Good morning to you in the northern hemisphere. We are soon entering yet another new year, so I thought it may be timely to get off my aris and start doing something! For the last few years, my pitifully small layout has lived in a corner of our bedroom, with my long suffering wife tripping over it regularly, then smiling sweetly and saying sorry and checking for damage. The time has come to move. Thus we have agreed to move my layout to become a shelf layout in our study, which suits us both a lot more. It does mean that it is no longer a roundy-round, but rather is an end to end, but that's OK as it means that I can reach the whole thing to work on it and I also have a proper work area, rather than sitting on the end of our bed trying to model.
So I am in the process of developing a new layout which will contain the basic elements of my current set-up. I won't lose too much of the important stuff, such as buildings, scenery and similar, "just" some track and an ability to drive in circles!
I am not much use with SCARM or the other techo things, so will design a rough plan, then build on the fly, which has always worked OK in the past, so should so do again. A few lessons learnt will also be applied this time so all should be good.
The main thrust of this is to ask for help identifying a UK loco that was exported to Aus. Over here, in Vic, they were referred to as the N class, but I have no idea what they are in UK. As stated above, I am not good with these 'pooter things, but have provided a link which will take you to the VR pix of this loco
http://www.victorianrailways.net/motive%20power/n_steam/nsteam.html
Would one of you please be good enough to look at this and identify the UK version and then also tell me who (if anyone) makes a version in N scale? Happy to go with GraFar, Bachmann, Union Mills or whoever, as long as I can get one. I am also getting, locally, the diesel N Class, which is locally made in Aus, so I am really trying to get into the spirit of N with this new layout!
I only model Victoria, so am trying to stick with geographically correct units, although I am not concerned with temporal accuracy as I am happy with the stereotype rather than the prototype.
Thanks in advance for any help proffered and also, a Happy New Year
Cheers, Bill.

While they were built in Glasgow by North British (NBL), it was a specific 'Export' design. There was no UK operated equivalent and no UK type that looks even remotely close...

There is nothing like in any of the UK ranges. Your best chance of finding a look-alike is probably going to be one of the Japanese manufacturers.

As Paul has said, there is no UK equivalent so you'd have to kit build one. Without knowing the driving wheel diameter it's difficult to even recommend a chassis you could use as a basis for conversion.

Thanks guys, but I am now depressed, like Marvin. Seriously, I suppose that I will just have to make do with an excursion train based on an A4. What a pity.
Cheers, Bill.

OK, so if I can't have an N class, how about this J class?
http://www.victorianrailways.net/motive%20power/jsteam/jsteam.html
Any thoughts on this, please?
Or this R class
http://www.victorianrailways.net/motive%20power/rsteam/rsteam.html  ?

Even as a non-kettle afficionado I'm pretty sure these are unlike anything which ever ran on Britannia's iron ways.

Quote from: PLD on December 31, 2015, 07:54:42 AM
There is nothing like in any of the UK ranges. Your best chance of finding a look-alike is probably going to be one of the Japanese manufacturers.

These look way bigger than Japanese steam locomotives, more American in scale.

We have the same problem here if we want to model SAR locos, no one makes them in N, there just isn't a big enough market.

You will need to do some detective work and look for something similar from the US, Japan or Germany and do some kit bashing. It might be worth looking at the Del Prado static models to see if they made anything you can convert.

Good Luck.

Thanks all.
Both the J and the R were made in UK, so wondering whether they were based on locos produced for UK or were exclusively for export to the colonies?
Thanks, Bill.

Something of the flavour of the N Class is captured by the new Arnold Mikado: a RENFE 141 available in both DC and DCC, and with sound for those who want it. It is a cracking little model:
http://www.hornbyinternational.com/en/arnold/3027-steam-locomotive-141f-2410-mikado-original-version-hn2236-hn2236s.html

Here's a thread on RMweb about British locos exported overseas: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/69632-british-outline-locos-overseas/

It might be worth enquiring there, as there are quite a few people with a lot of prototype knowledge around.

Hello Bill

Re: 'Both the J and the R were made in UK, so wondering whether they were based on locos produced for UK or were exclusively for export to the colonies?'


Unfortunately, (and illogically, as you have found), being 'Home'-built didn't guarantee that locomotives exported to the 'colonies' were based on 'Home' designs, and indeed in many instances, the exports were more powerful than anything that ever ran in the UK.  An added 'complication' is that the majority of steam locomotives constructed by British builders for export (especially towards the end of the steam era - 1950's period) were in fact not designed by the constructing companies in the UK, but were rather products of the design offices of the railways concerned.  In this instance, although the 'J' and 'R' were built in Britain, they were to VR designs (not Vulcan [J] or North British [R]), and in accordance with plans drawn in Melbourne. The construction was, if you will, 'contracted out' - usually to the lowest or (sometimes) 'government preferred' bidder'. 

Hope that this helps - and the your quest proves successful. Unfortunately it appears that doesn't seem to be anything for you locally; at least not from Badger or Aust-N-Rail. As others will no doubt be interested in what you find, please keep us informed as to your progress.

Thank you all, especially those who have gone to the trouble of doing some very thorough research. One of the reasons this forum is so great.
If I do find and proceed, then I will be sure to keep you informed and also learn to take and  load pix!
Cheers, Bill.

Quote from: railsquid on January 01, 2016, 03:45:06 AM

Quote from: PLD on December 31, 2015, 07:54:42 AM
There is nothing like in any of the UK ranges. Your best chance of finding a look-alike is probably going to be one of the Japanese manufacturers.

These look way bigger than Japanese steam locomotives, more American in scale.

American in size perhaps, but certainly as I said closer in APPEARANCE to Japanese prototypes...

There is a Japanese 2-8-0 that looks a little like the J and which might modify into something close.

Is the R class or something close to it in the Delprado range?

Les