GCR loco kits in N gauge

[Chris Grouse]

Has anybody had experience of or built any of the various GCR loco kits that are available in N gauge/2mm scale? I've got an O4 and L1/3 that were already finished when I bought them, but I'd really like another O4, and I wouldn't mind tackling Worsley Works C4 and C13 etches/kits. Surely though there's somebody out there that's built some of these kits?

Chris

[Atlantic 3279]

It may be useful for you to seek out and contact "Atso", one of the contributors to this forum. I know nothing about N Gauge but he will probably guide you.

Do you know the origin of your L1 kit by any chance?

[Chris Grouse]

The L1 is a Langley kit, am having issues with the bogie on it, really primitive!

[wehf100]

The Worsley works kits are just scratchbuilding aids- brass only. There are not many location tabs and no instructions
They do fit very well though, so shouldn't present a problem if you have decent etched-brass skills/knowledge. Tricky bits include making the boilers from plain brass sheet- you can rarely get brass tube in the right diameter so you have to roll your own, so to speak. Overall, probably easier than making that mishapen lump of whitemetal from Langley even vaguely resemble a locomotive!

The big problem (with any kit in N gauge actually) is how you motorise it. Really, these are designed for 2mm modellers who build their own chassis. I tried fitting a Dapol M5 under the C13, but the 'block' is too large in every dimension. A Dapol 14xx might just fit, but again, not without substantial modification to the block. Scratchbuild is really the only proper option I think. Fine if you're happy doing it, but if so, why not go the whole hog and convert to 2mm finescale?

regds,
Will

[Chris Grouse]

Going into 2mm scale isn't going to happen, as there's too much RTR stuff I own/want and the cost of converting all my stock is prohibitive, plus I like to have my mates bring their stock over for running sessions....
I thought maybe the Worsley Works locos would be no good for me, if there was a suitable chassis and wheels and if there was a set of motion for the C4 then maybe, as I could get away with a Union Mills tender and drive. I'm going to end up with 4 different GC types when I finally get round to buying a Director, might even see if I can doctor the D11 to make a D10. Most of the GC types were withdrawn by the mid 50's anyway, so I will resign myself to not being able to gave more ex GC locos.

Chris

[richard]

Haven't tried the L1, but I've found the Langley kits a mixed bag. The N2 isn't bad but is let down by the "old Farish" chassis. The B1 is almost all one large casting, but it needs a lot of cleaning up. Of course neither are GCR but it gives you an idea of what they are like.

I think GEM used to make a D11 Director kit? I did have a half-built one I bought but then sold on before I got around to fixing it.

[Chris Grouse]

Both locos are let down by the old Farish chassis! I bought a newer 61XX chassis for the L1, and as I bought a completed N2 on eBay, I'll probably end up trying to get a better chassis for the N2 as well. I'm told that N2's did occasionally run on the GC, and one or two may even have spent time at Annesley in BR days.
As for the B1, don't think I'll bother, as I've already got 2 RTR B1's...
Union Mills do a D11 Improved Director, and very smart it looks too!

My O4 is apparently a Foxhunter kit...

[Atso]

It may be useful for you to seek out and contact "Atso", one of the contributors to this forum. I know nothing about N Gauge but he will probably guide you.

Do you know the origin of your L1 kit by any chance?

Thanks Graeme!

To the best of my knowledge there are eight locomotives that the N gauge GCR modeller can have without having to resort to scratchbuilding:

J11 - Union Mills
D11 - Union Mills/GEM
O4 - Foxhunter
L1 - Langley/Dean Sidings
C13 - Worsley
C4 - Worsley
A5 - Graham Hughes (long out of production and expensive when they come up on ebay!)
M1 - Graham Hughes

The O4 kit is a Foxhunter model and one of the better white metal kit ranges. I've not built the O4 myself but did have a stab at the K3 kit a little while back and while a little fiddly proved to be a good kit. I have to agree with Richard and Will that the Langley range can be a bit of a mixed bag in terms of quality, also many have compromises to the lengths and heights to fit the available chassis of the times. I do have the L1 kit but is sits unbuilt in its box at the moment. The closest to accurate chassis available is the LMS Jinty - I'm waiting for Farish's new one to be released before having a go. Actually the Jinty wheelbase doesn't look too bad under a J50 body either - not quite the right wheel spacing but the wheelbase is more or less the right length! I believe that Dean Sidings will be releasing a resin L1 in the near future (if not already available). I've seen the prototype and think it is a big improvement on the Langley version.

Worsley kits will require a bit of scratch building and/or out of the box thinking to get the boiler, fittings, etc. With patience these do built up into nice models. However, be warned these do not come with any instructions and when I built my V1 body kit (my only etched kit to date which still hasn't got a chassis or been painted!) I did have a few occasions when I had to unsolder bits and pieces as my thoughts on the correct built process had proven incorrect!

I can't speak for the old Graham Hughes range. I do have one of his J50 kits but I never got around to building it (it cost me £50 second hand and I wasn't experienced/brave enough at the time to build it!). The castings look quite nice but for a bit more information on the range (although sadly no A5 featured) I would have a look at this thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3553 However, a picture of an A5 body can be found here (sorry the auction has finished): http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/g ... -168889387

The GCR is not really my area of expertise, however there are a few locos that I would like to have myself. I am unable to get hold of a Foxhunter O4 at the moment (and looking at the £50+ price tag of the LMS G2 kit I'm not inclined to!) so I'm currently designing one to have 3D printed as part of my next order. Lord knows what I'll use for the loco chassis (I like see through wheels!) but Dapol 2-8-0 looks like a strong candidate. Not far into the design yet but this is where I'm at:

Other than the D11, I would also like to have a 'Sir Sam Fay' class (LMS Jubilee loco chassis is close to the correct wheelbase) which again will be 3D printed.

I agree that the older Farish chassis let down quite a lot of kits but the newer models (with see through spokes) are really quite good. For my own N2, I used a butchered Farish 3MT chassis. Despite the underscale wheels and slightly short wheelbase I think it is an improvement on the Langley recommended GWR 2-6-2 chassis. Picture below (N2 body is not the Langley one and sorry to those who have seen this one before):

Hope this helps.

[wehf100]

Atso,

how about this for the chassis for a 04?

http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default ... D=ATH10924

It is tender motored+ loco drive via a carden shaft. Their 2-6-0 is a superb runner.

Will

[Atso]

Thanks Will,

That does look nice but the prices asked did make my eyes water!

I'll have to have a little think, but Shapeways is now offering brass castings of 3D prints (at a price) so it might be time to experiment with a customer job...

Thanks again, I'll stop hijacking this thread now!

[Chris Grouse]

My O4 uses the old Farish 8F chassis, a bit rubbish though as the pick ups are only on 3 of the 4 axles, and it can be really temperamental with even slightly dirty track...
I was considering getting hold of a Union Mills motorised GCR tender and stripping the Farish motor out. Same with my 3 kit built J39's...
I spoke to the proprietor of Dean Sidings at Warley, their L1/3 isn't ready yet, and probably won't be for quite a while yet, which is a shame, as their other locos look spot on!