The LNER Encyclopedia

Some time ago I chanced upon a posting showing in great detail (and by individual locomotive) the various dates and works numbers when completed, and then changes into LNER and later BR numbers but in particular ALL the liveries over the years including dates when changes made from original livery 'out of works' (such as into Wartime Black, Experimental Purple) and I am interested in the same sort of detail for A1/A3s. Was this ever done and is it available on this forum?
Many thanks..
Graeme Leary (New Zealand)

Graeme

The RCTS Vol 2A carries all this info , along with cut off changes, double chimney fitments. trough deflectors and rh to lh drive,and withdrawal dates

Ron

Ron,

Many thanks for that but what are RCT's and where can I get them? (The very extensive A4 details I mentioned somehow appeared on some search I was doing at the time but have no idea how I found this and was hoping the like was available covering A1/A3s).

Also you might know - did any A3's carry smoke deflectors in LNER days? (I have the opportunity to get a Hornby model in BR livery which I would renumber and possibly rename as one from the LNER era but it has smoke deflectors and I'm not sure in my own mind if this would be correct).

Many thanks (and apologies for delay in acknowledging your reply - work, the curse of the modelling classes, had got in the way).

Graeme Leary

Hi Graeme

I just had a quick look through my copy of RCTS 2A...according to the chart in the back smoke deflectors didn't appear until 1960, most loco's having them fitted by 1962. One loco used a lot for experimentation did have a number of deflectors types fitted during LNER days, this was 2751 Humorist which throughout her career had many new ideas tried on her. Such ideas included, air duct discharging through rear part of dual chimney 1932, semi annular pattern chimney 1932, top smoke box cutaway with fitted vanes 1933, double blast pipe 1937, double chimney with vanes 1938. In 1948 Humorist had full smoke deflectors, there's probably a lot more info on her and her sisters within RCTS 2A, I've only looked at the photo's and the aforementioned chart for quick reference to give you an idea of the information within this great tome..

Pete

Many thanks mick b and greenglade for your help. Will follow up in near future, but in the meantime, would you know what livery Humorist would have been in during the time with the smoke detectors and all the other features you list. Presume quite likely LNER Green, or would it possibly have been Black? So many questions for a colonial to ask!
Regards
Graeme Leary
New Zealand

Hi Graeme,

The deflectors fitted to Humorist in 1948 were not the 'trough' type which were later fitted to the whole class as far as I remember, so the BR liveried model wouldn't be much use I'm afraid...

Danby Wiske wrote:Hi Graeme,

The deflectors fitted to Humorist in 1948 were not the 'trough' type which were later fitted to the whole class as far as I remember, so the BR liveried model wouldn't be much use I'm afraid...

Sorry wrong, Large A2 type were fitted to Humourist in 1947 LNER when she was No 97.

download/file.php?id=14268&mode=view

Danby Wiske wrote:Hi Graeme,

The deflectors fitted to Humorist in 1948 were not the 'trough' type which were later fitted to the whole class as far as I remember, so the BR liveried model wouldn't be much use I'm afraid...

By 'trough' deflectors, do you mean the 'German' style? Over in the current 'Blink Bonny' thread, 60061 is shown with the 'wing' deflectors, a la Mons Meg, etc. To me, they looked a bit out of place on an A3.

Mick,Being a pedant,

97 had the 'smaller 'type of deflectors as used on the Peppercorn A2 and A1
The largr deflectors were on the Thompson derived A2 (except the P2 rebuilds, which had the small wing deflectors as fitted to 61 and three other A3's)

Ron

mick b wrote:Sorry wrong

Why am I wrong, Mick?

Graeme was asking if he could use a BR-liveried A3 to represent Humorist in 1948 condition. I pointed out that the smoke deflectors would be wrong.

Your post provides further information, but it doesn't contradict mine...

Danby,
What is wrong with 97 in BR livery?
Its an A3 and ran with both types of lion on the tender in BR livery

Ron

Apologies to " Danby" I misread , as to misreading regarding A2 deflectors, where did I say a Thompson variant . I should have perhaps added "style" to the text as 1947 was mentioned

silverfox wrote:Danby,
What is wrong with 97 in BR livery?
Its an A3 and ran with both types of lion on the tender in BR livery

Ron

That wasn't what Graeme was asking. He wanted to know if he could renumber a BR-liveried Hornby A3 with smoke deflectors to represent Humorist in 1948 condition. As far as I know, the Hornby model has 'trough' (German) style deflectors, which would be incorrect...

Phew, didn't intend to 'stir up a hornet's nest' however, all this very helpful (and is there anywhere a photographic depiction of the different types of smoke deflectors - hadn't particularly noticed there were variations but maybe I've seen too few examples anyway).
Thanks
Graeme