Newsletter

52F Models Online Newsletter, last revised 07/06/2025.

Please use our landline number when contacting 52F Models.

01670 362451

The Caledonian Railway Class 439 designed by McIntosh and proliferated by Pickersgill and the LMSR is now available in OO and EM/P4. The first deliveries are scheduled for Monday the 9th of June 2025.

It's turned out to be a lot more work than was initially anticipated resulting in a complete redesign and a much better kit than was initially intended. It just goes to show how things move on in a short space of time.

We've been inspired by the link below that shows one of our North Eastern 0-4-4T's in action. Well worth a look. See link below under News Flash.

To do this kit justice, we've produced both versions. The modeller will be able to produce his particular prototype at any stage during its long and illustrious career. We've included enough 3D printed parts to cover most if not all eventualities. The design includes a very efficient custom gearbox with a reduction ratio of 46:1. This provides excellent slow running with a fair turn of speed

The cost of any version of the kit will be £110.95. A modified Gibson wheel set will be £42.00 and a Coreless 1219 motor costs £27.50.

3D printing, where you can use it, seems to be the way to go. It's like everything else 3D printers and resins will get better and soon higher melting point resins will become the norm. Anything with a deformation point below 130° C is no good for lost wax masters.

One of our valued customers has asked us to consider producing a CR class 782. Initial research showed us that Lambie fleshed out this project in his short time as CME before his untimely death and it fell to J.F. McIntosh to actually have these excellent locos produced. Most of the design work has been completed and we will be at the artwork stage by the end of the month. The caveat being if all goes to plan. I know only too well that there's many a slip twixt cup and lip. If there's anyone out there that would like one of these locos, you can express your interest by either email or telephone. (peter@52fmodels.org or ring us on 01670 362451)

News Flash!

Follow this link to see one of our LNER/BR class G5's in operation on the Expo EM test track

https://youtu.be/7szNB3yo6rY?si=KwYW1DUUoLTh1VBm

We would like to take this opportunity to announce the release of our NBR class J35 Loco kit as well as our long awaited NBR class D30 Loco kit. The price of the D30 kit will be £170.00 + P&P Initial deliveries have been made and a lot of positive feedback received from customers

Good news for NBR modeller's, our new Holmes 0-4-4T passenger tank, NBR class P, LNER class G7 is now available initially in EM/P4 gauge. If there's enough interest from OO modeller's to make a OO version commercially viable then a OO version will follow. The kit has been redesigned before release to the public to incorporate the design principles established on our very successful NER Cass O. LNER class G5 Loco Kit.

The price of the Loco kit with the Holmes 3,500g tender is £165.00 +P&P. Modified wheel sets with the correct 10" crank throw are available at extra cost. We have updated the Gibson Wheels tab to reflect the latest price increase of wheel sets.

Seen at the 2019 Workshop Wise event, this beautiful C15 built for one of our customer's from a 52F Models kit. Graham has really done the model justice with this lovely build and paint job. It would be a star attraction on any layout.

If you're ordering Gibson wheels, please check with us that the price is the same as may have been quoted on the website. We do our best to keep the individual tabs up to date but it's becoming more of a full time job to keep on top of things.

Packing boxes are the latest thing to increase in price. The price for a slightly less quantity has increased by almost £80.00 That's more than 80p per item. It's certainly no laughing matter.

After a chance meeting with a former work colleague at this year's Workshop Wise, the conversation turned to 3D printing. By the look on my face he could see that I would need some convincing. He showed me some samples of his work and to be honest I've never seen 3D printing like this. The finish was first class and convinced me that a 3D printed tender tank might be the way to go with the Holmes 3,500g tender for the J35 project. I have taken delivery of the redesigned third attempt this week. The cost of the 3D printed item won't be cheap but it's swings and roundabouts. I'll save a worthwhile amount on the etched parts so the cost of one will be partly offset by the savings on the other.

The 3D printed parts have turned out to be a revelation and the J35 project has shifted up a gear. Hopefully, 2024 will see the J35 kit available.

Our long awaited A8 kit with both large and small boiler is now available. Our new NER class O, LNER/BR class G5 is passed the Test Build stage and is now available in EM/P4 gauge. Click on the G5 loco kit tab and follow the you tube link to see this loco in action. The NBR class G7 has been released and is available in EM/P4 gauge. (See next paragraph.)

While we were held up fulfilling orders, we haven't been resting on our laurels. We have used our enforced idleness to good effect. We have been working on four new projects, three for NBR Modellers' and one NER model. The NBR models are the Matthew Holmes designed 0-4-4T Passenger tank (LNER Class G7). This has now been released.

The next is our long overdue WP Reid D30. The artwork for both the loco and tender should go off to have the films made this week. The more I redesign the chassis the better this kit gets. The final iteration of the artwork is complete.

The 3D printed Tender Tank is now sorted to my satisfaction. We've developed a new method for fixing the valences, buffer beams and drag beams to both the loco and tender footplates.

NBR Class C16 for OO gauge modellers.

We have produced this kit and it is now available and proving to be in big demand. All of a sudden this kit has developed a following among OO modeller's. While in the design stage, we decided to incorporate a few changes that will simplify the assembly process while not detracting in any way from the high level of detail on the body and chassis. The improvements to the design will be what's been proven to work and will provide an overall benefit in running or ease of assembly.

Slater's Plasticard have supplied us with lost wax brass castings. We were delighted to see that they were of the same high standard as those previously supplied.

We have produced the promised NBR class M, LNER class G9 as a kit. It's only available in EM/P4 at the moment but if there's sufficient interest a OO version will follow.

The kit features compensation for all eight wheels. The chassis is load bearing for optimum weight distribution. It can't be bunker heavy, a fault common to all 0-4-4T tank engines.

Custom made horn blocks allows wheel assembly and quartering away from the chassis. You can even fit the custom gearbox to the drive axle along with the horn blocks and quarter the wheels before fitting them as an assembly. The wheels are held in place with a keeper plate that holds the springs and is readily detachable by removal of two 10BA screws.

All etched parts are 0.38mm nickel silver. All the white metal parts and lost wax castings are included to allow any version to be built.

Development now complete LNER/BR class A8 4-6-2T

These are the first phots of the partially completed "Test Build" body. This shot shows the driver's side of the loco with the folding cab doors in the closed position. The boiler fitted is the diagram 63B with the dome placed 1'-9" nearer the firebox. Diagram 63A / 63C boiler will be supplied with the kit. The beading has been fitted to the cab opening. This is a pre-formed part and will allow the door opening handrails to be fitted prototypically.

Latest NBR news.

W.P. Reid designed Class D30 4-4-0 loco and tender kit.

The final prototype for the D30 has been built. We hope the production castings are as good as the samples All the castings that would have been white metal items will now be supplied as lost wax brass items. That was the plan, it looks like the castings are going to be a mixture of white metal and lost wax brass.

The tender has been built by a friend and has NBR springs and axle boxes on one side and we've used LNER springs and axle boxes on the other. The the lost wax castings look really nice and are a cut above what's currently available. You can even read NBR on the axle boxes. The lost wax castings for the NBR tender coping initially looked very nice. On assembly shrinkage proved to be a greater problem than anticipated. I am having to remake one of the masters to compensate for the accumulated shrinkage. Two pieces need to be 1.2mm longer.

There will be a choice of lost wax NBR springs and axle boxes or LNER springs and axleboxes. You will need to specify which which item you require when you order the kit. These lost wax brass castings aren't cheap so it's an either or situation in order to keep the cost down.

The NBR Reid Tender has been problematical in the design through to prototype phase. Incorporating so many new features into the design was never going to be easy but if you go to the Reid 4,235g tender tab you'll see that nearly all of the problems with the lost wax tender coping castings have been sorted.

There was very little point in finishing of the D30 while the design of the tender was proving problematical. Now we will be concentrating on snagging the loco and chassis design. We have been unable to use the original wheel we thought would be ideal for the purpose and we've had to select a modified King Arthur wheel as a substitute. This looks great on the chassis but when the chassis is offered up to the body there are clearance issues with the driving wheels and the splashers.

© Peter Stanger 2015, all rights reserved. This is the first photo of our D30 loco built from our first test etches. We are particularly pleased by the way that the etched parts have assembled with no fettling required to achieve the results that you see in the photo. We have modelled all the parts that can be seen above the footplate significantly enhancing the detail under the boiler. The body features sliding cab windows but they can't be seen in this shot. The boiler and the smokebox wrapper will be pre-formed by us to ensure that these parts fit correctly