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

[mikemeg]

NORTH EASTERN KITS LNER D20

 

The second chassis - actually the original test build of this chassis - has now had the slide bars and oil pots fitted so is more or less 'in step' with the later chassis. There is obviously no guaranteed method of doing two similar models, in parallel, but I find that if each operation is done on both models, successively, then it is relatively easy to maintain the motivation, The danger seems to be allowing one model to progress much further than the other requiring a lot more motivational effort to 'catch up'.

 

On these two models it is only the final detailing which is being done in parallel, the basic models were built singly. Mind you, I do have two 3940 gallon tenders to build as a batch; one for each of these D20's.

 

I think it might be 'back to Specsavers' after these twenty four tiny oil pots!

 

Someone commented that though this thread is "Mikemeg's Workbench", they've never seen any pictures of the workbench. That's true and will remain true. I've seen too many photos, on here, where the model(s) are sat amidst a disorganised mess of tools, bits and pieces, etc.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited January 12, 2018 by mikemeg

[Horsetan]

....I've seen too many photos, on here, where the model(s) are sat amidst a disorganised mess of tools, bits and pieces, etc.

 

*hollow laughter*

[Blandford1969]

I found the D20/2 pipe and rod drawing, sadly there is no reference number on it, although I am sure it came from the NRM

[ArthurK]

There  is a Full Pipe & Rod drawing 4-4-0 Engines Class D20 LNER 1936.

 

Judging by the date this is probably the D20/2. Drawing No. is 12078 in the OPC lists.

 

ArthurK

[Blandford1969]

That could be the one. It does not have any of the tender or and just the beginning of the edge of the cab. It was enough to do a drawing though.

[ArthurK]

The OPC number is usually in one corner of the drawing.

 

ArthurK

[Blue Max]

Mike,

 

Any updates on the Q7 kit progress?

[mikemeg]

Mike,

 

Any updates on the Q7 kit progress?

 

Blue Max,

 

Arthur is busy on castings and additional etched parts for the inside motion. Both this model (the Q7) and the D20 have boilers which are pitched well above the running plate, which means that the space between the main frames is very clearly visible. Thus, both of these models really do call for a decent representation of the inside motion. On the Q7, the slide bars, crosshead and connecting rod on the middle cylinder plus the valve gear for all three cyinders, which sits between the frames.

 

Arthur also has to make new castings for the outside slide bars, crossheads/pistons rods and piston glands as these, on the Q7, are unlike any of his other models.

 

It should, perhaps, also be mentioned that Arthur is a sole trader and has to undertake not only the development of his kits (with some small assistance from me) but the checking of etches and castings, the production and printing of the instructions, and the packaging and despatch of the kits. All of this does impact on the speed with which Arthur can bring his kits to market.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Regards

 

Mike

Edited March 17, 2016 by mikemeg

[mikemeg]

NORTH EASTERN KITS LNER D20

 

Having had to undertake some diy jobs and to finish a couple of paintings, then I've now come back to the two D20's. Both sets of inside motion are now 'in sync' so just the final parts of the motion (reversing rod, weighshaft and weights, droplinks) and the external detailing of the second D20 plus the detailing of both cabs/backheads and then the building of a couple of 3940 gallon tenders.

 

These two locos differ in only the upper frames, chimney (capuchon on the rear loco), smokebox door and buffers, yet they do look significanty different

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited January 12, 2018 by mikemeg

[mikemeg]

NORTH EASTERN KITS LNER J72 Short Bunker

 

Some readers may remember Arthur remarking, somewhere on one of these threads, that he might look at producing the short bunker version of the NER Class E1/LNER Class J72.

 

The first twenty of the NER Class E1 (later to be LNER Class J72) differed from the rest of the class in that they had a shorter bunker (5 and 3/8" shorter), a shallower profile on the mainframes and a different arrangement of the brake linkage; this from the later NER, LNER and BR builds of this class. As ever with such long lived locomotives, changes were made through their lives, especially to the brakes and the drawgear, so photos of the specific loco, at the time represented by the model, are essential.

 

Anyway, Arthur has produced the short bunker J72 and below is a photo of the test build (actually this build is for Arthur himself) nearing completion. This still needs the tank top brackets, some handrails and brake linkage plus final finishing of the crankpins.

 

This model will then be further detailed with vacuum and heating pipes to represent 8680, which was one of the Newcastle Central pilots during LNER days.

 

So, Arthur's early batch J72.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited January 12, 2018 by mikemeg

[ArthurK]

I asked mike to build this for me as I thought that it would be nice to have one of my kits which actually ran. Whereas I always do an initial build myself I rarely ever finish one!

 

The choice of the 'short bunker' J72 was inspired by modellers on this thread cutting up the Bachman J72 to achieve the earlier version. Basically the major external difference between the two was that the bunker was extended by 5 3/8"over the rear buffer beam. The frames were not extended when the change was made. The frames on the original batch (first 20) were very similar to their predecessors the J71s. The frames were cut away between the driving axles. The entire J71 cylinders and motion were dropped by 3" to compensate  for the reduced wheel diameter. Apart from a change in piston stroke to 24" there very little other change. This did require the cylinder block to be moved forward by one inch. The front overhang of the frames was increased by the same amount. Another consequence was that the boiler was moved forward, also by 1". The cab front plate was kept in the same position relative to the boiler which meant that the cab side sheets became 5' 7" as opposed to 5' 6" on the J71. It took me a lot of detective work to sort that lot out. The photo shows how the bunker extension was achieved.

 

 

The short bunker version will be followed by the longer version which will also build into the BR built J72s. The main differences on the latter are the group standard buffers and  outside sandboxes on the rear frames.

 

These  two will complete my range of NER 0-6-0s, J71, J72 (2), J73 and J77(2).

 

I am awaiting revised etches for the short J72 and also first etches for the long version. With luck these two kits and the J71 will be available in the Autumn.

 

ArthurK

Edited July 5, 2016 by ArthurK

[Porcy Mane]

Arthur,

How is the Q7 progressing?

 

Thanks,

 

P

[ArthurK]

Arthur,

How is the Q7 progressing?

 

Thanks,

 

P

Year end with luck.

 

ArthurK

[Porcy Mane]

Thanks Arthur. That gives me some time to rake up some cash.

[Guest royal signals]

Hello to ArthurK,

 

I've read your comments on your kit builds in some threads, but I have no idea how to contact you to find out which kits you manufacture. as i am relatively

new to the forum I have not yet worked out how to pm another member.

[mikemeg]

 NORTH EASTERN KITS RANGE

 

Hello to ArthurK,

 

I've read your comments on your kit builds in some threads, but I have no idea how to contact you to find out which kits you manufacture. as i am relatively

new to the forum I have not yet worked out how to pm another member.

 

I'll reply on behalf of Arthur. All of Arthur's kits represent locomotives of the old North Eastern Railway. This was later absorbed into the LNER and then into BR (NE).

 

The kits, using the LNER classification are :-

 

A6   4-6-2 tank

 

B15 4-6-0 tender

 

D20 4-4-0 tender

 

J24  0-6-0 tender

J71  0-6-0 tank

J72  0-6-0 tank (2 versions) still under develpment.

J73  0-6-0 tank

J77  0-6-0 tank (2 versions)

 

N10 0-6-2 tank

 

Tennant 2-4-0 tender

 

Q5/1 0-8-0 tender

Q5/2 0-8-0 tender

Q7    0-8-0 tender still under development

 

Class W 4-6-0 tank. These were the original Whitby tanks subequently rebuilt to the A6's.

 

Additionally, the following NER tenders are available as separate kits :-

 

2651 gallon

3038 gallon

3940 gallon

4125 gallon

 

Hope this helps.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited January 12, 2018 by mikemeg

[Guest royal signals]

Thanks Mike,

 

I am modelling ex NER, around 1938 and i am interested in most of these (not the Tennant) did'nt know about the B15 and A6, very interested.

Thanks again.

 

Tony

[MarkC]

Thanks Mike,

 

I am modelling ex NER, around 1938 and i am interested in most of these (not the Tennant) did'nt know about the B15 and A6, very interested.

Thanks again.

 

Tony

I can't recommend these kits highly enough, Tony.

 

Mark

[jwealleans]

Tony,

 

If you look in the 'Smaller Suppliers' section of the 'Products and Trade Area', you'll find Arthur's thread under there as North Eastern Kits.

[mikemeg]

Thanks Mike,

 

I am modelling ex NER, around 1938 and i am interested in most of these (not the Tennant) did'nt know about the B15 and A6, very interested.

Thanks again.

 

Tony

 

Tony,

 

Earlier in this thread, there is a section showing the building of Arthur's A6 kit. I've built four of these kits plus a scatch built A6 body on one of Arthur's A6 chassis. The D20 build is also described.

 

The Tennants were withdrawn by 1927, though one was and is preserved. The B15's, or at least some of them, lasted until 1947 so fall within your timescale.

 

Oh and I omitted the original NER 4-6-0 tank (Whitby tank) and the N10 0-6-2-tank from the above list.

 

Cheers

 

MIke

Edited July 7, 2016 by mikemeg

[mikemeg]

NORTH EASTERN KITS LNER B15

 

I can't recommend these kits highly enough, Tony.

 

Mark

 

Tony,

 

Apart from the Q5/1 0-8-0 tender loco (which I have awaiting build) and the NER Class W 4-6-0 tank (which were rebuilt to the A6's in NER days) I've built or test built every one in the range; some more than once. So I'm hardly unbiased, but they do build into very fine models.

 

I don't know what experience you have of building etched kits but some of Arthur's kits are more involved than others, so the 0-6-0 tanks might be a good start point.

 

Finally, a photo of the test build of the B15.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited January 12, 2018 by mikemeg

[ArthurK]

Thanks Mike,

 

I am modelling ex NER, around 1938 and i am interested in most of these (not the Tennant) did'nt know about the B15 and A6, very interested.

Thanks again.

 

Tony

 

Tony

 

Did you get my PM?

 

Arthur

[mikemeg]

NORTH EASTERN KITS LNER J72 Short Bunker

 

With the addition of the various handrails, brackets, etc, then the basic kit is now all but complete. Now to add the piping for the vacuum brakes and the final touches to the brake linkage and this is finshed. The white section, visible on the front of the smokebox, is a piece of .005 plasticard to represent a separate plate, which is present on the photographs of these locomotives.

 

The supporting bracket for the front footsteps has also been temporarily removed to allow the piping to sit between it and the footstep upstand.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited January 12, 2018 by mikemeg

[mikemeg]

NORTH EASTERN KITS LNER J72 Short Bunker

 

Now doing a little running in of the J72, on Hessle Haven. I have done a few experiments on various drive train options on this model, especially as these locos would run relatively slowly in the course of their day to day duties.

 

So now just the steam heating piping and the oversight of the cab door handrails and this is done.

 

This has taken longer than normal for a build but has had to be done while undergoing some treatment from the medics, which slowed things down.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited January 12, 2018 by mikemeg

[mikemeg]

NORTH EASTERN KITS LNER J72 Short Bunker

 

A couple of errors have now been rectified on this model - the sanding rod, visible on the photograph above, should be horizontal - and more work done on the various piping runs. The vacuum pipe still needs the union joint forming just aft of the bend into the smokebox. This will be made from two of the 1.25 mm outside diameter nickel silver washers included on the washer/handwheels etch, drilled and broached out to a .8 mm hole.

 

These piping runs will then be removed (they are not yet fixed) to allow the primer to be applied, after which the piping runs can be replaced prior to painting. The last piping runs - those running the full length of the footplate and situated just under the valances - are now being made and fitted to fully complete the model.

 

Like all of Arthur's kits, this captures the essence of the prototype quite beautifully!

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited January 12, 2018 by mikemeg