Firecrest

Thanks everyone, that's really helpful - the engine in question is 70024 Vulcan btw... that pic of 70041 above is pretty much how I want her to appear when she's done. Much of it will be covered under a coating of various shades of frame dirt anyway, but it's always good to have a really good look at the prototype first! As you may have seen from previous threads, the model is an old Triang Brit' (complete with smoke generator - now decommissioned...) that has been stripped down and treated with a Crownline kit. Suffice to say it's like night and day... Anyway onwards and upwards... and if anyone has any tips on how to add the very small handles to the smoke deflectors..🤪 Chris

Hi all, I'm at the painting stage of my 'Brit' and am trying to get the right colours for the external pipework - i.e. under the cab, over the firebox and from the clack valves backwards along the body. I've looked at more than a fair few colour plates trying to work out what was lagged, painted, bare metal; and so forth, but most haven't been the sharpest, or it's been indistinct. Any help would be much appreciated. best wishes and thanks, Chris

Both 264 and 153 had screws on the panel which were quite prominent. I think 137 had rivets at one end too... C

Thanks all, as I say they're great kits and so much fun. Just managed to find one for the Triang/Hornby Jinty, which could be an entertaining rebuild... I shall keep looking. Best wishes as ever, Chris

Well, in an unexpected turn up for the books, the mystery of what the 'Crab' is doing in Malta is revealed - and it's rather interesting. As mentioned I emailed the shop trying to get some light and wasn't really expecting a reply. Until the below came in from the owner Michael Bianchi, who's late father Vivian Bianchi started the business. The salient parts of the email are pasted below, along with better images taken by Michael from inside. A genuinely fascinating nugget... Enjoy Chris "As a child his father had given him a Lionel train set and my father continued to build on this and ended up with a huge collection consisting of thousands of locomotives and carriages and “ furniture .” He had this railway set displayed and working in a special large room he had built in his home and in his later years his passion was to also repair and restore locomotives and carriages that he would buy at various auctions worldwide but mostly in the UK at specialised auctions which he would visit ( Rugby- Reading -London etc). Sadly when my father passed away in December 2012 the train set was dismantled, an inventory made and boxed and is now in storage. The ”Crab” Locomotive No; 42837 you saw displayed at our office was a Christmas gift I gave my father. Strangely enough it was bought by me from a silversmith in Mayfair, hardly the place that one would think of! The silversmith is well known - https://www.pashantiques.com/our-story - and apparently the story of provenance goes back to ownership by a member of the Bamford family ( JCB fame) who has a large collection of these large Locomotives and was disposing of some through Pash. I remember my father’s surprise when I told him where I bought this Locomotive from and immediately his comment was “ you must have paid a bomb for it, Mayfair Silversmith’s are not where you buy model trains from ! “ Father always liked a bargain! I hope the above will be of interest and that your readers will enjoy whatever you decide to write. I know that my father would have been very happy to have his name associated with model trains and highlighted through an article in Steam Railway magazine, which by the way he also use to read."

Here's an odd one... on a recent holiday to Valletta, I happened to pass a Lufthansa travel agency (Bianchi's) in St Christopher Street and among the models of Airbus A319's and the like was a lovely (5 1/2" gauge?) 'Crab' nestling in its own window. Yes, a 'Crab'. Not 'Scotsman' or Mallard or something more commercially eye-catching, but a truly lovely model of my favourite kind of steam engine. It's quite beautiful, but utterly out of place there in an ultra modern travel agency... does anyone know a back story? I did try to visit the shop but most of the time it was shut, and when it wasn't I was off doing other things alas. There's a poor picture below - parking in Valletta is always at a premium and the space right outside the travel agency was always full so you could never get a good shot. But you get the idea... Anyway... all replies welcomed! ta, Chris

Hi all, I hope this is the right place for this - my apologies if not, mods please move accordingly... I've really got into the old Crownline conversion kits in a big way, having completed the first one on a Triang Britannia. Now, I'm trying to see what else they produced that will fit my stock. Does anyone have a comprehensive list of the conversion kits please? Many thanks in advance, and apologies again if this is in the wrong place. BW Chris

Thank you, very light coatings of Phoenix Brake Dust and Railmatch Red Oxide enamels

I love this thread... I'm also happiest working with knackered Triang and Mainline engines and (hopefully) improving them as best I can... I've also recently discovered Crownline kits and managed to get hold of a few - two victims are currently on the workbench, a Triang Britannia and the original 57xx Pannier (both with smoke generators). Both were well, er, used shall we say and it's been thoroughly enjoyable working on them to see what emerges. I did the same last year with a knackered Triang Hall and was VERY pleased with the result, which essentially consisted of stripping the body down and grafting parts from a Hornby County body... Came from Topps Trains in Stafford for £5. Images here... as you can see it was a sad specimen, with rusted motion and thoroughly dirty body. Seemed to clean up nicely I think, and those who know the location well will appreciate the renaming... however, I cheated with the Hall and used the County handrail. For the 57xx I have to bend it from scratch, and it's the confounded one piece GWR style. Any tips to get this right in making sure everything lines up square? The tender wasn't the original btw, it came from KS Models in Stevenage and was a Hogwarts painted specimen... I also used Fox decals, nameplates and numbers and Alan Gibson brass boiler bands. Plus various brass components such as the safety valve, smokebox dart, steps, brackets, cab window surrounds, whistles and chimney (which is too far back I know...) Best, Chris

They were my first thought, and while they do do crests, it looks like it’s only part of their own range of plates… unless I’ve misread the site, which is entirely possible! I should probably add these aren’t new JE etches - my LMS has a huge range of what’s best described as NOS - including white metal bits and heaven knows what else… suffice to say it’s a rarity nowadays - KS Models in Stevenage C

Hi all, just about to embark on a Bulleid W/C detailing odyssey and had bought a set of Jackson Evans plates in preparation … they’re great as ever but no crest is included. As these are quite old was it the case that you could get the crests separately? And does anyone do them today? For the record the loco is 34021 Dartmoor ta in advance Chris

All sorted now - thank you Mods, feel free to remove BW Chris

Hi all Does anyone have a Mainline Jubilee chassis going spare please… motor, tender etc not needed just wheels, motion and front bogie plus frames. many thanks in advance Chris

Odd question but … has anyone heard of the SimAir AB-200 airbrush? Picked one up from my local flea market for £5 and upon closer examination it looks rather well made. Top feed, dual action and made in Japan with that heavy feel airbrushes from there normally have. The downside is the needle is bent so am trying to work out a suitable replacement - a google trawl shows it’s virtually identical to the Rich AB-200 if that helps? Any pointers (no pun intended) would be very helpful! The impression I get is that it’s a named brand toned down a notch and made in order for SimAir… anyway, over to you guys Chris

While bound in a nutshell…?

Now I’m the first to admit that my GWR knowledge is not as sharp as it can be, but I’m pretty sure that this isn’t a King any guesses as to what it actually is though? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353529840019 C

Surely the Eiffel Tower?

Or a small fish?

I’ve got a few hundred old enamels here - I’m after a ‘66 Gretsch Viking or maybe a Rickenbacker 370/12 or maybe that trip to Guadeloupe I’ve been thinking about… now I finally can! Presumably I’ll have to hire a fleet of tiny rare trained delivery voles to justify the postage

Let’s just hope it’s one of the non dried ones eh? Wonder if I’d get a discount for two… ?

Another new one to the mix here - for just shy of £30 - bargain in my eyes https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174679071681 Chris

Ahhhh I didn't realise they came as a bagged item - every picture I've looked at they've not been fitted (apart from the Brassmasters etch), so I assumed they'd been left off the moulding... I've attached the 247 whiet metal ones (after much thinning down), so hopefully they'll prove to be OK - if I see some fantastic sparks on curves then I know that all will not have gone to plan! Many thanks for the gen though! Chris

Hi all, I'm working on a Lima 'Crab' body at the minute, and am trying to think of a solution for the front footsteps. As the loco is built, the steps are attached to the leading bogie on a bracket, meaning they essentially 'turn' with the wheels. It's a novel solution but not the most aesthetic... Looking at fitting white metal replacements (via 247 developments) in the correct position, I think that clearance on curves is going to be an issue, with the leading wheels likely to touch the back of the steps. I notice the Bachmann Crab omits the steps entirely - is this the reason? They couldn't find a solution to make it work? All ideas welcome - especially if you've successfully converted one. Apologies if this topic has been mentioned before and I've missed it... Best wishes, Chris

Have we had 'declared a failure' in here yet? Always set my teeth on edge seeing things like "40111 was declared a failure at Glasgow" or the like... brings to mind a mental image of someone dressed in top hat and tails unfurling a parchment and in best James Mason voice proclaiming the terrible news. Chris

That’s some cracking work and a real inspiration! Thank you :) I’ve been hacking away at my Crab body this morning - all the handrails are in the wrong place for a start! They’re too low down… Just to toss something else into the mix, I have a K’s white metal tender kit - would that work ? Been wondering what to do with it since I had it! Just a thawt… anyway… very very inspiring stuff, thank you!