Wolf27 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 I have in my bits box an Airfix Castle and a Hornby Hall. Is it possible to make a resonable representation of a Star using the boiler from the Hall and the running plate and chassis from the castle. There was an article in Railway Modeller years ago and it seemed to look ok. Any thoughts and suggestions will be welcome. cheers Shane Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted March 29, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 29, 2011 I have in my bits box an Airfix Castle and a Hornby Hall. Is it possible to make a resonable representation of a Star using the boiler from the Hall and the running plate and chassis from the castle. There was an article in Railway Modeller years ago and it seemed to look ok. Any thoughts and suggestions will be welcome. cheers Shane Surely the most obvious visual difference apart from the smaller boiler is the cab? The Hall and Castle have Collett's windowed cab whereas the Star has a smaller Churchward windowless cab, which requires a shorter chassis at the rear. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mr Lizard Posted March 29, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 29, 2011 Hi Shane, It's certainly possible - I made a similar conversion a couple of years ago, only I used a Hornby Saint boiler. Presuming the Hall has all the same inaccuracies as the Saint, I think you may find you need to make quite a few alterations to make it look acceptable. Depending on how far you want to go, these might include shortening the smokebox, lengthening and reshaping the firebox, and repositioning fittings such as the safety valve cover and top feed. Here's the thread on my build: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=48323 And here's the original article that inspired me to do it: http://www.gwr.org.uk/prostar.html Hope this helps, and if you go ahead let us know how you get on. Good luck! Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
naugytrax Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Agree with Keith. It would be less trouble if you started with a Hornby Saint, which had the Hall boiler with a Churchward cab. There's also the fact that the Hornby GWR 4-6-0's had an incorrect wheel spacing, 7'3"+7'3", whereas I believe the Airfix Castle has the correct 7'0"+7'9". But it would be a neat project, and I plan do do one myself one day, but using a reject Dublo Castle chassis, which has the same incorrect wheelbase as the Hornby models. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach bogie Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Alternative is to look out for an M&L Star conversion kit comprising a white metal body designed specifically for the Airfix Castle. They do turn up on eBay. If you are using the Airfix Castle body, it needs to have the early Castle inside cylinder chest as the later pattern did not appear on the Stars Mike Wiltshire Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted March 30, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2011 If you are using the Airfix Castle body, it needs to have the early Castle inside cylinder chest as the later pattern did not appear on the Stars Mike Wiltshire You need to be careful which loco you choose as the earlier 'Stars' had a square, and very 'boxy' looking, cover over the inside cylinders. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach bogie Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 You need to be careful which loco you choose as the earlier 'Stars' had a square, and very 'boxy' looking, cover over the inside cylinders. They are a nightmare full stop. Which front end, which outside steam pipes or non at all, splasher beading or rivets, tall or short safety valve, numerous chimney types, worksplates or not, slidebar links or not, top feed or not... the list goes on? Golden rule - find a photograph and stick to it. And if anyone is thinking of buying a Horny Tintagel Castle and renaming it 4000 North Star as a castle rebuild.... North Star was always a unique locomotive, even as a castle. Tthe running plate was higher with smaller splashers compared to any other castle. Besides I'm happy to place £10 at Ladbrokes on Hornby producing a star within a couple of years. The new castle chassis appears to have been designed to fit a body with a smaller cab if required. In these financially challenged times all that is needed is a new body investment for use withan existing chassis and tender combination. Mike Wiltshire Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 Besides I'm happy to place £10 at Ladbrokes on Hornby producing a star within a couple of years. The new castle chassis appears to have been designed to fit a body with a smaller cab if required. In these financially challenged times all that is needed is a new body investment for use withan existing chassis and tender combination. Probably just after I finish my Star conversion - using the boiler and cab from a junk white-metal Star body that I picked up at a swap meet and the running plate of an Airfix Castle, all sitting on a Comet chassis. Top feed, no splasher beading, no outside steam pipes, boxy inside cylinder casing - I'm thinking 'Knight of Liege' in the 1930s. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach bogie Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 Probably just after I finish my Star conversion - using the boiler and cab from a junk white-metal Star body that I picked up at a swap meet and the running plate of an Airfix Castle, all sitting on a Comet chassis. Top feed, no splasher beading, no outside steam pipes, boxy inside cylinder casing - I'm thinking 'Knight of Liege' in the 1930s. Adrian I think the hauling capacity will far outweigh a Hornby version and besides, YOU built it. I am looking at a Proscale kit that will be 4022 Belgian Monarch (my Grandad was known to have driven it many times). I feel a diversion from current projects coming on. Thanks for the kickstart Mike Wiltshire Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted March 30, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2011 And if anyone is thinking of buying a Horny Tintagel castle and renamining it 4000 North Star as a castle rebuild.... North Star was always a unique locomotive, even as a castle. Tthe running plate was higher with smaller splashers compared to any other castle. Mike Wiltshire By the mid 1920s (if not before?) 4000 was a heartily disliked loco as the valvegear arrangement made oiling very difficult and it was the source of repeated complaints by footplate staff at Old Oak Common. At the time of the last official complaint the minuted response from the District Motive Power Supt was 'Mr Collett has advised that this locomotive has been withdrawn' Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold gwrrob Posted March 30, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2011 Besides I'm happy to place £10 at Ladbrokes on Hornby producing a star within a couple of years. The new castle chassis appears to have been designed to fit a body with a smaller cab if required. In these financially challenged times all that is needed is a new body investment for use withan existing chassis and tender combination. Mike Wiltshire I like your thinking Mike but I'd much prefer to see more variations on the Castles first preferably in GWR liveries.Then they can do the Star. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted March 30, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 30, 2011 By the mid 1920s (if not before?) 4000 was a heartily disliked loco as the valvegear arrangement made oiling very difficult and it was the source of repeated complaints by footplate staff at Old Oak Common. At the time of the last official complaint the minuted response from the District Motive Power Supt was 'Mr Collett has advised that this locomotive has been withdrawn' Presumably because of the "Scissors" valve gear which it lost when becoming a Castle in 1929, receiving new frames but still retaining the 2 1/2" higher footplate. The "GWR Stars, Castles & Kings" by O.S. Nock is a good read on the subject. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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