When TT3 was the next Big Thing

[NCB]

The Coronation surprised me; I didn't know anybody had built one. I presume it's scratch built, which would be quite a job.

[Golden Fleece 30]

The Coronation surprised me; I didn't know anybody had built one. I presume it's scratch built, which would be quite a job.

When I did the 0 gauge ones believe it or not it was the easiest loco to do followed by the A4 (over 250 made). I made the patterns to be all hand cut, no etching in those days, and made my own jigs for hand forming all pieces, no machines. I did over 70 different bespoke kits, people sent me a drawing and I cut the parts out in brass for a bodyshell. They did have to source/make their own fittings and chassis etc.

 

Garry

[Golden Fleece 30]

One of the Britannia's now renamed. I have not repainted anything just touched up bits here and there as overall the bodywork was quite good especially the boiler/cab/tender lining but I am not keen on my touching up of the silver handrails but hopefully have a better attempt on the next one.  I did forget to do the orange along the footplate edge but it has now been varnished so I will leave it alone. At least it is a different loco for the shed spotters to look out for.

 

I have noticed on a few Brits the smoke deflectors seem to be high at the front giving the impression the nameplate is not straight but not going to do anything now its finished.

 

Garry

Edited June 5, 2018 by Golden Fleece 30

[Golden Fleece 30]

Here is William Shakespeare completed. The orange lining on the footplate edge came out well but still not mastered the silver. I managed to modify the smoke deflectors to sit better. 70004 should look well on the Pullmans as if pulling the Golden Arrow although I don't think the SR used Met Cam style ones. Only another 3 or 4 to do.

 

Garry

[Golden Fleece 30]

In between other projects and awaiting some materials etc I have started on the V2. Again using the XT60 chassis as it power unit. The hard part of cutting the diecast footplate has been done now so it fits over the motor but needs a rear support to stop it dropping. The boiler is a little more difficult and it looks as if I will have to try to modify the motor to get it to go higher up in the firebox, most likely filing the sides and back end of the pole piece. I will see how the slide bars from the A3 fit and then hopefully can get some etches drawn and made. Un decided on either Green or Black livery yet, both looked good in real life. I may do a namer but the only plates in 3mm are Green Arrow or the Snapper. I would have liked St Peters School as I last saw the real loco in the yards with the school in the background.  The smokebox door is missing as it was used on the A3 but I do have a spare V2 to take it off.

 

Garry

[Golden Fleece 30]

A standard 5 "finished" as far as I can go. It came to me in a bit of a state and I did not see the handrails had been filed off, or that the centre wheels were Castle ones not Britannia with cranpins for the return cranks, As usual the body was stripped and repainted along with the tender. The chassis did not fit but had been cut in strange places so I have done the best I can. The "cylinder" bracket castings have been modified with a short "piston rod" which I may have to replace. I did manage to bend some wire for the handrails and fit in place. There were no cylinder cover castings so I am hoping to get an old Britannia body where I can cut them off to use. That is 3 black and 1 green one so the next one I think will be a green one again.

 

I did fit the metal bogie wheels which are a lot better looking than the Tri-ang plastic variety.

 

Garry

Edited June 8, 2018 by Golden Fleece 30

[Golden Fleece 30]

Over the last few months a chap has been selling all his TT stock and I have been lucky enough to have won a few items on both auction and buy it now. I was surprised, and very grateful, when a few extras kept arriving with the items. These included a mint Sleeping car, a whitemetal made up Toad brake van, a Gem A4 body, a complete Bec Q1, Peco wagon amongst a few spares but this coach was a real surprise. I dont know if it is a kit or scratchbuilt one of an LMS parcel van.

 

A couple of coaches I won were a couple of suburbans that look to have PC models printed acetate sides on. I did not know PC did TT sides, or maybe it was someone else?.

 

All the locos I won, Standard 5, couple of Royal Scots, couple of Britannia's Castle 2-6-2's all had the open spoked wheel chassis's so very happy with them too.

 

Garry

Edited June 16, 2018 by Golden Fleece 30

[28XX]

Re. touching up silver paint. Sharpie pens are available in silver, copper and gold. I found a 3 pack in Tesco just before Christmas and find they are ideal for muddleing purposes.

[Golden Fleece 30]

I do have and use those type of pens and also in orange, blue, white etc but depending on the position the ink/paint can flow on the sides instead of just the top edge as originals were done which I do not like. Even the orange can but not as much as the mettalic colours. They are still better than paint and a brush though.

 

Garry

Edited June 16, 2018 by Golden Fleece 30

[Il Grifone]

I find the orange lacks covering power, which is disappointing as I hoped to use it for lining, but the metallic colours work well.

 

David

[Golden Fleece 30]

I find the orange lacks covering power, which is disappointing as I hoped to use it for lining, but the metallic colours work well.

 

David

Which do you use David? I am not talking of the permanant markers for ohp slides etc but oil paint based ones. They do not have a very fine tip but I used them on the recent Brit posts.

 

Garry

Edited June 16, 2018 by Golden Fleece 30

[Il Grifone]

Hi Garry,

 

It's some relation of the metallic ones, using ink, but it lacks body. It's fine on white paper (though being orange doesn't show up much), but on a darker background it doesn't cover.

 

A paint based one would be better, but kills my idea of using it for lining.

 

David

Edited June 17, 2018 by Il Grifone

[Golden Fleece 30]

Hi Garry,

 

It's some relation of the metallic ones, using ink but it lacks body. It's fine on white paper (though being orange doesn't show up much), but on a darker background it doesn't cover.

 

A paint based one would be better, but kills my idea of using it for lining.

 

David

These are the ones I use David but no good for fine lining. I used to use the yellow one for 00 coaches then a black permanent marker down the middle. I use the orange for the TT Brit valances.

 

Garry

[Il Grifone]

Hi Garry,

 

Thanks I'll look out for those.

 

For the lining it looks like 'Pressfix'. I tried some decal lining once and it fell off again (probably my fault, but...).

 

David

Edited June 17, 2018 by Il Grifone

[NCB]

Over the last few months a chap has been selling all his TT stock and I have been lucky enough to have won a few items on both auction and buy it now. I was surprised, and very grateful, when a few extras kept arriving with the items. These included a mint Sleeping car, a whitemetal made up Toad brake van, a Gem A4 body, a complete Bec Q1, Peco wagon amongst a few spares but this coach was a real surprise. I dont know if it is a kit or scratchbuilt one of an LMS parcel van.

 

A couple of coaches I won were a couple of suburbans that look to have PC models printed acetate sides on. I did not know PC did TT sides, or maybe it was someone else?.

 

All the locos I won, Standard 5, couple of Royal Scots, couple of Britannia's Castle 2-6-2's all had the open spoked wheel chassis's so very happy with them too.

 

Garry

 

There were 2 sources of LMS 50' parcel vans. Ian Kirk did a plastic kit. Sansome Docherty did some zinc etched sides.

 

3SMR lists some LMS corridor coach printed acetate sides. There might have been others in the past.

[Golden Fleece 30]

There were 2 sources of LMS 50' parcel vans. Ian Kirk did a plastic kit. Sansome Docherty did some zinc etched sides.

 

3SMR lists some LMS corridor coach printed acetate sides. There might have been others in the past.

Thanks,

 

Mine does not feel to have the weight of zinc sides, more like plastic, but, not a full kit as it looks to be just different sides glued onto a suburban coach with its sides removed.

 

The 3SMR ones advertised at the moment are all mainline stock, mine are suburban full paneled ones which could have been earlier I guess.

 

Garry

[NCB]

Colin Ashby took over the moulds of most of the Ian Kirk TT kits, from ABS who had acquired them a bit earlier. It appears most were suffering rust damage, but he did a short run of the 50' parcel coach sides (the moulds for the ends were damaged). So what you could have is those sides stuck onto a modified Triang coach.

 

Pity the Ian Kirk kits disappeared. Quality might not be up to modern standards but he covered some useful prototypes. He did the 3mm Society B set but as a commission for the society, and I think it was slightly later.

[Golden Fleece 30]

I have just acquired these coach sides which are screen printed on acetate similar to the  old PC models. I am told they were produced in the 1980's by Irvine Waite.  They were only 3 coach versions printed, a brake, a porthole corridor and a 68' Restaurant car with the colour cream only leaving the owner to put the second colour and transfers on, maroon version of the same 3 coaches were also done.  Has anyone got any whereabouts there may be others in the cream livery that I may be able to purchase, especially the porthole and brake sides? I know 3smr sell maroon ones and I have ordered a set but wish to have more of the cream ones.

 

It was suggested that the "blood" was red insulation tape and that is exactly what has been used here but I have since stripped it off to paint in a darker shade of blood. The Blood colour is quite a subjective shade ranging from the darker one that I have done, to the red here then to the orange shade as it faded so I am not looking at a discussion on colours.

 

One photo shows a pair of sides without the blood compared to one with tape on, the other photo shows the darker Precision/Phoenix version compared to the tape.  This one has the cream masked off and looks a lot better when this is removed. 

 

Garry

[Golden Fleece 30]

Received a lovely little collection today from make an offer on Ebay, £75 for the lot.  I had thought of making a Queen Mary brake from one of 10 unmade Ratio kits I bought last week but with one included here there is no need.  This one turns out to be built from an etched brass kit.  The wagons are all kit built and very nicely painted.  The locos may get a repaint one day but acceptable for the time being. 

 

A few wagons have 3 link hooks fitted (without most of the chains) but I will have to look at packing behind the buffer beam to allow Tri-ang ones to be fitted.  The tanker is 6 wheeled whitemetal kit one, I do have the parts to build 2 more one day so a nice milk train should arranged with the overlayed Tri-ang ones I have

 

Garry

Edited August 17, 2018 by Golden Fleece 30

[rockershovel]

Do tell us more about the Q1?

[Golden Fleece 30]

Do tell us more about the Q1?

The Q1 is an old BEC whitemetal kit on a Tri-ang Jinty chassis. The kits came with some whitemetal boxpok wheel overlay castings which are very thick and make the wheels at least a mm thicker, possibly more, which you can see in the picture. I may get some brass overlays made to replace them.

 

I am led to believe it is a rare model but to me that applies to quite a few TT items including some Tri-ang. Having said that since I started back in TT less than two years ago I have managed to get 4 of these plus a still new unmade kit. If anything its only issue is it is quite top heavy and is more easily toppled over if caught.

 

What was surprising is how thin the tender castings are compared to the loco body.

 

Like all kits of the day in the 60's it was a very welcome addition and made to fit an existing chassis which was a big bonus. To me all these kits are still nice representations of their prototype and easy/quick to assemble. In those days I never managed to buy a loco kit so all mine have been recent ones which I think I now have at least one of each.

 

The Q1 kit is supposed to be still available from 3smr but I cannot say if it is or not, mine are all the old BEC ones, as is the standard 5.

 

Garry

Edited August 18, 2018 by Golden Fleece 30

[APOLLO]

Again Gary I'll say I'm glad to see that TT lives on and your collection is growing.

 

Interesting thread for me this, great to see your long lost and forgotten about TT from other than Tri-ang surfacing and surviving.

 

Brit15

[Golden Fleece 30]

Again Gary I'll say I'm glad to see that TT lives on and your collection is growing.

 

Interesting thread for me this, great to see your long lost and forgotten about TT from other than Tri-ang surfacing and surviving.

 

Brit15

The only non Tri-ang items I had from the good old days was the BEC (Esanel) E2 tank and their 42' bogie parcels van both of which have recently been rebuilt using solder as opposed to glue and painted better.  I also had a couple of Peco wagons but all the rest of the kits etc seen on here from me have been collected from various sources in the last couple of years as well as a lot more Tri-ang.  I never had any Tri-ang signals until 12 months ago but now have a few including a box of new (were unopened) ones that cost me all of under £6 for the lot. 

 

Thankfully most of the second hand kits were glued as was the norm then and so easily taken apart to be cleaned and soldered up.

 

Attached is one of the Q1's I bought second hand about a year ago and repainted, possibly rebuilt.

 

Regarding the various kits from the big 3, BEC, GEM, K's I think I have most of the locos produced at least once, sometimes a few more like the Royal Scot and Standard 5, BUT, I have a feeling GEM may have made a TT version of their GWR 66xx 0-6-2 and if so I don't have one of those. One I do not have is GEM's 4-6-0 LNWR but do have the 4-4-0 version. I have managed to get a couple of the Kitmaster Scots unmade to put together one day on a modified Tri-ang chassis.

I did have a couple of the 61xx bodies but sold them on as to me they were very poor with gaps where the slide bar pressings went through the body.

I don't know if BEC did a J72 but if so that is not in my collection yet.

 

I have some of the GEM A4's but don't like them as the Atlas ones are far better in profile.

 

There are a few kits from different places which were produced in the late 70's and 80's which I don't count as the old days but have still managed a couple (unfinished) like a ROD 2-8-0 and G2 0-8-0 plus I have some of the 3mm society kits to put together sometime.

 

Garry

[rockershovel]

That Q1 is rather cute, isn’t it?

[NCB]

GEM did do a TT 56XX. Currently advertised by 3SMR, although don't know if they have it in stock. Were waiting to get some more castings done when I asked a couple of years ago. They also advertise a J72, which I think was BEC.