Luckily Kato do a lovely model! Cheapest price I can find so far is at MG Sharp where you can find it looking like this:
Tuesday, 30 October 2007
Shinkansen
I'm starting to be won over a little by the dark side of the force..... modern trains.... generally I don't think their aerodynamics match up in any way, shape or form to the wonderful curves of yesteryear but I've developed a bit of a soft spot for the 500 series Shinkansen -I guess part of it is loving Japanese design, but mostly it's just very elegant....
Luckily Kato do a lovely model! Cheapest price I can find so far is at MG Sharp where you can find it looking like this:
Luckily Kato do a lovely model! Cheapest price I can find so far is at MG Sharp where you can find it looking like this:
Wednesday, 24 October 2007
Layout Update
After much help from Southernboy here is where the layout stands!
City Station/Airport is now incorporated into one two level transport hub inspired by Embankement Place. Current model looks like this:
My ebay stuff has finally started to arrive after the postal strike! First to do anything with is my Z gauge Marklin 88051 chassis (unbelievably tiny) to turn in to my Nn3 shunter. I've taken all the measurements and built a sketchup model to see what I can fit around the mechanics. This is what the design is looking like at the moment:
Also my Del Prado SNCB Class 12 Belgian Streamline Locomotive model arrived. I'm having a chassis built by the fantastic Bob at BRlines, so hopefully this static kit will soon become a runner! Making the static loco into a runner has thus involved the following....
The original model:
Locomotive removed from base plate:
Remove the screws from the loco and (sorry I missed the pics of the labourious process of doing this) remove the lead weight inside the loco. For me this involved using a heated dental tool and scalpel:
That's how far I am so far with the SNCB...update as soon as I can
I also just received a Langley Models LMS Coronation Streamlined Loco Kit. As soon as I get a Minitrix chassis to fit I'll be posting the results of this - watch this space.
K
City Station/Airport is now incorporated into one two level transport hub inspired by Embankement Place. Current model looks like this:
My ebay stuff has finally started to arrive after the postal strike! First to do anything with is my Z gauge Marklin 88051 chassis (unbelievably tiny) to turn in to my Nn3 shunter. I've taken all the measurements and built a sketchup model to see what I can fit around the mechanics. This is what the design is looking like at the moment:
Also my Del Prado SNCB Class 12 Belgian Streamline Locomotive model arrived. I'm having a chassis built by the fantastic Bob at BRlines, so hopefully this static kit will soon become a runner! Making the static loco into a runner has thus involved the following....
The original model:
Locomotive removed from base plate:
Remove the screws from the loco and (sorry I missed the pics of the labourious process of doing this) remove the lead weight inside the loco. For me this involved using a heated dental tool and scalpel:
That's how far I am so far with the SNCB...update as soon as I can
I also just received a Langley Models LMS Coronation Streamlined Loco Kit. As soon as I get a Minitrix chassis to fit I'll be posting the results of this - watch this space.
K
Saturday, 20 October 2007
Layout update
New track plan for the layout!
Improvements:
-The second loop is now slightly large and the turns are constant radius all the way round
-Port Rosea now has only one platform and one through line. Didn't seem to make sense to be building two platforms and it compressed everything.
-Right hand turn is more constant radius.
-Flex track used for all the long straights to minimize joints.
-Glenstowe side track reworked to remove roundhouse (none of the kits I can find fit with the art deco kitbashing plans), and add a shunting/fiddle yard type area. More fun to operate and it makes better use of the uber expensive 3 way point I wanted to have somewhere in the layout.
oh and the airport runway is slightly longer. I'm still modelling a steam catapult into the surface to account for how it's too short for scale takeoff though!
Improvements:
-The second loop is now slightly large and the turns are constant radius all the way round
-Port Rosea now has only one platform and one through line. Didn't seem to make sense to be building two platforms and it compressed everything.
-Right hand turn is more constant radius.
-Flex track used for all the long straights to minimize joints.
-Glenstowe side track reworked to remove roundhouse (none of the kits I can find fit with the art deco kitbashing plans), and add a shunting/fiddle yard type area. More fun to operate and it makes better use of the uber expensive 3 way point I wanted to have somewhere in the layout.
oh and the airport runway is slightly longer. I'm still modelling a steam catapult into the surface to account for how it's too short for scale takeoff though!
Thursday, 18 October 2007
Today's streamliner pick
More streamlined lovelies here...
N scale supply has a gorgeous variant on the DRG class 0110 being used as a US Transportation Corps Train here.
Over in America, Con-cor are doing some fantastic streamline models, although some have been retired (snap them up whilst you can) browse their list here. Some of their choice beauties include:
GS-4 Wartime Version 4-8-4
Adaptations of the "N" Scale 4-8-4 "Northern" type Steam Loco
J3a 4-6-4 Hudson Steam Locomotives Shovel Noses
Over at the rather wonderfully named wig-wag-trains.com, there are some nice models to. Including several colour variants on the DL-109 Diesel Locomotive and a nice informative page on the Kato version of the Super Chief F-7
Over at Garth & Dora Hamilton's site WWW.VE3HO.CA there are some lovely models in the steam train section. Of particular note to streamline fans are their:
Microace P7
Microace C55
Microace C53
There are also some great images and info on ConCor Streamliner's on the Hamilton's page here, I especially like their Hudson Shovel Nose:
N scale supply has a gorgeous variant on the DRG class 0110 being used as a US Transportation Corps Train here.
Over in America, Con-cor are doing some fantastic streamline models, although some have been retired (snap them up whilst you can) browse their list here. Some of their choice beauties include:
GS-4 Wartime Version 4-8-4
Adaptations of the "N" Scale 4-8-4 "Northern" type Steam Loco
J3a 4-6-4 Hudson Steam Locomotives Shovel Noses
Over at the rather wonderfully named wig-wag-trains.com, there are some nice models to. Including several colour variants on the DL-109 Diesel Locomotive and a nice informative page on the Kato version of the Super Chief F-7
Over at Garth & Dora Hamilton's site WWW.VE3HO.CA there are some lovely models in the steam train section. Of particular note to streamline fans are their:
Microace P7
Microace C55
Microace C53
There are also some great images and info on ConCor Streamliner's on the Hamilton's page here, I especially like their Hudson Shovel Nose:
Wednesday, 17 October 2007
Coronation Class
For those of us that lament the availability of the LMS Princess Coronation Class and subsequent Duchess versions as only un-streamlined models there is a solution!
Langley Models sell a body kit to convert a minitrix britannia chassis and tender (main shop entrance>N scale kits>Locomotive Body kits...), or with a bit of adapatation (apparently) a Farish Duchess chassis into a streamlined Coronation Class... happy filing...
Langley Models sell a body kit to convert a minitrix britannia chassis and tender (main shop entrance>N scale kits>Locomotive Body kits...), or with a bit of adapatation (apparently) a Farish Duchess chassis into a streamlined Coronation Class... happy filing...
My fiancee made me post this
she claims everyone will love this video of us at Thames Ditton Miniature railway as much as she does *wince*...
Monday, 15 October 2007
Layout naming!
Ok, the layout has beed named!
It will have two, one for the city end, and one for the village bit (boundary line will notionally be the viaduct line). The city will be called...
From the Gaelic "gleann" meaning narrow valley and the Anglo-Saxon "stow" meaning meeting place.
The village and dock area will be named...
The port bit because I like Port as a prefix and there's a dock, and the rest from the Welsh "Rhos" meaning moorland and the Anglo-saxon "Ea" meaning water or river. So a generally quite damp place!
It will have two, one for the city end, and one for the village bit (boundary line will notionally be the viaduct line). The city will be called...
From the Gaelic "gleann" meaning narrow valley and the Anglo-Saxon "stow" meaning meeting place.
The village and dock area will be named...
The port bit because I like Port as a prefix and there's a dock, and the rest from the Welsh "Rhos" meaning moorland and the Anglo-saxon "Ea" meaning water or river. So a generally quite damp place!
Streamlined update
Some more links for all to enjoy...
Rather lovely high res prints of London Midland & Scottish Railway 'Princess Coronation Class' Streamlined Pacifics No. 6220 Coronation and No. 6225 Duchess of Gloucester Designed by W.A. Stanier are available here
A nice timeline of the history of streamliners development in the US here.
GHQ models do a 1942 Hiawatha passenger car conversion kit for wagons, but their real standout products are the gorgeous 30s/40s/50s N scale cars they stock. Great for keeping your layout matching the locos. List of their N gauge vehicles is here
Rather lovely high res prints of London Midland & Scottish Railway 'Princess Coronation Class' Streamlined Pacifics No. 6220 Coronation and No. 6225 Duchess of Gloucester Designed by W.A. Stanier are available here
A nice timeline of the history of streamliners development in the US here.
GHQ models do a 1942 Hiawatha passenger car conversion kit for wagons, but their real standout products are the gorgeous 30s/40s/50s N scale cars they stock. Great for keeping your layout matching the locos. List of their N gauge vehicles is here
My layout
Hello all... here's my layout thus far in its development stages, these have all been documented on various web forums, mostly at New Railway Modellers.
It's based on a board of 42 by 185cm to fit on top of my ikea expedit bookcase. The layout is a loose and entirely freelance combination of things I'm passionate about, including Art Deco buildings, Narrow Gauge (Nn3), viaducts, and of course streamliners.
The buildings I've designed for the left hand side are meant to be a kind of Art Deco Airport/Station transport hub. This is primarily to give me an excuse to have a weird mixture of zeppelin and cool luftwaffe aircraft in the layout (I've purchased a 1/144 scale Horten IX and a He 111 for this purpose, doubtless more will come!)
The airport building (formed from PVC hemisphere section and laminations of 3mm styrene profiles):
Youtube flyround of the Airport:
The main city railway station just below the airport on the diagram. It will be a kitbash using a Faller 222128 Overall Station Roof. If you can't already tell I have a bit a love affair with the faller range of kits!
First draft of the layout:
Second draft was improved by giving the left hand curve a longer run to get up the viaduct level gradient. The Z gauge/Nn3 track (the red one) has been changed totally (partially to avoid spending £100 on points). It will now serve to deliver freight to the dock side, and to go through to the town/village - at some point this will be running on little trestles to take it high enough to pass over the secondary/village shuttle track. (See the dockside railway at Morwellham Quay for my original motivation for building a narrow gauge railway and the trestles - though mine will be heavier duty - gallery of images courtesy of the BBC at ). The secondary track running around the village/town area now has a loop as well as a siding that will run in to the Iron Foundry model area. It uses almost entirely Tomix track which allows very tight radii, but only short locos will be running on it. It now joins the main track in a much neater joint inside a mountain tunnel (with side access panels). The village/town will now have a church, a less formal platform/station area, and a definite "town square" area with roman cobbling. The main express loop will run below the town level to allow the secondary track to run round without the cobbled together multiple crosses. The section coloured dark grey will be a visible cutting.
Third Draft....
Changes after chat with some chaps on the Mac DCC yahoo mailing list (amazing find for dedicated apple-lites like myself) include:
-Secondary loop pretty much totally reworked and another join to the primary track added. The village platform can now be access on both sides by the express track to allow passing by.
- there's now a story (ish) to go with the narrow gauge and the brewery (iron foundry faller building kit with a bit of kit bashing for no other reason than I like beer and the overhead gantry thing remind me of the guiness storehouse in dublin). There will be two type of freight on the line (now to be shunted with my streamline tank!), tipper wagons to deliver an unspecified ore material and some kind of barrel or beer material carrying wagons that will give me an excuse to run the Nn3 line into the village over the trestles etc in homage to Morwellham Quay! The idea being the dock also serves for internation beer haulage when it's not home to the ship collecting mining ore. The secondary line (which may or may not be served by the Rail-Zeppelin if I can get it to take those turns) will have a siding into the brewery to deliver workers at the beginning of the work day.
Comments and suggestions all welcome!
K
It's based on a board of 42 by 185cm to fit on top of my ikea expedit bookcase. The layout is a loose and entirely freelance combination of things I'm passionate about, including Art Deco buildings, Narrow Gauge (Nn3), viaducts, and of course streamliners.
The buildings I've designed for the left hand side are meant to be a kind of Art Deco Airport/Station transport hub. This is primarily to give me an excuse to have a weird mixture of zeppelin and cool luftwaffe aircraft in the layout (I've purchased a 1/144 scale Horten IX and a He 111 for this purpose, doubtless more will come!)
The airport building (formed from PVC hemisphere section and laminations of 3mm styrene profiles):
Youtube flyround of the Airport:
The main city railway station just below the airport on the diagram. It will be a kitbash using a Faller 222128 Overall Station Roof. If you can't already tell I have a bit a love affair with the faller range of kits!
First draft of the layout:
Second draft was improved by giving the left hand curve a longer run to get up the viaduct level gradient. The Z gauge/Nn3 track (the red one) has been changed totally (partially to avoid spending £100 on points). It will now serve to deliver freight to the dock side, and to go through to the town/village - at some point this will be running on little trestles to take it high enough to pass over the secondary/village shuttle track. (See the dockside railway at Morwellham Quay for my original motivation for building a narrow gauge railway and the trestles - though mine will be heavier duty - gallery of images courtesy of the BBC at ). The secondary track running around the village/town area now has a loop as well as a siding that will run in to the Iron Foundry model area. It uses almost entirely Tomix track which allows very tight radii, but only short locos will be running on it. It now joins the main track in a much neater joint inside a mountain tunnel (with side access panels). The village/town will now have a church, a less formal platform/station area, and a definite "town square" area with roman cobbling. The main express loop will run below the town level to allow the secondary track to run round without the cobbled together multiple crosses. The section coloured dark grey will be a visible cutting.
Third Draft....
Changes after chat with some chaps on the Mac DCC yahoo mailing list (amazing find for dedicated apple-lites like myself) include:
-Secondary loop pretty much totally reworked and another join to the primary track added. The village platform can now be access on both sides by the express track to allow passing by.
- there's now a story (ish) to go with the narrow gauge and the brewery (iron foundry faller building kit with a bit of kit bashing for no other reason than I like beer and the overhead gantry thing remind me of the guiness storehouse in dublin). There will be two type of freight on the line (now to be shunted with my streamline tank!), tipper wagons to deliver an unspecified ore material and some kind of barrel or beer material carrying wagons that will give me an excuse to run the Nn3 line into the village over the trestles etc in homage to Morwellham Quay! The idea being the dock also serves for internation beer haulage when it's not home to the ship collecting mining ore. The secondary line (which may or may not be served by the Rail-Zeppelin if I can get it to take those turns) will have a siding into the brewery to deliver workers at the beginning of the work day.
Comments and suggestions all welcome!
K
Product links aplenty
The lovely and (According to Spookshow) 'greatest steam locomotive ever to grace N scale' is available at the bargain price of £89 from Hattons. Click here for the page...
They also have available a really interesting HO scale model of the Chinese Streamline Tank Loco manufactured by Kawasaki in the 1930s.
This would make a gorgeous N scale model if anyone had the time. I'm personally planning an Nn3 shunter based on this for my layout. Only at the sketch stage at the moment but comments would be welcome:
Osborn are also doing a fantastic set of streamline coaches here. They're meant to go with a GG1 or soemthing I think, but I reckon they'd look great behind any streamliner.
And finally the model that got me started, the Farish/Bachmann A4 Classis available here
They also have available a really interesting HO scale model of the Chinese Streamline Tank Loco manufactured by Kawasaki in the 1930s.
This would make a gorgeous N scale model if anyone had the time. I'm personally planning an Nn3 shunter based on this for my layout. Only at the sketch stage at the moment but comments would be welcome:
Osborn are also doing a fantastic set of streamline coaches here. They're meant to go with a GG1 or soemthing I think, but I reckon they'd look great behind any streamliner.
And finally the model that got me started, the Farish/Bachmann A4 Classis available here
Sunday, 14 October 2007
Accumulated links...
Thus far these are my streamline specific links for your enjoyment:
Prototrains fantastic site for a company set up with the sole intention of producing streamliners for N gauge.
MG Sharp's Kato USA Page featuring the rather nice new Kato EMD F3A & B Units, including a rather fetching one in black livery.
Con-Cor Aerotrain preorder page for what looks to be a very interesting model.
An N gauge version of the German experimental Schienenzeppelin rail car in all its propellor powered glory is available from MG Sharp in the UK or this site in the US.
The gorgeous and apparently very well running Concord Zephyr model
Great website for finding steamliners at skyrocket.de. Some of these have been modelled but loads are untouched as far as I can tell. Ripe for kitbashing and scratch building! My particular favourite is the highly unusual French Class 231.726 see image below...
Another great website for inspiration is at Streamlined Locomotives of the world
Mostly American locomotives, but still good stuff at Northeast.railfan.net
Fantastic selection of high quality Japanese N scale locomotives, including a few streamliners at Hobby Search.
Really cool Micro Ace airport transfer train ""Rapi:t" Kansai Airport Express at Newhallstation.com
And last but not least a good old links list for streamlined locomotives at wikipedia is to be found here. Enjoy the inspiration.
K
Apologies if you've been linked here without permission, every effort was made to e-mail out to all websites before links and images were posted. Please contact me via www.kitfriend.com if you would like anything taken down.
Prototrains fantastic site for a company set up with the sole intention of producing streamliners for N gauge.
MG Sharp's Kato USA Page featuring the rather nice new Kato EMD F3A & B Units, including a rather fetching one in black livery.
Con-Cor Aerotrain preorder page for what looks to be a very interesting model.
An N gauge version of the German experimental Schienenzeppelin rail car in all its propellor powered glory is available from MG Sharp in the UK or this site in the US.
The gorgeous and apparently very well running Concord Zephyr model
Great website for finding steamliners at skyrocket.de. Some of these have been modelled but loads are untouched as far as I can tell. Ripe for kitbashing and scratch building! My particular favourite is the highly unusual French Class 231.726 see image below...
Another great website for inspiration is at Streamlined Locomotives of the world
Mostly American locomotives, but still good stuff at Northeast.railfan.net
Fantastic selection of high quality Japanese N scale locomotives, including a few streamliners at Hobby Search.
Really cool Micro Ace airport transfer train ""Rapi:t" Kansai Airport Express at Newhallstation.com
And last but not least a good old links list for streamlined locomotives at wikipedia is to be found here. Enjoy the inspiration.
K
Apologies if you've been linked here without permission, every effort was made to e-mail out to all websites before links and images were posted. Please contact me via www.kitfriend.com if you would like anything taken down.
Welcome
Hello and welcome to Streamlined Locomotion, a blog set up for N gauge model railway enthusiasts with a passion for streamlined locomotives, and to document my own first layout as it comes into being.
Here you will find posts concerning the prototypes, locomotives that I think would make great models if anyone has the time or the inclination, and crucially, the existing N gauge streamliners that are available on the market!
You can also expect to delve into some other realms of my interest including narrow guage and Nn3 work.
This blog was inspired to be begun thanks to conversations with Southern Boy over at New Railway Modellers so thanks go to all his input!
Cheers,
Kit Friend
www.kitfriend.com
Here you will find posts concerning the prototypes, locomotives that I think would make great models if anyone has the time or the inclination, and crucially, the existing N gauge streamliners that are available on the market!
You can also expect to delve into some other realms of my interest including narrow guage and Nn3 work.
This blog was inspired to be begun thanks to conversations with Southern Boy over at New Railway Modellers so thanks go to all his input!
Cheers,
Kit Friend
www.kitfriend.com
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