Motive power for Camden Shed

[92220]

Thanks so much Jamie; that could be the solution.  I will let you know! But I’m enjoying finishing 46251 first.

Iain

[92220]

On 06/02/2021 at 21:53, 92220 said:

 

 

........ I decided to build another Coronation.  I’m starting to lean towards Comet mechs under rtr bodies for the majority of my locos.  I can modify and  detail the rtr body reasonably in most cases, and the quality of the underlying detailing, painting and lining is generally going to be better than I can manage.  This one, however, will be a slight departure in that I will use a Hornby chassis.   It was originally under 46248 but in adding lead to the body and the chassis they became incompatible.  Yes, I know.  But it did force me to go the Comet route and I haven’t looked back.  I picked up a 46251 cheaply on eBay a few years ago, sold the chassis and so have the body and tender for about £23.  The plan is:

 

Full Comet additions to the loco - deflectors, rear frame extensions, bogie, trailing truck, cab floor, fall plate and doors, inside cylinder cover, sandboxes, smokebox door dart, plus new handrails and pillars.  Etched plates from 247.

The tender will have the side sheets thinned, the awful ledge removed, and a decent loco-tender (TW) coupling.

 

 

 

The next one, for the green lovers, will be 46239 on Comet frames.

 

Iain

46251 almost done.

 

I have a few more small jobs to do before painting, plates, weathering, coal, crew, lamps - on second thoughts will I ever finish it?!?
 

It has had most of what I detailed above but I have made a couple of my own alterations.

 

I used the more recent Hornby rear frame extensions which basically fitted well but necessitate a flangeless trailing truck which I don’t yet have.  So currently it is a Retford Princess Coronation 4-6-0.

 

I made my own loco-tender electrical connection to use the tender pickups which are not bad on these, to be fair.  They will definitely smooth out the running.

 

It was a faff for sure, but I added front brakes which I think make a big difference to the appearance of mass at the front end, along with the much more representative Comet bogie.  I used the remains of a Comet etch to provide the brake shoes to almost match the Hornby plastic ones.  Which, strictly speaking are wrong anyway because they should be twin shoes - single shoes only applied to the 46220-46224 - but I wasn’t going to go quite that far.  This was about making something reasonable from what I had available.

 

Correct pattern front vacuum standpipe and one of the more recent Hornby front screw coupling (which is again flawed but it’s the least bad one I had)

 

Tender has had the ledge removed and the 5 bracing plates each side added under the tank overhangs, which I am getting quite used to doing.   It is a lot easier to do this mod on a black framed tender than on one where you are trying to retain the lined livery.

 

Waiting for some vacuum release valves from Andrew at Wizard/Comet, which will be fitted to the frames in front of the cylinders.  Then a bit of frame filling in at both front and rear plus added weight and the major work will be done ready to patch paint and finish off. It’s not as powerful as a leaded Comet one, nor is it as smooth and satisfying, but it cost me not a lot, it looks like a Coronation and it will pull 10-12 without any issues.

 

 

 

 

Iain

[farren]

Well if that’s all you have to do, you should have it done by tea break. 
 

very nicely done Iain, as always.

[Brocp]

Looks great Iain.

 

Have you had a look at Hornby's new Princess yet? 

[92220]

11 hours ago, Brocp said:

Looks great Iain.

 

Have you had a look at Hornby's new Princess yet? 

Thanks.  No not yet.  I still have a Mike Edge aid-to-scratchbuilding one to build, and a Proscale one (which I understand is quite flawed but I haven’t worked out in what way yet).   I don’t have the castings for the chimney and dome to complement the excellent-looking Mike Edge etch, nor am I yet confident with cutting and shaped sheet brass for the firebox, boiler and smokebox.  I think most of the other fittings are available from Comet.  Maybe there is a Jack Sprat solution here.  Depends on whether the Proscale kit provides a decent chimney, dome, firebox, boiler and smokebox.

 

I can imagine there being a Comet framed Hornby one somewhere in my future perhaps, though!

 

Iain

Edited February 15, 2021 by 92220

[Michael Edge]

I can't remember whether the Proscale boiler is any good or not (or which type of boiler it is) - much of the rest of it poor and inaccurate. I think most of the fittings are OK though.

[mark axlecounter]

Iain 

if I can do the princesses boiler anyone can. I can’t find the pics of my loco but it’s not as bad as you think Iain 

[farren]

Most the trouble with the pro scale is the cab side and the chassis. The red one is pro scale the blue one is mr Edge’s and the green is Hornby obviously 

 

the Hornby one is very nice 

 

best images I have available, don’t feel much like going in the loft

Edited February 15, 2021 by farren

[92220]

Thanks all.

 

I think, if I had 2 Princesses, they would be one of Mike’s, using whatever I could from the Proscale kit if anything, and a second one would be a new Hornby body and tender, with Comet frames.

 

But both might have to wait a bit.  I was supposed to start the control panel today.  But temptation got the better of me and I got here in 2 hours:

 

 

 

Sometimes a set of frames goes together so easily that with no tweaking of any sort, but just putting the rods on it will roll under its own weight down the 1 in 38 of the dive under.  So really there is no excuse for not making this one into a 1A pet Black 5.

 

Iain

[92220]

I’ve had a bit of a stocktake, and, not including a Duke, 2 Coronations, 3 Rebuilt Patriots, 3 Rebuilt Scots and a Jubilee which I had lined up for Comet underpinnings to replace the RTR chassis, I found this lot......

 

 

I’m wondering whether I have a clinical condition.

 

Iain

[farren]

Well that stash should keep you out of mischief for a few weeks.

[millerhillboy]

wondering............??? confirming I would say was more like it

[Barry O]

By the time you have built the chassis for them all you will probably have some form of clinical condition (or have very thick skinned finger ends!)

 

Baz

[Metr0Land]

More importantly, why is one body in each row the wrong way round? 

[MacDuff999]

Further astonishment at your level of skill and innovation Iain. A thoroughly enjoyable (and envying) thread. Just a couple of points I noticed in Barry O's contribution from June last year. Re rare sightings (model ones presumably) of re-built Jubilees, might it perhaps be that they do to some degree at least, resemble the re-built Patriots and Scots? To my mind, a Jubilee is a single-chimney loco of Stanier's original design. Many modellers might consider the re-builds rather too like the other Stanier re-builds. Just a thought; others' views might well differ. On another tack Barry, did you sell off the surplus 'Coronations' you mention? If not, perhaps you could let me know what you still have for possible disposal. It is not impossible I might be able to use one on my planned layout as a visitor from 66A (Polmadie). Either way, keep up the good work gents. 

PS My 'Drake' is sitting on the baseboard track, waiting for a smokebox number plate for 45595 'Southern Rhodesia' (I have the nameplates from Fox), and then a trip to certain fellow in Derby for re-numbering/naming and weathering.

 

Ian. 

   

[Barry O]

@MacDuff999.. i only have one  EM gauged ex Hornby Duchess left. I have just finished one Model Loco/Hornby BR Green one (Duchess of Abercorn). My last two will be a DJH maroon one and a DJH Br Steam Loco Blue one.

 

Baz

Edited April 10, 2021 by Barry O
Spellung

[92220]

Thank you Ian. 
I think part of the interest in modelling the Stanier 4-6-0s is getting the subtle differences represented in some way in order to be a model of a particular loco. For example,  45735 and 45736 could be modelled by starting with a Rebuilt Patriot.  Changing the cab for the deeper Jubilee one would be a good start.  The smokebox saddle (admittedly almost invisible when deflectors are fitted) is another thing.  Then match it with the correct tender.  Then you’d need to consider whether various other details were correct and if not, how far would you be prepared to go?  
Black 5s?  842 completely different “identical” * locos.  
 

I make a fair few mistakes and even more shortcuts but I really enjoy this part of modelling.

 

Iain

 

*in the eyes of some maybe

Edited April 9, 2021 by 92220
Completed the post

[MacDuff999]

Are the 'Coronations' you mention Barry, ones you said last June you may sell on, or other you are building for yourself? I could well be interested in a 'OO' 'Coronation', if you have one for disposal, depending on details. 

 

Ian. 

   

[MacDuff999]

A question or two gents for the cognoscenti among you who have detailed knowledge of the Stanier 'Coronations'.  Re 46232 'Duchess of Montrose', was she ever streamlined? Unlike some others of the class,  I cannot remember actually seeing her, but have the impression she was a green liveried member of the class, rather than red. Was that the case? And as a Polmadie loco in the late 1950's, was her nameplate background ever coloured ?  In summer 1958 I spent a day on the north end overall platform bridge at Crewe, which gave spotters a commanding view of the northern approaches to the station. One of the many loco 'cops'  I made that day was 46230 'Duchess of Buccleuch', apparently being taken from north shed to the works. Her external superstructure cladding was in a real mess, visually, and I thought she may have been involved in - or quite near to -a fire. Can anyone throw some light on this possibility at all?   

   

[Pannier Tank]

1 hour ago, MacDuff999 said:

46232 'Duchess of Montrose', was she ever streamlined? Unlike some others of the class,  I cannot remember actually seeing her, but have the impression she was a green liveried member of the class, rather than red. Was that the case? 

 

She was not one of the Streamlined variant but did carry the BR Green Livery.

[MacDuff999]

Thanks Pannier Tank. That clears up a couple of important points for me.    

   

[MacDuff999]

Does anyone know where I can get/access a 4mm scale drawing of a Britannia? I am up-grading a Hornby example, and am thinking of replacing at least the bogie wheels - if not the bogie itself too, although I don't know its wheelbase - and the smoke deflectors. I am sure I have seen replacements for the latter somewhere among the loco etc. detail-making traders, but cannot find them now. I could, of course, have a go at making them from scratch, as the existing ones need replacing, having moulded-on handrails, as well as similar smokebox door handles and lamp bracket. Any helpful information gratefully received. 

[Michael Edge]

We can supply all the varieties of Britannia smoke deflectors - £6 a set + postage (currently £2).

[MacDuff999]

Thanks for that Mike. I will go to your website, and see if I can order the ones I need (they are for one of the last five with no hand-holds). 

[ScRSG]

Re Duchess of Montrose and the other Polmadie Coronations, all were painted in green and none of them were painted red. The story goes that the shedmaster (?) at 66A reckoned that as they were almost exclusively used on the overnight trains to London then as they ran in the dark nobody would care what colour they were! I can find no evidence of a colored nameplate for 46232.