robmcg Posted January 21, 2018 Author Share Posted January 21, 2018 I can remember picking up Wilton's for £40... eek I did say a unique Merchant Navy - didn't I? Elder-Dempster Lines at the very end of her career - sans plates and with repair patches to her tender and weathering still to do.. 35030_inworks.jpg I look forward to the weathering. Those last days of Waterloo to the west steam are imprinted on my mind! Will you give 35030 the luxury of plates and visible number? Given that she lasted until 7/1967. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted January 21, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 21, 2018 I look forward to the weathering. Those last days of Waterloo to the west steam are imprinted on my mind! Will you give 35030 the luxury of plates and visible number? Given that she lasted until 7/1967. No plates - as per my clients request sadly, but she will have visible numbers... (as per photographic evidence) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted January 22, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 22, 2018 Get ready for the next fan-fare.... The next part of the Spitfire build blog is now up: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/135/entry-20394-yet-another-big-build-airfix-124th-scale-supermarine-spitfire-mk-vb-tropical-part-2/ 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 (edited) More Merchant Navy madness, I received the s/h 50 quid Merchant Navy re-numbered re-named 35003 ‘Royal Mail’ yesterday and it was as described, so I set about reversing the wrong-way valve gear. To do this I had to run the model until the slidebar was at its rearmost position, but even then it had about a 20 deg bend in the vertical rod and the slidebar connecting rod... I was surprised to see the box was marked ‘DCC-fitted’, absolutely no mention of this in the ad, and it had wires to the tender even though it had the older style connector with the bar, hole and two wire spring bits. With a fair bit of current it moved ok, with full sound! Chuff chuff even on DC. Quite good sounds too, well-timed, but not deep. Wow! It looked tidy too, excellent plates and numbers, so I was very pleased. The valve gear wouldn’t be pushed by firm finger pressure into its proper orientation so I pushed with the tip of closed needle-nose pliers, quite hard! Talk about the will of the gods! It worked on one side, with no apparent damage, like slidebar bending or crosshead falling out, so I tried the second side which took even more pressure, I tried to make the tips of the pliers orient the pressure so the two rods were being pushed ever so slightly outwards, and it too worked, but it was quite nerve-wracking. I have a spare MN chassis so it wouldn’t have been the end of the world, but it’s neat to have a running sound DCC/DC MN for $102! In photographing it however, various reasons why the model was cheaper emerged. Impact damage to tender front step and injector pipes under the cab, the step is barely hanging on, I might put a bead of super strength araldite on the back on the steps where it is broken/weakened, the injector pipes bent back ok, and on the driver’s side the speedo drive arm is loose on the coupling rod bolt, now where is that useful hex-head Hornby tool? Last used about 100 years ago, ah yes I gave it way lest it rust from lack of use! from this... to this... So fortune favours the brave.... Yes I know it's a wrong tender.... 35003 rebuilt never carried early crest either... Edited January 23, 2018 by robmcg 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted January 24, 2018 Author Share Posted January 24, 2018 (edited) Another triumph of photo-editing over actual modelling. Details on, with tender as rebuilt in 1959 to DRG E50504... Withdrawn at end of BR SR steam in 7/1967 having been timed at 105.77mph not long before, cut up at Cashmores after a few months storage at Nine Elms. I have a new picture of 34046 medium-weathered to compare with 35003, and in looking at pictures on various books I am thinking how nice the blue Merchant Navy will be p.s. I am told the ESU or Zimo sound decoder with which this model may be fitted is worth a few pennies in itself. Can this be true? Edited January 24, 2018 by robmcg 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold MikeParkin65 Posted January 24, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 24, 2018 More Merchant Navy madness, I received the s/h 50 quid Merchant Navy re-numbered re-named 35003 ‘Royal Mail’ yesterday and it was as described, so I set about reversing the wrong-way valve gear. To do this I had to run the model until the slidebar was at its rearmost position, but even then it had about a 20 deg bend in the vertical rod and the slidebar connecting rod... I was surprised to see the box was marked ‘DCC-fitted’, absolutely no mention of this in the ad, and it had wires to the tender even though it had the older style connector with the bar, hole and two wire spring bits. With a fair bit of current it moved ok, with full sound! Chuff chuff even on DC. Quite good sounds too, well-timed, but not deep. Wow! It looked tidy too, excellent plates and numbers, so I was very pleased. The valve gear wouldn’t be pushed by firm finger pressure into its proper orientation so I pushed with the tip of closed needle-nose pliers, quite hard! Talk about the will of the gods! It worked on one side, with no apparent damage, like slidebar bending or crosshead falling out, so I tried the second side which took even more pressure, I tried to make the tips of the pliers orient the pressure so the two rods were being pushed ever so slightly outwards, and it too worked, but it was quite nerve-wracking. I have a spare MN chassis so it wouldn’t have been the end of the world, but it’s neat to have a running sound DCC/DC MN for $102! In photographing it however, various reasons why the model was cheaper emerged. Impact damage to tender front step and injector pipes under the cab, the step is barely hanging on, I might put a bead of super strength araldite on the back on the steps where it is broken/weakened, the injector pipes bent back ok, and on the driver’s side the speedo drive arm is loose on the coupling rod bolt, now where is that useful hex-head Hornby tool? Last used about 100 years ago, ah yes I gave it way lest it rust from lack of use! from this... 35003_712857646abcd_r1200.jpg to this... 35003_MN_Bulleid_20a_Img_8838a_r1200a.jpg 35003_MN_Bulleid_40a_Img_8843a_r1200.jpg 35003_MN_Bulleid_1a_Img_8819abcde_r1200a.jpg So fortune favours the brave.... Yes I know it's a wrong tender.... 35003 rebuilt never carried early crest either... Good bargain! Where the valve gear has reversed itself like that on Hornby Stanier loco's I have found it easier to take the body off then loosen or in the worst case remove the cylinders and slidebars then reinsert the piston rods as I retighten/refit the piston rod and connected rods. That way you dont need to force anything as it all falls into place and is then locked in. I haven't experience of a Bulleid but i think the same method should work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted January 25, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 25, 2018 Another triumph of photo-editing over actual modelling. Details on, with tender as rebuilt in 1959 to DRG E50504... Withdrawn at end of BR SR steam in 7/1967 having been timed at 105.77mph not long before, cut up at Cashmores after a few months storage at Nine Elms. I have a new picture of 34046 medium-weathered to compare with 35003, and in looking at pictures on various books I am thinking how nice the blue Merchant Navy will be 35003_MN_Bulleid_portrait30_3abcdef_r1200.jpg p.s. I am told the ESU or Zimo sound decoder with which this model may be fitted is worth a few pennies in itself. Can this be true? Borrowing my tender - the MiM have been informed 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Borrowing my tender - the MiM have been informed Between the MiM and their airsmoothers, and the Stanieristas and their bathtubs, thank god for the sensibility of the Colletites and their packets of modelling clay... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted January 25, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 25, 2018 Between the MiM and their airsmoothers, and the Stanieristas and their bathtubs, thank god for the sensibility of the Colletites and their packets of modelling clay... Erm... I don't think you want to know where the Colletites, put that clay... ...Once seen, it cannot go unseen - they make the MiM, Stanieristas and the BOU look perfectly innocent Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted January 25, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 25, 2018 While I have a Merchant Navy in the paintshop, Portillo on the TV and a Star in preparation... I have a Spitfire ready for filling and sanding... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted January 30, 2018 Author Share Posted January 30, 2018 (edited) Something to look forward to, acknowledgements to Hornby. picture edited. cheers Edited January 30, 2018 by robmcg 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted January 30, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 30, 2018 Still some work to do, primarily the writing on the smoke box and route indicator discs - the unnamed Modified/Rebuilt Merchant Navy 35030.. And another Merchant Navy has arrived, for identity re-assignment 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted January 30, 2018 Author Share Posted January 30, 2018 Looks superb and reiterates my admiration for the original 2001 tooling. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted January 30, 2018 Author Share Posted January 30, 2018 Still some work to do, primarily the writing on the smoke box and route indicator discs - the unnamed Modified/Rebuilt Merchant Navy 35030.. 35030_lh.jpg 35030_rh.jpg And another Merchant Navy has arrived, for identity re-assignment 35014_lh.jpg Can I ask the source of the rather excellent-looking cylinder drains please? I do like the darker effect on the rods and motion as befits a hard-working express engine. Too often the weathering of some models shows too much rust, not that that didn't happen at times. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted January 30, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 30, 2018 Can I ask the source of the rather excellent-looking cylinder drains please? I do like the darker effect on the rods and motion as befits a hard-working express engine. Too often the weathering of some models shows too much rust, not that that didn't happen at times. The drain cocks are from RT Models (ref. no 4AGBRDC) - however if you tell anyone the MiM will know... oops Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted February 4, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 4, 2018 One custom weathering job done And nearly time for another blog entry Thankfully I didn't get this blue mixed up with weathering the Star that's in my paint booth 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold gwrrob Posted February 4, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 4, 2018 Thankfully I didn't get this blue mixed up with weathering the Star that's in my paint booth Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted February 4, 2018 Author Share Posted February 4, 2018 One custom weathering job done 35030_rh.jpg 35030_lh.jpg 35030_FE.jpg And nearly time for another blog entry SpitfireVB_23.jpg Thankfully I didn't get this blue mixed up with weathering the Star that's in my paint booth Lovely, and what sad days! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railroadbill Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Ooh! Ooh! Please sir, I've got one of those! Renumbered to 73029 (from 73030). 73029 was originally allocated to Blackpool in 1951 but from 1953 was a WR engine, then at Weymouth (71G so SR) from 1958 and got to Eastleigh in 8/1964. However, be careful livery-wise at the very end of steam because it was painted green at Eastleigh works in 7/63. Went to Guildford 5/65, Nine Elms 6/66 and finally withdrawn 7/67, so one of the last in service. It did my head in renumbering this (I'm being too picky!) because I'd actually "spotted" it, it's in my venerable Ian Allen book, but not sure if before 7/63 (when it would have been black) or just after when it would have been green... so I left it black. Tender ought to have a late emblem I guess. It does have real coal in it. Salisbury 34002 behind on the shed road is of course Hornby, since this is a Hornby thread, not the latest "best ever" but the old classic long-running design. It was resprayed from malachite green a long time ago using a Humbrol airbrush (about as basic as they get, but it did work!) With Kings Cross plates and pressfix lining. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted February 6, 2018 Author Share Posted February 6, 2018 If it's attractiveness and value for money you want, these are often quite cheap... I love the accessory pack you get with these too. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railroadbill Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 I think a trawl on e-bay is called for! Current type WC/BB definitely looks good. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted February 7, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 7, 2018 Brace yourselves... I've done a relatively clean loco... ... a GWR Star no less It nearly ended up in USAAF/RAF desert camouflage too 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 Brace yourselves... I've done a relatively clean loco... ... a GWR Star no less 4012_rh.jpg 4012_lhran.jpg It nearly ended up in USAAF/RAF desert camouflage too I know what its called, but my Mutant Brain decided it must be "Night of the Triffids"..... Nicely restrained, well done! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted February 7, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 7, 2018 I know what its called, but my Mutant Brain decided it must be "Night of the Triffids"..... Nicely restrained, well done! Well that's because you've been rendered blind by the bizarre light show (or high strength Moonshine Vodka) When I do light weathering - it takes far longer... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold gwrrob Posted February 7, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 7, 2018 Brace yourselves... I've done a relatively clean loco... ... a GWR Star no less 4012_rh.jpg 4012_lhran.jpg It nearly ended up in USAAF/RAF desert camouflage too Newton's finest and can I get people to sign this petition to save the old shed please. https://www.change.org/p/save-our-shed-save-our-historic-gwr-shed-from-demolition Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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