The Great Bear

Now, a proper train. And you can't get much more proper than a Star - at the head of a cross-country express (Birkenhead to Margate/Sandwich or something like that perhaps) The close up does rather cruely show the limitations of my painting and lining on the leading brake composite.

The 37 does have a habit of derailing on double slips, I've just found having done the staging tracks - not sure if that's a trait or something amiss with mine- so maybe a 4 axle loco might have been better.

In my experience, yes; and you should find other favourable reviews - I'm sure I looked before splashing out (!?) on it. My staging tracks are rather inaccessible, hidden behind the branch line terminus (though that can be moved if need be, and have just done that to clean up some out of control cobwebs!) so for me having a hands-free cleaning method was highly desirable.

After a long gap, a train... Not what you were expecting?! Probably the only time a photo of a diesel will appear here. Well, unless I succomb to a Dapol railcar In hindsight I should have got something more appropriate ie western, a Warship maybe. But, whereas before the 56xx I used to shove the CMX around really struggled the 37 shifts it no problem. Running this around has revealed a few niggles in the up fiddle yard, which I had forgotten about whilst doing my coach building.

The doors on K22 1145 have the same colour but not the rest of the interior which is white. Picture around 1/4 way down the page here http://www.lnersvrcoachfund.org.uk/gwr_1145.html

A few more home made coaches. An E73: An E82: An E85: My goal for the coming weekend is to clear all the junk resting on the layout and get these in a train. Might as well do something productive whilst under house arrest!

The effort was worth it. Superb modelling and photography. I like your K22 by the way too...

247 developments do some outside steam pipes in white metal, straight ones and later King/Castle ones - though probably not the ones you need for Stars? https://www.247developments.co.uk/loco_detailing.html

Photo retouching, manipulation and fakes all pre-date digital. Digital just makes it much easier to do.

Alan Gibson do springs like this in brass 4M652 GER Footplate top spring & hanger x2

What is it then, Russ Would I be right in thinking looking at the profile of the etches that it is a clerestory body profile with elliptical roof, like a C25? (Reason I ask is that am looking at designing and getting printed another 70' coach, a brake compo and having done a C25 this might be achievable) Thanks Jon

Useful find this topic. Looking at photos in Russell and the tiny pictures in the Longworth GWR coach record book it looks to me a K19 and K22 are the same except the K22 has the toplights along whole coach, K19 solely by the guards door on the corridor side?

Yes it did print straight. The loss of panelling is weird. Printing same design in halves on my machine had nothing missing. I've checked the stl submitted (which had been through meshmixer online repair as the initial one it said had an error) and it's there. Opening the stl file did reveal why the model went wrong by the window however: I'd left a small gap between the modules making up the coach . Looking again I may also have missed in the 3dcompare website an option to select higher print quality as well... I'd been put off by the results, the issues as above, but now I've realised it's at least in part my own doing I may give them another chance.

It was just over £50 for the body, interior and chassis and shipping (£15). But on top of this I could have got stung for import VAT and handing charge which would have added anothe £22 but this time I didn't. I don't think one could rely on that. As for the quality, the 3dcompare site doesn't give specs. If you go directly to the FacFox website (which is a tad more expensive IIRC) it suggests 100 micron layer thickness. I worked to a minimum wall thickness of 0.8mm, based on that site. I

A long time ago I did one 70' coach. I fancied doing another one, a D51 brake third, but my printer isn't big enough. I tried printing it in halves but that didn't really work well, the join being too visible and the coach not completely straight either. So I reverted to getting one printed. Previously I'd used 3dhubs but they changed their mode of operation, giving a lot less choice and much more expensive. I found 3dcompare.com which is largely on the same basis and got the model printed there - again in China, by a company called FacFox. It took a bit longer than advertised, not unexpedectedly given events. Generally it is very good, at least as good I can print on my own machine. Unfortunatey there were a couple of glitches... The model was cracked here and the panneling and bolection damaged around this area Also, weirdly in a couple of areas the detail of the beading was lost I'm not sure whether I could get a refund and given everything else going on in the world it would be rather churlish so I'll live with this and using microstrip try and make good the damaged areas. All the best Jon

Exquisite modelling, such attention to detail and execution...

I am slowly working my stash of printed coaches, finishing them. Here's something a bit different, a D88 brake third, which is an ex-ambulance stock Toplight refurbished in the early 1920s. So confusingly, it is a Toplight without toplights I added some details not on previous coaches, luggage door grilles and the corridor handrail. The grilles (Brassmaster) look a bit heavy, as much a result of my over-application of paint. .

Well after a hard day's work (more than they've seen in years I would guess), the points at Lingfield have apparently failed so trains terminating this evening at Hurst Green. Or maybe the folks working them are now unavailable...?

Maybe but there is also some amount of schools traffic on the line a bit southbound to Lingfield Notre Dame but mostly northward to Oxted, Woldingham and Croydon. The contingency plans seemed to be working this morning, to the extent of having a Thameslink train starting at Oxted waiting to depart after the Victoria service from Lingfield had left.

In that bare state, Lady Godiva would seem appropriate! That is one fine looking model. Such elegant locos, the Saints...

Thank you. The wartime brown livery helps stop me ruining it with my dodgy painting and transfer application!

Maybe I spoke too soon. It appears Southern trains are going to run from tommorrow from Lingfield. https://twitter.com/NetworkRailSE/status/1227996254770167811 (And well done to the NR chap for explaining all this.)

Thanks, that's very informative info on the crossover and its background, Phil. I expect it not to be used then, it does sound like a faff and I doubt demand justifies. Whereas i think 6 years ago when there was the slip south of Oxted tunnel they turned trains at Woldhingham using a similar arrangement to that you describe but the demand for Woldingham-Sanderstead would justify that.

The line between East Grinstead and Hurst Green is closed to repair a landslide between Dormans and East Grinstead with bus replacment service. https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/242588.aspx Closure until March has been mentioned? I thought there was a trailing crossover at Lingfield, could not trains be terminated there? I suppose there is not enough demand to warrant that or are there operational issues - is the crossover locally operated requiring staff? Plus it does appear to be too close to the down platform to cope with 12 car trains.

A city eventually the size of Milton Keynes has been one of the concepts considered as part of the housing plans for the Oxford to Cambridge growth arc. Potentially in the Calvert area or a bit to the east. Google city in the vale NIC. But nothing has been confirmed not least that related infrastructure behemoth the Oxford to Cambridge expressway