Horsted Keynes - East Grinstead, OO

[Bluebell Model Railway]

Hi Owen

 

Yes the guy from Bachmann told me this but for the price they were selling at I'd rather wait for my pre-ordered one from Hattons which will be 1 - 2 weeks apparently.

 

Was at the Bluebell on Friday, enjoyed it, and great open acess to workshops was good to see behind the scenes. I picked a few items of model railway things up, one was a GBL (Gangwayed Bogie Luggage van) with the number 2462 which is a Bluebell luggage van, it was an old triang Hornby one which ive been working on since i got back, and is now finished and on display..

 

 

 

 

[Preservation Modeller]

I saw some nice second hand stuff there too, which I was tempted to get but turned down because of low money...

 

The van there looks smart

[Dan Hill]

Noticed the Bluebell still have those Hornby packs. I picked mine up last Christmas eve. Great set but £150 was a bit steep for it. May get the shelter soon. I was down the line on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and enjoyed it enormously especially the Cavalcade which you can see a link to the images on the Bluebell site.

 

Brilliant job on the 9F and 80151.

[Bluebell Model Railway]

Hi guys

 

Yes owen same here, im limited at the mo, as I have holiday looming... so have to save some money for that, plus the island steam fair im sure model stuff will be there also.

 

Hi Dan, yes... i dont think they will ever sell all of them... for me £150 is a bit excessive for a terrier and a blue coach, £100 would of been ok, but still not that much to get excited about. I did have a look though your images, always enjoy looking as I didn't take that many plus it was overcast and my camera doesn't like those conditions.

 

Thanks for the words on the 80151, and 9F.

[Dan Hill]

Hi guys

 

Yes owen same here, im limited at the mo, as I have holiday looming... so have to save some money for that, plus the island steam fair im sure model stuff will be there also.

 

Hi Dan, yes... i dont think they will ever sell all of them... for me £150 is a bit excessive for a terrier and a blue coach, £100 would of been ok, but still not that much to get excited about. I did have a look though your images, always enjoy looking as I didn't take that many plus it was overcast and my camera doesn't like those conditions.

 

Thanks for the words on the 80151, and 9F.

Thanks for looking at the images. Had a great time down there and Sunday was best with the weather especially for the cavalcade. I did send 2 more links to the site but that was after my first ones were put up and they are on another site so I'll have to wait and see if they make it on there.

 

Any more loco projects in the works or are you concentrating on preparing the Sheffield Park layout.

[Bluebell Model Railway]

Hello

 

ermm.. loco wise... not much, looking out for another Std 4 tank, wouldn't mind a C-class, but i do believe from a chat i had with a Bachmann guy there is something coming around christmas time which would be of interest, I know what it is and not allowed to say, Most effort is going in to updating rolling stock and odds and ends, money will go towards sheffeild park eventually towards end of the year.

[Preservation Modeller]

So something very interesting.... I can't help but wonder.....

 

 

[Bluebell Model Railway]

Hello

 

Just been recolouring one of the first Met coaches which were one of the first to be expiremented on, since then 3 other kits were purchased, and the first coach was the odd one out being more red in colour. I decided to change that, so I stripped it back primed, re-coloured and fitted transfers and additional weight.

 

Heres a before and after:

 

 

 

A few more mineral wagons turned up this morning to be added to the freight stock, now bringing the total up to 6.

 

 

[Preservation Modeller]

VERY nice! Would I assume the rest will be done to match as it looks brighter than the others I think... unless its just the light....

I do love the MET coaches, and Hopefully shall get to do some myself one day....

[Bluebell Model Railway]

its only slightly lighter, same number of coats and varnish, the other were lighter before and seem to of beded in and become slightly darker which is odd, but it fits in better than it did before even if its slightly lighter i can live with that,

[Bluebell Model Railway]

Ok finally finished a video I have been working on for the past week or 2 due to bad weather, but finally finished it over the weekend. This new video is to mark the 5th year of my layout was just about finished in august 2005, with only a few engines and some old Hornby, tri-ang coaches, (Ill try find some old pictures later)

 

Since then the stock has tripled new locos brought in, kits, and trying to home in to the impressive stock list the Bluebell have. May not have 100% correct in details but due to budget and money at times ive had to do the best with what i have.

 

Heres the video:

 

And a few images from recent and later older:

 

 

[binesrail]

Like the locos, shame there sothern rubbish! just kidding, layout looks great wish i have space for one like that! (even thow i have a 16mm garden railway with about a 70 foot run! and 2 little 00 gauge layouts and dad has one in the loft!) you put alot of time into your layout and for that alone its great!

Chris

[Torn-on-the-platform]

Just had a look back through this thread and I just think its amazing how quickly you get stuff done to such a good quality!

Excited to know about the forthcoming release you mention - I'm guessing its the Adams, but a B4 would be absolutely perfect for me.

Its good to see the 'real' bluebell fleet expanding with 92240 and 80151. I have a renumbered tenderdrive 9F which does the business for me at the moment.

Keep up the good work!

[Bluebell Model Railway]

hello guys, sorry for slow replys recently been busy getting ready for holidays and stuff like that.

 

Binesrail / Chris thanks for the comment, its not very big the layout, it would be bigger if it was possible like anyone limited on space, As ive said on other forums, i do plan to do a stand alone layout of sheffield park, various buildings and things have been brought, like the Bachmann, Skalecraft building of the waiting room on platform 2, which was released yesterday and should arrive today.

 

Torn on the Platform thank you very kind i think the thread gives a false impression of the speed, what i usually do is start a project post that im doing something half way through or near the end, and post it up if the result is ok and im happy with it.

Fourthcoming releases is not an Adams, i do know what it is, there will be 2 models if what i have been told is correct, bother 4-4-0 thats all i'll say on that but wait and see if its correct which it should be, hopefully that narrows it down.

 

Ya the B4 conversion... i was bored so thought i'd give it ago... only cost me £4 for the loco, and plasticard and spares from other old locos and things and the result is a cheap and something that looks like a B4 which is what i was after as i don't think theres any good OO B4 kits, only improvements i would make is give it a better motor with a Fly wheel to enable better running a slow speed

 

Thank you yes the 9F was a bargin from Hattons, i had to get it, and thanks to a few guys on here to find a double chimney, was done in a week. and the std 4 has been due for a while i have made a slight error with the numbers, as i couldn't find the right size ones on the sheet, ill give it another go when i eventually have another std 4 tank.

 

Thanks again guys, the layout really needs a good run when the weather plays ball.

[Torn-on-the-platform]

I can only think of one as yet uncovered Bluebell class that is a 4-4-0! And that loco suits me even more than a B4! It also makes sense with bachamnn's recent effort with an outside framer... Lets not turn your fantastic thread into froth though! (Could be a D class though!)

 

I notice on your website you say you don't loan out your locomotives (fair enough - not something I would do!) due to an engine not being returned. May I ask which loco this was?

[Bluebell Model Railway]

well I i'd say your on the right lines there, i did know it was coming for a few years... also i know of a 0-4-4T loco which maybe out in a few years an Isle of wight engine oops did i say that out loud? And yes I sold my old 4-4-0 loco being ready for a rtr version... so I hope it is correct to be honest! And it should be as your say with Bachmanns efforts and they are doing a fine job.

 

The loco in question which did a disappearing act was a Terrier was many years ago before i even built Horsted Keynes, i had 2 back in 2001 and i loaned one to who i thought was a friend, and he disappeared off the face of the earth along with my terrier... so thats the reason, i don't mind as long as i know that person very well and know that it will be treated with care, I was hoping to open up Horsted this summer and let people see it in the flesh but another rubbish summer has dampened that so will wait till next year,

[Bluebell Model Railway]

Since Ive been away recently down south to see another of my favourate tank engines recently, I brought yet another loco kit for the Bluebell Model railway project, the North London Railway Goods Tank, 0-6-0T.

 

It is a GEM white metal Kit,will be powered by a Mashima Motor and flywheel. and will be painted in Black, livery yet to be decided.

 

 

A smallish update on the North London Tank, I have been ordering once again, handrail compants, and connection rod parts (crank pins). those arrived today and still awaiting smokebox handle and bufferbeam detail.

 

all pipe work has been fitted to the loco body, and awaits cleaning and primer, wheels are painted, chassis and cylinders are fitted and been alighned with the wheels and rods.

 

 

 

[Preservation Modeller]

Wow!!! best of luck with the kit. That tank engine is a really lovely thing (saw it on the 7th August) and I do want to ride behind it when it returns to traffic!

 

 

[Bluebell Model Railway]

Thanks Owen

 

Heres a smally picie update:

 

I hope to progress tomorrow, with the motor and wiring,

 

 

The chassis and the motor have been run in and works reasonably well, the body has been painted and just needs bits finished off, like pipe work and buffer beams.

 

 

[Bluebell Model Railway]

Been a while since i updated anysort of progress. Since the last post the body has been cleaned all the detailing added, and painted in Matt Black, the livery is British Railways livery which it ran in the 80's. Transfers were applied 4 days ago, varnish has been an issue and reacting with paint and probably a few other things, after several coats and trying its finally settled, all be it its not the best ive done.

 

Couplings and attention on the motion have been done and will be test run tomorrow with body attached to the chassis.

 

Some second hand Bullied coaches arrived last week, ive been after these for a while but none at the right price, I got 6 bullieds which i can use to do 2 sets of 3 for normal passenger service trains on the layout.

 

 

[Bluebell Model Railway]

Short running video of the North London Tank, The layout is still having a few bugs fixed and a point replaced but still could run things on line 1, so heres 58850 doing some shunting and running in at Horsted.

 

 

 

 

[Preservation Modeller]

Runs like a charm Matt! Great work on tha, can't wait to see what you pull up next!

[Bluebell Model Railway]

Small update, as Ive been busy with other peoples locos, re-numbering and new bunkers ect... I purchased a SE Finecast, SECR, C-Class,

 

I recieved the C - Class a few days ago now, reading through the plans and finally getting on to construction.Ive managed to get most of the body kit and tender finished and now ready for main paint work, Despite a small drama falling one short of a Hand rail knob, although thats now been sorted and the extra one found.

 

Work on the Hornby Jinty chassis has gone well, and fits nicely with very tight tolerences especially round the motor but it fits a treat. The main chassis block is quite easy to modify as its a metal block effectivley so hack saw and files to get it in to shape.

 

As mentioned primer and paint has already started, heres some images from the work taken place over the last few days, more to follow when work continues.

 

 

 

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

Look good Matt!

 

Keep up the good work!

 

Simon

 

 

[Bluebell Model Railway]

I haven't posted an update as of late as ive been busy with other things, plus being unwell again

 

Anyway the good news is i have progressed quite a bit since last posting the primed body image.

3 coats of SECR green has been applied, followed by 2 coats of black lining and footplate, back head, smokebox ect.... followed by the lighter green lining, and also the gold ring behind the smokebox, the dome and the safety valve housing. Last to be painted buffer beam and smokebox detail.

 

I also almost forgot to apply the sand boxes to the chassis, this has now been done.

 

SECR Transfers arrived from FOX, coupling linkages have been ordered, and Plates will be ordered a bit later when i can afford them.

 

 

Sandboxes added behind the middle axle with some bent wire.