Mikemeg's Workbench - Building locos of the North Eastern & LNER

[Porcy Mane]

Does anyone know whether the HMRS still offer this range of Pressfix 4 mm transfers or where other sources of this sheet and the 4 mm LNWR/BR Mixed Traffic Loco Lining sheet may be found?

 

I got my last lot from the HMRS stand at Scalefour North.

 

Looks like they are still available direct in both Pressfix and Methfix.

 

https://hmrs.org.uk/transfers/br-mixed-traffic-or-lnwr-loco-lining-150374.html

 

https://hmrs.org.uk/transfers/br-steam-era-loco-and-coach-insignia-150339.html

 

P

Edited July 12, 2017 by Porcy Mane

[mikemeg]

I got my last lot from the HMRS stand at Scalefour North.

 

Looks like they are still available direct in both Pressfix and Methfix.

 

https://hmrs.org.uk/transfers/br-mixed-traffic-or-lnwr-loco-lining-150374.html

 

https://hmrs.org.uk/transfers/br-steam-era-loco-and-coach-insignia-150339.html

 

P

 

Porcy,

 

Was that this year's Scalefour North or a prior year?

 

Regards

 

Mike

[Porcy Mane]

Definitely not this year. 2016 ( I think!) The guy that manned the stand said something about them just being re-drawn or re-printed as the colour reproduction had started to go out of register.

 

P

Edited July 12, 2017 by Porcy Mane

[mikemeg]

Definitely not this year. 2016 ( I think!) The guy that manned the stand said something about them just being re-drawn or re-printed as the colour reproduction had started to go out of register.

 

P

 

That stacks up with an enquiry I made to the HMRS a few years ago. The response to that was that they were seeking a new printer for some of the sheets and that they had not, at that time, found an alternative.

 

Many thanks for your reply. I'll try the HMRS via their website.

 

Regards

 

Mike

[mikemeg]

I've been trying to locate and source some of the HMRS 4 mm transfer sheets, in particular the sheet covering BR Steam Era Loco and Coach Numbers and Insignia.

 

Does anyone know whether the HMRS still offer this range of Pressfix 4 mm transfers or where other sources of this sheet and the 4 mm LNWR/BR Mixed Traffic Loco Lining sheet may be found?

 

Looking on one model railway supplier directory site seemed to suggest that the HMRS, itself, was out of stock of some of this range of products.

 

Alternatively some readers/contributors may know of an alternative product offering the British railways 1948 - 1968 numbers, lettering and the various sizes of the lion and wheel emblem.

 

Any information gratefully received.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

Odd thing, replying to a post which I made. And thanks to Porcy for the update.

 

I did make an enquiry to the HMRS, via their website but received no reply. Apparently, the newly constituted HMRS website is experiencing a few teething troubles, so the enquiry facility (to nominated HMRS functions) doesn't yet work. Anyway I e-mailed the HMRS secretary (which facility does work) who then forwarded the enquiry to the person responsible for transfers.

 

The upshot of this was that the HMRS have just received a delivery of various transfer sheets from their printer(s), including the 4 mm sheet 14 - BR Steam Era Loco & Coach Numbers and Insignia. So a 'bulk' order (enough to last me for a year or two) and the problem, if problem it was, is solved. I have to commend the HMRS transfer person for their very speedy response; order delivered within four days of sending.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited July 31, 2017 by mikemeg

[mikemeg]

NORTH EASTERN KITS LNER J77 Worsdell Cab

 

Just out of the paint shop (though it was painted in Railmatch weathered black rather than the Halfords satin black) is J77 68395; an example of the Worsdell cab rebuild of the BTP to J77. This loco was allocated to Harrogate Starbeck in mid 1950; none of the Hull sheds had an example of the Worsdell cab J77 at that time.

 

Someone e-mailed me asking how the number was placed centrally under the lion and wheel emblem? The answer is that the number is applied from the middle i.e. first the 3, then the 8 and 9, finally the 6 and 5. And the numbers, on these small 0-6-0 tanks, were normally the medium sized BR numbers though there might have been exceptions.

 

Another 0-6-0 tank to join the loco stud on Hessle Haven.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited January 13, 2018 by mikemeg

[mikemeg]

NORTH EASTERN KITS LNER J72 Long Bunker

 

So after the bout of painting and decorating - locos that is - then its back to the current build; the long bunker version of the J72. This photo shows how Arthur has acheived the tight bend on the cab door reveals, though I think a touch of solder to fill the tiny slots at the corners, might be applied, followed by some judicious filing just to achieve a sharp edge.

 

Another 0-6-0 tank, with yet another one (the shorter bunker J72 representing the first twenty of the class) still to build. After that then I'll move onto something different - 0-4-4 tanks!!

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited January 13, 2018 by mikemeg

[DougN]

Ohhh are you doing a LRM G5 I have done the main bits but I have never been confident on the chassis set up... I will look forward to that!

[ArthurK]

Ohhh are you doing a LRM G5 I have done the main bits but I have never been confident on the chassis set up... I will look forward to that!

 

He has enough to play with - I sold him mine which had been in its box since I bought it,  and later a second, from George Norton himself. But I did build my the first one.

 

 

ArthurK

Edited July 29, 2017 by ArthurK

[iak]

Is there anywhere I can ascertain the cost/availability of the long bunker J72 kit please gents?

Whilst I'm starting to get going again, I want to get these wheelsets used. Ok, so they will be built a lá north the border but really,I have spent too long in ga-ga land...

[ArthurK]

Is there anywhere I can ascertain the cost/availability of the long bunker J72 kit please gents?

Whilst I'm starting to get going again, I want to get these wheelsets used. Ok, so they will be built a lá north the border but really,I have spent too long in ga-ga land...

 

The kit still awaits some brass castings. 

 

It will be announced or my NORTHEASTERN KITS thread when it becomes available. The J71 will be ready first.

 

ArthurK

[Horsetan]

The kit still awaits some brass castings. 

 

It will be announced or my NORTHEASTERN KITS thread when it becomes available.....

 

Keeping an eye on the Q7 as well....

[ArthurK]

Keeping an eye on the Q7 as well....

 

Yes, thinking about that as well!

 

ArthurK

[pete55]

Just out of the paint shop (though it was painted in Railmatch weathered black rather than the Halfords satin black) is J77 68395; an example of the Worsdell cab rebuild of the BTP to J77. This loco was allocated to Harrogate Starbeck in mid 1950; none of the Hull sheds had an example of the Worsdell cab J77 at that time.

 

Someone e-mailed me asking how the number was placed centrally under the lion and wheel emblem? The answer is that the number is applied from the middle i.e. first the 3, then the 8 and 9, finally the 6 and 5. And the numbers, on these small 0-6-0 tanks, were the medium sized BR numbers though there might have been exceptions.

 

Another 0-6-0 tank to join the loco stud on Hessle Haven.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

Hi Mike,

could you tell me whose smokebox numbers you use please?

[iak]

The kit still awaits some brass castings. 

 

It will be announced or my NORTHEASTERN KITS thread when it becomes available. The J71 will be ready first.

 

ArthurK

Will those castings be available separately Arthur?

They will aid in improving the auld Bachmann beastie I assume

[mikemeg]

Hi Mike,

could you tell me whose smokebox numbers you use please?

 

Pete,

 

I make the smokebox number plates. I read somewhere that the BR smokebix numberplates used 4" high numbers. So, I use a piece of .010" plasticard cut to 2 mm width (scale 6") and around 15 mm long. This is painted with Railmatch weathered black, including the edges, and then allowed to dry.

 

I then use the 4" white numbers off the HMRS LNER Wagon Numbers and Insignia transfer sheet (which is sheet 12) - and quite a large magnifying glass!!!!

 

Once the number has been stuck to the plate, that plate is then trimmed to size along its length and is then slightly curved (to match the smokebox curve) and then affixed to the smokebox with a very small dab of glue.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited July 31, 2017 by mikemeg

[mikemeg]

He has enough to play with - I sold him mine which had been in its box since I bought it,  and later a second, from George Norton himself. But I did build my the first one.

 

Slide2814.jpg

 

ArthurK

 

That's true! I have three G5 kits to build, one of which is the one I bought from Arthur and is a George Norton original. The plan is to build the following :-

 

1) A G5 with no push and pull fittings.

 

2) A G5 with push and pull fittings

 

3) G5 67340 which was fitted with extended tanks by the LNER and which it retained until its withdrawal. This loco was allocated to Hull Botanic Gardens for much of its life.

 

Once again I am indebted to my old mate Mick Nicholson for the photographs, without which much of this could never have been accurately done and some not done at all.

 

It is perhaps worth mentioning that Mick was a great friend of and collaborator with the late Willie Yeadon and provided both photographs and information for many of Willie Yeadon's publications. So as a source of both information and photographs, Mick is invaluable.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited July 31, 2017 by mikemeg

[MarkC]

67340 definitely looks 'odd' with those extended tanks, doesn't she?

[mikemeg]

 Bachmann LNER J72 with HIGH LEVEL MODELS CHASSIS'

 

Will those castings be available separately Arthur?
They will aid in improving the auld Bachmann beastie I assume

 

Ian,

 

These are a couple of the 'auld Bachmann beasties' sporting some of Arthur's castings - tank fillers, saftey valve bonnets, whistles, NER tapered buffers on the front loco, etc; all of which castings are available separately now. The two J72's also have one or two of Arthur's etches on them - top lamp irons, footstep rivetted fillets, etc. The footplate steps, front and rear, were re-made for these models as the originals were just too thick.

 

Whenever I do a test build or any build of Arthur's kits, I always save any spare etches i.e. any unused 'alternative' smokebox formers and wrappers, the circular window surrounds, the tank handrail brackets, lamp irons, footstep riveted fillets, etc. These are then used on conversions - as on these J72's - to try and achieve some detailing consistency across kits and conversions. The B16/1 described earlier in this thread sports quite a few of Arthur's castings and etchings, as will the G5's when they are built. They just improve a model enormously!!

 

The chassis', on these J72's, are both built from the the High Level kit.

 

I'll leave it to you to judge whether they improve the look of the Bachmann model, though I know what I think!!

 

Oh and the front numberplates were both made as per the posting above and then weathered to tone down the white of the numbers. These are not ex-works!!

 

And two more of the fleet of 0-6-0 tanks!!

 

Regards

 

Mike

Edited January 13, 2018 by mikemeg

[pete55]

Hi Mike,

many thanks for the smokebox plate information.....very useful.

[mikemeg]

67340 definitely looks 'odd' with those extended tanks, doesn't she?

 

She certainly does; and she was a one off.

 

I believe this was done, some time in the 1920's, to try and extend the range of the G5's but was not adopted more generally, as larger and longer range tank locos became available. Probably as well, for I'm not sure that the extended tanks enhanced the loco!!!

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited July 31, 2017 by mikemeg

[micknich2003]

Rebuilt with extended side tanks March 1938.

[mikemeg]

NORTH EASTERN KITS LNER A6

 

About to go into the 'shops' for some final detailing and then painting and lining, is this - A6 69791. It will be finished ex-works in BR lined black with the lion and wheel emblem. This will be the third of the A6's, after which 69798 (the fourth) will be painted.

 

I do have a certain fondness for these big 4-6-2 tanks. When it came to big passenger tanks, it didn't get much better than the A6's! Well perhaps the A8's!!!

 

As a total aside, it is still my intention to have one (or more) examples of classes A1, A2 (both the NER and LNER examples), A3, A4, A5, A6, A7 and A8 on Hessle Haven for they could all be seen there; though not at the same time!!! Now if we consider the 'B' classes ............ then 'C' .... and 'D'...  

 

But, hang on, LMS classes also worked through Hessle Haven into Hull - 8F's, 7F's, 4F's, Compounds, 2P's, 3P's, Scots, Patriots, Jubilees, Black 5's and a host of others!! I'll not live that long.

 

Cheers

 

MIke

Edited January 13, 2018 by mikemeg

[mikemeg]

One more 'anomaly' was J77 68440. This was a complete one-off, with Fletcher cab sides, square windowed cab front and back, a Worsdell style roof, though of a shallower radius than the others. No external front springs and the combined front splasher and sandbox of the J71's and 72's. Can't see what the mainframe profile was.

 

And just to complete the 'oddballness' of this loco, the photo shows it derailed!!!

 

This one can't be built from Arthur's kit!! But hey, you know what? This was allocated to Hull Alexandra Dock in mid 1950!!

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited August 1, 2017 by mikemeg

[Iain Popplewell]

Amazing photo, not only an odd loco, but how did it end up so deeply imbedded in the ballast? Did it hit the loco in front and bounce, or did it derail for what ever reason and the panicking driver open up the regulator and desperately try too claw the engine back on to the rails digging it further in? Or is it the rails themselves that look to be curved upwards under the loco. Fascinating stuff. Or did the loco in front reverse into it pushing it off the rails. Who knows?

Edited July 31, 2017 by Iain Popplewell