Model Rail/Rapido Trains GER/LNER 'J70' 0-6-0T 'Project Toby'

[MarkSG]

My subs copy arrived this morning. Looks a good one as usual.

Stewart

 

Mine arrived today as well, as expected.

[dibber25]

The first engineering prototype of the 'J70' is illustrated in the December issue of Model Rail published on 17 November together with details of a successful loaded test run. (CJL)

[Ramrig]

My subscription copy arrived and an order duly placed for a J70. They look very highly detailed.

Looking forward to seeing the EP at Warley next week. I will be there as one of the Farkham Crew for its last exhibition appearance before its hopeful sale (shameful plug).

[The Stationmaster]

The first engineering prototype of the 'J70' is illustrated in the December issue of Model Rail published on 17 November together with details of a successful loaded test run. (CJL)

 

And very nice it looks.

[dibber25]

There's a short clip of the J70 running on our test track, on Model Rail's Facebook page. You don't need to join Facebook to see it. (CJL)

[Nelson Jackson]

Is there any chance of a better video? The one on Facebook is quite awful. It doesn't take much, a simple iPhone video uploaded to YouTube would be much more better quality.

[217 RIVER FLESK]

See Kernow Models have got a couple of decent stills shots on their website

[PaulRhB]

Here's the link to the pics.

http://www.modelrailoffers.co.uk/pg/160/Project-J70

[Miss Prism]

What are the chains on the bodysides for?

[Ramrig]

To hold the Side skirts up for maintenance purposes?

[Colin_McLeod]

To hold the Side skirts up for maintenance purposes?

That sounds like something that the Victorians might raise their eyebrows over.

[stewartingram]

What are the chains on the bodysides for?

I was wondering the same. I reckon the side skirts answer is correct though, but don't they look far too prominent compared to the real thing? Far better to not have them?

Also, looking at the (restricted) view inside, I reckon there might be room to ditch that coreless motor and put in a small proper one? If so, I might just order one.

 

Stewart

[Steamport Southport]

I'm sure they should be on the bufferbeams.

 

Assembly fault perhaps?

 

 

 

 

Jason

[Ramrig]

If you open up the link above for the Kernow website. Enlarge the picture of 68222 you can see the side chains + the slots in the side skirts where the clips go. There does not appear to be chains on the buffer beam though. The chains used on the EP look over scale, but they maybe for evaluation purposes only.

[Echo]

Some photos show very fine chain on the sides with a small hook on the end which look like they are used to hold the side panels up. Other photos show much larger chains on the buffer beams. Neither seem to be particularly common?

[Miss Prism]

I think safety chains on the buffer beams were standard in very early days, but got taken off at some later stage.

[Steamport Southport]

Well I've just found a photo of one with very fine sidechains and the loco behind has bufferbeam chains.

 

You have to enlarge the image to see the side ones. Else you wouldn't notice them.

 

http://wisbech.ccan.co.uk/content/catalogue_item/wisbech-class-j70-steam-tram-7137-on-shed-wisbech-east-photo-loaned-by-owen-smithers

 

 

Jason

[MarkSG]

The photos on Kernow's website are the same as the ones in the magazine. It says there that the EPs have been assembled from all possible components, and don't reflect any specific final model. So you shouldn't necessarily expect the chains to be on every version.

 

The prototype photo of 68223 clearly has side chains, but the model ones are over scale by comparison. 68222 also has them, but they look smaller. By contrast, 68225 doesn't have side chains, but does have them on the buffer beams. 

 

I presume this is one of the things that will be tweaked for the final design, if indeed the chains remain a part of it. They certainly don't appear to be ubiquitous, so they may well end up being omitted completely if they can't be made to look right. I don't think that would be too much of an issue. It's the sort of fine detail that can relatively easily be added yourself if you want to.

[dibber25]

I was wondering the same. I reckon the side skirts answer is correct though, but don't they look far too prominent compared to the real thing? Far better to not have them?

Also, looking at the (restricted) view inside, I reckon there might be room to ditch that coreless motor and put in a small proper one? If so, I might just order one.

 

Stewart

 

The chains are to hold the side skirts up during maintenance. This is an engineering prototype. There will be many changes to detail, including the chains, which are removable if you don't like them. The coreless motor is a 'proper' motor. It is performing superbly and gives this little model exceptional performance while allowing for internal detail. It's highly unlikely that a 'traditional' motor will give the required performance within the available space. I've had this EP successfully hauling 30 box vans. (CJL)

[stewartingram]

The chains are to hold the side skirts up during maintenance. This is an engineering prototype. There will be many changes to detail, including the chains, which are removable if you don't like them. The coreless motor is a 'proper' motor. It is performing superbly and gives this little model exceptional performance while allowing for internal detail. It's highly unlikely that a 'traditional' motor will give the required performance within the available space. I've had this EP successfully hauling 30 box vans. (CJL)

 

I appreciate the reply Chris, but I remain that Luddite with homebuilt PWM controllers that don't like coreless motors. I have a kitbuilt brass Y6 with one of John Isherwood's motors and a High Level gearbox which has superb running and interior detail so am aiming to match that. I've yet to find any controller that will give me the same performance.

 

Stewart 

[Corbs]

It looks great! As usual I'm planning to convert to RC so will need to figure out a way to disguise the battery and receiver, a challenge as it looks so detailed!

[dibber25]

I appreciate the reply Chris, but I remain that Luddite with homebuilt PWM controllers that don't like coreless motors. I have a kitbuilt brass Y6 with one of John Isherwood's motors and a High Level gearbox which has superb running and interior detail so am aiming to match that. I've yet to find any controller that will give me the same performance.

 

Stewart 

 

Sounds like a  complete new chassis will be needed, then. (CJL)

[rapidobill]

Model Rail has done a lot of research to determine what parts were carried on which locos at various times. The chains, front and side, came and went over the years. 

 

The samples in the photos are the first full EPs that we've been able to see and have been hand-assembled. Those overly large side chains will be replaced with something finer on those models where they are appropriate. 

 

Bill 

[RateTheFreight]

Does anyone have the dimensions of the model, particularly its length?

 

Thanks

 

Greg

[MarkSG]

Does anyone have the dimensions of the model, particularly its length?

 

 

Presumably it will be correctly proportioned to the original, at least as far as basic width and length of the body are concerned (obviously, there will be compromises on the lateral wheelbase due to it being OO).

 

So, assuming the dimensions on the LNER encyclopedia are accurate, it will be 82mm long. I don't know whether that's body shell length or including buffers, though.

 

For comparison, the Model Rail Sentinel 0-4-0 is 77mm long including buffers, and a DJM J94 is 119mm (approximately, those are my own rather imprecise measurements). Possibly more pertinently, a short wheelbase BR standard brake van is 80mm over buffers. So that should allow you to visualise it, at least to the right ballpark if not precisely.