RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted June 8, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 8, 2017 TMC medium-weathered 35028 arrived, very nice indeed, photo unmolested except crop and re-sizing. 35028_MN_1a_r1200.jpg Cheers, Not bad - though it's too clean by mine and the MiM's standards to be medium weathered, looks like the packaging has buckled the cylinder drain-cocks a bit. In the meantime slightly more progress the Airfix 1/24th Scale Typhoon - just completed step 19 of 229... Once I complete step 20*, I will be putting it to one-side to get on with some more commissions. *This is the four point safety harness - the kit is incredible... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 Not bad - though it's too clean by mine and the MiM's standards to be medium weathered, looks like the packaging has buckled the cylinder drain-cocks a bit. ... Yes - the number on the cab side and early crest are still visible! (Unlike what you did to that poor Hall...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted June 8, 2017 Author Share Posted June 8, 2017 Yes - the number on the cab side and early crest are still visible! (Unlike what you did to that poor Hall...) Yes my feeling is that while early-mid-50s BR MNs were often grubby they only sometimes reached the true depths of decrepitude later encountered, and even then the cab number would generally be sufficiently visible for crews to pick the right one in the shed when starting a shift... The pic doesn't show the paint very well, I'll find another one with more direct daytime lighting, it's a very impressive model! The MiM must be educated appeased. <g> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted June 9, 2017 Author Share Posted June 9, 2017 Here is a sample of massaged Hornby paintwork with TMC medium weathering, and a name change by me to NZ Line being another of the last few MN rebuilds in 1959. The model is right for 1954-55, detail around rods, correctly fluted for 1954, with correct forward safety valves, and other detail around the slldebars and pistons is truly setting new standard for 00 RTR. For myself, 'New Zealand Line' and 'Shaw Savill' are favourites as ships of those lines were common around the wharves where I grew up... pre-container days. Cheers 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted June 12, 2017 Author Share Posted June 12, 2017 Two more pictures of Hornby Merchant Navy class engines, showing the style of the first super-detailed model from 2001-on with in this case 35012 'United States Lines' heading the Atlantic Coast Express at Farnborough, and the latest iteration of the RTR super-detail art, 35028 'Clan Line' in original form, as produced by Hornby this year and medium-weathered by TMC. Both pictures mildly enhanced by me, and I have used such as cylinder drain from a rebuilt Light Pacific on 35012, 35028 required no particular work. It shows the great leap forwards made by Hornby in 2001 under the guidance of one Simon Kohler, and they haven't looked back since. Simon was the instigator and main mover behind the first of the super-detailed models exemplified by the Merchant Navy models. Congratulations! 70mph+ and still accelerating. Pristine and beautiful. Cheers 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted June 12, 2017 Author Share Posted June 12, 2017 Oops, note to moderator, I mis-captioned my pic of the rebuilt Merchant Navy 35011 in my post just an hour ago, could I please substitute this pic and caption? being pristine 35011 'General Steam Navigation' at speed with the ACE at Farnborough c1955, beautiful! cheers, Robbie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted June 12, 2017 Author Share Posted June 12, 2017 dear moderator, Sorry, messed up again, wrong picture selected for the corrected version, I confuse myself all the time, here is the correct picture, correct name, etc apologies, caption as per the first correction. Pristine Merchant Navy 35011 'General Steam Navigation' at speed through Farnborough ... beautiful! Apologies again and I will understand if you don't publish any of these! Best, Robbie 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted June 13, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 13, 2017 (edited) Those pictures are proper blurring the line between model and reality! A comment about cleanliness of Merchant Navies at the end of steam; i went down to Eastleigh in the late spring of '67 with my usual spotting mates to see what could be seen, and the expected high point of the afternoon was the passage of the up 'Bournmeouth Belle', of course. We'd seen the down working earlier, unfortunately behind a Brush Type 4. The train appeared at the usual time behind a spotless and gleaming 'Clan Line' and swept through at about 55mph I reckoned, not working very hard and with the characteristic gentle purr from the exhaust, a loco completely on top of it's job. We then had a half hour or so to wait for the demu back to Salisbury to catch a Portsmouth-Cardiff Swindon Inter-City set home. After a few minutes, all the boards came off for something on the down main, and as it didn't appear immediately, it looked as if it was going to be something fast. It was noticeable that staff found reasons to be out on the platforms as if they wanted to watch whatever was coming, and my chum Lewis, who had a telescope with him, deployed it in the direction of Winchester. The day was hot, hazy and heat shimmer off the rails prevented a clear view, but he said there was definitely something up there, and it seemed to be bouncing around somewhat; we put this down to the heat shimmer. Then he identified it as s steam engine with smoke deflectors. A few minutes later a locomotive whose external condition was as bad as any I have ever seen, seriously, there were better examples at Woodhams, burst upon the scene doing, I don't know, I've never seen a steam loco going that fast before or since, the fat side of 90 certainly, bouncing all over the place so long as it was in the opposite direction to the tender, and definitely not purring! It was identifiable as a Merchant Navy as it passed by a totem shaped rust stain on the side of the boiler, but had no smokebox plates and was far too filthy for any cabside number to be even seen, never mind deciphered. Her fireman was leaning out of his window with a pair of goggles on and a grin from ear to ear, his teeth being the only clean thing visible, and she sounded her whistle as she approached us and kept it going under the bridge and past the shed, for all the world as if her crew had something to prove on their minds... She seemed in fine mechanical fettle, no clanking or steam leaks, but the filth was beyond description. Cleaning might have made her several tons lighter. To this day I have no idea of the identity of this locomotive beyond that it was a Merchant Navy and still in service in 1967. The dust settled, the staff found things to do indoors, and us GW fans had been given a lesson in what a Bullied pacific could do; it was the last steam loco I was to ever see in revenue service on the Southern, and a magnificent finale, especially after the tame performance of 'Clan Line' on the up 'Belle'. We wondered how a train going that fast could possibly have pulled up at Southampton... Edited June 13, 2017 by The Johnster 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted June 13, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 13, 2017 Those pictures are proper blurring the line between model and reality! A comment about cleanliness of Merchant Navies at the end of steam; i went down to Eastleigh in the late spring of '67 with my usual spotting mates to see what could be seen, and the expected high point of the afternoon was the passage of the up 'Bournmeouth Belle', of course. We'd seen the down working earlier, unfortunately behind a Brush Type 4. The train appeared at the usual time behind a spotless and gleaming 'Clan Line' and swept through at about 55mph I reckoned, not working very hard and with the characteristic gentle purr from the exhaust, a loco completely on top of it's job. We then had a half hour or so to wait for the demu back to Salisbury to catch a Portsmouth-Cardiff Swindon Inter-City set home. After a few minutes, all the boards came off for something on the down main, and as it didn't appear immediately, it looked as if it was going to be something fast. It was noticeable that staff found reasons to be out on the platforms as if they wanted to watch whatever was coming, and my chum Lewis, who had a telescope with him, deployed it in the direction of Winchester. The day was hot, hazy and heat shimmer off the rails prevented a clear view, but he said there was definitely something up there, and it seemed to be bouncing around somewhat; we put this down to the heat shimmer. Then he identified it as s steam engine with smoke deflectors. A few minutes later a locomotive whose external condition was as bad as any I have ever seen, seriously, there were better examples at Woodhams, burst upon the scene doing, I don't know, I've never seen a steam loco going that fast before or since, the fat side of 90 certainly, bouncing all over the place so long as it was in the opposite direction to the tender, and definitely not purring! It was identifiable as a Merchant Navy as it passed by a totem shaped rust stain on the side of the boiler, but had no smokebox plates and was far too filthy for any cabside number to be even seen, never mind deciphered. Her fireman was leaning out of his window with a pair of goggles on and a grin from ear to ear, his teeth being the only clean thing visible, and she sounded her whistle as she approached us and kept it going under the bridge and past the shed, for all the world as if her crew had something to prove on their minds... She seemed in fine mechanical fettle, no clanking or steam leaks, but the filth was beyond description. Cleaning might have made her several tons lighter. To this day I have no idea of the identity of this locomotive beyond that it was a Merchant Navy and still in service in 1967. The dust settled, the staff found things to do indoors, and us GW fans had been given a lesson in what a Bullied pacific could do; it was the last steam loco I was to ever see in revenue service on the Southern, and a magnificent finale, especially after the tame performance of 'Clan Line' on the up 'Belle'. We wondered how a train going that fast could possibly have pulled up at Southampton... Eliminating Clan Line, it could possibly be one of the following: 35003 Royal Mail, 35007 Aberdeen Commonwealth, 35008 Orient Line, 35013 Blue Funnel, 35023 Holland-Africa Line or 35030 Elder-Dempster Lines. These (along with Clan Line) were last Merchant Navies to be withdrawn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted June 13, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 13, 2017 Another of those pesky S15's has sprung up on my workbench, certainly a lot cleaner than the other S15's I've done.. And also managed to complete the cockpit on the Typhoon, in between commissions. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steaming_chris Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 Hi James I like the earlier posted pictures of the Hall and 42/52xx, of course. There’s some fine detail work around the cockpit. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted June 13, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 13, 2017 Hi James I like the earlier posted pictures of the Hall and 42/52xx, of course. There’s some fine detail work around the cockpit. Regards Building the Typhoon has taken me back to my days of building Leaping-heaps (Harriers) - it's fiddly as f*!$!! I've just renumbered/renamed a WR shedded Patriot and I am about to start a unique G2a - then I'll get on with building the engine for the Typhoon Just waiting for a new compressor to arrive, as my old one is on it's last legs (works, but not holding pressure) :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted June 13, 2017 Author Share Posted June 13, 2017 Eliminating Clan Line, it could possibly be one of the following: 35003 Royal Mail, 35007 Aberdeen Commonwealth, 35008 Orient Line, 35013 Blue Funnel, 35023 Holland-Africa Line or 35030 Elder-Dempster Lines. These (along with Clan Line) were last Merchant Navies to be withdrawn. There are many stories of crews having a 'last go' and 35008 was one, on I think an RCTS run possibly in 1966 was timed at 108mph., I might be wrong, but the anecdote goes that the fireman was all smiles at Salisbury and when asked about the feat calmly remarked that 35088 'wasn't even one of the good 'uns'! The weakest link in these high speeds with Merchants was possibly the middle big end. In any event The Johnster's lovely post suggests to you toboldlygo that a degree of weathering on later Bulleids is indeed in order! I have a couple of pics with weathered Merchant Navys, and a couple more with heavily-weathered Light Pacifics but people have probably seen these already. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted June 14, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 14, 2017 There are many stories of crews having a 'last go' and 35008 was one, on I think an RCTS run possibly in 1966 was timed at 108mph., I might be wrong, but the anecdote goes that the fireman was all smiles at Salisbury and when asked about the feat calmly remarked that 35088 'wasn't even one of the good 'uns'! The weakest link in these high speeds with Merchants was possibly the middle big end. In any event The Johnster's lovely post suggests to you toboldlygo that a degree of weathering on later Bulleids is indeed in order! I have a couple of pics with weathered Merchant Navys, and a couple more with heavily-weathered Light Pacifics but people have probably seen these already. Cheers Looking through the Book of the Merchant Navy Pacifics, I may of identified the mystery Merchant Navy for the Johnster - 35013 Blue Funnel.. On April 28th, she left Waterloo 12 minutes late and reached Winchester 1 minute early - that was hauling 12 coaches and a van and the speedo was jammed a 104mph. Just shy of 2 months later (June 26th) she clocked 106mph.. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted June 14, 2017 Author Share Posted June 14, 2017 Looking through the Book of the Merchant Navy Pacifics, I may of identified the mystery Merchant Navy for the Johnster - 35013 Blue Funnel.. On April 28th, she left Waterloo 12 minutes late and reached Winchester 1 minute early - that was hauling 12 coaches and a van and the speedo was jammed a 104mph. Just shy of 2 months later (June 26th) she clocked 106mph.. Excellent, and what great days they were! Sad of course, but when you were 16yrs old as I was in 1967, the last days of steam were very good to witness. I must concoct via my computer wizardry a picture of the said engine. Perhaps in spite of the external condition described by The Johnster it was 'one of the good 'uns'. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 Looking through the Book of the Merchant Navy Pacifics, I may of identified the mystery Merchant Navy for the Johnster - 35013 Blue Funnel.. On April 28th, she left Waterloo 12 minutes late and reached Winchester 1 minute early - that was hauling 12 coaches and a van and the speedo was jammed a 104mph. Just shy of 2 months later (June 26th) she clocked 106mph.. Hi toboldlygo and The Johnster, I was so impressed by the evocative post by The Johnster that I quoted it and your response on my 'BR Steam Photos' Facebook page, with acknowledgements, I hope you don't mind. I did 3 pics of what might resemble 35013 'Blue Funnel' in the condition described. Best 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 There are many stories of crews having a 'last go' and 35008 was one, on I think an RCTS run possibly in 1966 was timed at 108mph., I might be wrong, but the anecdote goes that the fireman was all smiles at Salisbury and when asked about the feat calmly remarked that 35088 'wasn't even one of the good 'uns'!... Nothing remarkable about this at all. What had informed OVSB's decision to put a machine with a big grate into service for the Southern? Why, it would be the GNR/LNER development of the wide firebox express locomotive, which project was led by Gresley, ably assisted by his Right Hand Man, OVSB. When it came to seeing whether steam could match what an express diesel railcar might achieve on the ECML, the locomotive selected for the first trial was quite deliberately made: an average specimen of an A1, famously 'Flying Scotsman' no 4472. And the first dynamometer car record of 100mph, (and thus the first time such speed had been reliably recorded on UK rails) was obtained using the roughly 1200 ihp that an A1 could be flogged up to, powering an all up 360 ton train weight. An all up train weight of 600 tons, and the very much higher output that an average MN should have been able to exert will whip it along alright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted June 15, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 15, 2017 Hi toboldlygo and The Johnster, I was so impressed by the evocative post by The Johnster that I quoted it and your response on my 'BR Steam Photos' Facebook page, with acknowledgements, I hope you don't mind. I did 3 pics of what might resemble 35013 'Blue Funnel' in the condition described. Best I don't mind in the least, and am very flattered. That post seems to have attracted a bit of favourable attention. I am quite happy to go with 'Blue Funnel', especially as father was an officer cadet with them for a while in the early 30s, and April 28th, my only doubt being that it was a Friday and and not a school holiday, and we would have been very naughty indeed to have taken a day out in our 'O' level year, but the similarity of events is compelling, especially if the train would have passed through Eastleigh in the later part of the afternoon. The performance is all the more creditable if she had to start from a stand at Winchester. The stock was a mixture of mk1s and Bullieds and did not suggest anything other than a normal service train. I would not swear to 104mph (which of course does not preclude such a feat on the run down to Winchester), as my own assessment, purely subjective but based on my impression of the sound of carriage wheel beats which I was used to on the WR in the high 80s, put her in the mid to high 90s; as I say I had never and have never since seen a steam locomotive running at such a high speed, never mine one so visually derelict... I liked the rebuilt big Bullieds, handsome engines in a modern sort of way with the BFB wheels giving them a very practical and businesslike look, even when they were dirty. I am told that the boilers were one of the best in the game, and would steam on a candle, which is one of the fundamental requirements of a loco that can run at over 100mph with 13 on; I believe this was one of several such exploits at around this time on the Waterloo-Southampton route and I have no hesitation in believing that such feats were not only possible but fairly easily achievable. The locos were good, the road was fast, and more than one crew felt they had something to prove with these engines, and a limited amount of time to prove it. The lads on 'Blue Funnel' convinced the bejaysus out of me! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 Here is one of my pics of what approximates to 35013 'Blue Funnel' on that day in Spring 1967 at Eastleigh... all kinds of licence taken, bullhead rails for a start! I hope a atmosphere is there. I have often observed fast steam trains passing and the raised dust suggests higher speeds, various Youtube clips show this. And it was a hot day. And being based on a model train my imagination helps me. Those 6'2" drivers are rotating faster than I think even M W Earley could have stopped! <g> Thanks again The Johnster Best 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted June 16, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2017 Nothing remarkable about this at all. What had informed OVSB's decision to put a machine with a big grate into service for the Southern? Why, it would be the GNR/LNER development of the wide firebox express locomotive, which project was led by Gresley, ably assisted by his Right Hand Man, OVSB. When it came to seeing whether steam could match what an express diesel railcar might achieve on the ECML, the locomotive selected for the first trial was quite deliberately made: an average specimen of an A1, famously 'Flying Scotsman' no 4472. And the first dynamometer car record of 100mph, (and thus the first time such speed had been reliably recorded on UK rails) was obtained using the roughly 1200 ihp that an A1 could be flogged up to, powering an all up 360 ton train weight. An all up train weight of 600 tons, and the very much higher output that an average MN should have been able to exert will whip it along alright. Only 1200 BHP? The Hawker Typhoon Mk.1B I'm building (in-between commissions) had 2200 BHP in real life - so powerful that it initially used to rip the tail off the plane in a dive. Mine hasn't got far enough to have a tail (or fuselage) yet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted June 23, 2017 Author Share Posted June 23, 2017 Here is a Hornby model which will never even enter the running for 'best ever'; LNER A3 2503 'Firdaussi' in gloss finish, slightly affected as it is by recent A1/A3 production issues with bent running plates and poor smokebox and cab fitting. At least they are cheap. I paid £79 at Kernows. I removed the body and tweaked the front of the running plate with thumb and forefinger so it isn't too far from flat, the cab fit isn't a complete disaster either. It does make a pretty picture, with some edited details. Built in 1934 as an A3 it became BR 60038, worked mostly from Gateshead and was withdrawn in 11/63. I think the LNER finish is very good. Cheers 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted June 24, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 24, 2017 Here is a Hornby model which will never even enter the running for 'best ever'; LNER A3 2503 'Firdaussi' in gloss finish, slightly affected as it is by recent A1/A3 production issues with bent running plates and poor smokebox and cab fitting. At least they are cheap. I paid £79 at Kernows. I removed the body and tweaked the front of the running plate with thumb and forefinger so it isn't too far from flat, the cab fit isn't a complete disaster either. It does make a pretty picture, with some edited details. Built in 1934 as an A3 it became BR 60038, worked mostly from Gateshead and was withdrawn in 11/63. I think the LNER finish is very good. 2503_A3_Firdaussi_Country_5a_2abcdefg_r1200.jpg Cheers Ah Firduassi, now there's a blast from the past for me... The usual disclaimer applies to the following (as the MR/Bluebox folk may get upset and need therapy) Patriot Class 45519 Lady Godiva G2a Class 48895 And the epic 1/24th Scale Typhoon is progressing rapidly (those years of building Harriers for real is paying dividends) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted June 25, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 25, 2017 Here is one of my pics of what approximates to 35013 'Blue Funnel' on that day in Spring 1967 at Eastleigh... all kinds of licence taken, bullhead rails for a start! I hope a atmosphere is there. I have often observed fast steam trains passing and the raised dust suggests higher speeds, various Youtube clips show this. And it was a hot day. And being based on a model train my imagination helps me. Those 6'2" drivers are rotating faster than I think even M W Earley could have stopped! <g> Thanks again The Johnster 35013_Bulleid_Merchant_Navy_Power_35013_11ab_crop1_r1200.jpg Best No, no, that engine's far too clean... Pretty close to my memory of her, rob, excellent stuff. If were to take issue with anything it would be the buffer beam; there was no trace on the loco I saw of it every having ever had anything to do with red, or any other, paint! If anything, Blue Funnel was more claggy than the coating of rust in your picture, but there wasn't much in it. Of course, my view from Eastleigh's up platform of a down train was of the other side, but this certainly rings bells. It is difficult now to believe that an engine so far visually derelict could be hauling an express passenger train at all, never mine one in such obviously good mechanical order that it was running at not far off the ton with a 13 or 14 coach train. What do I mean, now, it was difficult to believe then, and we were used to steam engines being in pretty bad external nick in those days! The driving wheels were rotating too fast to make out any details of themselves or the running gear; it was the sort of blur I was able to achieve a decade earlier with my Triang black Princess Elizabeth before it slungshot across the room off a 13 inch curve! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 (edited) Poor external condition probably says it all; So long as the boiler was safe, everything else seemed to take care of itself. The Lanky 0-6-0's were some 70 years old when I worked on them, though they had probably renewed themselves like Triggs brush several times. One particularly poor specimen was in steam standing on the breakdown train, the joke being it probably need to tow one around just in case, and I watched as it was called into action. Draincocks open, the driver snatched open the regulator then shut it again....then he repeated this several times while steam built up in the internal passages. Finally something happened and the coupling rod shot to the end of its pin on the leading driving wheel. There was a judder before the wheels started to move and a blast from the chimney covered us all in muck. One dinnertime I found I was relieving that same engine at Oldham Mumps........ It was considered good enough to earn a crust shunting and trip working to Royton Junction! That was seven years before the end of steam, so I can well imagine what the motive power situation was like across the remaining loco fleet during the 1966-68 'minimum maintenance' period. Edited June 25, 2017 by coachmann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted June 25, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 25, 2017 A commission for a regular customer - another S15 (as is, just weathered and detailed) And the Typhoon has cannon fitted (on one side) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now