Stevers
Western Thunderer
This appears to have been a well trodden path in terms of speculation, but a bit short on finished engines. It is absolutely not about creating one of the Rebuilt River U Class - such as my long running project based on a DJH kit, with scratchbuilt cab and running plate, with SEF twin beam compensated chassis. This engine now runs and is waiting for valve gear and of course the correct pattern wheels as well as a lot of detailing.
Only the Bachmann boiler and valve gear would be of any use in such a conversion as the running plate height and width is different, and the River Class based cab width and shape is completely different to the N Class
So this thread is solely in respect of the as-built U with the high narrow running plate with tiny splashers. I have the SEF U Class chassis kit, and was going to build the Ex Wills whitemetal kit to go on it, but I also have an early Bachmann model of 31813 with a slightly dicky mazak running plate. I've now sourced a new Bachmann body for it making the old body available for conversion to a U Class, so I thought I'd start with a list of what would need to change.
The N Class coupled Wheelbase is wrong. Addressed by building the SEF U Class chassis to EM Gauge with twin beam compensation, and incorporating the Bachmann valve gear.
The wheels on a U are 6' not 5'6". This means that frames, valve gear, running plate and boiler are 3" higher on a U Class than an N, but that the cab and buffer beam are the same height. The chimney and steam dome also end up 3" higher, but still within the loading gauge. The plan here is to build a new running plate that will mount to the front of the Bachmann running plate where it's vertical (thus retaining the Bachmann buffer beam), the new running plate being carried through to the rear where the steps are mounted.
Changes to the Cab. The handrails on the cab side are 3" higher on the U so that they align with the boiler hand rails. Inexplicably the U running plate comes back further under the cab despite the coupled wheel base being shorter. The increased height of the boiler compared with the cab required a different cab front. I have a DJH cab front etch that might work, if not I'll scratch build something suitable. The Bachmann cab sides will need the hand rails moved and the bottom of the cab re-shaped to fit the new running plate.
The intention is to use as much of the Bachmann N as possible. Once my Crownline Q is finished, I'll do the conversion in tandem with finishing the Rebuilt River. So, have I missed anything?
Only the Bachmann boiler and valve gear would be of any use in such a conversion as the running plate height and width is different, and the River Class based cab width and shape is completely different to the N Class
So this thread is solely in respect of the as-built U with the high narrow running plate with tiny splashers. I have the SEF U Class chassis kit, and was going to build the Ex Wills whitemetal kit to go on it, but I also have an early Bachmann model of 31813 with a slightly dicky mazak running plate. I've now sourced a new Bachmann body for it making the old body available for conversion to a U Class, so I thought I'd start with a list of what would need to change.
The N Class coupled Wheelbase is wrong. Addressed by building the SEF U Class chassis to EM Gauge with twin beam compensation, and incorporating the Bachmann valve gear.
The wheels on a U are 6' not 5'6". This means that frames, valve gear, running plate and boiler are 3" higher on a U Class than an N, but that the cab and buffer beam are the same height. The chimney and steam dome also end up 3" higher, but still within the loading gauge. The plan here is to build a new running plate that will mount to the front of the Bachmann running plate where it's vertical (thus retaining the Bachmann buffer beam), the new running plate being carried through to the rear where the steps are mounted.
Changes to the Cab. The handrails on the cab side are 3" higher on the U so that they align with the boiler hand rails. Inexplicably the U running plate comes back further under the cab despite the coupled wheel base being shorter. The increased height of the boiler compared with the cab required a different cab front. I have a DJH cab front etch that might work, if not I'll scratch build something suitable. The Bachmann cab sides will need the hand rails moved and the bottom of the cab re-shaped to fit the new running plate.
The intention is to use as much of the Bachmann N as possible. Once my Crownline Q is finished, I'll do the conversion in tandem with finishing the Rebuilt River. So, have I missed anything?
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