Wright writes.....

[CF MRC]

Something a bit different: I do enjoy a bit of back scene painting. 

The south end of CF has had a major amount of work on it over the last year.

The eagle-eyed amongst you will notice the lack of Goods & Mineral Junction SB. The definitive building is currently being made. 

All this in readiness for our MRC Mini Exhibition, featuring the layout on 10-11th July.
https://www.themodelrailwayclub.org/shop/buy-tickets-to-our-events/copenhagen-fields-behind-the-scenes/

We are also producing a 20 page booklet on the layout that will be available then. 
 

Tim

[Leander]

1 hour ago, jwealleans said:

The Bradwell chimney and dome improve the Hornby B1 a great deal.

What, you mean like this?

[Tony Wright]

9 hours ago, coronach said:

Tony, I agree that these are excellent layout locos.  The challenge for me is where and how to add sufficient weight.  My B1 with Comet chassis and Mashima motor runs well but is too light to haul a meaningful length train

Every possible space inside the body is packed with lead. The cab roof is lined with lead inside and all the spare space between the frames is also packed with lead. 

 

The tender (which has a lead footplate) rests slightly on the loco's draw hook. 

 

A dozen kit-built carriages can then be taken with relative ease. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

9 hours ago, t-b-g said:

 

I am intrigued as to why you describe the B1 as a "layout loco" Tony. 

 

Roy always thought (and I agreed with him) that such a body on that mechanism made a very decent B1 indeed.

 

There are only two very minor things that I can think of that would improve it slightly, which would be to add sandpipes and cover up the axle nuts. Even without those, I can't see what it "only" gets "layout loco" status for as it looks rather good to me.

 

 

Thanks Tony,

 

The chimney and the smokebox door could really do with being replaced, but in the context of their being 'layout locos' then the eight such B1s I have suit my needs just fine. 

 

The old Replica/Bachman body has been superseded by the Hornby example, but the chimney is poor on that one. As for he bogie wheels...................

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[APOLLO]

1 hour ago, CF MRC said:

Something a bit different: I do enjoy a bit of back scene painting. 

The south end of CF has had a major amount of work on it over the last year.

The eagle-eyed amongst you will notice the lack of Goods & Mineral Junction SB. The definitive building is currently being made. 

All this in readiness for our MRC Mini Exhibition, featuring the layout on 10-11th July.
https://www.themodelrailwayclub.org/shop/buy-tickets-to-our-events/copenhagen-fields-behind-the-scenes/

We are also producing a 20 page booklet on the layout that will be available then. 
 

Tim

 

Nice dramatic sky - where's my raincoat !!

 

Brit15

[APOLLO]

6 hours ago, Ribird said:

Oh totally and it is not consistent either. Here is a brand new R3866 Winston Churchill with a R3516 GWR King (which is a planned repaint). Almost all of my other Hornby locos in BR green or GWR green are this bad, including this years and last years releases. The WC would have to be the best colour (besides lining being a bit bright)

 

I remember my namesake Brit 70015 Apollo wearing a sickly unlined green (loco & tender) on Stockport Edgeley shed back around 1967. I believe she had a quick repair / repaint at Crewe not long before. At least she was clean(ish).

 

I bought a Hornby A2/2 a while ago - not convinced with the lightish green but nowts fallen off (yet) and she runs well. She'll do as is.

 

Brit15

 

[t-b-g]

2 hours ago, CF MRC said:

Something a bit different: I do enjoy a bit of back scene painting. 

The south end of CF has had a major amount of work on it over the last year.

The eagle-eyed amongst you will notice the lack of Goods & Mineral Junction SB. The definitive building is currently being made. 

All this in readiness for our MRC Mini Exhibition, featuring the layout on 10-11th July.
https://www.themodelrailwayclub.org/shop/buy-tickets-to-our-events/copenhagen-fields-behind-the-scenes/

We are also producing a 20 page booklet on the layout that will be available then. 
 

Tim

 

Carry on at this rate and you might actually finish it soon.

 

Time to start planning the next one?

[Northmoor]

3 hours ago, CF MRC said:

Something a bit different: I do enjoy a bit of back scene painting. 

The south end of CF has had a major amount of work on it over the last year.

The eagle-eyed amongst you will notice the lack of Goods & Mineral Junction SB. The definitive building is currently being made. 

All this in readiness for our MRC Mini Exhibition, featuring the layout on 10-11th July.
https://www.themodelrailwayclub.org/shop/buy-tickets-to-our-events/copenhagen-fields-behind-the-scenes/

We are also producing a 20 page booklet on the layout that will be available then. 
 

Tim

I will never, ever, ever stop having my breath taken away by "Copenhagen Fields".

[Tony Wright]

Some new (old) engines for Little Bytham, yesterday.....................

 

With Stoke Summit and Charwelton now having been sold, members of the team(s) have ended up with locos they now no longer need, and/or are out of place on their own layouts.

 

 

 

Such as this 8F, for instance. Once the property of Mick Peabody, he has no layout to run it on now (it was a regular on Charwelton). I built/painted/weathered it, with a Comet kit as a starting point. It consisted of a Hornby 8F body, which was heavily-modified, riding on Comet frames and hauling a Comet tender.

 

Though not an everyday occurrence, 8Fs did work regularly along this bit of the ECML, at least as far as New England.

 

 

Another of Mick's locos with 'nowhere to run'. Built from a DJH kit by him, painted by him, lined/numbered/lettered by me and weathered by him, as with the 8F, it's now my property (I must replace those lamps). 

 

It was originally built for Leighford, then ran on both Stoke and Charwelton.

 

 

I built this loco for Norman Turner. It was a regular on both Stoke and Charwelton.

 

In my quest to build the 'ultimate' V2, it has a Crownline chassis and footplate, Nu-Cast boiler and modified DJH A2/2 cab. It tows a Bachmann tender. Ian Rathbone painted it.

 

Since Norman is modelling the MR in the Midlands, it's not really appropriate, so I've swopped it for the DJH Black V I built some little time ago.

 

B1s have featured of late...................

 

 

This is one of the most-natural B1s I've ever seen. It's Tony Geary's work - Comet frames, Stelfox cylinders, Replica/Bachmann body/tender, a new smokebox door, plenty of detailing and perfect weathering.

 

The only issue with it is the too short eccentric rod and wrong position of the expansion link (too far back). This is because the original Comet B1 frame kit was designed from the Roche drawing. The current Comet B1 frame kit is dead right. 

 

 

 

 

[thegreenhowards]

8 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Some new (old) engines for Little Bytham, yesterday.....................

 

With Stoke Summit and Charwelton now having been sold, members of the team(s) have ended up with locos they now no longer need, and/or are out of place on their own layouts.

 

 

 

Such as this 8F, for instance. Once the property of Mick Peabody, he has no layout to run it on now (it was a regular on Charwelton). I built/painted/weathered it, with a Comet kit as a starting point. It consisted of a Hornby 8F body, which was heavily-modified, riding on Comet frames and hauling a Comet tender.

 

Though not an everyday occurrence, 8Fs did work regularly along this bit of the ECML, at least as far as New England.

 

 

Another of Mick's locos with 'nowhere to run'. Built from a DJH kit by him, painted by him, lined/numbered/lettered by me and weathered by him, as with the 8F, it's now my property (I must replace those lamps). 

 

It was originally built for Leighford, then ran on both Stoke and Charwelton.

 

 

I built this loco for Norman Turner. It was a regular on both Stoke and Charwelton.

 

In my quest to build the 'ultimate' V2, it has a Crownline chassis and footplate, Nu-Cast boiler and modified DJH A2/2 cab. It tows a Bachmann tender. Ian Rathbone painted it.

 

Since Norman is modelling the MR in the Midlands, it's not really appropriate, so I've swopped it for the DJH Black V I built some little time ago.

 

B1s have featured of late...................

 

 

This is one of the most-natural B1s I've ever seen. It's Tony Geary's work - Comet frames, Stelfox cylinders, Replica/Bachmann body/tender, a new smokebox door, plenty of detailing and perfect weathering.

 

The only issue with it is the too short eccentric rod and wrong position of the expansion link (too far back). This is because the original Comet B1 frame kit was designed from the Roche drawing. The current Comet B1 frame kit is dead right. 

 

 

 

 

Lovely locos Tony,

 

How often did Brits work through LB? I realise they did the Cleethorpes-KX services in the early 60s but they would have bypassed LB, so out of both your time period and geography! Were there any workings on the mainline?

 

Andy

[St Enodoc]

16 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

It was originally built for Leighford

Must be at least 40 years old then?

[Headstock]

 

Two of my B1's that have been Bradwellarized.

 

61381 has the Bradwell Chammy, dome and replacement smokebox door make over, the door being the narrow strap version, with step. 61381 is a Replica body on a Comet chassis, in addition to the Bradwell components, the locomotive body has been fitted with electric light equipment and pipe runs, I think the dynamo was a Crownline component.  All other moulded on pipe runs were replaced with varying thicknesses of brass wire or fuse wire. The original handrails were replaced, the boiler bands removed and new cab seats and splashers were scratch built. The steps were also scratch built, reflecting the skinnier ones fitted to 61381and latter B1's. The tender is a Bradwell kit, the main difference in construction from the Hornby version, is the squared off frames , a featured of late B1's and continued over into tenders running  behind class K1. Despite its plastic body origins, 61381 is well weighted and balanced and will handle my expresses with ease.

 

1192 was a originally a Hornby 61310, also fitted with Bradwell Smokebox door, Chimney and dome. The model of British Railways 61310 was acquired cheap, due to damage to the body that required extensive repainting. As a result, I took the opportunity to replace moulded on pipe work with various sizes of brass wire. I also changed the identity to a locomotive TO LNER 1192, an engine more suited to my modelling time and place. The real 1192 was equipped with a dynamo for electric lights but the lights themselves were absent. A set of LMS etches produced the distinctive lamp brackets minus the lamps.  Some of the more simplistic additions to a RTR locomotive, such as crew, coal, lamps and new bogie wheels, had yet to be done at the time that the photo was taken. The return crank position as usual required attention.

 

Edited June 26, 2021 by Headstock
add info.

[t-b-g]

Of course my favourite B1 is nothing like the examples shown so far.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/31514768@N05/25458940975

 

A class of only two, pretty much experimental locos yet they ran in traffic for roughly twice as long as the Thompson version.

 

They didn't last into BR days, so for many people they don't count and may as well never have existed.

 

[andytrains]

7 hours ago, t-b-g said:

Of course my favourite B1 is nothing like the examples shown so far.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/31514768@N05/25458940975

 

A class of only two, pretty much experimental locos yet they ran in traffic for roughly twice as long as the Thompson version.

 

They didn't last into BR days, so for many people they don't count and may as well never have existed.

 

In modelers Licence world they could have done.

Only one month!

[Tony Wright]

10 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

Lovely locos Tony,

 

How often did Brits work through LB? I realise they did the Cleethorpes-KX services in the early 60s but they would have bypassed LB, so out of both your time period and geography! Were there any workings on the mainline?

 

Andy

Good evening Andy,

 

When the Eastern Brits were shopped at Donny Plant, they'd often work down the ECML, at least as far as Peterborough. 

 

I saw a couple at Retford on the GN (plenty on the GC) on freight work - running in. 

 

 

Just like this!

 

I saw this actual one at Doncaster in August 1958. Fresh from the Plant, it headed south (not for Lincoln) on just such a running-in turn; hence my choosing JOHN BUNYAN to build (from a DJH kit; painted by Ian Rathbone). The late Bob Alderman had started it, I made it go and completed it, though I rather think it should have the later-pattern deflectors for this time. 

 

My excuse for a filthy 70041 (my final Brit 'cop') is that it's on its way to Donny for shopping.........................

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

Edited June 26, 2021 by Tony Wright
typo error

[Tony Wright]

10 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Must be at least 40 years old then?

It is John,

 

Not bad for its age?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[t-b-g]

45 minutes ago, andytrains said:

In modelers Licence world they could have done.

Only one month!

 

No need in my case. If I want one of those, it fits right in with my chosen modelling period and it would have looked a lot better than it did in later years, in full lined out GCR livery and with the original chimney.

 

 

[Tony Wright]

I've just spent a most-wonderful day in the company of Dylan Sanderson and his pal, Ian.

 

Thanks ever so much for coming down, you two.

 

Dylan brought some interesting models along. Though DCC-fitted, they ran just fine on Bytham's analogue set-up. 

 

 

A Hornby A2/3; renumbered/renamed and weathered by Tom Foster. Heroic weathering? 

 

 

And another Hornby A2/3, this one 'just' weathered by Tom Foster. 

 

Both these ran superbly, hauling heavy trains.

 

 

And a Hornby B1, again weathered by Tom Foster.

 

This one had suffered a bit in the post, with a few bits knocked off. I repaired its motion, but it still needs the missing pieces putting back on. 

 

Finally from Dylan, a Hornby A4...................

 

 

It fairly romped around on the 'Lizzie'. 

 

Again, it's the work of Tom Foster.

 

By way of a comparison....................

 

 

This is my KINGFISHER; a Pro-Scale kit, started by Mick Peabody, completed by me and painted by Ian Rathbone. 

 

Food for thought inasmuch as, were to do such a job today on commission, with an IR paint job, for the same price one could by over seven Hornby equivalents! 

 

Thanks for your hospitality at lunchtime chaps.

 

And, Dylan, I'll be interested to see how your pictures and moving footage came out. 

 

 

 

Edited June 26, 2021 by Tony Wright

[Tony Wright]

Interested in a bit of modelling history?

 

This came my way of late.................

 

 

It must be 65 years old if it's a day. 

 

It's a Jamieson Jubilee and it was built by a now-deceased modeller (name unknown). 

 

When I got it, it was 'dead'. However, after a quick check-up, new pick-ups made and a thorough clean, it now goes again. Powered by its Romford Phantom motor it runs rather well, though with that characteristic open-frame 'hum'. 

 

Anyone interested? I'll not be asking a great deal (all proceeds to CRUK), but all offers welcome via a PM, please.

 

 

[LNER4479]

22 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Interested in a bit of modelling history?

 

This came my way of late.................

 

 

It must be 65 years old if it's a day. 

 

It's a Jamieson Jubilee and it was built by a now-deceased modeller (name unknown). 

 

When I got it, it was 'dead'. However, after a quick check-up, new pick-ups made and a thorough clean, it now goes again. Powered by its Romford Phantom motor it runs rather well, though with that characteristic open-frame 'hum'. 

 

Anyone interested? I'll not be asking a great deal (all proceeds to CRUK), but all offers welcome via a PM, please.

 

 

Oh my goodness! That's how it all started for me - little Graham sitting (not sat) happy as a sandboy in the cab of 5596 for hours on end as Dad fired / drove it up and down Dinting's demonstration line in the early 1970s ...

 

Not just modelling history but modern preservation history as well. Despite its obvious deficiencies, I might be fatally attracted ...

Edited June 26, 2021 by LNER4479

[Jesse Sim]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

I've just spent a most-wonderful day in the company of Dylan Sanderson and his pal, Ian.

 

Thanks ever so much for coming down, you two.

 

Dylan brought some interesting models along. Though DCC-fitted, they ran just fine on Bytham's analogue set-up. 

 

 

A Hornby A2/3; renumbered/renamed and weathered by Tom Foster. Heroic weathering? 

 

 

And another Hornby A2/3, this one 'just' weathered by Tom Foster. 

 

Both these ran superbly, hauling heavy trains.

 

 

And a Hornby B1, again weathered by Tom Foster.

 

This one had suffered a bit in the post, with a few bits knocked off. I repaired its motion, but it still needs the missing pieces putting back on. 

 

Finally from Dylan, a Hornby A4...................

 

 

It fairly romped around on the 'Lizzie'. 

 

Again, it's the work of Tom Foster.

 

By way of a comparison....................

 

 

This is my KINGFISHER; a Pro-Scale kit, started by Mick Peabody, completed by me and painted by Ian Rathbone. 

 

Food for thought inasmuch as, were to do such a job today on commission, with an IR paint job, for the same price one could by over seven Hornby equivalents! 

 

Thanks for your hospitality at lunchtime chaps.

 

And, Dylan, I'll be interested to see how your pictures and moving footage came out. 

 

 

 

Dylan’s telling me all bout it right now and I’m on the verge of crying . Bloody Rona! 
 

Hopefully I can get over soon and join in on the fun. 

[Tony Wright]

11 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Oh my goodness! That's how it all started for me - little Graham sitting (not sat) happy as a sandboy in the cab of 5596 for hours on end as Dad fired / drove it up and down Dinting's demonstration line in the early 1970s ...

 

Not just modelling history but modern preservation history as well. Despite its obvious deficiencies, I might be fatally attracted ...

Good morning Graham,

 

Nobody else (so far) has expressed an interest.

 

I'll PM you. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony.

[Tony Wright]

8 hours ago, Jesse Sim said:

Dylan’s telling me all bout it right now and I’m on the verge of crying . Bloody Rona! 
 

Hopefully I can get over soon and join in on the fun. 

Good morning Jesse,

 

Let's hope it won't be too long before we can have you over here again (though haven't you had a new outbreak of coronavirus in Sydney?). 

 

If you're in contact with Dylan, please ask him to put the moving footage he took on to Wright writes (I also need his full address).

 

Best regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

Some more pieces of 'modelling history'; well, at least, personal modelling history..................

 

 

Mick Peabody wanted another 'Brit' for Leighford, so I started this DJH one for him. 

 

Over the decades, it was quite forgotten (I believe he was going to complete it), until Friday, when he brought it with him. It's now mine, and I will complete it (as 70010). 

 

 

Another loco which was started with use on Leighford in mind was this..............................

 

 

A Model Loco 9F. It was started by Rob Kinsey all those years ago, and this morning (I rise early in the summer) I fixed together the boiler/firebox and soldered these, and the cab, to the footplate. The chassis work is all Rob's and it runs very well (after the detritus of decades was removed from the wheels!).

 

He gave it to me (thanks Rob) and I'll also complete this one.

 

I wonder how many locos there are out there; in part-built state, started decades ago, but shelved for whatever reasons?

 

 

[mattingleycustom]

Heroic weathering indeed for Hycilla, certainly one that begs the question: did the prototype really look like that?, I have no doubt there is photographic evidence of the loco in such a state. I like it, having weathered a fair few locos myself it's always a challenge/fun to produce something really filthy.

I admire much of Tom's work; I particularly like the weathering he applies to the pre-war Gresley pacifics, showing that not every loco was gleaming in those days.

 

Glenn