GCR conversions

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earlswood nob
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 1666
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:23 am
Location: Surrey

Re: GCR conversions

Post by earlswood nob »

Good morning (it's not really)
More on building GCR 4-6-0's, I'm (like most) a Gresley fan, but Robinson built some beautiful looking locos.

LNER CONVERSIONS

B1 see B4
B2 Kays kit with Gibson B3 or modified Comet V2 chassis
B3 Modified Kays B2 kit with Gibson B3 or modified Comet V2 chassis
B4 McGowan Kit with shortened A3 chassis
B5 Millholme kit with Britannia chassis
B6 Scratchbuild or new boiler/cab on Millholme B5 with Britannia chassis
B7 Modified Kays B2 kit with scratch chassis
B8 Scratch or new boiler/splashers on Kays O4 with scratch chassis
B9 Shortened Kays O4 boiler on modified B5 or scratch footplate with Britannia chassis

B5(5184) Kays O4 boiler on Millholme B5 footplate with Britannia chassis

B9 (rebuilt with B5 boiler) Millholme B5 with modified footplate with Britannia chassis

Seeing Woodcock's great B2 and B3, makes me want a B7 as well.

No doubt the RTR conversion experts will have a different view on how to built a fleet of GCR 4-6-0's.

Earlswood Nob
jwealleans
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 4208
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 8:46 am

Re: GCR conversions

Post by jwealleans »

Have you had a look here at all?

Mike Edge also occasionally offers etches for a B9. Don't hold your breath, though - I've been waiting for a set for over a year.
earlswood nob
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 1666
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:23 am
Location: Surrey

Re: GCR conversions

Post by earlswood nob »

G'day all
Thanks JW, but I build in 00 and I haven't yet plucked up the courage to build an etched kit. When my modelling skills improve I will have a go, as I like the look of PDK's Earl Marischal.
I've got a heap of white metal kits to finish and I like the weight of white metal kits to provide good adhesion and pulling power. The most powerful loco that I own seems to be an old Kay's O4, which is still fitted with a Kays Mk 1 motor and will pull anything backwards including locos powered by Portescaps, but uses a lot of current doing so.
Earlswood Nob
jwealleans
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 4208
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 8:46 am

Re: GCR conversions

Post by jwealleans »

That's fair enough as long as you're aware of all the options. I believe the next kits are planned for OO builders as well (perhaps John will confirm that?).

I don't see a great deal of difference in pulling power between whitemetal locos and brass ones suitably packed with lead sheet. There's often a crucial extra mil or two in the brass boiler to allow a bigger motor as well.
croesnewydd
GNR J52 0-6-0T
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 11:18 am

Re: GCR conversions

Post by croesnewydd »

It is my intention to produce, in the following order :-
Class 11B (LNER D9)
Class 11D (LNER D9)
Class 9P (LNER B3)

Progress is not as fast as I would have liked and there have been a number of interuptions to the smooth running of wider FamilyBateson. I would really like to produce P4, then EM then '00' versions of each of these but the original estimate of June this year is looking doubtful. Time and funding are now the main issues.

Add to that an invasion of relatives antipodean in June...

Somebody here was asking about etched nameplates for "Valour" - these are FEP66715 in the FOX catalogue - really for the Class 66 but they do look the part.

My apologies if this is taken by the reader and moderators as direct advertising, it was my intention solely to answer the question posed here.

John
Manxman1831
NER C7 4-4-2
Posts: 877
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:06 pm
Location: Shiny Sheffield

Re: GCR conversions

Post by Manxman1831 »

I have asked both here and the GC society directly regarding Valour 'plates. Thank you for the info. (Starting saving for the B3 from here on in.)
Brian

Anything weird or unusual will catch my interest, be it an express or locomotive

I'm also drawn to the commemorative, let's hope Bachmann will produce 6165 Valour.
Woodcock29
LNER Thompson B1 4-6-0 'Antelope'
Posts: 686
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:59 am
Location: South Australia

Re: GCR conversions

Post by Woodcock29 »

Hi everyone

On my Valour (and City of Lincoln) I used Kings Cross plates as they were built 20+ years ago. Someone told me these were still available from somewhere at least until recently - does anyone know? Although they had to be cut out I still think their etching was far superior to anyone else who makes plates that I have seen. I also have Kings Cross Immingham plates for my B4 mentioned below.

For interest my future build program is:

B8 using Ks B2 boiler (old badly built kit bought for a song) and the custom etches I had done here in Adelaide in 2012, hopefully with either a modified Bachmann or Hornby tender (with Atlantic's water pickup covers etc fitted) if I can get one, in preference to the Ks tender which I think is a trifle short.

B4 using old unmade McGowan kit with Bachmann O4 boiler with modified firebox, with tender as above.

B9 using Millholme B5, including the boiler unless I end up with another spare Bachmann O4 boiler, and modified footplate.

B7 ?? I have a spare unmade NuCast version of the Ks B2 (sorry Earlswood Nob I don't wish to sell it) which I might get another custom B8 chassis for as the coupled wheelbase is the sameand I could make up the cylinders and slide bar block like I did for Valour.

O4/5 Bill Bedford 3D printed boiler on Bachmann WR ROD as this gives correct shaped footplate and front plate/frames with bolt heads
O5 ?? Maybe Bill Bedford if he produces this, on Bachmann O4 chassis but would need new footplate as it is wide all the way beyond cylinders.

I also have a Little Engines D10 to build (hopefully before Bachmann suddenly bring one out! This should be easy for Bachmann as the front frame on the D11/1 is only a plastic moulding which easily comes off and could easily be replaced with a correct moulding as can the cab)
L1 - I was given an old botched Kingdom Kits model which looks like it can be stripped and rebuilt.
J10 DJH to build
D6 DJH to build and kit bash to later version
Q4 Millholme kit to finish

Looks like I'll be busy for many years to come - don't think I'll bother to rebuild my old Bec J11 despite having part stripped it and having got all the bits I need. Also have a number of GN types to build - another love of mine, plus a lot of brass coaches and a layout to scenic - won't have any time for sleep!

Despite the above building program I do actually have a number of GC locos built and running - the B2 and B3 as well as B5, old Bec D11, old Ks O4 as well as Bachmann O4/1 and O4/3, NuCast C13, Craftsman A5, Sutherland F1 and Millholme N5. Might put some photos of these up a day or two.

Lets all hope for announcement by Bachmann in a weeks time of a nice black red-lined LNER D11/1 preferably in the first instance with the standard tender - Jutland would be very nice and could replace my old Bec model!

Well that's all for now.

Woodcock29
earlswood nob
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 1666
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:23 am
Location: Surrey

Re: GCR conversions

Post by earlswood nob »

Good morning all
Thanks to Woodcock for the info on "Valour" plates.
Thanks to JB on his update on Great Central Models program. No doubt he will have a vast range by the time I get competent enough to try an etched kit.
The first ever plates I used (for Wills A4)were from Kings Cross. They were quite simple to cut out if one did it in small strips.
I was quite sad (many years ago) when I drove by King Cross Models at the bottom of York Way one evening and saw it was closing down.
Don't worry Woodcock, I won't send one of my relatives around to steal your B2. They do crop up now and then, more commonly than a couple of locos that I'd like to buy.
I noticed an interesting Robinson loco in George Dow's Great Central Album. It was a C4 with walschearts valve gear. Apparently it was rebuilt back standard in 1922, so wouldn't fit in with a LNER layout.
Earlswood Nob
Horsetan
LNER P2 2-8-2
Posts: 959
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:46 pm

Re: GCR conversions

Post by Horsetan »

The Kings Cross nameplate range is still available from Geoff Burton in Winchmore Hill.
Woodcock29
LNER Thompson B1 4-6-0 'Antelope'
Posts: 686
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:59 am
Location: South Australia

Re: GCR conversions

Post by Woodcock29 »

Hello Horsetan

Can you please provide contact details for Geoff Burton as I'll be staying at Winchmore Hill in June.

Thanks

Woodcock29

(aem02457@bigpond.net.au)
Horsetan
LNER P2 2-8-2
Posts: 959
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:46 pm

Re: GCR conversions

Post by Horsetan »

Geoff Burton is at 6 Stratfield Park Court, London N21 1BU. Do a Google search.
auldreekie
GER D14 4-4-0 'Claud Hamilton'
Posts: 330
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 1:42 pm

Re: GCR conversions

Post by auldreekie »

Calling Earlswood Nob...

Some months ago you gave me a very helpful reference to a source for plastic tube in various useful diameters. You may well already know, as I have just discovered, that Plastruct also claim to produce butyrate tube (whatever that may be) in diameters from roughly 12mm to roughly 26 mm.


auldreekie
earlswood nob
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 1666
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:23 am
Location: Surrey

Re: GCR conversions

Post by earlswood nob »

Hiya Auldreekie
Thanks for the info AR, I'll look out for the supplier. I do have enough for now, but if ever I need more it's useful to compare prices etc.
I'm happy as anything at the moment as a parcel has just arrived containing a couple of loco kits that I won at auction.
They both have sets of Romford wheels with them, and both include motors, one being a brand new Portescap. The Portescap might well be sold on, and if it makes as much as the last one I sold; then I have the kits for nothing.
Earlswwod Nob
earlswood nob
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 1666
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:23 am
Location: Surrey

Re: GCR conversions

Post by earlswood nob »

Good morning all

Woodcock mentioned in his building plans that he had a Kays B2 to convert into a B8. I wondered if he had attempted the conversion.

I recently bought a job lot which included an unbuilt Kays B2, and as I now have cornered the Surrey market in B2's (I have three unbuilt kits), I thought about converting one into a B8. The two others will be built as a B2 and a B3.

At first glance it seems that the raised portion of the footplate needs to be replaced by a straight portion, with the splashers being cut down and used on the new footplate.

A new chassis will be needed, but I don't have any problems and already have built a chassis for the B2. The B8 chassis is similar with different axle spacing.

I won't be attempting this conversion for a few months, as I'm trying to get some discipline into my kit building. I have over forty unbuilt kits and now aim to do one a month until the pile is reduced. I am currently building a NuCast A5, to be followed by a Little Engines N1 and a couple of freight locos.

Happy New year

Earlswood nob
Woodcock29
LNER Thompson B1 4-6-0 'Antelope'
Posts: 686
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:59 am
Location: South Australia

Re: GCR conversions

Post by Woodcock29 »

Hi Earlswood nob

No I haven't got around to building the B8 yet - have been distracted with foreign locos such as Millholme LMS Dreadnoughts, of which I have built two as well as super detailing my 2001 and other recent RTR acquisitions. Currently I'm building brass GN coaches - have so far completed two D&S 6 wheelers with two more 6 wheelers and a 45' Lav BC on the go at present. I might have to build another C12 before the B8. The B8 might get started later in 2016, depending on whether or not I start on my Louth GN Quad as that is going to take some time probably later in the year and I need to practice articulation on a triplet to be built from three D&S 6 wheelers before that.

Your summation of converting the B2 into a B8 is basically correct. The Ks tender is not very good so I would recommend replacing it with a Bachmann tender if you can get one but you'll need to modify that for water pickup. The Ks tender needs that doing as well. On the Ks B2 kit I decided that the boiler was pitched about 2mm too low so lifted the height of that on my B2 and B3. Getting a decent chimney and dome for these is a bit problematic as well (at least for the late 30s period) - I cut down spare Craftsman A5 chimneys for the B2 and B3. But I have acquired PDK D11 brass chimney and dome for the B8.

The B9 I mentioned in my list above will now not be made from the B5 kit but from a set of nickel silver etches produced by Judith and Mike Edge which I learnt about from Tony Gee during my 2013 UK trip and subsequently purchased - they're not always available I understand. It will still need a Millholme B5 boiler and I have a spare from an old built B5 I picked up - maybe the spare unbuilt B5 will eventually get built as another B5?

I admire your discipline if you can stick to building a loco a month. I aimed to build 4 locos a year when I took early retirement a few years ago but have not got anywhere near that, perhaps the golf has got in the way? I also have over 40 locos to build including some rebuilds of old built kits I have acquired.

Woodcock29
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