Rambler

I'm building a 7mm model of the 1322 class (build thread on Western Thunder) and wanted more info on the brake arrangements so I arranged to view the following Derby Loco drawings of the later engines at the NRM, in the hope that there might be more detail (unfortunately there wasn't): 96-4322 Brake Arrangements and Details 96-4265 650 Gallon tank and coal bunkers There are a number of other drawings in the catalogue around this number range that refer to the later engines. In particular 96-4307 is a frame drawing - in conjunction with 96-4265 this would probably provide most of the info that a GA would provide. Beware: Works drawings often don't match the models, and sometimes don't match the real thing, but photos can often clarify. For example: the coal hole openings have square tops, not rounded. Eric Ramsay.

Raymond Walley's (very useful) website content is now available on the Gauge O Guild Wiki.

According to the Vintage Carriage Trust’s Wagon Survey, 41975 is preserved on the Dean Forest, sporting a “black and shades of rust” livery. This is the one that is on Paul Bartlett’s zenfolio site.

I've bought one of these wagons, even though the prototype isn't likely to have been seen anywhere near a North Eastern branchline, so I've been searching for information and photos. In "A Pictorial Record of Great Western Wagons" by J Russell (1971) there is a diagram of a Crocodile H (I think this has been re-drawn as it shows the well as being 30' whereas it should be 20') and photos of 41973. The text states that the numbers were 41900 and 41947-41975; I believe that this should be 41900, 41947, 41973-41975. "Great Western Wagons Appendix" by J Russell (1974) has a photo of 41974, taken in 1937. "A History of GWR Goods Wagons, Volume 2" by Atkins, Beard, Hyde, & Tourret (1976) has photos of 41947 in 1909 as a Crocodile D and in 1940 as a Crocodile H. The captions state that it was lengthened in 1915 when it was rebuilt as a 45T vehicle. The text states that all of the Crocodile H's were strengthened in 1936 to make 65T vehicles. Info in the combined volume (see below) suggests that some had already been upgraded. "Great Western Wagons Plan Book" by J Russell (1976) has diagrams C2 (41900 and 41947, as modified in 1915), C23 (41973-41975, as built 1926) and C27 (41973 and 41974, as modified in 1931 with additional cross members in the well). "Freight Wagons and Loads on the GWR and BR Western Region" by J Russell (1981) has photos of 41900 (9 photos), 41974 (4 photos) , and 41975 (1 photo). Not only are there a lot of photos, they are also the best re-produced (IMHO). The caption to one of the photos of 41974 states that it was taken in 1928 and you can see that it is branded as a 65T vehicle. So probably all of the 1926 vehicles were reclassified as 65T vehicles soon after being built. "Great Western Goods Wagons" by Atkins, Beard, & Tourret (The big combined edition of 2013) has a few more photos of 41900, 41947 and 41974. It also suggests that 41900 and 41947 were replaced rather than rebuilt in 1915, the previous vehicles with these numbers having been sold to the war office. Paul Bartlett's zenfolio site has a good selection of photos of 41975 taken in 1994 when it was in internal-user use at Llanwern. Looking through the photos you can see that the earlier two wagons, 41900 and 41947 always had GWR square shank oval buffers so don't match the Darstaed model. Also, 41900 had triangular cut-outs in the decks, above the bogies. 41947 was probably the same but the photos don't show that part of the vehicle. So the Darstaed model best represents one of the 1926 vehicles. If the period is after 1936 then 41975 is the only one, due to the alterations to the cross-members of 41973/4 (although that could be covered by a load, or by packing material).

It’s based on GWR diagram C23, so OK for GWR, BR, and possibly NCB. There were only a handful of these wagons and some have detail differences, e.g. buffers. All the other versions are fictitious.

Is the J54 built from a kit and, if so, how much fettling was required to get it looking this good?

In LMS Wagons volume 2 ( page 149) there’s a 1929 specification for wagon liveries, produced by Derby Works. This is likely to be similar to the final Midland spec. For the Insides of Brake Van this has a white ceiling and Brunswick Green sides and ends. In LMS Wagons volume 1 there’s an interior photo of a 1939 built Brake van (plate 23) and this shows dark and glossy walls. The stove and it’s chimney appear to be matt black, and the Brake column is white.

Midland Railway Ventilated Van I'm using parts of the two Slaters kit for the 10T vans to produce a 7mm model of the Ventilated Van that is pictured on page 80 of Midland Album and also in Midland Wagons, volume 1, page 136. The caption in Midland Wagons suggest that this might be a D378 van with a replacement door. It has also got replacement brake gear but you can't see much in the darkness under the body, so its not clear whether its got two sets of brake gear or just the one set on the nearest side. You also can't see where the vacuum cylinder is located - I'm assuming its got one as the van is XP rated and has a star on the solebar to show where the vacuum release is located. I'd be grateful if anyone who has access to a better print of the photo (by H. C Casserley) could let me know whether any more details of the brake system can be seen. This is how far I've got with the build: I was also going to ask how these vans would be painted in the "large LMS" livery but I've since found one in the background of a photo in Midland Record No 2, page 61. This shows the L and S hard up against the bottom of the second and third set of louvres and the M low down in the upper segment of the door. The M appear to be slightly higher than the other letters. Many years ago I built a fully-fitted van in 4mm and painted it in this style (see below). In 4mm its possible to have the L, M , and S lined up but the 7mm mouldings are slightly different (and more accurate, I think) so the letters might have to be smaller, or not lined up. Eric Ramsay

The kit that Kemilway list as a 52’ NER Full Brake is a 51’ LNER design, built from 1928. There is a drawing on page 79 of “Historic Carriage Drawings in 4mm Scale” ( the original book by Jenkinson & Campling). More details, and a photo, are in “Gresley’s Coaches” by M Harris. The NER was not keen on bogie full brakes, but built lots of 6 wheelers. If an early LNER bogie full brake is what you want then Comet do a Diagram 67.

According to the 4D Model Shop website, their ABS sheet (which is available in 0.25mm) can be laser cut. See http://modelshop.co.uk/Shop/Raw-Materials/Plastics/Coloured/Item/ABS-sheet-175-307mm/ITM6961 Among my many plans, I was hoping to produce O gauge wagon bodies in laser cut material, using 0.25mm for the strapping. It doesn’t look as though anyone has tried this - maybe they did and it didn’t work well... Eric

If it gets to the point where I have to choose between a DJH A8 and a Finney A7, the material used is just one more reason for choosing the A7. Somehow the A7 just looks better to me anyway - just another example of beauty being in the eye of the beholders.The D20 is a different case - I know of two existing kits but haven’t seen a review of either, which leads me to think that they should be avoided. As D20 is the one that I am interested in, I’ll just have to take my chances with the DJH one.

In the May Gauge O Guild Gazette, DJH have an advertisement for four 'Projects' for 2018 & 2019, as kits and RTR. These are: CR/LMS/BR 439 class 0-4-4T LNER/BR J39 0-6-0 NER/LNER/BR D20 4-4-0 NER/LNER/BR A8 4-6-2T Its nice to see some North Eastern kits in 7mm. I'm not sure why they've chosen a J39 given that the Connoisseur kit has a good reputation and Tower Brass J39s can still be obtained - maybe there's read-across for the tender from their D49 kit. Scooting off to the DJH website there isn't any more information, so we'll have to wait and see what turns up.

If you know any ScaleSeven modellers then they are likely to have finescale (and even coarse scale ) wheels that they’ve taken out of second-hand stock or from kits where the wheels couldn’t be swapped. However (assuming that I’m a typical S7 modellers) they aren’t likely to give them away - after all they could be re-profiled - plus there would be postage to be paid. Hand-over at an exhibition might be a possibility.

Only slightly off topic : I’d always assumed that the length of the Parkside buffers was correct, e.g. 1’ 6” for unfitted stock, but have recently realised that this isn’t always the case. If you want to tighten the nut up against the end of the threaded portion of the buffer shank (so you don’t need a lock nut, or glue, to fix them in place) then you may need to trim back the rear of the moulding. Typically this needs to be reduced to about 1mm, and is easier to do when the buffers aren’t glued into the wagon! Eric Ramsay

There's a "LNER Pre-1923 Brake End Corridor Coach" on sale, second-hand, on the Norman Wiseman site that appears to be made from vacuum-moulded plastic. It could also be a Highfield product. The model, and its running number, match an NER 1912-built Corridor Brake Composite to Diagram 174. I was interested in buying this model (though I decided not to do so) so asked for further information and was sent a number of photos, including the one shown below.

There was a kit for a Hull & Barnsley four-wheel goods brake among the Executors Stock at the recent Kettering Show. I passed up on it, on the basis that I've got a couple of Connoisseur NER goods brakes to build, and Parkside have just brought out a kit for an LNER van.

Tucked away in the News section of the Lionheart website is the following: Also I have just received the 3D drawings of the Company open wagons for me to review listed below:- Great Western 5-plank open wagon to Diagram 029 Morton brakes London Midland 5-plank open wagon to Diagram D1666 Either side brakes London North Eastern 6-plank open wagon to Diagram 3 Morton brakes All the above are 17'-6" long on 9'-0" wheelbase, with both doors as separate parts so providing more internal detail and can be positioned open if desired. If these are as good as the RCH Mineral wagons then I foresee serious wallet damage.

Looking at these photos reminded me of an issue I had when I reworked one of these tank wagons that I had bought (already built) at an exhibition. As far as I can see, tank wagons with this kind of mounting (four cross-ways baulks) almost always had flat fronted axleboxes when they were built. I left mine as they were, as I just wanted to tidy up the wagon and get it running, but if I did another one I'd find my prototype photo first and expect to have to change the axleboxes.

When your "people" were white they had a sort of Blue Man Group feel to them, which hasn't entirely disappeared now that they have become (Mostly) Orange Man Group. I think its their poses! Your model is strangely realistic (good ballasting helps), despite the not very finescale track; perhaps its sometimes more important to produce something that's believable rather than painstakingly accurate. I'm not an artist so I attempt to be accurate and hope its believable.... Cheers, Rambler (rambling...)

I think it's more likely to get a first run on the South-East Area Group's test tracks (also known as Croscombe..), but I must get over to Sudbury some time soon. I was last there in August 2006 when I combined the visit with a cream tea at The Swan in Lavenham (to assuage SWMBO, but enjoyable none the less). With Peter and Colin attending exhibitions it sort of feels as though I'm keeping in touch... I expect to see them at Kettering this weekend. ER.

By last October I had built up the front splashers, apart from the riveted flange that sits on the footplate. I temporarily attached a bit of rail across the footplate to stop it bending down in the middle - I have a suitably shaped bit of chipboard to bolt under the footplate to stop this happening but mislaid it! After a brief diversion rewheeling a Tower Jinty to ScaleSeven over the holiday period I got back to the G5 in January. I couldn't put off attaching the cab and tanks any longer... one side, then the other and finally the bunker rear Hopefully this photo shows the bit of brass bar that is soldered across the floor of the bunker - this will be tapped for the rear chassis fixing bolts. With the cut-outs for the splasher flange I thought that this area might be a bit too weak to take the fixing bolts, although it would probably have become more rigid anyway when the bunker bottom and cab rear were fitted

I have a Ron Chaplin motor/gearbox that was chosen because it would fit inside the firebox area, inclined upwards towards the rear (driving the trailing driver). Unfortunately I've changed my mind on this and now want one that will fit within the ashpan, more-or-less horizontally, and the unit I've got is a couple of millimeteres too long. I'm hoping to get a shorter mechanism at Kettering next weekend - an ABC VML2 box with an 1833 motor looks to be a possibility.

On the old RMweb I was plugging away at a Fourtrack G5. The story continues here, but before I bring it up to date here is a recap of the old material: Posted 23/11/08: I've been plodding along with this Fourtrack G5 for some time now. Some of the bodywork is done, mainly the tanks and the sandwich buffer-beams, and it's now time to make a start on the chassis. I've filed the cusp off each frame separate;y and now I'm about to bolt the two frames together, using the holes for the plunger pick-ups, to do some final trimming to ensure that they're both the same. In the photo I've opened up the holes in one of the frames. and here are the tanks, buffer beams and bogie referred to previously. The tanks aren't yet fixed to the footplate. Posted 24/11/08: The kit was designed by George Norton in 1991, at least that's what is inscribed on the fret. It subsequently passed via Londoin Road Models to Fourtrack Models (from whom I bought my kit) and has now just been aquired by Gladiator. I'm sure that George's kits were hand drawn, and by and large they are OK, but you don't always get exactly matching parts as you can with CAD artwork. I noticed that the curve of the frame over one of the hornblocks was slightly different between the two frames which is why I am bolting them together for final shaping. This is often done when fretting out scratchbuilt frames except that the frames are usually soldered together rather than bolted. In any case, I intend to use the same holes (and bolts) to fit temporary spacers to hold the frames in the right place while I solder in the permanent spacers. Posted 22/02/09: I've now lashed up the frames with some of Eileen's O-gauge spacers, Slater's wheels (7861I, McDonnell 5' 1") and Premier Components coupling rods. The spacers use the same holes as previously used for clamping the frames together; these holes will end up being used for plunger pick-ups (if all goes to plan). Happily it seems to run OK with just a little binding which should disappear (all fingers crossed) as the bearings wear in. Here is a top view to show how it looks at the moment. It will eventfully be Scaleseven, so the frames will be farther apart (and I will be using flat spacers, soldered in place), the clearance between the wheels and frames will be smaller and the tyre width will be less. If I was building this in Finescale, I would probably use wider spacers anyway so this shouldn't be taken as a comparison between the two systems. It's just a "this is where I've got to" photo. If you look closely you can see that the leading wheels have the crankpin head in a recess while, for the trailing wheels, it is proud on the back. This is how the wheels came from Slater's; what the final arrangement will be I'm not sure but replacement countersink bolts for the trailing wheels seems a good idea. Posted 23/02/09: Essentially the reason for assembling this is in 32mm was that I wanted to check whether it was going to run (at all). The wheels, coupling rods and frames will be the same when I fit the S7 spacers, so this allowed me to check the running at an early stage. The next stage is to replace the axles with S7 ones and add 5.8mm packing pieces to the spacers, to see what the clearances are like. If this is OK I can use 27.8mm spacer material from S7 Stores; if not I will need to use the next size down or perhaps file down the 27.8 spacers. My calculations were based on the following: Back-to-Back: 31.3mm Frame thickness: two at 0.9mm Required Clearance: 1mm for each wheel. This gave 27.5mm, so the 27.8mm spacer would be a possibility (with the clearance now at 0.85mm). This is still larger than the prototype but by the time I've taken account of the flange of the plunger pick-ups there probably won't be a vast amount of leeway. This is my first O-gauge loco and so a lot of this is, for me, trial-and-error. Posted 19/04/09: The frames had permanent spacer fitted a week or two back, and looked like this: You may notice that there isn't much width reduction over the bogie, but then the North Eastern didn't have much either. The spacers are 27.8mm for the forward section, reducing to 27.1 behind the ash pan. This gives 29.7 over the frames at the front (prototype 51.5", 30mm to 7mm scale) and 28.9 at the rear (prototype 50", 29.2mm to 7mm scale). The bogie is to use split frames and for this I created an inner box onto which the side-frames are bolted. Plastic packing pieces, and sleeves for the holes are used to provide the insulation. The following photo shows some of the bits (the box end pieces are not shown, nor the plates holding the nuts captive): Throughout the construction the pivot holes in the side-frames and in the inner box have been kept in line (and the same size) so that they can be used to align the parts. The completed bogie is seen here (just in front of my drilling machine): Posted 1/05/09: The drawing in the background to the "G5 on my workbench" came with North Eastern Express issue 119. There is also a drawing of the "LNER and BR" condition, that came with issue 121, showing the modified bunker rails/hopper, push-pull gear, etc. This might be a good point to list the source information that I am using: 1) The best drawing is the one in Ken Hoole's "An Illustrated History of NER Locomotives". 2) Yeadon's Register No. 38 has a lot of useful photos. 3) Ken Hoole's "The 4-4-0 Classes of the NER", page 78 has a good photo of the standard bogie. 4) North Eastern Record (HMRS/NERA) Volume 3 has a drawing of the standard bogie (page 98) and a cab view (page 113). 5) North Eastern Express (NERA) issues 119-121 has articles, some cab views, and the aforementioned drawings. 6) The RCTS "Locomotives of the LNER" part 7 is useful, but a lot of it's content is covered elsewhere. If I come across anything more I'll update this list.

An alternative to the etched nuts and bolts, especially for rivet heads, is Evergreen round rod. This comes in various sizes and, unlike the red plastic rod of old, is made of a good workable kind of plastic. OK so you have to slice off discs, stick them down, and sand to a uniform thickness, but it doesn't take long to get the hang of it.