Tim Lewis

Hi Rod, Alan's (Modelu) recent posts said he was thinking of introducing more types of platform lamps in the near(?) future, so you might want to drop him a line and see whether those are on his list.

Wow! That really is amazing.

I think Rumney Models may do a suitable underframe.

Those wagons look really good Tom. If I was being extremely picky, I'd say you might want to straighten the bottom link on the ABS 6-plank☺

Thanks for that David. I had discounted 65233 on the basis that (according to Yeadon) it didn't get to Hawick until the late 50s whereas my timeframe is late 40s/early 50s - perhaps I shouldn't be so picky??!! I had thought of just doing a "quick" conversion using Alan Gibson components (assuming he does or will do a conversion pack, or that the axles are already the correct diameter): is the NBR Developments chassis very good?

So, I reached another milestone recently: I now have both up and down lines making a complete circuit. Here are two trains crossing at Coldstream, a J39 on an ECML freight and a D11/2 on what is nominally an Edinburgh-Newcastle via Kelso service (but with completely the wrong formation). Still loads to do!!

Also, you'll be pleased to know that my J39 is back in business. I replaced the old Sharman box with a High Level (can't remember which one, but it's 34:1) and it now runs very nicely again. Here it is passing through Coldstream with a lengthy freight.

I should really be trying to progress the layout, but have accidentally been working on another wagon: This is an LNER 6-plank open. I put the body together ages ago, from a Cambrian kit. I had intended to put a Masokits sub-frame underneath it, but as explained earlier in the thread had some problems making them fit to some of the Cambrian bodies. So, it languished on one side for a while. Then, Oxford brought out their RTR version, the bodywork of which is very good (externally at least). The brakes are wrong, but easy enough to correct. I've got 3 or 4 Oxford ones to sort out, but I then thought that I should do something different with the Cambrian body. So, I decided to make it into a 10ft wheelbase fitted version to Diagram 92. I've used Dave Bradwell's excellent etched underframe: I've made several of these before, but this is the first time I've done the wooden underframe variant. Progress to date is shown in the photo: body is not yet sitting correctly, and I haven't yet cut the headstocks to the correct length or filled the hollow ends. Obviously still got to do the brakes etc., but it's looking OK so far.

I've been meaning to ask - does anyone know of the source of a drawing showing the tender cabs? I have an early BR version that will become one of the Hawick locos (can't decide which yet), all of which had tender cabs of varying sorts. There are several pictures in Yeadon and elsewhere, and if all else fails I can probably make a decent guess at dimensions, but a drawing would be preferable. Thanks in advance.

Ooooh. ..Fox bogies!

More expense...!

Dave Bradwell is/was allegedly going to do one of these, though it hasn't appeared yet....

I saw some of these green lamps in the flesh (resin?) today - they are pretty amazing!

Thanks for that. I don't "do" Facebook, as I think it would be another distraction I could do without. I have been aware of the Berwick and Eastern Borders group for a while (some of the photos on the disused station website are sourced from there), but I've not heard of the other two. Perhaps I should bite the bullet and join (it seems that it's not possible to see the photos without joining). There wasn't much progress on the layout last summer and early Autumn whilst I considered wiring and control options. Recommenced doing a bit of trackwork before Xmas, and am hopefully going to make considerable progress in the next couple of months. There is a little bit of progress to show (most of the up line is now laid but not yet fully operational), but I don't have any photos at the moment - maybe next week.

I think the "poor etch" referred to above may be a Peter K production rather than a Kemilway one. All the Kemilway etches I've seen are very good, and it's a shame if the kits are not going to be available. From memory I think D&S may do an NER full brake (depending on which one you're after) - Danny Pinnock is allegedly going to re-run some of his 4mm NER kits "sometime" (a list was expected last year but hasn't emerged as yet). You could always phone him - he's always very helpful.

Oooh, which locos Simon? Did that Bradwell J27 give you a taste for more things North Eastern?☺

Hi Tom, You may have seen this already, but in the Great Northern Railwayana Auction in Poynton on 6 October is a cabside numberplate from 9793. Thought you might be interested. Cheers.

I don't believe that DMUs were ever used on the eastern part of the Tweed Valley line (except for the odd excursion). They were however used between Kelso and St. Boswells (possibly including a service through to Edinburgh), but I don't know dates etc. There is a picture in (I think) the Middleton Press book.

Crikey, that's looking seriously good Rod.

Good to see you back modelling Tom. Slightly disappointed that Askrigg is on the back burner as I was looking forward to seeing that. However, this looks rather excellent as well. Cheers for now.

Ah, cr*p. That put the kiss of death on things. Gearbox completely seized up today, so the J39 will be back on the workbench at some point soon. It's an old Sharman box, which will actually be quite tricky to extricate from the chassis I think (although it was the recommended box at the time - the instructions were written a long time ago). Whether or not it will be salvageable I don't know yet, but I think I'd be better off replacing it with a suitable, more accessible, High Level one - will do some planning before Scaleforum.

Not done any more to the wagons, but here's the pickup goods rumbling through Coldstream behind my trusty J39. https://youtu.be/yvHTAAOXOTY Forgot to mention last time that another thing I haven't done yet is to fit buffer heads (apart from one or two).

A bit of an update on the current iteration of the pickup goods. It has grown in length a bit - now 15 wagons. All have had a first pass at underframe painting/weathering, coupling hooks on both ends and 3-links on one end so that they can be joined together into a train. All lettering is complete, but no bodywork weathering as yet, and the van roofs are still not attached. Unpainted wood floors also not done yet, plus a few other bits and pieces. First of the 'new' wagons is a Parkside LNER 5-plank open, built as one of an unfitted batch to Diagram 210: The other 3 new wagons are single bolsters. I mentioned the Dave Bradwell ones in an earlier post: I have now (nearly) completed two of these, and decided to include an ex-NER one in the mini-rake. Part way through building it I realised that I had bought the wrong one! - I bought Diagram D1 and should have got D2 - doh! This was due to me mis-interpreting the information in Tatlow and on the Wizard Models website. The main difference is the bolster, which on D2s can swivel, and have supporting woodwork on the floor. So, I'll have to scratch build those bits, which I've not done yet. Very simple kit. I thought the LNER ones were small, but the NER ones are tiny! Here's the rake: Another couple of shots of the train, firstly some LMS vans and a BR open: then this is another LMS van (with Rumney underframe to which it's still not attached - as you can see). The livery on this is pre-1936 (I think) but there is a photo in one of Geoff Kent's books in this livery taken in 1949 (and looking in very good condition), so I thought it would make a nice change: And finally for now, this is how the brake van looks now - still a bit to do on this: So, it's getting there, but as usual it always takes ages to finish off the last bits. The configuration of the train will no doubt change in future, but I'll finish it off like this for now. Must get it done soon, as I really do need to get back to some layout infrastructure. Cheers for now.

I'm not normally desperately keen on the Brighton Terriers, but that is beautiful.

Yes, the D11 is a straight Gibson conversion, and with no outside cylinders or valve gear to worry about it was pretty straightforward. You're right about the other loco: it's a Bachmann J39 body on a Bradwell chassis. Some more details on both on my workbench if interested.