The LNER Encyclopedia

Are all the various Bachmann O4s the same apart from livery or presence/absence of DCC, or have the models been varied at all. As I am after a GCR 8K long term I did wonder if any of these were closer to the originals.

As far as I am aware (although I'll happily bow to superior knowledge) other than the GWR version all others so far show very little, if any, variation from the theme of the "as preserved" loco, and do not therefore display true GCR features in a number of respects, most of which will be listed in the previous discussions on here.

So the idea then would be to get the cheapest version and get out a trusty scalpel.

I'm personally very happy with my '04' and although I've never seen the real beast myself, seeing the LNER liveried replica on the Cleethorpes light railway made me go and buy 63601 straight away!

For me, the beastie was always the 04/7. They looked so much more powerful than the other variants!

coachmann wrote:For me, the beastie was always the 04/7. They looked so much more powerful than the other variants!

How much do you want a O4/7?

Looking at the pictures of the 30xx in the latest issue of Model Rail, I thought it interesting to see that the length of the reversing rod has been correctly increased compared to the first O4 / ROD releases, and the frame tops ahead of the smokebox have the prominent horizontal row of rivets. If the die for the running plate has been altered then so much the better for future LNER versions, and presumably it will be easy enough for Bachmann to supply the longer rod for all models from now on.

I didn't really notice (or couldn't tell) whether the latter-day checker plate finish in front of the smokebox has also been deleted. Do any closet GWR fans on here happen to know?

Bill Bedford wrote:

coachmann wrote:For me, the beastie was always the 04/7. They looked so much more powerful than the other variants!

How much do you want a O4/7?

....or, if you prefer, how much do you want to pay for a O4/7?

Now don't be mean to Bill when he's been good enough to promise us an O4/5 conversion boiler & cab, at what sounds like a reasonable (predicted) price.

I've looked at the images in Model Rail again, and closer inspection plus better attention this time to what I was actually seeing confirmed that as well as the boltheads along the top edges of the front frames, the chequer platre has indeed been swept away and a pattern of boltheads replaces that. Excellent, a proper set of "period" rather than post-preservation running plate details.
Also, apart from the simple transfer of whistles to the cab roof on the GWR / 30xx version, which (with only a single whistle) is also correct for many pre-war LNER O4s, I see it is actually a different cab too. It's a real ROD cab, with the rear roof rib inset from the back edge to create space for a rolled tarpaulin.
Notwithstanding (or is it because of?) the criticised faults with first issues of the model, it would appear that Bachmann can get the details right.

Do the images show if the length of the wider running plate section over the cylinders has been corrected? This portion of the running plate on my O4 extends too far back. The reason I ask is IIRC the GW ROD running plate also has a set of footsteps mid way with very prominent rivets showing along the attachment line. As it appears new diecast tooling has been produced to get other details correct I was wondering if this too had been addressed?

Very difficult to say owing to the angles of the two published views and the interpretation of light and shadow on a black loco, however.....I'd say that the running plate edge appears to start to turn back in just behind the position of the gland on the piston rod, and has fully narrowed / straightened again at a point mid-way along the flat-topped portion of the leading sandbox.

Cylinder inclination is still excessive.

Some additional modifications potentially relevant to various Bachmann O4 models can be seen here:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6919&p=61665#p61665

I wonder how many on this site know about the smoke box emptying device on the old O4s

Look at some picture of an O4 left hand side and just behind the front pony wheel is a very small handle which when turned allowed all the ash in the smoke box to drop out through a hole about 6 inched square

Saved loads of time on the wet pit and saved getting tons of ash in your eyes as well.

Atlantic 3279 wrote:.....I see no way of reprofiling the running plate edges within the bounds of reasonable time, risk and effort.

I think you'd only get around this with a new footplate, either etched, or cobbled together from plasticard / styrene sheet.

I'm due to take delivery of a spare 63601 body, possibly with a complete tender, so this is something we could look at for P4 purposes.....

No need for excitement - I've only bumped this topic in case it is of renewed interest now that some long-missing images have been restored to it.