Chuffnell Regis

[Graham T]

I have three (at the moment), but only one is DCC.  That's a Bachmann with sound, and very nice, but in wartime black so I'll probably repaint it at some point.

 

The others are a Hornby one, that's up for sale, and a Mainline 57xx that I might try converting to DCC.

Edited December 28, 2021 by Graham T

[longchap]

3 minutes ago, Graham T said:

I have three (at the moment), but only one is DCC.  That's a Bachmann with sound, and very nice, but in wartime black so I'll probably repaint it at some point.

 

The others are a Hornby one, that's up for sale, and a Mainline 57xx that I might try converting to DCC.

 

The Mainline has a lovely body and is worth saving. I've had mine since new, but never run it, but have a Perseverance chassis to put under it. 

 

The Hornby open cab is easy to improve and will be a fun project, so it will also come to the work bench in due course. I seem to recall that yours has a particularly well fitting bunker to the footplate, as many did not!

 

Bill

 

Newton Regis, etc

[Neal Ball]

34 minutes ago, longchap said:

Yep, a good stable mate to the other 7, no 8, ah plus the orphaned kit, so 9 so far. I may have said this before, but you can't have too many panniers. Simples!

 

Best,

 

Bill

 

Newton Regis, GWR, 4mm, DCC

Definitely can’t have too many Panniers!

 

26 minutes ago, Graham T said:

I have three (at the moment), but only one is DCC.  That's a Bachmann with sound, and very nice, but in wartime black so I'll probably repaint it at some point.

 

The others are a Hornby one, that's up for sale, and a Mainline 57xx that I might try converting to DCC.

I’ve 4… including the recent Bachmann 64xx, although none are sound fitted.

 

Its only the 64xx that still has its top feed.

 

I still live in hope that Bachmann will upgrade the Pannier locos… maybe in 2022…

[longchap]

13 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

Definitely can’t have too many Panniers!

 

I’ve 4… including the recent Bachmann 64xx, although none are sound fitted.

 

Its only the 64xx that still has its top feed.

 

I still live in hope that Bachmann will upgrade the Pannier locos… maybe in 2022…

 

I'd completely forgotten the 64xx, despite it only recently testing trackwork. Crikes, that makes 10 

[Graham T]

57 minutes ago, longchap said:

 

The Mainline has a lovely body and is worth saving. I've had mine since new, but never run it, but have a Perseverance chassis to put under it. 

 

The Hornby open cab is easy to improve and will be a fun project, so it will also come to the work bench in due course. I seem to recall that yours has a particularly well fitting bunker to the footplate, as many did not!

 

Bill

 

Newton Regis, etc

 

The Mainline certainly is a nice looking model, so I'll definitely try to convert that one.

 

I had toyed with the idea of using the Hornby one as a testbed/guinea pig, so maybe I'll try that one as well.

 

Obviously time for some research!

[Graham T]

40 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

 

I still live in hope that Bachmann will upgrade the Pannier locos… maybe in 2022…

 

We need to keep dropping lots of not particularly subtle hints, I'd suggest

[Neal Ball]

20 minutes ago, Graham T said:

 

We need to keep dropping lots of not particularly subtle hints, I'd suggest

 

I agree - However, when I mentioned at the Bachmann stand at Ally Pally before the pandemic, my comment was met with a rolling of the eyes.

[chuffinghell]

I think @Neal Ball has proven that you can never have too many Panniers

 

Puts me to shame because I’ve only got three (four if you can include the 58xx)

 

 

I back dated my 64xx replacing the ‘GWR’ livery with ‘GREAT WESTERN’

 

My favourite is the Hattons 58xx not the most reliable loco but lovely to look at

 

 

I would have liked a 14xx but you can’t get them anymore

 

Edited December 28, 2021 by chuffinghell

[Neal Ball]

4 minutes ago, chuffinghell said:

I think @Neal Ball has proven that you can never have too many Panniers

 

Puts me to shame because I’ve only got three (four if you can include the 58xx)

 

 

I back dated my 64xx replacing the ‘GWR’ livery with ‘GREAT WESTERN’

 

My favourite is the Hattons 58xx not the most reliable loco but lovely to look at

 

 

I would have liked a 14xx but you can’t get them anymore

 

 

I didn't realise we were counting the 48xx as well :-) Add 1 to my tally then!

[chuffinghell]

Just now, Neal Ball said:

 

I didn't realise we were counting the 48xx as well :-) Add 1 to my tally then!

I wasn’t sure if we were allowed to class the 14/48/58xx as a pannier 

[Graham T]

It's a side tank rather than a pannier, surely?

[chuffinghell]

10 minutes ago, Graham T said:

It's a side tank rather than a pannier, surely?

I’m sure you’re right (I admit I’m clueless about such things)

 

Anyway who are you calling Shirley?

 

Edited December 28, 2021 by chuffinghell

[Graham T]

18 minutes ago, chuffinghell said:

 

Anyway who are you calling Shirley?

 

 

Are you serious? 

[longchap]

23 minutes ago, Graham T said:

It's a side tank rather than a pannier, surely?

Yep, but if we're stretching points, the saddle tanks are much closer to the panniers, so my count goes up by a few more 

[Graham T]

A little bit of research while the girls are charging around the Monki Park soft play centre* suggests that my 27xx will not be a good candidate for DCC conversion, as it's the version with traction tyres.

 

* aka Purgatory!

[MrWolf]

I'm sure that the Monki Park will seem like heaven in a few years when all they want to do is go clothes shopping. Make the most of it! 

[Graham T]

Thanks, you really know how to cheer a bloke up!

[longchap]

7 hours ago, Graham T said:

A little bit of research while the girls are charging around the Monki Park soft play centre* suggests that my 27xx will not be a good candidate for DCC conversion, as it's the version with traction tyres.

 

* aka Purgatory!

 

There are always options if you are set on a particular loco. This one has incorrect wheel centres for the prototype and if memory serves, the wheel centres may not even match the splashers. Available solutions include replacing traction tyre wheelsets for solid ones, use a modern Bachmann chassis, or put in a new etched chassis. Anything is possible, even fabricating new brass frames to match the prototypes axle centres.

 

I'm not sure which way I'll go yet, but I like the ancient look of the model, which started life with saddle tanks and for a quick fun project, I may just go the easy route, as I have some similar kits yet to build for greater fidelity.

 

I seem to recall an RMWeb thread featuring this conversion and can fish it out when I'm with my laptop.

 

Bill

Newton Regis

 

Edited December 28, 2021 by longchap

[Graham T]

I think the Bachmann chassis sounds like the least difficult option; will have to see if I can get hold of one.

[Graham T]

A little more dabbling done this evening.  I think I'll probably do some fairly detailed sketches and plans of everything to go into this area before I go very much further, down to where the hedges, gates, footpaths, fences, and individual trees will go.  I also need to remember to add the cess, signal, telegraph poles, and a fogman's hut!  the signal and poles won't be installed until the end though.

 

The rock faces need to go in before anything else, and then I think the river surface should be next - unless anyone would suggest a more sensible running order?  Not having done this before, I'm very much making it all up as I go along...

 

 

  

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by Graham T

[longchap]

10 hours ago, Graham T said:

I think the Bachmann chassis sounds like the least difficult option; will have to see if I can get hold of one.

 

Quite possibly is, but I can't comment as I've yet to fully appraise the project, but will do in the future, maybe even after you've completed yours, so I'll be seeking your advice. Anyway, this link gives you a starting point with the Bachmann 57xx chasis, although not yet fully finished: http://www.gwr.org.uk/pro2721.html

 

However, the motor projecting into the cab can be largely hidden by placing the crew appropriately either side, as usual.

 

Best,

 

Bill

Newton Regis

Edited December 29, 2021 by longchap
Spilling

[Graham T]

6 minutes ago, longchap said:

 

Quite possibly is, but I can't comment as I've yet to fully appraise the project, but will do in the future, maybe even after you've completed yours, so I'll be seeking your advice. Anyway, this link gives you a starting point with the Bachmann 57xx chasis, although not yet fully finished: http://www.gwr.org.uk/pro2721.html

 

However, the motor projecting into the cab can be largely hidded by placing the crew appropriately either side, as usual.

 

Best,

 

Bill

Newton Regis

 

Thanks Bill, I'll take a look at the link.

[Andy R]

On 27/12/2021 at 11:04, Graham T said:

I've been gradually progressing the landscape work while the girls have been in bed.  A sensible planner (i.e. not me) would have thought about the river banks before installing the bridge.  So there was quite a bit of reaching into small spaces with tweezers to fit the formers, fill the voids with paper towel, and then apply the shell.  A touch fiddly, but it seems to have worked out more or less ok I think.

 

 

 

Graham- may I ask how you have done your river water?

Andy R

[Graham T]

6 hours ago, Andy R said:

Graham- may I ask how you have done your river water?

Andy R

 

Yes of course.  The base is thin ply, painted with a mix of black and yellow acrylic paint, then several layers of artist's picture varnish.

 

This didn't survive the additional landscaping work intact though, so has now been repainted with the same colours.  The varnish I used before took a long time for each layer to dry, so I'm going to steal an idea from @MrWolf and use Rustins next time.  I'll post some pics of how that turns out.

[Andy R]

15 hours ago, Graham T said:

 

Yes of course.  The base is thin ply, painted with a mix of black and yellow acrylic paint, then several layers of artist's picture varnish.

 

This didn't survive the additional landscaping work intact though, so has now been repainted with the same colours.  The varnish I used before took a long time for each layer to dry, so I'm going to steal an idea from @MrWolf and use Rustins next time.  I'll post some pics of how that turns out.

Thanks