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Gordon, Intrigued to watch your progress with the new layout design. Your work has been a real inspiration to me up to now and I'm sure that will continue. Best wishes, Iain

They look great Ian. I made up my own valve chest covers out of thin plasticard - definitely a good addition to the resin castings but yours are way better. I'm going to do another one of these at some point so maybe Pete can be persuaded to do some more? One suggestion is to get some 9F spectacle surrounds for the front windows from Classic Train Motor and Bus. Same shape as on Brits and the Duke. They lift the look of the cab enormously, and are relatively easy to glaze as well.......at least they would be for you.....my early attempt does have glue marks on so that's another reason for another attempt. Thanks for sharing as always. Iain

Gilbert Thanks so much for sharing all this. I've observed and been silently inspired for a while. I was born and brought up near Peterborough and your layout could be nowhere else! Please keep it coming, and best of luck with progress. Iain

True - neverwazzas give more licence I suppose! Maybe I can pass all of my stuff off as such? I do applaud you going off the correct drawings though, as the proportions look so much more "right" with the 5'3" drivers. I thought of trying one of these but my rudimentary skills mean I need to use a chassis from something RTR. Maybe one day.... Iain

Don't think anyone could disagree with that decision. I'm sure it will run as well as it looks. Latest BRM has another attempt at the 2-8-2, but using the front 4 drivers of a Bachmann 9F chassis. The author has done a very good job, but yours is much more coherent with the correct chassis dimensions and driver diameter, not to mention outstanding workmanship. Thanks again for sharing it all. Iain

Tim, Very much enjoying the work on this thread. As requested, I've posted some pics of my Caprotti 5, but in this thread: http://www.rmweb.co....__gopid__386360 My photos (and my work!) probably aren't up to polluting either the gallery or your thread! Cheers, Iain

A familiar look to those Comet bits! That lot will look fabulous when completed. Do you spring the pony truck, or weightit? If so, any tips would be gratefully appreciated? Iain (almost as much a Riddles fan as you....)

Looks great - I've enjoyed seeing this take shape. You've made an especially brilliant job of the pipework and running plate/valance, and I'm sure it will look great when painted and lined too. You were searching for some draincocks a while back - no luck? Inspiring stuff - thanks! Iain

Congratulations Tim, looks just right! As well as agreeing with other comments, I especially like the effects you have managed with the wheels and motion. They look just as all the colour photos of 60's Duchesses seem to portray. Ideal mix of oily, dirty and "alive". I guess you have to redo all, or at least some of, that when you regauge? Iain

Every time I see your stuff, Chris, there is a conflict between inspiration (some of the most realistic and atmospheric models and photos I've seen) and dejection (why the ____ do I bother?) ! Thankfully the former wins...... Thanks - stunning, as Redgate says. Iain

Hi Robin, Each instalment provides further inspiration! Like Tim, I'm looking forward to more as well. My own layout is of similar genre, but not of a prototype, and Barrow Road gives me a lot of help. Thank you. It also shows how many compromises there are in almost everything I've done! Best wishes, Iain

Thanks - its appearance and performance were great. Dunno where all those <BR> marks came from in my last reply. It's not a subliminal message..... Iain

Hi Chris,<BR>Very good to meet you and Dave on Saturday. Catcott was an inspiration!<BR>I meant to ask what the origins of your 4F were.<BR><BR>All the best,<BR><BR>Iain

Congratulations Graham. Really enjoyed seeing FS in action yesterday. There was some serious competition for the layout of the day as well.... Iain

OK, here is a pic of the front of the prototype, showing I got the vacuum pipe bracket on the first post somewhere near right. The steam heat pipe was a later addition. Now to the driver's side under cab pipework. This is rarely modelled as far as I know but it is very noticeable, even if not as prominent as the massive bundle of injector pipework on the fireman's side. There is more still, but it is fine enough not to worry for my purposes. 0.7mm copper wire bent to shape, Brassmasters pipe flange soldered in the correct position, secured using a twist of 0.2mm wire soldered in place on the bend and superglued into a tiny drilled hole. End of the wire glued into a drilled hole in the rear of the loco. A second pipe, soldered onto the first, joins to a water hose from the tender. There is a similar hose from the rhs water injector, and both of these fit nicely into the void under the tender, between the steps. The tender can then move freely without contacting these pipes when in normal use. Cab doors: As I mentioned, these are actually attached to the tender on the real thing. Most models have them, if at all, on the cab. Start point was a set of Brassmasters cab doors. Cut off the mounting strips so that they are 2.5mm long. Solder short lengths of 0.45 ns wire to the rear of the strips Drill locating holes (these on another tender) Paint and fix in place: End result: There is a small diagonal chamfer at the base of the cab door closest to the tender, presumably to accommodate the slope of the fall plate. I've not decided whether I'm going that far yet! It does work. You could mount them with a little more play, but the slight springiness in the loco-tender coupling gives a tiny bit of play. They're rigid enough but flexible enough. If that makes any sense. Iain

Hi Tim, Thanks. Yes to both questions. What I hadn't worked out is that I need to start a new blog entry or edit the post above, to attach some more photos. Unless I'm missing something. I'm used to forum-type posting...... For the doors, I adapted some Brassmasters cab doors, and was hell bent on getting them to attach to the tender instead of the cab. It wasn't anywhere near as hard as I feared and they work quite well - pics to come in the next instalment. Dropped you an email - did it get through? Iain

Hi all, Here is a blow-by-blow account of upgrading the Bachmann Evening Star. I think the basic model is really superb in many ways, but I wanted to do a few modifications. Extra weight for improved adhesion Loco-tender coupling distance Loco lifting rings on front frames Correct pattern front coupling and vacuum pipe Remove steamheating pipe base from buffer beam GWR pattern lamp irons Buffer shank steps on loco and tender Remove NEM pocket from front bogie and fabricate spring and damper Gibson front bogie wheels Gibson smokebox door dart New handrails with correct pillars Comet front steps Cab doors (they're actually tender doors in real life....) Tender buffer beam details Tender coupling "goalpost" Nameplate and commemorative plate New injector pipework under fireman's side of cab Driver's side under cab pipework Water pipes from tender to injectors Remove steam heating fitment from side of firebox (only fitted in preservation) Detail copper pipes and chimney cap as copper not black or brass Plus some painting, weathering and coaling to represent the loco in mid 1962 condition, when it was occasionally loved and cleaned but not pristine. OK, so just a few things to do! Some of these are pretty regularly done and I've drawn inspiration from the work of Tim Shackleton, George Dent and several others no doubt. But I have about 1% of their expertise (if I am generous), so here we go...... Extra weight: Front of smokebox filled with liquid gravity, set with superglue I made up a plasticard container for more liquid gravity, as I had no idea which wires to cut and join, and maybe I might go DCC at some stage in the future so I thought it best to work around the DCC socket than remove it. Strips of lead tape in firebox. There is not much room anywhere in the 9F body so you need to be careful to check constantly. That's the first bit! Next bit...... Loco to tender coupling. I wasn't happy with the cavernous gap using the standard drawbar, so I used a variation on Tony Wright's method. I've done 4 Bachmann 9Fs this way now and it really works. No problems round curves or through points, and no problems with heavy loads. Loco end - remove the drawbar, which is a fiddle. Fabricate a small figure of 8 from 0.45 nickel silver wire to fit over the mounting for the drawbar. Tender: attach a length of the same wire to the drawbar post, extend it through the hole and make into a hook as shown. Also need to file down the tender buffers quite some way - maybe 3 mm - to the step that is clearly visible. I'll show how much of an effect this has later. Front end: Comet front steps with diagonal rear bracing are much more prototypical and stronger than the Bachmann ones. They do need trimming before careful fixing with epoxy Many 9Fs, 92220 among them, had a front coupling with an extra link. These are from Albert Goodall and fiddly but exquisite! Most carried the bottom link hooked over the shackle. White metal vac pipe from I don't know where, maybe Brassmasters (but it is the right shape and detail). There is a characteristic mounting bracket which is hopefully as twisted on the prototype as on mine. WR pattern lamp irons from an etch of the same I picked up on ebay. Smokebox door dart from Gibson. Lifting rings are from Brassmasters mixed pipe flanges, one of which comes out just the right size. Buffer shank steps from Brassmasters too, spares from the Black 5. I tried to file down the obese lump for the steam heating pipe, and got somewhere with it, even if not completely removed. Front bogie: I followed George Dent's advice in a MR magazine. NEM pocket cut off. Plasticard and plastic tube damper. 3 bolt offcuts for the springs. It isn't perfect at all, and it was hard to fit together, but it will do. I do have a Brassmasters front pony , which will replace this in time but it is scary to look at.......! Iain

Jamie, Thanks, good advice! pH, Thanks - that's very helpful and what I wanted to assume, I think, but you have expressed it clearly enough for me make a decision! Photo evidence seems to be similar for 44687 as 44686, but nothing clear out there from late 61 to early 63. Simon, Thanks for your kind comments. I'm no expert so I'm sure you can do yours justice. If you're using the Crownline kit and a modern Black Five as the basis, I'd be more than happy to pass on any pitfalls that I encountered. The front end is much improved by some of the Brassmasters bits - slidebar support bracket (adds a lot of strength to the very flimsy slidebars as well as looking a lot better), cylinder details, lamp irons, AWS bashplate etc, plus the Gibson bogie wheels tidy things up a lot in my view. Definitely replace the smokebox door handrail, especially as you need to replace all the boiler handrails anyway. Crownline coupling hook plus a Smiths screw link work well. Don't even try to use the white metal running plates - they're for the old Black Five and I doubt they even fit that. I made my own out of black plasticard, as well as some small support brackets. Plastic weld these together and I'm sure it is way stronger than the superglue bond on the white metal inner edge that was suggested. If you start with a Black Five with the correct boiler fitments, and a rivetted/part welded tender, I'm sure that makes things easier too. Have some brass rod handy for the reversing rod, NS and copper wire of various grades to fabricate the sand pipes, AWS conduit, some other pipe/tube/run from the Driver's side to the reverser, Caprotti shafts needed a fair bit of tidying up and they are quite soft old white metal. Beware! Make up your own Caprotti motion support bracket out of plasticard or fret waste. Generally, much fettling and filing of white metal parts is needed, but they do fit OK when you've done that. Oh, and remove the under-smokebox infill before you start, and don't stick the double chimney down with NASA strength glue until it's in the correct place........! Iain

Hi all, Regarding the Caprotti Black 5 in my blog, I’ve got a couple of questions, and a problem. Can anyone confirm whether I should leave or remove the AWS fittings if I am looking at 1962? If not, I'm going to leave them..... What would be the best primer to start the painting with? I have a Halfords grey, but it was not the easiest thing to use last time and I am wondering whether I should try something else. I've had a look at the infill under the smokebox and I'm not sure I can remove it without messing up the front end. I'll know next time and I can do it to normal Black 5s, but this had the front frames removed and white metal ones added: it was quite flimsy. The problem: I can't get the chimney off, at least while using reasonable force. I used Roket max to stick it, drilled a locating hole and the fit was good. Any suggestions? Thanks, Iain

Hi all, Ive got a couple of questions, and a problem. Can anyone confirm whether I should leave or remove the AWS fittings if I am looking at 1962? If not, I'm going to leave them..... What would be the best primer to start the painting with? I have a Halfords grey, but it was not the easiest thing to use last time and I am wondering whether I should try something else. I've had a look at the infill under the smokebox and I'm not sure I can remove it without messing up the front end. I'll know next time and I can do it to normal Black 5s, but this had the front frames removed and white metal ones added: it was quite flimsy. The problem: I can't get the chimney off, at least while using reasonable force. I used Roket max to stick it, drilled a locating hole and the fit was good. Any suggestions? Not sure whether this is best posted in here or in the forums - what is usual round here? Thanks, Iain

Hi Pete, Thanks. I think you're right on all counts! I hope someone can confirm it was aws fitted by 1962. Or 44686 to be honest? I did choose 44687 as the pictures I had showed it was spotted further south west than 44686, and so I could be slightly more correct in justifying having it. Mind you, as there's one element of fiction in the setting, some would argue that there's no point being correct with everything else. The handrails are errrr.... deliberate a mistake... Ought to try to change them Iain

Thanks Missy I'm not unhappy about it at all, just trying to learn from it. I am pretty new to these techniques so overall I am quite satisfied at this stage. I might do some more to it before I paint it. Thanks for your comments though, much appreciated. Iain

Tim, Thanks - any advice always much appreciated. I was working from the drawings in RM March 1999, and looking at them again, they certainly indicate the chimney well forward of where it looks in pictures. I wonder whether I might have also used an incorrectly dated photo as I thought aws was fitted by 1962? Maybe not. I sit idly wondering whether the Comet cabsides for 46256/7 would be a better basis than these. Again, maybe not! More likely the Comet LRP caprotti 5 cabsides, but they aren't available separately. I'm quite pleased with a few aspects of it. The brassmasters bits go together well, as they did on 2 other normal black 5's that I did. The front end apart from the infill under the smokebox is ok. Gibson handrails are good. The running plates in the kit were made for the old black 5 and were way too short, as well as completely the wrong shape, so I made them myself. Had to do the same with the motion bracket and the sand boxes. Much like the 46256 that I built and learned a lot from, both from doing it and from yours, I now fancy having a second go! Iain

Tim, Of course, always keen to hear some positive advice. If you discount trainsets of my youth, I've been modelling less than a year so I've a lot to learn! I'll certainly look at the bit below the smokebox. If I think I can do it without damaging what I've done so far, I'll have a go. Interesting about the chimney too. I had about 15 pics, all front 3/4 view, and so went off the scale drawings in a back issue of Railway Modeller. Although mine matches the drawings, it doesn't quite look right. Thanks for pointing it out. It's an AWS fitted loco, 1962. I hope. Bash plate, cylinders and pipe run along the left hand footplate fitted as closely as I could find info on. Thanks for your help. Iain

Hi all, I ought to have done some step by step photos, but here are some after the conversion was finished: Basis was an oddly weathered secondhand Superdetail Hornby Black 5, with rivetted tender and forward top feed, Crownline conversion kit and Brassmasters detailing kit, Gibson bogie wheels, plus a bit of improvisation, or was it scratchbuilding?! Cheated - using the Crownline etched Timken axle box covers instead of removing the entire axlebox and starting again..... There are many things I would have liked to have done better........ The etched cab sides aren't quite perfect (windows too small?), and neither are the steampipes. The tender was slightly damaged when I bought the loco, and I could have used the Crownline Etched overlays. I wish I'd seen, before I started, the Stanier tender mods proposed (by MuckyDuck?) as this one grates a bit now.... But it captures the essence, and I hope it will look good once painted lined and weathered. Iain