NGaugeNow! Top 10 most wanted steam specific locos

[Newportnobby]

Wish lists appear in abundance on fora, either in specific threads or by sneaking one in to someone else's thread, but in the Spring 22 (issue 29) NGaugeNow! magazine they have listed the first 5 of their top ten most wanted steam locos in N (the next 5 will appear in the following issue). Two from each of the 'Big Four' and 2 Standards will make up the 10
Part One - Great Western, Southern and the LMS

Collett 6000 class 'King' 4-6-0
Collett 32xx class 'Earl' or 'Dukedog' 4-4-0 (despite Union Mills knocking out the Dukedog)

Maunsell 'Lord Nelson' 4-6-0
USA 0-6-0T (US Army Transportation Corps S100 class) 'Dock' tank

Midland Railway 2P/4P 4-4-0

For each they have given the real history and any model history existing

Being a transition modeller steam is certainly of interest to me and I have my own 'wish list' like most others but will have to wait to see what the next 5 proposed locos will be before making comments

[chrism]

Midland Railway 2P/4P 4-4-0

Farish did this in the Poole era, but hasn't Union Mills also done it?

[martyn]

I'm also not going to get into a 'wish list' scenario at this stage, but for the LNER, lack of tank engines of all sorts is a major gap; and despite early suggestions that they might shrink ray some 4mm stuff, Bachmann haven't done so.

LNER is difficult as there weren't many widespread 'standard' classes, and most of these didn't appear until late in the LNER existence or BR days.

Also, our 3D printing experts have covered some of the gaps for those who which to go down that route, subject to availability.

Martyn

[Roy L S]

I don't think availability of N steam locos has been as dire since Bachmann outsourced the Poole operation to China just over what 20 years ago. Bachmann has a huge tooling portfolio but the shelves of Barwell are virtually empty. The the small number of types to come have no dates yet, just "awaiting". We know Bachmann do things differently now, but I very much doubt an influx via quarterly announcements, it isn't realistic given the global situation and limited production at Kader.

Dapol have done some welcome "re-treads" but nothing 100% new in the pipeline. The M7 chassis upgrade looks good and the addition of a digital version sensible, I reckon there will be a few conversions to G5 etc, in fact a 3D printed body to fit it would seem very sensible once dimensions are known.

That leaves Sonic (not sure about Rapido for N steam) the J50 is a great choice to fill the LNER tank loco void a bit, but looking at this not just from a wishlist perspective but what would attract most sales universally what is there?

GW Mogul must be way up there as a widely travelled and fairly long lived mixed traffic class, I could justify one on my layout not needing to engage "Rule 1", the Robinson ROD 2-8-0 had a long life and was used quuite widely (including abroad). K3 or K4 for LNER including in the latter's case a preserved one. Southern the Bullied light pacifics appear a "no brainer" but Dapol haven't progressed their proposed model in spite of announcing it years ago. I think KR have illustrated that demand for a King is not really there in spite of wish-lists. One that stands out for me in terms of LMS s the un-rebuilt Patriot with "Unknown Warrior" in build.

I guess it's easy when it is someone else taking the risk, but were I to pick just one what would it be? I think the Robinson 2-8-0.

Roy

[ODRAILS]

Midland Railway 2P/4P 4-4-0

Farish did this in the Poole era, but hasn't Union Mills also done it?

The "2P/4P" is actually 2 different locos: Union Mills did the MR 2P,  Farish did the outside cylinder 4P which is a larger loco than the 2P.

[PLD]

Midland Railway 2P/4P 4-4-0

Farish did this in the Poole era, but hasn't Union Mills also done it?

The "2P/4P" is actually 2 different locos: Union Mills did the MR 2P,  Farish did the outside cylinder 4P which is a larger loco than the 2P.

Yes, if bundling those two very different classes together (and missing out the intermediate 3P) typifies the research put into this and the authors knowledge/understanding, it rather devalues the whole exercise...
You are correct on the previous GF & UM models, but to expand, Bachmann did a new 4mm Compound (4P), so maybe a hope of a new N Gauge version...

[Woodenhead]

Midland Railway 2P/4P 4-4-0

Farish did this in the Poole era, but hasn't Union Mills also done it?

The "2P/4P" is actually 2 different locos: Union Mills did the MR 2P,  Farish did the outside cylinder 4P which is a larger loco than the 2P.

Yes, if bundling those two very different classes together (and missing out the intermediate 3P) typifies the research put into this and the authors knowledge/understanding, it rather devalues the whole exercise...
You are correct on the previous GF & UM models, but to expand, Bachmann did a new 4mm Compound (4P), so maybe a hope of a new N Gauge version...

Sady the days of expecting something done in 4mm to translate down to 2mm are long gone - I know Bachmann promised it, but it never really materialised or if they are doing it the backlog must be so great we will mostly all have passed by the time they get anywhere.

Back to the items though, a 4P would be an interesting model and sit nicely alongside a lot of the other Midland/LMS locos - but how about a Southern 4-4-0 UM has a T9 but only the sort to be seen in the East, no 8 wheel water carts so far.  And there were quite a few other 4-4-0 locos across the constituent elements of the Southern.  A decent 4-6-0 Southern loco is also missing from any range.

[Adam1701D]

The standardisation of the GWR fleet makes things fairly easy with Dapol and Farish catering for most loco types. The King and Large Prairie are obvious candidates.

[Chris Morris]

The GWR mogul seems to be a most useful yet most forgotten loco. It was used on all sorts of work. They could be seen hauling both passenger and freight trains on the main line and some branches. They were the most numerous GW tender loco and they lasted from 1911 until 1964 and two are preserved. Surely a model of this loco would be a success, especially if model railway press were to show it's history. Having said that there have been 00 versions around for many years but you don't see many on layouts at exhibitions. Shame because they are a really useful engine.

[Newportnobby]

Midland Railway 2P/4P 4-4-0

Farish did this in the Poole era, but hasn't Union Mills also done it?

The "2P/4P" is actually 2 different locos: Union Mills did the MR 2P,  Farish did the outside cylinder 4P which is a larger loco than the 2P.

Yes, if bundling those two very different classes together (and missing out the intermediate 3P) typifies the research put into this and the authors knowledge/understanding, it rather devalues the whole exercise...

Sorry, but you impugn them wrongly there. Obviously I can't replicate the entire article here but they did differentiate between the locos in the 'historical' part on each loco, and I believe they intended the 4-4-0 to be an 'either/or' selection.

If a GWR mogul was brought out by anyone I'd have to be in for at least one, preferably a late crest dirty one to the standard of the weathered 56xx please.

[GAD]

LNER Smaller locos and Tanks,
In no particular order,
0-6-0T other than the announced J50, I'd mention J72 in particular but as Bachmann and Dapol have dropped it I doubt I'll live long enough to ever see it.
A5 or A8
Any K class loco 2-6-0
L1
V1 or 3 or 4 or 5
Larger LNER
04 ROD, lots of them about after WW1
ANY of the earlier B class locos inherited from GC NER and GNR
Vanity project
Stirling 8' Single.

What we don't need is yet another GWR Pannier tank.

[Dorsetmike]

Glad to see a Nelson featured and agree with @Woodenhead re SR 4-4-0s; the USA 0-6-0T however is somewhat limited in appeal as it didn't appear until after WW2 in a limited number of locations. The other SR 4-6-0s are partly covered by the Langley S15 and BHE N15 kits, both Urie LSWR versions,  we could do with the later Maunsell versions which were more numerous and not limited to ex LSWR lines due to loading gauge problems.

8 wheel tenders are not that common iin N gauge, the SR had no water troughs so 8 wheel tenders were necessary especially on the longer ex LSWR lines.

Personally I'd love to see an Adams T3, the Swanage railway have 563 (ex York NRM) being restored and due to run next year. That event might promote a few extra sales.

[D9020 Nimbus]

LNER Smaller locos and Tanks,
In no particular order,
(Snipped)
A5 or A8
Any K class loco 2-6-0
L1
V1 or 3 or 4 or 5

The V4 was a 2-6-2 tender loco of which only two were built. There wasn't a V5 as far as I'm aware.

The A5 might be something for Sonic to consider — they're doing it in OO and it's an inside cylinder tank loco which they seem to specialise in. It was also more widespread than the A8.

[martyn]

LNER Smaller locos and Tanks,
In no particular order,
0-6-0T other than the announced J50, I'd mention J72 in particular but as Bachmann and Dapol have dropped it I doubt I'll live long enough to ever see it.
A5 or A8
Any K class loco 2-6-0
L1
V1 or 3 or 4 or 5
Larger LNER
04 ROD, lots of them about after WW1
ANY of the earlier B class locos inherited from GC NER and GNR
Vanity project
Stirling 8' Single.

What we don't need is yet another GWR Pannier tank.

As just said, there was no V5, nor were there any ex GNR locos in the 'B' group (4-6-0s).

But the post more or less brings out my post earlier; A5 and A8 limited geographical spread, likewise J72: L1 and Peppercorn K1 (and Thompson B1) mainly BR builds.

The K3 seems a good choice, K1 and K2 slightly more limited geographically. The K3 and V1/V3 are the  ones I'd hoped the shrink ray would have been applied to.

Roy LS and your own idea of the O4 is probably the most widespread and numerous class, but in a number of variations; and again, limited allocation to ex GER, NER, and Scottish lines.

Which brings me back to my original post...........

Much of which has been posted in other threads on the Forum.

No criticism implied, it just goes to prove my point, I think.

Martyn