Unrebuilt Merchant Navy

[Tony57]

Just read in the September issue of Railway Mag one with free DVD on Flying Scotsman, that ACE Locomotives the owners of Merchant Navy General Steam Navigation 35011 are aiming to do an unrebuilding restoration complete with air smooth casing and reinstating

the middle cylinder and Bulleid chain drive valve system.

If it does happen then there would be a good reason for Hornby to produce one or two models of the only Pacific class locomotive not produced.

[Postman Prat]

Hi Tony

This idea was floated several years ago using (I think) 35022 Holland America Line (LC&DR to correct if necessary). It was another of those projects to just 'fade away'

If it comes off it will be Unrebuilt!!!

[mortehoe]

Tony I have had to re read your post, "reinstate the middle cylinder". Original or rebuild, they are 3 cylinder. I think LC&DR's post was the better idea a newbuild with gear drive as envisaged.
If they go ahead, I can see it being somewhat costly,

six new driveing wheels will be required, just for starters.

[Postman Prat]

Didn't rebuilding also involve a new middle cylinder?? They've got the boiler and frames, and bogie and pony trucks. You're right though, it will be expensive paying for all the coal those brutes ate, plus gallons of oil spread on tracks far and wide,

and on the boiler lagging.. Having the fire brigade on stand-by, to cope with the fires under the air-smoothed casing won't come cheap, etc etc etc

Stick to rebuilds!!

[mortehoe]

Postman Prat said:


Didn't rebuilding also involve a new middle cylinder?? They've got the boiler and frames, and bogie and pony trucks. You're right though, it will be expensive paying for all the coal those brutes ate, plus gallons of

oil spread on tracks far and wide, and on the boiler lagging.. Having the fire brigade on stand-by, to cope with the fires under the air-smoothed casing won't come cheap, etc etc etc

Stick to rebuilds!!

We had a 37 in Police Colours,

perhaps we could have a 66 in fire and rescue colours following behind, putting out fires, any takers ??????

[LCDR]

I think I read somewhere the retro-rebuild is still being considered.

According to some of the histories of the class the reason Bulleid put chain drive in was he could not obtain the necessary material for the tried and tested rotary valve gear,

so he chose what he believed to be the next best thing. If the War had not happened I suspect instead of a Merchant Navy we would have had a Bulleidised LNER P2 or possibly a Pacific version. However the SR Civil Engineer was not happy about a leading pony

nor eight coupled wheels for an express passenger class.

[Tony57]

Just a quick follow up the General Steam navigation is currently in ex Barry condition at Sellindge Kent. So it needs a lot of money spent on it

The artical refers to the replacement middle cylinder as to the most complex ever produced in preservation

with 42 internal core spaces - Tornado's only had 30.

ACE locomotives who own GSN say there is little point in restoring all MN's to the exact same condition.

Who knonws they may be able to stop the oil leaks and have fire resistant lagging

fitted so they won't need the fire brigade on standby.

[LCDR]

Tony57 said:

Just a quick follow up the General Steam navigation is currently in ex Barry condition at Sellindge Kent. So it needs a lot of money spent on it

The artical refers to the replacement middle cylinder as to the most complex

ever produced in preservation with 42 internal core spaces - Tornado's only had 30.

ACE locomotives who own GSN say there is little point in restoring all MN's to the exact same condition.

Who knonws they may be able to stop the oil leaks and

have fire resistant lagging fitted so they won't need the fire brigade on standby.

It would in fact be a really good opportunity to create a 'Super Pacific'. It is reasonably certain that the Jarvis rebuilds were a considerable improvement over

the original Bulleid design, albeit Bullied's machines were excellent when in good condition. However there will undoubtedly be scope for further improvement.

[forester]

Sorry. I just couldn't resist bumping up the thread.
Well, someone from the planning team might notice it.
Keep dreaming .......

[LCDR]

And if they selected 21C24 East Asiatic Company they could represent the unique experimental blue with three crimson lines paint job too.

[Ozexpatriate]

It's got to be on the short list.

It comes in at number 8 for SR items on the 2012 poll. But that's higher than anything GWR, LMSR and LNER (except the K1).

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/55319-mremag-rmweb-wishlist-poll-2012-results/

Of

course, were one to be made, I'd love to see flexible tooling to support the first five with the widow's peak, and in malachite.

I think Horby might be less ambitious with their 2013 announcements. so I'm not holding my breath.

[poliss]

How many people voted for it? Just 193. I ignore these polls when there so few voters.

[LCDR]

A bit like local authority elections then?

[Postman Prat]

All promises, all forgotten once they get in!!!

LC&DR said:

A bit like local authority elections then?

[LCDR]

Postman Prat said:


All promises, all forgotten once they get in!!!

LC&DR said:

A bit like local authority elections then?

Yes -- but also elected by less than 15% of the electorate because 75% couldn't be

bothered.

[Postman Prat]

What about the other 10%???

[LCDR]

Postman Prat said:


What about the other 10%???

Voted for the other lot!

[Fishmanoz]

Try coming down under - voting is compulsory with fines if you don't. If/when we end up with bad government, the majority of us are to blame. Or not when both sides are bad.

[da4472vid]

Fishmanoz said:

Try coming down under - voting is compulsory with fines if you don't. If/when we end up with bad government, the majority of us are to blame. Or not when both sides are bad.

like the two who are in now

[southern]

The passage at the end of my post, has been prepared by and within the meanderings of a well respected/trusted, Southern Railway Modeller. I`ve deliberately not mentioned any names. But having read between the lines, the inference is that there will be

"Southern" releases. Otherwise, why "a post prepared"?
With the announcement of an as built Merchant Navy, in N guage by the competition, there is a good chance that their CAD/CAM modeling design, will be rescaled to generate an 00 sweet of drawings! Its

only a matter of time!!!
Hornby may be only too aware of this? and are in a commanding position, component wise, to be first on the scene with a Merchant!
There is obviously more scope, if the model were based on the Series 2&3 of the class and this

is possibly the market that will be catered for. A series 1 is my personal choice, however would be happy to see this unique loco finally on the shelves.
Would like to think that those of us, who have contributed to this subject in the Forum, will get lucky

on the 17th of the Month
"I have a post prepared to also go live, here on this blog, at Midday on Monday 17th detailing the models of interest and relevant to Southern Railway / Southern Region modellers to save you wading through the whole list of announcements.

I can assure readers that despite reported difficult trading conditions / supply chain issues that Hornby are in the process of overcoming there are new and exciting models planned".

[LCDR]

There is probably a clue on the Hornby Facebook page, unless Hornby have employed a subtle subterfuge to throw us all off the scent. There is a picture on there that includes a screenshot of a CAD design of the back end of a Southern related item, NOT

an MN, but with strong Maunsell and electrical leanings, I have also heard whispers, I shall say no more.

southern said:

The passage at the end of my post, has been prepared by and within the meanderings of a well respected/trusted, Southern

Railway Modeller. I`ve deliberately not mentioned any names. But having read between the lines, the inference is that there will be "Southern" releases. Otherwise, why "a post prepared"?
With the announcement of an as built Merchant Navy, in N guage by

the competition, there is a good chance that their CAD/CAM modeling design, will be rescaled to generate an 00 sweet of drawings! Its only a matter of time!!!
Hornby may be only too aware of this? and are in a commanding position, component wise, to be

first on the scene with a Merchant!
There is obviously more scope, if the model were based on the Series 2&3 of the class and this is possibly the market that will be catered for. A series 1 is my personal choice, however would be happy to see this unique

loco finally on the shelves.
Would like to think that those of us, who have contributed to this subject in the Forum, will get lucky on the 17th of the Month
"I have a post prepared to also go live, here on this blog, at Midday on Monday 17th detailing

the models of interest and relevant to Southern Railway / Southern Region modellers to save you wading through the whole list of announcements. I can assure readers that despite reported difficult trading conditions / supply chain issues that Hornby are in

the process of overcoming there are new and exciting models planned".

[mortehoe]

LC&DR said:

There is probably a clue on the Hornby Facebook page, unless Hornby have employed a subtle subterfuge to throw us all off the scent. There is a picture on there that includes a screenshot of a CAD design of the back end of a Southern

related item, NOT an MN, but with strong Maunsell and electrical leanings, I have also heard whispers, I shall say no more.

southern said: You Sir are a tease. Off I went to Hornby Facebook Page, couldn't find anything that matches what you mentioned.

GRRRR. Sorry that was my senior Beagles input.

The passage at the end of my post, has been prepared by and within the meanderings of a well respected/trusted, Southern Railway Modeller. I`ve deliberately not mentioned any names. But having read between

the lines, the inference is that there will be "Southern" releases. Otherwise, why "a post prepared"?
With the announcement of an as built Merchant Navy, in N guage by the competition, there is a good chance that their CAD/CAM modeling design, will be rescaled

to generate an 00 sweet of drawings! Its only a matter of time!!!
Hornby may be only too aware of this? and are in a commanding position, component wise, to be first on the scene with a Merchant!
There is obviously more scope, if the model were based

on the Series 2&3 of the class and this is possibly the market that will be catered for. A series 1 is my personal choice, however would be happy to see this unique loco finally on the shelves.
Would like to think that those of us, who have contributed

to this subject in the Forum, will get lucky on the 17th of the Month
"I have a post prepared to also go live, here on this blog, at Midday on Monday 17th detailing the models of interest and relevant to Southern Railway / Southern Region modellers to

save you wading through the whole list of announcements. I can assure readers that despite reported difficult trading conditions / supply chain issues that Hornby are in the process of overcoming there are new and exciting models planned".

[Ozexpatriate]

With Farish doing one in N it seems very probable that a 00 version will appear in a blue box in due course. We have all known about the Farish version for many months. It seems to me that only if Hornby's plans were well advanced, would they continue

after the Farish announcement.

I for one would prefer series 1 of the Merchant Navy.

If one did a series 1 and the other a series 2/3 that would be interesting. Murphy's law would dictate they would choose exactly the same version.

Are

there shades of the old Hall/Grange issue? We'll see.

[mortehoe]

I'm brassed off now. LC&DR is our resident expert, I'm seeing different posts, this class had many guises, until they were rebuilt. I believe no one has asked for the members of the class that had ASBESTOS air smoothing with longtidinal re-enforcing ribs.

LC&DR will put me straight, it is not as simple as saying that they were built in 3 batches of 10, changes/differences abounded in the first 5 alone.
***** MESSAGE TO HORNBY OR BLUE BOX ***** GET YOUR FINGER OUT AND FILL HIS GAP QUICKLY ******

[Ozwarrior]

Unlike Ozexpatriate I take the fact that the B team didn't announce a 00 version at the same time as the N version as a sign that Hornby is onto it. We'll see in a few days!