w124bob

I've done a couple of old tooling class 20's with ploughs and full buffer beam detail, it wasn't difficult. Use the Baccy plough first remove the prongs so the back of the centre plough is flush but leaving the connecting brackets to the outer ploughs(paint these black. First glue a plasticard square (same size as the back of the plough)to the back then a second rectangle which is long enough to go up behind the buffer beam, take a file to the front(and rear) face of the chassis just to take the paint off. With the body on the chassis but not screwed down jiggle the two ploughs up under the buffer beam. As you can see I left off the vertical brackets but I recon micro strip would suffice. Similar principle works for Heljan Class26/27 locos too.

The exception is 20115, at some point in the early 70's it must have received fairly hefty cab damage. It ran for all it's TOPS career with a standard cab and dual brakes, quite early for an ScR loco. So 20057 can be a start for this one, however you'll need to reposition the airpipes and MU dummy holder, all the tablet catcher example also had snow plough brackets . As always it's all in the pictures.

I've been indulging in OO for the last three years or so(I've now seen the light and returned to US HO), but I'm sure I've seen a similar track plan before. Buried somewhere on an old laptop are a couple of google maps overhead images. Andrews Trains blog. I found it by searching Batory Foods Elk Grove villagehttps://huntervalleylines.wordpress.com/2015/09/13/site-seeing-september-13/

I know Drakelow had deliveries of coal using these wagons as I was there, although they were not popular with the CEGB unloading staff. However I've never seen pictures of trains of HBA/HEA wagons on other power station diagrammes, so does anyone know of other power stations receiving full trains.Here's 56064 at Drakelow c station circa 1980.

A couple of small requests, please make the interior easily accessible and with that level of interior detail how about a few open windows.

A bit of a wait since the last posting but the Ivatt 4MT is finished

I was recently asked if I'd like to weather an O gauge diesel for a fellow MMRS member, being out of my normal scale and era I jumped at the chance. I took the pictures to see what areas need finishing so these pictures are a work in progress. Paints used were the acrylic equivalent of of Humbrol black and tan(62)brand unknown. With just two powders, black and dust. So far there's about two hours work here. I started off giving the bogies/fuel tank a wash of colours, then the roof, using the same two colours thinned with water kept in an old washing up liquid bottle(the small amount of soap residue is useful). The roof was then given a wipe off with a damp(soapy water) brush/paper towel. Then using the same colours the grills, bottom white stripe area, vertical beading and around all the crevices door shuts etc. Whilst still drying I then clean this off using vertical brush strokes with a flat brush dipped in the soapy water, as it drys, using a clean dry brush more cleaning is done aided by cotton buds, for O gauge I actually used a decorators soft 2inch brush as well! The soapy water as it drys leaves a slightly white residue, fading the paint. Next the bogies, grills and lower body were given a dusting of powders brushing downwards, I did this over a large box file which then allows all the excess dust to be reused( the grot box!). Jobs to do, clean the windows! Touch up the roof grab handles in gray and nose hand rails green, add grease effect to parts of the bogies and buffers, diesel spill around the tank filler and a little metal sheen to the footsteps using a soft pencil. Loco will appear on the members model stand at the Manchester show(gratuitous plug)10th & 11th of December. One thing I noticed studying photos of the real thing in period was the MU receptacles were originally black not orange, these have now been painted. The owner also installed the air brake pipes, so these have been removed, the "to do" list is now done. Finished pictures coming soon. Layout is the MMRS O gauge Cornbrook.

Here's a link to the A1 models etch for the various boiler grills/blanking plates https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=a1+models&_sacat=0 I've got all four variations on a few Bachmann cl 47's, this site also gives the boilers info in the data secton. class47.co.uk/c47_intro_v2.php( I've got copy and paste issues) Here is D1103 with the Stone Vapour etches .

Mr Grimsdale!

Lanarkshire models, these look good lanarkshiremodels.com/lanarkshiremodelsandsupplieswebsite_167.htm

Having started to try and replicate the various mods to the bogies I might not bother, The axle end speed detector is easy enough. It was actually the pipe work and air valve which defeated me , it would need reproducing 12 times consistently and once painted would be barely visible, adding passengers will work as a distraction . I will renumber the rake and add the correct Inter-City branding for the pre TOPS no ETH era. My two Heljan class 27's work well in "push pull" mode and are well matched.

Thanks for those images, searched Flickr but it didn't come up with the Brian Daniels pictures(patron saint of diesel modellers!). That's just what I needed, next step will be to buy spare bogies to modify rather than use the ones already on the current fleet. I've got some disc brake wheel etches somewhere as well.

The Glasgow Edinburgh push pull Mk2's used bogies with some additional mods including disc brakes and wheel slid protection, does anyone know a source for pictures please?

The problem I have is my airbraked MK2 fleet also has to do duty as a Liverpool Newcastle set (minus BSO) , although I seem to recall some of the ex push/pull vehicles appeared on these services.

When the ScR first introduced it's Glasgow Edinburgh Intercity service the first 18 months utilised loco's with steam heat, before the ETH conversion work was completed. In this pre TOPS era the chosen locomotives retain their old numbers, merely gaining air brakes and additional fire protection for the rear loco. It was common for the service to often have a pairing with another class(blue star mulitiple working) which would require a driver present in the cab when pushing. Here are my pair of class 27's. 5391 started life as a weathered post TOPS loco, so the Heljan weathering and number were removed with T Cut. 5386 represents a recent exworks example. The final piece of the jigsaw are the coaches, I have several Bachmann Mk2a's for the six coach formation of BSK FK TSOx4 all though not all currently wear InterCity branding but thats an easy job to do.

Freightliner match wagon, anyone found a picture of an ex Palbrick in use, I've been through the Paul Bartlett page but can't find any pictures of a train out on the mainline. It will be interesting to see how the bar coupling from from a Bachmann FGA mates up.

I've just had an email from my model railway club friend who was tempted by this offer but seems to think that many of the locos on offer are returns and may be difficult to repair.

Heljan 45/1 renumbered, for more info go over to the Heljan class 45 thread, this image has had the saturation tweaked slightly. The blue has had some lightening after the weathering was complete.

I would just make my own panel as a pair to replace those. I know you shouldn't have to but if that's the only issue why not try. Use some of the plastic packaging that Bachmann etc use for the "glass" and digits from the Precision Labels range http://www.precisionlabels.com/l51.html? or http://www.precisionlabels.com/l41.html? Cut squares approx size then use an emery board to file to shape. Cut the digits to fit inside the opening and use a black marker pen on all that white, I've backdated several Baccy locos using this type of method. Spare headcodes from other Heljan loco's can also work.

Weathering followed my usual dirty acrylic black/brown mix and weathering powders, after a spray of Dulcote I added more fading under the grills by dry brushing artists oils, driver is a HO truck driver from Noch. Once I'd finished all this I added some lighter blue over parts of the body. It's still dark next to a Bachmann class45/0 but if you want a 45/1 this is the only RTR option. Final picture was taken on Dewsbury Midland under poorer lights.

Well my 45133 has become 45126, chosen because of it's general circa 1983 condition and a couple of minor livery oddities. It carried it's pre TOPS 32 number on one side and at the same end had a small faded sticker between the marker lights. In 1982/3 it also heavy weathering, particularly under the grills. Ran very well straight from the box, I blanked out the tail lights with black card and disconnected the cab lights, it will remain DC for use on MMRS Dewsbury Midland.

What about the RT models version ?

Haven't the Irish just discovered some long lost loco?

Well back in 1983 I was that "Sid" so he's probably checking out page 3(sub section 3 clause 2 of cause)!Mind you half of my drivers back then had never got past the 1955 rule book, "In fog and falling snow, in the cabin we shall go".

That's something I wouldn't worry about even if you do a lot of light engine running. BR era the tail lights are very poor, one 40 watt bulb through a dirty fisheye lense! Just look at period photos they're just not visible in normal daylight(same with headcode/domino dots). The second point is only one tail light was lit, EE locos had two switches, so in theory it's possible to have both on (Brush it's an either LT or RT off one switch)but the rule requirement just needed a single taillight. It's only on the last ten years or so that this has changed and only on new build stuff.