Shed Driver

Looking through old copies of Trains Illustrated, September 1950, I found the following: The Postal takes the Waverley Route. On June 8th the Railway Observer records, when the Caledonian main line was blocked at Harthorpe on Beattock Bank owing to the disastrous fire on the 11 am from Birmingham to Glasgow, the southbound "Postal" was diverted from Carstairs to Edinburgh, and came south to Carlisle over the Waverley route, presumably with a double reversal - at Dalry Road Junction and again at Haymarket West junction. The engine was converted Royal Scott No 46145 . I have not heard of this before. I believe that the Postal left Aberdeen with 4 TPOs; how many did it pick up before Carstairs? Norman Blackburn

Hi Alastair Please PM me Norman Blackburn NB Models

In this kit the coupling rods were pieces of bullhead rail with holes drilled and the connecting rods were punched out n/s Norman

Missed from previous post

The Jamieson kit I have is for an NBR Atlantic. It is described as a Hand Cut kit for which the small number produced precludes the economic preparation of special instructions for each kit. The general diagram supplied is for an LMS 5XP along with 4 typed sheets. This seems to be earlier than the Mk1 as described by JeffP. Sorry about dragging this thread away from etched kits Norman

Were Jamieson parts not punched out? Hayfield We must have been typing at the same time

Thanks for the replies and the link to the previous thread. I think i'll continue with white spirit ( as I have some) and different switch cleaners could have various solvents, some of which could affect the plastic. Norman

I don't know if this has been asked before. I have several Portescap gearboxes which have seized due to the original grease drying out. In the past I think that I used white spirit to free them. Is this a good idea or are there better solvents? Norman

Full size boiler fittings are not brass they are bronze Copper/Tin

I have now retrieved my photo tooling from Photo Etch and I am looking for another company to do my etching. Norman Blackburn NB Models

With the demise of Photo Etch I, along with many others, will be having problems with obtaining their etches. I have still not heard from the liquidators as to how to retrieve my photo tooling. The liquidators may not even have been appointed . As I have limited stocks of etches customers should be aware that future supplies of my 7mm NBR loco kits could be considerably delayed. I will post further info as things progress. Norman Blackburn NB Models

Hi John In the past I have used caustic soda to strip paint of mazak. not hot but room temp. Crystals mixed in a jam jar with water. Crystals in to the water not water to the crystals; it is a very exothermic reaction. These days for paint striping on models I use Mr Muscle oven cleaner. Since its a metal body how about cellulose thinners/brush cleaner Norman

Thanks Brilliant Norman

I had read comments about the price increases from Shapeways but I had not really paid much attention to them. I was about to order some vents but $18 for posting to the UK seems excessive. Looks like I have a bit of scratch building to do. Thanks Norman

Hi All, Thanks for your replies. I agree that you shouldn't build models from models but, these look right compared to the Nick Campling drawings. I was not aware of the S Banks web site, looks like a lot of useful info. I'll put some photos up when I get the set finished. Coaches always take longer than expected to build! Thanks Norman

Hi, I am building an LNER triplet restaurant car set; Kirk sides, Comet Solebars, MJT details and ABS Bogies. The details for the roof trunking are not very clear in the Comet instructions and the Nick Campling Historic Carriage Drawings Vol 1. The Comet instructions show a single straight trunking on the open first and second with no trunking on the Kitchen car. Nick Campling's book shows trunking on all vehicles and of different lengths. Is there trunking either side of the roof vents, on two or three vehicles and how is it raised of the roof? Does anyone have any drawings or photos of the roofs on these coaches? I have the 2 Harris books on LNER coaches and the drawing books by Nick Campling. Thanks Norman

I think that this was known for some time Hobbycraft stopped selling Humbrol enamels sometime ago and now stock Revel.

I don't have access to the drawings or photos that you are referring to, but I have always understood that the underframe details looked different due to the pressure ventilation system used on these coaches. PS I remember from when I helped out at Lochty in the 70's that the underframe on the OBS was different with large trunking. Unfortunatly I did not take any photos. Norman.

The observation coaches were also in maroon in their original condition. There is a film ( I think in the Railway Roundabout series) showing one at Fort William in Maroon. Norman

Hi keefer Thanks for that link. I was not aware of that thread The Class 50 and BTH photos posted on 6 Dec 2012 are mine and must have been posted by Ian Addison from a disc that I gave him. The working was on a day of industrial action so I have no idea where it came from or was going. Norman

They were regular on a passenger train ,early evening, passing south through Kirkcaldy in the early 70's. I believe on an Aberdeen /York train? Obviously they also passed north bound. This train was not usually double headed. Also photo on what could be a fish train again heading south. Both photos early 70,s. Copyright N Blackburn PS I also have a photo of a Class 50 Heading north through Kirkcaldy. Norman

I would never recommend annealing brass for a boiler. It makes it far to soft and creases very easily. It may be harder to roll a hard brass boiler but you will get a far better result. Also if you try heating a large boiler sized sheet with a small flame it will buckle. The temperature for annealing brass is about 370 degrees C , Does a frying pan get that hot. Norman Blackburn NB Models

Hi To revitalize METHFIX transfers I brush a thin layer of Knotting solution over the transfer and then use as a normal Methfix. Knotting compound is brown so this works only for dark coloured backgrounds. I believe that a clear version is available from Squires used for making French Polish ( sold as Shellac ) Norman

Thanks Chris/Mike I had always thought that It was a single coach, possibly a compo, but the film clip as you say has 4 coaches. Was the formation changed north of Edinburgh? Living in the Newcastle area the whole film clip is fascinating. Thanks Norman

Hi Slightly out of the GWR SR area. The attached photo, taken in 1939, shows an LNER ex NBR D30 Jingling Geordie at Inverkeithing heading south to the Forth Bridge. I have been told that it was an Aberdeen Penzance service. Can any one confirm this and any ideas what the coach would be. There are no photographer details so N Blackburn Collection.