Wright writes.....

[billbedford]

8 hours ago, MJI said:

 

I get that lumpy edge effect sometimes.

 

Of the Jonathan Duffett designs I have printed, I have had to replace tie rods most of the time, and use kit or home made brake handles as the 3D ones don't seem to like printing.

 

You have to remember that all 3D prints give, at most, 5 good surfaces, because supports have to be attached to the other. The battery box shown has the supports on the top edge, which being above the bottom of the solebar, will not be visible at normal viewing angles. 

[drmditch]

3 hours ago, micknich2003 said:

The US Class S160 2-8-0's were never given an LNERly class, you are confusing the WD engines which became O7 in LNERly stock.

Yes, thank you. My construction was confused! Corrected now!

[Tony Wright]

9 hours ago, Buhar said:

I thought the LNERly gave a new class number when the loco was cleaned.

 

Alan

Good morning Alan,

 

I think the LNER numbering of its locos had a sort of 'logic' to begin with - any new locos just took the next available number, even one from a previously-withdrawn loco (though there was some 'cooking of the books' to make EDWARD THOMPSON's number 500 - meaning the 500th loco built at Doncaster, which, strictly-speaking, it wasn't). 

 

Thompson's post-War renumbering scheme was never fully-implemented, resulting in all sorts of confusion, but it was the immediate pre-Nationalisation/BR renumbering scheme which has caused the most confusion ever since. Unlike most other railways (which numbered their classes in order built), the late-LNER/BR numbering of the likes of the A3s and the A4s made chronological nonsense; in the case of the former, the earliest numbers were given to the last-built and the last numbers given to the first-built, with a jumble in between. As for 'jumble', the A4s were even more all over the place. The first built became the 14th numbered (to give those named after directors precedence?), though at least the last two numbers were carried by the last two built, even though SIR CHARLES NEWTON and MALLARD were 'promoted' upwards. All BR did was to add 60000 to the last LNER numbers. 

 

Further confusion arose with the renumbering of some B16s to make way for the last of the B1s. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Tony Wright
clumsy grammar

[cctransuk]

17 hours ago, MJI said:

 

I get that lumpy edge effect sometimes.

 

Of the Jonathan Duffett designs I have printed, I have had to replace tie rods most of the time, and use kit or home made brake handles as the 3D ones don't seem to like printing.

 

I can confirm that Jonathan's designs can be, and are, printed consistently complete with tie rods and brake levers.

 

It must be a question of the optimum printer / material combination, as the results are remarkably robust and free from surface flaws.

 

John Isherwood.

[Tony Wright]

Just to report that I'll be sending a cheque for nearly £300.00 to CRUK this morning. This includes takings from last month, plus over £200.00 donated at the Cotgrave Show over the weekend. This includes donations from the organisers themselves in the form of models and cash, donations for my fixing poorly locos and donations placed in the CRUK box on my stand. May I please thank all those who donated so generously, particularly the Bingham Club members? 

 

It was a lovely show, and I'm told a record attendance! Great work to all concerned. 

[Darryl Tooley]

3 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

(though there was some 'cooking of the books' to make EDWARD THOMPSON's number 500 - meaning the 500th loco built at Doncaster, which, strictly-speaking, it wasn't).

Doncaster had built somewhere around 2,000 engines by this stage; it was the works number that required the book-cooking.

 

D

[Tony Wright]

Thanks Darryl,

 

I did know that (having pointed out the same error in a book review last year), so why did I make the same mistake?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Darryl Tooley]

15 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

so why did I make the same mistake?

I do this sort of thing a lot, Tony.  It's worse when you've read it through five dozen times without noticing, and then passed it for press.

 

D

[AdamOrmorod]

5 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

...

even though SIR CHARLES NEWTON and MALLARD were 'promoted' upwards. All BR did was to add 60000 to the last LNER numbers. 

...

I'm curious what you mean by Mallard being promoted, I thought the bird-namers at the time of renumbering were assigned numbers 18-34 in the same order as their originals (4463->18, 4464->19, ..., 4468->22,... 4902->33, 4903->34)?

[Tony Wright]

18 hours ago, AdamOrmorod said:

I'm curious what you mean by Mallard being promoted, I thought the bird-namers at the time of renumbering were assigned numbers 18-34 in the same order as their originals (4463->18, 4464->19, ..., 4468->22,... 4902->33, 4903->34)?

Good evening Adam,

 

She was 'promoted' ahead of (BR numbers) GOLDEN EAGLE, KINGFISHER, FALCON, MERLIN and WOODCOCK, even though she was built after them. One can also include MILES BEEVOR and GOLDEN FLEECE.

 

What is surprising is that four A4s were built after her with single chimneys. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited April 4, 2023 by Tony Wright
to add something

[Tony Wright]

Returning to the O4/8 theme....

 

Does anyone out there have a spare Bachmann B1 body they're prepared to sell me? It can be in any livery, as long as it's complete and not damaged (though just the boiler would do).

 

I've examined the K's parts and already cut out the pieces for the O4/8 cab, but it'll be quicker to use a spare Bachmann B1 for the boiler (I'll not use the Bachmann cab nor footplate, of course). I should be an easy job!

 

Thanks in anticipation. Please PM me if you have, or know of a source. I've seen spare bodies on some stands, but can't remember where or when. 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Tony Wright
to add something

[AdamOrmorod]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening Adam,

 

She was 'promoted' ahead of (BR numbers) GOLDEN EAGLE, KINGFISHER, FALCON, MERLIN and WOODCOCK, even though she was built after them. One can also include GOLDEN FLEECE.

 

What is surprising is that four A4s were built after her with single chimneys. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Ah, I see what you mean, though it still seems to me to be more of a hangover of the original decision for the original numbers to jump back from 4498 to 4462.

[Ian Rathbone]

The origin - one of the RODs as shipped to France. Plain black, including buffer beams, Westinghouse fitted, and with French pattern buffers. The only colour on this 7mm scale model is the dirty pine cab floor. Built by Mike Edge from his own etches.

 

[Clearwater]

12 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening Adam,

 

She was 'promoted' ahead of (BR numbers) GOLDEN EAGLE, KINGFISHER, FALCON, MERLIN and WOODCOCK, even though she was built after them. One can also include GOLDEN FLEECE.

 

What is surprising is that four A4s were built after her with single chimneys. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Hi Tony,

 

I'm sure someone here will correct me but I thought that was due to the licence the LNER had to use the KylChap blast pipe system.  I think I'd read that they'd only brought a certain number of licences so once they'd used them up that had to go back to building single chimney A4s

 

David

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, Clearwater said:

 

Hi Tony,

 

I'm sure someone here will correct me but I thought that was due to the licence the LNER had to use the KylChap blast pipe system.  I think I'd read that they'd only brought a certain number of licences so once they'd used them up that had to go back to building single chimney A4s

 

David

Good morning David,

 

Yes, I'm aware of that, but the last three A4s built all had double Kylchaps. I'm puzzled as to why those immediately following MALLARD's construction didn't have those. Then, with the number of licences having been used up, the final A4s revert to single chimney.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited April 4, 2023 by Tony Wright
clumsy grammar

[Hollar]

43 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good morning David,

 

Yes, I'm aware of that, but the last three A4s built all had double Kylchaps. I'm puzzled as to why those immediately following MALLARD's construction didn't have those. Then, with the number of licences having been used up, the final A4s reverted to single chimney.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Silly question time.  If the Kylchap was better, why didn't they just get a variation on the licence?

 

Tony

[Dunsignalling]

13 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Returning to the O4/8 theme....

 

Does anyone out there have a spare Bachmann B1 body they're prepared to sell me? It can be in any livery, as long as it's complete and not damaged (though just the boiler would do).

 

I've examined the K's parts and already cut out the pieces for the O4/8 cab, but it'll be quicker to use a spare Bachmann B1 for the boiler (I'll not use the Bachmann cab nor footplate, of course). I should be an easy job!

 

Thanks in anticipation. Please PM me if you have, or know of a source. I've seen spare bodies on some stands, but can't remember where or when. 

Hi Tony,

 

Replica Railways used to make a B1 which AIUI was produced from another set of the moulds used for original Bachmann one (Bachmann subsequently did a retool around the time Hornby released theirs). Their stand may be where you have seen spare body shells.

 

All part of the tangled r-t-r diaspora that arose following the demise of Mainline who were originally developing it. 

 

John

Edited April 4, 2023 by Dunsignalling

[gr.king]

13 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Returning to the O4/8 theme....

 

Does anyone out there have a spare Bachmann B1 body they're prepared to sell me? It can be in any livery, as long as it's complete and not damaged (though just the boiler would do).

 

I've examined the K's parts and already cut out the pieces for the O4/8 cab, but it'll be quicker to use a spare Bachmann B1 for the boiler (I'll not use the Bachmann cab nor footplate, of course). I should be an easy job!

 

Thanks in anticipation. Please PM me if you have, or know of a source. I've seen spare bodies on some stands, but can't remember where or when. 

I may have a suitable spare. Separate e-mail sent.

[robertcwp]

14 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Returning to the O4/8 theme....

 

Does anyone out there have a spare Bachmann B1 body they're prepared to sell me? It can be in any livery, as long as it's complete and not damaged (though just the boiler would do).

 

I've examined the K's parts and already cut out the pieces for the O4/8 cab, but it'll be quicker to use a spare Bachmann B1 for the boiler (I'll not use the Bachmann cab nor footplate, of course). I should be an easy job!

 

Thanks in anticipation. Please PM me if you have, or know of a source. I've seen spare bodies on some stands, but can't remember where or when. 

Several are on eBay. Here is one.

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, Hollar said:

Silly question time.  If the Kylchap was better, why didn't they just get a variation on the licence?

 

Tony

Good morning Tony,

 

I think the licence expired during the War; certainly by the time Edward Thompson was building his Pacifics. Whatever else might be said of his big work, he (and his design staff) knew the qualities of the double Kylchap and his Pacifics were never shy of steam. 

 

It's odd that his successor, Arthur Peppercorn, didn't see things the same way to begin with, resulting in his poor-steaming single chimney A2s (until some got double pots), though the same mistake was not made on the A1s. 

 

What's even more puzzling is the time it took for all the Gresley Pacifics to get double Kylchaps. Peter Townend recalls a memo from HQ asking if the four Kylchap-fitted A4s should have the equipment removed because it 'hindered cleaning the tubes'. On one occasion, an inspector asked a fitter how difficult it would be to equip the single-chimney A4s with Kylchaps. 'Make a bigger hole in the top and undo some bolts', or words to that effect, was the response. Eventually (and rather too late), all the A4s got double Kylchap pots, as did the A3s, and a few V2s. What it meant was that the veterans saw steam out on the ECML in style, frequently filling in for less-than-reliable diesels (until the Deltics arrived). 

 

With regard to the Kylchap-fitted V2s, one Southern Area superintendent requested he have more of them, rather than diesels! 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[James Fitzjames]

15 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Returning to the O4/8 theme....

 

Does anyone out there have a spare Bachmann B1 body they're prepared to sell me? It can be in any livery, as long as it's complete and not damaged (though just the boiler would do).

 

I've examined the K's parts and already cut out the pieces for the O4/8 cab, but it'll be quicker to use a spare Bachmann B1 for the boiler (I'll not use the Bachmann cab nor footplate, of course). I should be an easy job!

 

Thanks in anticipation. Please PM me if you have, or know of a source. I've seen spare bodies on some stands, but can't remember where or when. 

Got one of those, Tony - will message

[LNER4479]

47 minutes ago, James Fitzjames said:

Got one of those, Tony - will message

I think 'Sir' will be making a fleet of O4/8s at this rate - I also have a B1 body looked out for him ...

[drmditch]

I have likewise offered a B1 body, but will have to move some boxes to extract it! Tony may have better options.

 

Since it is a source of a 5'6 dia. boiler I do have ideas for another project - but I suspect it will be a while before I get round to it

 

Meantime my re-liveried Hornby B1 has behaved badly and will have to be rescued!

 

 

[Dylan Sanderson]

On the right track?

 

Hi everyone,

 

this year I decided to start doing modelling properly. Building brass coach kits, loco kits and Finescale layouts. I’ve also decided to learn from the great modellers on here and go EM from the start, to save me building lots of kits then deciding I want to go EM later down the line. My OO gauge layout was ripped up a few weeks ago and I’m in the process of selling all my OO stock to fund my 18x2ft EM gauge model of Falsgrave and Scarborough Central during the Late NER/early LNER days. But I’m not sure what I want to do about track… there are lots of different paths for EM and I’ve no idea which is the best option for me!

 

 

What option would everyone recommend for the Permanent Way? I want my track work to be as realistic as possible, but looking at point kits from the likes of C&L, these seem prohibitively expensive. I’ve just read the late Iain Rice’s book on PCB track, and this option seems very cheap and easy to produce, especially for the very complex and flowing point work around Falsgrave tunnel, but will lack a lot of detail as the chairs are missed off. However, Rice’s layouts show that from the standard 4ft viewing distance, these omissions aren’t noticeable, especially when weathered correctly. DCC concepts offer PCB track kits with realistic looking brass chairs, but they don’t offer chairs for point work to the best of my knowledge, so I’m wondering if these would look worse when half the track has chairs and the other half doesn’t!

There’s also the EM track offered by The EMGS, some of which I own. It seems to be a good middle of the range choice, but only offers flexi track and B6 points, so I’m still going to have to go down another route for the rest of the layout.

 

I really could do with some guidance from people with more experience than me. It’ll be good to get other peoples views on what they recommend, or if there’s anything I’ve not thought about!

 

[Keith Turbutt]

3 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

I think 'Sir' will be making a fleet of O4/8s at this rate - I also have a B1 body looked out for him ...

Rather than butcher a perfectly good B1 body an alternative might be to use an early tender drive Hornby B17 body. This easily comes apart in three separate pieces - boiler, running plate and cab - no cutting required  That is my plan B if the Moussa body does not materialise soon  The cab will be a resin casting of those parts from a Little Engines 01 kit I have.