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Barry Ten's Blog
 

GWR bird class - on with the fiddly stuff

As mentioned in the comments to the previous entry, I found that the way I'd put in the motor gearbox resulted in smoother running in reverse than forward. It might have run-in but not willing to take a chance, I bit the bullet and swapped the gearbox from driving on the rear to the front axle, and after some predictable faffing around, was very pleased with the outcome. The loco's now dead smooth at all speed in forward, and only a bit grindy in reverse gear. That's much like the City, which is
Barry Ten

Barry Ten

1
Stock for Brent 1947 GWR
SEF Mallard Build pt2

SEF Mallard Build pt2

A lot more progress on the A4   first up the body, lots more fettling has been completed (although there is still a fair bit to go marked in red).     The lower fairings have been soldered in place, these were prepared by cutting and filing the original fairings to shape.   Some A1 models sprung buffers have been fitted to the front   Remaining body tasks include the pipe on the drivers side, a little more filler, and the cab roof detail.   I'm s
Wenlock's Blog
 

Railex 2019

I spent the weekend exhibiting Sherton Abbas at Railex  http://www.railex.org.uk/ accompanied by Al (Barry Ten), to whom I'm indebted for all his hard work setting up the layout and for his ninja like operating skills   We arrived in Aylesbury around  6.30pm and took about 90 minutes or so to unload the hire van and get the layout set up in the exhibition hall.  Everyone was very helpful and welcoming, particularly David Lane (David Bigcheeseplant) who's the exhibition manager.  
wenlock

wenlock

26
Maurice's Blog
 

Reflections on curves

After a very early start we arrived at the RailEx just as the back of the queue was clearing.  This unexpected visit was stimulated by the offer a lift in the fourth seat of a very comfortable car.   As always, it was an impressive exhibition, and it was rather nice to be able to wander around with no responsibility for operating a layout.   Having made a comment to several people during the course of the day about the curve on the front of one of the 'Cameo Competition' runn
0.87
Märklin and Gibson united beneath a toad

Märklin and Gibson united beneath a toad

Today's fun: trying to fit Bill Bedford BR 'modern image' W-irons under a Cambrian SR/BR 25t Toad.   Catch is: the gauge is EM and the van has the narrowest frames. Evah.   I chose the (sprung) W-irons because for some reason I thought the van wouldn't ride nicely (old moulds, my dodgy construction skills, runes consulted etc). I trimmed them to broadly the right shape with a knife (note the ones on this van, at least following the mouldings in the kit, are unusually wide and
Barry Ten's Blog
 

GWR Bird class continued

Progress continues on the Bird class, proving if nothing else that I need to refine my riveting techniques, but I hope the overall effect will be satisfactory once the frames are painted and less attention-grabbing, as they are in plain brass.   The major work on the body is now done, with the cutaway parts of the boiler and firebox reinstated with plastic card and filler, and as seen by the safety valve, I've begun to put back some of the detail.    Minor gaps arou
Blacklade Artamon Square
Skeleton in the Cupboard

Skeleton in the Cupboard

A very long time ago, I went to one of the CMRA Workshop events. The bookseller was selling a copy of "Tramlink - Official Handbook" published by Capital Transport. (It was Geoff Gamble - I told you it was a long time ago)   Anyway I bought the thing, discovered that Alphagraphix were doing card kits of light rail units, and I got fired up with the idea of building one , and making a working model. This obviously would need somewhere to run, so the idea of building a small layout based
Ravenser

Ravenser

1
Dad-1's Blog
 

Coming to the end of this build

I do dislike waiting for paint to dry, but it's a basic essential.   As of this morning I have 4 wagons, all with some paint too damp and sticky to handle. At least I've made the decision on what the final V16 livery will be. No not BR unfitted grey, but GWR grey. The clubs, and my V12 as well as the GWR V14 will all be liveried as 10 Ton. The BR bauxite V14 and that indecision V16 will be 12 Ton liveries, a result of up-rating.     It's at this
Dad-1

Dad-1

5
It will end in tears before bedtime
 

What am I doing modelling the Brighton!?

My brother despite, or perhaps because of, my predilection for the LSWR will insist on giving me LBSCR kits/stock/books. To be fair we did grow up in a flat above a LBSCR station so I think he's returning me to my roots or something.  It's got to the stage where I have almost as much Brighton stuff as South Western.  So it's time to bite the bullet and get something Brighton running.   Within the many "relief parcels" I found a set of 4 Etched Pixels 4-wheel coaches and Peco chassis' (
Spodgrim

Spodgrim

3
The M-K & Eastern RR
Part 59: Tiffany reefer in HOn3

Part 59: Tiffany reefer in HOn3

I have built one of these before, but that one got sold. This one is built more or less as it was out of the box, as the former one was heavily modified to match the original blueprints...   The kit contents.   The new parts added, turnbuckles, stirrups and couplers with boxes.   The frame started.   The subframe for the body and roof. Notice the paper strips glued to the frame sides to shim it to the correct width.  
M Graff

M Graff

0
The M-K & Eastern RR
Part 58: Kemtron caboose kit

Part 58: Kemtron caboose kit

I got this very old Kemtron kit from a friend of mine. It is etched from very thick brass and had to be filed to shape.... I will use plastic trucks as the brass ones included wasn't of the caboose sort with leaf springs. The amount of heat needed to solder this kit was daunting....   The shape of the roof had to be shaped with a mallet over a wooden form due to the thickness of the brass.       Finished and ready for paint.
M Graff

M Graff

1
The M-K & Eastern RR
Part 57: LaBelle HOn3 gondola

Part 57: LaBelle HOn3 gondola

I built a LaBelle HOn3 gondola kit, and decided to make a honorary car for my late mother Yvonne who died last year of cancer. I have already a mine on my layout called the Ywon mine. So this became the Yvon/Ywon Gold mine Co. car number 47 (as in her birth year). Weathered to represent a well used car that has shipped a lot of gold ore.   The text are dry transfers. The boggies are 3D printed from Shapeways with Kadee wheels.   The couplers a
M Graff

M Graff

0
The M-K & Eastern RR
Part 56: painting a brass C25

Part 56: painting a brass C25

My Westside models C25 in HOn3 will be getting some upgrades. It already has new gears installed and will now get sound, lights and a good paint job. I will also improve the power pick-ups with added wipers on the tender and the locomotive.   The parts involved (well, at least some of them...).   Disassembly of the locomotive.   The main parts cleaned with soda and repaired. Some loose solder joints that had to be fixed.  
M Graff

M Graff

0
Dad-1's Blog
 

Something Missing ?

I opened my last 2 Parkside PC84 GWR Mink 'A' kits without paying too much attention. Today while getting on with them I couldn't find the small black sprues on which the laminated buffer heads are located, wagon hooks and a couple of drop door stops (Multi Purpose sprue). These two 'new' kits also had the small ModelMaster decal sheet included, on reading I note that all the markings are for BR period wagons and the sheet is clearly marked "Ex GWR 10T Mink, Mink 'A', V1
Dad-1

Dad-1

4
turbos' Blog
Three 12t Vanwides, a VWV and two VEA.

Three 12t Vanwides, a VWV and two VEA.

Three 12t Vanwides, a VWV and two VEA.   All three are Parkside kits with buffers and draw hooks from Lanarkshire Model Supplies and brake leavers from Bill Bedford, VWV decals are mostly Modelmaster and VEA decals are mostly Railtec. I might weather the VWV and lightly weather the VEA with the Haz symbols as VEAs were in good condition in the early 1980s. I weighted these with an M10 nut held in place with a piece of sprue. Couplings are Bachmann short cranked on Parkside mounts.
turbos

turbos

1
Stock for Brent 1947 GWR
Locomotive Exchanges: Rescuing an A4 kit pt1

Locomotive Exchanges: Rescuing an A4 kit pt1

I have long had a love of the LNER's pacific, especially the Class A4, starting I believe as a small child seeing Mallard at the National Railway Museum in York.   One of the first "proper" locomotive models I purchased was a Hornby A4.  Over time modelling interest shifted and the focus turned to modelling "modern image" before eventually moving to the Great Western.   But the love of the A4 never really went.  At one point I had the latest Hornby Mallard before selling it due to it being out o
MES Body & Paint
 

Another Slow Week

I need to do more work.   Work was slow at work, so I had the bright idea to bring a Gundam to build at work.   Took me a day-and-a-half.   I do enjoy the Gundam kits, especially the Master Grade kits.   They are snap-fit but entirely rewarding.   Here is the F91; If any of you are Gunpla fans, this is the Ver. 1.0 of the MG F91, and an early run kit, too.    I have built the 'Harrison' version before, so missed out on the Rafflesia stand seen here.    Both stand and kit could use
Blindly wandering into OO-9 plus some OO
gauge 1 christmas engine conversion part 2

gauge 1 christmas engine conversion part 2

I have made more progress on my gauge 1 custom engine and now I have got most of my school work out of the way I can crack into it and motor on in construction.   since the last post I have shortened the chassis, took away the pistons and piston rods, cut and shortened the boiler and made a cab. I am going to quickly add a coat of paint so that I can figure out where things will be placed I also found out that it is the perfect hiding space for a pug I
Northall
Up side down

Up side down

Everything got upside down   One So, we made our plans. Then my wife had a serious fall in the bathroom and insured her back badly. Her recovery will take some time. The Billy cabinet has now to wait for a while. But that is now problem.   Two I want to thank everyone who gave me useful information for the design of my Billy plank. I already started with making a new plan.   Three One of the advices was to buy the excellent book Modelling Grassland an
Shelf Island
Goods platform with crane

Goods platform with crane

A simple platform for goods seems like a good idea for the high-level part of my layout. The platform will provide a little foreground interest for the scene here, and it will be a 'period' piece built of stone and cobbles to contrast with the modern building and metals processor beyond.   This is my platform. I used Wills sheets of cobbles for the top and their random stone for the sides. The Wills sheets don't need very much support to make a robust model.   I wanted
47137

47137

2
rockershovel's Blog
 

Heirs to Basil, 2019..

So, here I am in sunny (occasionally) Lincolnshire. Road conditions mean that the 60 miles or so to work, can be anything from 1hr 40 to 2hrs drive, so I stay out two or three nights a week. I’d mercifully, largely forgotten about English notions of hotel keeping, so it’s all come as rather a shock to the system.    Mostly this means local hotels, booked by the company. These can charitably be described as “variable” and as a sort of bonus, tonight has produced a neighbouring room who

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