Buckjumper

Ha! Seriously though, they are superbly executed models of fascinating prototypes.

Heureusement, le chien n'a pas

That's looking great Peter. Very nice job!

I didn't expect that!

Really impressive Ian. Making those curved smokebox handrails consistent in 7mm is hard enough, so hats off to you for the neat result, and I agree with Dave above, the lamp socket/handrail post is excellent.

Before you begin ballasting, it might be worth considering mounting the ground signals and also routing signal wire which would have crossed under the track just like the point rodding. Don't panic there's no bunfight, just the ususl cordial banter between friends. Of course, when I say friends...

Blimey that's both simple, clever & neat. I'll be pinching that idea.

Although ABC motor/gearboxes are nominally plug & play I find that easing them in for 5 - 10 minutes on the bench at ¼, ½, ¾ and full power in each direction with a little sewing machine or clock oil beds them in nicely and significantly reduces the noise too. Also, the bearings are machined to 3/16th dead, so Slater's axles which are 'nominally 3/16ths sometimes fit straight away, but sometimes are nigh on an interference fit. Brian suggests rubbing the axles with fine wet & dry, I'm naughty and (very carefully!) ream the bearings 4.8mm (same as I do on the frames) which gives a couple of thou working clearance.

It looks excellent Dave. For me point rodding is one of those essential areas which moves a project from 'model railways' to 'modelling a railway'. If the Peco box is adaptable to your needs, and wouldn't be out of place in your setting, then why not?

Empty your bin first to make room. In its previous incarnation, without the resin parts, I kept the smokebox door.

Or make the roof like a snuff box lid - see page 15 of the Connoisseur QMBV instructions. The four mini bulkheads are an interference fit inside the verandah and cabin ends, so the roof stays in place without the need for further mechanical fixing or glue. They also avoid any unintentional gaps between roof and body. http://www.jimmcgeown.com/Wagon%20Kit%20Pages/Queen%20Mary%20Instructions%20print%20off%20pdf.pdf

Thanks Mikkel. Actually the lettering brought out the Saxon invective. It was supposed to go on in sections, but individual letters and numbers instead sailed off to all points of the compass. The Imperial load, tare and capacity was bad enough, but when the little block of metric details in the top left corner misbehaved it was a nightmare. Hi Scanman - I'm not sure that I've encountered a bowed chassis on a short wheelbase plastic kit of a wagon, though it's happened before on a longer coach, and that was righted once mated to the body. In this case I think first port of call would be to exercise a little brute strength as the plastic should be fairly forgiving. Alternatively, weight the wagon in such a way that over a period of time it comes back into alignment. I'm not sure if the application of heat - such as a hairdryer - will have the same effect as it does with bowed resin - might be worth an attempt.

The Tower 1361 has an interesting boiler backhead. It's the size and shape of the saddle tank...

Excellent modelling Job, it makes a lovely scene and looks so very insalubrious. I bet they sell under the counter imports I like the human touch such as the discarded red top newspaper blown into the corner.

Wow! That's fantastic!

Or indeed the advantage; better to see the faults now so you can correct than rather than after you've applied the top coat.

Thanks chaps. Go on Rob, all you need is one wagon and a length of track, just to give it a try. You know you want to...then a little tank engine.... (just avoid the 1366 class! ) Yes Dave, the chains were dipped in a solution of Birchwood Casey Super Blue about 4:1 in favour of water. Once attached they were drybrushed with black H33 and brown H133 about 3:1, and then a little grey H64 added for highlights.

Something I recently dredged out from one of the containers on the drive - an ex-GW H7 conflat wagon and container. Originally built five or six years ago, this was going to be in the 1930s GW livery, but the commission ground to a halt when my client changed period to late Edwardian, so back it went unpainted into the box, until picked up by someone else for an early 1950s setting. It's built almost as designed with the exception of replacement GW-style screw couplings from Laurie Griffin and CPL's lovely shackle and chain set (there's a pretty good write-up of them over on Raymond Walley's site here). Despite the split spring design of the shackles where the two halves are mated with cyano when in position on the wagon, I found it hard to give the impression the chains were taut, so pushed down on the hook at the top so it was flat against the container, tightening everything up, introduced a little glue and bob's your uncle. Cheeky? Yes. Non-prototypical? Yes. Compromise? Yes. Would you have known if I'd not told you? Exactly! I love the juxtaposition of the dull oxide of the flat wagon and the glossy carriage crimson on the container with this livery, and despite being weathered, I wanted to maintain that combination of finishes. With my usual 'chuck loads of paint at it and take it all off again' routine, which I've described extensively on here already, followed by a few hours of drybrushing highlights and shadows I think I've just about cracked it.

ISTR the cylinders were too small on the W&CW (now CRT) kits too. Definitely worth tackling. Didn't the Great Western have the same problem on North Eastern lines?

In re the chimney: If it's not too heinous, not being brass, couldn't you give the drawing to someone with 3D CAD skills and ask them to draw it for you, then send it to Shapeways to have it printed in FUD? I did this recently with an Ivatt 2MT and it came out a treat. Finding someone with the necessary skills is the thing; the chap who did it for me is currently pulling half his house down to build the dream railway room for his Last Great Project, so is a bit busy pro temp, but there are some clever people here on RMWeb.

Erm, no. Not unless you're now modelling Stratford's scrap line

Beautiful model David. Handsome engines, even with the enclosed cab side sheets.

Excellent entry Mikkel.The Rusty Stumps crate kits look particularly good, and as Dave says, useful that they also cater for 7mm. The Huntley & Palmer link is fantastic - what a scene! And wouldn't it make a great set piece: cobbles, setts, inlaid track, puddles, horses, warehouses, soup-strainer moustaches... If you don't, I might!

I remember being very impressed by the layout when it featured in the Modeller back in about 1995-96ish, so it's very nice to see it again Paul.

Oi, can't you lot stop posting while I try to catch up? I got to p.15 last night only to find 23 more posts tacked on the end this morning. It's almost as bad as Rob's Brent thread - I had to take it off my notifications as it was swamping everything else, but I figured it'd be at the top of the board fairly often so I'd just dip in. Two weeks later I had 21 pages to catch up with...