Modifying the new B17?

[2002EarlMarischal]

As it seems that Hornby will not be producing any apple green B17s other than 2800 in 2013, I was wondering how easily that model could be modified to produce other versions of the B17?

I understand that the B17/1, 2 & 3 all had the GER style tender, but were different in terms of frames, springing & horn blocks. These detail differences may not be visible to the OO modeller.

B17/4s had the Group Standard tender of course, and Hornby don't yet do one of these in apple green.

2800 has the Westinghouse equipment which might be removable without too much damage.

Some of the B17s seem to have horizontal rather than sloping oil feed pipes.

Am I missing anything?

[jwealleans]

The B17/3 (I think) has a very prominent vacuum, reservoir on the top of the rear of the tender. You can see it in the picture below. I used a Dave Alexander tender and had to scratchbuild the top as the arrangement is quite different. I have a feeling the shape of the top of the front of the sides may be slightly inaccurate as well, although I built this in 2004 and dont' recall all the details now.



There were only three or four of this subtype and we did The Suffolk Regiment to keep away from football teams or big houses.

[Atlantic 3279]

You might have a bit of difficulty matching the shade of "LNER green" that Hornby have applied to Sandringham when you paint the tender.

Merry Christmas

[Brush53Falcon]

I am hoping that I may be able to simply put a Hornby B1 body on the chassis to make 61671 'Royal Soveriegn'. I did it may years ago putting a Replica body on the old Hornby B17, but I am waiting to see if this is now going to be easier as Hornby are manufacturing both body shells. I would have thought that the chassis blocks are very similar..........but knowing my luck they wont be!

[S.A.C. Martin]

I am hoping that I may be able to simply put a Hornby B1 body on the chassis to make 61671 'Royal Soveriegn'. I did it may years ago putting a Replica body on the old Hornby B17, but I am waiting to see if this is now going to be easier as Hornby are manufacturing both body shells. I would have thought that the chassis blocks are very similar..........but knowing my luck they wont be!

Can't remember off the top of my head what the B1 looks like, but I can say with certainty that the B17 chassis doesn't resemble the usual standard Hornby affair:



However I would have thought it possible to fit the B1 body on top.

I'm debating the advantages of this, as the B17 bodyshell includes in its smokebox, a significant diecast block for weight, which marries up to the front of the chassis perfectly. It begs the question as to whether you start with a B17 bodyshell and modify the running plate and cab, or a B1 bodyshell and modify the front end.

[Atlantic 3279]

I'm glad you've saved me the bother of taking my B17 body off the chassis to see what lies beneath. Ta Simon.

As regards the B2 idea, I'd definitely start from a B1 body but if you want a B2 to look dead-right there's a lot more to it than just carving some holes in the running plate and fitting some splashers. The boiler, and the high part of the running plate need to be raised by a millimetre compared to the cab and the buffer beam for instance, and the chimney needs to be changed. For most of the B2s you need a whole new tender too.

Going back to colour, the unduly blue "LNER green" on Sandringham looks so similar to the original eighties Margate brew on the tender drive locos of the day that I'd suggest it might not be far off the mixture I used years ago on the cylinders and other touched-in green areas on my detailed-up B17 and D49. That was something like 2-3 parts Railmatch "Darlington" green to 1 part Doncaster green, with suitable unifying varnish overall.

[S.A.C. Martin]

Graeme, wouldn't cutting and shutting the running plate at the front of a Hornby B17 body, and simply replacing the cab, like for like, provide a B2 as easily? Or are there more hidden pitfalls with starting from, say, a Hornby B17/6 (correct tender Thompson boiler but not cab) than a Hornby B1 bodyshell?

[S.A.C. Martin]

After realizing that I actually have a spare Hornby B1 chassis, complete with cylinders and valve gear, I'm now examining how easy it would be to transfer parts such as the cylinders across from one chassis to another.

I've had a look at photographs of Graeme's excellent Bachmann B1 to B2 conversion (page 1 of his thread, here) and I'm mulling over my next potential project. It was the only Thompson locomotive I couldn't see myself building any time soon, but I was presented with a fait accomplis by a friend and now I think I'll have to have a go later in the year.

But I am a bit vexed as to the choice of bodyshells. I can understand starting with a B1 bodyshell specifically for the cab and boiler types, but the B17/6 model Hornby offers has the boiler pitched at the right height for the B2, and if the attachment points are retained, won't require as much modification I would have thought?

On both bodyshells the top part of the running plate would have to be cut and either heightened on the B17/6, or have provision for splashers made on the B1. Swapping the chimney for a B1 type would also benefit the B17/6 conversion.

Am I overthinking this or missing something more fundamental?

[Horsetan]

Anyone fancy having a stab at the one and only B3/3?