Upgrading an ancient Hornby dock authority.

[Avonsidefan]

I have inherited one from my Dad, in green with a yellow front (though I have to check if it is a respray or the original bodywork). I have seen some lovely detailing ideas here. Apart from changing the lettering, his detailing was a classic actually observed while visiting a railway depot in the 1960's - a bicycle slung on the back (how else is the driver going to get home for his tea?) Such a simple addition that added character to what was one of my favourite locos on his railway when I was a kid. I have to say the headlight was a clincher for me, especially since Dad had lots of tunnels on his old layout. I shall be adding a lamp and lots of weathering I think. Does anyone here know when wasp hazard markings came to be introduced? I noticed a lot of early diesels with yellow fronts, but wasp hazards seem to be a later phenomenon - a change in H&S legislation perhaps?

[BernardTPM]

Wasp stripes were used on industrial locos way back, steam and diesel.

[Avonsidefan]

BernardTPM - Now THAT's what I call a livery! I wargame 1:144th scale model WW1 aircraft and there's a white Fokker triplane in JG.1 documented with b/w chevrons all over. A real pig to paint that was!

These kinda remind me of that.

I'm provisionally modelling Post war to 1950's. Wasp markings were obviously about in the early 1960s, Can they be pushed back any further? I think my Bagnall might look rather nice with Wasp markings on front and rear, but I think that might look a bit 70s to me.

[BernardTPM]

Given the lead time for magazines in those days, I think 1961 would be completely safe, though I suspect it may go back a few years more; say late 1950s. I would think the best people to ask would be the Industrial Railway Society.

[andytrains]

Have just gone back to my first steps in EM gauge.

I did a Dockshunter and converted it to EM back in the 1980's, but I cannot remember how I did it.

I have just bought one and I am looking at it to suss out how I did it years ago!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited May 7, 2016 by andytrains

[SteveyDee68]

On 19/01/2014 at 20:14, daveyg said:

my three, (red,black and yellow) all run fine on my modern Hornby set track. agreed the wheels do seem to need cleaning regularly. I have seen the ones on E Bay, I do think that some vendors do try their luck. I have never spent more than £15 on one. The yellow one is suppose to be the rarer one as it was only sold as part of a set. There was also a purpose built snowplough for it but they are like hen's teeth. good build BTW

 

An old thread, but interesting to read as I have a couple of these locos, picked up at a swap meet and off the Bay of Fleas, which I am attempting to improve.  Of course, I didn't know that the yellow one was rarer before I took the razor saw to it and cut the bonnet down! 

[chris p bacon]

3 minutes ago, SteveyDee68 said:

I didn't know that the yellow one was rarer before I took the razor saw to it and cut the bonnet down! 

 

Even rarer now there's one less of them....