Great British Locomotives Magazine

[Kestrel]

Oooops again
I really should look things up before I post.
Gadwall was the first A4 to be renamed Sir Ralph Wedgwood, and Herring Gull was renamed Sir Ralph Wedgwood after the first was destroyed.
I prefer the bird names over the people names. My solitary A4 is an old Wills kit with a single chimney and built as 4486 Merlin. The original Hornby chassis has been replaced by a Comet A3 chassis. The magazine A4 will probably become Capercaillie which was built with a double chimney and non-corridor tender, and IMHO is a beautiful name, but I don't think they were good flyers. However, I'm sure they were good to eat.
Earlswood nob

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capercaillie

[S.A.C. Martin]

A4 conversions 1.jpg

Successfully Devalanced one of the GBLC bodies yesterday. This will become Seagull as running in the 1948 Locomotive Exchanges.

Excellent work there. Bodes well for me and my job lot of GBL bodies!

Simon's work on the GBL Mallards


More pictures and what I've done thus far at the above link. Here's a pic of my prototype 2 running in this afternoon, now fully attached to the chassis.

[52D]

A quick tip, if you have been careful when you demounted your A4 keep the base fit a set of peco or other buffers to one end and add a little paintwork to blend things in. Remove the sticker and bobs your uncle a good plinth for photographing other locos. After peeling off the Mallard sticker a dymo tape marker can be used to great effect on the flat section left.

[earlswood nob]

Aternoon all
Thanks for the ref about Capercaillie. I knew they were similiar to grouse, but I've never eaten either.
Even plump pheasants don't like flying, but they can run fast.
However, they are probably tough at this time of year. I'm smoking duck tonight.
Perhaps my interest in eating game birds is why I like the A4 bird names.
Earlswood nob

[Saint Johnstoun]

Simon - I have valve gear from both the Hornby A3 and A4 chassis (deluxe version) and the A3 valve gear is different inasmuch as the bracket carrying the expansion links that fixes them to the top of the chassis is cranked on the A3 and straight on the A4. This is what accounts for your height difference when fitted to an A4 body. Where I am using an A3 chassis I change the cylinders and valve gear for A4 ones - the A3 ones go into the spares dept for future use.

At a standstill with mine at present until more handrail knobs arrive - I've already installed 120!

[S.A.C. Martin]

Simon - I have valve gear from both the Hornby A3 and A4 chassis (deluxe version) and the A3 valve gear is different inasmuch as the bracket carrying the expansion links that fixes them to the top of the chassis is cranked on the A3 and straight on the A4. This is what accounts for your height difference when fitted to an A4 body. Where I am using an A3 chassis I change the cylinders and valve gear for A4 ones - the A3 ones go into the spares dept for future use.

At a standstill with mine at present until more handrail knobs arrive - I've already installed 120!

That's odd SJ - on my example (Railroad Scotsman) it isn't cranked. Different setup on this Railroad one (I bought it second hand - perhaps it had its valve gear changed at some point)? It looks like it shares the same type as the Tornado model. I will take your words on board and see if I have a spare set of A4 valve gear in stock. Many thanks for the heads up.

[Saint Johnstoun]

A1 / A3 valve gear is X9382, A4 is X9321.


Got another two today as newsagents in Scone still had - will stow the four I have not touched away for future projects.

[Kestrel]

I raided two Asdas today and took my total up to 29. I think I'll call it quits now as I have a deadline of 1937. With 25 locos and 2 renames by the end of that year, it leaves two for East Anglian and City of London. By the end of 1937, only 4 of the 25 A4s in service had non-corridor tenders.

Just looking at the Green Bible and here's one for someone to create.

No 4489 Woodcock. Built in May 1937, she "was in service originally in shop grey but with green painted coupled wheels", before becoming Dominion of Canada in blue a month later.

Woodcock reappeared in July 1937 as No 4493 in green.

More trivia is that Great Snipe appeared in green as number 4495 in August 1937, only to be renamed Golden Fleece in blue a month later.

Great Snipe reappeared in blue in November 1937 as 4462, only to renamed William Whitelaw in July 1941.

But of course you already know this (lol).

If anyone is stuck for details and hasn't access to the Green Bible, just shout and I'll see if I can help. Nothing too hard, mind.

Tuesday 4th March at 13:00 hrs
for 29 now read 38.
Talk about Gresley Beat, it'll be the A4 Beat and it's all because my parents, God rest their souls, bought me a Hornby Dublo Silver King for Christmas in 1956.

[2002EarlMarischal]

Just looking at the Green Bible and here's one for someone to create.

No 4489 Woodcock. Built in May 1937, she "was in service originally in shop grey but with green painted coupled wheels", before becoming Dominion of Canada in blue a month later.

Here's one I did earlier as they say!

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6403&start=150

See about half way down the page.

[2002EarlMarischal]

As you have mentioned it Kestrel, there's also William Whitelaw as it appeared for just 3 months or so with partial removal of valences - you don't get much more unique than that!

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6403&start=135

[earlswood nob]

Afternoon all
One point, Kestrel, about your planned conversion of an A4 to a B17/5; the B17/5 running plate was the same with from the front to the cab, but the A4 running plate narrowed near the cab due to the wide firebox.
It's not impossible, but it will require some clever reshaping of the firebox, or what's left of it after shortening the boiler.
Best of luck with your fleet of A4's.
Earlswood nob

PS. I think a P2 might be possible from marrying an A3 boiler in between an A4 nose and cab.

[Mercator II]

Two more added to pile pile today, WHSmiths still had plenty in Skegness, so if anyone wants them, tomorrow is the last day before issue two comes out

So after a bit of off line talking with Saint Johnstone as he has had some cracking ideas

So the plans using my 6 are:

1into an A4 with single chimney in LNER Apple Green
1 into the proposed V2 as per St J's method, Apple Green with a twist
1 into a W1 but with a twist
2 will donated the cab glazing for the C1 already on the bench, and the B17/5 already built
And one spare for that future pile!!

Will I get any of the other issues? Might be tempted with the Flying Scotsman for its tender, currently don't have plans for any A3 bashing

oOo

Brian

[Saint Johnstoun]

I took my original B17 conversion apart to see how I coped with the narrow firebox. It was 25+ years ago but I seem to have used the backhead and part of the cab from an ordinary B17, and the portion of 'wide' firebox has been filled and profiled to suit the join to the cab. I am about to start on the new body, unfortunately I don't have a L/d B17 yet to mate it up to so I hope that I can get it right without!

[Mercator II]

I took my original B17 conversion apart to see how I coped with the narrow firebox. It was 25+ years ago but I seem to have used the backhead and part of the cab from an ordinary B17, and the portion of 'wide' firebox has been filled and profiled to suit the join to the cab. I am about to start on the new body, unfortunately I don't have a L/d B17 yet to mate it up to so I hope that I can get it right without!

When I made my B17/5 I cheated and used the Dean Sidings kit, but like usual I made a twist. Instead of using the Hornby t/d as designed too, I instead used the old Bachmann B1 with the front cut down to fit the sloping nose. The wheel spacing is the same and with the valances on you can not tell the wheels are too small (1mm in 00)

So maybe the new Bachmann B1 or new Hornby B1 might also provide possible donor chassis

http://www.modelrailforum.com/forums/in ... =0&start=0

Above is the link to my build thread way back in 2008 over on the 'other forum'

oOo

Brian

[earlswood nob]

Good morning all
I also "cheated"? by using a Golden Arrow kit. I fitted a Comet B17 chassis for the loco, and a replacement chassis (Mainly Trains?) for the tender. It was the first loco I built when I got back into modelling five years ago.
I don't know how anyone can resist the LNER, when you see several Bugatti nosed locos together.

Earlswood nob

PS I grew up and live in the Southern Railway area, so I'm not hereditary biased.