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After some snags with the gear-meshing, the Bird is now running nice and freely and I've began priming and tidying up the bodywork ready for painting. This is after several applications of Games Workshop Chaos Black, which is a very good flat black and excellent for priming and general painting. I found that the bodywork had acquired a lot of scratches and gouges from the process of removing the surface detail, little of which was obvious in the bare plastic state. I seem to remember going through a long process of this with the City as well. However, now that it's nearly ready for the final coat of green, I'm starting to have naughty thoughts about the too-short smokebox. For the Bird, it should be about 2mm longer than the City, and this (I think) will go a long way to making it look right... ish, since that pronounced front overhang of the smokebox is quite a distinctive feature of the Birds. I'll have a think about it, but the plan would either be to splice in a lamination of plastic card and then file it down to the right diameter, or to buy a second Dapol City kit and use the smokebox from that one to add a bit to this one. Wasteful, you might say, but in an exciting twist of fate, I also have need of a pair of outside bogie frames for a Dean single project, and the City ones could be adapted to suit. It's a bit of a pain in that the handrails will need to be removed and redone, but I suspect it'll annoy me if I don't tackle it. One bonus of doing the Bird, is that the Branchlines kit contains a few extra bits for the City I never got around to fixing. These are the wheel balance weights (correct ones for a Bird are also included) and the small wheel covers or splashers that go over the front bogie wheels. The weights and splashers needed some careful fitting to avoid clearance issue (there's precious little clearance around the main drivers, so the weights had to be exactly flush to the wheels) and the bogie clearance is critical, but after an evening of fiddling, all came good. The addition of the bogie splashers really helps with the look of the front-end, although they're barely evident in this shot. While I had the City on the bench I touched up some paint damage here and there and added a bit of bling in the form of the polished splasher rims, which I think helps lift the rather plain unlined livery. One thing to note - and which I didn't spot until I was doing the Bird - is that I missed out some beading on the tender, along the lower side of the flared portion. I haven't fixed it now, but it should be feasible without a complete repaint. Fortunately the Railmatch green I've got in a pot is still an exact match to the shade I sprayed onto the City about 12 years ago. Cheers, all.

Iv'e gone with LMS upper quadrant signals after taking Dave's advice. These should now match the BR period depicted. Instead of rushing these, I should have researched Semaphore signals properly - alas, that's how we learn! A class 31/4 waits on signal. A HST speeds past the junction on the main line. This is a much beloved Lima set and it's great to see it run around and around. An old, detailed Lima 50 pulls an old Hornby class 86. The 'Freightliner' flats are the old Hornby type. I think they look much better with a bit of custom weathering. Just for a comparison - a new Hornby 50 pulls a new Hornby Class 87. The difference in detailing is remarkable compared with the older varients. I've added a bit more flock detailing to the front of the brambles and also painted the distant forrest atop the rear hill a lighter shade of green. A few telegraph poles have also been added.

To the north of Bristol Barrow Road shed and Lawrence Hill Junction there is an incline on an 1 in 60 gradient to Fishponds Station in the NE of Bristol. The gradient starts at 1 in 89 immediately under Barrow Road Arches, which is the road which bisects the shed yard. The working timetable limits the number of wagons descending this incline to 30. With this in mind I have just finished converting 15 Bachmann 16T minerals to P4 to add to some Parkside wagons to give a rake of 30. Here is a video. I will give details of the conversion later. https://youtu.be/oUMnIFhPAL8 As promised here are details of the conversion using a Bachmann 16T mineral as an example. This photo shows a completed wagon fitted with P4 wheels. It is one in the rake of wagons in the video. The principal tool used for conversion is the Knowle Wagon Works - 2mm Brass Bearing Tool. In this photo the tool is bottom left. First remove the 00 wheel sets followed by the couplings. Then remove the body by unscrewing the two self tappers on the underside. The photo shows the selection of tools and items used for the conversion. Shown are four flangeless bearings, two 26mm pin point axles plus a back to back gauge, file tweezers and a chisel knife. The Brassmasters gauge at the bottom is to ensure the axles are square and level. The first task is to remove the two ribs at the back of the W Iron using the chisel knife. You will also need to remove plastic below the ribs in order to gain width for the replacement P4 wheel sets. Next drill out the holes in the rear of the wagon W irons. This task is done using the Knowle tool. You will need to measure the width and depth of the bearings you are using and set the drill in the tool using the grub screws and the allen key. This photo shows the rear of the W Iron after the plastic has been cut away. It also shows a new bearing fitted after drilling. The Knowle Tool in position for cutting deeper bearing holes in the W Iron. The tool can be turned using fingers, a tweezer or an 8mm spanner. Once all four holes have been drilled out insert the new bearings and hold in position using the two 26mm pin point axles. If you have the depth correct the W Irons should be parallel and vertical. Use the Brassmasters gauge to set the axles ensuring they are square and parallel. Once satisfied use a dab of Butanone to fix the bearings in place. Refix the body to the chassis and fit the P4 wheels after checking the back to back using the gauge. You may need to file some material off the brake shoes to gain clearance.

Evening all, As per Andy’s blog update, there was a 2mmFS Supermeet in Tutbury yesterday. I have posted a few thoughts and photos from the day on the exhibition thread so here’s an update on Kyle as part of the show. Took the day off Friday to run some tests and check my two 37’s ran ok as had just received them back from Coastal DCC - Kevin had done a great job hard wiring the lights and also introducing a stay alive to them. In trying to reduce the amount of ‘stuff’ I usually take to exhibitions I decided to knock up a quick A4 workbench as my A3 one is a bit overpowering to travel with...and slides around the car during hard cornering Armed with a brand new A4 cutting mat and some scraps of foamboard I fashioned this which fits neatly in one of the plastic crates. Below, is a small drawer inset, a remnant idea from my Moorswater viaduct RMWeb competition entry...allows me to be selective in tools and leave the kitchen sink back home! I set off from London around 2pm for the scheduled 2hr 45 journey but our Tom Tom spat me off the motorway into this... ...lots of hard braking to avoid tractors and farm vehicles ensued Finally I was back on a motorway around Brum and arrived around 6:05pm 4 hours after I set off...nice timing in fact as the Village hall opened at 6:00pm Arrival in Tutbury was marked by seeing the castle on the hill, where apparently Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoner about 500 years ago... The layout was fairly quick to set up and I ran some quick tests - I apologised to my immediate neighbours (the superb Lightermans Yard) that I had some sound fitted engines and would be providing some background music for the Saturday I brought along some of my recent mock ups (Loch Awe and Exeter St David’s) and also my work in progress DJLC entry Meeth to get some feedback. Some new traversers have also been built with the idea they can be used on a number of differing layouts. The evening was capped off by meeting Bryn, Pixie and Matt (who had timed a visit over from New Zealand for this) for a few beers and a curry... The next morning after a hearty breakfast, the track was cleaned again, stock set up and the event kicked off at 10:30am. A very nice relaxed informal atmosphere was had, wandering amongst the layouts, demo stands, 2mm Association shop and ‘N’ Brass stand. So good to meet old and new friends and put some names to faces. The tractors performed well and overall I was pleased with the running quality aside from a couple of derailments and the usual DG coupling alignment issues...must get around to re set all the heights. I think I may also dispense with the Dapol knuckle couplers between coaches as they are quite rigid and can sometimes help derail stock. Matt kindly helped out with cover and at 6 foot 10” I was slightly worried that he would have back ache from stooping over to see the DG’s had worked Overall I received some very nice comments on the layout and also some great feedback and interest on Meeth and the mock ups. It was a great gathering and am very pleased I attended as I came away very inspired. Many thanks to John Aldrick and all the others who organised the event. I look forward to the 2mmFS 60 year gathering in Derby next summer Pete

Not much happened on the Stour Valley over the past couple of weeks as I slowly prepared for the East Anglia Model Railway show in Kettering. I was invited at comparatively short notice to fill in for another layout. Several of my usual crew weren't available but I was luckily able to persuade (press-gang) KH1 and Nawty Quay to come and help out to bolster the team. Thanks also due to John and Michael for their help too. Over the period of a couple of weeks I was able to work through each baseboard and check things were working ok and I also took the time to finally complete the Ruston LAT which I began about 3 years ago! The LBT had been finished off way back when, but the LAT had sat taunting me with its unpainted plastic for several years! The chassis block was painted with a black and the body work with a mix of red (matt 60) with a touch of brick red (matt 70). I painted a rust and a primer layer and masked these before painting the top coat and then peeled back the masking to give the somewhat battered paint finish. The 'after-market' exhaust was 3D printed, quite a lot of these locomotives were fitted with external exhausts as the original silencers rusted away or just to get the exhaust up and away from the driver. I also 3D printed some engine covers, complete with some rather nice louvers. It makes a nice contrast with the yellow LBT. Entering revenue earning service at Fen End Pit the loco proved to be reliable and was a welcome addition to the roster. The rather laid back driver was a 3D print off the Thingiverse, I tried a white metal 'Perfect People' person but he was so heavy that the springs on the chassis bottomed out! The layout worked well all weekend, very few issues and, with a crack team of operators (!) we seemed to entertain the crowd. Thanks to the St Neot's club for the invitation and for putting on such a good show. The organization and venue were excellent and I would thoroughly recommend the event as both an exhibitor and visitor. Thanks again to the operating crew, I couldn't have done this without you, hope you enjoyed yourselves. David

....DCC fitted. Sold the chip for £10..... very pleased

A late running overnight Express races towards the Tunnels at Linslade. My choice of locations was mainly influenced from my early working career on the Southern end of the West Coast Main Line in the 1970s. The third part of a selection of stories is about to appear in Traction Magazine. Many more tales have already been posted on the Layout's Facebook page between September 1975 and June 1976, with more to follow up to 1979. Photos of the layout have been included in the stories to provide a bit more background feel to the tales of day to day operations. Above the Tunnels, and a little scene of church and graveyard. Harrow & Wealdstone looking south. One of the advantages of recreating scenes in model form is that you can add things that you may have wanted to see brought back. In this case it was to bring back the Branch Line to Belmont and Stanmore Village. On the left in Platform 7 is the DMU shuttle for Stanmore waiting to leave. A class 45 'Peak' rattles a Toton to Willesden Coal working through on the Up Slow Line, as an Express for Euston overtakes on the Up Fast Line. 501s and a 1938 Tube set on the DC Lines in the background. To the south of Harrow. 1A88 'The Bletchley Mails' hurries south on the Up Slow Line bound for Euston. On the Down Fast Line 1L10 The Willesden to Birmingham 'Bullion' special heads north. A 1938 Tube set about to call at Harrow with a service from Elephant & Castle. A class 40 powers the Ripple Lane Tankers through Harrow. The Research Department's Tribometer Train heading north with Baby Deltic D5901. Bakerloo Tubes pass on the DC Lines in the background. A mixed class 4 Parcels heading south on the Up Slow Line at Harrow. A Motorail service for Kensington Olympia overtakes on the Up Fast Line. 501s and a 1938 Tube set pass in front of Harrow No.2 Box on the DC Lines. A pair of 25s slog past the Depot at Watford Junction on 6M52 the Kings Cross to Tring Empty Cement working. A Motorail service for Kensington Olympia speeds past on the Up Fast Line. About to pass Harrow & Wealdstone. A southbound Freightliner on the Up Slow Line. A class 3 Express Parcels on the Up Fast Line, and a 1938 Tube set on the Up DC Line. more pictures to follow at a later date.....