Jump to content
 

Neal Ball

RMweb Premium
  • Posts

    7,321
  • Joined

  • Last visited

About Neal Ball

Contact Methods

  • Website URL
    http://www.nealball.co.uk;

Profile Information

  • Location
    : Villamartin, Costa Blanca, Spain
  • Interests
    All things GWR

    In 2014 I started to build my version of Henley-on-Thames, GWR in the mid-1930's. Progress is slow, but it's a big layout....

    I have had a fascination with Henley for ages, I remember one of my drives out just after passing my test was to Henley. The station building had only been knocked down a few years before. In those days, there was a huge expanse of open space around the one remaining platform, I recall the Goods shed had gone, but for some reason the Provender store was still there. That was an addition after the war, so will not be included in my model.

    Initially the railway was in its own purpose built garden room when we lived in Felpham, West Sussex. In Feb 2019 we retired to Spain and the railway having been carefully packed is now emerging into the layout you now see.

    My wish list:
    RTR Pannier tank 0-6-0PT; RTR Collett Autocoach (to modern standards); Metrotank / 517 class. I'm waiting with anticipation for the new Kernow Steam Railmotor.

    I am a member of the GWS at Didcot, Talyllyn Railway, as well as the Bluebell Railway.

Recent Profile Visitors

4,346 profile views

Neal Ball's Achievements

30.1k

Reputation

  1. I should point out that the Comet etches are for the windows after they were modernised. The original windows as per the GWR photos at the top were Beclawat windows which slid down. The whole window moved, rather than the fixed panes at the top,
  2. That’s a good improvement Phil. Well worth replacing it.
  3. My carriage construction blog now covers the build of two Centenary carriages; the C69 and D120. I had been meaning to finish the blog for a while for these carriages. Hope you find it useful.
  4. You can’t have too many Pannier tank locos Kevin.
  5. I know what you mean Mike. I tried using the bow pen on my Mallard models J5 yesterday for the bolections. The paint was drying too quickly, I watered it down and it was going everywhere 🙁 Yesterday was our first full on decent temperature all day, this at 10am it’s 24 in the shade on our terrace already.
  6. The 28xx was out and about last night, it even hauled the Centenary 6 carriage rake! Which is quite a heavy train. As ever, I was waiting for paint to dry….. The 70ft carriages have had their final coat of varnish to seal the transfers. The bolections and droplights were finished on the C23 clerestory, any overspill has also been tidied up. ditto on my last remaining Slaters Toplight. These carriages will now have door furniture added and will then be glazed. It’s good to see them all at this stage in their respective builds.
  7. Surprising that it’s now 14 years ago. That’s the same version in my photos at Henley and it has always been a good runner.
  8. I guess the question is, which depot supplied the engines for Helston? And then do you have details about loco overhaul for the correct period. Let’s assume locos for Helston were supplied from Truro and that 1158 was based there in 1918. The bonus would be that it visits Swindon for a heavy general in Sept 1918 - which would include a full repaint - and that come Jan 1919 it is released back to Truro - the chances are it would arrive back from Swindon in the 1919 livery. Looking at loco history details they were in and out of Swindon all the time, so the chances are a loco would get all liveries relevant to that time. Does that help?
  9. Here is a quick iPhone photo of the 28xx which shews the extent of the train. The loco drove into Platform three, then reversed the train into the headshunt / back siding access. Its a lovely loco that runs very smoothly.
  10. Thanks Andy. The 72xx is a Hornby loco from the so-called design clever days, weathered by TMC it's a lovely loco, which runs very well. It is fitted with a Zimo MX640 sound decoder The Dean goods loco over the years has been a right pain in the a**se, but these days is fitted with a sound decoder, which will be a Zimo MX series. Now as a result it is a very good runner. I am sure the story of this loco is way back in the history of Henley - several pages ago! I bought it from Gaugemaster / the Engine Shed as it was the local model railway shop at the time - this is in fact the 2nd loco as it was so difficult to get into the tender to fit the decoder! It's an Oxford loco. The Collet Goods is a Bachmann loco, with only pickups on the loco - one day I will add pickups into the tender. Its fitted with a Guagemaster decoder - its an "ok" runner.
  11. As I was assembling the train, I added coal into two wagons - one was a fresh load using the Geoscenics kit. This wagon already had a Dapol plastic coal load, which I reduced in height and then added coal on the top. Im not going to weather it, to make a difference in a mixed train.
  12. It's a nice loco Phil. I have a spare DC one that wont be PX to Hattons now :-)
×
×
  • Create New...