Crownline 61xx Conversion to 51xx

[rule55]

Mark,

What does the Crownline kit convert a '61' into? I wasn't aware of much in the way of external differences between the 5101 class and the 6100s - the main difference being boiler pressure unless I'm mistaken.

Tony

[Tim V]

Mark's asking about the 51XX kit, different from the 5101!

You may be better scratch building the conversion.

Different front footplate, picture in Russell page 198!

[markyb208]

Hi Tim,

Yes I've seen the pictures, the Crownline conversion gives you the new front footplate and new bunker. I think I could scratchbuild the front, but not too sure about the bunker!

Regards,

Mark.

[Tim V]

Comparing the drawings in Russell, I can't see a discernible difference in the bunker.

What's your starting point?

[markyb208]

Hi Tim,

The rear vertical sheet of the bunker is not so deep before the curve under on the 51xx as that on the 61xx, you can see it in the Russell drawings.

Regards,

Mark.

[rule55]

Mark's asking about the 51XX kit, different from the 5101!

That'll learn me!

In my defence, however, even Martin Finney describes his Collett large prairie kit as a 51XX and Russell does say that the history of the large 2-6-2T is not only long but rather complicated..

I'm sure David Geen still has plans to produce a kit for one, if not both, of the big Churchward 2-6-2Ts. Might that be an alternative starting point?

Tony

[markyb208]

Hi Tony,

Yes, getting the David Geen kits would be an answer, albeit rather more expensive, but I have 2 61xx bodies that I want to do something with. One I will use for a 5101, the other for a 51xx, hence the need for the Crownline conversion.

Regards,

Mark

[martin goodall]

I cannot speak from personal experience, but a friend who bought the Crownline kit used only the bunker casting and found the rest of the conversion kit pretty well useless.

He observed afterwards that the work involved in converting the Wills 61XX kit had been so time-consuming that he would have been better off scratch-building the 31/51! (A similar point was made in the latest MRJ, following up on an article in the previous issue.)

Maybe the fact that you have a Wills 61XX (or two) in the cupboard should not constrain you in your approach to building a model of a 31 or 51. The David Geen (Martin Mitchell) etched kit is likely to be a far better starting point.

[I also have a Wills 61XX kit as part of my personal European Kit Mountain, and was proposing to convert it to a 31XX (later renumbered 51XX), but it has long since been relegated to my 'some time never' list.]

[markyb208]

I cannot speak from personal experience, but a friend who bought the Crownline kit used only the bunker casting and found the rest of the conversion kit pretty well useless.

He observed afterwards that the work involved in converting the Wills 61XX kit had been so time-consuming that he would have been better off scratch-building the 31/51! (A similar point was made in the latest MRJ, following up on an article in the previous issue.)

Maybe the fact that you have a Wills 61XX (or two) in the cupboard should not constrain you in your approach to building a model of a 31 or 51. The David Geen (Martin Mitchell) etched kit is likely to be a far better starting point.

[I also have a Wills 61XX kit as part of my personal European Kit Mountain, and was proposing to convert it to a 31XX (later renumbered 51XX), but it has long since been relegated to my 'some time never' list.]

Hi Martin,

The bodies I have are an old Airfix and a Hornby. I was planning to use the Hornby body for the 5101 (it's a better body) and chop the Airfix body about for the 51xx. I think I could scratchbuild the front end of the 51xx, but if the bunker casting is ok (as used by your friend), then that would be fine.

Regards,

Mark.

[Tim V]

I can see the (slight) difference now, as it's a plastic body, should be a piece of cake to cut and splice the modifications to the bunker/front end. A lot easier than using the Crownline products which I knew were not the best, but didn't comment on.

[Horsetan]

.....I'm sure David Geen still has plans to produce a kit for one, if not both, of the big Churchward 2-6-2Ts. ....

I thought he was planning to retire from the business?

[Penrhos1920]

.....I'm sure David Geen still has plans to produce a kit for one, if not both, of the big Churchward 2-6-2Ts. ....

I thought he was planning to retire from the business?

I saw Dave last weekend and he definitely is not planning to retire particularly soon. He was showing off the masters to a couple of new NER hopper kits.

[HowardGWR]

I'm sure David Geen still has plans to produce a kit for one, if not both, of the big Churchward 2-6-2Ts. ....

From his website:
We have also placed orders to have the following kits produced:
GWR 31xx class 2-6-2t. Churchwards large prairie
GWR 3150 class. The large boilered version of the 31xx.
GWR 3521 class 4-4-0. This kit is planned to cover several versions.
GWR 48xx 0-4-2t. This was commonly known as the 14xx later.

I think this thread is in the wrong place now. It would be nice if it could be kept rather than deleted.

[rule55]

Howard,

The website hasn't been updated for a while and I spoke to David a couple of month's ago regarding the 48XX and it's not going to happen. The High Level/Hornby combination has probably seen that one off.

Tony

[HowardGWR]

Don't forget the squat cab roof on the newer 5101 engines. That's why the Airfix 61xx is best used for those. Nobody mentioned 'era'. Some older engines received more changes pre-war, smaller wheels, curved framing. When I made my plans (8th Nov 1933 is my 'era'), I consulted the RCTS book and acquired a number plate accordingly.

Haven't actually made it yet though!