7mm GCR 8K followed by LNER O4/6 followed by D9

[LaScala]

Recent loss of mojo overcome and have been dabbling with a sleeper project.

 

About 3 years ago I picked up a Gladiator D11 ( director) chassis from a certain auction site. This had been built by a professional whose client then specified a Premier milled version.

 

I have decided to build it as a D9 (GCR 11D) which means it has the wrong length including 1.5mm too much in wheelbase. I can live with this but have shortened it overall.

 

It now has a Slaters power unit, David Andrews brakes ( left over from O4) and the beginnings of a brass body based on re scaled drawings in the Locomotives of the Great Central vol 1 by Johnson. I have added back the extra wheelbase into the splashers.

 

Geoff at Gladiator is kindly going to supply the castings to complete a complex circle as he offers a D9 kit. No doubt this will be a slow project.

 

The boiler is not fixed so please ignore the maladjusted smoke box.

[Rob Pulham]

Looking good Hugh,  a nice prototype and I do love a bit of scratch building.

[LaScala]

Thanks guys.  It is an attractive prototype and one that lasted into BR era so covers near 50 years in traffic.  There are very few photos that I have found of one in LNER days but here is one.  The plant pot chimney is horrid but otherwise she still looks the part even in black.

[LaScala]

A little progress with internal cab splashers done. This has firmed up the rear structure no end. Also shortened the chassis and trimmed frames to accommodate rear drivers as Director is longer

Have decided to use square brass to strengthen valances as it is hard to solder them to be consistently flat.

Boiler is still a mock up so don't despair about cut out.

Next job has to be bogie and then wire it up.

[LaScala]

Bogie well underway. Detail will be mix of materials. Hoping I can find some springs in oddments bin. Chassis had to be shortened between bogie cut outs as D9 has 6" shorter bogie than Director. Join just about visible in frame between rivets.

There is some guess work involved with bogie, but a combination of photos and the drawing has allowed at least some credibility.

Have also soldered 3mm square brass behind valence. This trues up everything nicely. Obviously a bit of cleaning to do.

Goodies from Gladiator on the way so better get cracking on smoke box and boiler.

[LaScala]

Perhaps like this?  Slaters spring seems to be just the right size but needs to lose a couple of leaves I think.

[LaScala]

Not much progress other than arrival of castings from Gladiator.  Unbelievably, they fit including backhead with a bit of trimming.  My cab locker/splashers must be about 1mm narrower than the kit.  Dome and chimney fit well though.

 

It's not apparent from this shot, but I have also made up ashpan and changed my mind about location of motor.  It's now on front driver as it is invisible  (unless anyone is looking for working inside motion) thus allowing ashpan to be built up in full with front and rear.

[t-b-g]

The D9 is one of my favourite locos and I have recently started scratchbuilding one on 4mm scale. I hope that I am not throwing too many spanners in the works for your model but the drawing in Johnson is of the loco as originally built (As an 11B).

 

They didn't run for very long before being fitted with 6" bigger diameter boilers and a longer firebox. This alters the appearance quite a lot as the boiler is higher up and further forward. If you look at the photos in Johnson, there is one of a loco in original condition and the different relationship between the cab front and the firebox really shows up quite a lot.

 

Having said that, yours is coming along very nicely and certainly has the look of an 11D rather than an 11B, so you have probably spotted that already!

 

I look forward very much to seeing further progress. Mine is a lot less further on and will take me a long time to complete due to lack of time for such things but when finished it will be an 11B in GCR condition.

 

Best wishes,

 

Tony 

[LaScala]

The D9 is one of my favourite locos and I have recently started scratchbuilding one on 4mm scale. I hope that I am not throwing too many spanners in the works for your model but the drawing in Johnson is of the loco as originally built (As an 11B).

 

They didn't run for very long before being fitted with 6" bigger diameter boilers and a longer firebox. This alters the appearance quite a lot as the boiler is higher up and further forward. If you look at the photos in Johnson, there is one of a loco in original condition and the different relationship between the cab front and the firebox really shows up quite a lot.

 

Having said that, yours is coming along very nicely and certainly has the look of an 11D rather than an 11B, so you have probably spotted that already!

 

I look forward very much to seeing further progress. Mine is a lot less further on and will take me a long time to complete due to lack of time for such things but when finished it will be an 11B in GCR condition.

 

Best wishes,

 

Tony 

Thanks Tony,

 

The only dimensional compromise that I'm aware of is the coupled wheelbase.  I have cut and shut the Gladiator chassis in two places to get the dimensions correct and trimmed the rear overhang. I certainly have the correct diameter boiler as evidenced by the nice fit of the dome.  I have also adjusted the pitch of the boiler so that there are distinct vertical sections above the top of the frames and the smokebox that are obvious on page 65 of Johnson. 

 

I think my cab is correct on assumption the D reverted to a B outline.

 

My ashpan is a bit of a guess based on several Johnson dwgs, but it is pretty well hidden.

 

One thing that bothers me is were there underhung springs for both drivers?  The drawing shows only the rear detail and the pics on pages 60 & 62 are inconclusive.  Gladiator only provided me with 2 castings which might be a clue.

 

Ultimately this is a pretty dumb project given Gladiator have a perfectly good complete kit for the 11D but it's a learning experience. It will only ever be a John Ahern inspired "layout engine" as opposed to what can be done with a top end modern kit.

 

The extreme lack of post grouping pics of 9D's is also not helpful.  Given they lasted in BR days, it's surprising how few photos are around.  Any links v welcome.

 

Good luck with yours; look forward to a thread/blog!

 

Hugh

 

Good luck with yours.  It certainly is a well proportioned loco

[Michael Edge]

D9 had coil springs under driving axle, leaf springs under the coupled axle.

[LaScala]

D9 had coil springs under driving axle, leaf springs under the coupled axle.

Thanks Michael, that just the definitive answer I needed.  That is hinted at in old photos but it's invariably underexposed for obvious reasons.  I really need a good dated photo in LNER days to settle on a particular prototype and then set details like safety valves, dome, lubricator etc and stick with it.

[LaScala]

As mentioned above, I have changed motor location to allow a full profile of the ashpan and moreover the front.  The Slaters motor/gearbox just sneaks in in front of the backhead hence shortened motor shaft.  Whilst this is logical it would prevent any working inside motion.

 

Thanks to Mike Edge's advice I have also sorted the rear springs.  The angles of the sand delivery pipe are deliberate and are taken straight from the drawing. This will be almost totally hidden by the steps.

[Pebbles]

I am loathed to raise this but it does appear that the re-boilered D9s had a different frame shape above the footplate and possibly reinforced plating. The photo you included in your posting of 2 October seems to confirm this.

[LaScala]

I am loathed to raise this but it does appear that the re-boilered D9s had a different frame shape above the footplate and possibly reinforced plating. The photo you included in your posting of 2 October seems to confirm this.

That is possible but I have compared side on pics of 11B, C & D with no evidence of a change.  Pre WW1 all seem to have 11 large rivets low down above the footplate though these seem to disappear in LNER days.  Certainly the smokebox changed shape because of the greater height and this creates a small flat ledge.  Logically I can't see why the frames would have altered.  They were beefed up for the D10 Directors though.

 

Have been taking a bit of a breather from the D9 with some easy wagons though I have started the tender.

[Pebbles]

I refer to Yeadon's page 4 for details of larger boiler and new cylinders and pages 48 and 49 for photos of GCR No 104 and No 110 (11Cs), engines that retained slide valves but with larger boiler and 8ft 6inch fire box. Engine No1021, the first 11D with definitive boiler/firebox and piston valves,(revised cylinder block), is shown with the changes I have described, as does your photo of No 1022. I have only recently given any thought to this class and merely wish to alert you.

[LaScala]

I refer to Yeadon's page 4 for details of larger boiler and new cylinders and pages 48 and 49 for photos of GCR No 104 and No 110 (11Cs), engines that retained slide valves but with larger boiler and 8ft 6inch fire box. Engine No1021, the first 11D with definitive boiler/firebox and piston valves,(revised cylinder block), is shown with the changes I have described, as does your photo of No 1022. I have only recently given any thought to this class and merely wish to alert you.

Thanks for further info.  I don't have Yeadons, only Johnson.  Will do some more searching.

[LaScala]

Had a chance to crack on with the tender after Xmas. Straightforward Gladiator kit with few issues. Compared to the later David Andrews version I observed:

Spring dampers a fiddle on both, DA slightly easier
DA brake standard ridiculously tall, would take a basketballer to reach!
Gladiator mixed media brake shoes superior to DA etches
DA ships wheel cast, etched on
Gladiator
Coal plates different length, who is right?
Excellent lost wax on both

In primer to highlight clean up issues and a bit of filling.

Chassis awaiting wheels but nearly there.

[LaScala]

That is possible but I have compared side on pics of 11B, C & D with no evidence of a change.  Pre WW1 all seem to have 11 large rivets low down above the footplate though these seem to disappear in LNER days.  Certainly the smokebox changed shape because of the greater height and this creates a small flat ledge.  Logically I can't see why the frames would have altered.  They were beefed up for the D10 Directors though.

 

Have been taking a bit of a breather from the D9 with some easy wagons though I have started the tender.

Seems this topic had an inconclusive run on The LNER Encyclopedia:-

 

http://www.lner.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=9581&p=93821&hilit=D9#p93821

[Rob Hindley]

Hi , a great model you built,  I was wondering where you got the drawings GCR K8 from please? I'm trying to scratchbuild one in N gauge (well the body and tender) and could do with some dimensions and plans. 

 

        Kind regards Rob Hindley

[LaScala]

Hi , a great model you built,  I was wondering where you got the drawings GCR K8 from please? I'm trying to scratchbuild one in N gauge (well the body and tender) and could do with some dimensions and plans. 

 

        Kind regards Rob Hindley

Easy, I bought the Isinglass drawings available here http://www.isinglass-models.co.uk/