B661Sutton

Hello all, I'm currently dabbling in modelling some Eastern Region stock as, although my main interest is in the copper-capped machines from out West, I do have a soft spot for the Gresley Pacifics. The locomotive I'm wanting to model is A3 60066 Merry Hampton as she was in the early 1960s, as that is the era I mostly model in. In this condition, she had the A4 boiler as fitted to some A3s and this has given me a problem in finding a suitable base model to start. My original plan was to use the DJH kit for the A3 as I enjoy kit building, but the kit doesn't cater for the boiler variant I require for my chosen prototype. I did consider using a Hornby A3 as a basis, but the required base models are hard to find for a good price. As most residents and regulars to this chat are more seasoned Eastern modellers than I, what would you all suggest?

Some stunning modelling on show here. I've recently taken the dive into N gauge and have been flicking through this thread for inspiration. The modelwork on show here is certainly impressive and I'm certainly inspired for my own projects. This in particular I'd like to try (a 43xx fits right in with the era/region I'm modelling), but I noticed you used a 3D printed body for it. This body doesn't appear to be available publicly from my own looking and, not wanting to use the old P&D Marsh kit, thought I'd ask yourself where you obtained yours from as well as if it would be possible to get a hold of one myself. Many thanks

Does anyone know where I can currently get a copy of this book? I've tried checking online but can't find anyone selling one. Is there one available somewhere?

It's a shame you're selling this but I do understand the reasons why. I'd love to purchase the layout myself as it is a stunning layout, though I doubt that I have the money or room for it. I may be able to afford some of the stock though, so I am certainly interested. Either way, I hope that it all goes to a good home and I look forward to seeing more of your modelling.

Hello all, The granges are one of my favourite classes of locomotive and I'd like to make one suitable for P4. My main plan was to simply build the Malcolm Mitchell kit for the Grange as I've heard many excellent things about that range of kits. Unfortunately, they're no longer available new (to my knowledge at least) and I haven't seen one second-hand on eBay yet. So, I thought of a backup plan. Inspired by one or two conversions I've seen, I thought of converting a Hornby Grange. I can get a replacement set of wheelsets from Alan Gibson or Ultrascale but, if I do that, I want to replace the original Hornby motion. I know Brassmasters do replacement coupling and connecting rods, but I'm yet to find a good enough replacement set of slide bars and crossheads. The original Hornby slide bars are too skimpy and are ripe for replacement so I'd like to get some better replacements. Would anyone be able to help? Thanks in advance.

Mid-1965 and 6853 Morehampton Grange and 6861 Crynant Grange are seen on shed awaiting their next turn of duty.

On the subject of the Grange reaching Huddersfield, I found a caption from an issue of Steam Days magazine telling the story. Also, speaking of Grange models, here's my Hornby Grange. It's been slightly detailed and repainted from BR black to lined green, as well as weathered in my usual fashion. It's now 6853 Morehampton Grange as it was in 1965, and is one of my favourite models.

Ok, thank you. I see it would be quite a difficult conversion to do. I'll wait to see if anyone else has tried it and see how they did it before tackling it myself. I'd personally go for the skirted variant because I prefer the look of a j70 with skirts trundling down the W&U and it could hide any bodges and such.

Does anyone know how easy it is to convert these models to P4/S4? I would love one of these models, but I'm slowly making the move to P4 and I'd like a P4 J70. If it's not possible, then what's the next best alternative? Any suggestions are welcome.

Certainly beats my kit built one (a Judith Edge kit if you're interested).

A driver and shunter have a quick natter as they await their next duty.

I'm currently working on a GWR grange that I'm doing up in early wartime condition (pre-1942). I've seen plenty of threads on here about wartime liveries, but little about any other fittings given to locomotives during the war. After trying to read up about these, as well as watching a few documentaries, I know that GWR engines had their side windows blanked out and had cover sheets between the loco and tender during the night so enemy planes didn't spot their fires. I've also heard about one or two other things so I'm asking whether or not I've missed anything. Also does anyone have any decent pictures of these as I'm struggling to find any?

Goodness me, it's been a while since I've posted anything onto here. Since my last post on here I've now moved to university, though I've still been busy working on models. Firstly, I detailed up the other Bachmann LT pannier I had. Since then I have sold it. Next up I've also got one of Hornby's new Large Prairies. I was impressed with it but I still had a go at sprucing it up. The front bogie got heavily bashed and detailed and the rest of the model got a few details to make it a BR example. Now it's 4147 as it was when allocated to Stourbridge in 1965. Another detailing project was a Hornby Clan. This was less of a detailing project and more of a restoration project as, although I got it cheap, it needed a lot of TLC to get it to even go. After a few days of trying to get this crock to work and replacing any broken details, I renumbered it to 72006 Clan Mackenzie and gave it my usual filthy weathering treatment. After looking for another project to do, I came across the Planet Industrials conversion kit to make one of the Pensnett Railway Andrew Barclays. As the Pensnett Railway was very local to me, I decided to have a crack at it. Although I had previously spruced up my grange (as seen in my first post) there were a few bits that I wasn't impressed with. These were mainly the weathering on the loco chassis and the smokebox door. So I had a bash at these. My latest project was a DJModels 14xx. This lovely model didn't need much doing to it apart from fitting screw links and steam heat pipes (the detailing pack was missing so i made my own) as well as an ashpan for it. It got my usual weathering treatment too. Earlier this year, I completed my first kit build. A Westward Terrier kit on a Perseverance chassis, painted and weathered as 32661 (previously 61 Sutton). I've also been experimenting in P4 gauge too. Starting with my old Bachmann pannier that was done up as 8718, I decided to give it a spruce up and convert it to P4. Some bodging and a new High Levels chassis kit later (as well as a coat of filth), this is the result. Another P4 engine I've done is a Judith Edge Hunslet 16 inch 0-6-0ST. The lining on it isn't my best work but it otherwise looks like a grubby industrial in my opinion. That's all I've got for now. Hopefully I'll post more things on here in future. In the meantime, stay safe and happy modelling.

In light of Hornby's recent announcement, here's my own model of Brighton Works at rest.

As we're sharing our lockdown projects, here is one of mine. It started in life as a Bachmann V2. Which almost immediately had it's rather deformed boiler chopped off and replaced with an A3 boiler and smokebox. After detailing was added, it was primed and painted. It still needs to be lined and weathered, but is nearly done. When finished, it'll be a model of York allocated V2 60981 in early 1960s condition. It's rather different to the copper capped engines I'm used to, but its been fun to work on nonetheless. Regards Harun

One final shot of Brighton Works (the white edges don't seem overly noticeable here it seems).

The final part of the terrier bashing trilogy: As I wasn't able to find anyone who made the correct lettering for LBSCR locomotives, I decided to try making my own custom transfers. I made my own artwork on an online version of Photoshop. These would then be printed onto decal paper, and applied onto the model. When I first tried it, I forgot that a layer of varnish would be needed on the decal paper to stop the print from running. The result was that the printing ended up dissolving in the water. 2nd time ended up better as I remembered to coat it with varnish, but it did require several coats. Then I applied the decals and the background colour turned out to be rather noticeably wrong. As there were still traces of the original identity underneath so I couldn't omit the background and leave it clear. In the end, I just hoped it would be hidden under weathering. After puttong real coal in the bunker and a driver in the cab, I weathered it quite a lot (maybe more than what was realistic) but I was surprised it came out rather well. Although grubbier than the actual Brighton Works, it still has the look of a grubby works shunter so I say that it's a good job. The custom decals seemed to have created an interesting effect as they have 'worn' edges showing the white backing. Again, that is rather inaccurate to a steam locomotive but could work for a more modern locomotive which has sections of the livery rendered with vinyl decal panels. This project has definitely been a bit of a learning curve. I'll probably redo the decals one day as now I know how to work with custom decals. Otherwise it came out rather well so it'll do for now.

Terrier bashing part 2: The A1 smokebox needed chopping off so the 3D printed A1x smokebox could be fitted. This part was the bit that slightly unnerved me but luckily went rather smoothly. The splashers were retrived from the smokebox part and the sandboxes chopped off with the hole filled in with plasticard. As well as the splashers, various details were retrieved from the original smokebox and fitted to the model (handrail knobs were replaced as i broke the old ones - whoops). Sandboxes were then fitted with 0.3mm wire for the sand pipes (not seen here) and RT Models lamp irons were also fitted. The vacuum/air brake pipes on the bufferbeams were actually made from a cable tie, cut and painted. The lubricator pots on the front of the tanks were also included in the Matt Wickham/Bluebell Model Railway conversion kit and these were painted and fitted to the model. With those details touched up and painted, the next task was to work out how to give it its name and number. This is where things got a bit, erm...interesting. The last part, coming up.

Recently I've finished a rather interesting project. As the terriers are my favourite locomotives, I have....quite a few of them. Most of mine are in BR black though so I wanted one in a different livery to stand out from my almost entirely lack and green fleet. Therefore I decided to model 32635 Brighton Works. In 1947, this terrier had been repainted into Stroudley Improved Engine Green and, apart from a few renumberings (377S, DS377, 32635), wore this livery until its withdrawal in 1963. To model this engine, I decided to start from a Hornby A1 terrier in the right livery as repainting an A1x terrier into such an ornate livery is far beyond what I am capable of and bashing an A1 into an A1x seemed easier. It was rather daunting to start bashing such a lovely model, but I managed to muster up the courage. The conversion was definitely helped thanks to Matt Wickham producing an A1x conversion kit containing a replacement smokebox, coal rails and sandboxes to go under the running plate. As part of the A1/A1x conversion, a new boiler was fitted, which had the dome further forward than on the A1s as well as some additional pipework so these needed to be added too. The dome on the original model was carefully cut out and moved further forward, checking the position against drawings and prototype pictures. The pipework (presumably for injectors and vacuum brakes which were later retro-fitted to the terriers) was mostly made from brass handrail wire of varying thickness soldered to some handrail knobs. O gauge handrail knobs would've been closer to the size of the actual fittings but the OO ones I used look acceptable once a bit of solder was added to 'beef them up' a bit. As I can't upload more pictures than this per post, I'll have to split this up into separate posts. Part 2 up next.

Thanks for your kind comments, and your advice with the signal will be useful. I was mainly working from reference pictures I had to hand of signals on branch lines as they were in the 1960s. They appeared to be rather grubby so I tried to mirror that look. As for the LT pannier, I have a few projects I want to finish, and then I'll be starting on it.

Thanks for your positive comment, although I have to admit I havent yet started work on it. That's not to say I've not been busy though. Firstly, the first LT pannier I detailed has now got working lamps. The lamps are DCC concepts ones that I've fitted. There's one at the rear too but I haven't taken a picture of that one. As well as this, I've built a few bits of rolling stock to go with the engines based on pictures of London Transport engineering stock They aren't the most accurate models of them, especially as the buffers are the wrong ones as these were just ones in my spares box. I've also built and weathered a Ratio GWR signal as a quick project. Hopefully I'll be back with something more interesting soon. Until then, remember to stay at home and happy modelling.

Ex-GWR pannier 8718 seen shunting the yards in early 1966.

And now for my next project, detailing up a Bachmann London Transport pannier. This is a process I've done before, but this time I'll be posting how I did it on here. Anyway, that's all from me for now. In these troubled times, stay at home, brew a cuppa and happy modelling.

With the amount of kits I've got on the workbench at the moment, I think I should've put this thread in the Kitbuilding and Scratchbuilding section. Not to worry, I've got an equal amount of RTR models to balance out the workbench. Either way, my workbench is rather full to keep me busy for a while. The hall class is an old Bachmann hall as seen previously. The LT pannier will be detailed and weathered like my previous model so I'll have 2 matching panniers. The 08 shunter was previously modified into a model of Diesel from Thomas The Tank Engine, and then seemingly dropped as some details were broken or missing. Therefore, I set about trying to repair the details on it. It's beyond my skill to replace the front grille that was lopped off to fit the face though, so the face will be staying after it's repainted to look a little less...horrifying. Hopefully I'll keep this thread more updated than I have been.

To kick off this thread, I've started work on this Bachmann hall class. I've had it for a while and I've only just gotten round to working on it. The previous owner seems to have attempted to weather it so it needs cleaning up. As well as this the cylinder draincocks were missing so some replacements were bodged up. Admittedly not my neatest soldering job, but it does the job.