While my railway re-construction is still waiting on several other more domestic construction projects to be completed, this little project is taxing my modelling skills. (Although hopefully not beyond their limits!)
In packing up my stock I found an old Hornby J52 that I had nearly forgotten about. Since Mainly Trains produce an etched chassis for the J52 and have announced their planned closure of their business, it seemed sensible to order a chassis kits for the J52. (And the J71 and J72 but that is another story.)
I did have the temerity to suggest to LNER4479 that a J52 might be useful for Grantham, few Doncaster designed shunting engines having made it to the North Eastern Area. It emerged however, that both of us thought a J54 might make a nicer model, even if none of them actually survived into the Streamliner era.
So, here is my attempt so far.
The Hornby model dismantles fairly easily. The parts being retained are:-
Footplate (although heavily modified - see below)
Cab front and integral backhead detail (modified)
Saddle tank (with the dome and filler cap removed)
Smokebox (with the chimney removed)
The smokebox door (heavily reworked)
The pictures show most of what has been done to date
My major concern initially was the boiler (and thus the smokebox) diameter, and the double-curve section of the Stirling(?) smokebox door.
The latter was obtained by drilling the Hornby original and turning it by hand (or rather finger) against a number of curved knife blades.
Removing the smokebox was a bit messy, but essential to represent the lower boiler pitch.
The Hornby plastic in the firebox area was cut down and re-secured 2mm lower for the same reason.
The cab front was re-profiled and re-secured in a lower position.
The remaining footplate structure is heavily reinforced and the central splasher (out of position because of the Hornby 8' by 8'6" wheelbase) moved forwards. A new partial rear splasher was fitted against the cab front and new firebox sides.
Next steps are the bunker flare and the new cab roof. If it works as intended the central height of the cab will look correct. This is the part which worries me most at the moment.
The major compromise with the finished model will be the boiler diameter, and this means that the tank is also too wide. I hope the 'face' will look better when it's all in black rather than the obtrusive red colour.
Isinglass do not have a J54 drawing, and my library does not have much GNR content. So sources used are:-
RCTS Part 8A
An additional photograph from LNER4479.
An article in MRJ No 35 by Allan Sibley on upgrading the Hornby model J52.
Some pictures of J15 (GNR) models by Jim Harrison in RM August 2008.
I used the J52 detail to prepare a spreadsheet with comparative dimensions between the Hornby mouldings, a J52, and the J54.
I also used the broadside picture on this Forum
...here.... Putting this into an MSWord(TM) document allows one to re-size it using the wheelbase as a reference, and then to use the Word drawing tools to make measurements.
I just insert rectangles, move them where required, and read off the dimensions. (Divided by two in this case.)
(Illustration included in case it helps anybody else.)
I hope this approach doesn't upset anybody with a greater knowledge of the GNR!