The LNER Encyclopedia

I've had a play around myself - not sure if this helps. I am using parts from the China made bodies to match up the length of the boiler for my 4-8-2 (finding that the ones with the underboiler are actually a lot thinner in the boiler area - may be worth cutting and shutting a few of these minus the underboiler).

Most impressed with what I have seen here sir.

You are too kind!

Progress is dreadfully slow because I need an A4 cab, (from the current Railroad or super detail China models as I wish to use the existing chassis mounting slot), and have not yet found a body I am willing to sacrifice!

I also need to source a Mashima flat can motor no larger than 14mm per Atlantic 3279's guidance, to fit the narrow space in the body.

Having said that the 4-8-2, even with the wrong cab, is really growing on me!

The photo below also shows the other poor Doncaster bodies I have ready for the chop for my other 4-8-2 and 4-8-4 models.

Is that the tender from Silver fox? You never did tell us (or I never found out) how she became 'butcher worthy'

Or was that someone elses Silver fox?.......

blackout60800 wrote:Is that the tender from Silver fox? You never did tell us (or I never found out) how she became 'butcher worthy'

Or was that someone elses Silver fox?.......

The tender is a grey primer sprayed mish-mash of spares!

Following a very helpful tip-off, (elswhere on this forum), about Abbiegailes selling off their stock, I purchased a range of cheapo "bits and bobs" from them such as the Silver Fox style tender frames and wheels. The corridor tender body was an ex-GWR green (can you tell I don't like the colour? ) A4 salvage job.

The chassis is made from 2 red A4 eBay spares, the body from 2 Doncaster A1s, and I've found a nice large banjo dome in my spares box that seems to me to really look in the right proportion to the length of the boiler.

I am planning on finishing this particular 4-8-2 in lined out workshop grey.

I'm not sure about it being a Mountain though - more of a Mongrel!

I think it must have been Mick B's silver fox then

Thanks for the info

I think you need to be careful with your cut and shut of bodies here - the 4-8-2 boiler was little different from the A3 Pacific one apart from having a 50 square foot grate and the extra length was in the elongated smokebox - the length between tubeplates being 19 feet.

My original 4-8-2 simply was a TD Hornby Scotsman body with the front extended by using the smokebox from another body and part of the footplating from the same body to give 4 splashers. The front of the footplate also had to be extended as there was a much longer 'platform' in front of the smokebox.

I'm working on my new version of the 4-8-2 when time permits and I will post photos when I get to the assembly stage.

Saint Johnstoun wrote:I think you need to be careful with your cut and shut of bodies here - the 4-8-2 boiler was little different from the A3 Pacific one apart from having a 50 square foot grate and the extra length was in the elongated smokebox - the length between tubeplates being 19 feet.

My original 4-8-2 simply was a TD Hornby Scotsman body with the front extended by using the smokebox from another body and part of the footplating from the same body to give 4 splashers. The front of the footplate also had to be extended as there was a much longer 'platform' in front of the smokebox.

I'm working on my new version of the 4-8-2 when time permits and I will post photos when I get to the assembly stage.

Thanks Allan. To answer your points in turn, the elongated smokebox should be sorted by (a proportion of ) the first section of boiler behind the smokebox. It's misleading at the moment because I haven't defined the smokebox yet, and it appears to be simply the original A1 length.

In my infinite wisdom ( ) I have decided that the front footplate would not in reality have been the peculiar shape in the drawing. After all there were many versions of drawings before the actual loco made it out of the works.

The advantage of a "neverwozza" is that no-one can really argue whether it is right or wrong!

I am really looking forward to seeing photos of your model!

The idea of the sloping front was to prevent the ingress of ash etc. from reaching the 2 to 1 gear as it could be swept right off the frontplate without getting trapped beween the frames.

Thanks for explaining Allan. Sounds a good idea, but obviously not considered sufficiently worthwhile for inclusion as a feature on subsequent designs by Thompson and Peppercorn.

Hopefully by ignoring that feature I will not offend too many of my fellow modellers. I think that Gresley designs were generally extremely elegant and the 4-8-2 would have been no exception. If I can convey that "look" I will be pleased with my efforts.

Indeed, all these proposals are subject to interpretation as the final product usually differed in some way from the proposal sketch. One can only speculate in these cases.

The straight slope on the front edge of the frames that (in the case of the 4-8-2 drawing) supported the sloping front plate, appeared to me to have been inherited from the A4s, in which of course it served no such "plating support" purpose. I took that as my cue to "assume" that streamlining had been written-in as a design option.

You have to interpret in these cases, either because detail isn't conclusive in the outline diagrams, or because you know well that designs evolved before production, or because it allows standard parts to be used (which might have been a consideration in the real thing or just because it suits modelling convenience), or simply because it is YOUR model so you build it the way you like!

I really am loving the grey colour scheme on the loco. Have you managed a bodge for the motor yet? I'm hoping to put the brass wipers into my chassis this evening so I can do a video of it running this weekend. My bodge has been to leave it as is, and modify the boiler's innards so it all fits. I am hoping the running plate hides most of the chassis on mine...!

Regarding interpretations - so they'll be a streamlined 4-8-2, a grey Gresley 4-8-2, an angled footplate 4-8-2...and then my monstrosity which no doubt will make a few people go and at the thought of which engineer has got to the 4-8-2

I do agree with the interpretation idea though. I'd say there's room for manuever in every direction of the design, bar the wheelbase perhaps!

Will any of the 4-8-2's fit on a 70ft table, or will Top Shed need a new one?

Manxman1831 wrote:Will any of the 4-8-2's fit on a 70ft table, or will Top Shed need a new one?

The 1939 4-8-2 proposal was just over 77ft long, so I guess the budget's blown!

Oh, and the 1946 4-8-2 was a smidgeon under 80ft long, the streamlined 4-8-4 just under 81ft!!