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Hornby K1


davidw
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...dozens, if not hundreds of personnel beavering away at their drawing boards/workstations, distilling ideas, yet it would always be the guy in the top office that would be given the credit...

The chief designer/engineer/panjandrum who gets the 'credit' is the person who takes the responsibility for the consequences of putting their name to 'this is the product design evolved under my direction that is going to be built to meet the required spec.'. Credit came when it did the job, resignation might be required if it didn't...

 

The design though is better thought of as the work of a drawing office, whoever's name is signed to it. So in respect of the LNER, the wide firebox classes were Doncaster, the J38/39 and D49 Darlington. Look at what happened when a new 4-6-0 was required. Doncaster struggled with the CME's requirements for the new design, to keep within the strictures imposed by the GE section track. Eventually the job was contracted out, and NBL found it couldn't be done either, and had to obtain some relaxations from the original requirements to come up with a workable design. One rather feels that Gresley might have saved time and money by accepting his own shop's view...

 

 

.... Were the B1 and K1 not built from parts that already existed, as group standard rather than parts deliberately designed by Gresley. The signature, or hangover, of the NER style standardisation is what I can see, being a group standard tender, cab, dome, buffers, etc. Boilers could be swapped between similar classes, like L1, as could wheels etc. I would suspect that Darlingtons drawing office and ideas played a large part in the use of standard kit to keep designing simple, repairs easy, replacements quick and costs down.

All the significant railways that became part of the LNER practised standardisation, the GER arguably the most efficiently of the five larger companies. What was then standardised from their practises for further standard design and construction by the LNER would make a very interesting study; it appears to be a real gallimaufrey. Some things are abundantly clear: the GNR's wide firebox boiler, eight wheel large tender and nominal driving wheel diameters for example are LNER group standards. The form of double side window cab was a very late adoption by the GNR from the GER. The LNER six wheel GS tenders look like a hybrid of GCR and NER practise to me. (Has anyone ever picked this all apart?)

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Here is my example not quite finished but getting there, the loco has still to be renumbered as a scottish example and some more weathering is needed but i will wait until i have the loco renumbered before doing this. I am thinking 62011,62025 or 62052 but havnt yet decided.

 

post-10572-0-33233600-1420392506_thumb.jpg

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I've been doing a bit of rummaging through my shed allocation books this afternoon. No guarantee of accuracy, just quoting what was published! My interest is Cambridge/East Anglia, so it isn't a definitive list, but just ER sheds that could have provided locos for traffic in (mainly) that area. Might be of use to others?

 

31B March: 62011/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/31/32/33/34/35/36/37/38/39/40/51/52/53/54/55/66/67/68/69/70.

31A Cambridge: 62036/39.

36A Doncaster: 62014/15/36/37/38/40/51/53/55/66/68/69.

36E Retford: 62015/19/37/39/40/51/54/67/70.

36C Frodingham: 62013/14/15/16/17/18/20/32/33/35/67.

 

(There are dates listed too, but rather long winded to type them all out).

 

 

Stewart

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(There are dates listed too, but rather long winded to type them all out).

 

I can't vouch for the accuracy of this site but I've found myself using it with more regularity as it's quicker that digging out the ABC's.

Here is it's entry for 62011.

 

http://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=S&id=601101011&loco=62011

 

P

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The other side of K1 62027 ....straight from the box, un-edited except for re-sizing and sharpening. edit oops 62024!

 

The running board is pretty good.  Very nice.

 

Congratulations Hornby.

 

post-7929-0-91867300-1420518342.jpg

Edited by robmcg
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It is possible then?

It is, the 62024 I purchased is also all straight and true. Better yet it came out of the box with a silent and smooth running mechanism, with very sweet control available on a simple DC resistance controller; usually a good indicator of an extended and trouble free working life. Noticed that the tender side frames are relatively lightly attached, they will come away cleanly if I ever decide to apply 'square ended' frames.

 

Something else pleasing that I didn't spot right away, Hornby have put some full size dimensions on the small drawing on the outer sleeve. These match the Isinglass drawing, and appropriately scaled, the model. The closer loco to tender setting provided on the drawbar is to scale, if these drawings may be trusted; the ensemble certainly looks right compared to photos. Generally on RTR models, I have had to work out the correct spacing for myself, and usually fool around with the drawbar arrangement to get loco and tender close enough. It goes back in the packaging at the closer spacing too, very convenient if the inner is retained for use as the servicing cradle.

 

Mine's tentatively proposed for renumbering and allocation to March's 62054, if I can find any evidence it ever worked within 20 miles of KX goods.

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It is, the 62024 I purchased is also all straight and true. Better yet it came out of the box with a silent and smooth running mechanism, with very sweet control available on a simple DC resistance controller; usually a good indicator of an extended and trouble free working life. Noticed that the tender side frames are relatively lightly attached, they will come away cleanly if I ever decide to apply 'square ended' frames.

 

Something else pleasing that I didn't spot right away, Hornby have put some full size dimensions on the small drawing on the outer sleeve. These match the Isinglass drawing, and appropriately scaled, the model. The closer loco to tender setting provided on the drawbar is to scale, if these drawings may be trusted; the ensemble certainly looks right compared to photos. Generally on RTR models, I have had to work out the correct spacing for myself, and usually fool around with the drawbar arrangement to get loco and tender close enough. It goes back in the packaging at the closer spacing too, very convenient if the inner is retained for use as the servicing cradle.

 

Mine's tentatively proposed for renumbering and allocation to March's 62054, if I can find any evidence it ever worked within 20 miles of KX goods.

You could use one of Stratford's allocation if proximity to Kings Cross Goods is important.

 

62013 - 15         1958 - 1960

62019                1958 - 1961

62036                1958 - 1961

62037                1961 (only a few months)

62070                1959 - 1961

 

Bob

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Look at what happened when a new 4-6-0 was required. Doncaster struggled with the CME's requirements for the new design, to keep within the strictures imposed by the GE section track. Eventually the job was contracted out, and NBL found it couldn't be done either, and had to obtain some relaxations from the original requirements to come up with a workable design. One rather feels that Gresley might have saved time and money by accepting his own shop's view...

 

 

That's Consultants for you, all over.  They pick the brains of your own staff, then produce a report and recommendation that is 75%- 80% what your people were telling you all along, but you didn't like hearing it from them, didn't trust them, and thought that because you could see their foibles and faults, the grass was certain to be greener on other hills.  Most of the time though, it isn't.

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If anyone is interested in doing a Scottish K1 according to my Autumn 1961 Ian Allen shed book the following where at 63B Fort William/Mallaig

62011

62012

62031

62034

62052

 

 

I,m presently doing a couple from my area of York having already done 62005 which was a York loco in the early 60's others at York in Autumn were  

62005

62009

62046

62047

62049

62056

62057

62061

62063

62065

 

Cheers

Ian 

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That's Consultants for you, all over.  They pick the brains of your own staff, then produce a report and recommendation that is 75%- 80% what your people were telling you all along, but you didn't like hearing it from them, didn't trust them, and thought that because you could see their foibles and faults, the grass was certain to be greener on other hills.  Most of the time though, it isn't.

Though in defence of NBL, they at least had a track record of many successful loco designs built and operating. Unlike todays 'Insultant' (Instant consultant) who has the experience of his or her first degree, and is then launched on the world to give the benefit of their wisdom. 

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Having received my K1 today a renumber was in order to give 62005. A coat of satin varnish, matt black smokebox, lining on the cylinders and fitting the detailing components really brings out the best of the K1. (ps. pictures taken on phone in a hurry)

post-5480-0-60620000-1420653168_thumb.jpgpost-5480-0-03097300-1420653229_thumb.jpg

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That looks really smart, a matt black smokebox is a simple modification and one which really adds to the realism as it is usually eminently noticeable on all-black locos.

 

Which paint have you used as it looks to have got just the right consistency.

 

Cheers

 

J

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Interesting to see the tops of the foot plate are also matt black. On the last couple of loco's I have painted I hvae done this little mod. It seemed quite convincing with the matt black smoke box.

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A couple of shots at Fort William and Mallaig in August 2002 for those who might like to add the name to 62005. Possibly use the plates produced for the K4?

 

I am not convinced that the cylinders are lined out. Only had a 1 megapixel camera in those days!

post-4790-0-18031500-1420898612_thumb.jpg

post-4790-0-10915200-1420898630_thumb.jpg

Edited by Unknown Warrior
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