A brief update first A4 60001 Sir Ronald Matthews is nearly completed, just coaling and oil required, here's a quick snap I took prior to the hand weathering being done and the head lamps being fitted.
T9 30718 is progressing smoothly, though she is just a rework thankfully.
On to the subject at hand Bulleid Light Pacific's, I suddenly had a brainwave - I've got a number of perfectly good donors up in the loft doing nothing so why not re-purpose them It's going to be 2009 again for
A busy month as usual, lots of cursing and swearing with nameplates etc, but I've got there lol!
First up the completed victims - sorry loco's in their various states of dirtiness
First up is Q1 33035 now complete, done and very dirty:
Next is a very lightly weathered 34057 Biggin Hill on an Early Crest and unmodified tender:
Finally for the completed loco's is Grange Class 6800 Arlington Grange looking remarkably clean compared to her sister loco 6870 Bodicote Grange
With the completion of West Country 34031 Torrington, I have 20 WC/BoB's left to do. It's hard to believe that it's not quite 3 years since I started down this slippery slope!!!! My main problem now is decent reasonably priced donors as they are few and far between, I'll get there somehow!!
I plan to revisit two I did in the early days this year, that were modelled using the wrong cab width loco (I didn't know better at the time), these are 34072 257 Squadron and 34110 66 Squadron - donors
It's that time of the month for an update and my production line grows even longer. 34031 Torrington returned to the front of the queue and is now awaiting it's final coats of varnish (once the paint-shop warms up!!!) It's a true REBUILT West Country with all the parts from different sources etc.
The 5,250gl tender fully lined out on one side
Engine and tender coupled up, at this point I hadn't lined up the side of the tender facing the camera or applied the cabside numbers
After lord know's how many renamings/renumberings of Southern Region Locos, I'm doing one with a distinctly Western flavour. Upcoming is a 6800 Grange class 6870 Bodicote Grange ​to be precise. A suitable donor has been requisitioned, just got to acquire the plates
In the meantime 34031 Torrington's tender is completely modified and currently awaiting it's next stage of painting, I'll post a picture of it shortly in it's before painting form. Once finished I'll get the engine all renumber
....not the Bionic Woman, but another Bionic Bulleid - more that later
Two more loco's rolled off the renaming/renumbering and weathering production line this weekend.
First up was Rebuilt West Country 34095 Brentor another one I hadn't done
And then T9 30337, looking her age I might add (photo's have been redone )
Currently awaiting varnishing and weathering in the paintshop is another King Arthur 30797 Sir Blamor de Ganis.
Then the rebuild operation that's
Ok it's November and I've been busy with loco's amongst other things lol!
I've been adding pictures to my galleries as each loco's been done, but I thought I'd share a few different shots with you as a little treat
First up is West Country Class 34019 Bideford:
Then it's the turn of N15 30770 Sir Prianius (note the fireman's tools on the tender):
Up next is a diversion in Malachite Green (under all that dirt) in the form of West Country Class 34048 Crediton (yes I've d
... mad that is
My workbench has been a flurry of activity, lots of locos have passed over it in the last month.
First up here's another shot of Schools 30920 Rugby, basking in the sun:
Then there's T9 30117:
Next a reworked WC 34023 Blackmore Vale, complete with 71A (Eastleigh) shedcode, grime and coal:
And finally my first tank engine renumbering M7 30049:
All of which will be finding themselves on a certain auction site over the coming months
.... Figuratively speaking of course !
West Country 34103 Calstock was completed last week and is ready to go (whenever that will be ) Here's a couple of shots of her.
Waiting to go back into the Paint-shop for it's final sealing coat of varnish, is a very decrepit looking T9 30117 , I had a lot of fun with this one, the weathering is a little bit of a departure from the norm for me
Also about to go into the Paint-shop for a liberal dose of dirt and grime is Schools Cla
An update of sorts, it's been a month of hell for me, so I'll be brief.
First up N15 30805 Sir Constantine has left the nest, here's another shot of her (the other picture is in my gallery)
West Country 34002 Salisbury was up next, now complete and in storage till I resume sales in late September. Another picture of her is in the gallery.
Currently in the paintshop awaiting weathering is West Country 34103 Calshot and on the workbench is a narrow cab T9, destined to become
Time for my June update, first up 34065 Hurricane has left the nest and is with a happy (repeat) customer. Here's one last look at her:
To answer Glenn's comment as to what do I use to seal the acrylics? That's relatively straight forward Vallejo Acrylic Matt Varnish Aerosol, I swear by it, doesn't seem to react to climate either and it seems to last for ages, so it's good value per can (in my opinion).
Another Bulleid Light Pacific is complete and about to be listed on a certain a
For the first time in ages a new West Country rolls off the TBG workbench (literally of course) 34004 Yeovil in Rebuilt guise. The donor and plates had been sitting around for ages so the time had come to do a renaming from scratch. Like a well oiled machine it rolled off the production line in no time at all.
While Yeovil was in the paintshop, I busied myself with a Battle of Britain (Tangmere) donor and created a new version of 34065 Hurricane. This will get the heavy weathered treat
Well she's had an adventure or two, been from one end of the country to the other and three different owners. Now she's back home where she belongs, I'm talking about one of Bulleids of course, one that was a reluctant sale to a certain dodgey car dealer - 34093 Saunton.
Missing a step was the only sign of her epic journeys, that fortunately was in the parts bag so was quickly re-attached and the correct shedcode fitted (71A Eastleigh). A quick dust and she had her picture taken in the afte
As another Battle of Britain is the paintshop.
I started work repairing the slight beat up A4 Golden Plover I'd acquired off ebay. It needed bits replacing namely the tender chassis and front bogie, plus various parts sticking back on. Didn't take me to long to fix, fortunately she's a smooth runner so I did't have to start dismantling too much. After a few hours work she looks more like an A4, I've also taken the opportunity to fit etched plates which really bring it to life.
Next
As another Bulleid sits completed 34082 615 Squadron and another is about to be given the one over 34055 Fighter Pilot, something else has arrived to be given the Toboldlygo treatment and it isn't Southern....
More on that in a bit here's another view of 615 Squadron
Right I've always had a soft spot for A4's and yes I've owned one before. Now another one sits in my intray..
Keep yer eyes peeled for updates...
Well a Bulleid down and an N15 on the road to being finished.
34038 Lynton is finished and looking for a new home, there's a photo in my Bulleid Gallery, but here's another more frontal shot.
Also before I get on with another Bulleid, I decided to rename my other Sir Harry le Fise Lake to something else (way too many Sir Harry's on ebay ) With a couple of hours work when the plates arrived from Fox Transfers, Sir Arry became 30794 Sir Ector de Maris on a 70D (Basingstoke) shedcode
Back from my hols and back to trains. Finally completed is Urie (5,000gl) Tendered N15 30803 Sir Harry le Fise Lake - extremely dirty now and runs ever so sweetly
Here's Sir Harry with the 3,500gl tender so you can see the difference, this ones up for rehoming
Presently on my workbench is a Hornby 08 Shunter, that's a bit of a squealer, on investigation there's no lubrication present, so it's been lubricated up.
Up next is another West Country, in this case (Air Smoothed Cas
Okay time for my monthly update. I've been up to eyeballs in Bulleids as usual, a reworked 34085 501 Squadron has left the works and is ready to be listed on ebay (see my gallery for a pic)
Finally after a while a way from King Arthurs (N15's) it's time to welcome a new one to the fold, alright many have come onto my workbench and left in other guises. 30803 Sir Harry le Fise Lake as Hornby don't sell it - with a 5,000gl Urie tender!
For those who aren't aware Sir Harry was given a 5,00
A New Year and time for a brief update.
First up my second Schools renaming/renumbering is complete (picture posted in my gallery) 30919 Harrow is a welcome newcomer to my fleet.
The etched smokebox numberplate finally arrived from Fox Transfers for my Q1 33040 and that's now been fitted.
Currently completed and awaiting photographs is my reworked Rebuilt Battle of Britain 34089 602 Squadron this will be put up for auction on ebay at some point. This loco was intended for my ex-clien
Having seen all the recent froth on the subject of what to use in front of Merchant Navies, West Country's etc. I thought I've give my perspective on it.
Original - Fresh out of the Works, as built, later loco's had wedge cabs and other modifications from new so this covers them as well.
Modified - Wedge Cab fitted, changes to deflectors, tenders etc.
Rebuilt - The loco is radically change in appearance, though retains enough of it's original DNA to still be called the same class!
Another completed renaming/weathering project rolls off the TBG workbench, in this case Modified (rebuilt) West Country Class 34101 Hartland
(Another shot will be appearing in my gallery shortly)
Other news, is I've given up waiting for the transfers from Modelmaster and finish my renaming/renumbering of a Lord Nelson. Also my rebodied tender for a MN is well underway, I should have the lining and crests on the tender tomorrow
That's all for now
Now where was I... oh yes Lord B was waiting to be coaled, that was a few days ago.
With the coal and ash (I use white sage ash for that) deposits added. It was time to add grease, oil and water deposits to the loco as appropriate for the condition. I use Tamiya Smoke for this as it is very effective for me.
So finally here's a very dirty Bulleid:
No for a quick update on the renaming/numbering front
Currently on my workbench is a rebuilt West Country donor being stripped o
Someone (you know who you are ) messaged me on RMWEB the other week on how I go about creating my really filthy locos. I decided to put a little guide up on here to show you how I go about it.
Advisory - For those of a squeamish disposition the following contains images of a loco in the altogether
Here's the intended victim before I get started, in this case 34054 Lord Beaverbrook
First up I disassemble the loco in to chassis and body and mask up where I don't want the paint
OK time to take the wraps off a wee project I've been concocting for a while. Well I've had the plates for about 2 months, I've now managed to get the donor .
A few hours work produced this Clan/6MT 72014 Firebrand. The etched plates are from Jackson Evans and it's carrying a 72B Sailsbury Shedplate. A work of pure fiction I know, as the Southern Region Batch of Clans was never built.
There's work to be done as I still have to varnish and coal, but no weathering I'll be leaving her in p
Due to the rate of progress and an interesting turn of events, I thought it wise to make an additional update.
My completed commissions are winging their way north as I type and work has commenced on the next batch. The first of which is Original West Country 34020 Seaton with two more to follow - it's going to be a busy month. I've made good progress so far, so I should hopefully have her done by Tuesday.
My own Q1 33040 is finished and I've finally got round to fitting the etched plate
