GER_Jon

Could they be for lamps when running light engine?

Had a bout of Lurgi over the weekend so not much done but got out my box of lead (bits from re roofing) and made packing for the tanks, bunker and boiler. Hammered out a length and rolled it to a tight fit in the boiler - worked surprisingly well. I decided I need to make a proper bunker front from scrap etch to contain the lead behind the cab. Am going DC with this loco and trying to keep a clear cab if I can. The bits in the photo now give 20g, and I expect I can get a bit more in the bunker than currently cut plus possibly a lead floor in the cab so closing in on the 39g mark (11g for chassis)! Latest error spotted - I failed to open out the holes for the cab door handrails before taking the footplate off the etch so I'm now waiting for a new sharp drill to clear them.

I spent a couple of hours last night cutting and filing KS tubing to shape a boiler. I thought it a good time to check the weight of the body with the main fittings to check with the 39g target weight. What I weighed is shown in the pic including some N Brass fittings of aprox size for the bigger add-ons. It came to 8g so I need a minimum of 20g of lead in the tanks bunker and front of boiler. While doing this I noticed I had failed to solder cab beading / number plates on while the sides were flat so I need to take off the cab back to get a support in while adding these bits. For refernce I found an old topic from 2013 by JohnBS called How Heavy is your 2mm loco which contains useful info for novices like me on the range of weights for different loco types - thanks go to all who corresponded there.

In converting the Jinty I learned a lot about coupling rods and have a loco which runs well on my test track therefore any derailing or wobbling of new engines "must" be fixable. The Jinty weighs 39g so I have this as my minimum target weight for finished tank engines although I suspect the total wheelbase of the actual loco may affect this rule and in this case the S56 is shorter than the Jinty. The test track in the first post is a straight transitioning to 550mm (22inch) curve . The chassis (11g) loaded with two 3mm roller gauges of 15g each runs acceptably, previous tests were done at a total weight of 24g on a straight track. The weight is not ideally distributed and may give some instability. I suspect the rods are not brilliant but they are being removed to allow wheels to be painted blue and can be fettled plus I have a spare set from the etch which I can also try. I seem unable to link to youtube today but will add a film when I can. The earlier test is on page 54 of Jerrys Bath Queen Square topic

This post is my place to create an index as this might be a longish topic!!

As advertised in the Bath Queensquare topic I'm starting a record of my progress in creating GER locomotives and this is my first RMWEB topic to boot. I'm looking at two periods the 1880's and the 10 years pre WW1 so I have a variety of loco types to construct and in the earlier period the choice to go pre blue livery! Key background info is found the GER Journal, The locomotive magazine (available from GER soc), Loco Drawings (GER soc) NRM drawings (although the old NRM website closing means its impossible to find the stuff I used anymore) and for GER nerds the book Great Eastern Locomotives Past and Present 1862 to 1945 by C.Langley Aldrich is indispensible (my copy is the Victory edition). The loco list includes the following: Tank engines - S56, K9, E10, M15 and G15. Tender engines - No1 class (Little Sharpie), 417 class, Thetford and Watton 0-4-2 and Y14. I started the earliest locos when I was learning to solder which means the bodies neeed some reworking. We're starting with the S56 better known as J69/1 and hopefully it will turn out as no 59 in condition as built 1904. A preserved example is owned by the NRM and was at Bressingham when I visited pre covid in beutiful GER passenger livery. In the past when I got to a point where I felt my skills were not good enough I started on the next kit doing the easy bits rather than solving the problems but the idea behind going public is to make me stick at it and finish!!! The photo shows the chassis and body as recovered from storage on my new mark 1 test track board with the converted Jinty I use as my control (for track testing and running comparator) its the later drop in wheel version. The S56 kit is a David Eveleigh etching and has alternative parts for LNER upgrades. The motor is an association flat can. More to follow Jon

Thanks to Woodenhead, Chuffer Davis and AY I have learned something new so here is the short video note the track gauges used for ballast. Apologise to Jerry for hijacking his thread - this is the last one. Jon

Hi Jerrry hopefully you wont mind this pic the J69 was a complete beginners job and has sat in a box since I moved 4 years ago the body is not photogenic - But the chassis runs fine so I intend to complete it and showing it here means I will have motivation to finish it this year (I'll start my own thread). I dont know how to share the chassis running film as its mp4 but if there is a way I would like to. Ta Jon

Hi Jerry just noticed this and I have seen GER locos built by Bill Blackburn and others from the Darkest Essex group and my J69 chassis worked perfectly and was the first 2mm loco I built plus my tram engine chassis also works fine. I have not yet finished the bodies. cheers Jon

The M class is a neat loco also used on M&GN which I might want, so what are the issues with the build? Are there differences between SDJR/ MR / M&GN? Jon

Hi Kevin The second series of Tatlow - LNER Wagons Southern Area has the photo of the wagon in Gareth modelled on page 219, page 220 has the LNER pic you probably saw with NE in end panels. . There are also many photos in GER Journal of locations with this style lettering on the cattle wagons. No idea why the lack of symmetry! Cant find a photo to share legally on RMWEB unfortunately but Gareth has captured the look excellently. Cheers Jon

Its an error on the etch the third roof is incorrect(actually a copy of first). David is going to get a sheet of replacements etched to replace these and will send them out when ready. Regards Jon

I believe as originally built 5 compt 3rd had 3 oil lamps and half height partitions smoking was discouraged AFAIK. Later on by the time of the diagram book post 1900 gas lighting and separate smoking provision introduced the 2 / 3 split for compts and ventilators on the 2 smoking ones. David measured surviving coaches in the later condition and his 2mm coaches have the roof configured for lamps and ventilators.

Give David Eveleigh a call he has No 1 and 417 class etches if you like Johnson locos. Jon

Certainly was an excellent show and congratulations to the organisers - my first visit to Ely and well worth the 2 hour drive each way in the heat! Fen End Pit is outstanding and well worth the best in show acolade. The other layouts were a good standard and variety (scale, gauge and location/era) and provided plenty of entertainment. Also its a good venue with the show well laid out and with plenty of parking (useful for us strangers). I will be looking out for next years details. Cheers Jon

Hi Guy the NRM Stratford works drawings includes: 10717 Steel Underframe for Fish & Fruit Vans R45 Class 1½" to 1' general arrangement of channel steel underframe 21'4½" with 13'6" wheelbase My comment: tracing torn but complete 6.1.99 R45 34M SX10717 (2 fiche) I dont have this but assume it should contain the detail you need. Regards Jon

I'm actually mainly modelling early GER in 2mm fs. I like coaches with no brakes and oil lamps! Which makes building easier. We're looking at 2mm Sinclair era coaches for etching next.

Not very good with this! The sundry van drawings are in tatlow historic carriage drawings npcs. Are the Peter k etches actually available? Noting David Eveleigh does both single and double door versions in 2mm

Hi Gerry Excellent layout especially with the GER stock. Apart from Furness look at Ragstone models and Powsides between them a large range of GER wagons are covered. Connoisseur Models do one van as well. Cheers Jon

Gryff I think its a simple answer : for David to test the concept of providing etches to put on Ratio GWR underframes and produce a carriage as accurate as possible then since the 1st and 3rd are 26 foot with 15 foot 3 inch w/b which means taking a GWR brake 3rd (30 foot long 19 foot w/b) removing 16mm from the centre of the chassis gives 26 foot with 15 foot w/b - simple and not far off. More bodies fit on the etch sheet making development more cost efficient as well. Good demand and feedback for these first coaches makes it worth producing the GER Brake 3rd which will require more underframe surgery as it is a 22'8" underframe with 13'6" w/b. Or is there a commercially available cheap chassis similar to the ratio ones with a better length vs w/b for the Brake? I model early GER in 2mm FS so dont know the 4mm market very well. Regards Jon

Justin if you have access - John Watling published an article in GER Journal 93 including a drawing of a turntable at Sudbury plus some good photos of of other turntables. Regarding the buffer stop I think a similar one was at Tollesbury pier station - its a poor photo but looks to have the front suport curve. Jon

Certainly have all been built may even be some more than on the list. Think they are being made available soon.

L&Y wagons should go a treat with my saddle tank and Tin Tab (when finished!) so will be watching progress with interest