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About this blog

A companion blog to my Brent layout topic and steam modelling blog where most of my work in progress modelling is posted.  The aim being to display the completed stock for the layout, along with a record as to the work done.  The eventual plan is that each loco will have a single post, along with posts detailing each complete train.

Most of the modelling has previously been covered either in my steam workbench blog, or on the Brent thread.  Any questions, potential improvements or other comments please fire away!

Entries in this blog

Tank Engines

7427 - GWR Green

Background This is another of those projects where the end result isnt really needed, but seeing as I had all the bits I figured I may as well build it.  The body was purchased years ago intended for a High Level chassis, after finding a Bachmann chassis at a reasonable price it was an easy decision to get the loco commissioned into serviceable condition.   Finding an identity was fairly straightforward, a 74xx was a lot more useful than a 54/64xx given I dont need anything auto fitted.  So
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Tank Engines

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Passenger Formations

Formations for Brent: Plymouth - Paddington

This is the current project, with most coaches still receiving attention.  Once complete it will rotate into the fiddleyard taking the place of the Centenaries.  This rake has originated out of the desire to model a slip coach.  It will comprise the aformentioned Comet slip coach, Hornby models of the D95 and E127 (both with some branding changes and the roofs repainted), the Comet E155 that is eventually intended for the Riviera set, a Slaters toplight C28, a rebuilt Hornby H33 dining car and a
Passenger Formations

Formations for Brent: M Set

This makes up what would have been the most common coach formation through Brent, alas due to fiddleyard constraints I only have room to fit an M Set in one direction.  It can however be supplemented with a van (which was dropped off at Brent for Kingsbridge).  As with other finished coaches, it has been completed with passengers, new couplings and flexible gangways (but still requires a tail light).   The set comprises a Hornby D95 (which has had the roof repainted), a Hornby E127 com
Non Passenger Coaching Stock Formations

The Great Western TPO

Formation:  (down) King or Castle Siphon G 2917 L23 814 L21 794 LMS 30249 (vehicle was replaced with a Hawksworth L25 at some point in 47 and returned to the LMS) L18 807 L22 798 (again this appears to have been replaced with an L25 by 1948, coach diagram  was also used in a Plymouth cross country service, so I will likely also replace eventually) K17 1125 O33 Siphon G, Ian McDonald kit L23 (Hammond Kit) currently on a modif
Express Passenger

5071 Spitfire GW Green

Background The final Castle in the fleet (for now at least) is 5071 Spitfire.  As with 5029 the start point was a Hornby Wellington, although this time there was no convenient other loco with which to swap the Hawksworth tender.  Instead this time I ended up buying parts from eBay to cobble together a new tender from a Hornby body and chassis with scratch built frames (utilizing a set of Finney castings).  This tended then ended up being swapped with the BR tender from my Star and was rebra
Mixed Traffic

4923 Eynsham Hall GWR Black

Background: The loco was a purchase from the estate of the late Comet owner, consisting of a Bachmann body / tender on a Comet loco chassis, and is an excellent runner (with a boiler stuffed full of lead).  I immediately rebranded it to G crest W without realising that as far as can be determined only Modified Halls were in lined green.  Eynsham Hall was chosen having recently stayed at the locomotives namesake.  Further research showed that 4923 was painted black in 47.  As well as the reb
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Mixed Traffic

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Tank Engines

1364: GWR Green

Background First of all this loco is an unpowered paint sample from Kernow Models, purchased at one of the SWAG members days.  I had a choice between an unpainted model or a painted one for a few pounds more, so made the mistake of choosing the latter (only to find out shortly after that the unpainted ones had a motor fitted.)      Usage During the track building phase of the layout this loco proved very useful, the lack of motor meaning that you could push the loco along the
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Tank Engines

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Mixed Traffic

9018: GWR Green

Background Not a lot to say about this, it is the Bachmann model pretty much as it comes (bar the renumbering with Narrow Planet plates).  It was even DCC fitted so I haven’t even needed to do that.   Usage At present I only have the one Bird in the fleet, realistically I need several Bulldogs to cover both the assistance of express services as well as use on local freight.  For the moment the Dukedog will be filling in for these locos (particularly as the Bird does not curre
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Mixed Traffic

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Express Passenger

6027 King Richard I GW Green

Background: The model started as a Hornby King in Great Western livery, it has been rebranded to G crest W removing the original branding with Microsol and repainting the black areas.  The missing double red route indicators were added with HMRS transfers, along with a set of Modelmasters etched plates.  A Lenz Gold decoder is fitted in the decoder, the loco needed some rewiring as the 8 pin socket was incorrectly wired by Hornby.   Usage:  Naturally this will join the other
Express Passenger

5029 Nunny Castle GW Green

Background The second Castle in the fleet is 5029 Nunney Castle, chosen because it was the location where I got engaged.  The start point was the Hornby Wellington release, swapping the tender with Berkeley Castle to get a 4000gl Collett tender.  This needed to be rebranded to G crest W (with the lower lining removed), modification to the loco – tender coupling was required given differences between the different Hornby releases.  The loco was renumbered using a set of Modelmasters plates,
Tank Engines

5108: GWR Green

Background This started off as a cheap ebay find which turned out to have ruined cylinders, these were eventually replaced and the loco resprayed in a better shade of GWR green before adding Narrow Planet plates and weathering.  The plan was to sell in advance of the Hornby model’s arrival, but it didn’t sell and remains in the fleet.  It lacks a decoder and more likely than not will end up on ebay once again to raise funds towards a Hornby or Dapol replacement.  (If anyone would be interes
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Tank Engines

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Express Passenger

6013 King Henry VIII GW Green

Background: The model started as a Hornby King in Great Western livery, it has been rebranded to G crest W removing the original branding with Microsol and repainting the black areas.  The missing double red route indicators were added with HMRS transfers, along with a set of Modelmasters etched plates.  A Lenz Gold decoder is fitted in the decoder, the loco needed some rewiring as the 8 pin socket was incorrectly wired by Hornby.   Usage:  Naturally this will join the other
Tank Engines

5798 GWR Green

Background: This started off as a Bachmann model already in GWR livery and DCC fitted to boot, it has been renumbered to Newton Abbot's 5798 with a set of Narrow Planet plates and some HMRS transfers.  A set of RT Models sandbox linkages were added to the front.  The moulded rear lamp irons were replaced with the Finney etch, while the missing front / side lamp irons were added also with the Finney etch.  A Hardy's Hobbies crew was added, and the loco was weathered / coaled.  Finally the in
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Tank Engines

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Mixed Traffic

6829: Burlington Grange GWR Black

Background: For some strange reason Hornby have only ever sold the Grange in Great Western liveries with the Churchward 3500gl tender, while the BR versions have been offered with the Collett 3500gl version.  This is a shame as the Hornby 3500gl Collett tender is rather nice, and I think the Grange looks a lot better with the bigger tender.  As I wanted a GWR black loco, and 6829 had the aforementioned Collett tender in 1947 the best option seemed to be buying a BR grange and rebrandin
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Mixed Traffic

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Heavy Freight

2846 GWR

Background: The starting point is the excellent Hornby model sourced second hand with some minor issues which needed repairing to get it running (basically a full rewire and some bodywork repairs to the roof.)  It has be renumbrered and the tender rebranded from shirt button to G W R with HMRS transfers. The model is fitted with a Lenz Gold decoder in the tender.   Usage: The current fiddleyard layout includes 2 heavy freight workings, for which I have 4 engines available (al
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Heavy Freight

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Express Passenger

21c111 Tavistock: Southern

Background: This is a Hornby model which originally came with an unbranded tender and BR numbers on the cabside.  It has been renumbered with the Modelmasters pack (which included transfers for the numbers as well as the etched plates.) The BR number plate was carved off the front (with the Southern ring hiding the remains)   Usage: This is intended for use on one of the more unusual workings through Brent.  There was a regular passenger service which for which the loco was p
Heavy Freight

4855: GWR Green

Background: The model started as a Hornby 38xx which I had previously renumbered and fitted with etched plates and rebranded the tender to G W R.  It has now been fitted with a 3d printed (shapeways) oil tank on the tender along with the associated plumbing scratch built with various grades of brass tube / wire.  The cab has been modified to add the side sutters (etched parts found in the scrap box) and roof vents (scratch built from plasticard), along with a new identity as 4855 with some
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Heavy Freight

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Tank Engines

4582 GWR Green

Background: This is a standard Bachmann release of the 4575 class which has been renumbered to 4582 (HMRS transfers and Narrow Planet plates).  Unfortunately the bunker area is a bit of poor design, with the rear fairing, coal load and the lower back of the cab interior are all moulded as one piece.  This means to remove the moulded coal load you have to remove the cab roof first, once out it was split into 3 parts (with the fairing and interior glued back into place.  With the roof off the
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Tank Engines

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Express Passenger

4085 Berkeley Castle

Background: This originated with parts from two Hornby Castle releases, with the body originating with Tintagel Castle and the tender from Wellington (with the other parts used on my model of Nunney Castle).  This gives the correct loco body and tender to model Berkeley Castle in 1947 condition, although the frames are incorrect in that they should be of the “joggle” type.  Unfortunately  I think Hornby have only done one release in that condition (as the NRM edition Caerphilly Castle) whic
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Express Passenger

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Mixed Traffic

6971: Aethelhampton (Modified) Hall

Background Bachmann's Modified Hall was a bit of a disappointment when it appeared, having sorted out the firebox shape issues from its predecessor, but supplied  with the footplate front of a standard Hall.   In addition they have only ever supplied it in BR livery.  Starting with the most obvious error, Brassmasters came to the rescue offering a brass conversion fixing the front end (with a new footplate, frame extensions and smokebox saddle.)  Moving on to the body it needed to be rebran
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Mixed Traffic

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Tank Engines

4547 GWR Black

Background Small prairies dominated the traffic on the Kingsbridge branch, so I have tried to keep a little variation within the fleet. I haven’t done a great deal to the Bachmann model other than a respray into GWR wartime black.  Transfers and number plates are the usual from HMRS / Narrow Planet, which the couplings are of course Dinghams.  I find that black engines need weathering a lot more than green ones, so as well as being the first to get couplings it is also the first of my
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Tank Engines

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Heavy Freight

4707 from the PDK kit

Background Ive always been a big fan of the 4700 class, whats not to like about a big 2-8-0 that looks like an express engine?  So it was always a matter of time until I got one.  I had a pre order in place for the Heljan model in this livery (if I remember rightly also as 4707 out the box), but spotting a PDK kit complete with wheels and motor for less than the price Hattons were charging for the Heljan one I snapped it up.  The build was enjoyable (and is detailed on my Steam Workben
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Heavy Freight

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Mixed Traffic

1004: An improved County

Background As per a good number of my projects, this build was started by a bargain find in the old RMWeb classifieds.  It is a Hornby County body which has had the firebox fitted from a Hornby 8f (along with a plasticard lower boiler).  Replacement parts fitted for the chimney and safety valve bonnet, a new cab roof, separate steam pipes (from 247 Developments), sprung buffers and a handful of other detailing parts from the Jackson Evans etch.  The model has been resprayed in late GWR gree
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Mixed Traffic

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Express Passenger

6000 - King George V

Background The first of 3 Kings in the fleet (and my favourite of them), King George V was re-branded from the latest generation Hornby model in Great Western livery using my usual Microsol method.  In the process of renumbering all of the lining has been removed from below the footplate, partly with Microsol and partly sanding / repainting.   It has been renamed/renumbered using Modelmasters nameplates, modified to cut the name away from the mounting bracket in order to be directly overlai
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Express Passenger

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Mixed Traffic

3449 Nightingale - GWR Green

Background Bulldogs & Birds were a common sight in South Devon in the 1940s up until the Manors were allocated to the Devon sheds in the early 50s.  This model came as a total basket case via Facebook for a bargain price last year, it was lacking in detail and crudely painted in pseudo 1900s livery with red frames (but post war G W R on the tender.)  My initial logic was that it was a K's kit and its boiler could be used on my Dukedog to backdate to a Bulldog.   But upon stripping off t
The Fatadder

The Fatadder in Mixed Traffic

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