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And now stored with the sack over the chimney! I wonder what it was meant to keep out. Rain would soak through. Perhaps it was to stop birds entering or was it to stop a fire being lit without checking for water in the boiler etc! Here is my take on the theme with 55124, the last Lambie tank, stored also with the sack on the lum. She was at Dumfries for most of the 60's and had quite a bit of time in store but got a move north and a new lease of life on railtours before scrapping. I understand that her chimney lives on at Boness on the preserved Caley 439. Regards, Ian.

Hi Gordon, Thanks it was built from the G&SWR Association kit with a scratch built chassis. I also made the patterns for the fittings and John Boyle drew the etching masters. One of my favourite Sou'West engines. Here are another couple, completely scratch built this time. A Smellie 'Wee Bogie' and a Manson 160 class goods engine. Regards, Ian.

Hi, Good idea, lets see some more Scottish classics recreated in miniature. Here is my rendition of the Sou West 'Greenock Bogie' on the turntable at Ochiltree. Ian.

Hi Mick, I have no experience of the Gladiator kit but I have recently built a Chowbent Black 5 in S7. Not really very difficult except that I had to make new S7 spacers to space the frames at 28.5mm inside. The Cylinders are built on common spacer which I made to fit over the frames, and the motion brackets were united on another full width spacer which lets me take the complete motion off to access wheels etc. The only tricky bit is getting the front crank pin flush with the outer face of the coupling rod. It helps to get the wheels to scale thickness. I used Slaters and turned them

Hi, An excellent picture. I remember the 812's from my spotting days. 57577 was my favourite but it was a Hurlford loco when I knew it although I have a photograph of her at Dumfries. Attached is my model of her in S7 from a Meteor kit. Some modifications done but still a few faults. Happy days. Ian.

Hi RH, I gently abrade the surface with fine wet & dry paper first. When printed leave to dry for an hour or so then a quick spray with a fixative spray. I use Daler-Rowney Perfix. The lines stay crisp enough to cut to and I have had no problems with the solvent sticking sheets after being cut out. Only problem I have had is when I had a 'compatable' ink in the printer. HP original works for me. happy modelling, Ian.

Hi, I use a similar method but print straight onto plastikard which is then cut out and assembled. Makes panelled coaches relatively easy but I have built quite a few wagons too. See article in MRJ issue 98/1997 P267. Happy modelling, Ian.

Hi, There are no collars, they are not needed as the plungers are retained by the whitemetal axlebox which is itself held in by the brass cover to the guide. Just check that the springs are reduced in length so that the poney does not carry too much weight and lift the front of the bogie. Happy modelling, Ian.