Mayshill - GWR

[Jules]

On 09/11/2022 at 16:44, Jules said:

I keep looking at my panniers and think I should do something about the top feeds. I'm slowly working upto taking knife to plastic!

 

It's been a while since my last post (again!), but I finally took a knife/chisel/sandpaper to a top feed!

 

I have a a later style pannier (87xx?) for a while, but it always irritated me as the join where the bunker met the cab didn't line up, and no amount of fiddling seemed to resolve it, so it was sidelined.

I was also after a 57xx version for some variety, but these don't appear to have been produced in GW livery for some time, and any traders at shows didn't seem to have any used either.

 

Anyway, at the Weston shoe back in I think February, I picked up this body:

 

 

This would allow me to re-use the chassis from the 'irritating' 87xx, but if it all went wrong I had just messed up the 57xx body and will still be left with a complete 87xx (with dodgy cab...)

 

So out came the tools to remove the top feed and associated plumbing:

 

 

As can be seen, I also replaced the smokebox handles, added missing lamp irons and handrail above the side steps.

 

 

I didn't take any more pictures until it was complete:

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately the other side has ended up with a slightly wonky handrail:

 

 

I had to replace some of the knobs as the existing ones snapped during removal.

 

Overall I am quite pleased with the result.  The finish where the pipes have been removed could be a bit smoother, but from normal viewing distance it is ok.

 

 

[MrWolf]

Nicely done, I've got several panniers to backdate and I'd forgotten about the handrail on the footplate.

[Jules]

Thanks :) 

 

Now I have done that one, I need to do the other one as well, hopefully learning from my previous errors!

 

Another couple of shots with a recently built Slaters 3 plank MR wagon, and a shortened Airfix/Hornby Toad

 

 

 

 

[MrWolf]

I like the shortened Toad, do you have any details of how it's done?

[Jules]

3 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

I like the shortened Toad, do you have any details of how it's done?

 

Unfortunately nothing of much use!

 

I had purchased a Oxford Rail 6w Toad and quite liked the shorter version as it allowed me to get a longer goods train in the run-round loop.

 

I had a spare Airfix/Hornby Toad so just sort of cut it up to to match the Oxford Rail one.  The roof was the easy bit...

 

So although from a distance it looks ok, it can't really be considered that accurate as I'm not sure how accurate the dimensions (body panel widths, underframe etc) are.

 

I seem to remember I was bored one weekend so just took the saw to the Toad without much planning...

[MrWolf]

That sounds very much like leaving me with a few books and a pile of broken Tri-ang clerestories.

I have five Oxford Toads to modify and correct the details on in a batch job. 

That ought to keep me busy for a while!

[Jules]

😀

 

I'd forgotten I had also fixed the dodgy window on the Oxford Toad - I think I used a bit salvaged from a Ratio kit and cut to size with a bit a plastic strip to finish the job.

[MrWolf]

I'm using a Parkside Mink van for the same parts as I'm liberating the doors to build a road van conversion of one of the Toads.

There's also plans afoot to cannibalise an incomplete Ratio Toad kit and convert an old Mainline Toad into a permanent way van.

[Jules]

I like the sound of that!

 

I have leftover Ratio bits, and also an old Mainline load...might do a bit more research next time before chopping things up!

[MrWolf]

I'm hoping that I can correct the major issue with the old Mainline underframe and use the Ratio bits to put the brake shoes in line with the wheels.

[sjrixon]

That's a really smart looking locomotive.. You've done a nice job..

[longchap]

6 hours ago, Jules said:

Unfortunately the other side has ended up with a slightly wonky handrail:

 

 

Good job and a rewarding one to do and don't worry about a wonky handrail, as they were not rare on the prototypes and add even more character.

 

[Jules]

Time for another set of dodgy pictures!

 

This time of my 'vintage' train.

 

 

Why vintage? Well, all of the models are at least 38+ years old.

 

The loco is an Airfix 14xx, converted to be a 58 xx by removal of top feed, and the auto gubbins. Smokebox door replaced with a Mainly Trains casting and all molded handrails replaced.  Driving wheels were also replaced, not quite correct as they are one spoke missing.

 

Onto the wagons...

 

The first two were built by my late Father while he was working away from home, in around 1977/78.  The first is the Ratio bolster, slightly battered and missing a few bits.  Second is a Peco Wonderful Wagons salt van.  There was another one of these (Saxa salt? It was red) but I seem to remember the running gear collapsed and was scrapped many years ago.

 

 

The next lot are all my efforts!  These would have been built in the early 80's in the years before my O levels.  First is a Ratio Iron Mink, one of a pair I built.  The next two are both Slaters, kits that just seem to fall together.

 

 

Finally the Ratio brake van.

 

 

All of the wagons are still used as part of the goods stock on Mayshill.  The brake van is not really used anymore, newer offerings are more detailed/painted better etc.

 

The 58xx gets limited use - it can't pull a lot round the curve leading to the station.  I also need to add some washers to the driving axles to stop so much side play.  The replacement wheels are narrower than the Airfix ones so tend to lose contact with the pickups, so running can be a bit erratic! Other than that, it is a good runner

 

[checkrail]

Nice idea!  A lot of 'the old stuff' was pretty good stuff.

[MrWolf]

50 minutes ago, checkrail said:

Nice idea!  A lot of 'the old stuff' was pretty good stuff.

 

I've found that it's a good way to build a fleet of rolling stock to take the older stuff and work it up a little. It's good practice for your modelling skills and is a cheaper way to build a layout.

[checkrail]

3 hours ago, MrWolf said:

I've found that it's a good way to build a fleet of rolling stock to take the older stuff and work it up a little. It's good practice for your modelling skills and is a cheaper way to build a layout.

Yes. Latest post on my layout thread (re Accurascale siphon G) chimes in with this thought!

[MrWolf]

2 hours ago, checkrail said:

Yes. Latest post on my layout thread (re Accurascale siphon G) chimes in with this thought!

 

I just read that before coming on here, I think that you have a point.

I see there's a superdetailed Toad in the pipeline too. That looks like it will be very impressive. 

Me? I've picked up five Oxford Rail Toads of various types for less than a tenner apiece as people seem to be in a hurry to ditch them. I'm all set up to put right the faults and upgrade them in a batch.

I like brake vans though, they're rather like Panniers.

[lezz01]

1 hour ago, MrWolf said:

I like brake vans though, they're rather like Panniers.

What as in there's no such thing as have too many of them....just like sausages then.

Regards Lez.

[lezz01]

I too like a brake van. I picked up a MR single veranda 6 wheel 20 tonner from LMR at Railex the other week. I'll get a ballast brake next time I see them at a show or have an order with them. I'm also gonna order a Kirtley BV from Mousa Models at some point and I think I'll see if I can kit bash a tariff van from a slaters 10 tonner. Like I said I too like a brake van.

Regards Lez.  

[Jules]

I too have a mildly upgraded Lima siphon - bogies are Bachmann, buffers replaced with some whitemetal jobbies and I replaced the end handrails with wire (hard to see in the dodgy pics).  I seem to remember getting the bogies to fit, at the correct ride height without interfering with the solebar was a bit of a fiddle.

 

 

 

 

 

Hauled by one of my many small prairies - you can never have enough of them 😄