84B Oxley

Rob The Premier chassis simply bolts together, it is more or less foolproof. The same firm also does a range of motor/gearbox combinations. Be aware that ABC Gears have a very long waiting time these days, although their products are superb. However, the latest ones from Slater's are pretty much just as good, and there is also a firm called MSC who are equally good and offer very rapid delivery. I've used all of them in the past and been very happy with their products. https://www.mscmodels.co.uk/motor-gearboxes Hope this helps Jeff

Ivatt 2-6-2 41229 waits for the signal to clear so that it can run round its train in the platform at Brewery Lane, Preston O Gauge Group's branch terminus.

The Last Days of Steam in the West Midlands.

It's taken quite a long time to get to this point from a Hattons bargain non-runner 60077. The loco body is relatively untouched, though I did have to glue back the dome which fell off when I looked at it and reattach the blinkers. (They will be replaced with etched ones when I can get hold of some.) The chassis has had major butchery done to it, most of it by the late Dave Brooks of JPL who drilled it out to take his firm's wheel bearings. The cast iron driving wheels are from JPL and the rest of the loco wheels are from Slater's. The plastic front bogie was replaced with a spare from the scrap box and a scratchbuilt trailing truck replaced the flimsy Hattons one. JPL also milled some of the chassis block out so that I could fit an MSC 30:1 three stage gearbox with Canon motor and flywheel. Valve gear is also from JPL and included a lost-wax motion bracket. The original slidebars and crossheads have been retained but the flimsy plastic valve guides have had cast whitemetal substitutes epoxied in their place. Cosmetic detailing has been kept to a minimum: the cylinder drains were replaced with some cast ones I had in stock, along with pipes made from phosphor bronze wire. New cab and tender doors have been made and hinged in place and a decent sized fallplate fitted. Front steps, missing from the model, were scratched up from scrap brass etch. Very little had to be done to the tender: the keeper plate has been permanently bolted to the chassis but the original wheels have been kept. Much of the original weight which filled some of the boiler has been kept so the finished model will pull any amount of stock that is put behind it with ease. Finally, a light weathering with Railmatch weather black and a new front numberplate and shedplate from Narrow Planet completes the job, photographed here on Preston O Gauge Group's 'Marsh Lane' MPD. I am pleased with the finished result, I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. Such a shame that Hattons got it so wrong in the first place, not in terms of appearance but in such awful build quality and reliability. Jeff

46247 'City of Liverpool' passes through Hawksbridge station on the Preston O Gauge Group's layout at the head of an express.

D2862 brings coal wagons onto Marsh Lane depot, part of its shed pilot duties. The loco was built from a 3D printed kit by Ald Models. Jeff

And my O Gauge version of the same loco. Photographed on Marsh Lane MPD of Preston O Gauge Group. Model was built from a DJB kit well over twenty years ago but has undergone several upgrades in the intervening years. Runs like a sewing machine with a Canon/ABC motor/gearbox.

82003 at Patricroft. January 3rd 1967. How did it manage to keep the first BR crest so long?

Thanks, Shaun, glad you like it. I can't take any credit for the modelling, the shed is part of 'Marsh Lane' on the Preston O Gauge group's layout. I did build 41229 though, it's from an old Red Rose Models kit with a shedload of Laurie Griffin castings to lift it into a higher league. Jeff

We can't find any problems with the injectors...

Having recently gained its 'Not to work south of Crewe' stripes, Bescot's 48895 ekes out its last days shunting one of the local yards.

One I made earlier...but sold since...headlights came from a 1/43 scale Mini but I can't remember which model it was, sorry, but it was pretty cheap. Sorry to be a bit vague but it was 10+ years ago. Jeff

The last knockings of GWR steam in the West Midlands. Plus an intruder! I built the locos, a friend built the stunning MPD Jeff

Last fire dropped.

There's a lot of pipework on a BR Standard! Jeff

The only photo I have, taken on October 6th 1984. (I presume this was a Saturday or a Sunday as I would have been at work during the week.) 47353 and 47366 are lurking inside the shed, the 20s are 20032+20031 and 20199+20182. Hope this is of some use. Jeff

Replacement Heljan O Gauge Bogie Pivots x2 Class 25/31/40/45/55/60 | eBay A possible solution? Jeff

'Last week we had a Jinty on this job, look what they've given us now!' The 02 (in O Gauge) was built from an Ald Print 3-D printed kit bought on eBay. Jeff

60856 of York Shed leaves Hawksbridge station with an Up Express.

Jeff A bit of a mixed Western Region biased parcels train for you for inspiration, all kitbuilt. The Fruit D in your list is available as a (very good) etched brass kit from WEP Models, I have built several. The CCT behind the loco is built from an ancient First Class Models kit which was surprisingly good for its age. The Siphons are a mixture of Ian Kirk and Scorpio ones. The Palethorpes sausage vans in the distance are unlikely in such a train but I like them! Another Jeff

Very well done, but it's going in the opposite direction. Taken at a place we know locally as 'Tunnel Top'. Jeff

Only just found this thread. Here's a really difficult one. Where is this? Answer tomorrow. 55011 28th October 1981. Jeff

Looks like this has 'gone live' on the Gaugemaster website. PDFs of parts for most, but not all, past locos downloadable, along with a price list. Doesn't appear that anything is in stock yet. I am in need of several gear sets myself, for a 37 and a 26. 37 parts are noted as 'On order', 26 parts are 'Unconfirmed'. Takes a bit to get your head round everything... Jeff

Customary brilliant service from Steve, bespoke numbers for a Heljan 47 in 7mm scale. All transfers in view are from Railtec bar the BR emblems. They were supplied in the set but I had already added some from another source. Jeff

Should have added that Dapol are promising a 66.