Wright writes.....

[thegreenhowards]

Here is a photo of my latest finished build. A Thompson RSO for my Talisman rake. It's made from Mousa sides on a Bachmann donor coach and painted in Ford Burgundy red from Halfords. Transfers are from Modelmaster.

 

 

The complete rake is mainly kit built with two Southern Pride Mk 1 BSOs, a Mailcoach twin FO and a Comet RF on Bachmann donor and just two Bachmann RTR Mark 1s. The other coaches were completed several years ago and a Comet RSP has been standing in for the RSO. A short (20 secs) video of the train in action is shown here.

 

 

[landscapes]

10 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

My pleasure, Bernard,

 

 

This is the occasion of HUMORIST's last overhaul at Doncaster. It has all the 'final' A3 modifications, though retains those unique, A1-style smoke deflectors. She's got an A4 boiler (which not all A3s received), AWS (only the Canal quartet were never fitted with this device), split handrail on the smokebox door (consequent on the top lamp bracket being lowered - not on all A3s), a Smith Stone speedo and electric warning flashes. The front 'plate retains the incorrect styles of '6' and '9'.

 

Though I never saw this loco (as didn't legions of southern 'spotters!), from a personal point of view those deflectors look 'clumsy', especially in comparison with the German-style fitted latterly to most other A3s (not the Canal quartet, though). Though those deflectors suited the A1s, the A3's smokebox is further forward and the relationship isn't 'right' in my view - entirely subjective, of course. 

 

I know Eric Kidd (Merlin) has made a very fine model of this loco, and I once took its picture, but that's now in BRM's archive. Perhaps Eric might show us.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Hi Tony

 

This is my Hornby version of A3 60097 Humorist, this was converted from a standard Hornby A3 which had the correct boiler type for the period I was modelling and the correct tender as well.

 

I was also very fortunate to obtain one of the last sets of the correct etched brass smoke deflectors they had at the time for Humorist from Jackson Evans.

 

The smoke deflectors were made up for me by a friend and I then fitted them to the loco.

 

Regards

 

David

Edited April 19, 2019 by landscapes
forgotten information

[60027Merlin]

10 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

My pleasure, Bernard,

 

 

This is the occasion of HUMORIST's last overhaul at Doncaster. It has all the 'final' A3 modifications, though retains those unique, A1-style smoke deflectors. She's got an A4 boiler (which not all A3s received), AWS (only the Canal quartet were never fitted with this device), split handrail on the smokebox door (consequent on the top lamp bracket being lowered - not on all A3s), a Smith Stone speedo and electric warning flashes. The front 'plate retains the incorrect styles of '6' and '9'.

 

Though I never saw this loco (as didn't legions of southern 'spotters!), from a personal point of view those deflectors look 'clumsy', especially in comparison with the German-style fitted latterly to most other A3s (not the Canal quartet, though). Though those deflectors suited the A1s, the A3's smokebox is further forward and the relationship isn't 'right' in my view - entirely subjective, of course. 

 

I know Eric Kidd (Merlin) has made a very fine model of this loco, and I once took its picture, but that's now in BRM's archive. Perhaps Eric might show us.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

A couple of pictures of Haymarket’s Humorist.

 

A few years ago a friend asked me to change his Hornby A3 to Humorist and as I had been swapping A3 bodies and tenders around to make several different variations for the Haymarket locos I had a spare A3 which I decided to do up as Humorist as well. I have added most of the Brassmasters etching to it as well. The picture of Humorist on the Kings X Fish is a DJH kit.

 

Also attached is a photo of Carlisle’s Flamingo which has the Brassmasters etching fitted as well. This was a regular visitor to Haymarket along with the other three from Carlisle Canal.

   

 

 

[Theakerr]

Re replacing worn out B1s on Peterborough North, the new Bachmann B1 chassis is a direct replacement for the old chassis and can be had quiet reasonably second hand (last one was UK pounds 70) and occasionally new ones at very good prices.  The new chassis is a significant improvement over the old one but is is about 26 gms lighter and requires  additional weight.  

[Chamby]

10 hours ago, micklner said:

My Hornby based Humorist. Couple of rushed photos taken this morning .

 

 

Mick, a quick 'sanity check' question about the lettering?  1946 re-numbering in shaded gold, rather than yellow Gill Sans?  I know that some lesser classes retained shaded letters after renumbering, notably ex-Gorton, but wasn't aware that some A3's also carried this?

 

Phil.

[micklner]

1 hour ago, Chamby said:

 

Mick, a quick 'sanity check' question about the lettering?  1946 re-numbering in shaded gold, rather than yellow Gill Sans?  I know that some lesser classes retained shaded letters after renumbering, notably ex-Gorton, but wasn't aware that some A3's also carried this?

 

Phil.

Well on this one sanity is ok this end ( for once). Info RCTS pt 2a. I haven't checked but there maybe others post war . e.g A2/3 were a mixture of shaded and unshaded Gold Yellow and Cream !!

 

 

 

[dibateg]

Joining the Colwick club, but in 7mm. Built by Allen Hammet combining a DMR B1 with a Gladiator 04, and weathered by me..

[robertcwp]

On 18/04/2019 at 16:02, Headstock said:

 

 Doncaster was often seen working over the Pennines from Leicester via Sheffield, returning with the late afternoon Manchester Marylebone express, this was the only A3 working to Manchester.

Here is 60104 on the Woodhead route: 

60104_Dinting_1000-Mar-ManLR_8-5-54 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

[Buhar]

On ‎18‎/‎04‎/‎2019 at 22:17, micklner said:

1

 

It was very enlightened of the LNER to assist visually impaired spotters by providing the numbers in Braille.

[Headstock]

 

One of my rare layout photographs. I almost got the engine in focus. Any excuse for a bit of O4/8 action before handing back to the Pacifics.

 

 

[CF MRC]

We’ve added a touch of Midland to CF in the form of the roundhouse, originally made for MR locos, and the St Pancras Goods Depot with it’s saw tooth roof, which used to be visible next to the North London incline, on the way into St P.

Top Shed will be represented between these two structures, just need to work out how.  There is more info on the CF thread in the RMWeb 2mm section.   If anyone is interested, the layout will be running at the MRC’s Open Day next weekend on the 28th April. 

 

Tim

Edited April 20, 2019 by CF MRC

[Clem]

6 hours ago, Headstock said:

One of my rare layout photographs. I almost got the engine in focus. Any excuse for a bit of O4/8 action before handing back to the Pacifics.

Absolutely brilliant, Andrew. The loco, the wagons and the setting... I get a real buzz out of making trains, but you know seeing other's models of this standard  is just as thrilling. That chimney is the best O4/8 chimney in model form I've ever seen. You mentioned how you did it using a Dave Bradwell B1 chimney elongated with a spacer in the middle. If you don't mind me asking, what did you use for the spacer - brass bar? or tube? and did you have to do much fettling afterwards? No sign of a join! It's just that I can imagine having a go at it  and ending up with  a chimney with a jaunty hat look!

[Headstock]

44 minutes ago, Clem said:

Absolutely brilliant, Andrew. The loco, the wagons and the setting... I get a real buzz out of making trains, but you know seeing other's models of this standard  is just as thrilling. That chimney is the best O4/8 chimney in model form I've ever seen. You mentioned how you did it using a Dave Bradwell B1 chimney elongated with a spacer in the middle. If you don't mind me asking, what did you use for the spacer - brass bar? or tube? and did you have to do much fettling afterwards? No sign of a join! It's just that I can imagine having a go at it  and ending up with  a chimney with a jaunty hat look!

 

Morning Clem,

 

the most time consuming part was to file off the casting spigot from the underside of the casting in order to get a good fit on the smoke box. Lots of round and half round file action.

 

Basically, I market out the chimney with a felt tip so that I could realign the two halves once they were cut in two. The chimney was cut at approximately at the mid point, I then took a piece of scrap white metal and filed it round. I tinned the two chimney halves and then soldered the white metal piece to the bottom half of the chimney. I then tacked the top half in place using the felt tip marks to align the two. When happy I soldered it up solid. The theory being that it would be relatively easy to file the softer white metal to shape against harder brass casting. It worked, I finished off with various grades of wet and dry, cut into strips and used like a Victorian shoe shine once the chimney was clamped in a vice.

 

Finally, you can drill down the inside of the chimney and open out the aperture if you so wish.

 

10 hours ago, robertcwp said:

Here is 60104 on the Woodhead route: 

60104_Dinting_1000-Mar-ManLR_8-5-54 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

Morning Robert,

 

Judging by the era of the photo, the working would be the 10.00 am up and the 4.00 pm down ( Manchester being up on the GC )

Edited April 20, 2019 by Headstock
typo

[robertcwp]

13 minutes ago, Headstock said:

 

Morning Robert,

 

Judging by the era of the photo, the working would be the 10.00 am up and the 4.00 pm down ( Manchester being up on the GC )

Yes, the information that came with the negative stated it was the 10. 0 am from Marylebone. Note the rear carriage is missing.

 

At some point the Up and Down designations, at least on the London Extension, were changed as BR era WTTs give Up as towards Marylebone although I suspect like much else the old designations would have lived on in practice.

[Headstock]

25 minutes ago, robertcwp said:

Yes, the information that came with the negative stated it was the 10. 0 am from Marylebone. Note the rear carriage is missing.

 

At some point the Up and Down designations, at least on the London Extension, were changed as BR era WTTs give Up as towards Marylebone although I suspect like much else the old designations would have lived on in practice.

 

The missing brake is very odd, I wonder if it failed en route, or at least at such short notice that a replacement could not be provided? Perhaps a vacuum failure, or someone lost the keys?

Edited April 20, 2019 by Headstock
TYPO

[Headstock]

2 hours ago, robertcwp said:

Yes, the information that came with the negative stated it was the 10. 0 am from Marylebone. Note the rear carriage is missing.

 

At some point the Up and Down designations, at least on the London Extension, were changed as BR era WTTs give Up as towards Marylebone although I suspect like much else the old designations would have lived on in practice.

 

Some extra info that those reading the thread or modeling the GC may find of interest. I'm guessing the photo was taken about 1954/55. Being that it is the 10.00 am off Marylebone and in conjunction with the reversed up down scenario, it is notable that the first class and catering carriages, as per GC tradition, are still marshaled at the Northern, Manchester end of the train.

[Clem]

4 hours ago, Headstock said:

Basically, I market out the chimney with a felt tip so that I could realign the two halves once they were cut in two. The chimney was cut at approximately at the mid point, I then took a piece of scrap white metal and filed it round. I tinned the two chimney halves and then soldered the white metal piece to the bottom half of the chimney. I then tacked the top half in place using the felt tip marks to align the two. When happy I soldered it up solid. The theory being that it would be relatively easy to file the softer white metal to shape against harder brass casting. It worked, I finished off with various grades of wet and dry, cut into strips and used like a Victorian shoe shine once the chimney was clamped in a vice.

 

Finally, you can drill down the inside of the chimney and open out the aperture if you so wish.

Brilliant. Very cleverly thought out. I'd have probably used a bit of brass bar and made a right dog's dinner of it! But your results speak for themselves.

[robertcwp]

1 hour ago, Headstock said:

 

Some extra info that those reading the thread or modeling the GC may find of interest. I'm guessing the photo was taken about 1954/55. Being that it is the 10.00 am off Marylebone and in conjunction with the reversed up down scenario, it is notable that the first class and catering carriages, as per GC tradition, are still marshaled at the Northern, Manchester end of the train.

8 My 1954 was the date supplied.

[Clem]

54 minutes ago, robertcwp said:

8 My 1954 was the date supplied.

Presumably one of the last steam expresses before the electrification was turned on?

[Tony Wright]

On 19/04/2019 at 18:04, 60027Merlin said:

 

A couple of pictures of Haymarket’s Humorist.

 

A few years ago a friend asked me to change his Hornby A3 to Humorist and as I had been swapping A3 bodies and tenders around to make several different variations for the Haymarket locos I had a spare A3 which I decided to do up as Humorist as well. I have added most of the Brassmasters etching to it as well. The picture of Humorist on the Kings X Fish is a DJH kit.

 

Also attached is a photo of Carlisle’s Flamingo which has the Brassmasters etching fitted as well. This was a regular visitor to Haymarket along with the other three from Carlisle Canal.

   

 

 

Thanks for these, Eric,

 

Good to see you at York.

 

And thanks to the others for their pictures of their model HUMORIST.

 

Can anything be done (easily) about that ridiculously-long expansion link on the Hornby A3's valve gear? Though the finish you achieve (and others, too) with improving the BR green on Hornby's A3s, my eye is always drawn to the angle of the eccentric rod, which is always too low at the front end. Especially in motion it doesn't give that beautifully-'lazy' appearance of Gresley's valve gear. It looks almost 'frantic'!

 

The DJH gear is much more realistic.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Clive Mortimore]

Owing to my family I was unable to make it to York so in the spare time I had this weekend I bashed out the basic bodies for a Swindon 6 car inter-Cities DMU as used between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Following how Martyn (Signaler 69) built his Ayrshire 3 car unit, I too used Trix sides on Tri-ang chassis. Trix coaches for those who do not recall them wee made to a daft size of 3.8mm to the foot. To make up the missing length was not a problem as none of the coaches match loco hauled ones. The missing height was easily dealt with by adding a 1mm strip of plastic to the bottom of each coach. The windows are not as deep as a 4mm Mk1 coach which oddly enough makes them ideal for a Swindon Inter-Cities DMU because the real ones were not as deep as a Mk1 if you were to measure the diagrams and take the sizes off a photograph, so the Trix models are good for that. Another positive with the Trix coaches, where they are shorter the window spacing is closer in the second class. The Swindon Inter-Cities units were not known for their generous leg room therefore the Trix models window spacing works out right for these units.

Leading Driving Motor Brake Second Open

 

One of the two Intermediate Driving Motor Second Opens

 

The Trailer First Corridor Restaurant Buffet, The power bogie is mounted in this coach not one of the brake coaches as is normal for a DMU model. I have a terminus layout and with the motor in the middle it lessens the chances of a derailment in either direction.

 

The Intermediate Driving Motor Brake Second, which is the lead coach at the other end of the train.

 

Now to fill all the  gaps, make the under gubbins for each coach, new vents on the roofs, paint and glaze.....I will be back in 10 years time.

 

Edited April 23, 2019 by Clive Mortimore

[Tony Wright]

Just a brief comment on the excellent York Show over the Easter weekend.

 

Firstly, a huge 'thank you' to Malcolm Scrimshaw and his team for putting together such a splendid event. 

 

For my part, as usual I gabbled on and on (windbagged!) about this and that regarding model railways. Mo's heard it so many times that she now switches off! However, thanks to her 'banking' expertise and the most generous of contributions from visitors, we made over £130.00 for CRUK. It would seem now that every show we attend makes in excess of £100.00. May I please thank all those who donated so generously?  

 

We were in a super position on the first floor mezzanine. 

 

 

 

Derek Mundy busy in the background making signals. Thanks to Ian Wilson for designing my banner.

 

 

My display. Having the CRUK collecting box does prove an incentive. Thanks again to all those who popped something in, even though I didn't have much to fix. 

 

Usually when demonstrating, I don't actually 'make' very much..................

 

 

However, this time I managed to put the replacement Comet frames together for this Bachmann B1. I was able to demonstrate jig-assembly and soldering techniques. I did cock-up a bit (I can't multi-task), but un-cocked-up with relative ease, amusing some spectators at the same time. 

 

Just along the way were Bob Dawson and his grandson Scott Waterfield. Their architectural modelling is beautifully-done. 

 

 

 

Once more, many thanks. 

 

 

Edited April 23, 2019 by Tony Wright
typo error

[Tony Wright]

On 19/04/2019 at 11:36, thegreenhowards said:

Here is a photo of my latest finished build. A Thompson RSO for my Talisman rake. It's made from Mousa sides on a Bachmann donor coach and painted in Ford Burgundy red from Halfords. Transfers are from Modelmaster.

 

 

The complete rake is mainly kit built with two Southern Pride Mk 1 BSOs, a Mailcoach twin FO and a Comet RF on Bachmann donor and just two Bachmann RTR Mark 1s. The other coaches were completed several years ago and a Comet RSP has been standing in for the RSO. A short (20 secs) video of the train in action is shown here.

 

 

That's very good work Andy,

 

Thanks for showing us.

 

My own afternoon 'Talisman' was built many years ago now, from a mixture of kits and modified RTR. 

 

 

 

In these two views it's seen heading south through LB behind A1 60136 ALCAZAR (DJH/Wright/Rathbone). When I built the twin FOs from Mailcoach kits, I was ignorant of the necessity of putting extra doors at each inner, LH end. I'm afraid that's how they're staying. 

 

 

Every time I take a picture in tight perspective like this, it reminds me how far I've yet to go with regard to getting adjacent cars I've built/modified riding at a consistent height, with no lean whatsoever. I keep trying!

 

I've heard it said in some quarters that 'wiggly' or 'banana' carriages are the fault of the camera. That's tosh in my opinion (and I've said it before). They're like that because that's how they are! 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

One model collected from the York Show was Ian Wilson's detailed Hornby D16/3. 

 

 

 

I detailed it and Tom Foster weathered it. He really is the master of this process. His work is so subtle and so natural. Thanks Tom.

 

Actually, the 'detailing' was no more than to remove the awful couplings, chop off the obtrusive pocket in the bogie's front stretcher, fit a screw shackle to the front 'beam, put a lamp in place, and add a crew and fire irons/shovel. Tom coaled it.

 

Though not that common, ex-GE 4-4-0s did work this far westwards on the M&GNR, so I'll probably be borrowing it. 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

11 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Owing to my family I was unable to make it to York so in the spare time I had this weekend I bashed out the basic bodies for a Swindon 6 car inter-Cities DMU as used between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Following how Martyn (Signaler 69) built his Ayrshire 3 car unit, I too used Trix sides on Tri-ang chassis. Trix coaches for those who do not recall them wee made to a daft size of 3.8mm to the foot. To make up the missing length was not a problem as none of the coaches match loco hauled ones. The missing height was easily dealt with by adding a 1mm strip of plastic to the bottom of each coach. The windows are not as deep as a 4mm Mk1 coach which oddly enough makes them ideal for a Swindon Inter-Cities DMU because the real ones were not as deep as a Mk1 if you were to measure the diagrams and take the sizes off a photograph, so the Trix models are good for that. Another positive with the Trix coaches, where they are shorter the window spacing is closer in the second class. The Swindon Inter-Cities units were not known for their generous leg room therefore the Trix models window spacing works out right for these units.

Leading Driving Motor Brake Second Open

 

One of the two Intermediate Driving Motor Second Opens

 

The Trailer First Corridor Restaurant Buffet, The power bogie is mounted in this coach not one of the brake coaches as is normal for a DMU model. I have a terminus layout and with the motor in the middle it lessens the chances of a derailment in either direction.

 

The Intermediate Driving Motor Brake Second, which is the lead coach at the other end of the train.

 

Now to fill all the  gaps, make the under gubbins for each coach, new vents on the roofs, paint and glaze.....I will be back in 10 years time.

 

Pity you couldn't make York, Clive,

 

You missed a good show.

 

Looking at your pictures above, I think from the point of view of utilising/altering older models, you're unsurpassed! 

 

I took some older models to sell at York, and they all did. Thanks to all who bought them.

 

Certainly not an older model (in fact, brand new), was Hornby's latest DCC LN, which I took with me to test. Thanks to Charlie Petty, I was able to run it on DCC. Though I have no idea what a Nelson's whistle sounds like, it did work. It also revealed seven 'chuffs' per wheel revolution, which I thought odd, given that there should be eight. I'm told the chip cannot be altered. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony.