Brassey

I am building my 4-4-0’s with a variety of techniques including one with the Lycett -Smith/Sharman method as described in MRJ (126). I do have a 3521 to build but that is in the 4-4-0 conversion mode not the original 0-4-4T so thankfully no 0-4-4’s. A blog will follow but here's a video of one of the City Chassis which is the same as that used by Lycett-Smith. The rocking and rolling is due to the Alan Gibson drivers!.

Fortunately the GWR 4-6-0’s were banned from the North to West route. I don’t even know if the LNWR Experiments were allowed but one was involved in the Shrewsbury disaster so that’s my evidence. So I have no plans for anymore 4-6-0’s (unless it’s a 19” Goods). But I have a number of other things on my build list. Occupying me at the moment are the following 4-4-0’s: LNWR Precursor, GWR City Gibraltar, GWR City Hobart, GWR Duke Severn.

There has been some activity in the loco works since the last post. So by way of an update, here is one of the tender engines I've been working on. It is the only 4-6-0 I am minded to build:

8'3" x 8'6" was a standard GWR set. I've got tons of spares. Available from the usual suspects as above also Comet via 51L/Wizard models. I also think Lanarkshire Models do a Universal set

Further issues regarding the Falcon Bulldog I’m afraid. Having made various starts, I’ve now noticed that the bogie frames on the chassis etch are short on the wheelbase. Luckily I have an alternative.

Yes: it's a Precursor Class evolved from the Improved Precedent.

Allocations Ledgers are in the records at Kew. I do not know if 1902 exists but I have a copy of 1912 which shows every loco in number order by month.

There is a Coal Tank sound decoder from YouChoos (I have one). No doubt someone will be along soon to tell us they sounded entirely different.

A back to back gauge for EM would help as would a wheel press and quartering tool.

Tempting though it is, most of the A Class had been converted to simples by the time of my layout- 1912. in the meantime, Narrow Planet are on with the plates for my C Class and I have an Experiment and Precusor on the go on the workbench.

I don’t think there is a readily available kit in 4mm John.

highly unlikely as the cleaners had to stand on the running plate to do the cleaning and probably couldn’t reach the roof from there

Out of interest, why MR and LNWR? They never had a joint main line and were deadly rivals. Unlikely to have seen trains from both companies unless you are building something like Buxton where they shared a terminus station. In that case the stock and locos would be quite specific. Philip Millards book on 30' 6" carraiges covers the LNWR 6 wheelers and has drawings. This is an LNWR Society publication and they will still have copies. He also did books on non-corridor coaches and the West Coast Joint Stock. Talbot's book on LNWR locomotives also has drawings. If you are looking for LNWR suburban stock then London Road Models is your source for 4mm kits both Carriage and loco

I can't think of anyone with a pre-1900 LNWR layout. I am sure someone could get a few coal rails etched though they would have to measure the model to make sure it fits. I wonder what Bachmann have done with the tender to make sure the 00 flanges don't foul the rear bufferbeam? Have they made the tender top longer or shortened the wheelbase?

Coal rails were from half round bar. I think there is a precise specification on the LNWR Society Forum (not Facebook!). It should be relatively easy to make these up out of half round brass section. Or maybe London Road might release an etch. I'm off to the Warrington show this morning where I am picking up a bogie etch for an LNWR Experiment I have just started. It is possible to get etches of odd bits and pieces. Brassmasters did some LNWR kits so might be persuaded too. What the demand might be is questionable though they could also be used to improve old GEM tenders.

Should this not be the post-1903 three lamp holders. Was the centre bracket not a later addition?

Ok hands up … I’ve got a Midland 1F… Precedent LMS nos in red livery: 5012 JOHN RAMSBOTTOM 5036 NOVELTY 5050 MERRIE CARLISLE 5069 PENRITH BEACON Source: Yeadon, A Compendium of LNWR Locomotives 1912-1949 Part One Passenger Tender Engines I have no shed allocations for the LMS sorry.

“ is it legitimate to have models of actual locomotives etc. in fictional livery? After all, they never actually ran on one's fictional line... How far can history be warped?“ If you’re of the school “every layout should have a Flying Scotsman” then I guess anything goes. On the other hand, if you’re that concerned about the correct size of nameplate then you might want to get other details right too; such as livery. The nameplate on HARDWICKE is 46 1/2 inches. Others from photographs, such as PITT and ALMA, were smaller whereas SIR ALEXANDER COCKBURN nearly took up the whole splasher! MERRIE CARLISLE was one of the 4 locos to receive the red LMS lining. Looking in LNWR Liveries, Talbot et al, I find no mention of the LNWR adding Prussian Blue to drop black as mooted in the above video review. This is another falsehood that needs correcting.

They were probably to a standard though IIRC there were some oddities of semi-circular plates covering the whole splasher on some LNWR locos. If you are buying the plates from a supplier then presumably they would have done the research and consulted photos. As previously stated above for example, only 4 locos ever carried the LMS red livery so putting some different names on this variant would be wrong.

Whilst rtr is not my thing, the video on here shows the original name and number plates to be just printed on. So it should be straightforward to stick new plates over the top. I attach plates with evo stick contact adhesive. I do one side at a time and let it set whilst lying flat on the side. Otherwise gravity can shift the plates before the glue goes off.

But they leach sap which sticks to the piece once hot. I try to build things on flat glass but the iron heat can crack that too.

Brassmasters do some nice torsion spring bogies.

You don't appear to be doing anything wrong. You get a better feel for it with plenty of practice. A jig that holds the angle of sides and ends at 90 degrees would be handy. I have a large, long piece of MDF with a couple of pieces of hardwood attached at right angles. Not only do you have to make sure that the corners align, you also have to get the bottoms/tops at the correct heights too. The good thing with solder is that you can correct it. Therefore tack solder first and check alignment and adjust if necessary. This is most crucial on loco chassis that have to be square and true.

I know the feeling. I put a request into 247 Developments for some Precedent nameplates only to discover that the ones I want are included in the LRM kit I have already. Doh!

LOCO7 with a choice of tender. I’ve got one and a Whitworth (but for the Small Jumbo i already has a suitable George Norton tender) “L.N.W.R./L.M.S. “Precedent” Mr. F W Webb introduced the ‘Improved Precedent’ or 66″ Straight Link class as the same basic design as that of the original Precedents, between 1887 and 1890. The entire class was modernised and re-boilered between 1891 and 1895 to provide a total of 166 engines. It was in this form that these engines won most of their fame, with a capacity for hard work combined with an ability to run at high speed. One of the class, Hardwicke, is preserved in the NRM at York. This locomotive is famous for it role on the 1888 and 1895 railway races to the north.The kit is etched in brass with nickel silver for the chassis. The curved running plate is formed over a jig that incorporates the valance, to accurate and straightforward assembly. The etched boiler is pre-rolled and an 1800-gallon tender is supplied as standard. A selection of etched name/number plates is included. Choice of tender£126.50”