The Western Master

With the S stock of course they used 100 ton tankers as barrier vehicles so there's an ideal opportunity there for someone... However the easiest one from Bachmann's view would be a pair of 25T BR standard brakevans in appropriate liveries.

It's great to see the class 17 finally break cover. It's only a shame that the projects lined up by DJM models that didn't reach tooling are unlikely to see the light of day anytime soon, with the exception of the King of course from KR Models of course. But nevertheless, well done Bachmann! A very commercially savvy move to my mind as it means models that were popular but have had limited production runs to date could reach more modellers in time.

To anyone whining about a lack of new products I point you to today's announcement from Bachmann.

Hi everyone Prototype now built. Not a high load puller, mostly because the Dapol M7 chassis used cannot get much traction from 4 driving wheels, even with a body packed with weights where feasible. This example has been built by a friend of mine and I think you'll agree he's made an excellent job of it.

Greetings all After months of painstaking work I will shortly be releasing a print to my Shapeways shop to convert a Dapol M7 to a Metropolitan Railway E class 0-4-4T. Finished with parts from N Brass (chimney, dome etc.), this is my first foray into loco design. I had to do several test prints to get it right but I'm hopeful that I've ironed out the bugs now... More pictures of the prototype soon.

The milk van is complete and is now available in my Shapeways shop. 4 variants are on offer including the preserved example No3 and the tool van conversion used in the breakdown train. https://www.shapeways.com/shops/tinyundergroundmodels

So it's been a while I know, but the good news is the Dreadnoughts have now been released. If you're interested they can be found in my Shapeways shop. https://www.shapeways.com/shops/tinyundergroundmodels

Well, here's a taste pf things to come. I think you will agree with me that Pegasus Designs have done a fantastic job. Interiors are being finalised for the 3rd and 3rd brake so prototypes won't be ordered just yet but don't they look fantastic?

Hi everyone Hot on the heels of the Dreadnoughts, I'm pleased to present an N gauge model of the Metropolitan Railway milk van, as seen behind Met 1 on the various steam tours on LU metals since 2013. I've drawn up the 3 variants that I'm aware of, and all will be available from Shapeways by early August once I'm sure the model works. The first picture shows the body for vans nos 1 to 3 as built. The second shows nos 4 to 6, while the third is number 3 as preserved today. An interesting element for the final model is the apparent hybridisation of number 3, having the ends of the early examples but the sides and loading doors of the later 3 vans. The plan is to use a Peco brake van chassis but if this doesn't work I may attempt a unique chassis in due course.

Exciting news. I'm reliably told I should have CAD for 3rd class and brake 3rd coaches very soon. Subject to prototype builds not having any concerns, I will release all 3 coaches to Shapeways for general sale in due course. Currently expect this to be early August if all goes to plan.

Sherlock Holmes is 95% finished...

Also a GRCW 30 ton gondola ballast wagon. I have 3 of these now awaiting final detailing but otherwise in this condition.

Fellow modellers, presenting the prototype 1st class coach. A few details to add like vacuum pipes and coupling hooks but the essentials are all there.

Used the bank holiday to get some transfers on. A small selection of the engineering fleet on show here but really pleased with how they have turned out...

According to a Facebook post Dave will have an update on several projects at N Gauge Southeast thus weekend. This includes news of the King, fingers crossed for a painted sample....

2 years... bit of a while to wait. Progress continues every so often in between various escapades. Amongst other projects seen elsewhere on this forum, my brother produced this 10T wagon with tank. This is built on a Micro Trains test car bought on EBay. My brother has done the main construction work and changed the Kadee couplers to Elsies and I'm now in the process of painting...

Thinking just sheet acetate glued in for glazing. Shapeways print, but I must admit they're not cheap. The prints alone are about £60 At current prices...

Greetings Further progress. The prototype requires detailing with brake pipes, transfers then a final varnish. Mk2 has now been printed. The design has been modified and an interior has now been created. The bogie mounting arrangement has been changed so the chassis shouldn't break when the bogies are mounted...

Hi everyone Some new CAD renders of the 1st class coach. I've had the bogies and chassis modified slightly based on the experience gained from the prototype. In the meantime my designer has also added an interior so it's really starting to look the part now... The buffers have also gone back onto the chasis for ease of construction. As soon as we're happy with the 1st class coach then the 3rd class and 3rd brake will follow relatively quickly because the chassis will be shared between all 3. A second bogie variant has been created for the brake 3rd as this will have the electric shoe used in these sets for continuous lighting etc when running over point work. Happy modelling Pete

Greetings all An update. The issues seen on the first body appear to have been a poor quality print from Shapeways. Highly unusual but they kindly sent me a second body for free. I have now got both bodies sprayed into a first coat of brown paint. This is because my eventual layout will be nominally 50's and 60s as these coaches ceased service in 1962. Alternative livery is varnished teak in the metropolitan, LPTB and pre-war LT days. Another is the red and white the 3 preserved coaches received in the early days of the KWVR for filming of The Railway Children (1970). But back to the plot. The bogies have been designed for simplicity, so in the final design all modeller will need to do is insert 2 spoked wheel axles from GF and add 1 coupling with spring. The prototype will be a bit of a lash up as we're very much on a learning curve but this is coming along as time allows. All the best Pete

Precision paints do have a metropolitan maroon on their books but I do feel this is a somewhat darker shade of maroon than might be expected...

Has anyone mentioned Clive Foxell's layout of Rickmansworth? It featured in Railway Modeller July 2013 and featured a magnificent collection of rolling stock stock that covered periods from the 1930's to the present day. Unfortunately the collection was sold off piecemeal at auction 3 years ago (https://www.vectis.co.uk/model-train-sale_34?filter1=N+Gauge+Layout+Featured+in+the+Railway+Modeller+July+2013) but I have the Metropolitan Railway Pullman coach he modelled after a lucky Ebay win. Sadly Clive passed away not long after the layout was sold but his collection is out there scattered across the modelling community....

Well the first print came through last week. It looks great but there's a few elements that need remedial work such as thicker walls on the ends to make them more structurally sound. But as you can see, a lot of promise....

Thanks Roger, that'd be great

Greetings modellers While the dreadnoughts project plods away (see separate thread), I am thinking about traction. I have my metrovick bo-bo in the works but I'd love an E-class (Met 1 for those who do not know the Metropolitan railway locomotive classifications). Now to produce a model in N gauge leads me to 2 options 1) heavily modifying a Dapol M7 as done by the late Clive Foxell for his layout 'Rickmansworth' (see Railway Modeller, July 2013) or 2) producing a 3d printed body to fit the M7 chassis. In both cases, I think something besides photos will be needed to understand what needs to be done so the question is as follows. Is there any layout drawings for the E-class which can provide a simple frame of reference from which a 3d model might be created? As always, answers on a postcard please! Thanks Pete