7mm Mick

Hi Peter, I have been quietly watching this build for some time and I have to say it's excellent work and very inspiring. Can I please ask where you purchased the lenses for your lamps from? Cheers Mick

Lovely to see you back here Dave. The cab is a real masterpiece, not easy to roll at all and something I need to master if i'm building H&B prototypes ! ATB Mick

Bloody predictive text, that'll teach me for rushing my post!! Although I do love my models I think that is just a step too far I'm enjoying having time to catch up on your thread Tony and as Peter says, a lovely build this one, Cheers Mick

Hi Tony, I'm just working on the very same but have opted to lactate my cranks? Lets hope they stand the test of time. What solder are you using?I take it with the mention of a plumbing torch that there's a sizeable amount of heat being applied? Oh and a Happy New Year for later mate Cheers Mick

Hi Mike, A true 'shed crocodile' that, something I hope to replicate in 7mm. Excellent job, ATB Mick

Very nice Mike. Lovely to see the cylinder block represented correctly by the etchings. I have yet to see this in 7mm and always end up scratch building this area, ATB Mick

Mike, The J77's are really coming together now and look lovely. To quote your earlier post those days really do resonate with me for many reasons and I suppose I'm a very nostalgic person, loving the railways of the East Riding in post war England. However as you say I am far too young to remember these days and was but a distant twinkle in my dad's eye, that said I grew up on steam, yes preservation steam but it is still my earliest memory and with a love of preservation then my interest in the 'real' railway grew. With that in mind here's a video I shot (not great quality) of something which you would of seen all too often at one time and I was very lucky to catch this time. I hope it jogs memories and inspires as it inspires me, oh that NER Whistle....... ATB Mick

Lovely Mike, All you need now are some old bits of rope hanging off the handrails and a push bike or three and they'll be for for duty on dock. Oh and some pilot numbers chalked on or on boards! ATB Mick

Hi Mike, I based my assumption on 8440's allocation on this thread here; http://www.lner.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9867 and here; http://www.lner.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=9888&p=105169#p105169 I did have a chat with Mick Nicholson about the photo of 8440 off the road and he thought it was elsewhere other than Hull because there a J94 present and they were not allocated to Hull until late fifties? I will be interested to see how the removable bunker will work as I may have to adopt this method in future? ATB Mick

Hi Mike, So with your last couple of posts you've identified the two J77's I plan to build. I have the two photos above and can confirm neither are at Hull. 8440 was transferred out towards the back end of 48 to somewhere further north. I have a couple of pictures of this loco in BR livery, sadly one shows it bereft of its tank and dignity in North Road Scrap Yard. She is as you say, one of only two BTP's built at York and could almost be mistaken for a later Worsdell conversion as per your first build, however as you say the cab is a flat roof Flecher version. I can not find why York chose this pattern and no one else did? For this reason I chose 8440 to build as it really is unique, the picture of it off the road looks quite odd and can only assume the midland offender struck her with some force! ATB Mick

Hi Mike, Very nicely done. Getting the Fletcher cab profile correct is crucial and I must say looks spot on here. As always I will enjoy watching your builds as one day I will build 68409 as I have a couple of good pictures of her. My favourite being on dock, shunting fish vans with a Bobby watching proceedings. At some time or other I probably would have been in the area walking the beat, sadly the J77 though was long gone, ATB Mick

Hi Mike, A 7mm Arthur ?? If only, my life would then be complete. The plan is to finish the J73 once and for all in the next few weeks and then move onto other things, time permitting. Before the J77's come to life a pair of A7's will be born but like you I digress. I'm a big fan of these photos Mike and can just picture your A6 on Paragon Pilot, I never get broad of inspirational photos. ATB Mick

7mm James? Will it be an S7 build or F/S? ATB Mick

That would do it Arthur, the fletcher cab on these little monsters is so important and for me their most endearing feature, ATB Mick

I will definitely have to put Thirsk next year in the diary then Paul, where's the venue as I'm only in York and would like to get to some more local shows. I don't think the tighter curve will be a problem it will look great when finished. I do like these little tanks, one of my all time favourite pictures is of 8409 on Alex Dock shunting fish vans whilst a City of Hull copper directs traffic, magic !! Looking forward to updates ATB Mick

Lovely work so far, it may just be me but the can roof profile on the 7mm one seems a much sharper curve than the 4mm? Is it just an optical illusion from the camera ? Also I wondered if you intended making the tanks and cab removable? I'm really enjoying the progress here and wish I had made Thirsk at the weekend to have a chat in person. Do you demonstrate at other shows in that area at all? ATB Mick

You're right Arthur, the smoke box door will be openning as will the cover on the footplate immediately in front of the cylinder covers. It will also have working inside motion and I'm hoping a decent DCC sound set up if I can find a suitable one? ATB Mick

Hi Arthur, You're right it was me who mentioned it some time ago. At the minute I'm on with a scratch build of a J73 in 7mm, the body is going well and I'm just waiting to get onto a friends pantograph miller to cut out the frame plates. Once that it done it will be full steam ahead. For this build all the castings are supplied from various outlets and for me it seems O guage has a large amount of trade suppliying castings for this kind of thing. I'm also working on a John Fozzard J72, which is just supplied as ecthings only and I have sourced the castings elsewhere. So really not doing castings for 7mm etches may not be an issue. No pressure of course just a mere observation. No intention to hijack your thread here but i've attached some images of my J73 progress to show some of the castings off that are avaliable. Best reagrds Mick

Anything in 7mm in the future Arthur Best regards as always The ever nagging Mick

Ah now I understand, I have a Medley Models D49 and this by the sounds of it is much the same as the J77. What different build options to you get with the kit ( sandboxes, spectacle glass shape etc etc ) ? Cheers Mick

As always I'm quietly watching from the sidelines and enjoying the J77 build. I would be really interested to see what you think of the 7mm J77 as I model in this scale and up until now didn't know of a J77 kit ? ATB Mick

Lovely mate, the lattice work looks very nice. Maybe one day one could appear on Holderness Drain North somehow?? If would look even better in 7mm ! ATB Mick

Great job mate, you can't even tell it was ever squashed !! Looking forward to seeing it finished, ATB Mick

Great work mate, I'm hoping a grimey A7 draws upto the board at any moment and sits simmering long enough for the signalman to capture a picture of it, ATB Mick