30368

Lots of anticipation and excitment! Anyone would think it was (nearly) Christmas... ......Me included, I have 60700 and 10000 on order. Really looking forward to these models. 60700 destined for the Bournemouth Belle racing through Basingstoke....... Kind regards, Richard B

They are bits of whitemetal with a brass "lid". I usually use the brass Castings produced by Alan Gibson but have run out of the correct size. I will use some of the larger size (3 and 4 oil pipes) in the cab. Added some of the boiler fittings. It really now is time to return to the chassis and fit the valvegear and brakes. Oh and some overlays for the large holes where the frame should be. Better view of the clack valve! Kind regards, Richard B

Nice view of Basingstoke's coaling stage. I have built a representation of it for my layout. Great image. Kind regards, Richard B

Another little problem has raised its head. The kit does not have the clack valve castings in the box. I have searched for the Markits items but to no avail so I have made my own from brass wire, crankpin nuts and brass washers. I assembled them on the brass wire using solder. The brass washers, used to represent the flange that secures the clack valve to the boiler was superglued to the body of the valve. They don't look too bad. I use copper wire for most of my pipework, this is the firemans side of the boiler. Note the awkward bend behind the oil box and then back out to the running plate securing flange. The last item to fit is the clack valve. All assembled on this side, I have managed to get the clack valve out of focus but it looks fine. Kind regards, Richard B

This morning I received my pack of bits including the official 1mm Allan Key so will return to the chassis work shortly. I constructed the gravity oil pipes and covers today - I use very fine brass wire and a strip of thin brass strip to create these items. The two oil pipes are pinned down by bluetac and then soldered to the brass sheet. It is far easier to handle curring the brass sheet to size after soldering. A fair dolop of solder which was cleaned off. Oil pipes super glued in position. I have also assembled the reverser which should be fitted aftre the oil pipes. You can also see my Allan Key! I hope I am not becoming obsessed! Kind regards, Richard B

Just had a look at the video of the late Roy Jackson's Retford, now saved by Sandra. I can recall following its construction in the modelling press over the decades so I am really pleased it has been saved. I really enjoyed the panned shots of the A4, it reminded me of the excellent BTF film of 60017 hauling The Elizabethan. Coincidently I watched the film yet again yesterday. What an excellent work of railway and social history is captured on that film? As I watched the truly wonderful panned shots of Silver Fox I was struck by how effective the A4 front end was at clearing smoke and steam from the streamlined casing. What a truly great piece of engineering was created in the short 6 months or so that Gresley had to develop the A4. So thanks to Roy for building it, Sanda for saving the layout and to Tony, who I Know spent a lot of effort in making the save happen. Kind regards, Richard B

Hello Gilbert, You don't look too much like an old fool to me, more like a man that has enjoyed life and his hobbies... It is the first time I have seen a video of your truly great layout. The layout gives many an old fool like me much pleasure and a real nostalgic experience. Your daily images are always interesting so long may you, and your layout, continue. Thanks. I do remember a trip to Peterborough in 1962 (?), My brother, my self and two mates travelled from Wellingborough (having spotted a few 8Fs on that shed) to Peterborough behind some form of ex LMS 2-6-4T. We walked from the station to New England Shed which was a bit sparse but did have a K3 pretending to be a stationary boiler. So I assume that would have been the old station as modelled. Kind regards, Richard B

Continueing with the body, still awaiting delvery of parts that includes the 1mm Allan Key. Valve gear just needs assembling. Cab now soldered in position, roof still needs some fettling to fit. Kind regards, Richard B

Hi John, Assuming that you go ahead and buy/convert. Give me a shout for the cab parts FOC. Kind regards, Richard B

Good luck John, please keep me posted. Today I mainly did boiler fitting. Alignment and ensuring that all is square before soldering is critical. I found it easiest to solder the cab spectacle plate to the running plate and then ensure that the boiler was along the centre line of the running and spectacle plates. I had already drilled the required holes in the front of the spectacle plate for the reverser, gravity oil pipes to the cylinders and various cab controls to the whistle etc. I then soldered the base of the firebox to the running plate and then the top of the firebox to the spectacle plate top. Lastly I tacked the base of the smokebox to the running plate. The spokebox front was then superglued in place. Kind regards, Richard B

Spot on Tony, that is my view too. Kind regards, Richard B

Hi, Yes the Markits return crank journals are very large and create difficulties with connecting and coupling rod. I have used them on LNER Pacifics and a V2 and I am now using them on the Urie S15 that I am building. The coupling rod on your H16 will have similar proportions to the S15. My solution was to solder washers to the front of the coupling rod to provide more stregnth in the crankpin area. I enlarge the centre crankpin hole with a drill and then gently open this up to the required size with a series of broaches (entering from both sides) being careful not to rush and to remove burrs from the front and back with an oversize drill. This has worked for me so far. There should be no real load on the coupling rods during use if they have enough clearance and are centred. Sorry not a great picture but you get the idea. Kind regards, Richard

Tony/Mick, Not forgetting the PDK version of the Thompson A2/1 which, I undestand PDK are prepared a new batch. My wife is buying one for me for Christmas or rather I have one on order and Mrs B will provide the funds. Kind regards, Richard B

Good evening Tony, Bit nippy here but otherwise fine. I am really looking forward to this build, what an interesting prototype? From what I have seen these are very rare kits indeed. With all due respect to the great NER locomotive engineers and to a very successful railway company, I always thought that these locomotives were a very rushed response to the GN pacifics and in some ways, a bit like The Great Bear, but a bit better! How are you going to complete it Tony? I assume with original boiler? If you have already discussed this please accept my apologies. I would love to build one. Kind regards, Richard B PS Read on Richard!!!

Really nice work on the H16, I must get around to building one some time. Handsome well proportioned prototypes and they did not suffer any "improving" modifications so Urie must have got the design right. I guess you have just offered up the body/chassis to Poppy for the pics? So the crossheads upside down a result of the rushing for the pictures? I know I make similar mistakes all the time, my favourite being taking a picture to display my latest piece of work only to discover that a wheel or two is off the rail and always after I have posted the picture. Keep up the good work. Kind regards, Richard B PS Thanks to Jack for pointing out this thread.

Awaiting, of all things, a genuine Markits 1mm Allan Key to secure the return cranks so valve gear on hold. Did further work on the running plate, adding the oil boxes for the leading and middle axles (the trailing is in the cab) which are really difficult to fit if the boiler is in place. I have also added pipe clamps for the clack and injector pipes to the running plate. All that remains is the lifting links for the reverser amd the reverser support. I also have to add an overlay in front of the running plate in front of the smokebox and some rivet detail in the same area. John - Let me know if you want Urie cab parts and I will send them to you, assuming I can find them! PM me. I still have to trim some of the running plate sections. Kind regards, Richard B

Thanks Jack for highlighting an interesting thread. The N15-H15 conversion look good for 30491, would not work on a Urie original though. The big issue though remains the boiler mounting height - the Maunsell S15 is very like a small wheeled Maunsell N15 with the same boiler pitch. Not the case with Urie S15 - the chimney height of the respective versions tells the story. Having said that, have a go John, I would be very interested in the outcome. Kind regards, Richard B

The DJH valvegear components are robust and fairly well formed. Some progress today but still more to do. Awaiting a 1mm Allan Key for the Markits return crank set screws. I have used the soft iron rivets for the Combination Lever/piston valve rod joint and the CL to Union link joint. All the rest will be 1mm or 16BA set screws. Basingstoke shedded S11 on a Salisbury stopper - I know, no headcode disks, will do eventually. Kind regards, Richard B

Or the 109!

Hi John, Not at all, heritical thoughts are for religious zelots, this is a hobby! I think it is worth looking at certainly. The boiler and running gear is much the same and so is the tender (assuming original Urie pattern) the issue that would make a conversion tricky is the boiler mounting, 2mm really shows at this scale. So you would have to remove all the running plate and cab and build a new running plate and cab although the latter is not too much of a problem indeed I might have a spare somewhere..... Just a thought John, Hornby could have produced one given they have the Maunsell version so why have they not? Having said that the Urie S15 will probably be in the 2022 product announcement! Continueing with the valvegear on what will probably be 30506 (with Drummond Tender) not much to show but lots of background work. Some alterations to the motion plate. The 1mm set screw head that supports the expansion link etc has been filed square and some rivet detail added although this area still needs cleaning up. Another shot of 499 showing off its AWS equipment. Fine old girl. Kind regards, Richard B

Continueing with the valve gear today. Connecting rods are connected! To the crossheads. The slide bars required a fair bit of fettling before the crossheads would run smoothly, particularly on the firemans side. Kind regards, Richard b

Good Evening Tony, To me, and I suspect to many, this is all new. Wonderful images of a great loyout and the locomotives and rolling stock are first class. Smashing, many thanks! Kind regards, Richard B

I see that the Dapol 5100/6100 2-6-2T is available, I have just ordered a 6100 in later BR condition, as I remember them at Reading and Basingstoke. A 6100 was often on 70D. I remember my very first day as an apprentice on BR, my train was a Southampton Terminus train which called at Eastleigh where I would start my appreticeship. It was hauled by a 6100 from Reading and then came off the train and onto the shed. A Maunsell N class took the train on. That was September 2nd 1963 a very different railway and a in some ways a very different me! Cylinder construction today. The DJH arrangement consists of a white metal stretcher to which the two cylinder casting are fitted. Despite the kits age, the quality of the castings is first class. The slide bars are brass extrusions bent in a loop and fit around a cast "rails" on the inside of the cylinders. Since the security and accuracy of the slidebars is crucial to smooth running I decided to solder these in position using low melt solder. When I am using this solder I usually switch the iron off since it retains sufficient heat to solder and reduces the risk of damaging white metal castings. L/H cylinder ready for soldering, I have already tinned the slidebars with 180 degree solder. R/H cylinder soldered although I will have to dig out the solder in the top R/H corner to enable the cylinder to fit the stretcher, Avoided extra work with the second cylinder on the right. All done! The slidebars have been reduced in legnth, 19mm from the front face of the cylinders. Kind regards, Richard B

Completed the overlays for the front part of the S15's running plate. I have also dug out my DJH S15 30499. I think this was one of the first, if not the first, kit that I built. It runs ok but is very rough in places. It could do with a trip to the works. You can just see the elusive filler lid for the front sand box. The lid appears to be made of sheet steel which swivels about a securing bolt to gain access to the box. Good old 30499. There are so many things that need improvement on this model, just look at that horrid transfer application on the tender! I modified my kit and fitted AWS, the battery box is on the drivers side of the running plate. 30499 was the last Urie S15 that I saw in steam (December 1963), in Winchester Yard (car park now) on the front of a freight bound for Basingstoke. It seemed to be in good nick with steam blowing off the safety valves and it had an N15 boiler fitted as I recall. 30499 ended up with a six wheeled tender but on the occasion related, had an eight wheeled tender fitted. I shall probably fit the "new" S15 with the tender originally built for my Drummond S11 which was so heavy, the poor old S11 could hardly pull it. Kind regards, Richard B

Started to assemble the SEF N15 frames - very much finer and more delicate than the DJH frames of the S15. I have also taken still more material from the underside of the S15 running plate to lower the running plate and boiler down to something approaching the prototype. The Urie S15 seems to have a smaller boiler than the N15, in fact it is the same diameter but is mounted much lower in the frames. Kind regards, Richard B