Mainline J72 to J71

[rowanj]

I'm using a Mitsumi motor with HighLevel Compact+ gearbox, and all fits well, These Mitsumi's can be a bit "hit and miss" but I picked up a batch when they were 5 for £5, or something like that. I suspect they will not suit modellers whose locos have high mileage or pull heavy loads, Otherwise, they are worth a try. They fit into the gearbox without difficulty, but only "askew" as the photo shows. I know others have drilled them to fit upright. For the J71, this wasn't necessary, nor did I need to cut off the rear driveshaft. The tested motor/gearbox runs very sweetly. It is the same combination I used in Arthur's J77 and in a Graeme King J2 conversion, and both continue to work well on prototype loads. But all my locos are low mileage -- because I have too many.!!!

 

A bit more work on the body - handrails removed and the bunker step will follow, Now the motor is fitted, it's time to see what needs to be done to get the cab floor to fit, and then I'll replace the coal rail and fill the bunker properly to give it some extra strength. Hopefully, after that, it's mainly detailing.

 

My original J72 has come into works to get the valve cover fitted, and I hope the photo shows how different these ostensibly similar locos were. While I have the J72 out, I'll add a few details, and renumber it for a Heaton or Gateshead loco. It is a nice runner, so as long as its' chassis works, I'll leave well alone, It does need sandboxes, however, so I need to try and source some or build them up from scratch.

 

 

[rowanj]

I have been working concurrently on the J71 and J72. My intention on the J72 was to simply replace the Ross pop valves with a "trumpet", but I decided that, as I was going to re-number the loco to a Tyneside one, I'd see what else I could do, 68742 was a vacuum fitted Heaton loco, so I installed the pipework, a representation of the sanding rod by the LH boiler front, lamp-irons (I still need to fit one at the bunker rear) and associated pipework on the buffer beams. The photo reveals the push-on cab is askew. Blast.... 

[rowanj]

On to the J71. I had great plans for the cab interior. You really need to fill the empty space wher the Mainline mechanism sat, especially as I decided to model the loco with open cab doors,

 

The photo shows what you get with the kit - a cab floor/back, 2 etches to form the splashers, and a brake standard. In theory, I need a reversing lever ( and not a brake standard? ), a backhead, sandbox covers and a locker for the back shelf.

 

In practice, I found that all this was a pipedream. The etch is the same as that on the smaller-wheeled J72, and between that and my hamfistedness, I struggled to get the cab floor to clear the gearbox bottom and the 18mm wheels without removing significantly more metal than indicated by the instructions. My solution was to split the cab floor, cut down the "splashers" and fit them directly to the cab sides just behind the tanks .This is actually prototypical, as they are really just rear tank extensions, extending into the cab. I then stole an idea from Mikemeg and covered the cab floor with thick paper, scored to represent floor boards. At least the thing looks full, and will be more so when I build a rear locker and fit crew.

 

The loco has had a first spray of primer, to see how the bunker (complete with Daddyman coal rails) looks. I tend to use Halfords Red for black locos which wont look "ex-works" as this can show through in some places after spraying with Railmatch Weather Black  and look like rust, especially as the spray tends not to get into the crevices where rust will occur.

 

Finally, the J71 and J72 are posed together and I think the differences between the two classes are quite apparent.

[rowanj]

More work on the J71 has seen the sandbox rods fitted on both sides of the boiler , and a representation of a globe lubricator fitted to the LH smokebox, just ahead of the handrail knob, Cab handrails are in place.

 

I fitted a representation of the backhead in the cab, though it bears only a loose resemblance to the real thing. It does, however, largely fill the gap between the splashers. I also built a cab locker which is stuck to the inside rear of the cab, which is a separate moulding, easily removed but trickier to get back and stay in place. How much of this will be visible when the roof is attached, especially with crew in place, is a moot point, but at least it looks "busy" rather than a blank empty space.

 

So, still to do.

Body

Fit RH boiler handrail, which extends the full length, unlike the donor J72.

Fit whistle  and "trident" to LH bunker top, which I believe was to hold the shunters pole.

Fit lampirons and dummy couplings.

Fit front buffer etch overlay and all buffers

 

Chassis

Running is smooth with the Highlevel/Mitsumi combination, so :I'll now finish fitting the coupling rods. These are supplied as a double overlay, but the etch itself is quite thick, and I believe the prototype rods were thinner than normal, Then pick-ups, wire in the  motor, and sort out the "goalpost" couplings.

 

Edit - one thing I would like to do is better represent the front cylinder cover. This is very poorly represented on the plastic body, but photos show it and the rivets are prominent. Quite how to do it? I have Archers Rivet transfers, but wonder I they would remain visible enough after painting. Wire, suitably trimmed, but this would be a very fussy job. PVA blobs on a plasticard cover?

Edited November 29, 2018 by rowanj

[rowanj]

On test, The J71 is nearly complete. It has lost a brake, and I'll touch up some of the paintwork, number and weather the loco. I cannot seem to get the cab to sit properly, so will tackle that tonight. There was plenty room in the tank sides to add weight, but it's still a bit light, so more will be added in the boiler front - I want to get it up to 5 oz if possible.

 

The driver is one of Heaton' smaller crew, but he is 'armless….

Edited December 5, 2018 by rowanj

[rowanj]

I have weathered the J71 rather heavier than usual, but as it will shortly be off to Dairycoats, that will be their problem. The photos show how different ostensibly similar locos can be, which, of course, makes the whole conversion worthwhile.. Just to summarise what I did-

 

Shorten bunker by just under 2mm

 

Remove rear bunker handrail and step, remove cab doors (not necessary), replace cab door handrails, remove breather tubes from tank tops, replace boiler handrails on both sides. Fit lamp irons, driver and coal. Add cab backhead (after a fashion) and cab locker to MT etch items to fill cab.

 

Add sanding rods to boiler sides.

 

What I didnt do, but will next time.

 

Replace handrails on tank front to correct position.

 

Reduce footplate depth and fit etched steps..

 

Try to fabricate front cylinder cover.

 

The last photo shows my current fleet of NER shunting engines -Alexander Fletcher cab J77, ArthurK Worsdell cab J77, J71 and LNER-build long-bunker J72. As I have the MT chassis kit for the J72 and a couple of Mainline bodies, at some point I'll build a short-bunker J72, But not today,,

 

John

 

 

 

 

[rowanj]

Just to complete this thread, 68264 passes Little Benton North with a short rake of ventilated meat wagons from Whitley Bay, where there was. and is, a large abattoir, They will join a larger rake at Heaton Yard for onward movement south.

Edited December 15, 2018 by rowanj