The LNER Encyclopedia

Hi
I am building the DJH J50 which is a new direction for me and I have a couple of questions that perhaps someone could help me with.

1. The body has gone together well but I have reached the point where I need to complete the cab. Adding the firebox/backhead and rear spectacle plate will make it near impossible to paint the cab interior so I want to do this before continuing. But what colour? I found a picture of a model that had been painted white or offwhite, but prototype photos all look dark and dingy.

Please excuse my ignorance of the prototype!

2. In all the photos I have found the rear cab windows have a very prominent grille. Nothing is supplied by DJH and I wondered if anyone knew if any etch was available elsewhere or if it is normal to just use brass wire.

Cheers

Simon.

Hi Simon,

Practice in some parts of the LNER was to paint cab interiors a buff colour (see pictures of the surviving J15, for example). I don't know whether that was the case at Doncaster. It may have been a depot initiative.

I think Mainly Trains do an etch of cab grilles for just that kind of application, though I'm not sure whether any are the right size or shape for the J50.

mainly trains sell an etch of spectacle plates- although round-section wire always looks better in my opinion (that said- I ain't ever tried soldering it on in anything less than 7mm scale!)

The cab colour seems to be cream on preserved locos of this vintage, but then again- who knows?! The preserved GNR J16 and Stirling single both seem to have dark GNR green cab interiors- above the waistline anyway. However, both are green-livery engines.

Afraid I haven't got a detailed painting scheme for GNR locos. But I doubt many people would argue with you if you went for a buttery cream colour, especially if modelling it in the LNER or BR period. Jim McGowan of Connoiseur models seems to take this opinion in his instructions for his 7mm scale J50.

Will

edit: beaten to it by JWELLEANS

Many thanks for the replies. It will give me a chance to get a move on on my day off.

I have ordered the Mainly Trains etch so will see how it looks. I forgot to say I am in 4mm and soldering up some brass wire would be fiddly to say the least.

Another question, again due to difficulty of finding decent photographs. I am building one with the plated-in bunker rails, this is supplied as a piece of etched material which looks like it will fold up to make a sharp corner but I think it should be rounded off. It is difficult to see clearly in the books I have, or the Isinglass drawing for that matter.

Cheers
Simon.

simonh wrote:Another question, again due to difficulty of finding decent photographs. I am building one with the plated-in bunker rails, this is supplied as a piece of etched material which looks like it will fold up to make a sharp corner but I think it should be rounded off. It is difficult to see clearly in the books I have, or the Isinglass drawing for that matter.

Bunker rails had square corners. Look at the photos of locos with open rails an you will see a single support at each corner. Had the rail had round corner there would have been two supports one either side of the curve.

Ah that is good news, the 'easy' option is always favourite.

Thanks.