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The ex GWR 43xx engines were one of my all time favourite locomotive types. They were disappearing fast when I was collecting engine numbers in 1959 / 1960 but for me they seemed to epitomise trains in rural central Wales – somewhere ‘magical’ that we visited for holidays! When Mainline introduced their 43xx models in the early 1980s it became one of my must have engines. 37-091 Mainline 5328 43xx on my Bracken Ridge Layout around 1982 I bought my first Mainline 43xx in 1982 from Modellers World Cheltenham (now the Cheltenham Model Shop). It was turned out in all over BR black livery with an Early Emblem. It was priced at £19.95. It ran very well and continued in service until 2010 when it was sold on eBay for £28! I seem to recollect that there were lots of black 43xx ‘for sale’ in the 1980s and I did buy a second model for spares. The Mainline engine was replaced by a Bachmann model which seemed less frantic than the pancake motor driven Mainline model. It is very much a case of swings and roundabouts. With its ‘flywheel’ drive the Bachmann model does run more smoothly compared to the Mainline version but without rubber traction tyres the haulage capacity is somewhat reduced. I do have one niggle. Was it a case of value engineering? The Bachmann and Mainline bodyshells seem to use the same tooling, so why did Bachmann choose to do away with the centre rear tender lamp iron? 31-831 Bachmann 43xx 4358 Over the years Bachmann have turned out BR (WR) variants in a variety of liveries and have also produced some models of the 93xx series with side windows cabs. 31-802 Bachmann 93xx 9308 However I am not aware of Bachmann repeating the black Early Emblem Mainline model with its minimalistic cab – perhaps because the original model was produced in such great numbers. There is a steady stream of vintage Mainline 43xx models on that well known auction site and for some time it has been in my mind to buy one and upgrade the mechanism. Recently I came across a ‘spares and repair’ Bachmann 43xx chassis with ‘duff’ wheels and cylinders. For reasons which I have long since forgotten I had a brand new Bachmann wheel set for the 43xx model which I do know I had bought in error from Peters Spares. I could rewheel the Bachmann chassis which would then be available to use in a suitable Mainline model. Bachmann 43xx chassis – spares repair A word of warning – not all ‘Mint’ Mainline engines will be blemish free. Even back in the 1980s new the Mainline engines could be less than perfect. Many arrived minus one or two parts of their whistle. Also back in those days models were not separately wrapped in tissue paper (bubble wrap had yet to appear) and the models were cradled in direct contact with their polystyrene trays. The Mainline 43xx model seems to have been particularly prone to an issue where the black paint on the top of the firebox became welded to the white polystyrene tray resulting in a permanent white mark on the locomotive bodyshell. My patience was rewarded and a suitable unused Mainline model was acquired – thank you Douglas. Unused 37-091 Mainline 5328 43xx from the 1980s The spares repair Bachmann chassis had broken and missing connecting rods and slidebars. The cylinder assemblies are completely interchangeable between the Bachmann and Mainline models. All that is required is the blade of a sharp screwdriver to prise the cylinder block from the Mazac chassis. Sometimes there are traces of glue but after all these years it has usually gone brittle and offers no resistance. The connecting rods are retained on the centre driving wheel with a circlip. Interestingly the diameter of the hole in the Mainline coupling rod where it fits over the driving axle is smaller than the Bachmann model and I had to use my Dremel to ream out the hole before I could reuse the Mainline rods. The picture below compares the Mainline coupling rod with one from a Bachmann Manor (the Manor and 43xx mechanisms share axle and wheel sets). Connecting Rods, Bachmann Manor left, Mainline 43xx right Mainline provided ‘bright’ shiny coupling rods and pistons. I would use my Carrs blackening fluid (for nickel silver). I bought the fluid some time ago with the idea of blackening the complete motion on an old Bachmann A4. In the event I decided that I could not remove all the motion from the model and abandoned the idea. This time I could treat the coupling rods and pistons from the 43xx completely separate from the model. I used my favourite shallow container, the plastic lid from a Philadelphia carton. I could lay out the rods and use a stiff paint brush to rub the blackening fluid over them. Instructions for using the fluid are rather scant but I started by degreasing the rods with surgical spirit and when they had dried I applied the Carrs fluid rubbing all over with the stiff brush. The rods started to blacken within minutes. As said in other peoples’ blogs – remove the remaining fluid and wash well with clean water. Better to have to repeat the blackening exercise rather than to try and clean up metal that has become too dark (too deeply etched). Ex Mainline coupling rods after treatment with Carrs blackening fluid It was now time to reassemble the chassis and to fit it to the Mainline body shell. Bachmann / Mainline 5328 43xx I thought it looked good. However it did not run particularly well. Sadly it another case of aging plastics, this time the nylon inserts for the driving wheels. I am all too familiar with the inserts for the Bachmann B1s which with time take in moisture and expand pushing out at the centre. For my 43xx chassis the inserts for one wheel set had warped around the edge and lifted, such that the balance weight was standing proud of the wheel rim. Note Balance Weight standing proud from wheel rim Visually it is hardly noticeable. Unfortunately the coupling rods for the rear wheels are fitted to rub against the wheel rims and were catching the raised balance weights disturbing the slow speed running. Warped nylon wheel insert poked out with cocktail stick and centre filed flat My solution was to poke out the nylon insert with a cocktail stick (they are not glued in) and to rub the nylon insert to file the wheel centre flat. This done the insert was popped back into place sitting comfortably beneath the wheel rim. Plan B might be to apply some adhesive to hold the edge down – but this would be a last resort. Bachmann / Mainline 5328 43xx A good outcome I would say – a quiet and smooth running model. There are a couple of brief videos here that I made before with a Bachmann BR green 43xx. One of the videos has the 43xx starting on a one in sixty grade with 12 wagons – it just about makes it! Addendum 25.03.20 Since first writing this Post I have had to make a few further alterations to improve the running quality of the model. It now features a Bachmann chassis where there are spring contacts under the centre driver. I have to admit to not knowing which models had these springs, whether it was the older models or the newer models? The running is a lot more quiet with the springs. Two types of Bachmann Chassis I still had an occasional knocking noise / slight jerkiness which coincided with the piston at minimum travel. There are differences in the plastic mouldings for the cylinders between the Mainline and Bachmann models (surprise surprise). However this is not the major issue. The problem is the length of the piston attached to the crosshead. I think I had the same problem back in time with a Manor Class model. Shortening the piston, with a file, by as little as 0.5mm completely removes the problem and transforms the running properties. As Mikkel says below it can run smoothly and quietly. Double click on the picture below to see the video. Ex GWR 43xx 5328 Mainline Model on Bachmann Chassis by Longsheds, on Flickr

This month I have been mainly doing tiling. With the footbridge finished, it was time to turn to the building range roofs. At 2 feet long, that's a shed load of tiles. Add the pattern of alternate square and round tiles and I wasn't left with much of a choice but to go with York Modelmaking 2mm tiles and take my time. After a few sessions, we finally got to the stage where it was coming together. The tiles were painted with a mixture of Vallejo and Lifecolor acrylics to match the main shed tiles. Chimneys added from the usual Green Stuff World ABS sheet and self adhesive quoin details from York. The gates and bargeboards have turned out beautifully, amazing what can be cut in Rowmark. The bargeboards are a couple of layers, stuck together with solvent. Shed bargeboards have had their final painting and fitting Canopies are done and I'm just debating how to fix them in place. Pins through into the walls seem like a sensible idea as the glues surface offered by the brackets isn't going to hold much. Suddenly the list of jobs to do doesn't seem so long. Well, there's the internal shed trussing but I'm not starting that just yet, though I do have another cunning plan. I am feeling quite pleased with how this has turned out. It just screams Cheddar to me anyway!

Barrow Road shed had a number of locos visit yesterday and the following photos give a flavour with locos belonging to myself and a number of friends from the Scalefour Society. You know who you are.

A bit chicken and egg, to test a layout track work is properly built you need stock and to test that stock is properly built you need some track with pointwork (!). In a bid to reduce the frustration of having built stock and finding it falls off the rails, won't go around bends, strikes platform edges I decided to resurrect the layout boards I had moved house with to have something to run the stock in progress on ('never end a sentence using a preposition with'). In the process I found out just how much damage the move had caused despite efforts to wrap the boards for transit. The original layout boards were never designed to move and so I found out the hard way just how fragile the things that could break really were. So, boards have been erected and much fixing of broken things has taken place. A plan for making those fragile things more robust is being worked on! (To enlighten you the weakest things were certain solder joints in the rather complex wiring under the station throat lever frame which I had to fix and refix ...). I will replace that particular base board and replace some of the switches to pass power and switch the frog polarity with Peco under point switches which will reduce the wiring under the frame ... but for now it soldiers on. So some photos: Firstly in December I connected everything up and propped up one of the curved boards so I could run beyond the station throat a little and try running through the entire station throat ... my trusty converted Bachmann pannier waits putting on the track A view from the other end, Pannier ready to go from platform 3 well the Pannier did discover some failed under baseboard wiring for me, and that there was something not quite right with the single slip on the left in the view above and caused it to fall off ... so now in March with the curved board detached I've been debugging the single slip. The problems have been caused by the lack of slide chairs allowing the point blades to sink and so the thin P4 flanges have been going the wrong way. So I have kind of fixed that with brass strip to imitate the slide chairs. Plus one crossing flange way was undersize causing the odd jump off the rails too, now thats fixed too ... however on the plus side is the addition of an LSWR Type 4 signal box (used by the S&D in many locations), the Kernow models commissioned Bachmann scene craft model of Bude. Bude had 35 levers so that is big enough for my station box. A beautiful model I have to say! (needs an appropriate name board now). You can also see my home made wire in tube lever frame with switches driven by the 'levers', very much a work in progress. (the electrical switches I have used in the frame aren't robust enough and from time to time fall apart :-( ) finally a view the other way with a non corridor local on the left and a semi-fast WR local in the station storage road in the middle and an ex LMS 42' parcels coach in the bay (Platform 4), look no locos, thats next ...

I am still beavering away on building locos for the layout when I should really be building the layout! The Black 5 is a converted Hornby model built by my late friend Colin Wrangles. I have renumbered it as one of the two fitted with double chimmneys and fitted a double chimmney. The standard front bogie is not very good so am in the process of building a Mosokits bogie (thanks to Robin Whittle for the suggestion) still needs weathering and the tender converting to a part welded one. The Coal tank is for my LNWR period (just prior to the First World war) and is a converted Bachmann one, my good friend Tony Sheffield doing the concversion. The 8F 48755 is a Stafford loco with Fowler tender and is a real mixture both of parts and builders. The tender (Brassmasters) and chassis (Comet) were built by my friend David Boorman, the body started out as a Hornby one which I have modified and the pipework under the cab was done by Dave Holt (in return for me painting and weathering some of his locos). I have painted and weathered the loco and tender. The loco has recently been fitted with DCC and sound. 49407 is a Brassmastsers G2 bought of ebay in EM and converted to P4, repainted and renumbered as a Stafford example.

Another evenings work has got Phoenix ready for painting, with the roof modifications completed and new windows temporarily installed. the roof has a rough coat of Vallejo white to highlight any areas needing more work (it needs another still), matching the Hornby White is proving tricky as it’s an off white colour. With the whole rake being repainted for consistency that’s not a huge problem. the windows still need the vents and curtains painting on. I am going to order one of the Precision Labels livery packs to try in the spring. At which point I want to paint the full rake. here’s a comparison of the windows for comparison Minerva Phoenix

With my class 37 respray project now complete, its time to turn attention to the next item to hit the work bench. There are a couple of painting projects that I have in mind, but they all need multiple airbrush sessions and before I can use it again I need to work out the cause of a major air leak in my compressor. I am awaiting components to enable work to continue on my next two steam projects, so not a lot that I can do there. So instead I have turned my attention back to my VSOE formation, and the improvement of the 1951 build coaches. Somewhere I have a copy of a drawing of the 1951 coaches, I just cannot find the dammed thing anywhere. So far I have only found a scanned drawing from the VSOE safety case which is too low resolution to read the numbers on the dimensions. So I am left trying to make something which “looks right” rather than is right using photos as a guide. In particular one photo on Flickr showing Cygnus and Minerva in the same shot (all be it at a ¾ angle). This is interesting in that it appears to show that both builds are the same height, and have the same height windows (with top and bottom of the windows being approximately level). Yet the 1951 build has a cream band above and below the window, while the 1927 build has a deeper area of brown. Again looking at photos on the 1951 it appears that the Pullman text is shorter than the 1927 (while I have already mentioned the 1951 build not having the additional second line above the lower brown panel.) Net result my original plan of reducing the window size was incorrect, instead it is just the design of the window which needs changing (as well as removing the slight step in the sides on the lower half of the window.) It will make the use of the Precision Labels for the livery elements a little more tricky, as I think it would need to be a custom order… That brings me on to the work that was done last night. While looking for some Class 37 glazing for another project I came across 3 decoder boxes full of Bachmann mk1 coach glazing. The opening section at the top of the mk1 windows looks very similar to that on the 1951 Pullmans and the windows are of similar size. You can see where this is going….. Taking the mk1 window and cutting away the plastic edging, the window was a really good fit (other than a slight rounding to the corners that is hardly noticeable once fitted). I then tried an alternative approach keeping the plastic backing in place, which in turn this recesses the window slightly. I am undecided which is the better solution. I have also experimented with the finish, the window vents need repainting from blue to brown (I did this using a broken 0.45mm drill bit and Vallejo Cam Black Brown). An approximation of the curtains was painted onto the inside of the windows The next step will be to prepare the remaining window holes (removing the 1927 frames ) before getting on with adding the new roof extensions over the doors. Hopefully by that point I will have found the missing drawing and verified the window sizes.

Picking up from this blog post a decade ago (recently refreshed), I have for a long time been working on a model of the VSOE circa 1998. I have previously converted old Hornby pullmans into the 1928 built stock for Ione, Lucille and Zena, and have Minerva from Hornby's 1927 stock. (all of which still need a fair bit of work on the chassis, along with finishing.) I am hoping to get at least a set of 6 coaches completed this year, so time to crack on with the remaining two builds so it can all hit the paint shop in the spring. The next two coaches are Phoenix and Cygnus, both being built (or rebuilt in Phoenix case) in the 1951 Festival of Britain style. Although VSOE subsiquently rebuilt them to a degree to conform with the rest of their fleet. Ignooring the chassis, there are 3 areas of work, Door, Roof and Windows. The door will be the hardest, and may well be ignorred. The window should be a lot smaller than the 1927 model I am using as a basis. I could make a new door but then would loose the lovley door handles and lining. The roof needs the longitudinal rainstrip removing (and new strips above the doors), along with filling in the corner cut outs in the roof. The former was an easy job with a sharpe blade But the latter has taken more work, a section of triangular plastic strip was cut to fit into the gap, and raised detail was removed. Before the plastic was glued into place the outer side was champhered to start off the curve on the 1951 builds the roof curve starts at the end of the flat side.) Once dry it is then reprofiled to get a gentle curve across the whole part, after which it will be blended in with filler and a new gutter will be added from 10thou strip. The windows have caused me more trouble, made worse by being unable to find my drawing... I think I can now remember where it is so will look again tomororw. The Hornby glazing was removed (breaking at least one window naturally), this wont be reused but gives spares when Minerva is stripped down to respray the cream). The cross piece is removed, along with the lower framing to the lef and right of the frame. On the 1951 build coaches there is a clear band of cream above and below the windows. Comparing Phoenix and Minerva it looks like the lower band is because of a smaller brown panel (lacking hte upper pair of lines) So this will be corrected with paint. The top of the windows however should be level with the top of the toilet window, whereas on the 1927 the top of the window is level with the top of the beading around the toilet window. I have added a length of 30thou Evergreen strip which reduces the height by approximatly the right amount. New windows will be cut on the shilouette cutter (hopefully) and fitted with stickers (also with the cutter) for the vents Now the proof of concept seems to have worked, I need to repeat the work on another 27 windows and 7 more ends.