Fictitious Locomotives?

[Dorsetmike]

Thinking about the proposed Urie 4-8-0 I mentioned way back in this thread, does anybody know if a 4-8-0, 4-8-2 or 4-8-4 chassis  with small drivers (about 5' +/- 3") has ever been produced in N gauge? Looking at 0-8-0, 2-8-0 and 2-8-2 chassis the cylinders would need moving forward and hand/eye coordination (as I approach 82 next month ) is starting to be a challenge and valve gear mods would be a PITA. Also quite a few of the German chassis I've looked at the pistons drive onto the 3rd driver not the second, although that might be possible to change which would move the cylinders forward.

I need to find a very cheap  spares or repair to play with.

Edit; maybe a 2-10-0 and drop out the front drivers and swap pony truck for a bogie

[N-Gauge-US]

Thinking about the proposed Urie 4-8-0 I mentioned way back in this thread, does anybody know if a 4-8-0, 4-8-2 or 4-8-4 chassis  with small drivers (about 5' +/- 3") has ever been produced in N gauge? Looking at 0-8-0, 2-8-0 and 2-8-2 chassis the cylinders would need moving forward and hand/eye coordination (as I approach 82 next month ) is starting to be a challenge and valve gear mods would be a PITA. Also quite a few of the German chassis I've looked at the pistons drive onto the 3rd driver not the second, although that might be possible to change which would move the cylinders forward.

I need to find a very cheap  spares or repair to play with.

Edit; maybe a 2-10-0 and drop out the front drivers and swap pony truck for a bogie

I know you said cheap, but there may be a used one easily sourced, however Dapol makes the 2884 Class (which for some idiotic reason they insist on terming the 38xx class sometimes, which is a totally different 4-4-0 GWR class...) which is a 2-8-0 with drivers that are theoretically 4' 7 1/2" (55.5"). Upon measuring, my 2884 has drivers that are 12/32" which equates to exactly 55.5" at scale, so I must say Dapol should get some credit for faithfulness!

Bachmann USA makes a 2-10-2 that might do as the drivers appear quite small. http://www.ehattons.com/91666/Bachmann_USA_83353_USRA_Light_2_10_2_Steam_Locomotive_Southern_5210/StockDetail.aspx I'm sure you can find one used. Just linked to Hattons for ease. 

[Jollybob]

Thinking about the proposed Urie 4-8-0 I mentioned way back in this thread, does anybody know if a 4-8-0, 4-8-2 or 4-8-4 chassis  with small drivers (about 5' +/- 3") has ever been produced in N gauge? Looking at 0-8-0, 2-8-0 and 2-8-2 chassis the cylinders would need moving forward and hand/eye coordination (as I approach 82 next month ) is starting to be a challenge and valve gear mods would be a PITA. Also quite a few of the German chassis I've looked at the pistons drive onto the 3rd driver not the second, although that might be possible to change which would move the cylinders forward.

I need to find a very cheap  spares or repair to play with.

Edit; maybe a 2-10-0 and drop out the front drivers and swap pony truck for a bogie

I know you said cheap, but there may be a used one easily sourced, however Dapol makes the 2884 Class (which for some idiotic reason they insist on terming the 38xx class sometimes, which is a totally different 4-4-0 GWR class...) which is a 2-8-0 with drivers that are theoretically 4' 7 1/2" (55.5"). Upon measuring, my 2884 has drivers that are 12/32" which equates to exactly 55.5" at scale, so I must say Dapol should get some credit for faithfulness!

Bachmann USA makes a 2-10-2 that might do as the drivers appear quite small. http://www.ehattons.com/91666/Bachmann_USA_83353_USRA_Light_2_10_2_Steam_Locomotive_Southern_5210/StockDetail.aspx I'm sure you can find one used. Just linked to Hattons for ease.

Kato sell spare chssis, you can get an 8 coupled motorised chassis for about £32.
Although you will need to hack a few parts off. 

[Dorsetmike]

I've got a Minitrix 9F coming next week, so I'll see how that goes.

As for the 2-6-2, I received a V2 this morning, and the best fit is with a BHE N15 body, the Langley S15 is a fraction smaller inside and would need some metal removing for it to fit, the Jubilee body is about the same length but no room inside for a motor without some serious hacking. Have to remove a bit of metal from under the front of the boiler and smoke box to allow the chassis to be moved forward so the cylinders align with the smoke box. The rear pony truck will need some considerable "trimming" to move it forward, at the moment the wheels line up with the cab steps.

Had a thought, did new locos ever do any service trial running in "shop grey"? Would certainly save some decorating!

[railsquid]

Had a thought, did new locos ever do any service trial running in "shop grey"? Would certainly save some decorating!

Not sure if this helps, but I'm sure I read somewhere that at least one of the Big Four let new locomotives be filmed in unpainted (poss. shop grey) condition at they showed up better on black and white film. I'll sleep on it and see if any references pop up.

[GeeBee]

Tornado was shown off in grey at the GCR in  2009

[Jollybob]

I do believe that when the LMS Princess Elizabeth was built it was pressed into service so quickly that firstly it was in works grey and a little latter on it was seen in pink as the undercoat had been applied. 

[Dorsetmike]

I knew about the "photographic grey", was wondering how much - if any - service running was done.

[Dorsetmike]

Got my order from NBrass this morning, so decided to do some investigation. The cab, bunker and tank sides of the G6 kit measure up a feww mm short, however they are at the edge of the etch so I cut them out keeping the edge which gives me just enough extra length. The gap was filled in with solder then filed flat.

I then took a razor saw to remove the bunker, cab and tank sides from the footplate of the M7, that's when I found out the boiler is a separate item which makes some things easier. I've now got the brass bits partway assembled, I've retained the M7 cab roof and spectacle plates, - less fiddly soldering - and glue is now setting on the join between brass and the plastic roof etc. I've been taking a few pics which I will post later.

One minor glitch, the boiler is a bit short, so I need to figure best way to extend it a bit, cab on the M7 is a bit further forward on the M7 than the T1. Then I still have to attack the bogie, wheelbase needs shortening.

Edit; found room for some more weight, so will pour some "liquid Gravity" into the space, the weight in the boiler is a smaller diameter than the boiler so there is a bit of space there

[N-Gauge-US]

Got my order from NBrass this morning, so decided to do some investigation. The cab, bunker and tank sides of the G6 kit measure up a feww mm short, however they are at the edge of the etch so I cut them out keeping the edge which gives me just enough extra length. The gap was filled in with solder then filed flat.

I then took a razor saw to remove the bunker, cab and tank sides from the footplate of the M7, that's when I found out the boiler is a separate item which makes some things easier. I've now got the brass bits partway assembled, I've retained the M7 cab roof and spectacle plates, - less fiddly soldering - and glue is now setting on the join between brass and the plastic roof etc. I've been taking a few pics which I will post later.

One minor glitch, the boiler is a bit short, so I need to figure best way to extend it a bit, cab on the M7 is a bit further forward on the M7 than the T1. Then I still have to attack the bogie, wheelbase needs shortening.

Edit; found room for some more weight, so will pour some "liquid Gravity" into the space, the weight in the boiler is a smaller diameter than the boiler so there is a bit of space there

Mike,

Thank you for the update! Did you mean for this update to be here though: http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=31654.msg364315#msg364315

Very exciting progress, Mike! I can't wait to see what you come up with this time! I always love your how-to pictures showing your process! 

[Jollybob]

I knew about the "photographic grey", was wondering how much - if any - service running was done.

Sorry, I'm pretty sure it's in one of my books but as I'm moving home, my library has been packed away for now. 

On the other hand though, your projects sound great and i can't wait to see some pictures soon.

Rob.

[N-Gauge-US]

So I have been thinking about the idea of creating a fictional locomotive for my world as mentioned above and I also have been looking at getting into kit building. As a project, I am going to buy a cheap n gauge or n scale steam locomotive and get a variety of parts from N Brass or BH Lines or somewhere and start by seeing what all I can do. I may try to find an appropriate boiler and tanks and cab and replace the whole body for a mostly scratch built locomotive if I get really brave. I have placed bids on 7 locomotives of eBay (though two are for another project), so I sort of hope that I don't win them all! I do hope I end up with one or two though I will keep everyone in the loop if this project moves forward!

[Jollybob]

Sounds good, I'm sure we will all be waiting to see what your imagination can produce. 

On that subjuct, I to am planning on building a GET fictitious locomotives, I'm looking at making a 4-6-0, outside cylinder tender loco with freight wheels and a parallel boiler.
If you know GWR locomotives relatively well then it should be pretty easy to imagine what will be made.

I already have a spare GP Chassis to start with. I just need to source out some valve gear.

Any suggestions?

Rob.

[Dorsetmike]

If it's to be GWR inspired then it doesn't need complex valve gear, just the bit from the piston to the driven wheel, look at any GWR 4-6-0, no Walschearts or other complications. It's only when you get to proper railway companies    that you find outside gear.

If you want a good 4-6-0 chassis with smallish wheels (10.8 diam scales 5'3") then the Fleischmann 7160, 7161, 7162 etc is a good start, you can either use its 8 wheel tender drive or a Union Mills drive if you want a 6 wheeler. You can keep the valve gear or carefully trim it off.

Brass tube for a parallel boiler, if you want a round topped firebox, cut a "T" shaped slot in the bottom half of one end of the tube and open it out, Belpaire cut from sheet brass and bend over end of boiler and use modelling putty or some other filler to shape the front of it.

Boiler bands, I use a lathe to turn and remove a few thou between the smoke box and boiler bands, leaving smoke box and boiler bands unturned, I've also seen very thin plastic strip fixed round the boiler, and for smokebox a wrapper of brass shim.

If you're building in brass and soldering, assembling the cab can be fun - not! Problem being you can solder a cab side to the floor, roof or front no problem, until you try and add the next piece when the solder from the first join will melt. The solution is to have a variable temperature soldering iron and a number of different melting point solders, do the first join with the highest MP solder, turn down the iron temp to that of the next highest MP, solder the next join, repeat  turning down iron and using next MP solder, when you run out of solders use glue, or you could use glue all the way, the reason I solder as much as possible is that most glues that will stick metal will leave a fillet, so if I need to use glue on a cab it will be for the roof as that will be least visible when complete. Using heat sinks in N gauge can be a bit iffy as you can't often get sufficient surface area to place one.

[Jollybob]

That all sounds terribly complicated, thank God that there was at least one non propper company that kept everything simple so making models of them easy.
On a proper note though, thank you for the advice, i''ll probably try a few experiments to see what is best firstly and then I'll move forward from there.

Rob.