boeing757

Hello Shadow, As others have said its good to see another Essex branch line being modelled. Your chosen station name in reality would be almost on top of the site of the station at Felsted where I grew up. That station being definitely nearer to Lt Dunmow but I guess Felsted sounded more grand with its public school and of course later the sugar factory. I am building a 7mm scale model based on Felsted but with the inevitable compression. The era will be my childhood, 50s and 60s so mainly steam. The station house is still there but alas the signal box and overbridge have disappeared. Luckily there are some photos around to work from. I hope your progress is quicker than mine and I look forward to developments. Bob PS Black Notley is another thread worth following

Clive, Being a local to Braintree in my childhood, I would very much like to know more about the overturned coach incident there, I have never heard of it. If you feel this will hi-jack the thread then a message would be welcomed. Bob

Paul, Absolutely brilliant, what a find. Incidentally in all the years I watched trains shunting the sugar factory sidings I never saw a loco at the same end of the wagons as the 24 pictured, in my experience they always pushed the train into the sidings. The 2 photos of Braintree 08s are also very useful to me. ATB Bob

Hi George, Is that the old version of Johnson's Clear or it's current replacement? Neat work. Bob

Hi George, There are a number of folk, especially in the GOG who are very quick to dismiss the Ace kits. You have shown that they can be finished to a very satisfactory level, nice work. I have a J69 and an N7 to do when time permits and your Terrier has just pushed them to the top of the roundtuits pile! All the Best, Bob

Paul, Agreed, why oh why did they go for the AC cars model when they have already issued the proper railbus in 00? Surely it would have been much easier to scale the 4mm W und M up to 7mm. Although I'm trying to maintain some discipline over what appears at Felsted, I do like the Westerns very much but will resist buying one. The Brush T2 is much more difficult to ignore. I look forward to the next update. Bob

Hi Paul, Great to see Black Notley re-appearing - it's been a long time. Ford Castle is looking very handsome, the lining in particular looks good. Can't help you with the boiler bands but perhaps 2 single orange lines with reduced spacing between might work? Also admiring the Brush Type 2s, I refuse to call them 31s. I remember them well at Felsted and my wallet might take a hit but I am resisting: I already have too much motive power. Luckily my first sight of one there was D5551, and that had no roof indicator panels so I can justify abstaining till that version is offered. Thanks again for the Railbus drawing. Bob

Works for me. Nice little tour of Marlbury. Merry Xmas B

Hi Jonathan, I do follow your thread so I can't understand how I missed you enquiry. Sorry to arrive too late. The source of my info is Journal 33 of the GERS which contains an article on Conductor Guard workings. It states one set of steps were provided in the original 6 wheel stock in a centrally placed guards van and the halts arranged on one side of the line. When these vans were replaced by bogie stock they were built to match. My copy of the GERS journal disc is sadly 2000 miles away so I can't revisit the article just now. Like you I spent ages poring over photos of GE country trains in the hope of finding a picture of both sides of the same coach or a view of the same line with step fitted stock captured from both sides. No luck and concluded the article was probably the best evidence. Regarding my own snail like progress, yes I have (nearly) finished the Compo, my problem is distraction. I now have a surfeit of locomotives both running and waiting to build, loads of stock but no track to run on. That's this winter's task when I get back to sunny Cyprus next week. Cheers, Bob

Hi Jonathan, Like the ex-GER coaches but I am pretty sure that guard operated steps were only fitted on one side of the coach. I believe where they were used the halts were all on the same side of the track and the coach was turned to match. Mind you, you can't see both sides of the coach at the same time so you may opt to leave alone. ATB Bob

Hi Paul,Certainly Rover Brooklands Gren is regarded as a good match for BR green, as you say, must be the light. Yes I was aware that at least one WD worked up to Felsted, there is a picture in P Paye's book about the branch showing it heading for Witham tender first with a pulp train, never saw one myself. Paye also states that K1's worked through but I never saw one and have never seen a photo. Look forward to seeing more of the B2. Bob

Great to see a further update on this layout. My withdrawal symptoms were reaching critical levels. B2/B17 locos are amongst my favourites though I can't justify one on my Felsted project. However I do have a B1 which is about to transform into 61156 which I did witness passing through in 196? with a Roadrailer test train. Can I ask what shade of green you are painting your B2 as to my eye it doesn't look like either LNER or BR greens. That said, I am colour blind!!! ATB Bob

Hi OzzyO, please check your PMsB

Hi George, Nice build. A question regarding the black primer. I have searched paintsrus website and can't find the product, have searched ebay for paintsrus and have searched ebay with black etch primer, black acid etch primer etc. Can you tell me precisely what to enter in the search to bring up this product? B

Doh!! can't figure how I assumed it was non aerosol having read the posts again. Perhaps I'll win the dumbest question of the week award.As a spray can, it sounds even more interesting. Thanks, B