CCGWR

Looking very nice as usual Jack. Watch for missing buffers on the SECR D, Dad bought 2 (one in Southern Olive, the other in Southern Black) Green one had 3 buffers off when opened the box and the black had one off. Thankfully they were all floating around in the boxes and not a hard fix but seems a common quality control problem with Dapol models recently, I had same problem with my Mogul. Connor

Check how they run first. If they run fine, then leave them alone.

Hi All, Has anyone managed to get the Firebox light to flicker on DCC with their 16xx? I have fitted mine with a Dapol Imperium Decoder but can't narrow down the CV to make this happen. The instructions on the Dapol website regarding Decoder Functions/CVs are not clear to me. Regards Connor

Hi All, I have just fitted my Model Rail/Rapido 16xx with a Dapol Imperium Next-18 decoder. I am just trying to figure out what CV is used to control the firebox light. Currently it is turned on and off with Function 1. It only operates as on or off. My aim is to get it to flash/flicker in a similar concept to the Bachmann 94xx with a Bachmann decoder with CVs 127 and 128. CV 127 and 128 operate different functions with the Dapol decoder and there are so many light controlling CVs on the instructions, I don't know which is the appropriate one to change. Some advice would be greatly appreciated. Regards Connor

Indeed it does. I have also recently weathered 2 for a friend and I found that painting the tyres (rims) first in Humbrol matte black (no. 33) which although came out glossy greatly enhanced the model further. Whether John has or chooses to do this in the future is up to him. Might not be so obvious in these 2 photos but it makes a huge difference. Connor

Hi All, I am in the process of respraying some locos into Central Trains Livery. Can people please provide some insight as to the appropriate paint colours from manufactures such as Humbrol, Tamiya and Vallejo. As I am in Australia I cannot access Phoenix or Railmatch paints. The colours I would require would be: Light Green Yellow The Blue/green stripe Thanks Regards Connor

Hi All, What do people find is the best product and technique for stripping paint off rolling stock and locomotives for the purpose of re-paints? I am relatively new to the respraying process but pretty successfully repainted a Bachmann 4575 from GWR Green to Wartime Black. I used Testor's paint stripper for this (I think the exact name is something like 'Easy Decal Lift Off'). I mostly applied this with a paintbrush and seemed ok. I recently stripped a Heljan Hymek body with Tamiya paint remover which was applied with brush and then removed with a cotton bud (as per the instructions). This worked well but due to the sticky nature of the remover, the cotton buds started to fray and stick to the model, I tried a second brush but this didn't really remove it super well. Is there a good product (I can get in Australia) that I could just soak the model in and brush it off. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Cheers Connor

Good Choice Jack, 5076 didn't retain its name for too long as it (like Wellington) was renamed after WW2 bombers, it was named Gladiator.

As others have commented, I also find adding a coat of Clear (I use Humbrol Clear) is an excellent way to bring out the green of Hornby Locos. I always brush paint it on, however, as I have found spraying it on with an airbrush occasionally makes it go all white. This is a Castle I did. I did a similar thing with this Star, although the green still looks a little grey on the loco, the overall effect was much improved. Regards Connor

The weathering on your locos is looking great, Tony, I also have quite a queue with my locos. The first 6 wagons (apart from the 2nd one) of the train behind the Lord Nelson look particularly interesting, are they kits, and what are their origins? Regards Connor

Locos on shed at London Road Cheers Connor

Looks Great Jesse, Obviously, a wonderful job has been done by Tony and Geoff in the building and painting of the model. Looks far to shiny though, even a light weathering (appropriate for the 1930s) will greatly enhance the model. I am sure Tony would agree. Regards Connor

Looks rather nice Robin, what is the first coach in the train? Looks good. Connor

Very Nice, I will be getting 1 or 2. I've found Lamp irons are fairly easy to add, although I just did a bodge job of making them out of staples for a couple of my 5700s instead of buying brass ones. Connor

It is an interesting point you make Tony, as you say each to their own. My point of view is that that style of 'operating' i.e. watching trains go by with little shunting (even though totally prototypical on a layout such as Little Bytham) is typically British. I belong to a social operators group here in South Australia which are mostly made up of American and Australian modellers and their view of operating is very different as are their layouts which are often point to point with no continuous run. Shunting and goods waybills are crucial to the operating of their layouts with very few trains simply set to run past the viewer and back into storage. The British layouts over here are very similar in style to yours in operating. Regards Connor

Interesting, I haven't had a lot of trouble with TCS decoders being the best value for money and most available at a time. Sure some have failed from time to time but not often with this trouble. Nowadays we get all the locos chipped when they are delivered from either Hattons or Kernow Model Rail so they are ready fitted with Hattons decoders which are mostly fine apart from the fitted momentum (acceleration/deceleration) which can be frustrating on shunting and local trains. Kernow's seem to fit locos with whatever they have available. Last year a Hornby King Arthur and Bachmann J11 were ordered in the same order and were fitted with a Lenz and Bachmann respectively. Connor

Managed to fix it by just experimenting with Isopropol alcohol and water both made no difference, even making it worse sometimes, ended up just brush painting some clear over, fixed the issue right up! Connor

Hi All, I have come across a problem recently that I am sure others would have encountered (hopefully so that a solution can be found). I sprayed some Humbrol Clear (through an airbrush) onto some locos to give the paint a gloss finish (they are both Hornby A3s) and after a couple days drying they came out covered in white blotchy marks, last time a tried to correct a similar varnish problem it ended up whiter so I want to remove it with completely destroying the original paint finish. It is extra frustrating as I have sprayed Clear on models (Hornby A3s included) before with so damage to the finish, I can post pictures if requested to explain the problem. Help is greatly appreciated. Connor

I have the Russell Book Jack and it seems there is diagrams for the 0395 plus a number of pictures which should be useful. Connor

Very Well Done Jack!

Thanks Everybody, Much Appreciated and I assumed they would because of the passenger rating but in the two books I found there was no P19 diagram so I was just after placement and existence. Thanks again. Connor

Hi Everyone, I am close to finishing a Parkside P19 Python and I am wondering if they received vacuum pipes? I assume they did as I have seen other photos of Pythons with them but no P19 photo has come to light, some help as to the most appropriate pipes to use would be helpful. Thanks Connor

Very Nice John. Can I ask how you constructed the Water Tower? Connor

Yes, I find the 'Model Air' range of Vallejo are probably better weathering colours but I only have one, the rest are normal Vallejo, I have found they are not completely matte in appearance. For this reason I have preference for Tamiya (on locos anyway) for now. Connor

Very Nice Tony. That oil seepage is a pain, in fact I have turned to acrylics (mostly Tamiya and Vallajo) for the moment to try and counter the problem, so far it has worked, still experimenting though. Connor