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

The A7 frames were 4' 0" apart. At the rear they were 3' 7 1/2" apart. That gives you an extra 1.5mm to play with. I usually overlap an inner frame with a 0.5mm spacer between them. With 0.5mm frames that gives gives an inset of 1mm both sides. ArthúrK

NORTHEASTERN KITS J73 I have six if these packed and ready to go. There are two on the list. Anyone wanting one,, send a PM or Email. Next it will be the turn of the J71 (six). The D20 was missing some castings. These have now arrived. The first those should be ready In a few days. There are quite a number waiting for this. I should be able to complete the first six, but I am awaiting tenders for the rest. I am putting together a few kits for the 1920 rebuilds of the J77 (Worsdell cab). Currently there is only one on the list for these.

Wrong! South is anywhere beyond the bottom (south) of County Durham. When I came to work in Preston, my mother-in-law to be declared "but that's in the Midlands"! Enough of this we all see this from different viiewpoints. ArthurK - Always a Geordie!

I must contest that. The frames of the NER A class (LNER F8) were 4' 0" apart throughout. It relied entirely on radial trucks front and rear. The wheebase was 7'6" + 8' 1 1/2" +7-6" (total 23' 1 1/2"). The trucks were centred on a point midway between the coupled wheels. That poses a problem in the the model. Should were treat it as 0-6-2 or 2-6-0 ? Or with swinging trucks both front and back. Whatever we choose the frames will have to be inset on one or both of the trucks. The NER 0-6-2Ts with radial trucks did have the frames inset, ArthurK

Earlier in the thread reference was made to tank vents, neither the A6 nor the A7 had vents on the tanks. The A6 was vented from the bunker tank which was connected the the main tanks via square pipes running behind the cab steps. The A7 was also vented from the bunker tank. Two pipes ran from the tank rear first, vertically, then horizontally (below the coal rails) through the cab rear. From there they ran vertically up the cab rear to vent through the cab roof. These pipes are visible on some photographs. The bunker tank was connected to the main tanks in the same way as the A6. I have a variety of domes including that for the Dia63B boiler which was fatter and had flatter profile. I also have smokebox doors, both the original and the later Doncaster profile, ArthurK