Building the LNER J77 - Worsdell cab & Fletcher cab

[mikemeg]

What was the line, which introduced Monty Python's Flying Circus, every week?  'And now for something completely different.'

 

Well, in that same spirit, during last autumn and early winter I was quite unwell and certainly did not feel up to making models of locos, or much else. Now fifty odd years ago, I used to love building models of aeroplanes, usually of second world war types. Of course as a thirteen or fourteen year old then the priority was to build the model as quickly as possible, missing out many of the steps along the way. So all pilots were grey plastic colour, insides of the aircraft were also grey, brown or blue plastic colour and the clear plastic canopies were smeared with non scale finger prints.

 

Anyway, I mentioned the fact that I used to build these models to my lady partner and, three or four days later the 'man from Amazon' appeared at my door with a large box which weighed very little. Inside was a Revell 1:72 kit for the Handley Page Halifax bomber; a later Mark with Rolls Royce Merlin engines. This time the pilot, and the rest of the crew, were painted; the inside was painted and, as far as possible, everything which should be painted was painted. I built a few of these models of second world war aircraft, which helped me get back on the road to full health and back to building model locomotives.

 

I did promise my lady partner that I would post a photo of the first of these finished models, so here it is. A Halifax as it would have appeared in mid 1943 and a Lancaster from around the same time.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

Edited November 26, 2014 by mikemeg

[N15class]

What was the line, which introduced Monty Python's Flying Circus, every week? 'And now for something completely different.'

 

Well, in that same spirit, during last autumn and early winter I was quite unwell and certainly did not feel up to making models of locos, or much else. Now fifty odd years ago, I used to love building models of aeroplanes, usually of second world war types. Of course as a thirteen or fourteen year old then the priority was to build the model as quickly as possible, missing out many of the steps along the way. So all pilots were grey plastic colour, insides of the aircraft were also grey, brown or blue plastic colour and the clear plastic canopies were smeared with non scale finger prints.

 

Anyway, I mentioned the fact that I used to build these models to my lady partner and, three or four days later the 'man from Amazon' appeared at my door with a large box which weighed very little. Inside was a Revell 1:72 kit for the Handley Page Halifax bomber; a later Mark with Rolls Royce Merlin engines. This time the pilot, and the rest of the crew, were painted; the inside was painted and, as far as possible, everything which should be painted was painted. I built a few of these models of second world war aircraft, which helped me get back on the road to full health and back to building model locomotives.

 

I did promise my lady partner that I would post a photo of the first of these finished models, so here it is. A Halifax as it would have appeared in mid 1943.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

I used to play darts with 4 guys who flew in WW2 one a halifax pilot one a lanc pilot the two were alway bickering about which was best. The other two, one was a bomb aimer who alway got ribbed that his dart playing was worse than his bomb aiming. The last a rear gunner on being asked what the war was like for him "it always ran backwards" he never felt comfortable traveling facing the front of a train or aircraft.

 

By the way great model.

[mikemeg]

I used to play darts with 4 guys who flew in WW2 one a halifax pilot one a lanc pilot the two were alway bickering about which was best. The other two, one was a bomb aimer who alway got ribbed that his dart playing was worse than his bomb aiming. The last a rear gunner on being asked what the war was like for him "it always ran backwards" he never felt comfortable traveling facing the front of a train or aircraft.

 

By the way great model.

 

Peter, thanks for this, I love the story.

 

A few years ago, I frequented a pub in Hertfordshire, where I then lived. There was one elderly gentleman, who was a regular, who rejoiced in the nickname of 'lucky'. After a month or two, I asked someone how this guy came by the nickname, to be told that he flew Lancasters during the war. 'Not much lucky about that' I replied, to be admonished with 'There is when you fly two and some tours (each tour was thirty missions) unscathed!!' One can only admire their courage.

 

So, on the J77's both chassis have been assembled, brake hangar stretchers and front hangar brackets attached. Both chassis' use compensation, employing the compensating beams on the chassis etch. I normally use an 8 BA screw, with the thread turned almost off as the pivot for the beams. This 'modified' screw is then soldered into the mainframe and dressed flush, so as to be invisible. The front cylinder cover and ashpan have also been fitted to both chassis.

 

Chassis number one has also had the brakes hung on their spindles, though the brakes are not yet fixed into position, until the wheels are fitted and quartered. So another hour's work on chassis two - priming, painting and hanging the brakes on their spindles and then both chassis are ready to be wheeled and powered.

 

Nearly there on these two and still both in step!

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited November 26, 2014 by mikemeg

[7mm Mick]

Very nice Mike. Lovely to see the cylinder block represented correctly by the etchings. I have yet to see this in 7mm and always end up scratch building this area,

 

ATB Mick

[mikemeg]

Very nice Mike. Lovely to see the cylinder block represented correctly by the etchings. I have yet to see this in 7mm and always end up scratch building this area,

 

ATB Mick

 

Thanks Mick.

 

Yes, Arthur's kits do contain some very neat features, not least the brake assemblies, which are a lovely piece of etching. Things like the mainframe springs, brakes, etc. have that 'chunky' feel of the prototype, through the use of multiple layers of etching and half etching.

 

Incidentally, for anyone following this thread and who is interested in building one (or more) of these J77's, Arthur has updated his own thread - North Eastern Kits - with the schedule of planned release for these models. This thread can be found under the 'Smaller Suppliers' topic area.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited November 29, 2014 by mikemeg

[mikemeg]

Chassis Number one of this pair has now had two sets of driving wheels fitted - the centre set carries the gearbox and motor so have not yet been fitted. More detailing has been done on the body with he fitting of the footplate steps, reversing lever and the cab and tank front handrails. Doesn't look a lot, this, but I do take quite a time, with handrails, to get them straight and sitting at the correct distance from the platework.

 

Chassis Number two and body number two will be done to this state, tomorrow.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

[mikemeg]

The second of the two Fletcher cab J77's has now had two sets of driving wheels fitted - the centre axle will have the geabox and motor attached. All cabside handrails have been formed and fitted and all boiler handrail stanchions have also been fitted. To ensure straightness of the boiler handrail stanchions, each is threaded onto a length of handrail wire and fixed with the handrail wire engaged in all stanchions so far fitted. Laborious, yes, but boiler handrails which aren't straight really do shout back, especially under the magnification of the digital camera.

 

So now for the last detailing activities and then the final wheeling and powering of the two chassis.

 

Just three of the variations of the J77, with a Worsdell cab and two Fletcher cab examples, all different! And there are at least two more visibly different variants of this class (square windows on one cab sheet, round windows on the other) which this Fletcher cab version of the kit can represent, not including the two which were rebuilt from York built BTP's, though neither of the J77 kits represents those two.

 

I wonder if this line up reminds anyone of the Saturday lunchtime 'procession' of shunting locos from Hull's Victoria Dock to Dairycoates shed, for their weekly boiler washout. With the addition of a couple of J72's (Bachmann conversions), a J71 (when available) and a J73, then this line up should be fairly representative of those long gone days.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Edited December 4, 2014 by mikemeg

[7mm Mick]

Hi Mike,

 

A true 'shed crocodile' that, something I hope to replicate in 7mm. Excellent job,

 

ATB Mick 

[mikemeg]

Hi Mike,

 

A true 'shed crocodile' that, something I hope to replicate in 7mm. Excellent job,

 

ATB Mick 

 

Thanks Mick. I'm sure you will replicate it in 7mm. I do know of one or two folks who can still remember that weekly crocodile through Hull, every Saturday lunchtime.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

[mikemeg]

The wheels, gearbox and motor have now been added to the first of these Fletcher cab J77's, leaving just the brake linkage, buffers and a few other details still to be done. This loco will be 68409 as it appeared around mid 1950.

 

So I'm very nearly done on this J77 building fest.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

[mikemeg]

While I finish off these three J77's, here's a picture of another ex-NER tank locomotive, the A6. This was finished in reasonably clean condition, though starting to exhibit the weather worn appearance of most locomotives in 1950.

 

Can anyone advise me as to whether the boiler bands and valance edge were lined when this livery was first used circa 1949?

 

I have to confess that I do love these large North Eastern tank locos and I really must add the A7 and A8 to the fleet!

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

[micklner]

Cracking loco , quite fancy a A7 too. No idea re BR liveries !!!.

[mikemeg]

Cracking loco , quite fancy a A7 too. No idea re BR liveries !!!.

 

Thanks Mick. I guess, like me, you too have a fondness for the locos of the old LNER and especially the North Eastern. Even in their final days, these things looked just lovely; clean lines, everything in proportion and just broodily massive.

 

Regards

 

Mike

Edited December 11, 2014 by mikemeg

[Worsdell forever]

'Broodily Massive' is a superb description and I will use it wherever I can!

Love the J77s, especially the Fletcher cab ones.

[mikemeg]

'Broodily Massive' is a superb description and I will use it wherever I can!

Love the J77s, especially the Fletcher cab ones.

 

Thanks Paul, but it really isn't difficult to find descriptions for steam locomotives and the days of steam, for it was the most amazing anachronism.

 

While the Americans were already venturing into space, and the Russians. While jet airliners and supersonic military aircraft were being developed, we continued to build and to use steam locomotives.

 

Perhap it was because it was such an anachronism, in an age of amazing technological development, that we loved it so much and mourned its passing.

 

It never ceases to amaze me how many steam locomotives survived into preservation and, now, we are building new ones. Testament to a machine which is, aesthetically, just intrinsically right and which still excites and thrills whole new generations, just as we thrilled to their sight, their sound and their smell, those many years ago.

 

Once again, many thanks.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

[david65061]

While I finish off these three J77's, here's a picture of another ex-NER tank locomotive, the A6. This was finished in reasonably clean condition, though starting to exhibit the weather worn appearance of most locomotives in 1950.

 

Can anyone advise me as to whether the boiler bands and valance edge were lined when this livery was first used circa 1949?

 

I have to confess that I do love these large North Eastern tank locos and I really must add the A7 and A8 to the fleet!

 

Cheers

 

Mike

Dear Mike

 

That is a great looking loco. Reminds me that I have a little engines kit of one nearly finished which I should get around to finishing off. 

There is an undated picture of 69796 in yeadons in the condition of your model with lined valences and boiler bands if that is a help.

 

regards

 

David

[mikemeg]

I have to confess that I do, quite often, light and orientate my photographs to look moody. My most vivid memories of steam locomotives, especially on their Sunday rest day, was in the half light of dusk with them semi silhouetted against a darkening evening sky. In this light it was so easy to appreciate the sheer size and majesty of these machines, most especially from ground level.

 

So, in this spirit of moody half light and broody massiveness, then the A6 again.

 

I'm just finishing another of these locos - using Arthur's kit - which has been built as a saturated loco (shorter smokebox) and will be 69798 as it was in mid 1950 but with the first British Railways livery.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

 

Edited December 14, 2014 by mikemeg

[DLT]

Lovely modelling Mike, many thanks.

Dave.

[Nig1]

I am looking for J77 plans so as to be able to scratch build.

7mm 0 gauge

Any help would be gratefully received

There was a loco based at Tweedmouth No37 

I am very new to this and need guidance.

thank you 

Nigel

[jwealleans]

If you can still get them, a chap called Steve Hoyle does etches for what became the J77. He used to trade as 'NER Days'. I have a friend who built one. They are intended as an aid to scratchbuilding, but might save you some time.

 

Edited May 4, 2018 by jwealleans

[Rob Pulham]

If you can still get them, a chap called Steve Hoyle does etches for what became the J77. He used to trade as 'NER Days'. I have a friend who built one. They are intended as an aid to scratchbuilding, but might save you some time.

 

 

I have one of the Medley kits in my stash and I am pretty sure that Steve had one on his stand at Pontefract Show in January which I don't think he sold.