All thumbs wrote:I have a photo (Hanson/1674) of N2/1 69490 so liveried (but without 'RA6' marking) on 19 Sept 1949 in the loco yard ("Bottom Shed") at Kings Cross. The photo is of the right-hand (i.e. driver's) side. The '6' and '9's are curly ones and it strikes me that the numbers are LNER Gill Sans as the figures appear larger than the lettering of the branding. I think I can just make out the edge of a smokebox numberplate but the smokebox handrail is above the top hinge strap and there is the usual plumbing on the front of the sandbox that is missing on the Hornby model. Other details I can see are vacuum pipe run from front to rear under footplate, Doncaster works plate on front splasher, external regulator rod, trip cock extending below bottom step of front footsteps, two footsteps on the front of the tank, Ross pops, cut-out for toe hold in cab doorway plated over, guttering above doorway, diagonal short hand grab above doorway, two footsteps on rear bunker. I can't make a call on the buffers - they could be GNR originals or LNER GS. Overall condition pretty grimy and grubby.
Excellent, many thanks. That is extremely helpful, I shall add that one to the list.
If you can put your hands on a copy, there was a good article by Alan Sibley in MRJ No 20 which ran through the major and minor variances of the various N2 parts and chronicled his own conversion of a Mainline body (he used a Perseverance chassis) to N2/2 (i.e. no condensing gear) 69552 as might have been running into Pampisford from Stratford in the mid-50s (unlined black with early emblem).
That sounds rather good, I shall look it up. Thanks for the tip.
If the resin-casting boys get to read this far I am sure there is a market for the later type condensing pipes, both long and short, that graced the N2/4s. The other request is for a decent after-market steam dome - the big drawback of the original Airfix mould is the most un-prototypical (ghastly!) smoothing of the skirts of the dome into the boiler cladding.
I agree entirely about the dome's skirt, although I feel in this instance, it's one of those bits of modelling I won't be bothering with myself on my N2s. Once the grime's on it hopefully won't be as noticeable.
I would agree that there is a need for the later condensing pipes. I have two Airfix examples which may tempt me to try and create the two main alternatives. Watch my own thread on projects for possible details.
There is also a picture in an old copy of Modellers Back Track, or is it Modelling Back Track, do not know which year or issue, I only kept the page with the picture.
It shows an un-condensed and un-lined N2/4, 69590, on an unusual goods train carry J class headlamps. The picture states that is was taken between Red Hall Signal Box and Hatfield on Sunday 16th April 1949, it is from the Eric Bruton collection.
I had a couple of spare sets of condensing pipes removed from Hornby N2s so I took one of the Airfix ones and have produced the original pattern of GER pipes as shown on the example below - note that the running number nor the BR livery applies in this case as the pipes were later cut back to enter the tanks near the front.
If you have produced a non condensing N2 then the spare pipes will enable you to do this conversion - otherwise the pipes will need to be made up from wire.
Oh - has anybody tried to remotor an Airfix/Dapol N2 with something more refined?
That looks a neat modification there SJ. I'm looking at a few photographs in Yeadon's and theres a lot more I probably need to change than I first thought for a few of them. There's a really bizarre one in there which has the smokebox numberplate under the bottom smokebox door strap. Looks really odd!
I did the conversions on these older models as a trial - a few more details need changing to be accurate including renumbering. Also the Airfix/Dapol/Hornby N2 represents one of the RHD GNR locos and one needs to add the appropriate ejector exhaust pipe from cab to smokebox on RH or LH side to be correct for the BR and later LNER eras.
Its as SAC says a need to study photos of the exact loco you want to model.
mossie wrote:There is also a picture in an old copy of Modellers Back Track, or is it Modelling Back Track, do not know which year or issue, I only kept the page with the picture.
It shows an un-condensed and un-lined N2/4, 69590, on an unusual goods train carry J class headlamps. The picture states that is was taken between Red Hall Signal Box and Hatfield on Sunday 16th April 1949, it is from the Eric Bruton collection.
One of my N2's is based on this picture.
Regards
Richard
Hi Mossie - please accept my apologies as I missed this bit of information. Thank you very much for the information, I will look into 69590 posthaste as another potential project.
There's a cracking photo of condenser fitted 69491 in MRJ 195, heading up Bob How's excellent Kings Cross article. It shows the early unlined livery, complete with curly sixes and nines, no smokebox number but the LNER no on the buffer beam.
There are quite a few N2s on offer on ebay at the moment. I've just acquired one from a split 1948 olympics set and have come to the conclusion it ought to be numbered as an N2/1 later series (without the handrails on the side of the tanks) 69520 - 69549, many of which were 34A. Alternatively 69490 - 69499 would do again nearly all KX engines.
Hi Platform 10 - thanks for the heads up. Delighted my choice of 69522 fits into that first number range. I need three more, in potentially interesting 1948-50 liveries.
I must go hunting for these MRJ articles soon. Am away on business for a good week from tomorrow so all modelling gets put on hold for a while.
Saint Johnstoun wrote:I had a couple of spare sets of condensing pipes removed from Hornby N2s so I took one of the Airfix ones and have produced the original pattern of GER pipes as shown on the example below - note that the running number nor the BR livery applies in this case as the pipes were later cut back to enter the tanks near the front.
If you have produced a non condensing N2 then the spare pipes will enable you to do this conversion - otherwise the pipes will need to be made up from wire.
Your photo is a bit dark so it is difficult to see where you have cut and shut - any chance of some sort of diagram to show where you applied the knife? Also how did you make up the new bracket on the top of the tank that gives support? And do you have a dimension for the wire needed if fashioning from scratch?
I agree with other comments about the mechanisims. The Hornby motored models are leaps ahead of the original Airfix/Mainline models.
Be gentle! Returning to the hobby after more than 20 years away...
I will post some drawings on here in due course showing the layout. The brackets were simply wire twisted round the pipe and then inserted into a hole in the top of the tanks.
Basically, the GER pipes are higher up so one needs to insert a 4mm piece between the flange where the pipe comes out of the smokebox and turns vertical, and use a spare pipe cut off at the same place to extend the horizonal part to the correct length - the turndown into the tanks is made using the 90 degree bend that came from the front at the rear with a little filing so that the whole thing is level.
The first locos fitted with the modified pipes had them enter the tank around half way along, but problems arose and they were all later cut back to enter the tanks near the front. You can only have the original pattern with LNER livery.
