Modelmaster Loco - Resin Bodies - NBR

[6C]

Four locos to arrive in January 2020 - all NBR - as resin bodies with metal fittings - no pics yet...

N15, J37, D30 and D34

https://modelmaster.uk/

As a boy with links to Musselburgh, Edinburgh and the kingdom of Fife - will have at least the J37 and N15 - when I can see the pics of the engineering samples.

[Bigmet]

Are these 2mm or 4mm? I would expect the D34 to outsell the others, if there was a prettier UK mixed traffic 4-4-0 design I don't know of it. Of all the locos from Cowlairs, I think it the most attractive of an overall very handsome lot. And then there's the fact that they were excellent performers too...

[Ex-Pat]

Are these 2mm or 4mm? .

Per the J37 Product Details it is designed to fit Hornby or scale chassis - I'd be interested to know who " ...by one of Britain's leading specialist model manufacturers. .." is.

[luckymucklebackit]

Well anyone thinking that it would be an easy conversion from a J36 can think again, the J37 was a longer wheelbase (16ft 11in) against the J36 (15ft 6in) so that is nearly 6mm difference in 00, too much. The Bachmann J15 is closer at 16ft 1in (3mm short) possibly close enough for anyone but the purists, would need to check the offset of the centre driver.

Jim

[Bigmet]

The regular sport of finding the nearest RTR OO wheelbase. Happily a lot more choices now.

Longest wheelbase RTR OO 0-6-0 is I think the Robinson J11 from Bachmann at 17' 1" (8'1"+9'), 5'2" wheel. A nice neat mechanism, (if not quite as refined as Hornby's very sweet job for the J15) which I have installed in an old J39 body (17' wb, 5'2" wheel). That might well be a better fit for a J37, but I don't have the full wheelbase dimensions for this class.

[flying scotsman123]

The regular sport of finding the nearest RTR OO wheelbase. Happily a lot more choices now.

You'd think by now someone would have put some kind of list or database together. And NO I am not offering!

[Bigmet]

All I can offer is:
Crewe under Ramsbottom standardised early on 7'3"+8'3". Those who went with Crewe dimensions include the GNR and GWR (standard gauge) and then 'wandered' from there. GNR Doncaster went to 7'3"+9' from Ivatt's J6/N1, Gresley J50/K1 (LNER class designations) and then fiddled around some more after that, so the K3 and V1/V3 coupled wheelbase are 7'6"+8'9".

Derby went 8'+8'6". Quite a number copied this, most of the Southern railway constituents, and I believe the NER, and of course it was standard in much LMS construction, Horwich 2-6-0, Fowler and Stanier 2-6-4T, Garratt. When the LNER wanted a bigger 0-6-0 than the pre-group classes, they added 6" on the rear dimension and because the design came out of Darlington ex-NER the result was 8'+9' for the J38/39. The last 0-6-0 design to Derby wheelbase was of course Mr Bulleid's enormous Q1 'coffeepot'.

Some railways did their own thing, and the GCR and GER are in that group. As you may detect my primary interest is in the Southern area of the LNER, and I know next to nothing about Scottish company choices in the matter of the six coupled wheelbase.

[Ex-Pat]

The regular sport of finding the nearest RTR OO wheelbase. Happily a lot more choices now.

You'd think by now someone would have put some kind of list or database together. And NO I am not offering!

Here is a summary of relevant Scottish 0-6-0 classes, plus the J15 (Hornby) and J39 (Bachmann) as possible donor locos. And as Jim points out, nothing really fits that well at all.

Class ……Wheelbase ………………..Total …………….Diameter
J15……. 7’-7” + 8’-6”……………….16’-1”………………4’-11”
J35……. 7’-9” + 9’-0” ……………..16’-9”……………...5’-0”
J36 …….7’-6” + 8’-0”……………….15’-6”……………...5’-0”
J37………7’-9” + 9’-2”……………….16’-11”…………...5’-0”
J38……. 8’-0” + 9’-0”……………….17’-0”……………. .4’-8”
J39……. 8’-0” + 9’-0” .…………….17’-0”…………….. 5’-2”

[6C]

Update....(I'm on the mailing list)

"Update on our email regarding MODELMASTER Loco Kits.

The response we've had has been amazing! We've sold some kits already (which I didn't really expect so soon,) and added new kits for D29 & D33 4-4-0s, as suggested by several North British Modellers, including the Chair of the NBRSG.

All 4-4-0s will be supplied with etched brass chassis (Ws, Ms & Gs not included), as there are no proprietary chassis suitable, and the 4-4-0 brass chassis will be quite easy to assemble. So there we have it. It's a big venture, but I've got some great support and help from two very experienced modellers, Ian Lander & Ken Chadwick, and from a top of the range CAD design and casting team."

[6C]

Updates coming thick and fast:

"After considering various options and 'testing the water', here is the final list of Loco Body & Tender kits being produced:-

MMR001 Class N15 0-6-2T £67.50 (deposit £15)
MMR002 Class J37 0-6-0 £97.50 (deposit £20)
MMR004 Class D29/D30 4-4-0 £107.50 (deposit £25)
MMR006 Class D33/D34 4-4-0 £107.50 (deposit £25)

(Reductions in price for 4-4-0s will be applied to orders already placed) this has been made possible by combining together kits MMR003 & 004, and MMR005 & 006, thus radically reducing the production costs of making four 4-4-0 kits instead of two.

ALL of these kits will be produced as advertised, but I'm getting a few modellers asking if I can produce a N.B.R. Class G (L.N.E.R./B.R. Y9) 0-4-0ST.
I can, but only if I get orders for 50 kits, otherwise I can't afford to fit it into what is a very tight production schedule over the next few months.
Obviously, if I don't get 50 orders within a reasonable time frame, then all deposits will be returned."