Corbs

A lot of the photos from this blog were lost in the forum crash, I did save as many as I could and re-uploading them here for reference (hopefully in the same order as referenced in the text).

A lot of the photos from this blog were lost in the forum crash, I did save as many as I could and re-uploading them here for reference (hopefully in the same order as referenced in the text).

A lot of the photos from this blog were lost in the forum crash, I did save as many as I could and re-uploading them here for reference (hopefully in the same order as referenced in the text). (a few missing here)

A lot of the photos from this blog were lost in the forum crash, I did save as many as I could and re-uploading them here for reference (hopefully in the same order as referenced in the text).

A lot of the photos from this blog were lost in the forum crash, I did save as many as I could and re-uploading them here for reference (hopefully in the same order as referenced in the text).

A lot of the photos from this blog were lost in the forum crash, I did save as many as I could and re-uploading them here for reference (hopefully in the same order as referenced in the text).

Heheheh ;) Have been feeling a bit more productive over the break so far, so have been doing some overdue tasks on the NWR fleet. No.300 - have been filing down the chassis to enable the body to sit flatter (currently too high up at the back). No.503 getting DCC-fitted. So far most of the large locos have had cheap LaisDCC decoders fitted to enable them to run on the 'megalayout'. I think most of them have never been run-in. So many badly quartered wheelsets.... No.704 finally gains lamp irons and brake pipes.

Merry Christmas everyone - I had a flash of an idea last night and got up at dawn to make it in photoshop - The Titfield Thunderbolt as a BRIO set :)

The one and only time I ever bet on the grand national, my horse won, which was COMPLY OR DIE. Not sure how well that would go down on a nameplate...

New poster on the shop! The shop is open again (for a while) and we have a new product - a fan poster for The Titfield Thunderbolt inspired by the work of legendary designer Saul Bass. Price is £12.50 including UK postage (frame and mountboard not included). All profits from the sale of this poster go to UNICEF's Children of Gaza Crisis Appeal. https://www.railwaymania.net/shop/thunderbolt-saul-bass-inspired-poster

Crikey! Think it'll have to be a Longmoor blue one for me...

With TWO locos in the first pic!

Fantastic work - it looks brill!

Not a banker but a rescue - 92134 comes to the aid of 80136. and of course this classic from earlier this year:

I know some don't like dirty preserved locos but I really like the grubby look of 'Manston' there.

Posting this from my personal account - I got one (the lined version) as did my stepdad - the crested ones were sold out on the website so he got a plain one which I am in the process of decorating with Fox Transfers. Hopefully giving it a helix test tomorrow...

Hi folks, I am after a cheap Castle as a chassis donor. One of the later models with the can motor rather than the ringfield. (Seems they made 2 types, either is fine) Don't need the tender or the body itself so smashed/broken/partial loco would be ideal providing the chassis runs :) Thank you Corbs

Sooooo with 405 now in the queue for some serious soldering (along with about 6 other locos awaiting conversion), I feel the need to scratch another itch that's been hanging around for a while. I bought a previous-generation Hornby 'King' some time ago to use as the basis for the second 'Hatt 7' build, the same class as 'Westlin' here: Actually, a 'Super 7' as this new loco is to be built with the same wheels, boiler and frame layout, but instead of being a 4-cylinder simple with Walschaerts valve gear, this will become a compound with Lentz rotary valve gear alongside an enlarged steam circuit, double kylchap and possibly ACFI feedwater heating too. The intention is that this becomes the stepping stone to the mixed traffic 4-8-0 'Thorfinn the Mighty'. The GWR-style cab was the first thing to go, to be replaced with a Hatt cab (imitated by Fowler and Stanier, of course....). The cylinders are the ones off the Hornby P2 and were filed to fit in the gap, but they sit too low and will need packing out to bring the centre of the cylinder in line with the axle... ... This in turn meant that for the loco to stay within gauge, the boiler can't go any higher (note I am also losing the GWR bonnet in favour of a lower profile dome), the solution has been to notch the running board like so: The flattened cylinder tops now forming part of the running board. I rather like it and prefer this to a split-height running board. I think the streamlined corners of the cylinders helps.

That's smart, I tried a while back with the soldering iron but it was more like notches made by a clumsy excavator than the actual battered panels you have done so well.

Excellent work on the wagons Ben, the rippled metal is very convincing.

Awesome job on the split-headcode model, would not have thought it came from such a humble source!

These conversions are fantastic, I love the ingenuity in the cut-and-shuts.

Not far off, the rough idea is it's a repaint for a loco assigned to a specific mail train duty (to celebrate launch of the service). Here is 405 'James Catherick' now with name and numberplates courtesy of LRS. A trio of Woolworths N Class kits! 403 Thorkell, 405 James Catherick, 407 Sigrid. I fashioned a crude drawbar from styrene and found a backhead in a spares box. They all need RC gear fitting before they can stretch their legs on the big layout.....

Podcast update! Here are episodes 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33, you lucky people!

Something… red.