbox has managed more than 67 MPH flat out. I know the speed limit over the crossing is only 65 MPH but I would like the locomotives to teach a higher speed. With some trains in the up direction it’s necessary to take a run at the gradient south of the crossing.

 

As they run so well and as they save a lot of time when building a locomotive I will be buying some more. I certainly cannot build a High Level gearbox in 10 minutes.

 

Sandra

Good evening Sandra,

 

Have you wound up COCK O' THE NORTH, SUGAR PALM and 60826 to full speed? They all have DJH gearboxes in them. I'm sure they'll all do more than 67 mph.

 

Any big loco I've got one in on LB will easily reach a 'ton', and more.

 

I'd love to meet the guy/girl who can build any gearbox in ten minutes, let alone a High Level one. Every 'box I've made (many from DJH) needs very careful assembly; anything from Branchlines, SEF, High Level, Comet, Markits, DJH, Porter's Cap, Backwoods Miniatures, etc, needs the bearing holes broaching out to exactly the right diameter, otherwise there's either friction, misalignment or too much slop. The same is so for the motor fixing positions. The best I've ever managed is at least an hour, but then I won't accept anything other than super-sweet running; that takes time. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

Edited April 5, 2021 by Tony Wright
to add something

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, BMacdermott said:

 

Hello Tony and everyone

 

Here are some 'yet-to-be done' locos which have been high in The 00 Wishlist Poll over the years...

 

GWR:

County (current model very long in the tooth)

Great Bear

 

LMS

Turbomotive (which you mentioned)

Big Bertha

Caprotti Black 5

 

SR

The SR doesn't have a vast range of 'big locos' yet-to-be-done, but the following have been popular...

U and U1 2-6-0

Q 0-6-0

Z 0-8-0T

K 2-6-0

H15 4-6-0

W 2-6-4T

D1, E1 and L1 4-4-0

C2X 0-6-0

 

LNER

U1 Beyer-Garratt 

B16/1, B16/2 and B16/3

B2 (although this one is always in the Low Polling segment!)

 

BR

WD 2-10-0

Standard Class 5 Caprotti

 

Brian (on behalf of The 00 Poll Team)

 

Many thanks Brian,

 

Interestingly, it would appear that every class on your list is, or has been, available as a kit. 

 

I'm surprised a J6 doesn't feature. 

 

Did the Thompson Pacifics ever appear on the wishlists? I know Simon Kohler was keen to do them because of their wonderful names (though HERRINGBONE?), especially those bestowed on the A2/2s. 

 

I'd have thought the LNER Garratt would be unlikely; very limited sphere of operation and rather costly to produce. Still, what do I know? Who'd have thought the likes of GT3 would ever be available RTR? Not to mention the 'Fell' and the 'Leader'! 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

3 hours ago, drmditch said:

 

Thank you. I am nowhere near achieving your overall standards in modelling, especially as regards locomotives and coaching stock, and have been rather pre-occupied for the last seven years in dismantling and rebuilding my railway.

However, I do find that building freight stock, together with the appropriate research,  provides a useful diversion from wiring etc.  I did try once to modify Mainline/Bachmann ex Midland Cattle Wagons to produce a more accurate model (it takes two mouldings to get the correct length), however when Parkside produced their kit for the D 1661 vehicle, it made mine look like rubbish! The kit can be modified to represent some of the variations.

 

 

(Sorry for the couplings etc. These are be best ones for my railway.)

 

I find it quite surprising that there is relatively little LMS freight stock available RTR, but since I like making things that's not really a problem!

 

Thank you for providing inspiration, and instruction.

 

Edit - just realised that these are old pictures, and are missing the vacuum pipes. (These are piped and not fitted vehicles.)

I will try to take some proper pictures.

 

 

Lovely models.

 

Thanks for showing us. Obviously the Bachmann ex-LMS cattle vans on LB are too short. 

 

Bytham's 'overall standards' are reached because of teamwork. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Clive Mortimore]

2 hours ago, BMacdermott said:

 

Hello Tony and everyone

 

Here are some 'yet-to-be done' locos which have been high in The 00 Wishlist Poll over the years...

 

GWR:

County (current model very long in the tooth)

Great Bear

 

LMS

Turbomotive (which you mentioned)

Big Bertha

Caprotti Black 5

 

SR

The SR doesn't have a vast range of 'big locos' yet-to-be-done, but the following have been popular...

U and U1 2-6-0

Q 0-6-0

Z 0-8-0T

K 2-6-0

H15 4-6-0

W 2-6-4T

D1, E1 and L1 4-4-0

C2X 0-6-0

 

LNER

U1 Beyer-Garratt 

B16/1, B16/2 and B16/3

B2 (although this one is always in the Low Polling segment!)

 

BR

WD 2-10-0

Standard Class 5 Caprotti

 

Brian (on behalf of The 00 Poll Team)

 

Hi Brian 

 

No LMS class 3P 2-6-2Ts both Fowler and Stanier? No Austin 7s ? No MR class 2F? 

 

No BR Class 3MT 2-6-0? No class 2 2-6-2T?

 

Wow that it is good news as I am trying to model 3 of them. One a kit, one a simple conversion and the other quite a big conversion. 

 

Out of the above list I will be attempting one class as a conversion (LMS), I have the donor loco and there are two (LNER) I would like to have, one can be made by converting a RTR loco and the other could be another more adventurous conversion. 

[sandra]

42 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening Sandra,

 

Have you wound up COCK O' THE NORTH, SUGAR PALM and 60826 to full speed? They all have DJH gearboxes in them. I'm sure they'll all do more than 67 mph.

 

Any big loco I've got one in on LB will easily reach a 'ton', and more.

 

I'd love to meet the guy/girl who can build any gearbox in ten minutes, let alone a High Level one. Every 'box I've made (many from DJH) needs very careful assembly; anything from Branchlines, SEF, High Level, Comet, Markits, DJH, Porter's Cap, Backwoods Miniatures, etc, needs the bearing holes broaching out to exactly the right diameter, otherwise there's either friction, misalignment or too much slop. The same is so for the motor fixing positions. The best I've ever managed is at least an hour, but then I won't accept anything other than super-sweet running; that takes time. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

Tony,

 

Thanks for your comments. I haven’t tried those three locomotives but I will test them and I’ll let you know what speed they will reach.
 

I have fitted the DJH motor and gearboxes to a few locomotives and the top speed does seem relatively low. “Archibald Sturrock” will only reach 60 mph light engine but strangely adding a train doesn’t make much difference. “Bronzino “ will only reach 67 mph. 
 

I’m going to fit one in the next Pacific I build and I’ll see how I get on. I did find the High Level gearbox with Mashima motor the most satisfactory combination and it’s a shame it’s no longer available.

 

Sandra

[SD85]

A U class is the big one in terms of locos not covered by RTR. Wide ranging, in service over five decades, and converting one from a Bachmann N class is a big job requiring scratchbuilding a new footplate and other things.

 

The argument seems to be 'why tool for a U as it's so similar to an N' but the 78xxx class are basically slightly upgraded versions of the Ivatt 2MT tender locos, and both of those have been or are being done RTR.

 

I can understand why the main manufacturers might have overlooked it, but it's very odd that a smaller manufacturer or shop haven't done one on commission.