Wright writes.....

[Tony Teague]

20 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

My name is Clive and I am a locoholic. I have developed a secondary addiction, well it is not my fault they are called MULTIPLE UNITS.

 

 

Being a Southern modeller I am trying hard to resist that secondary addiction, but it is to EMU's...............fortunately very few are available in any form, which helps.

As to the loco addiction, well, I am beyond hope! 🥲

 

[MJI]

15 minutes ago, MarkC said:

Hi Clive

 

Thanks for the warning! Great modelling there.

 

DMUs I either have or require

4-car original Derby Lightweight

101  - 2, 3 & 4 car sets

4-car 104

105  - 2 and 3 car sets

108 - 2 and 3 car sets

110

124 - without the buffet car, so a 5 car set. (although I will build the buffet with the rest of the set anyway - because I can! 😁

 

 

Cheers

Mark

 

 

Another oops

Green era

W33W W38W

IC DMBSL TFL IDMBSL IDMBSL TFBL DMBSL (2 sets as one 6 car)

 

Blue era

101 DMCL TCL DMBS

101 DMCL TBSL DMCL

110

116 x 2

117 x 2

118

119

120

128

 

[Ollie K]

On 28/12/2023 at 18:48, Tony Wright said:

[Ollie] also brought along............

 

 

This Craftsman C12, bought off eBay as a non-runner. He's made it run very well, and I've given him replacement bogie and pony wheels.

Thanks for your hospitality the other week Tony. A busy Christmas holiday and then working overseas means today is the first chance I’ve had to sit down and do my homework!
 

The C12 looks vastly better thanks to the much finer wheels, now painted and gauged.

 

 

Flushed with success I’ve treated it to a crewman to disguise the bulky motor and removed the rear tension lock. The front one requires a bit more front bogie surgery but that could do with more detailing and guard irons anyway.

 

 

Thanks also for those HMRS transfers - the horsebox looks more finished now (it looked even better before it snagged on a sleeve and took a dive to the floor…) and I’ve deployed a a few more on the rather sweet Niu models snowplough kit.

 

 

Future of the hobby discussion has been interesting. In the spirit of pushing through ‘fear of failure’ and having a go as talked about earlier, the models pictured here represent my first rolling stock kit, first 3D printed ‘kit’, first attempt at airbrushing, and first use of Pressfix transfers! I imagine most readers here passed those milestones some years ago.

 

 

That’s why I won’t be doing any more close up photography, but the learning curve even for some plastic kits is more rewarding than leaving it in the box and never discovering how much it’s possible to cock up glazing. And axleboxes. And roof alignment. And paint thinning. Etc.

[MJI]

Oh great, found a missing B5 bogie but cannot find a 45xx

[Clive Mortimore]

3 hours ago, Tony Teague said:

 

Being a Southern modeller I am trying hard to resist that secondary addiction, but it is to EMU's...............fortunately very few are available in any form, which helps.

As to the loco addiction, well, I am beyond hope! 🥲

 

My name is Clive and I am a locoholic. I have developed a secondary addiction, well it is not my fault they are called MULTIPLE UNITS, some are electric but not as Tony knows them.

 

I have started, so will might finish.

 

Classes AM5, AM4, AM2 and South Tyneside MLV.

 

Classes AM9 (2car car Clacton),  AM8 (4 car Essex), AM7 and AM5 (3car Chingford)

 

Classes BR North London 3 car, LMS/GEC North London 3 car, AM9 (4car Walton set) and AM9 (2car Clacton)

 

AM9 (4car Clacton buffet set)

 

I have 2 Replica non gangway coaches waits to become a South Tyneside 2 car set. Also 4 Triang Mk2s that are desperate to turn into a AM10.

 

And unmade 4 COR kit with a restaurant  coach so could be a 4 RES.

Edited January 21 by Clive Mortimore

[Tony Wright]

5 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

My name is Clive and I am a locoholic. I have developed a secondary addiction, well it is not my fault they are called MULTIPLE UNITS, some are electric but not as Tony know them.

 

I have started, so will might finish.

 

Classes AM5, AM4, AM2 and South Tyneside MLV.

 

Classes AM9 (2car car Clacton),  AM8 (4 car Essex), AM7 and AM5 (3car Chingford)

 

Classes BR North London 3 car, LMS/GEC North London 3 car, AM9 (4car Walton set) and AM9 (2car Clacton)

 

AM9 (4car Clacton buffet set)

 

I have 2 Replica non gangway coaches waits to become a South Tyneside 2 car set. Also 4 Triang Mk2s that are desperate to turn into a AM10.

 

And unmade 4 COR kit with a restaurant  coach so could be a 4 RES.

Good evening Clive,

 

There should be an icon for 'prolific'.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[ndeluck]

Yesterday I received pressfix transfers from HMRS, so 60147's identity swap (save for shed allocation) to 60134 could be complete. This is the very first locomotive I've attempted both re-naming and re-numbering and I think (hope) it turned out half-decent. The RH cabside numbers appear slightly askew, but I can live with that or may address it later.

Edited January 21 by ndeluck

[MJI]

I also found my 3/4 complete PWM 650

[Tony Wright]

3 hours ago, OliverBytham said:

Thanks for your hospitality the other week Tony. A busy Christmas holiday and then working overseas means today is the first chance I’ve had to sit down and do my homework!
 

The C12 looks vastly better thanks to the much finer wheels, now painted and gauged.

 

 

Flushed with success I’ve treated it to a crewman to disguise the bulky motor and removed the rear tension lock. The front one requires a bit more front bogie surgery but that could do with more detailing and guard irons anyway.

 

 

Thanks also for those HMRS transfers - the horsebox looks more finished now (it looked even better before it snagged on a sleeve and took a dive to the floor…) and I’ve deployed a a few more on the rather sweet Niu models snowplough kit.

 

 

Future of the hobby discussion has been interesting. In the spirit of pushing through ‘fear of failure’ and having a go as talked about earlier, the models pictured here represent my first rolling stock kit, first 3D printed ‘kit’, first attempt at airbrushing, and first use of Pressfix transfers! I imagine most readers here passed those milestones some years ago.

 

 

That’s why I won’t be doing any more close up photography, but the learning curve even for some plastic kits is more rewarding than leaving it in the box and never discovering how much it’s possible to cock up glazing. And axleboxes. And roof alignment. And paint thinning. Etc.

Good evening Ollie,

 

Those replacement bogie wheels have made a great difference to the appearance of your C12. 

 

Though 'horrid', at least the originals had ten spokes. So many C12 models I see have 12-spoke bogie/pony wheels (and not just C12s, but many other types because the usual, and in the past, Jackson/Romford 14mm bogie/pony wheel always had 12-spokes. Types such as Robinson's O4s and their derivatives seemed to have 12-spoked pony wheels as standard in the past). 

 

I don't know the origin of the replacement wheels I gave you (definitely not Markits), though Markits now produce an excellent 14mm bogie/pony wheel with ten spokes. Anyway,

 

Some examples and some anomalies.................

 

In no way should the following be taken as criticisms of others' modelling, just observations...........

 

 

I think it's safe to say your fitting of those new wheels has made a big difference!

 

 

This delightful trio of C12s all have the correct number of spokes in their bogie/pony wheels.

 

 

It's wise to fit the correct type at the building stage - B16/3, 12-spoke, C2, 10-spoke. 

 

Speaking of a B16........

 

 

This is how this PDK B16/1 was supplied. Beautifully-made and finished, and a good runner, though with only ten-spoked bogie wheels. It came my way to sell.

 

 

But not until I'd fitted the correct, 12-spoked bogie wheels.

 

 

Also a sale item, this DJH Ivatt Duchess has incorrect ten-spoked bogie wheels. With a lot needing doing to it, anyway, I left it as it was.

 

However,

 

 

This one was far superior, so warranted my fitting correct nine-spoked bogie wheels before I sold it. 

 

 

Many model BR Standards have incorrect 10-spoked bogie/pony wheels. This had, but I replaced them with the proper nine-spoked bogie wheels.

 

As I did the pony wheels with this......

 

 

Millholme Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0, before selling it. 

 

I also fitted the front steps and weathered it.

 

 

This DJH Crab has two too many spokes in its pony wheels.

 

 

As does this Little Engines O4/3.

 

 

And this one, too.

 

 

As does this O4/7.

 

 

This O4 has the correct number of spokes in its pony wheels.

 

However,

 

 

The passing Ivatt Atlantic has two too many. 

 

 

I gave Jamie Rands the correct pony wheels for his O4 when he visited last year.

 

 

And made sure I fitted the right type to one of mine.

 

 

And to the O4/8 I built last year.

 

I state again, the images above are not meant to decry anyone's modelling, merely to point out what is very common. 

 

As mentioned, several of the locos seen I've sold, on behalf of bereaved families. Where it was worth changing wheels, I've done so. Any new owners might subsequently do so for themselves.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

57 minutes ago, ndeluck said:

Yesterday I received pressfix transfers from HMRS, so 60147's identity swap (save for shed allocation) to 60134 could be complete. This is the very first locomotive I've attempted both re-naming and re-numbering and I think (hope) it turned out half-decent. The RH cabside numbers appear slightly askew, but I can live with that or may address it later.

Excellent work.

 

Thanks for showing us.

 

Just a couple of points, please. Are you going to fit the front steps? They are a prominent feature on the real things.

 

And, just put a lick of matt black paint on to the cab roof, between the horizontal rainstrips and the eaves.

 

Wiggly pipes? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[andytrains]

On 19/01/2024 at 11:54, Pebbles said:

Whilst based in Eastbourne, my patch extended to Camberley. One day, in about 1977/78, after keeping my appointment I took the opportunity of visiting EAMES. A real Aladdin's cave of a shop.

This story comes from my wife. Many years ago, at one of her club meeting, she met the wife of someone who was connected to EAMES. This woman claimed that after EAMES had closed she "inherited" ( my wife's description),  a garage full of ex EAMES stock that she still had.  This story could of course be one of those Rosebud Kitmaster A3 moments.

Or the WD 2-8-0's mothballed in a tunnel somewhere!😀

[PMP]

On 19/01/2024 at 11:54, Pebbles said:

. A real Aladdin's cave of a shop.

This story comes from my wife. Many years ago, at one of her club meeting, she met the wife of someone who was connected to EAMES. This woman claimed that after EAMES had closed she "inherited" ( my wife's description),  a garage full of ex EAMES stock that she still had.  This story could of course be one of those Rosebud Kitmaster A3 moments.

Whilst not impossible I think it’s improbable. When Eames closed we at MRM (Kings Cross) had a large amount of their stock transferred including Jamieson kits, RTR, books and kits and components. They (Jamieson), hung around for quite a while as by that time they were considered pretty crude, and needed quite a skill set to put them together.

[Tony Teague]

4 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

My name is Clive and I am a locoholic. I have developed a secondary addiction, well it is not my fault they are called MULTIPLE UNITS, some are electric but not as Tony knows them.

 

 

And unmade 4 COR kit with a restaurant  coach so could be a 4 RES.

 

Wow!

So now I know that I am not alone............

Can I ask the origin of the 4COR / RES / BUF / GRI kit ?

At present I just have those available RTR - 2BIL (several), 2HAL (several), 5BEL

Despite my trainset being 1938 - 1948 I did have a 2H, 2EPB, 2x 4CEPs and an MLV but eventually I realised hey must go as being out of era!

 

[chris45lsw]

14 hours ago, Iain.d said:

Although I’ve not commented, I have read the last few weeks of this thread with interest, there has certainly been some thought provoking stuff, thanks.

 

I thought I’d show where I am with a few bits and pieces that I have on the go. Probably too many for me really. I have completed the build of a couple GW Siphons, an outside framed O.11 and inside framed O.62 that I finished most of the building of, over Christmas. 

 

The O.62:

 

 

The O.11:

 

 

I’m pleased how they’ve gone together. The O.11 looks dirtier that it is, well it was, as they got painted this morning; the delay was simply that we’ve recently had a run of quite warm weeks in a row. Mostly days in the high 30s and a couple in the low 40s (a couple of super big storms too) and our garage never cooled enough to allow spraying. The O.62 has a homemade coupling fitted and is now in BR crimson and the O.11 dark brown. Over the next couple of weeks I’ll finish them off.

 

The kits were done by @macgeordie, and were superb, at the time I got these two, I also purchased an LNER Thompson BZ, which I’ve just started. The kit came beautifully packed and laid out, with everything except wheels, including comprehensive instructions, images of a suggested build sequence and images of a ‘real’ vehicle.

 

 

I have done the sides (hinges, vents and droplights), the only deviation was that I drilled out the door stops and soldered in .45mm nickel silver wire, rather than press out the half-etched holes, as suggested by the instructions. As per the Siphons, the quality and crispness of the etches look like it’ll go together really well.

 

 

And I’ve also started a LBSCR Five Compartment Saloon Brake First (I think that’s the right order…) from Worsley Works. I have prepared the sides by adding the droplights, door hinges and vents. I have drilled lots of holes in the ends to add detail later. I also cut the end windows at the brake end as the kit end was lacking these. It’ll ride on the Comet Models bogies.  Next task will be to solder up the body and probably add some strengthening partitions, then fabricate a roof for it.

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Iain

The Siphons are superb, Iain, a tribute to the kit maker, @macgeordie, and your building skills. 

 

As to the 'Continental' Brake First I think you mean SECR (rather than LBSCR)!   Though it would appear to be the SR version built in 1923/24 rather than the solitary SECR one of 1921.  I'm afraid there does seem to be an error in the etching though - on the corridor side in the First saloon the droplight should be to the right of the large light rather than being opposite its counterpart on the compartment side.

 

Chris KT 

[MJI]

7 hours ago, chris45lsw said:

The Siphons are superb, Iain, a tribute to the kit maker, @macgeordie, and your building skills. 

 

As to the 'Continental' Brake First I think you mean SECR (rather than LBSCR)!   Though it would appear to be the SR version built in 1923/24 rather than the solitary SECR one of 1921.  I'm afraid there does seem to be an error in the etching though - on the corridor side in the First saloon the droplight should be to the right of the large light rather than being opposite its counterpart on the compartment side.

 

Chris KT 

Like the KWVR BTK?

[MJI]

Found my other 45xx,  was hiding behind some DMUs

[Tony Wright]

9 hours ago, PMP said:

Whilst not impossible I think it’s improbable. When Eames closed we at MRM (Kings Cross) had a large amount of their stock transferred including Jamieson kits, RTR, books and kits and components. They (Jamieson), hung around for quite a while as by that time they were considered pretty crude, and needed quite a skill set to put them together.

Good morning Paul,

 

Was Bert Collins at Kings Cross? I'm sure I spoke with him on a few occasions. I remember Brian well, too, though I have no recollection of chatting to you. However, I must have done, for any trip to London necessitated a visit to your great shop.

 

It's been mentioned how model shops come and go, but I think the big difference today is that most model shops I visit today don't have a person behind the counter of the calibre of those who were behind it at Kings Cross (or EAMES, or Bagnall's in Stafford, or...........). Actual modellers themselves - builders of highly-complex kits or from scratch, and of excellent layouts (sadly, I only got to photograph Hitchin after Bert's death). 

 

I wonder who considered Jamieson kits 'pretty crude'? I'd change that description to 'basic', because there was nothing crude about how the parts were formed, and every one I've built (about 20+ now) fitted together perfectly. If 'quite a skill set' were needed to put them together, then it was a set acquired by any 'competent' loco-builder. 

 

It's interesting to note a 'contemporary' comparison (or at least it is to me). Some might recall the 'perfect storm' following my article on building a Pro-Scale V2, published in BRM several years ago. The 'fallout' caused the proprietor to remove all his kits from the market (or he threatened to), which was a pity because the others I'd built in the range were excellent (in my view, the Pro-Scale A4 beats all others in 4mm). At much the same time, I was building another Jamieson V2 (for myself, not a customer), and, comparing all the relative parts, perhaps the term 'crude' might have been applied to the Jamieson product when those respective bits were placed side by side. One was a stamped-out/shaped nickel silver product of the '50s (at least in its presentation) and the other a full-blown etched kit in 'seductive' brass.  

 

The difference was that one could be made into an 'accurate' model which could be made from the parts without modification and it would work, yet, without some considerable alteration/modification, the other could not. 

 

After the dust had settled, the new owner of Pro-Scale asked me about what would be needed to make the V2 viable, but it proved too much to make it worthwhile. On at least a couple of occasions, I've been shown made-up Pro-Scale V2s and been told I'm talking 'b*ll*cks! The testicular description rather faded away when I pointed out that on one example the cab's 'V'-front was pointing towards the passing scenery instead of dead ahead (the firebox was shorter on one side than the other). On another, smaller drivers had been installed because 24mm ones fouled the footplate (the serpentine bends were in the wrong place) and the smokebox overhung the front end (it was too long). 

 

Give me Jamieson any day! 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[t-b-g]

10 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good morning Paul,

 

Was Bert Collins at Kings Cross? I'm sure I spoke with him on a few occasions. I remember Brian well, too, though I have no recollection of chatting to you. However, I must have done, for any trip to London necessitated a visit to your great shop.

 

It's been mentioned how model shops come and go, but I think the big difference today is that most model shops I visit today don't have a person behind the counter of the calibre of those who were behind it at Kings Cross (or EAMES, or Bagnall's in Stafford, or...........). Actual modellers themselves - builders of highly-complex kits or from scratch, and of excellent layouts (sadly, I only got to photograph Hitchin after Bert's death). 

 

I wonder who considered Jamieson kits 'pretty crude'? I'd change that description to 'basic', because there was nothing crude about how the parts were formed, and every one I've built (about 20+ now) fitted together perfectly. If 'quite a skill set' were needed to put them together, then it was a set acquired by any 'competent' loco-builder. 

 

It's interesting to note a 'contemporary' comparison (or at least it is to me). Some might recall the 'perfect storm' following my article on building a Pro-Scale V2, published in BRM several years ago. The 'fallout' caused the proprietor to remove all his kits from the market (or he threatened to), which was a pity because the others I'd built in the range were excellent (in my view, the Pro-Scale A4 beats all others in 4mm). At much the same time, I was building another Jamieson V2 (for myself, not a customer), and, comparing all the relative parts, perhaps the term 'crude' might have been applied to the Jamieson product when those respective bits were placed side by side. One was a stamped-out/shaped nickel silver product of the '50s (at least in its presentation) and the other a full-blown etched kit in 'seductive' brass.  

 

The difference was that one could be made into an 'accurate' model which could be made from the parts without modification and it would work, yet, without some considerable alteration/modification, the other could not. 

 

After the dust had settled, the new owner of Pro-Scale asked me about what would be needed to make the V2 viable, but it proved too much to make it worthwhile. On at least a couple of occasions, I've been shown made-up Pro-Scale V2s and been told I'm talking 'b*ll*cks! The testicular description rather faded away when I pointed out that on one example the cab's 'V'-front was pointing towards the passing scenery instead of dead ahead (the firebox was shorter on one side than the other). On another, smaller drivers had been installed because 24mm ones fouled the footplate (the serpentine bends were in the wrong place) and the smokebox overhung the front end (it was too long). 

 

Give me Jamieson any day! 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Your recent Proscale A4 has a rather poor shape to the valance ahead of the cylinders that spoils the look for me. It has an almost square corner to the cut out in the valance where the real thing has a curve. There is something about the shape of the body that doesn't quite seem right to my eyes too but that is a bit more subjective and I couldn't say exactly what it is that bothers me about it. As a shape, the A4 is a nightmare of curves and subtlety that is very difficult to get just right. The Proscale one is, in my view, close but not quite there. The latest Hornby ones look better, as does the Finney kit. One of the best looking 4mm A4s I have seen was a Hornby one with modifications to the cylinders to get rid of the slab sided look that so many models have. It has been illustrated on your thread before but it was a while ago and I can't remember whose it was. At least you have the satisfaction of knowing that you built yours, even though it isn't quite as good as the RTR one.

 

As for the Proscale V2, your comments about different models exhibiting different faults sounds as if you mean that the other models didn't display the same errors. So if one model had wrong wheels but the other had correct wheels, it means it is possible to build it with the correct wheels. If the cab on one pointed sideways and the other didn't, it must be possible to build it with the cab straight. So somewhere out there, there may just be a "goodun" with all the faults fixed on the same model.

[Iain.d]

9 hours ago, chris45lsw said:

The Siphons are superb, Iain, a tribute to the kit maker, @macgeordie, and your building skills. 

 

As to the 'Continental' Brake First I think you mean SECR (rather than LBSCR)!   Though it would appear to be the SR version built in 1923/24 rather than the solitary SECR one of 1921.  I'm afraid there does seem to be an error in the etching though - on the corridor side in the First saloon the droplight should be to the right of the large light rather than being opposite its counterpart on the compartment side.

 

Chris KT 

Thanks for the kind comments, Chris. And I agree, the kit designs are excellent and make construction all the easier.

 

You’re quite correct, I did mean SECR; I’m also doing an LBSC Balloon Composite and got my ‘pre-groupings’ muddled up! On the ‘Continental’ I did notice that the saloon windows were in the wrong order, as it were.  I’m doing a model of 7746 in the late SR/post war period, but don’t have a picture of that one, I’m using a picture of 7750 and the drawings in Mike King’s An Illustrated History of Southern Coaches as guides/reference material.

 

Kind regards,

 

Iain

[Clive Mortimore]

10 hours ago, Tony Teague said:

 

Wow!

So now I know that I am not alone............

Can I ask the origin of the 4COR / RES / BUF / GRI kit ?

At present I just have those available RTR - 2BIL (several), 2HAL (several), 5BEL

Despite my trainset being 1938 - 1948 I did have a 2H, 2EPB, 2x 4CEPs and an MLV but eventually I realised hey must go as being out of era!

 

Hello Tony

 

The Portsmouth unit is a Phoenix/BSL kit. It is out of my modelling area if you are interested please send me a PM.

[Tony Wright]

24 minutes ago, t-b-g said:

 

Your recent Proscale A4 has a rather poor shape to the valance ahead of the cylinders that spoils the look for me. It has an almost square corner to the cut out in the valance where the real thing has a curve. There is something about the shape of the body that doesn't quite seem right to my eyes too but that is a bit more subjective and I couldn't say exactly what it is that bothers me about it. As a shape, the A4 is a nightmare of curves and subtlety that is very difficult to get just right. The Proscale one is, in my view, close but not quite there. The latest Hornby ones look better, as does the Finney kit. One of the best looking 4mm A4s I have seen was a Hornby one with modifications to the cylinders to get rid of the slab sided look that so many models have. It has been illustrated on your thread before but it was a while ago and I can't remember whose it was. At least you have the satisfaction of knowing that you built yours, even though it isn't quite as good as the RTR one.

 

As for the Proscale V2, your comments about different models exhibiting different faults sounds as if you mean that the other models didn't display the same errors. So if one model had wrong wheels but the other had correct wheels, it means it is possible to build it with the correct wheels. If the cab on one pointed sideways and the other didn't, it must be possible to build it with the cab straight. So somewhere out there, there may just be a "goodun" with all the faults fixed on the same model.

Good morning Tony,

 

My apologies for the ambiguity of my post. 

 

Fitting the right sized drivers to a Pro-Scale V2 means altering the shape of the footplate (which can be done - I have). By making a new firebox with symmetrical sides, then the cab can point forwards without deflection; or, do what I did, and solder a strip of metal to the shorter side, making good with solder and bad language!. Tinsnips (and care) shortened the smokebox. 

 

Alan Hammet certainly was able to build a brace of Pro-Scale V2s into 'acceptable' models, though he told me he wouldn't build any more........

 

 

 

They certainly look the part on Little Bytham.

 

As does this pair of V2s I built from Jamieson kits.

 

 

 

Painted by Geoff Haynes.

 

 

Painted by Ian Rathbone. 

 

All, in my view, are no more than 'layout locos'. 

 

I accept that the Hornby A4 is a good model.....

 

 

Though I dislike the motion and the bogie wheels, and, as to the green?

 

Though............

 

 

With new bogie wheels, etched plates and a bit of weathering.....

 

What bugs me most is the angle of the slidebars - pointing upwards towards the rear, the opposite of how they should be.

 

 

More-evident here.

 

 

And the wrong angle of the return crank on this side.

 

I 'fiddled' with this Hornby example, then sold it. 

 

Of course, along with my mods to any Hornby A4, what lifts them is a superb paint finish..........

 

 

Applied by the likes of Ian Rathbone.

 

Whether this is 'better' than the one below is a matter of opinion.....

 

 

My latest Pro-Scale example, also painted by Ian. 

 

I know which one I prefer, especially since 60010 will pull anything on LB, whereas 60008 struggles on the heaviest trains. 

 

Still......

 

 

Hornby's A4 is an excellent candidate for doing some 'modelling' on, as here; Geoff West's rendition of SEAGULL. New bogie wheels, the tender altered to represent one of the trio with cut-down rears for the '48 Exchanges, a re-brand and weathering.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[t-b-g]

20 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good morning Tony,

 

My apologies for the ambiguity of my post. 

 

Fitting the right sized drivers to a Pro-Scale V2 means altering the shape of the footplate (which can be done - I have). By making a new firebox with symmetrical sides, then the cab can point forwards without deflection; or, do what I did, and solder a strip of metal to the shorter side, making good with solder and bad language!. Tinsnips (and care) shortened the smokebox. 

 

Alan Hammet certainly was able to build a brace of Pro-Scale V2s into 'acceptable' models, though he told me he wouldn't build any more........

 

 

 

They certainly look the part on Little Bytham.

 

As does this pair of V2s I built from Jamieson kits.

 

 

 

Painted by Geoff Haynes.

 

 

Painted by Ian Rathbone. 

 

All, in my view, are no more than 'layout locos'. 

 

I accept that the Hornby A4 is a good model.....

 

 

Though I dislike the motion and the bogie wheels, and, as to the green?

 

Though............

 

 

With new bogie wheels, etched plates and a bit of weathering.....

 

What bugs me most is the angle of the slidebars - pointing upwards towards the rear, the opposite of how they should be.

 

 

More-evident here.

 

 

And the wrong angle of the return crank on this side.

 

I 'fiddled' with this Hornby example, then sold it. 

 

Of course, along with my mods to any Hornby A4, what lifts them is a superb paint finish..........

 

 

Applied by the likes of Ian Rathbone.

 

Whether this is 'better' than the one below is a matter of opinion.....

 

 

My latest Pro-Scale example, also painted by Ian. 

 

I know which one I prefer, especially since 60010 will pull anything on LB, whereas 60008 struggles on the heaviest trains. 

 

Still......

 

 

Hornby's A4 is an excellent candidate for doing some 'modelling' on, as here; Geoff West's rendition of SEAGULL. New bogie wheels, the tender altered to represent one of the trio with cut-down rears for the '48 Exchanges, a re-brand and weathering.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wouldn't want to use the Hornby A4 as it comes. There are always some aspects that need sorting out. One thing I am not keen on is the "working" lubricator drive that is almost the same size as the valve gear. In real life you hardly notice the lubricator as it is tiny compared to the valve gear but on the A4 shown above, it almost looks like it has an extra set of motion on the rear axle. It should be much less conspicuous. If perfect models could be had RTR, there would be nothing left for people like us to do.

 

Have you any A4s that use the Hornby body on a new mechanism, such as the Comet one?

 

That might give the best of both worlds.

 

I did that with the Royal Scot on Narrow Road. The Bachmann mechanism was discarded and Comet frames and motion/cylinders were used. That gave a loco with a more than acceptable body on a mechanism that runs like a kit built loco and there was plenty of room to add weight to give it plenty of haulage capacity.

 

It was probably easier than converting the RTR mechanism to EM too.

[dibateg]

I remember the Proscale K3 kit had the undulations in the running plate formed in the wrong places. Built as supplied, the model had a nose heavy look as the boiler and cab were too far forward by a couple of millimeters. Fortunately I spotted that and reformed it. It then looked much more balanced. I'm thinking the early B1kits had a brass boiler, which was later replaced by a cast white metal one, which was too large! Yes, I remember Allen moaning about those V2's, he built three at once, for me, Roy Palmer and Pete Lund..

 

I remember the excitement of opening the Proscale box, nice drawing on the box, plenty of tissue paper and lots of shiny brass etchings within....

 

Regards

Tony

 

 

[31A]

2 hours ago, t-b-g said:

One of the best looking 4mm A4s I have seen was a Hornby one with modifications to the cylinders to get rid of the slab sided look that so many models have. It has been illustrated on your thread before but it was a while ago and I can't remember whose it was.

 

Do you by any chance mean me?!  If so, thank you for those kind words and if not, I quite agree and this is what I did to try and improve things:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pebbles]

2 hours ago, t-b-g said:

 

Your recent Proscale A4 has a rather poor shape to the valance ahead of the cylinders that spoils the look for me. It has an almost square corner to the cut out in the valance where the real thing has a curve. There is something about the shape of the body that doesn't quite seem right to my eyes too but that is a bit more subjective and I couldn't say exactly what it is that bothers me about it. As a shape, the A4 is a nightmare of curves and subtlety that is very difficult to get just right. The Proscale one is, in my view, close but not quite there. The latest Hornby ones look better, as does the Finney kit. One of the best looking 4mm A4s I have seen was a Hornby one with modifications to the cylinders to get rid of the slab sided look that so many models have. It has been illustrated on your thread before but it was a while ago and I can't remember whose it was. At least you have the satisfaction of knowing that you built yours, even though it isn't quite as good as the RTR one.

 

As for the Proscale V2, your comments about different models exhibiting different faults sounds as if you mean that the other models didn't display the same errors. So if one model had wrong wheels but the other had correct wheels, it means it is possible to build it with the correct wheels. If the cab on one pointed sideways and the other didn't, it must be possible to build it with the cab straight. So somewhere out there, there may just be a "goodun" with all the faults fixed on the same model.

The A4 shape is a bit of a poser. When John Edgson draw the rebuilt W1 many years ago he quoted a height immediatley to the rear of the chimney of 12ft 6inches. From what I remember John's  drawing didn't reflect this giving a rather more pointed shape to the from end. John' W1 drawing also quotes other dimensions which would indicate that the front end of the W1 and A4s differ possibly as a result of the W1's bogies having a longer wheelbase.  All subsequent drawings of A4s appear to be very similar to John's W1 profile. I should add that when John eventually came to the A4s he appears to have corrected this.

I have been told that when Finney came to produce his kit he had obtained drawings of the A4 cladding, making his plastic boiler shape far more dependable. I would think that the Hornby shape was as result of scanning the prototype.