Little Muddle

[Welchester]

2 hours ago, Tallpaul69 said:

Yep, every time we went to Oxford, which was usually about once a quarter in the 80s! Also tried to Include Howes when they were in the original shop in Kidlington.

Bought a number of end of run etc. books there, just don't ask me which ones!!

 

Surely the original Howes shop was in Broad Street. Even though I wasn't modelling , I used to call in on the way to lectures. Fatal, even then.

[Tallpaul69]

2 minutes ago, Bishop of Welchester said:

 

Surely the original Howes shop was in Broad Street. Even though I wasn't modelling , I used to call in on the way to lectures. Fatal, even then.

Before we were travelling to Oxford! I wonder when they moved to Kidlington?

 

We used to do a round trip :-

Luton to Banbury, where my wife went to the market and I went to Trinders. Then on to Kidlington, where there was not much for my wife. We came home either via the Headington roundabout or Bicester where there was a good model Bus shop and some things to interest my wife!

I had to save up for those trips!!

Thinking about it they probably took place mainly in the 90s because before then our boys would have been with us and they would never have put up with such a trip!!

Happy days

Paul

[KNP]

3 hours ago, Mick Bonwick said:

Motor Books used to be at the Headington Roundabout;

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Caprinos+Pizza+Headington,+Oxford/@51.7621291,-1.1964602,247m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x4876c22abf72a33b:0x7547dcebed6bb65c!2sHeadington+Roundabout,+Headington,+Oxford!3b1!8m2!3d51.7628996!4d-1.1963855!3m4!1s0x4876c3b050ab944b:0x84c157822d207ec!8m2!3d51.7621291!4d-1.195913?hl=en

 

Did you ever go there for your modelling shopping?

I most certainly did, most of Little Muddle came from there and International Models for the scenery - got so much that I am still using it now!

Exactly when I brought those items I have no idea.

[KNP]

Time for some pictures of a train.

To be exact Railcar No.8, residing peacefully in the bay platform waiting for the next load of passengers.

 

 

 

 

 

Another thing on my 'to do' list is to replace wording/badge as they didn't come in until '41.

Might have some time to do this in the next few weeks/months!

 

Edited March 24 by KNP

[Neal Ball]

That Cooper Craft cattle wagon was the first wagon on this weekends pick up goods at Henley. Lovely model.....

 

Running it together with the Bachmann ones, the Cooper Craft one looks so much better.

 

 

[Neal Ball]

I wonder if we will ever see Cooper Craft kits produced again....?

 

i would hope so, they had a few good models. I suspect that all the moulds will need to be replaced.... in which case it probably isn’t viable...

 

They hada lovely set of GWR wagons.

Edited March 22, 2020 by Neal Ball
Typo!

[bgman]

3 hours ago, Bishop of Welchester said:

Surely the original Howes shop was in Broad Street

 

It certainly was, many a happy time spent browsing and paying my hard earned cash on Mallard and Blacksmith etched kits which were all very new to me back then.

 

3 hours ago, Tallpaul69 said:

I went to Trinders

 

Crikey ! That's a blast from the past, my local model shop for many years with a trip upstairs to see Pete who ran the model railway department and then back downstairs to get my bicycle sorted out 

 

3 hours ago, Tallpaul69 said:

Headington

 

Usually once I had finished in Howes I would take a drive out to Headington and marvel at their stock of railway items. Always had a useful range of OPC books too.

Ironically I met Jim Russell in there on one occasion and he invited me to visit him at his Chacombe home as I was fairly local to him and I realised his valuable contribution to railways both in real terms and his writings.

 

I still have a few of his books and the ones I still read the most are his Pictorial Record of GREAT WESTERN ENGINES, an invaluable reference over the years. Jim became a friend over the years and always willing to help in any way he could.

 

G

[checkrail]

17 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

Running it together with the Bachmann ones, the Cooper Craft one looks so much better.

Yes, they were lovely kits.  I've been lucky enough to acquire 4 over the years, which together with 3 from other companies makes up a decent little cattle train.

 

Not got any of the Bachmann ones, but am I right in saying that the Bachmann model is actually of a BR wagon, like the old Airfix kit?  I seem to remember that the BR wagons were based on a later GWR prototype but with some differences, e.g. a different roof arc.

 

John C.

 

[Neal Ball]

2 hours ago, checkrail said:

....... Bachmann ones, but am I right in saying that the Bachmann model is actually of a BR wagon, like the old Airfix kit?  I seem to remember that the BR wagons were based on a later GWR prototype but with some differences, e.g. a different roof arc.

 

 

John C.

 

 

Hi John, I wasn't aware of that... will need to consult the Wagon books. Although I am sure someone here will know straight away @Miss Prism perhaps.

[gwrrob]

2 hours ago, checkrail said:

 

Not got any of the Bachmann ones, but am I right in saying that the Bachmann model is actually of a BR wagon, like the old Airfix kit?  I seem to remember that the BR wagons were based on a later GWR prototype but with some differences, e.g. a different roof arc.

 

 

Absolutely. according to the http://www.gwr.org.uk/kits4rtrwagons.html the Bachmann model is based on the BR version of the GWR diagram W12. Body length, wheelbase and roof profile all incorrect.

 

These faults don't stop me running them as I'm not a fan of Mr Coopercrap.

[Miss Prism]

For the GWR predecessor, the body length, wheelbase and roof is incorrect. Bachmann's attempt at the BR version is equally bad. I'm sure there is a long RMweb thread somewhere!

 

 

[checkrail]

1 hour ago, gwrrob said:

…. as I'm not a fan of Mr Coopercrap.

Yeah , but the prob. was him and his approach to running a business, wasn't it, rather than the actual products?

 

Having said that I've recently acquired a Slater's C28 third kit for body only, under Coopercraft branding.  The floor supplied in the kit was nothing like the Slater's item, but looked vaguely familiar.  It's only this afternoon that it dawned on me - it was from a Mailcoach K22 kit.  Weird.

[Mick Bonwick]

Quick, Kevin. More photographs!

[KNP]

Under public pressure, well one person, here is what I am working on now.

I have decided to start with the  lorry.

Here are all the pieces

 

Removed from the sprue and tidied up 

 

 

Now this is something you don’t see much these days

 

 

’Made in England’

 

More to follow as the build commence.....

Edited March 23, 2020 by KNP

[KNP]

Components assembled.

Well my version of it so I can paint easier in all the confined areas rather than assemble completely.

Glue setting then I will prime with grey to highlight any sections that need attention with filler - see a few already
 

 

 

 

 

[Mick Bonwick]

Good progress, Kevin.

 

Love that weathered cutting mat!

[Andrew P]

34 minutes ago, KNP said:

Components assembled.

Well my version of it so I can paint easier in all the confined areas rather than assemble completely.

Glue setting then I will prime with grey to highlight any sections that need attention with filler - see a few already
 

 

 

 

 

Will it have a Crate?

[KNP]

In answer to some very pointed questions I reply in order.

 

1. It has taken some effort over some considerable time to get this cutting mat to the level of distress and age you see before you.

2. Regarding another crate saga - well you will have to wait and see as I have something planned already for the siting of this lorry

 

Onwards and upwards chaps, best modelling foot forward and all that....

[Neal Ball]

2 minutes ago, KNP said:

In answer to some very pointed questions I reply in order.

 

1. It has taken some effort over some considerable time to get this cutting mat to the level of distress and age you see before you.

2. Regarding another crate saga - well you will have to wait and see as I have something planned already for the siting of this lorry

 

Onwards and upwards chaps, best modelling foot forward and all that....

 

1. Agree - I worry if I see a pristine cutting mat!

2. Blimey what will it be....

 

I too have one of these lorries; lovely little models. Although from time to time I move all the vehicles round... which I suppose stops me making the cameo scenes that you excel in Kevin. The most my lorry gets is roof open/closed lol.

[KNP]

Todays picture

 

Heading to across the Channel, Snowflake, plows fearlessly on with her cargo of priceless toilet rolls!?!?!

 

[sjrixon]

22 minutes ago, KNP said:

In answer to some very pointed questions I reply in order.

 

1. It has taken some effort over some considerable time to get this cutting mat to the level of distress and age you see before you.

2. Regarding another crate saga - well you will have to wait and see as I have something planned already for the siting of this lorry

 

Onwards and upwards chaps, best modelling foot forward and all that....

Oh.. Looking forward to seeing it. I'll apologise now if I decide to copy it as I have one of these trucks too. 

[St Enodoc]

14 hours ago, checkrail said:

Yeah , but the prob. was him and his approach to running a business, wasn't it, rather than the actual products?

 

Having said that I've recently acquired a Slater's C28 third kit for body only, under Coopercraft branding.  The floor supplied in the kit was nothing like the Slater's item, but looked vaguely familiar.  It's only this afternoon that it dawned on me - it was from a Mailcoach K22 kit.  Weird.

Coopercraft has a complicated family tree John. Originally a brand in its own right it was bought by Mailcoach (originally owned by Ian Kirk). Mailcoach itself was later sold to the present owner, who is probably the one you are alluding to. That probably explains the Coopercraft/Slaters/Mailcoach mash-up.

 

 

[Crichel Down]

20 hours ago, Miss Prism said:

For the GWR predecessor, the body length, wheelbase and roof is incorrect. Bachmann's attempt at the BR version is equally bad. I'm sure there is a long RMweb thread somewhere!

 

 

 

The Bachmann  cattle wagon is  based on a Swindon-built BR design, as was the old Airfix kit.  The Dapol RTR model is also a BR-based model.  The Coopercraft kit was based on a GWR prototype. 

 

The Bachmann  model is 4mm  (a scale foot)  too long, but looks more or less OK for the BR period, provided you are not too fussy about scale accuracy, and provided also that you don't run any of the Bachmann models together with the Coopercraft or Airfix ones (which would show up the discrepancy).  The Dapol RTR model is also too long, but not so long as the Bachmann model .

 

The Coopercraft kit is capable of being turned into very acceptable models of several GWR diagrams.  I even managed to convert a couple of these kits into models of the short W3 design.  I wrote up these conversions in MRJ Nos. 24 and 25.  [Oh, blast!  That's blown my cover.]  I also converted a couple of the old Airfix kits to represent GWR vehicles (also described in the MRJ article).

 

I take a fairly relaxed approach to scale accuracy, so any or all of the above-mentioned kits and models are perfectly acceptable for use on the layout, so far as I am concerned.  The only proviso is to keep the different models apart if they are of varying lengths. 

 

  

Edited March 24, 2020 by Crichel Down
Minor correction.

[Tallpaul69]

11 minutes ago, Crichel Down said:

 

The Bachmann  cattle wagon is  based on a Swindon-built BR design, as was the old Airfix kit.  The Coopercraft kit was based on a GWR prototype.  The Dapol RTR model is also a BR-based model.

 

The Bachmann  model is 4mm  (a scale foot)  too long, but looks more or less OK for the BR period, provided you are not too fussy about scale accuracy, and provided also that you don't run any of the Bachmann models together with the Coopercraft or Airfix ones (which would show up the discrepancy).  The Dapol RTR model is also too long, but not so long as the Bachmann model .

 

The Coopercraft kit is capable of being turned into very acceptable models of several GWR diagrams.  I even managed to convert a couple of these kits into models of the short W3 design.  I wrote up these conversions in MRJ Nos. 24 and 25.  [Oh, blast!  That's blown my cover.]  I also converted a couple of the old Airfix kits to represent GWR vehicles (also described in the MRJ article).

 

I take a fairly relaxed approach to scale accuracy, so any or all of the above-mentioned kits and models are perfectly acceptable for use on the layout, so far as I am concerned.  The only proviso is to keep the different models apart if they are of varying lengths. 

 

  

I was reading your MRJ articles earlier today, prompted by the recent posts on the subject. You are honoured because I had some time ago (years probably!) copied the articles and put them in my "Modelling info to keep handy file"!

Which is just as well because I know my MRJs need putting back into order after the last time I was hunting for info on a particular subject.

Having been sorting my Coopercraft stuff the other day, I was in two minds what to do with two of the cattle wagons. I had not finished them, particularly not having fixed the roofs, and years of storage have not treated them kindly. The fragile bars across the open sides and the top bar under the roof have snapped!

Initially I was going to scrap them, but the comments about the Bachmann and Dapol offerings that I had considered superior(!), have persuaded me to try to fix and finish them.

 

I also have three Wrenn (or HB00) cattle wagon bodies that need chassis. Any suggestions any one (apart from the obvious )?

 

Best regards

Paul

[KNP]

All primed, bit more filler to add in a few places.

Components balanced on model for picture.

 

 

Cab handrails and front roll bar to add but have been left off to ease painting