Henley-on-Thames - GWR in the 1930's

[Mike_Walker]

Rather than that, why not get something that looks like a TV bus of the era!  A rear entrance BET style Leyland Tiger would be appropriate and the pre-war livery was red with a cream waistband and roof, the window surrounds were red.

 

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, Mike_Walker said:

Rather than that, why not get something that looks like a TV bus of the era!  A rear entrance BET style Leyland Tiger would be appropriate and the pre-war livery was red with a cream waistband and roof, the window surrounds were red.

 

Thanks Mike

 

Any idea if there is a model of that bus?

[ChrisN]

Neal,

I am not sure if these are the right type, but in this page there are some by EFE, which are diecast but not sure of the scale, and on this page there are kits by a company I have never heard of, called Davric, which are 4mm.

[Neal Ball]

3 hours ago, Mike_Walker said:

Rather than that, why not get something that looks like a TV bus of the era!  A rear entrance BET style Leyland Tiger would be appropriate and the pre-war livery was red with a cream waistband and roof, the window surrounds were red.

 

 

1 hour ago, ChrisN said:

Neal,

I am not sure if these are the right type, but in this page there are some by EFE, which are diecast but not sure of the scale, and on this page there are kits by a company I have never heard of, called Davric, which are 4mm.

 

Thanks for this guys.

 

All I know is the bus I have is a Lledo bus, dont know anymore than that!

 

I also have an Oxford TD1 and a Bristol L6B, which I think is the wrong era. Actually of course, I need more horse drawn vans. I will look at the buses. Thanks again.

Edited May 6, 2022 by Neal Ball
Bus changed!

[Neal Ball]

Interesting I have been reading about the leyland Tiger TS series of front engined (pre WW2) buses: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leyland_Tiger_(front-engined) 

 

In other news, the matt varnish seems to be drying matt. Obviously my solution was too weak previously.

[rapidoandy]

The steam effects technology is really interesting. I have an O gauge Terrier which has been kitted out and it is brilliant. This model has yet to reach me but it really is great when trundling along. More videos to follow next week...

[A Murphy]

As far as I know, all EFE models are 1:76 so good for OO. 

 

Alastair M

[Neal Ball]

29 minutes ago, rapidoandy said:

The steam effects technology is really interesting. I have an O gauge Terrier which has been kitted out and it is brilliant. This model has yet to reach me but it really is great when trundling along. More videos to follow next week...

 

Sounds good Andy, it will be interesting to see the videos, although I don't think its for me.

 

How about some Thames Valley buses for the 1930's (see above), or maybe a new Collett Autocoach... (previous page). Any clues for the newsletter? 😄 😄

[A Murphy]

Neal Hattons currently have Thames Valley Windover coaches, which are 1930s possibly (?) and 40s definitely, and TV Leyland TD1s for around ten quid. They are both much nicer bus models than the Lledo offering I think?

 

Alastair M

[Neal Ball]

8 hours ago, A Murphy said:

Neal Hattons currently have Thames Valley Windover coaches, which are 1930s possibly (?) and 40s definitely, and TV Leyland TD1s for around ten quid. They are both much nicer bus models than the Lledo offering I think?

 

Alastair M

Thanks for this Alastair.

 

They currently have some Bristol LS buses which were built from 1951 onwards; the Windover is the Bristol L6B which was also a 1959’s bus.

 

There is also a PS1 Tiger bus, but that is a 1940’s bus.

 

The Titan TD1 is the correct bus for the period, they were built from 1927 onwards. 
 

Hattons though have several TS8 single decker buses, there are the single version of the Titan double deckers and were introduced around the same time, with the TS8 being built from late 1930’s. There are some Lancashire United models, which have a similar paint scheme to Thames Valley and at £6 to £8 are worth a shot. Ultimately it would be resprayed and transfers made up.

Thank you very much for this.

I’ve often wondered why there are so few Thames Valley buses as models.

 

Incidentally the bus at the top of the page AJB814 was new to Newbury and District buses in May 1937 and appearing as Thames Valley when bus services were nationalised. Thames Valley replaced Newbury and district in 1950 to 1952.

 

https://petergould.co.uk/fleetlists/newbury/
 

Edited May 7, 2022 by Neal Ball
Newbury and District added

[Neal Ball]

Apparently this weekend see's the last running of the GWR/AEC Railcar no 22 until September.

 

https://fb.watch/cRPpD11r0d/

 

Seen here on a visit in September 2001:

 

[Neal Ball]

Interesting article on the Didcot going loco blog this weekend about converting locos to oil burning: 

 

https://didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/product.php/78/going-loco?fbclid=IwAR3HSQeVm4cRD3L8OLLSdmuxa_UsEKgPVNIgS2P1vecDuLaLAIBpHqG-7k4

 

When the programme was cancelled 93 locos had been converted, 36 of them on the GWR.

 

[Neal Ball]

I have been into the Railway room today and am pleased to say that the varnishing has now worked. It was tricky to get the mix right, but it was worth the effort.

 

Today further supplies have arrived, which are the exact ones used in the Vallejo instructions for matt varnish. https://acrylicosvallejo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/vallejo-stepbystep-using-vallejo-varnishes-EN.pdf

 

Starting with the H57; this now looks very good; I am pleased with the result:

 

 

Then the Centenary carriages:

 

H43 Kitchen / 1st class 

 

 

and the 3rd class Restaurant carriage:

 

 

Lastly the E153 

 

 

Out of the four carriages, this one has the flatest finish of the carriages; the others have a slight sheen.

 

There remains quite a bit to do on the carriages before they are finished, but getting this far with the painting is a huge relief. Seeing all four together, its very tempting to flick through the Comet catalogue to see what is next :-)

 

Realistically before that, I have 3 sets of carriage sides in stock which will be worked on before anything else. There is a lot to be said for doing them in a batch though - if nothing else, it utilises the spray gun effectively!

 

Whilst waiting for the carriages to come on, I have done more work on the loco servicing yard and hopefully that will all be completed next week. Plus the end scenic board in front of the station building has been put up.

 

Great progress. Whatever your weekend plans, have a good weekend.

[longchap]

Bon weekend to you too Neal. Another day hoeing the courtyard methinks, as we get ready for our first summer clients.

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, longchap said:

Bon weekend to you too Neal. Another day hoeing the courtyard methinks, as we get ready for our first summer clients.

 

Sounds idyllic

[Mike_Walker]

Here's another Thames Valley bus suitable for your era, these Tilling-Stevens (this one dates from 1927) used to serve Henley into the early post-war years.

 

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, Mike_Walker said:

Here's another Thames Valley bus suitable for your era, these Tilling-Stevens (this one dates from 1927) used to serve Henley into the early post-war years.

 

Thanks Mike, lovely looking bus.

 

It doesn’t look as if there are any models of it, which is a shame. http://www.modelbuszone.co.uk/tmb/lists/Models_Operator5.htm#94
 

Edited May 8, 2022 by Neal Ball
Link added

[Mike_Walker]

Build your own...   

 

Here's my cack-handed attempt from many moons ago.  It represents the first batch which were shorter hence the missing half window amidships.  Think a 1920s version of a RM v RML.

 

[Neal Ball]

2 hours ago, Mike_Walker said:

Build your own...   

 

Here's my cack-handed attempt from many moons ago.  It represents the first batch which were shorter hence the missing half window amidships.  Think a 1920s version of a RM v RML.

 

Nice idea Mike (and a nice model ), but I have enough half finished jobs at Henley-on-Thames, without adding a bus into the mix 😎

 

I’ve placed an order for the TS8 from Hattons which be resprayed into Thames Valley livery with transfers which will need to be custom made.

 

I nearly placed an order for an Ancorten(?) horse drawn van, but decided against. I will probably go to Langley or Dart.

 

[Neal Ball]

Afternoon all,

 

After a very quiet 11 days, when no modelling has been done, things are about to get busy!

 

Our postroom have just advised that a couple of parcels are due to be delivered either this afternoon or tomorrow. These should include the Modelu order and also my YouChoos order. Exciting / busy times ahead.

 

In placing the orders, I have used a different method of shipping. Rather than coming over and getting stuck in customs for 6 or 7 weeks, these have been couriered using the services of our postroom franchise. Essentially the parcels get delivered to a hub in Orpington and then come down by road, visiting all the post rooms on the way.

 

By the time they arrive, they will have taken 3 weeks - hopefully without a huge customs duty to pay!

 

We are at the start of a mini heatwave in this bit of Spain, with temperatures due to get up to 29 degrees in the next few days. That will be nice…. We had solar panels installed last week, so longer warm days can only be a good thing.

 

Apologies to anyone in a cooler climate 😎🌞🇪🇸

[57xx]

On 07/05/2022 at 14:32, Neal Ball said:

I have been into the Railway room today and am pleased to say that the varnishing has now worked. It was tricky to get the mix right, but it was worth the effort.

 

What did you find tricky about it? Was it getting the ratio right?

 

I've got a few armour kits that my brother bought me for birthdays/xmas that I'm getting round to putting together and have acquired some Vallejo acrylics to paint them with. So far so good, the primer goes on silky smooth and I've tried one coat of base colour. Varnish is one thing I forgot to get but will need some so would be handy know the pitfalls.

[Neal Ball]

45 minutes ago, 57xx said:

 

What did you find tricky about it? Was it getting the ratio right?

 

I've got a few armour kits that my brother bought me for birthdays/xmas that I'm getting round to putting together and have acquired some Vallejo acrylics to paint them with. So far so good, the primer goes on silky smooth and I've tried one coat of base colour. Varnish is one thing I forgot to get but will need some so would be handy know the pitfalls.

Primer and normal paints were fine, thinned as needed.

 

but when it came to the Matt varnish the mix became critical. 1 part thinners to 3 part matt varnish.

 

If the mix wasn’t right, the end finish would be wrong.

[57xx]

Thanks Neil, that's handy to know.

[Neal Ball]

9 hours ago, 57xx said:

Thanks Neil, that's handy to know.

I ended up buying a pipette to get the measures exact.

 

Prior to that for spraying, I would thin by eye, to get the consistency, but for varnish that is clearly no good.

[Metropolitan H]

On 08/05/2022 at 11:15, Mike_Walker said:

Here's another Thames Valley bus suitable for your era, these Tilling-Stevens (this one dates from 1927) used to serve Henley into the early post-war years.

 

I would be fascinated to Know when that picture was taken - and if the gentleman in the yellow Hi-Vi is Peter Pribik?

 

The other gentleman almost looks like David Elan - late of Bracknell? Does anyone Know?

 

The buses are both fascinating - as is your model of the Thames Valley "Tilling-Stevens", very well done.

 

Regards

Chris H