The LNER Encyclopedia

Saint Johnstoun wrote:I've definately had a rethink on Great Northern and will not now take the Hornby A3 route to this conversion - I will now seek a Peppercorn A1 and do the butchery on that methinks along with a set of Bachmann V2 valve gear - hold on - did I not get a set of spare valve gear from them some time ago?

Depends on how fastidious you are. The A1/1 rebuild used the Gresley rear frames which have their rear axle closer to the end of them than the Peppercorn engines. Personally, I can live with it, even though the difference is some 2mm in 00 scale.

Blink Bonny wrote:I've just scared the poor postman out of about 3 years of his life. There I was, crouched as if in the slips when a small, square box from Bachmann dropped into my waiting hands. OWZAT!!! I yelled, to the accompaniement of rapidly receding footsteps...

Anyway, the Bachmann V2 gear placed over the Roche drawing is spot on for GN.

GN Valve Gear.JPG

Is this cheating, or just doing it the easy way?


Mrs BB sez: and more unusually, he was up and about by the time the postie came...

Bloody hell. I spent three years trying to build a GN from an A1, and the valve gear got me unstuck every single time. Genius. I think I will be revisiting my GN build in the future...

You'd have thought so - especially as the A2/1s was effectively a V2 with Thompson front end with Gresley valve gear to the outside cylinders at least due to wartime restrictions. Another easy conversion?

Nope - effectively harder. Rear drivers on the A2/1 were differently spaced to the V2s.

Fair do's Simierski.

I'll keep on looking.

Further progress on GN:
The hacksawtook some time to saw through the 'plate. Bachmann castings are tougher than they look. I couldn't get my slitting disc in to make the cut.
I found that the resin cab did not fit over the A1's footplate casting lugs. The larger, front lugs were reduced in width by half and a couple of millimetres filed off the screw bosses at the rear.
Once the mods had been made to the footplate, the resin cab fitted perfectly. As did the firebox "filler piece." I'll need to put a sliver of filler under that cab base.
Mods about to be made to the front footplate. The shaded area needs to be removed and replaced in brass. This replacement footplate will contain the curve to the upper level. I will try to retain the resin steampipes but we'll see. We'll see.

Have courage BB, have courage. Yes, the need to narrow the lugs to fit within the cab is a "standard expectation" and I tried to highlight that in my original A2/3 thread - the bottom of the real Gresley-Thompson cabs was narrower than the Peppercorn version. I'm slightly surprised by that gap under the edges of the cab, but I'm glad you can confirm the good fit of the filler-piece into the V at the rear of the firebox. Before you fill the gap under the cab, have you checked that the rear portion of the running plate is level and parallel to the plane of the upper portion? Also just check that the cab is "sitting down" fully and that it is not riding on the raised casting around the transverse slot for the inner carrier of the rear axle - I did put a hefty chamfer on the front lower edge of the backhead to try to ensure clearance, but you never know........
Would it be easier to save the factory steam pipe mouldings and glue those on to the modified running plate?

Hmm. Never thought of that. I'll have a look at the rear pony area.

The original steampipes are safe in the nice, strong box that you sent the bits in, Greameso if all else fails, they're around for re-use. This is coming together more easily than I thought it would.

Another brave pill tomorrow, then and I'll make a start on the front plate.

Having examined the rear footplate and your articles, Graeme, I hadn't taken enough metal from the rear lugs so a little more grinding and filing got it to sit much better.

Anyway, 2nd Brave Pill taken and the footplate was cut along the step and the remains of the upstep removed with a coarse file. I had to put a bit of plasticard packing to enable the 10 thou brass sheet to mate up with the resin. I think the packing was about 20 thou. I used 2mm brass angle to represent the footplate valance, filed on the lower edge, for a bit of extra strength. I reckon that if I'm crafty, I'll be able to reuse Graeme's resin steampipes and make the little casing above the cylinders.

Currently waiting for the glue to set before joining the bits up.
Oh. Poo!!! The Test is delayed due to rain. Ah, well. Soldering iron's hot so I'll fix my power box for the layout.

More progress this afternoon. Its amazing what you can do while listening to the cricket!
As can be seen, the footplate needed a bit of fettling to get it to sit correctly. So after a good tweak with some pliers....
Now to strip fittings from the discarded bits of Great Eastern.

G'Day Gents

Watching with interest BB, seem to be half way there already ( must be on holiday) and looking good

Gardens looking good as well !!

manna

A quick question regarding livery.

Did GN have the wheels painted blue? Or were they black?

I'll leave them black until any info comes forth.

I presume you mean LNER Blue? if yes Black.

Good luck with your build , mine of the PDK kit is on here

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic. ... &start=300

Dare I ask BB - are your cylinders, and hence the bogie and front frame/running plate extensions far enough back

looking darn good Graeme...another RTR Thompson loco from you...great work

Little to do with me Tom, barring the parts. The application to 4470 is BB's ingenuity.

Atlantic 3279 wrote:Dare I ask BB - are your cylinders, and hence the bogie and front frame/running plate extensions far enough back

No, they aren't are they? The whole thing is a bit too long.

(deep sigh)

I'll have a think about this. Although it does look better with the deflectors fitted. Piccies to come - too much of the ol' coloured liquid pouring to make this a viable option tonight....