Just got back from my first CRAG meeting organised by Ian Everett at David Beales house, and a very friendly group it is. I took along a loco and a brake van, and they ran trouble free on Davids heavily graded, multi turnout Northampton Ironstone shunting layout. The loco I took is the (so far) first and only complete P4 steam loco I possess. Many more are in the shop under construction or on the draughtsman's desk, but this is actually (apart from couplings, a choice to be made) fully complete, and I was delighted to find it ran very well.
More to the point this was a chassis under an unmodified Hornby shell. The chassis was made a few years back (it has taken time to build up modelling momentum!), and dates back even before I could solder (con rods came later), so it is araldited together, has pickups on only four wheels, and furhermore has no suspension of any kind. I weighted it to 180g with sheet lead and it runs very smoothly. The chassis was designed for the GNR J13/LNER J52, but Hornby uses the same chassis for this loco for their LNER J83, LMS Jinty, and GWR 2721, all of which can be obtained fairly cheaply, giving quite a range of possibilities from pre-grouping to BR. The chassis will also fit the old BEC whitemetal kit for the GCR 9J/LNER J11. (all these have "errors" and limitations but as a starting point they make for a good rapid win which is useful, rather than the dispiriting experience this can be) So this is an ideal starter for P4 for those who face a steep learning curve. Unfortunately the chassis is a Mainly Trains kit and they have just shut down. Knowing nothing about how these things work, what might the chances be of obtaining the artwork for the Society?
Starter pack steam loco?
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Starter pack steam loco?
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Connah's Quay Workshop threads: viewforum.php?f=125
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Re: Starter pack steam loco?
I can vouch for the good running of Jon's J52 but am amamazed to discover that it has no suspension and picks up on only two axles. David's layout is a real switch-back, although the track is probably better than the prototype would have been in such a location.
It is even more amazing that Jon built the chassis with Araldite rather than solder. I think the latter would have been far easier, so we must get Jon enroled on a soldering course!
Hornby's paint job is pretty good too - far better than I could achieve.
Ian
It is even more amazing that Jon built the chassis with Araldite rather than solder. I think the latter would have been far easier, so we must get Jon enroled on a soldering course!
Hornby's paint job is pretty good too - far better than I could achieve.
Ian
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Re: Starter pack steam loco?
Not a problem Ian! I'm a fully qualified solderer now (well, competent at least) as you can see from my No14 thread on my Workbench. The aralditing was done several years ago and since it seems to have worked remaking it isn't a priority.
Connah's Quay Workshop threads: viewforum.php?f=125
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