Norton961

Regarding Holly Bank No3 don’t forget the loco was transferred to Granville Colliery in Shropshire in 1964 and worked there until scrapping in 1966. David

Having bought the Shunter ( not started yet) I would like to thank Kipford for producing a superb kit utilising the latest technology. As a founder of Brassmasters I know what is involved in designing and producing etched kits and Kipford has moved the etched kit goal posts forward. David

Attached some photos of taking off the pipework on a Samghongsa Brass Pannier tank. I know this is strictly outside the thread, but it is a good alternative if a little more expensive than buying a Bachmann one. The last photo is a comparison between 2 Sanghongsa models, one with the ipework removed and one without. David

The alternative is to buy one of the 4mm Korean brass models, it took me 1 hour to completely remove the external pipework and top-feed, much easier than carving of the plastic! I paid £150.00 for the one I converted, it was also converted to P4 at the same time as the models come complete with sprung axleboxes. David

Regarding Robby Ormistan Chant, he was extremely forthright to the point of being objectionable. In the very early days of the LNWR Society we had a meeting at his house but he managed to annoy every one attending! The comment about “dunking” etched kits in a “bosh” to neutralise flux is not only suggested by Robbo but that exceptional modeller John Hayes. He suggested to me that he had a solution of water and baking soda in which at the end of each soldering session he would drop the model in the tank and after 10 minutes wash under the tap. This kept everything clean. David

I posted the photo of before re numbering so here is it renumbered. The plates are from Fox transfers. David

Attached a couple of photos of the tender pick up arrangements for Hardwick. There seems to be enough room (after some judicious filling to fit P4 wheels. Pete Hill has a sheet detailing how to convert the Bachmann Dukedog (on the Alan Gibson website as a download and turns the pick ups through 90 degrees t press on the back of the replacement tender wheels. David

I have just added a top feed and re numbered my Dukedog. In 1959 2 Dukedogs were sent to Wellington (Salop) for winter storage. In the spring of 1960, one was withdrawn (2004) and 2014 returned to the Cambrian section for further service. As I model in the Wellington area (Trench Sidings) I always wanted a model of one of these 2 locos. 2004 had top feed pipework that was a a bit of a mess so modelled 2014. The top feed was a Modelu item and the pipework was copper wire. My friend Robin Whittle converted the loco to P4 (in return I weathered some locos for him) following the guide by Pete Hill on the Alan Gibson website. I now need to weather the loco. I have included a photo of 9004 stored at Wellington, but dont know the source of the photo. David

When I emailed Rails I asked if they would do a re run of “Lucknow” or another version but they replied that they had no plans. Presumably they need to sell all the LMS versions before thinking about any more. David

I understand that the Rails of Sheffield version of “Lucknow” has sold out and they do not intend to do a re run which is a bit disappointing. Does anyone know of “Hardwick” has sold out at Locomotion? I already have one example but would consider another but this to convert to full LNWR condition by changing the buffers, lamp irons (London Rd Models do some cast ones) and fill in the washout plugs on the boiler( only fitted in LMS days). David

My model arrived earlier in the week and superb it is. What we need now is are re-run but with Hardwick in full LNWR condition ( LNWR lamp irons, no wash out plugs on the boiler and web buffers). A limited run from Locomotion of the Coal Tank, fully lined would be nice! David

Was that the longest wheelbase of any U.K. built 0-6-0? David

I forgot that there is also a photo of 58902 taken at Lady Windsor colliery at Ynysybwl in 1954 ( page 104) in the Peter Skellon book. David

There is a photo of 58902 and 58926 at Abercynon ( Western Region ) shed being serviced when working at NCB Ynsybwl. 58926 was then loaned to Llanbradoch colliery. The photo ( page 153) is in that essential book on the Coal Tanks “Bashers, Gadgets and Mourners” by Peter Skellon, published by the Bahamas Locomotive Society. David

It’s a superb model, I had the privilege of building one of the test etch’s and have nearly finished. Thoroughly recommended.

My friend Tony Wilkins recently bought me some Humbrol paints ( No 62 Red Leather and No33 Matt black) from a shop in Newark but what was surprising that every tin had different branding! I also think that 2 of the Red Leather tins were the original mix so a bonus. What we need to remember is that lots of compounds used in paints are now banned so the composition and therefore the colour is subtly different to the original. My other interest is motorcycles made in the early 1990s and it is now impossible to match some of the colours due to some of the original compounds being banned. The story of Humbrol is interesting, originally made in Hull, production was moved to China, but the quality was appalling so was moved back to the U.K. and quality improved but there are some inconsistencies. Satin Black is now very variable sometimes being more like gloss.

Having now got a mixed stock of Humbrol and Revell I mixed up one of my usual weathering mixes (usually Humbrol Matt Black N33 and Red Leather No 62) but this time using Revel Matt black and Humbrol Red Leather ( 62) the result was not a brown/black colour as expected but a very distinct Green/ Brown, not what I was expecting! So it is clear that mixing a Revell equivalent with a Humbrol colour will not necessarily give the colour you are expecting, so some experimentation will be required. David

I agree about Revell being a better paint so I will use it ( when I can get No 9 Anthracite) but Leather 62 is my go to colour for my weathering colours. As I have been using enamels for the last 30 years I am not keen to change to Acrylics. David

I recently went to my local Hobbycraft to buy some Humbrol paint to find that they no longer stock it and now they stock Revell. The reason apparently was that Hobbycraft were having difficulties with deliveries from Humbrol. Now in some senses Revell in my book is a better paint, but I have got used to certain Humbrol colours for combining for weathering. Has any one else experienced difficulties buying Humbrol? David

If you spray yellow over green it turns green! Hence the need to spray a grey or white undercoat first. There are 2 types of yellow panel one with rounded top corners and one with square corners depending on the works who painted the panels. So for instance the Class 24,s had both styles so you need to refer to photos. I use Tamiya masking tape to form a square rectangle and then cut a small piece of tape with a small radius to form the rounded corner. David

As a lifelong LNWR enthusiast I made sure I had a ride behind Hardwick when it ran the shuttle between Carnforth and Grange over Sands, absolutely glorious. I have one on order from Locomotion and am waiting for delivery, but the key issue for me is to see if I can put P4 wheels into the loco. If I can’t then it will be a showcase model. David

Empty stock trains can be really interesting, I was train spotting at Stafford in 1964 when a grubby Wakefield WD 2-8-0 ambled through the station from the south heading towards Crewe with a very long ECS train. Pigeon specials can also be interesting, usually trains of bogie vans and could be hauled by anything! An A1 4-6-2 worked down the ex GC lines in 1963 ( not sure about the exact date) and an 8F appeared in East Sussex with another pigeon special. I think they usually ran on Sundays so shed masters had plenty of choice for the locos. David

I am at the point of finishing a number of locos, but am stumped by what colours to paint the inside of the cabs. The first loco is a GW Pannier tank, so are the upper cab sides and the upper part of the cab back painted green or cream. I am assuming the lower cab sides are black. The second loco is an ex LNWR 2-4-2 but in LMS livery. Again the same question, are the upper cab sides and the upper portion of the cab back black or cream? Thanks David

Holly Bank No 3 ended up at Granville Colliery in Shropshire still in its blue livery. It arrived In 1966 and scrapped in 1968 on site. The Granville fleet is easily modelled as it had J94 style Austerities ( one with Giesel ejector), a Barclay 0-4-0 tank( as modelled by Hattons) and in earlier Barclay 0-6-0 side tank ( as modelled by High Level kits). I have built Granville No 5 ( with Giesel), Granville No8, a Hattons Barclay and have a part built Holly Bank No 3 from an Impetus kit all in P4. Attached is a photo of Granville No 8 built from a Brassmasters kit.

Interesting that for the train behind the Black 5 the first 3 containers are in open wagons rather than con flats. David