LNER J70 Tram Loco (Toby)

I had a magazine drawing in my hand a week ago - half a dozen mags which were not properly filed - might have been "Scale Trains" as the drawing wasn't labelled as to which particular class it represented - I put them .. ummm .... ummm - I'll get back to you.

Regards, Greg.P.

Greg,

I have memories of an article with drawings by Iain Rice in Morill - I think I scanned it a while ago for someone who wanted to know about GER liveries on the loco.

Jim.

I have a feeling that one of the cheaper 7mm kit makers (McGowan / Pocket Money Kits ?) does an etch for either the J70 (6 wheeled) or Y6 (4-wheeled) versions. The major visual difference between the two types being the extra wheel and a slightly different profile to the tram skirt boards covering the wheels and motion. They are nearly identical over the upper bodies (I think there are as many differences within the 4-wheeled examples as there are differences between the 4's and the 6's). With the skirts in place, the two types are easily confused.

It might be as well to make the Y6 because of the four wheels - easy loco to make with simple 3-point compensation ? And the etch might be worth the money to save time on cutting out the main body parts.

( I could point you towards the waiting list for a very nice 2mm scale kit version, probably out in the spring. If you'd rather do things in a nice small scale....)

- Nigel

It's a real shame that Hornby didn't make their OO gauge Toby a little more realistic, so that it could be used as adults as well as children. I would have bought one :(

"Gerald H" wrote

It's got a nice chassis mind - very similar to the one under the J94, but I agree that they missed a real opportunity by not basing it on one of the GER trams, made to an authentic (pun inteded) OO-scale.

John.

Connoisseur Models do a etched Tram Engine to 4 and 7 mm. I haven't seen a

The Ertl one with a new underframe, skirts, cowcatchers etc on a "Spud" unit looks the part in my HO British collection!

It's not perfectly to scale in several dimensions but it looks the part and kids love it.

Regards, Greg.P.

'Parrently they have stopped using the Ertl design, I gather current Thomas trains are now very toy-like - Pity.

That would be the one I'm thinking of, thank you.

- Nigel

For Henrietta:-

You might also like to know that D&S make an etched kit for a pair of Wisbech and Upwell coaches (one 4 wheel and one bogie on the same etch) in both 4mm and 7mm. These were later used on the Kelvedon and Tollesbury. One of the bogie coaches was used in the film the 'Titfield Thunderbolt'.