Small Metro builds 2023

[Harlequin]

There are some very useful photos for logo and numberplate positioning in the new 4-coupled book.

 

On p.49 the normal-looking "Great Western" is given enough room by having a 3-digit number plate quite close to the cab hand rail.

Alternatively, on p.53 number 1435 has her numberplate given plenty of space on the cab side and to do that the "Great western" lettering might be smaller (it's difficult to judge) but the letters are definitely closer together.

 

I can't see any roundels and looking at the list in the Appendix only a few stragglers made it past 1934.

 

[Andy Keane]

1 hour ago, Neal Ball said:

Looking at Russell vol 1 pages 131 to 135 there are 3 relevant photos.

 

Fig 366; 375; 382

 

The thing that strikes me though is that the number plate is not consistent! Fig 366 looks as if it’s hard up against the end sheet.

 

Im inclined to put the number plate on first and see what space I have for the transfer…. Although it is tempting to go for the roundel…. But all the photos I have seen of 615 show the full name.

I had Russel open in front of me as I did this, along with the cab side etched number I will be using.

I did consider cutting up the waterslide to close the letters up but could not face the agro.

My reason for not applying the number first is I did not want to have to mask it off from all the subsequent spraying I will be doing. I am taking the line that loco crew kept their number plates clean and polished even when the rest of the loco got a bit dirty. Also I need to be able to read them from a distance to select the loco on my DCC controller.

Edited March 29, 2023 by Andy Keane

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, Harlequin said:

There are some very useful photos for logo and numberplate positioning in the new 4-coupled book.

 

On p.49 the normal-looking "Great Western" is given enough room by having a 3-digit number plate quite close to the cab hand rail.

Alternatively, on p.53 number 1435 has her numberplate given plenty of space on the cab side and to do that the "Great western" lettering might be smaller (it's difficult to judge) but the letters are definitely closer together.

 

I can't see any roundels and looking at the list in the Appendix only a few stragglers made it past 1934.

 

This Phil,

 

I decided against the Castle book in the end and have just been notified that the 4 coupled has been dispatched. (I have 2 other Castle books).

 

I’ve only seen one shirtbutton liveried Metro tank, but can’t think where I have seen the photo….

 

23 minutes ago, Andy Keane said:

I had Russel open in front of me as I did this, along with the cab side etched number I will be using.

I did consider cutting up the waterslide to close the letters up but could not face the agro.

My reason for not applying the number first is I did not want to have to mask it off from all the subsequent spraying I will be doing. I am taking the line that loco crew kept their number plates clean and polished even when the rest of the loco got a bit dirty. Also I need to be able to read them from a distance to select the loco on my DCC controller.

I’ve not laid out the transfers yet to see how they are going to fit…. I will set out the loco number plate, but won’t attach. 
 

Although I’m not sure how much weathering I will do at this stage.

 

Agreed that number plates should be kept clean.

[melmerby]

In the RCTS volume on 4 coupled tanks there is a photo of 617 with a centrally placed numberplate and Great & Western placed either side of it

[Harlequin]

58 minutes ago, melmerby said:

In the RCTS volume on 4 coupled tanks there is a photo of 617 with a centrally placed numberplate and Great & Western placed either side of it

What date? Probably not 1930's, I guess.

 

[Andy Keane]

22 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

What date? Probably not 1930's, I guess.

 

Russel shows a 4-4-0T no 3580 with "Great 3580 Western" but does not give a date and also an ugly "G W 3574 R" type variant. I guess just about every possible combination was tried. My working photos of 1496 at Helston just had the number by the cab and no lettering at all but that is just too sad for me - I like some lettering!

Edited March 29, 2023 by Andy Keane

[Andy Keane]

Now this is a better bet if you want to spend £500 on a kit built loco:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185833397658?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l3160&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=1d01bb4b5f6940dcbc5e55355d825df7&bu=43054345708&ut=RU&exe=0&ext=0&osub=-1~1&crd=20230329072039&segname=11021

 

[Neal Ball]

5 hours ago, Harlequin said:

What date? Probably not 1930's, I guess.

 

Definitely not 30’s

 

5 hours ago, Andy Keane said:

Now this is a better bet if you want to spend £500 on a kit built loco:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185833397658?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l3160&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=1d01bb4b5f6940dcbc5e55355d825df7&bu=43054345708&ut=RU&exe=0&ext=0&osub=-1~1&crd=20230329072039&segname=11021

 

That looks very nice indeed - that would be great steaming into H-O-T

[melmerby]

5 hours ago, Harlequin said:

What date? Probably not 1930's, I guess.

 

Must be post 1923, so could well be. Should have room in the middle for crest/arms but athough there was space nothing was ever put there on tank engines. (apart from that numberplate!)

The next change wasn't until late 1934 when the "shirt button" was introduced.

[melmerby]

20 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

That looks very nice indeed - that would be great steaming into H-O-T

Now what would you rather pay

£300+ for a Hornby Dublo Flying Haggis or that for £500 or maybe less.

No competition!😄

Can I justify it................👎🏻

[Steamport Southport]

6 hours ago, Andy Keane said:

Now this is a better bet if you want to spend £500 on a kit built loco:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185833397658?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l3160&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=1d01bb4b5f6940dcbc5e55355d825df7&bu=43054345708&ut=RU&exe=0&ext=0&osub=-1~1&crd=20230329072039&segname=11021

 

 

Not a kit I'm afraid. Mass produced Fulgurex from the 1970s. Made in Japan* for the European market.

 

Our friend Gostude has at least two of them for sale.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363309000233?hash=item5496e76629:g:GPEAAOSwsTxgPO0Y

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363740726921?hash=item54b0a30689:g:cqkAAOSwpJNgPmK7

 

An unpainted one here. They did make the differences such as chimneys, tenders, etc.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204284572370?hash=item2f904f32d2:g:aP0AAOSw~qxkHsib

 

Apart from the paint job you would be better off with a bog standard Hornby one. 

 

 

*Possibly South Korea

 

 

Jason

[Neal Ball]

Today has seen another coat of black applied and I must say its looking pretty good.

 

Hopefully we can have a big reveal tomorrow.

[Andy Keane]

So 1496 is now pretty much finished. It needs various tools scattering around, coal and some weathering powders but I will leave those until after the decoder is in.

Its been a steep learning curve but an enjoyable one. I really must get back to working on Helston next.

[Neal Ball]

53 minutes ago, Andy Keane said:

So 1496 is now pretty much finished. It needs various tools scattering around, coal and some weathering powders but I will leave those until after the decoder is in.

Its been a steep learning curve but an enjoyable one. I really must get back to working on Helston next.

 

That looks terrific Andy. You must be very pleased.... which loco will you do next? 😎

[Neal Ball]

The masking tape is now off and to say I am pleased is of course an understatement:

 

 

As I load these, the red has just gone on the buffer beams and the black has been applied on the backhead.

 

[Andy Keane]

22 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

The masking tape is now off and to say I am pleased is of course an understatement:

 

 

As I load these, the red has just gone on the buffer beams and the black has been applied on the backhead.

 

looking great - what sort of lettering do you plan? Also what happened to the little spike on top of your dome?

[Neal Ball]

2 hours ago, Andy Keane said:

looking great - what sort of lettering do you plan? Also what happened to the little spike on top of your dome?

 

Thanks Andy.

 

I'm going to use Fox transfers and I hate to say, they look as if they are going to fit very well. "Great Western" not shirtbutton.

 

As for the little spike, I have looked back at the older photos and it doesn't look as if I have ever had it....

 

I am pleased with how the spraying progressed, accepting in places, it's not quite RTR standard. But I am pleased that I managed to spray black behind the springs onto the running plate.

 

Hopefully this afternoon I can get another coat onto the backhead and perhaps even start on the cab pipework. Although only I will know the different Brass and Copper pipes! 

[jamieb]

I'm embarrassed to say that my progress has been snail paced,thanks in part to my soldering iron packing up on me and other commitments getting in the way but it's good to see some finished models on here, looking good 

What's the best option for bespoke GWR numberplates these days,as I can't see any of the usual suspects do 1495 in their ranges?

[Andy Keane]

Just now, jamieb said:

I'm embarrassed to say that my progress has been snail paced,thanks in part to my soldering iron packing up on me and other commitments getting in the way but it's good to see some finished models on here, looking good 

What's the best option for bespoke GWR numberplates these days,as I can't see any of the usual suspects do 1495 in their ranges?

For my 1496 I got a set of 1498 plates (which are from the 14/48/58xx series and thus much easier to obtain - see for example https://modelmaster.uk/4mm-scale-1400-1474-14xx-0-4-2t/9215-1445.html?search_query=14xx&results=78 or https://www.fox-transfers.co.uk/etched-plates/gwr-cabside-numberplates-1498 ). I then used a Dremel to grind off the number 8. I also purchased a set of blank plates with separate numbers to get a pair of brass number 6s of the right size which I fixed on with epoxy. I then painted black and re-polished the whole thing back to the numbers. Not perfect but if you did not know I think they pass muster in the pictures above. Alternatively you could build a whole new plate with separate numbers but I think that is rather fiddly.

Andy

[Neal Ball]

1 minute ago, Andy Keane said:

For my 1496 I got a set of 1498 plates (which are from the 14/48/58xx series and thus much easier to obtain - see for example https://modelmaster.uk/4mm-scale-1400-1474-14xx-0-4-2t/9215-1445.html?search_query=14xx&results=78 or https://www.fox-transfers.co.uk/etched-plates/gwr-cabside-numberplates-1498 ). I then used a Dremel to grind off the number 8. I also purchased a set of blank plates with separate numbers to get a pair of brass number 6s of the right size which I fixed on with epoxy. I then painted black and re-polished the whole thing back to the numbers. Not perfect but if you did not know I think they pass muster in the pictures above. Alternatively you could build a whole new plate with separate numbers but I think that is rather fiddly.

Andy

 

Ah! - I have a blank plate and a set of numbers to build into 615 - thanks for letting me know it's going to be fiddly :-)

[Harlequin]

21 minutes ago, jamieb said:

I'm embarrassed to say that my progress has been snail paced,thanks in part to my soldering iron packing up on me and other commitments getting in the way but it's good to see some finished models on here, looking good 

What's the best option for bespoke GWR numberplates these days,as I can't see any of the usual suspects do 1495 in their ranges?

You could get a custom set from Railtec.

 

[Andy Keane]

7 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

 

Ah! - I have a blank plate and a set of numbers to build into 615 - thanks for letting me know it's going to be fiddly :-)

Why not spend out and get these: https://modelmaster.uk/4mm-scale-500-999-miscellaneous-cab-side-numbers/9719-615.html?search_query=615&results=47

making up your own will try your patience I think.

[Neal Ball]

4 hours ago, Andy Keane said:

Why not spend out and get these: https://modelmaster.uk/4mm-scale-500-999-miscellaneous-cab-side-numbers/9719-615.html?search_query=615&results=47

making up your own will try your patience I think.

 

Dealing with Modelmaster is enough to try your patience! I will see how I get on, failing that I will ask Steve at Railtec.

 

Thanks.

Edited March 31, 2023 by Neal Ball
Clarify Modelmaster

[Andy Keane]

5 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

 

Dealing with Modelmaster is enough to try your patience! I will see how I get on, failing that I will ask Steve at Railtec.

 

Thanks.

I know he (ModelMaster) is not that easy but I find I am happy to be patient with him to get what are rather nice products.

Edited March 31, 2023 by Andy Keane

[Neal Ball]

4 hours ago, Andy Keane said:

I know he is not that easy but I find I am happy to be patient with him to get what are rather nice products.

I gave up (With ModelMaster) after about a 4 month wait - ages ago now

Edited March 31, 2023 by Neal Ball
edit: Added Modelmaster