G-Train Locomotive Works - LNER B3 'Valour'

[LNER4479]

A few more views from yesterday's 'shoot'.

 

The final view is the complete resin set that Graeme has developed - the idea is that a chimney and dome will be supplied according to builder's preference.

[Mallard60022]

True, but a newcomer would be non-the-wiser about how to build it.

Satisfied with this gentleman's skills and presentation now? I would certainly be inspired to ask for further detail if required.

P

[Mallard60022]

4479, is that Poppy gadget really as good as people report for chassis work?

Many thanks

Phil

[LNER4479]

4479, is that Poppy gadget really as good as people report for chassis work?

Many thanks

Phil

Used it once -100% satisfied. So, I guess that time will tell but off to a good start.

 

The only thing to point out is that, for this particular locomotive, due to relatively long wheelbase over the coupled wheels, the middle-to-rear spacing is fractionally too long to use the jig as designed. I had to (very carefully!) extend the rear slot by 1mm. But otherwise no problems.

 

(thinking on, I have used it for a further time as I made up a second set of frames for Graeme to use to mount the footplate/cab test build as his reference for the boiler manufacture. It too went together fine but I haven't fitted any wheels/rods to it.)

[PenrithBeacon]

Satisfied with this gentleman's skills and presentation now? I would certainly be inspired to ask for further detail if required.

P

My remark applied to the first post, not subsequent ones

[iak]

Wibbling with admiration...

[Michael Edge]

4479, is that Poppy gadget really as good as people report for chassis work?

Many thanks

Phil

 

Yes it is very good but I've had to get both the 3 axle version and the 4 axle one to cope with (nearly) all the wheelbase variations I need. I usually solder the spacers to one frame first, then slide the frames against one side of the box to keep it straight and solder up the other side.

[Tony Teague]

4479, is that Poppy gadget really as good as people report for chassis work?

Many thanks

Phil

 

I am pretty much a novice at loco building and I found it immensely useful.

Tony

[t-b-g]

Here is my progress on the 9P. I asked if I could have one etched in brass after somebody suggested that for a loco with some brass beading, starting with nickel silver wasn't the best idea. I usually prefer nickel silver but the idea of just scraping paint off to reveal the beading made sense.

 

I was going to use an old Ks boiler, firebox and smokebox from a scrapper B2 that I had picked up cheap but in the end I decided that they were not quite right and bit the bullet with a brass tube for the boiler and smokebox and a brass scratchbuilt firebox.

 

A good friend helped me out with a turned smokebox door.

 

Much remains to be done but I hope to have her on display on Remembrance Sunday at Hull show.

 

Please forgive the poor quality mobile device camera!

 

Edited October 13, 2018 by t-b-g

[richard i]

I have to agree on the brass for the splashes, unless in 4mm nickel silver looks like brass for such small areas.

Also thinking of names and numbers. Would there be space on the fret to put some of the more obvious gcr numberplates and nameplates. Even a worksplate or two? I would think lord faringdon and valour would most likely be top of people’s lists. Is it too much to do all 6?

As for the chimneys and domes. Do those who are indecisive get to have more than one dome sent to allow choice once building?

Great work by all so far,

Richard

[gr.king]

More than one type of dome or chimney per builder might be possible, without increasing cost, but I wouldn't want to find myself being asked to supply all of the alternatives in every case, as it does have some impact on use of time and materials.

 

I can't really answer on the matter of the inclusion of etched plates, although I imagine the fact that GC nameplate letter-styles aren't exactly "plain" and as far as I know are not readily available in digitised form might cause some additional difficulties and costs. They are not quite the same as the GWR style in every case either. Mind you, I do know a man who produced some custom splasher etches for a Director, including the nameplate, so he might provide a few pointers if the need arises.

 

Personally I'd much prefer Earl Beatty, not because of any desire to honour that particular former Admiral, but on the strength of a particular photo of the loco in service, plus the fact that I don't really want the same loco that most others might choose to portray.

Edited October 14, 2018 by gr.king

[t-b-g]

I did end up with two etches. One brass for me and one in N/S for somebody who changed their mind. Although Valour is a "must have" I really prefer the older style cut out cab that 3 had, so the other one will be one of those.

 

In the shed tonight building the Judith Edge tender kit. Should almost fall together if it is like the others from that stable.

[Nicktoix]

I have to agree on the brass for the splashes, unless in 4mm nickel silver looks like brass for such small areas.

Also thinking of names and numbers. Would there be space on the fret to put some of the more obvious gcr numberplates and nameplates. Even a worksplate or two? I would think lord faringdon and valour would most likely be top of people’s lists. Is it too much to do all 6?

As for the chimneys and domes. Do those who are indecisive get to have more than one dome sent to allow choice once building?

Great work by all so far,

Richard

I didn't want to put nameplates on the etch. I don't have the experience of such to make a good fist of it. I also suspect that they wouldn't come out well in 15thou material in 4mm scale probably better in 12 or even 10 thou and of course it would have to be brass.

There are specialists out there who will do a better job.

Nick

Edited October 13, 2018 by Nicktoix

[LNER4479]

Here is my progress on the 9P. I asked if I could have one etched in brass after somebody suggested that for a loco with some brass beading, starting with nickel silver wasn't the best idea. I usually prefer nickel silver but the idea of just scraping paint off to reveal the beading made sense.

 

I was going to use an old Ks boiler, firebox and smokebox from a scrapper B2 that I had picked up cheap but in the end I decided that they were not quite right and bit the bullet with a brass tube for the boiler and smokebox and a brass scratchbuilt firebox.

 

A good friend helped me out with a turned smokebox door.

 

Much remains to be done but I hope to have her on display on Remembrance Sunday at Hull show.

 

Please forgive the poor quality mobile device camera!

 

IMG_20181013_172821_hdr.jpg

Looks great, Tony. Many thanks for posting, it's good to see how other builders are getting on.

 

I'm planning to tackle Mike's tender kit myself next.

[gr.king]

It's only a thought and others are free to regard it as a ridiculous one, but if there's enough demand, somebody with the right knowledge might wish to consider the production of complete, "exact match" splasher sides in brass for all of the six loco names and an unnamed set for post 1924 Lloyd George. That would allow the retention of the advantages of nickel silver for the rest of the construction whilst providing for real polished brass beadings and nameplates.

 

I imagine that a suitable producer might even be offered assistance in matching sizes and fitting characteristics to the rest of the parts.

[Michael Edge]

.015" brass is too thick to get really good nameplates although we do put some in some of our kits, much better in .010".

[Woodcock29]

Here is my progress on the 9P. I asked if I could have one etched in brass after somebody suggested that for a loco with some brass beading, starting with nickel silver wasn't the best idea. I usually prefer nickel silver but the idea of just scraping paint off to reveal the beading made sense.

 

 

I hadn't thought much about this but I have ordered plates for Lord Faringdon. I will probably substitute thin brass strip for the nickel silver beading. I have added thin brass strip to Bachmann D11/1s on which it was missing - its not too difficult to bend it up.

 

Andrew

[Pebbles]

On the premise that the internal width between the splashers is not critical. Could not the splasher be left full thickness with half etched areas for the beading and the cover of the con rod big end.

[t-b-g]

On the premise that the internal width between the splashers is not critical. Could not the splasher be left full thickness with half etched areas for the beading and the cover of the con rod big end.

That wouldn't be a bad change to make. The splasher sides and tops are half etch and wafer thin. Not the fault of the etch but one of mine got dented and I couldn't straighten it without ripples showing, so I made a new splasher. Adding the brass beading from thin strip wasn't difficult. The new one is much more robust.

[Nicktoix]

On the premise that the internal width between the splashers is not critical. Could not the splasher be left full thickness with half etched areas for the beading and the cover of the con rod big end.

The splasher top  locates in a half etch on the splasher side.

This would be difficult with added beading but could be done requiring some very very careful soldering as the beading is only 0.75mm wide

 

Nick

[CF MRC]

I’ve always thought that one of these would look grand on Copenhagen Fields heading our 12 wheel Pullman train. Is there any possibility of having the artwork shot down to 2mm scale and a suitable tender too?

 

Tim

[65179]

Tim,

 

You may want the wider self-trimming tender for Valour on the GN - well to do it properly in Great Central livery anyway (I say "you" when I really mean there's a lovely photo of Valour - it might be in E M Johnson's Locomotives of the Great Central vol.2 - on the turntable at Kings Cross in that condition which to me just shouts build me!). The standard narrower type is available from Judith Edge kits in 2mm. If there's mileage in a 2mm B3 and the standard 4000 gallon tender will do then I could give you one of the ones that Mike Edge has supplied me with.

 

Simon

Edited October 27, 2018 by 65179

[gr.king]

Will a 2mm scale boiler be filed by hand from a lump of depleted uranium or shall I have to find out how to heat-treat a 4mm scale resin casting to shrink it down to 2 mil?

[CF MRC]

Will a 2mm scale boiler be filed by hand from a lump of depleted uranium or shall I have to find out how to heat-treat a 4mm scale resin casting to shrink it down to 2 mil?

Well, there’s a thought. Actually, our Valour probably wouldn’t need to have much pulling power as our twelve wheel Pullman’s are as light as corks and run on Kadee bogies. I still like making locos as solid as possible, however, and therefore heavy: inside every piece of metal there is a shape trying to get out.

 

GC engines are a new book to me, so I perhaps need to do some homework. The engine would look really well in GC livery, but presumably it changed to LNER pretty quickly.

 

Tim

[gr.king]

They seem to have been fairly well photographed on the Pullmans and other services during their time on the GN main line so it should be possible to form an impression of the speed at which liveries were changed.