It's getting more and more difficult these days to write blogs. Not because I don't want to, but because modelling time is at an all time premium, and there are many projects still outstanding.
One which I have finally got around to finishing off is my model of 62822, the last London & North Eastern Railway Atlantic working by 1950. I have found dozens of photographs of this engine in Grantham, King's Cross, Doncaster, even York, but for a long time any shots of the engine in the Leeds area eluded me. It had definitely worked there, and particularly in its last few months before withdrawal, with one such account related in the LNER RCTS Part 3A, page 43 of my edition.
Happily a member of the RMweb forum, knowing of my frustration at not being able to find such a photograph, has provided one, and even more happily has more or less confirmed my suspicion that the lining out of the tender on 62822 was applied much earlier than November 1950 (a feature much trumpeted for its final run). That being the case, my model will have the fully lined out tender as per the photograph I am modelling from. The member in question has opted to remain anonymous but he has my sincere gratitude and admiration for his modesty.
Of course, the C1s were synomous with the West Riding, and indeed, Copley Hill throughout their lives, and to not have at least one (or perhaps two - watch this space) working in the stocklist was something of an oversight on my part when I decided on the 1948-50 era theme three years ago.
That being the case, a good six months ago I purchased a much loved, but well worn DJH C1 Atlantic from a collection being broken up. It was finished in LNER unlined black and needed a full overhaul. This I decided to do myself, although I have been reluctant to fit a decoder and will in all likelihood leave this to someone better qualified than I.
The model was taken apart for a full stripping down. The metal body was left in brake fluid overnight (left over from my latest round of maintenance on the old 740GL), and was carefully rebuilt, taking care to suit any and all distortions that had been present. It is not just glued together but I have - finally! - done a few bits of soldering, albeit under the boiler and strictly to keep the major components together. Running plate, dome, cab and similar are all glued on. It was more than the strength of my confidence to do any more!
The chassis has had a good clean and checking of contacts and motor. It is sublimely smooth and powerful and I suspect only needs a stay alive decoder to improve its running more.
The body was coated in a grey undercoat (Halfords Primer) a good month or so ago after rebuilding, followed by two careful coats of acrylic, Gamesworkshop Chaos black last week. The boiler, cab and tender were given a single coat of Klear to give some sheen, and today the numerals on the cabside and the "British Railways" branding (all waterslide transfers from Fox Transfers) were applied, and then sealed with Johnson's Klear.
One thing which may be noticeable is the works plate over the splasher. This is one of several spare worksplates obtained from Fox Transfers over the years, and they really look the part.
The front numberplate is a piece of plasticard on which waterslide transfers (again, from the Fox Transfers range) were cut apart, and put together to form the correct number, before being stuck down with a Humbrol varnish above the handrail, and then sealed with Johnson's Klear.
The next job to do is adding the tender lining and some careful weathering around the wheels, frames and tender. You may notice that behind my C1 is the lone Thompson D Class, which is being lined out and numbered at the same time, and my recent V2 build which is going to be weathered when both of the former locomotives are finished in their lining out and put through the weathering bench!
So it's been something of a mixed traffic afternoon at the Copley Hill Works, and a welcome change from the Pacifics.
Next time I hope to have finished all three of the locomotives described above, lined out and weathered accordingly.
For now, good night, sleep tight!
Simon
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