North Cranford

[The Fatadder]

Not sure. Try it but also check that the coaches are OK after the swap - I fear that they might not be.

 

Edit: also make sure that they are all the same diameter!

 

A good point on the diameter check, will see how it goes.

Then need to weather them!

[john dew]

So is the current Hornby model significantly better as far as the mechanism, not the body, is concerned than the original Airfix then?

I am hoping (trusting actually cos I have ordered) that the new Hornby Prairie will indeed be significantly better mechanically than its predecessors.

 

Unlike Bob and Tinker I have been unable to get the earlier versions to run acceptably....either erratic or pronounced waggle...prone to derailments.......both long gone to the scrap yard.

 

Looking forward to July!

 

John

[81C]

When I first purchased some Hornby Express tankers they put a smaller fleet of older Lima "CWS" tankers I had to shame with the running qualities even after I

had re-wheeled them they weren't much better so I spent months/years trawling Ebay & Swop Meets for any cheap Hornby tanker no matter what the livery

was, I don't think I paid more than £5 each they now run sweet as a nut the left over tanks went on a Lima chassis and I sold them to a dealer for £25, there was also 

couple of Dapol West Park Dairies in a bulk purchase which I rarely ran they seemed OK these went to a friend he has not said anything about them.

 

There's a United Dairies tanker siting in a todo box this is up for conversion to take a Dyson tanker trailer if no-one come up with this wagon & load I will scratch build

something it's just the trailer has a lot of detail and will be a so and so to construct I will try and get permission to clamber on this wagon to get dimensions of the trailer

at this years Didcot tour.

 

Btw the Lima chassis takes a short axle wheel set it's best you give them a wide berth they more trouble than what they are worth.

[M.I.B]

I think I have the Lima tankers that interest me, unless some Limited Edition ones come up with an interesting livery - not sure Lima did that sort of thing.

 

But I would definitely repeat the complete chassis swap on a Lima rather than trying to re-wheel it.  Hornby or Dapol chassis.

[M.I.B]

Prompted by a post by John Dew, I have done a partial "Lyons check" on the NC loco fleet.

 

I can't do a complete comparison because I don't have my copy here.

 

But It does show a few things up when done as John has done:

 

(will get the table in somehow tomorrow)

 

My fleet represents a medium sub shed of OOC in the late 40s.  

 

Must be daytime on shed because local engines are out and many visitors are in or passing by.

 

I have (correctly) not got any small visiting engines.  I have three large tanks to be seen, but they don't come from too far off, which is feasable. (Oxford and Didcot)

 

And someone has done their homework - same as John found - I need a few more Moguls.  I'm sure OOC had lots in 47.  Well done to whoever decided to retool the Mogul in OO

Edited January 16, 2019 by M.I.B

[john dew]

Prompted by a post by John Dew, I have done a partial "Lyons check" on the NC loco fleet.

 

I can't do a complete comparison because I don't have my copy here.

 

But It does show a few things up when done as John has done:

 

(will get the table in somehow tomorrow)

 

My fleet represents a medium sub shed of OOC in the late 40s.  

 

Must be daytime on shed because local engines are out and many visitors are in or passing by.

 

I have (correctly) not got any small visiting engines.  I have three large tanks to be seen, but they don't come from too far off, which is feasable. (Oxford and Didcot)

 

And someone has done their homework - same as John found - I need a few more Moguls.  I'm sure OOC had lots in 47.  Well done to whoever decided to retool the Mogul in OO

 

I checked ......actually you dont need that many Moguls . Old Oak had 232 locos allocated in 1947..... only 4 were Moguls!.

 

19 large prairies and......wait for it.....89 Panniers

 

You dont need to worry about too many 4-6-0s.....they had 92

 

Regards

 

John

[M.I.B]

Thanks John - just when i spent the day wondering how I would fund 12 new Moguls............  

 

 

I have enough 0-6-0PTs to look realistic.  OOC was not reflective in terms of pannier to 4-6-0 ratio in the same way it would have been elsewhere "large"  :  there was the Underground to deal with and the massive amount of empty carriage movements in and out of Paddington.  I personally believe that there was a high ratio of Panniers to 4-6-0 (and bigger) than elsewhere.      So as long as I have "some" I will be happy.

 

But a grubby hardworking Mogul never offends.......as handsome as the Castles, Kings and Counties were, my favorites will always be the Moguls and Collett 2251s.  

 

Each to their own.  Thanks for the figures from OOC - I'm a long way from my "Lyons" for a few weeks.

[M.I.B]

Have just seen the news about Windsor Davies.  A huge part of the most memorable and enjoyable TV from when I was a lad.

 

Even if he was a Gunner.

 

The flag is at half mast at NC today.............

 

 

Shoulders back...............

Edited January 20, 2019 by M.I.B

[M.I.B]

Right - decided...........big rummage about when i get home next week, and the Ebay pile will grow.  4 new Hornby GW Suburbans are required.   Thin down the "B Set" stock by 4 to balance carriage numbers, and help pay for the new arrivals.

 

 

[M.I.B]

4 x late logo B Sets, weathered etc are now on the pile for Evilbay.    I really should try and find time to take the bodies off the Bachmann panniers and pop those on the pile along with the Dublo chassis from the 94XX and the two 97XXs.

 

But the weather has been so good that outdoor work has prevailed.

 

The Oxford Railgun appeared last night - some re-arranging of the Cabinet will have to take place.  Miffed that the "steps" are firmly moulded which takes it well out of gauge.   It is a seriously impressive model otherwise.  

 

That just leaves the Bachmann steam crane and 94XX to come................

 

I'm off for three weeks so it's quieter than usual in NC.  Middle East and Toronto followed by Middle East.  But I have tickets to a Leafs game the night I arrive, so all is well with my world.

 

Hope you are happy and healthy.

[M.I.B]

No news really, except to wish a Happy St David's Day to those of the Welsh persuasion.

 

St David was a Hereford engine in my time-frame, but will grace the track of NC, flying in and out of Paddington.

 

With so many trips in and out of Heef-row at the moment, I am getting to see an awful lot of Paddington.  Sadly we veer off "dahn Sarf" just after Sarf-orl shed, so I don't get to pass what was NC.

 

Enjoy your raw leeks today.............

[M.I.B]

Another trip away - the late night car horn exchanges of Baghdad are right outside my window. An hour ago we had the wall of sound that is "Call To Evening Prayers" from dozens of mosques.

 

All I have had time for is to order things:

 

From my local model shop I have ordered a set of 4 Suburbans - the set with the "A" suffix for the London branding of course.

From Rails I bought a nice Oxford Rails coal truck - "F Warren of London", which then spurred me onto looking at Oxford's many London branded coal wagons.  Oxford's logo printing is outstanding and the best around I think.

 

This availability check was followed by the announcement of my work annual bonus so I went wild and bought 3 more London based Oxford Rail coal wagons.  The rest I will spend on concrete and some hi tech ploughing in my paddocks. (don't ask!!!)

 

On Robin's excellent post there was a pointer to a supplier of buffer-beam shed transfers, (CPL Products) who also supply the right lettering for "Sleeping Car"  (I have a J12 to finish....)  so an order went to them via good old fashioned post.

 

And finally some buffers for the Ex Phil "Mallard's" 97XX along with some brass fall plates for the Castles and Halls.  These are all on their way from Precision Paints.

 

The building season is now "open" and I'm going to spend some UK time looking for an architect and builder...............and have  booked 2 weeks off to put down the base for the workshops and parking apron.    

 

Will try and do some modelling one day..........

 

I hope that you are all happy and healthy.

Edited March 25, 2019 by M.I.B
only half finished typing and it "went"

[gwrrob]

4 hours ago, M.I.B said:

 

 

On Robin's excellent post there was a pointer to a supplier of buffer-beam shed transfers, (CPL Products) who also supply the right lettering for "Sleeping Car"  (I have a J12 to finish....)  so an order went to them via good old fashioned post.

 

 

 

I thought CPL only had the 7mm version of these transfers in stock. Let us know how you get on.

[The Fatadder]

Just now, gwrrob said:

 

I thought CPL only had the 7mm version of these transfers in stock. Let us know how you get on.

 

Indeed, I am also in need of a set of these for a J12 so will be interested to hear how you get on

[M.I.B]

The website does say    " in 4mm and 7mm,  available in pairs and sets" etc

 

Will report when the temporary Postie has brought them.  (Poor Emily the Postie has got 6 months mandatory sorting office work for pranging the red van!)

[M.I.B]

The next batch of suburbans has arrived.  My local supplier (John Dutfield) has kindly put a set aside for me to collect when I get back to the UK.  This set will be the "London Division" branded ones.

 

Off with the shirtbutons and on with some crests and a bit of grot - especially on the super shiny roofs.

 

Everyone seems to be pleased with them so far.  Another hit for Hornby following on from the Hawksworths and the Colletts.

 

Now please go and do a mixed rake of Toplights.

[M.I.B]

Suburbans collected, "Shirtbuttons" removed and '43 to '47 logos applied,

As well as a change to "LONDON DIVISION" - many may thanks to RailTec for producing these for me - if you want some - they are "TOAD branding" which you can Custom order.

Don't forget to ask for both first letters to be slightly larger as per prototype.

 

There is a slight dulling around the logos which it the roughness from using the fibre-glass pen to remove the original printing.  This disappears under weathering and DullCote.

 

 

CPL have produced all of the transfers I wanted in 4mm, including the "SLEEPING CAR" for my J12, and some London Milk Brake branding for my 013

 

And Phoenix have sent the buffers for the 97XX and fall plated for Castles and Halls.......all in all, a great little pile to come home to.

 

On the All Fools Day, I hope you are healthy and happy ( and un-duped).

 

 

[M.I.B]

Next off is a trip to the workshop for DullCote and either black roof repaint or lots of roof grot - not sure which.

[M.I.B]

Contrary to scurrilous rumor on ANTB, I am in the depths or rural North East Essex, braving the hail!

 

I managed a quick session yesterday, mainly because my days planned labourings were thwarted by a black box on my otherwise trusty Land Rover Defender. Basically it has immobilized itself permanently!

 

First of all I sealed the transfers onto the new Hornby Suburbans, with Dullcote.  However, it wasn't the warmest of days,and sadly I later found that one of the "late" GWR logos lifted off with the masking tape.  Luckily they didn't get a heavy weather so i can replace the coat of arms without it showing.

 

Before I wasted hours with the dead LandRover I had managed to paint the roofs of the 4 suburbans - two in Halford rattle can matt, and two in a mix of matt black and a few thin coats of some very dark grey spray can plastic primer.  In reality  there is a noticeable difference which the iphone could not distinguish.

 

Later in the day, out with the airbrush, and on with the grot.  I dropped the LMS 12 wheel diner into the pile.     Pictures aren't great - sorry but they were a rush job with the iPhone.   What you can't see is a grey/brown tone to the running gear and lower carriage sides, a grey/black sooty line along the roof centre of coaches, and a black/brown and dark grey  mix to the ends of  carriages.

Once all of that was dry, and post photos, the windows got a clean with a damp cotton bud and some white spirit.

 

Edited April 14, 2019 by M.I.B
spellink

[M.I.B]

I'm sure that this hasn't be posted on this thread yet:

 

 

Oxford's HMG Gladiator.    Retired by the NC time frame, but I'm sure it may make a passing trip past NC on its way to decommissioning/scrap...........

 

It's in the cabinet to have it's side steps "folded up" - the model is incredibly highly detailed, but can't run on a layout as the steps folded in for transit are modeled in the "down" position.

 

On the 80th anniversary of the publishing of "The Grapes of Wrath" - the epitome of misery,   I hope that you are all happy and healthy.

[M.I.B]

I managed an hour of modelling!  At this rate NC will be finished in 2055…………

The new Hornby Suburban which needed a new “double crest” is repaired, and I made a start on the panniers.

Photos look a little scary, but these are the next steps in taking some early 1970s Ks metal kits into the 21st C and into the land of DCC.

The 94XX and 97XX seen were constructed by M.I.B Snr back when we still had shillings and farthings…..  they have now lost their Triang running gear as has the 97XX which came via Dear Ducky.

 

The new running gear will fit inside the bodies when a Dremel relieves only a small amount of excess internal metal.  For now they sit in the Cabinet as depicted.  The second 97XX body is in 2 or three pieces hence why it is not perched on top of its new underpinnings.  This actually makes the fitting process easier as I will be a blt to whizz the Dremel around inside the tank and boiler areas with impunity.

 

 

 

New running gear comes from, a late Hornby 2721, a Bachmann 57XX and a Bachmann 8750.     Some of those may also get some traction weight removed from the chassis because along with the white-metal bodies they weigh rather a lot.

I hope that you are all happy and healthy.

[M.I.B]

Just a little update.  The good building weather is upon us, so most of my UK free time has been spent outdoors.

 

I have managed a little modelling and a lot of Ebay work – selling off items amassed since having a bit of a clear out Christmas.  Chainsaw trousers, boxes of radio valves, classic car parts, spare model engine chassis, Some B sets (replaced by the excellent Hornby Collett suburbans), as well as spare bodies and boxes from various 0-6-0s. ( This is all part of the 97XXs and 94XX upgrades/refurbs).

 

I am slowly working my way through the Cabinet which was half full of jobs to be done.  This last week saw improvements to 4 Dapol vans.

The SR van came to me quite cheap via Ebay, due to a cracked roof and no box.  So it got a tarp and I had a spare box for some reason, so it’s done and awaiting a fast freight behind a Hall or the 47XX.

The three GW 12t vans had the usual “dark roof and blackened wheels” treatment but to break things up on van trains these have been branded using HMRS lettering:  Empty to Exeter, Return to Acton, and Return Empty to OOC.   They will get weathered as part of a mass weathering batch.

 

I didn’t buy any more stock following the Ebay sell off but instead opted for a replacement airbrush.  The cheap Chinese one which came free with my mini compressor has started to misbehave, and despite cleaning and fettling I think it has dirtied up its last.  So I have gone for an Iawata Neo.  Paint cup size is much smaller than my cheapo Chinese one, so I will make up grot mixes in the old airbrush jars and refill the pot on the Neo more often.  But this allows me to change the colour of the mix slightly as I go so not a bad thing to stop everything coming out the exact same shades.

 

Other than the 0-6-0s, which are all “major work” the Cabinet remains full of either “quick work” or display items.  Next on the work list are:

 

7 engine crews half painted, along with a Traction inspector

A King for rename/number, new tender logo, coal, crew etc.

47XX for crew, coal and better plates.

A Hall and a Castle for the same as the King.

A black Dean Goods for the same.

A DCC 2721 for a renumber, coal, crew and detail – my first DCC engine!

A 28XX for conversion to oil firing – I have the Shapeways (?) 3D printed conversion kit.

 

2 Hornby Pugh coal wagons for some “age-ing” including my first attempt at replacement planks. I have done planks on CONFLATs and LORIOTs, but never on “opens”.  Even one of the grey vans in this post has had some "replacement" planks and a touch up job in a few places.

 

 

On the week where we lost Doris Day, and the shameful goings on in Stamford, I hope that you are happy and healthy.

Edited May 20, 2019 by M.I.B
spellink

[M.I.B]

I got distracted from the Pughs and the painting of the crew..........and hit the fleet of Hornby's "GWR 7 plank with Sheet Rail".

 

Many sheet rail wagons had reverted back to lain "Opens" by  the 40s so I split my fleet into three:  one third have lost their rails, one third have kept them and remain open and filled with  stone, and  one third have kept rails and had sheets fitted.

 

The first batch were altered by the use of Smiths tarps and some other tarps found on UK EBay - "Unique Wagons".  They are high quality and different numbers to Smiths, so a nice change.  Half were fitted with "droopy" tarps indicating a low load level, an th others had a pile of corrugated card built up in the wagon to make a "heaped load" before the tarp was added.

 

As for the "tarped with sheet rail" - not so easy because nobody does tarps that size.  I have tried to make three using "Post-It" notes, suitable scrunched up first of course.  They went on well, but haven't made it to the paint stage yet.  It may have been prudent to paint them first - we shall see.

 

Some engine work may come first though.  Possibly the 28XX oil firing conversion.  

 

I hope that you are all happy and healthy on this, the 75th Anniversary of D Day.

Edited September 1, 2019 by M.I.B
usual poor spelling

[M.I.B]

Following up my last posting from DDay - where has the time gone?  (I know where I have gone in that time though!)

 

I did indeed to the sheeting/improving of Hornby's "7 plan with sheet rail.  Some were "de-railed" whilst others were "de-railed but with droopy tarp added".  I used the wonderful Smiths tarps for this, and some from "Unique Wagons - available via Ebay.   The hardest to do were three which I decided to do with "rail up and tarp on".  in the end I used crumpled Post-It notes which took a little longer to fit but the profile is good - they droop a little un the right places and look realistic.  Unfortunately, even though I used matt car paint in aerosols, there is a slight sheen to the finished items.  I'm still pleased with the outcome and they are considered "finished".  One is Halfords matt black, another is a dark grey spray primer from Euro Car parts (which is great on roof work) and the third is a mix of both.  All got a long distance squirt of a Railmatch "sooty black"

 

Edited September 1, 2019 by M.I.B

[M.I.B]

I did make a start on some crew painting but got waylaid by summer work, including the laying of the garage foundations - a three week job with 30 M of 3 foot deep footings for walls and 18" all over for hardcore and mesh and of concrete.

I have long forgotten which engine gets the driver who has had surgery from the stomach down, but it will come back to me when I get back into more regular modelling.  

 

And they will get their caps repainted into grubby dark blue - thank you to John Dew for correcting me on the grease-tops which are incorrect.

 

 

Edited September 1, 2019 by M.I.B