LNWR London Road - Locomotives and rolling stock

[Coal Tank]

The painted lining is much more subtle than the transfers 

[Jol Wilkinson]

3 hours ago, Coal Tank said:

The painted lining is much more subtle than the transfers 

And much more expensive!

 

 

[Brassey]

On 03/06/2022 at 14:14, Coal Tank said:

It really is a beautiful model Jol and the paint is very very nice a bit late for me............. But

 

"Renown" itself was converted quite early; well that's my excuse for running it in 1912 anyway!

Edited June 6, 2022 by Brassey
typo

[Jol Wilkinson]

I decided a few weeks ago to try out building some stock for London Road. I had completed assemblinfg the Renown and 4' 6" tank after Ian Rathbone worked his magic on them but hadn't got stuck into any serious model making.

 

I had already started (before Covid and moving house) on the 2000-gallon tender for the LNWR 2-2-2-0 Teutonic. I then started on the 1800-gallon tender for the 2-4-0 Improved Precedent (I know Locomotion/Bachmann have brought out a superb RTR version but that's 00 and anyone with £220 plus can have one, while my indifferent P4 effort will be unique). The frames went together okay but I made a hash of the tender body. John at LRM supplied a new body etch and this time I got it together okay.

 

 

So I then had the 1800 and 2000 gallon tender bodies and frames finished, so decided to embark on the simpler 2-4-0 by starting on the frames.

 

The 1800-gallon tender is on the left. It has a slightly shorter tank, recognisable by the longer (wider?) vertical plates holding the handrails at the front. The 1800g frames have a compensating beam for the front and centre axles (not visible in the photo) while the 2000g will have light springing on those two axles so that the front of the tender will rest on the loco drag beam for more adhesive weight.

 

The picture was taken after everything had a bath in the ultrasonic cleaner with a cleaning additive that removed any loose grot but left everything a bit discoloured.

 

 

 

I've made some more progress and will post new photos soon.

[Coal Tank]

Hi Jol, its great to see you back here I hope that things are ok 

John 

[Chas Levin]

Hello Jol, as John says, good to see you back at the bench; the lighting in that first photo of the one tender in the post above has given it a beautiful coppery colour (not strictly relevant but thought I'd mention it!) 😀

[Jol Wilkinson]

A start on the loco body. The curved running plate is formed on a folded-up jig from the chassis etch. It is important to get this right or nothing else will fit properly. Fortunately the brass will curve easily around a small wooden rod, When satisfied with a close fit I sodered it in pkace using the RSU

 

I added a piece of scrap n/s across the running plate to help keep it flat when adding the cab sides, etc.

 

 

 

[Brassey]

Jol

 

Your tenders look better than my efforts and this reminds me that I must get on with my own LRM Whitworth. Which gearbox are you using?

 

Peter

[Jol Wilkinson]

Hi Peter,

 

my Whitworth has a Mashima 1224 and LRM 50:1 gearbox, mounted below and in front of the rear axle with the motor inclined up into the firebox. As 1224s are no longer available I opted to use a HL coreless motor and Roadrunner Compact 45:1, in the same configuration.

 

Jol

[Jol Wilkinson]

A bit more progress, the cab sides, spectacle plate and splashers are now fitted. The cab sides and splashers needed only minor adjustment to fit closely but holding them while soldering onto the half-etched location on the running plate was a little less easy.

 

I prefer to make the boiler/smokebox removeable (bolted in place) but the kit doesn't support that or is easily modified. So the boiler will be soldered in place as designed.

 

 

[Brassey]

2 hours ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

Hi Peter,

 

my Whitworth has a Mashima 1224 and LRM 50:1 gearbox, mounted below and in front of the rear axle with the motor inclined up into the firebox. As 1224s are no longer available I opted to use a HL coreless motor and Roadrunner Compact 45:1, in the same configuration.

 

Jol

 

Jol, Thanks for confirming that.  I got my Whitworth when the 1224 was still available and I too have a RoadRunner compact ready for that.  I've used the same configuration in my Special DX and Coal Engine having swapped out an LRM gearbox in the former.  Both run very well.  I also have an LRM Improved Precedent to build that has the same drive ready and waiting but having built the G Norton tender for the Whitworth, that is ahead of the queue.  I really must build some carriages, but your build here is inspiring me to abandon that and get on with the Whitworth. 

 

Presumably yours has a fixed rear axle and compensation on the front driver and carrying axle?

 

Peter

[Coal Tank]

I find the cab a bit tricky also. When I do the Teutonic I hope to do the same as John Gowers and use two motors. First I must finish the Lady of the Lake and  the A class 

John 

Edited September 19, 2022 by Coal Tank

[Jol Wilkinson]

A bit more progress. I've also been preparing the boiler fittings but will now go back to the chassis as I can check its fit under the body, mount the wheels, motor, etc. and get it running.

 

I've also started making some new points so I can get more track laid when after the new kitchen is installed and I can move the various kitchen items stored in the workshop back out.

 

 

[Coal Tank]

Hi Jol, Mike Williams recently mentioned the coal plate on LNWR tenders . He mentioned that with coal rails the tender shouldnt  be fitted with the curved coal plate.Have you any thoughts on this Jol

John 

[Jol Wilkinson]

Hi John,

 

that's the coal plate I usually fit, based on photos I saw when I started modelling the LNWR. I have never found any info on the use of the different coal plates, straight or curved, but haven't tried very hard.

 

Jol

[Compound2632]

I went into this when I built my Coal Engine tender (must get back to that...). Various L&NWR Society modellers offered what seemed to be convincing photographic evidence that the rectangular plate was correct for c. 1902, so I made one from scrap etch:

 

 

(No claim made for the quality of the build otherwise.)

Edited November 9, 2022 by Compound2632

[Jol Wilkinson]

A bit more, slow, progress on the Jumbo. My excuse is that we have been having a new kitchen fitted and I have been cataloguing my Hornby Dublo collection for sale.

 

The loco frames are finished, other than fitting the brake gear which I'll do after the wheels are installed. I am held up with the rear axle wheelset at present. One of the Sharman wheels had a distorted wheel centre/spokes moulding. PPP supplied a replacement set of wheels but only had OO/EM left in stock, so these have been sent off to be re-profiled by an acquaintance in the S4 Society.

 

The tyre finish was also not very good, but the machining will take care of that. The original set were very good as the front driving axle shows. The HL gearbox and coreless motor will fit in an "underslung" configuration, with the motor held onto a sloping spacer with servo tape. It alll works as it was built and running before the distorted wheel centre was noticed. It was convex, resulting in the centre and crankpin being too far out when the B"B was correct. This made clearances behind the valances rather too tight. This wouldn't be a problem in OO put was for P4 (and possibly EM).

 

 

 

Not the best photo, but this shows the "body" (which looks dirtier than it really is) with ejector pipes, boiler handrails, buffer bodies, front axle springs and several other bits fitted. The boiler fittings, less the safety valve, are now ready to fit.

 

[Chas Levin]

Frustrating wheel shenanigans Jol, but it's looking good despite that! 👌

[Coal Tank]

All Looking good Jol, I have two of these on the go

John 

[Jol Wilkinson]

Not much action on the Jumbo but the wheels turned up just before Christmas. Super finish on the tyres and the flash on the rear face of the spokes had also been removed. I reamed the wheel bores very slightly to make them an easier fit on the axle and cut a thin angled slot in the ends of the axle so that thee wheels can be pinned.

 

The wheels and coupling rods were installed and "push tested" before tightening the final drive gear screw. Thin brass wire pickups were added and the chassis runs well on the rolling road and a short section of track. I just need to add the centre brake shoe/mechanism which will be located by an integral pin and glued in place.

 

 

 

I have also been looking at the contents of a parcel from Australia, a s/h Arthur Kimber kit for a NER Tenant 2-4-0, including wheels, motor an H/L gearbox. It is from the estate of a member of the S4 Society who owner had done some work, including building the tender tank, ashpan and cylinder block. He had also removed all the parts from the etches, so I will have a bit of a jigsaw in front of me when I start to build it. In the meanwhile however I'll get on with the Jumbo and more trackwork for London Road.

 

Not likely to get any more done over the next few days, so Happy New Year to all.

[Chas Levin]

Happy New Year to you too Jol 👋

[Jol Wilkinson]

No progress to report on locos and rolling stock for London Road as I have been concentrating on the layout and items domestique have been taking up too much time as well. I have also been revising LRM's four year old printed price list (guess why?) and designing some LRM motor mounts for a new coreless motor.

 

Despite not actually making any new stock, I have however been acquiring the odd kit in the optimistic belief I will actually get around to building them. They include a couple of Slaters MR vans and a David Geen GWR Mink, so that the wagon fleet is a bit more varied. I would like some more "odd" wagons to go with them. On the coaching front I now have a Modellers World D9 12 wheel Dining Carriage and a D63 12 wheel Brake Third. Whether these will actually get built (the D63 really needs the other handed D64  or D62 Bk/3rd and the D23/D22 Composites to go with it and I already have a D10 converted from a D9) remains to be seen. I think I read somewhere - but can-t remember where - that these kits may be reintroduced.

[Coal Tank]

Hi Jol, is it still possible to get hold of the 12 wheeler? 

[Jol Wilkinson]

11 hours ago, Coal Tank said:

Hi Jol, is it still possible to get hold of the 12 wheeler? 

John,

 

the Modellers World kits haven't been manufactured for many years. I bought the D9 that I converted to a D10 over thirty years ago while the MW shop in Coventry was still open.

 

They turn up occasionally on eBay but I got my new D9 and the D63  (that should probably be W63) through the S4 Society and RMWeb respectively.

 

As I said,  I read somewhere - but can't remember where - that these kits may be reintroduced. They are listed in the LNWR modellers reference page on 4mm carriage kits as also been available from 247 Developments. When Gary took over 247 I think they were still available (but not since 247 passed into Brain Mosby's ownership). I believe the previous owner, Errol Surman, kept the rights to them (although I don't think he owned the 12 wheelers at the time), allowing Gary to supply them when he ran 247. I think Mr Surman may however be somehow involved if/when the 12 wheelers are reintroduced.

 

The history of 4mm etched LNWR carriage kits and components from the "Midlands Modellers" as I think of them is somewhat confusing. Ralph Jackson supplied etched sides/ends, Brian Badger produced kits that appeared to use the same etched sides (these kits now available from Stephenson Carriages but are not refined by current kit standards).  Others, including Dave Gillot and possibly Pete Waterman, were involved. These were mainly 50ft and 57ft corridor stock, IIRC. 

 

Jol

Edited April 17, 2023 by Jol Wilkinson
typo

[Jol Wilkinson]

For those interested in such things, the LNWR Society have a revised website.

 

The 4mm modelling section, detailing the kits available for those interested in modelling the LNWR has been updated.

 

https://lnwrs.org.uk/4mm-scale-oo-em-p4-gauges

 

A few further amendments are required, when I can get around to them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 1, 2023 by Jol Wilkinson
Amended text