grob1234

Thanks mate... isn't Dave in the construction trade? I'm sure I could line a locomotive for him if he agrees to build my house when I return from Hong Kong. That's a fair trade is it not?! Oooh an old one! Nice. They are brass bodies aren't they? Might end up looking a bit finer than the DJH.

I'll be interested to see how you get on with them. Is it a DJH chassis?

Rich, I’m sorry for my late reply; I had a 24hour layover in Paris, which doesn’t leave much time for forums! From browsing Tony’s thread that you’re pretty much sorted on this one. I hope that’s the case? Thank you to those of you who showed your pick ups (oo matron!) yours are far neater than mine! I like the look of the DCC concepts ones. Very neat indeed. I suppose their use relies on accurate placement of the cross members so the pickups fit neatly behind the outside of the wheel to make contact?

Hello All, One of the things I knew I had to master if I was to become a decent LNER kit builder was lining. Now I know it is possible to get transfers for this but they will be expensive over time, and do not come in all wheel sizes. I’m definitely not saying I have mastered lining, but with a bit of perseverance, and a number of errors I have managed to achieve the following. Bit of a cruel enlargement, but at 3ft and a scale 90mph I think these wheels will just about look ok. The main thing is that I have a method that is repeatable and that is adaptable to any wheel size I choose. It will be interesting to see how I get on with some of the trickier edge lining on an actual locomotive!

I have been messing about with he valve gear on the C1. The big end on the DJH etch is rather large so I filed it down a bit. As you can see below, modified and un modified.

I expect working horse legs, otherwise it just won't do.

Lovely work as always Jonathan. I wish I could match your productivity!

Good spot. Most of them do, but the J3 class had a mixture of parallel and tapered, this locomotive having the latter. I even have photographic evidence to prove it (unusal for me as I usually build first and ask questions later!)

These are Gibson NER tapered buffers, so looks like you'll need the collars. HTH.

Interesting you say that. In my two D2 kits there are no buffers included. I'm going to give John a call and ask him, as it does say in the instructions there should be some. It's not a deal breaker but it would be good to have some if they are available. Edit: I like Alan Gibson buffers for smaller LNER buffers and Markits for Pacific buffers.

Looking very nice John. I have to say I think the LRM kits are very good and with care build up into nice models. Good work!

Thank you Tony. The frames are really substantial, which I do like. Generally, I seem to prefer securing bodies to chassis very lightly, before any distortion occurs, and so there isn't any tension in the chassis. So far this approach has served me well. I wasn't aware that etch moulds could wear out, but I suppose it makes sense. It just means that on a kit like this, holes need opening a bit more, and any edges need a drag or two with a file to square them off. I suppose you could forego this step, but I'm a perfectionist, and I wouldn't like the appearance. Building a C1 from a kit is a no-brainer for me. I love kit building, I'll need loads of C1's for my future layout, and of course I can personalise them from the ground up to suit my requirements. I know that I could pick up an RTR C1, but I could also pick up an RTR A1 as well. It is the process of the build that I like and the satisfaction of having a unique locomotive at the end of it that attracts me. An added bonus is that it is totally different to my day job, and I find it very relaxing! I'll need to master lining though. As usual I have all the gear but no idea. Hopefully I won't mess it up too much!

Happy New Year everybody. Away from back scenes, here is my almost complete DJH C1 Atlantic. A really smart looking locomotive (if not my building of it). I'll clean it up, then prime it. Next job is to get the wheels lined and to get the gear onto the chassis. A nice kit indeed. I did mention on my own thread the possibility that the brass is a little thick in this model compared to the brass I have encountered in other kits. Is this a DJH thing? There seems to be quite a bit of cusping where it looks to me either the brass wasn't left in the acid long enough, or that the brass itself is too thick. Only a very minor issue overall though. As usual digital photography showing every flaw.

Hello Everyone, Happy New Year. Thank you very much for the interesting comments on cab interiors. It is probably safe to say that being a Doncaster engine, it should, on all balance of probability have a black cab.... however, as it is my locomotive, then it shall remain in stone, as like Steve, I quite like it! I find it amazing though, that despite all this time, we are still able to debate this subject, and I guess as the subject matter disappears further into the realms of history, the 'correct' answer to questions like these will be all the more difficult to come by. Over the next week or so I shall set up the weathering kit, and make it look a bit more dirty inside, so it will be a bit of a half way house. In other news, I have essentially completed the body work on my DJH C1. All went together fairly well actually, though I can't help thinking the brass used for the etching is too thick, as there is quite a lot of cusping on this, compared to other kits I have built. When I have a moment, I'll measure it and see what it is like. I have made modifications to the C1 as I went along, though I can't remember precisely what those modifications were.... One fact I know for sure is that I did follow advice and lowered the tops of the frames by a mm to ensure the correct ride height, and this worked out well. Here is the current state of play. Just about ready for a clean and then a squirt of etch primer. The next job will be to line the wheels then get the chassis painted and fully up and running, and we should be then on to finishing. A nice kit this one.

I can't keep up with this thread, but my word, Copenhagen Fields is just incredible.

Graeme, what a superb body of work (not you, the trains!). I love the P2's, they look great.

Yes! And you can see them getting angry at you, even though you are driving within the law! Incredible.

My pet hate is the 40mph club on country roads. They saunter along at 40mph in the open countryside, where invariably, 60mph is easily and safely achievable, then, in villages (where threats are much higher and a lower limit is totally valid) with a speed limit of 30mph, they continue at 40mph. It boggles my small mind.

Are there not still quite a few brass brass sides and kits available? Wizard (Comet), Kemilway. All of which, I believe can be ordered online... That's for LNER of course, I don't know about the other constituent companies or BR.

If you could find out any information would be greatly appreciated, Jonathan. Can you imagine different works today 'just painting the cab whatever colour took their fancy'?! In a way, I like that they were able to be given a degree of freedom to decide such matters; I'm a firm believer in giving people lots of rope, and trusting them with it until they give you reason to believe otherwise.

I have no idea how I have missed this! Stunning modelling, so convincing and natural. I'm on page 6 so far! As usual, very late to the party.

Here is one of a preserved loco, albeit BR black, but with stone insides and black back plate: http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/254837cbc1f64cc3a4794b2deab056c8/lner-0-6-0-65482-close-up-ob-cab-at-holt-station-on-the-north-norfolk-ehdc99.jpg EDIT: that N2 looks stunning in GNR colours!

Dear Mr Streak. Yes I am happy to roll with this one as it is. It looks quite nice, and is plausible. I'm all for accuracy in model making, but sometimes you just have to get on with it, and accept that sometimes we get it wrong. Hopefully in this case I have been lucky and made the right choice! Either way it will be dulled down considerably by heavy weathering, and should look more the part soon. All the best for the New Year!

Many thanks, Tony. It is in fact completed loco number 4, which only serves to highlight my glacial pace of construction. To date I have made: J69, C12, W1, Coronation (full rake). On the workbench I have a 90% complete Silver Jubilee, a C1 in quite an advanced stage. and an A1 at the rolling chassis stage. So for every 1 loco I make, you make 6! Just as well I don't make a living from it. Having said that, some months I don't even sit at the workbench such is my work load, and commitments in general! I do hope you and Mo and your family have had an enjoyable Christmas. I am in the fortunate position to have been given no less than 2 LNER D2's by Santa. I'll be referring to your book many times, I'm sure. The etching is of the highest quality I have yet seen in a kit - a real credit to John and the team at LRM. The tabs that hold the etch to the frame are tiny, which will make the process all the more easy. I'm looking forward to getting started.

Not sure I'd go for red... but if they were red, then I suppose they should be modelled that way. I have never seen one in preservation with a red cab either.