The LNER Encyclopedia

Good morning all

I enjoying studying the variations produced for the G.C.R. 8K (O4) and 8M (O5) locos.

I have been looking at No 966, which was fitted with a 6ft diam boiler for alternative fuel experiments.

The loco looks like an 8M with a round top boiler. It has the side window cab like some 8Ms.

The 8Ms had a footplate that was made wider over the cylinders, which continued through to the cab.

A pic in the green book (RCTS 6B) seems to show that the footplate narrows at the rear of the cylinders, like the 8K. The pics in Yeadon (part 24A) do not make this clear.

I am wondering if the footplate remained the same width to the rear of the cylinders or was widened at the cab end to allow for a wider cab.

Earlswood nob

Subjectively, it looks as though the footplating was wider all the ay to the cab on the 8M's; and this makes sense in the context of the increased boiler size, to maintain the width of the spectacle plate windows.

No 966 makes a great subject with the side window cab (fitted to some - or all? - 8Ms) and the very large bogie tender. Almost like a foretaste of the O4/8 with the round topped firebox...

Earlswood

I think you are spot on about the footplate on 966. It certainly looks that way to me in the photo in RCTS. I couldn't find a photo of 966 in Yeadon , only 422 which does seem to have the conventional O5 footplate which is wide from the cylinders all the way back to the cab.

I've often thought about building an O5 they are very imposing engines with the large boiler. I got the Isinglass drawing for that very purpose but first I must build my B8 - again a rather imposing looking engine with the large boiler and flat footplate.

However at the moment I'm working out how to make an O4/3 with the flowerpot chimney, I've just acquired a cheap Bachmann WR ROD to use as the basis. This has the correct cab roof for an O4/3 (ex ROD) and a better footplate as the wide section is the correct length whereas that on the Bachmann O4 was too long. Hopefully they get this correct on the new version of ROD they have announced for 2018. The WR ROD requires the boiler and smokebox to be turned back to GC condition - mostly filing and filling. What I have to do is source a suitable flowerpot chimney or make one from something I have?

Andrew Emmett

G'day all

Thanks for the replies, which support my thoughts.

966 with the large boiler would make an impressive model. Perhaps I should put it on my roundtuit list.

The 8M (O5) is a good looking loco, and I started one a while ago, using a Kays O4 kit as a base. Alongside this I intend building an O4/6 from anothe Kays O4 (I bought several cheap), with the widened footplate and cab.

The B8 is another impressive loco, and would make an interesting comparism to the B6 with its large, but slightly shorter boiler.

Such are dreams

Earlswood nob

The original question intrigued me. I've now found time to locate the answer.

E.M Johnson's "Locomotives of the Great Central Railway" vol 2, top picture on page 73, shows the truth quite well, with a separate additional widened area of running plate below the taller, wider, twin side window cab fitted to 966 while carrying the 6 foot boiler. Original narrower part still in place between rear of cylinders and front of cab. An interestingly and uncharacteristically untidy arrangement on a Robinson loco!

Good morning all

Thanks to all for the information regarding 966's cab.

The two O4/4s had a similar arrangement, with the footplate widened beneath the cab.

The O4/4 also had a lengthened chassis to cope with the longer boiler.

966 had the same length boiler as a standard 8K, but the smokebox looks longer.

Earlswood nob