Wright writes.....

[micklner]

7 hours ago, Jesse Sim said:

Continuing on from my post of Isolation Modelling, here are some of the things I’ve done. It’s mostly been some well need weathering apart from finishing off a B2. 
 

So we’ll start with the B2. I bought this loco off Tony years ago, it’s a whitemetal kit and was already built and painted. It had a horrible lime green looking paint job, I couldn’t get it to run properly on DCC for some reason, I put it down to my mechanical limitations. I ended up substituting a Bachmann GS tender for her, altering it to look like the whitemetal one. With tender picks up now added I turned to changing the motor, opting for a DJH one like usual and away she went. She started to perform effortlessly. 
 

She stayed in horrible green and black tender for a while until I asked fellow BRMA member Charles Rudder if he could paint her, which he did. Charles did a beautiful job and again she stayed in a better green for about a year and half. I decided to finish her off on my second day into isolation. So the HMRS sheets came out, so I started on the lining, my second attempt at lining and I feel it’s a much better job then my first. I opted for 5427 as she lost her name plate in ‘37 I believe, lazy modelling at its finest, no need to buy and wait for a nameplate….

 

Oh and there is the ah thin red lining on the front it’s just ahh covered you know…by the weathering……… 

 

 

 

Shes not perfect, definitely a layout loco but I’m quite happy with her. 
 

Moving on I finally decided on tackling the loaded coal train. The Empty train was weathered last year so it was good to see some muck applied to the loaded ones. Only about 15 left to do…

 

 

Also three tankers went under the brush. 
 

 

Lastly, an A4, sacrilege some might say! This loco is somewhat a celebrity on my layout, she was on the roster at Warley in 2016 on Grantham and on the roster again for the Little Bytham LNER weekend. I weathered her back in 2015 but now that my weathering has excelled I thought a re-weather was needed. Being a Scottish based engine she was no where near as filthy as she had ought to have been. So I went to town her. She’s still somewhat clean, more of a hard days worker that needs a good scrub. She’s rostered on the Coronation on Woolmer Green so she’ll be getting that scrub at Top Shed. 
 

 

 

 

I must apologise for the horrible photos, I’m still at home and it’s very windy here so I couldn’t take the photos in my normal afternoon sun spot. 
 

EDIT: Apologies again, I forgot to crop the photos, ignore my sisters sowing mannequin. 

I hope C of Australia isnt pulling a Coronation Train in the near future. Highly unlikely that she was in ever in such a condition pre war. The Coronation train was the premier train on the LNER and was cleaned at the end of each journey.

See here for some photos of her and other A4's in running condition theron.

 

https://www.steve-banks.org/prototype-and-traffic/418-the-coronation

[Tony Wright]

The Nu-Cast V2 is now complete...........

 

 

Just over four days to build; about 20 hours in total. 

 

Though not evident from this low angle, I offset the lubricators. 

 

Will it end up as good as the latest Bachmann RTR equivalent. I doubt it, even with a pro-paint job. But, so what? The acquisition of a 'better' RTR model is meaningless to me.

 

Finney V2s have been mentioned (the Rolls Royce of the models?). I was once in discussion with Martin Finney regarding why I never built his kits. I gave two reasons; one was I didn't think I was competent enough to build them, and, two; even if I were, they'd just take too long to make. He suggested it was because they took a long time to build that they 'represented the best value kits on the market' - with regard to the time/cost equation.

 

My view was the complete opposite (not that I consider Finney kits too expensive). In the same time, I could have built at least three or four 'simpler' equivalents (very important during my professional loco-building days). 

 

'Equivalents' such as this other Nu-Cast V2 I put together about four years ago........

 

 

With a Geoff Haynes paint job it's turned out OK (the cylinders should not be lined and will be repainted). As a 'layout loco' it's entirely suitable in my opinion.

 

Returning to the latest Nu-Cast V2 build, I'd have finished it earlier if Mo wasn't poorly (she's improving). With my being no longer 'dangerous', I've attended to the shopping (a mystery at the best of times). Readers might recall with humour the disaster which occurred the last time I was given the role. However, no problems this time! I didn't lose the list, remembered my PIN and didn't cause a queue. Even the cashier didn't need to take pity! 

 

 

Edited June 2, 2022 by Tony Wright
because I can't add up!

[davidw]

1 minute ago, Tony Wright said:

The Nu-Cast V2 is now complete...........

 

 

Just over four days to build; about 30 hours in total. 

 

Though not evident from this low angle, I offset the lubricators. 

 

Will it end up as good as the latest Bachmann RTR equivalent. I doubt it, even with a pro-paint job. But, so what? The acquisition of a 'better' RTR model is meaningless to me.

 

Finney V2s have been mentioned (the Rolls Royce of the models?). I was once in discussion with Martin Finney regarding why I never built his kits. I gave two reasons; one was I didn't think I was competent enough to build them, and, two; even if I were, they'd just take too long to make. He suggested it was because they took a long time to build that they 'represented the best value kits on the market' - with regard to the time/cost equation.

 

My view was the complete opposite (not that I consider Finney kits too expensive). In the same time, I could have built at least three or four 'simpler' equivalents (very important during my professional loco-building days). 

 

'Equivalents' such as this other Nu-Cast V2 I put together about four years ago........

 

 

With a Geoff Haynes paint job it's turned out OK (the cylinders should not be lined and will be repainted). As a 'layout loco' it's entirely suitable in my opinion.

 

Returning to the latest Nu-Cast V2 build, I'd have finished it earlier if Mo wasn't poorly (she's improving). With my being no longer 'dangerous', I've attended to the shopping (a mystery at the best of times). Readers might recall with humour the disaster which occurred the last time I was given the role. However, no problems this time! I didn't lose the list, remembered my PIN and didn't cause a queue. Even the cashier didn't need to take pity! 

 

 

The V2  in those two photo's  really do have a sense of presence. 

 

Hope you and Mo are feeling better?

[landscapes]

4 hours ago, CHARLIE5 said:

Good morning all.

 

I shared my West Country efforts with Tony yesterday and he suggested I post here!

 

This is my first full kit effort in twenty years and has taken nearly a year so far. Sorry Tony no completions in 3 to 4 days!

 

This is a Crownline kit purchased 26 years ago which has been adapted with parts from the late Albert Goodall  and RT Models. Of note is the original cab from a RT Models etching which I have used to produce an early example that ran on the S&D. The tender front has been corrected using Albert's casting for the Airfix kit and has been mounted on a Perseverance chassis modified to include the correct pattern brake gear. I have modelled the early TIA water treatment on the tender although I am not certain I have the connecting pipes correctly modelled.

 

This is something I have always wanted to attempt in memory of Albert and Shirley Goodall.

 

Not sure my efforts are up to the excellent standard of modelling here but I am happy to share.

 

Terry

 

 

Hi

 

Stunning model, well done look forward to seeing completed photos, if you don’t put them on Tony’s thread you are welcome to put them on my Haymarket 64B thread anytime.

 

I model LNER but cannot get enough of the Bulleid Pacific’s especially the unrebuilt versions.

 

Regards

 

David

[Tony Wright]

3 hours ago, davidw said:

The V2  in those two photo's  really do have a sense of presence. 

 

Hope you and Mo are feeling better?

Thanks David,

 

I'm fine now, and Mo is improving, thank you.

 

It'll just run its course, I suppose.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

Final V2 testing was completed this evening..........

 

 

Happily bowling round at a scale 90 with 13 in tow.

 

By way of a comparison.........

 

 

One of the pair of Pro-scale/Hammet/Geary V2s I acquired from Gilbert Barnatt of late. This has been replaced by a Bachmann RTR one!

 

 

[Jesse Sim]

7 hours ago, micklner said:

I hope C of Australia isnt pulling a Coronation Train in the near future. Highly unlikely that she was in ever in such a condition pre war. The Coronation train was the premier train on the LNER and was cleaned at the end of each journey.

See here for some photos of her and other A4's in running condition theron.

 

https://www.steve-banks.org/prototype-and-traffic/418-the-coronation

My layout is situated not far from London, so the idea is that she’s just worked the UP train, I also model just before winter. I think the cold, damp weather and a decent few hours on the road would make her somewhat dirty. 
 

I thought I might also add: 

 

Who’s to say one loco didnt slip through and end up not being as clean before departing on the Coronation? Do we have a photographic record of every train that hauled the coronation? I think one of the biggest thing us modellers do is speculate what happened. Considering it’s what 90 years ago that I’m modelling. Couldn’t we speculate that COA wasn’t cleaned very well before leaving on a particular day? What did the Coronation do Edinburgh to KX? 8 hours wasn’t it? 
In that 8 hours of travel at high speeds, in the rain, on a cold, wintery wet day couldn’t we speculate that she may have gotten just a little bit dirty? 
 

 

Edited June 1, 2022 by Jesse Sim

[micklner]

1 hour ago, Jesse Sim said:

My layout is situated not far from London, so the idea is that she’s just worked the UP train, I also model just before winter. I think the cold, damp weather and a decent few hours on the road would make her somewhat dirty. 
 

I thought I might also add: 

 

Who’s to say one loco didnt slip through and end up not being as clean before departing on the Coronation? Do we have a photographic record of every train that hauled the coronation? I think one of the biggest thing us modellers do is speculate what happened. Considering it’s what 90 years ago that I’m modelling. Couldn’t we speculate that COA wasn’t cleaned very well before leaving on a particular day? What did the Coronation do Edinburgh to KX? 8 hours wasn’t it? 
In that 8 hours of travel at high speeds, in the rain, on a cold, wintery wet day couldn’t we speculate that she may have gotten just a little bit dirty? 
 

 

Interesting theory. Speculating is not a good idea for any modelling , photographs show the true condition at any particular date.

 

The LNER Coronation service running time  was approx 6 hours.

My point was in the late 1930's, they were all brand new A4 Locomotives , Australia and the other special A4's e.g India and New Zealand were used solely for the Coronation services. The LNER also had A4's dedicated to the similar West Riding service.

All the photos on my earlier link show the running condition at different times on the runs. As mentioned before  they were cleaned always before each run. The LNER were very proud of the Coronation service,  I doubt very much if Australia or any the other Coronation Locos were ever in such condition pre war.

The only way to confirm is in a picture of any pre war A4 in that condition, which is far more than a little dirty, I personally have never seen one in that condition.

During the war, the actual  condition then,  would have been far worse than as shown in your model.

[Jesse Sim]

59 minutes ago, micklner said:

Interesting theory. Speculating is not a good idea for any modelling , photographs show the true condition at any particular date.

 

The LNER Coronation service running time  was approx 6 hours.

My point was in the late 1930's, they were all brand new A4 Locomotives , Australia and the other special A4's e.g India and New Zealand were used solely for the Coronation services. The LNER also had A4's dedicated to the similar West Riding service.

All the photos on my earlier link show the running condition at different times on the runs. As mentioned before  they were cleaned always before each run. The LNER were very proud of the Coronation service,  I doubt very much if Australia or any the other Coronation Locos were ever in such condition pre war.

The only way to confirm is in a picture of any pre war A4 in that condition, which is far more than a little dirty, I personally have never seen one in that condition.

During the war, the actual  condition then,  would have been far worse than as shown in your model.

But we do not have photos for every single detail is the point I’m trying to make. 
 

 

I have this photo of 2511, she looks pretty dirty to me, but she’s not on a prestige service. 
 

 

4497 here looks rather dirty. 
 

Maybe my model of 4491 is little too dirty, but I stand by my theory of she’s just about to finish a 6 hour journey from Scotland on a crappy day. Of course if I was to run her on a down train she’d be spotless, which is how I’ve modelled 4476. 

[Woodcock29]

11 hours ago, Jesse Sim said:

I have no details about the convention …

Jesse

All the update info for the convention this year in Adelaide is on the BRMA website and will be in June TCH which should arrive in the next week or so. Dates are Fri, 30/9 - Tues, 4/10.

 

I'll probably have a go at Sparrow Hawk myself at some stage but thanks for the offer. I looked through the remains of my Mum's art gear the other day and found a nice flat Windsor Newton Sable so Tony should approve of me having the right tool.

Andrew

[Jesse Sim]

1 minute ago, Woodcock29 said:

Jesse

All the update info for the convention this year in Adelaide is on the BRMA website and will be in June TCH which should arrive in the next week or so. Dates are Fri, 30/9 - Tues, 4/10.

 

I'll probably have a go at Sparrow Hawk myself at some stage but thanks for the offer. I looked through the remains of my Mum's art gear the other day and found a nice flat Windsor Newton Sable so Tony should approve of me having the right tool.

Andrew

I’ll have a look and see what I have on. My planned 4x4 trip to the top end of QLD has been cancelled so I might be able to take a week off and come to the convention. 

[St Enodoc]

4 hours ago, Jesse Sim said:

I’ll have a look and see what I have on. My planned 4x4 trip to the top end of QLD has been cancelled so I might be able to take a week off and come to the convention. 

You'll be able to come to our July running session too then!

[Coach bogie]

18 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

You could pick it up in September while you're at the Convention (plug).

I have just been looking at this convention. Having only been in Brisbane a couple of weeks I will have to make a choice. Convention or back to Britain for a month, for Warley and Manchester. as she who must be obeyed, will be paying, I am sure I will be told which I can go to.

 

As a lifelong GWR modeller, I am enjoying the mixed gauge track here. Paddington should have stuck with the broad gauge🤭 

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Hollar]

I've just read on Scaleforum that biurglars have stolen almost all the locos on Liverpool Lime Street.  It looks like a targetted theft. There was none of the wanton damage of the St Merrion theft - they carefully removed the roof, and packed their loot in their travel boxes.  It's hard to know where they will be able to sell a large cache of late-era EM locos, and  we can all keep our eyes out.

 

Tony

[Tony Wright]

8 hours ago, Woodcock29 said:

Jesse

All the update info for the convention this year in Adelaide is on the BRMA website and will be in June TCH which should arrive in the next week or so. Dates are Fri, 30/9 - Tues, 4/10.

 

I'll probably have a go at Sparrow Hawk myself at some stage but thanks for the offer. I looked through the remains of my Mum's art gear the other day and found a nice flat Windsor Newton Sable so Tony should approve of me having the right tool.

Andrew

Good morning Andrew,

 

If your convention is anywhere near as enjoyable as the one I attended in Sydney in 2018, then it'll be a huge success. I wish you all well.

 

The right tool? It would be if the maker were WINSOR (without the 'd') & Newton.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

3 minutes ago, Hollar said:

I've just read on Scaleforum that biurglars have stolen almost all the locos on Liverpool Lime Street.  It looks like a targetted theft. There was none of the wanton damage of the St Merrion theft - they carefully removed the roof, and packed their loot in their travel boxes.  It's hard to know where they will be able to sell a large cache of late-era EM locos, and  we can all keep our eyes out.

 

Tony

I've just found out about the despicable act, Tony. 

 

The perpetrators of this wicked theft will surely have difficulty shifting their ill-gotten gains on the open market, so we must all be vigilant. Many of the locos have been photographed, with their images published, so identification should be relatively easy. Here's hoping that they're located soon. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

Some interesting comments regarding the weathering of A4s in LNER days. 

 

Though there's no doubt that the 'Coronation', being a prestige service, would usually have a clean A4 on the front. However, six hours of running on a filthy winter's day would certainly weather any steed. And, what about a last-minute substitute, not as sparkling as the allocated loco? 

 

As for 'speculation'? Granted, that empirical evidence (both photographic and written) is the best source for model-making, without my speculating on many aspects of a model, I doubt if I'd ever have built anything.

 

Anyway, some examples of Gresley streamliners' weathering in model form............. 

 

 

A Hornby A4 weathered by Tom Foster.

 

 

And another by Tom, along with some Hornby A1s. 

 

Very natural indeed. Superb!

 

 

Tom Rance's 'extended' Hornby/King A4 to create the W1. 

 

Another example of beautiful weathering, especially (and very typically) on the valance studs. 

 

 

And a non-weathered 'Coronation' A4 - excellence in O Gauge by Golden Age.

 

Could one argue that this is less-realistic than the weathered ones? 

 

 

[micklner]

8 hours ago, Jesse Sim said:

But we do not have photos for every single detail is the point I’m trying to make. 
 

 

I have this photo of 2511, she looks pretty dirty to me, but she’s not on a prestige service. 
 

 

4497 here looks rather dirty. 
 

Maybe my model of 4491 is little too dirty, but I stand by my theory of she’s just about to finish a 6 hour journey from Scotland on a crappy day. Of course if I was to run her on a down train she’d be spotless, which is how I’ve modelled 4476. 

Just found this photo of C of Australia arriving at Kings Cross in 1937 (date unknown) with the Coronation set. Just the usual Oil staining either side of the Cylinders. Lovely Loco and Train.  No idea of arrival time on this photo

 

 

 

 

 

[Jesse Sim]

9 minutes ago, micklner said:

Just found this photo of C of Australia arriving at Kings Cross in 1937 (date unknown) with the Coronation set. Just the usual Oil staining either side of the Cylinders. Lovely Loco and Train.  No idea of arrival time on this photo

 

 

 

 

 

Exactly my point, one photo on one particular day. Out of how many days did she run? 

[Atso]

Just catching up properly after some time not posting. Tony, I am glad that you are feeling better and I hope that Mo will be in the near future too.

[Atso]

With regards to Jesse's weathered A4, I think that he has captured the look pretty well. My only (constructive) criticism would be that the cleaners would have probably done a better job of getting behind the handrails, just leaving the immediate area around the handrail knobs as a dirt trap.

 

With regard to photographs, I can think of two that show the weathering on fairly new A4s. The first is on page 55 of 'The Big Four in Colour' which shows 'Sparrow Hawk' approaching New Barnet with the 10:15am from Edinburgh in the summer of 1938. The top of the tender shows some great staining from (I assume) coal dust which almost creates the illusion of a black panel in that area.

 

The second is on page 69 of 'LNER Locomotives in colour' which shows 'Dominion of Canada' departing King's Cross with the Down 'Westriding Limited' in 1939. The caption even makes reference to the locomotive's 'less than pristine condition' and goes on to suggest that 4489 may have been covering a failed A4 at short notice. 

 

I offer my own take on a work stained (n gauge) A4 representing the prototype 'Silver Link' following an Up run with the Silver Jubilee. 'Silver Fox' will represent the return working and be much cleaner than this (apologies for the derailed 'cartazzi truck'). As this is a quick repaint of a garter blue model, there are some incorrect features on this model - it'll do as a 'layout loco' belting through Hadley Wood at 80ish!.

 

[great central]

Regarding cleanliness or otherwise of A4s, I remember seeing a freshly overhauled Union of South Africa at Derby following a test run years ago. 

The top of the boiler was heavily soot laden and being swept down by the support crew as it was a dry summer day.

I think it had done something like a Derby-Sheffield-Derby circuit so perhaps up to 100 miles?

Had it been a wet winters day I would have expected that the soot would have made rather more of a mess and wouldn't be able to be swept off.

[St Enodoc]

Tony, you and some folk on here will have known my good friend Ron Reilly  @nerron who died last year. I hope you don't mind me letting everyone know that his model railway items are being sold by online auction this Sunday:

 

https://www.invaluable.com/catalog/g4526ebv6h

 

Thanks.

[Tony Wright]

6 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Tony, you and some folk on here will have known my good friend Ron Reilly  @nerron who died last year. I hope you don't mind me letting everyone know that his model railway items are being sold by online auction this Sunday:

 

https://www.invaluable.com/catalog/g4526ebv6h

 

Thanks.

I don't think anyone would mind John.

 

I hope the sale is successful.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

A friend has been in email correspondence regarding a scratch-built 'Princess Coronation' he's just been given. It's sitting on a Tri-ang/Hornby Flying Scotsman chassis from the late-'60s! 

 

It set me thinking about the three 'Semis' I've put together in the last few years................

 

 

This was given to me by the late Bob Alderman (he'd been given it by the family of the late modeller who'd first built it). It's scratch-built, but was incomplete. I completed it (mainly detailing), fitted Markits wheels and Comet motion/cylinders, and Ian Rathbone painted it.

 

 

This is a Hornby/Comet conversion to produce one of the Ivatt pair, conducted by me for a BRM Annual (I think it was for an Annual). Ian Rathbone also painted this. Both this and the one above now belong to a friend (barter!).

 

 

My most-recent one, built from a DJH kit and painted by Geoff Haynes. 

 

With the exception of 46231, I saw all this magnificent class (one would work through Chester every day on the 10.05 to Holyhead, often a Crewe Works running-in turn).

 

Was there ever a more impressive 8P?