Freelancing

[Guest pboeast]

The recent comment piece in RM certainly encouraged my imagination...

 

On the list of freelance locos:

 

A double head HST which would be called class 431

 

The recycled 'dead ends' would be given a motor bogie and made into a breakdown locomotive.

 

A 'Deltic' on the 21st Century mainline.

 

and so on.

[DCB]

Was this the latest RM? August 2017?  Haven't seen it yet my wife is supposed to be getting one as I write.

The HST with buffers cab could (and should?) have been made standard for all the later BR diesels, class 38 and 39 etc and retrobodged to things like the class 31s. Also the DVTs should have been this style so depots could keep a complete front end and swap them when the local nutter gets his Fiesta T boned on a level crossing.

Free lance is the only way to keep one jump ahead of Heljan, Bachmann, Kernow etc and have something different on your layout.

I am thinking of a freelance line, maybe Isle of Skye, with freelance locos based on actual locos but adapted, Initially an Adams Radial with side window cab, LSWR were flogging them off circa 1900 which is when my line would have been built, and the GW were trying to flog saddle tanks, ex Welsh 0-6-2Ts, Metros etc in the 20s and 30s, so a 2721 with side window cab would be feasible, and that Hornby Smoky Joe with a side window cab on an 0-6-0 chassis would look the part for shunting Kyleakin quay. I think there was one whole day in 1926 when it did not rain in Skye hence the preoccupation with cabs, oh and shorter chimneys for a 12' 9" loading gauge.  Chuck in a few Hornby Clerestories and various 4 wheeled Clarrie and Annabel bodies assembled in pairs on bogies and at an exhibition even the most vocal rivet counter will probably give up and wander away.

Edited July 27, 2017 by DavidCBroad

[Guest pboeast]

Yes, RM June, July and August. The Isle of Skye sounds lovely...