ArthurK

Most NER tank locos had a 2" angle joining tank to footplate. I have added this feature to several of my scratch built locos. From memory I used 0.5mm angle for this. (obtainable from Eileen's Emporium). ArthurK

Annealing does help, but be warned, if you are using 12thou brass the result can be very easily dented! ArthurK

I am very please to see these two as they were intended. Better than having them rotting away in a box, I must admit that I regret not finishing the range that I had intended. I have concentrated on the loco kits. With a bit of luck you may even get the V class to pull them this year. Thanks for showing them. ArthurK

Darlington had running in turns to Newcastle. Those were the only Sandringhams that I ever saw in Central station. ArthurK

I used a dimmer switch to solder white metal for years until I got an Antex 60W TCI one Xmas. I never had any problems using the former method but the latter is much better! ArthurK

No it wasn't a Wakefield lubricator. It was the design used on all NER superheated locos. I have these in my range of castings on a sprue of six. ArthurK

At that time (it was a Sunday at North Blyth) there were a lot of "dead" locos around, (4MTs& K1s). Others were being cosseted inside the shed. (J27s, 4MT, 08) . Not sure what happened in other areas, but usually the first thing to happen was the removal of coupling and connecting rods. All these were still intact. ArthurK

I've fiddled around with brightness/contrast and the number definitely ends in 08. Phil is probably correct. Just to make it even more anonymous, someones pinched the smokebox number plate, ArthurK

I have no wish to enter discussions (or should I say arguments) about "Mucky ducks", but I can offer this photo to provide a bit of evidence. It has a good view of the tablet catcher. ArthurK

No doubt the G5 would go down well but there is one available from LRM, The G5 (what else) was the very first loco that I scratch-built. With an generic X04 motor filling most of cab it was incredibly difficult to achieve a balance. I ended up pouring molten lead into the boiler with a damp cloth around it to prevent bits that I had soldered coming adrift! Then, George Norton brought out his etched version which I couldn't resist. That kit is the one in the LRM range. This is mine, There is a lot of scratch-build in the finer detail. As is now well known I am bringing out a kit for for the F8 in the New Year. It is worth mentioning that, apart from the height of the tank sides, the super-structure of the G5 is identical with that of the F8, to the extent that they shared boilers. ArthurK

My interpretation of the GAs of the F8 and G5 give all the dimensions of the cabs, tanks and bunkers to be identical other than the height of side tanks. These were raised on the G5. Those on the F8 were 4 feet high. All cab radii were 9 inches, which was the standard for the cabs on NER tank engines. This was the same as the cab opening and bunker height ArthirK

I have two others who want the Fletcher cab version. I order these in batches of six, so if I add you to the list I am half way there. Delivery will take at least three months and Xmas is looming. ArthurK

Sorry I don't have any J77s But the Fletcher cab is the round-top one. ArthurK

Stocks are pretty low at the moment. i think that I have a couple of J73s, also six J71s awaiting packing. The N10s that arrived last week are all reserved. The Tennant 2-4-0 and J24 0-6-0 are out of stock. The J25 should, at last, will be available early in the New Year. There is a long list of those wanting that. ArthurK

A lot of the details on the C7 were derived from the C6 & v/09. the general design of the footplate/splashers followed the precedent laid down on the V/09, They used the same chimney and boiler. The trailing axleboxes were the same. Initially the springs were 3' 9" but later increased to 4' 3". The tenders of the early C7s held 4125 gallons but, were not self trimming. These were replaced by the self-trimming style "borrowed" from the later Q6s. ArthurK

I am planning to produce both the original V Class and the later version the V/09. The basic kit design is advancing well but things like new castings take time. These had a 4125 gallon tender but, it was not the standard as used be later Q6s and C7s, Q7s and B16s. These C6 tenders were also used on the D21. The latter were passed on to J39s. Below is a test build of the V0/9 built some five years ago. ArthurK

This is my scratchbuilt B16/1 built some 50 years ago. It is only as accurate as the Skinley drawing that it was built from. We all know the reputation of those. It has seen a lot of service (and it shows). It was shopped years ago and given a Portescap 1616. Now resting in its box where it will remain! ArthurK

Mick, a small point, but the equalising pipes between front and rear tanks is not as far below the valance as on your model. The top of the pipe was at the same level as the valance bottom which was six inches deep. As an aside these pipes seem to have been a standard length of 5' 9", the A6 and N10 and F8 all used this size. ArthurK

Yes, I am aware of their solution. ArthurK

If we mount the driving wheels on beams, then it doesn't really matter! ArthurK

Thinking the Unthinkable Thoughts on NER Class A 2-4-2T I have thought long and hard about the best way to build a 2-4-2 Chassis. This has to be flexible enough to traverse track radii encountered in the 4mm model. The ‘A class’ (LNER F8) which has a wheelbase of 7’ 6” + 8’ 1 ½” + 7’ 6”, total 23’ 1 ½”. The original had straight frames and relied on radial trucks front and back. These were centred on a point at the centre of the driving axles. The frames were 4’ apart and 1” thick. With the tyres at 4’ 5 5/8” this allowed a side-play only little more than 1 1/2 “. On the model, this wheel arrangement has problems in that If there are swinging trucks front and rear then. without some form of spring restraint the model will tend to waddle along the track. We can use radial trucks on the model but, they will certainly need some form of centre spring. When working to P4 standards I set the outside of the frames to 16mm (4 feet). The correspond distances in EM and OO are 15mm and 12.5mm respectively. My next thoughts were that we happily accept these dimensions to take our 0-6-0 locos around 4mm trackwork and for a 0-6-2T simply swing the trailing truck. A typical 0-6-0 loco has a wheelbase of 8’ 0” + 8’ 6” (34mm). We negotiate curves by allowing side-play on one or more of the axles. Surely if we treat our 2-4-2 as an 0-6-2 then the wheelbase becomes 15’ 7 ½” + 7’ 6”, with the coupled wheelbase less than a typical 0-6-2. Why not treat it as such and merely swing the rear axle. In model form we may need to joggle or inset the frames behind the rear wheel. The NER elected to inset the frames of its 0-6-2s Next, we have the problem of various forms of suspension. If we elect to use a rigid wheelbase for the first three axles, then we simply need to allow some sideplay on the centre of three. If we prefer to use compensation (my preferred option) then the first axle can rock and the next pair would ride on beams. That leaves the remaining axle which can be a simple truck with swing radius as large as possible. Comments please. ArthurK

I did a new batch of six recently. I know that there are four remaining. If there is anyone wanting one please send a PM. AthurK

NORTHEASTERN KITS D20 The first batch has/is being dispatched, although I haven't yet heard from a couple on my list. The next batch is waiting for a delivery of tender etches. These have been a bit slower since Corvid messed things up. Another birthday today but quite uneventful. I still plod along, but not without something to hang on to! ArthurK

50? You are just a young lad then! ArthurK

NORTHEASTERN KITS D20 At last I have the next six kits ready to go. The first on my list will receive notification in the next few days. Thee next six are awaiting tenders to arrive from the etchers. There has been a long wait for this one, but we've got there Sorry this one is fully subscribed. ArthurK