LNER Steam Engines

[Class 67001]

Hi,

 

 

I think this is the right area for this, I apologise if it isn't or if these questions have already been asked. Anyway here goes!

 

I have been looking around at steam locomotives on ehattons and the like. I really like the look of the Class A4 and A3 steam locomotives which ran on the East Coast Mainline. The problem is this is as far as my knowledge of these locomotives go. I wasn't around to see these locos and therefore have quite a few questions I would like to ask.

 

I have heard about double chimney and single chimney. Does it matter if these two run together on a layout or would they be different eras?

On the tenders I have seen different emblems. Can I run a British Railways A3/A4 with an LNER A3/A4?

Other locomotives the LNER owned. Did the LNER own smaller steam eninges like tanks?

Also did the LNER have Class 03 shunters (if so what time did they appear)?

The condition of these locomotives. Were they clean or mucky all the time?

Coaches. What is the best coaches for these locomotives to haul?

Era. Can you run a locomotive with LNER & BR on the tenders and also run Class 47s on the same layout?

Bachmann or Hornby. Which is the more detailed A4 Bachmann or Hornby?

Renaming an A3/A4. Would it be better to send an A4 to a place like Olivias Trains for renaming or do it myself?

Steam locomotive information. If I was to rename some of my own A4s how would I know if they were double chimney or not?

Lighting. I saw an article Model Rail about steam engine lighting would it be best to fit lighting to all of the A3/A4s I buy?

Would it be possible to put a grain of wheat LED in the cab so it looks like the fire (if so how would I attach this to a decoder)?

 

I already have my trackplan set out and I am currently running a modern image layout, I would like to make the move to LNER steam.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Easterner]

Wow - lots of questions there. A good starting resource would probably be the locomotive section at the LNER Encyclopaedia.

 

Two general comments:

 

First, if you have a modern image layout and simply want to run A4s or similar in addition to your current stock, adding a railtour might be an idea. There was an article in Model Rail about this some while back, which someone will be able to point you to if you want to get into the technicalities. Otherwise an A4, Mk 1 coaches, etc.

 

Secondly, if you want to move to a LNER setup wholesale, it was a very sectionalised railway in terms of locomotives and stock. In other words, it looked very different in Suffolk (good) and in Newcastle (bad). That may explain why apart from the top express locomotives and coaches we are not that well served - the humbler and older were very varied across the country. An outer suburban station in the 50s might be possible with current RTR.

[giz]

For all things LNER this is a good port of call:

 

http://www.lner.info/

 

There are histories of just about all of the locos they owned.

 

Edit: Easterner got there first!

[Mike J]

Hi 67001,

You have a lot of questions there. The best advice I can give apart from "it's your layout and you can run what you like" is to select one era or even decade, and stick to that.

If you like the LNER, you can operate stock in LNER livery from 1923 to 1948.

Your A3 class locomotives were usually in Doncaster green or during the war they were painted black as they went through the works. Search for

Flying Scotsman and you will find photos of both these liveries.

A4 class locomotives were painted in various liveries during their LNER service including silver, green, garter blue and wartime black. The question of tenders, chimneys and liveries is a real minefield and has been discussed here before, so my best advice is to select a year and locomotive and narrow your research. The Hornby A4 model is definitely the better of the two you mentioned.

The condition of locomotives tended to reflect which shed they were based at, but the A3s and A4s were generally in top condition when in LNER service.

Gresley teak coaches or Pullman stock would be a good option for these locomotives to haul.

A3s, A4s and class 47 locomotives would appear together during the 1960s under BR ownership, so if you are running LNER period stock the 47 was yet to be designed.

The LNER encyclopedia at www.lner.info/locos will have all the information you need about the hundreds of different classes of LNER locomotives.

Be careful if you are renaming locomotives, but there are threads on how to do this successfully. Your local club will probably have members who can do this. My good friend Ian Harper of Peasholm models (Silverlink on this site) provides an excellent service in this department at reasonable rates. (No connection with the company)

I'm affraid that lighting is not my field of expertise, but if you start a thread "lighting my locomotives"-how do I do it?, there will be someone on here who can help.

 

Good luck with your projects and research.

 

Best wishes, Mike (edit. Well done Easterner and giz, you got in first!...must type faster)

[micklner]

Buy RCTS volumes these cover all protype info on all LNER locos that were also used by BR .

[Buckjumper]

The last LNER loco to be repainted into British Railway livery was a tank engine in 1956, eight years after the LNER ceased to exist, so there's some considerable scope for running late LNER and early British Railways liveries together, especially if you're prepared to add a healthy dollop of modeller's licence.

[edcayton]

The best period to see A1/2/3/4's in different liveries is NOW! If you like modern stuff then think about adding a preserved loco shed (eg Barrow Hill) or museum scene. You can run the steamers in on specials, or light engine+support coach, or hauled by a diesel. You can to some extent choose the liveries you like-look at Tornado and Bittern of late. You can also have the small loco's (Bachmann's "Joem" is ideal) propelling a brake van or two up and down a siding.

 

Good luck

 

Ed

[Class 67001]

Thanks for all the replies this has really helped with making the choice about LNER, I think I will make an LNER with a small one track line.

[ForestPines]

If you want a small single track branch with A3s and A4s, one good choice of prototype might be the Corstorphine branch, a busy suburban line in Edinburgh.

[Class 67001]

Thanks for the suggestion, I tihnk I will base it around that then eventhough the track plan will probabley be nothing like it. I will also run some tank engines even if it isn't stopping with the prototype.

 

 

Thanks again to everyone who has helped!!

[bluebottle]

If you want a small single track branch with A3s and A4s, one good choice of prototype might be the Corstorphine branch, a busy suburban line in Edinburgh.

LNER pacifics were indeed seen on the Corstorphine branch, on running-in turns after overhaul at Haymarket shed. However, the branch was double, not single track.

[ForestPines]

Apologies - my mistake there. I'm not sure where else there is that would be suitable.