46444

Brilliant! Captures the area nicely. A trip to Wells beckons this Summer. Cheers, Mark

The flush glazing has certainly lifted the vulnerable Airfix model. Nice finish and weathering effects to.. Cheers, Mark

Very nice work! You have certainly lifted the basic medium to another level. I did attempt the same amount of work on 6 of these blighters before losing interest and selling them on. The transfers have bedded down nicely. I presume they're Railtec's finest? Nice work all round. Cheers, Mark

Hi Paul, I obtained the information from your website: Link below: https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/gwrtunnyzco Apologies if I have misquoted you. Cheers, Mark

Blimey! There's another Herring Meister out there too!

Hi Jonathan, I think you've hit the nail on the head with the Cambria Herring kits. You must be on the expert level after building six of the things? Certainly one to be savoured and not quaffed... I have built one of these kits and they are certainly not 'shake 'n bake' Tamiya style. The main concentration centres around getting the hopper support brackets in the right sequence. Something I failed on and had to correct retrospectively. The shoal of Herrings kits awaits! Cheers, Mark

Thanks Phil, There's a shoal of Herrings awaiting building. Well three Cambrian kits at least! I believe you and the good Captain of this parish have assembled a nice shoal of Herring between you. Cheers

Hi Alex, Thanks. These have been sat around on the work bench for a while so its good to see them progressing. The Airfix LMS 5 plank is a versatile model for modification. I might have a go at doing replacement channel ends if I do another. George Dent did an article in Model Rail fitting replacement channel ends to an Oxford Rail LNER 5 plank like the one above. The GWR/WR permanent way wagons would look good on Lydbrook Dean. Like Phil says a few Herrings wouldn't go a miss either. Cheers, Mark

Bit of an update on the wagon building miscellany. The Three Peaks Models, Lancashire & Yorkshire Low Goods Wagons are coming on well. I must say how pleased I am with these kits. Following on from reading Jonathan's West End Workbench, I decided to drill out the axle boxes to receive Alan Gibson brass bearings. One is finished in BR unfitted grey. The other is in late LMS livery. Sole bars are to be painted brown on the latter. The LMS version will recieve BR numbers/patching etc. The Airfix/Mainline BR/WR/ex-GWR Bogie Bolster A has been weathered. Again a selection of Valejo and Revell acrylics have been used. Weathering to be finished as above. Load to be added. Any ideas for suitable metal chains to secure the load? The Oxford Rail 7 plank RCH wagon in Napsbury Mental Hospital livery. I believe this institution was near to St. Albans on the Midland Mainline? Totally fictitious I'd imagine but finished as an ex-private owner wagon in BR condition. Weathering effects to be finished. Valejo acrylics and Fox Transfers used in this instance. This Oxford Rail LNER 5 plank wagon received the same treatment. The Airfix LMS 5 plank wagon, re-chassied with a Ratio 10ft RCH chassis is ready for weathering. Fox Transfers once more. I do think this shows how good the Airfix LMS 5 plank moulding is and benefits from a few tweaks. The BR/WR permanent way wagon selection is progressing nicely as well. Transfers are courtesy of Cambridge Custom Transfers and John Isherwood of this parish. Below is the the excellent Chivers P23 Tunny kit. The Cambrian P18 kit is progressing nicely. The CO insignia stands for 'Chief Office' Finally the old Ian Kirk P19 kit awaits weathering. These wagons will receive a coat of Halfords Satin varnish to bed the transfers down before weathering. More soon.... Cheers, Mark

A very nice period to model. Lots of variety. Later this end with a Sentinel 0-6-0 diesel to complete the sequence. A Rapido E Class will make an appearance however.

Hmmm! Exactly. Saying that I'll probably not go as extreme.. A more residual discolouration with a satin over finish may be the order of the day.

Thanks Jeff, Totally agree with you on the Red Panniers book. Great photos and a brilliant and informative text. If I remember correctly the first two Panniers were also withdrawn early and replacements took their running numbers. With the trio of Panniers I have, I am planning on modifying the cab roof as per the prototype. Other details such as the running plate handrails above the centre step will be added. RT Models sand pulls will also be fitted. This entails gently cutting off the sandbox filler lids and aligning them up with the sandboxes. In doing so the sand pull leavers fit into place nicely. The prominent cab curtains will also be fitted. Weathering should be interesting trying to achieve that well weathered look. Cheers, Mark

In the background I've been working on a number of projects including a few London Transport protoypes. Here's a snifter of what's in store. The venerable Bachmann GWR/BR 57xx has been available in London Transport livery over the years. Railtec Transfers do a LT Pannier number set and I was able to renumber one of my Panniers to L89. Essentially a very simple job. The existing numbers were removed carefully using T-Cut and either a blunt cocktail stick or cotton bud. Leaving a nice gloss surface the Railtec Transfers bedded down nicely. A light coat of brush applied Johnson's Kleer helped with this. The Railtec LT Pannier transfer sheet comes with a number of options by the way. The buffer beam number, bunker number and cabside numbers are included on the sheet. For those who are struggling to find a Bachmann LT Pannier tank, Bachmann Spares Department, sell the LT finished bodyshells as well as the wheelsets. An easy conversion of a Bachmann BR or GWR 57xx. I do have a couple of Bachmann LT BR brakevans, one which will be renumbered using Modelmaster decals from their LT Wagon sheet. These transfers are no longer available but sets do crop up on eBay from time to time. Again due to the rarity of Bachmann LT BR brake vans I thought I would make up a Dapol/Airfix kit to address this The roof vents and chimney have been reversed to correct the error in the ancient mouldings. Roof vents are from Lanarkshire Models and chimney is made up from scrap parts. I could have made a replacement roof but decided to leave it. The rain strips are pieces of Microstrip cut to size. Brass handrails have been added to each end. Lanarkshire Models buffers and coupling hooks have been added as well.. It is finished with a combination of Valejo and Revell acrylic paints. Finally, a request to Steve at Railtec Transfers came up trumps. He has been able to produce some excellent LT style reporting numberplates that the LT Pannier's ran with. The quality of the 3D printed decal is superb even picking our the framework around the individual numbers which were placed in a bracket. In my eyes these fill an important void, whilst addressing the needs of the LT modeller of the 1960's/early 1970's. For those interested in the LT Panniers history and their operation should look no further than 'Red Panniers. Last Steam on the Underground' by John Scott-Morgan & Kirk Martin, published by Lightmoor Press (2008). A well recommended read. Once again, a big thanks to Steve at Railtec for his help with this project. More soon! Cheers, Mark

Hi Simond, I think there is some history in this. Both EP of Dorchester and Tetley of Leeds both used their own version of a huntsman logo in their marketing and publicity. Tetley Brewery was taken over by Carlsberg and the Leeds Brewery controversially closed with brewing moved to Northampton. Tetley then became a national brand. I believe there was an agreement with EP that their Huntsman logo was to be phased out. In addition to this EP was eventually dissolved in 2007 with the closure of the brewery and brewing. EP was certainly a big part of Dorchester and their presence felt around the surrounding Dorset countryside. Ironically, I originate from Northamptonshire and now live near Leeds. The reverse of the Tetley Brewery history. Cheers, Mark

Thanks Mikkel, I will hopefully finish the Three Peaks Models L&Y Low Goods Wagon this weekend. I am waiting on some Alan Gibson waisted bearings and coupling hooks from LMS. First impressions are good. Cheers, Mark

Thanks Pete, There is a BR/WR influence in the builds so I guess they will find a suitable home on future BR/WR themed projects. The Huntsman Ales van kit is a piece of 1980's nostalgia, aligned with memories of drinking Eldridge Pope Ales in Dorchester in the early 90's. The Three Peaks Models kit will be more generic in a 1950's setting. Cheers, Mark

Tonight's blog entry is an eclitic mix of wagons I am working on that are currently on the workbench. The kit below I am working on is an excellent Chivers GWR P17 permanent way wagon. As with all Chivers kits the quality is superb. It's just waiting for some of Mr. Frank's finest buffers from Lanarkshire Model Supplies (LMS). The Cambrian GWR P18 is enhanced with Lanarkshire Model Supply buffers and Chivers door bangs. To complete the BR WR permanent way train an old Ian Kirk GWR P23 kit adds to the collection. All of the above will be finished in black with transfers courtesy of John Isherwood at Cambridge Custom Transfers. The Airfix 5 plank wagon is enhanced with the fitting of a Ratio RCH 10ft chassis to represent a LMS D1892 Open Merchandise wagon. Buffers again from LMS as well as door bangs from Chivers. The velnerable Airfix/Mainline/Hornby GWR/BR 'Bogie Bolster A' recieves a makeover. Romford wheels and new buffers from LMS. I have been on the look out for the Ratio Huntsman Ales van kit to complete the 1980's trio including the BOCM and Badger Ales versions I had already built. Recently I was able to acquire an unopened kit from eBay for less than £10. The build of the BOCM and Badger Ales vans are detailed in a previous blog entry. Finally following on from jweallans thread I purchased a 3D printed Three Peaks Models Lancashire & Yorkshire Diagram 1 Low Goods Wagon kit. I will do a blog entry on this shortly. Must say I am really impressed with this kit. Cheers, Mark

Keep up 46444! 😉

Will the GWR platelayers hut and SR traders store be made available in 4mm scale? Both kits look superb. Cheers, Mark

Reading jweallans West End Workbench thread Jonathan had recently built one of these L&Y Diagram 1 Low Goods Wagons. https://threepeaksmodels.co.uk/products/l-y-diagram-1-low-goods-wagon Inspired, I ordered two from Three Peaks Models which arrived today. Excellent packaging and a comprehensive instruction sheet with prototype information. The kit itself consists of two crisply printed pieces. The chassis and body, respectively. Minimal clean up is required and within minutes you have a ready made wagon. All that is required is a wheelset of choice. In this instance I have used Gibson spoked wagon wheels. I understand brass waisted bearings are suitable for fitting from a post on Jonathan's thread. I will do a blog entry shortly when they are finished. Certainly well recommended and all for £10. I look forwards to further kits being announced in the Three Peaks Range. Cheers, Mark

Reading jweallans West End Workbench thread Jonathan had recently built a Three Peaks 3D printed L&Y Diagram Low Goods Wagon. Some snaps on Jonathan's thread below on Page 81 of his build. As Jonathan mentions the kit is essentially the chassis and body. It comes with NEM coupling pockets as well. The print quality is superb and all this for £10. All that is required are wheels of choice. https://threepeaksmodels.co.uk/products/l-y-diagram-1-low-goods-wagon I have ordered two of these kits from Three Peaks Models which arrived this morning. Very well packaged with an extensive instruction sheet. These wagons made it LMS stock with some making it into BR service. Might be worth a look. I'm very pleased with my two. Bit of a heads up for something different. Cheers, Mark

That SOO 'Bandit' GP40 looks fab... Just need an MP15 in 'Bandit' livery now...

I think we're a gonna here?

Riveted tank and no top feed on 8749.. Nice!..

In certain circles the Captain is renowned for his incredibly good taste and a Pannier never offends...