3D Printed NER Y Class (LNER A7)

[Kieran TaitParticipant]

Didn’t know exactly of where to put this, but since I made the 3D Model from scratch and constructed it after it was printed, I decided it should probably go in the scratch-building thread.

I started out by getting a half decent reference images for dimensions, eventually I found a side on drawing for one (90% sure it was scanned from a book before I got it) and scaled in the 3D modelling software I’m using by going off a known measurement (Specifically the driving wheel diameter). Then I began work on the chassis, this was my first proper attempt at using this software so I used it for practice before the bodyshell, eventually I had the entire chassis designed as shown in the image below.

As you can probably tell from the photo this is designed to use the Tri-ang X04 alongside the Hornby Bearings and basic 0-6-0 wheels, this is mainly to keep making it quick, and to keep costs down as much as possible (This hobby can be quite expensive for a 16 year old, so if I can save money at the cost of poorer low speed performance and more motor noise that is fine by me). Then I printed out the chassis and made some slight modifications with a dremel and file as some clearance problems arose once the wheels were put on the front bogie. After a quick test to make sure it rolls it was time to get to modelling the bodyshell, using the same reference drawing as the chassis, along with some educated guesses for stuff that can only be seen from the front view I didn’t have. However eventually I got it to a point where I was happy with it (which is shown in a slightly earlier state below)

Then I split the bodyshell up into pieces and began to print them, not much progress has been made on printing it apart from the running board which had the buffers and steps attached. I now need to print the Boiler which also has the Tanks attached, the Lower half of the Cab and Bunker, the top half of the cab, and the frame extensions. The Running board should be shown fitted to the chassis below, with my NER Autocoach project (Made from a heavily modified Tri-ang Clerestory Brake) for buffer height reference.

I will hopefully continue to update this thread as the project goes on, but if not I should be running it and the two NER Clerestories I’ve been making out of Tri-ang Clerestories at EM Expo NE this year on the test track as my 850mm long test track at home is useless for extended running tests.

[Stuart FirthParticipant]

Fascinating, and well outside my skillset! I look forward to seeing updates.

[Author]

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