The Black Hats Workbench - Duke of York

[The Black Hat]

Here are some pictures of the L4s all lined up and positioned on the layout.

 

There will be more in a day or two on the Bishop Auckland layout thread.

 

 

 

 

More pictures and updates soon.

 

Comments on the project and other work most welcome.

[The Black Hat]

Hello all,

 

Finally details on the start of Project 131. In reality this has been done for sometime, but has recently had the order for its tansfers submitted and thus is nearing completion. There could be work to do, pending on whether the whole train that runs with the engine will be modelled as well.

 

It has to be said that this engine is very much a departure from everything else I have ever owned. While I have often gone to model things differently, looking for the novelty value with things such as engines in ficticious liveries, or engines that are rebuilt or new build, one other idea has been to model those seen in film on tv or movies.

 

As a result the obvious candidates such as Titfiled Thunderbolt or Railway Children spring to mind. I have infact already modelled a Titfield train using the Dapol 14xx. The Wisbech coach was bought of ebay and the rest of the train made up and repainted. Its planned that a new DJ Models 14xx will be repainted to be the guise of 1401.

 

However, it seems that the first engine to be completed for DCC Sound operation is not from these shores. Instead, a Bachmann Spectrum Model was purchased which already had a sound chip fitted and was already in the UK. That made a massive saving on importing the engine over from the states.

 

The original engine can be seen here.

 

It was not long before its appearance needed to altered and as a result I decided to do that by using a combination of pulling parts off while taking apart the engine. I actually did try to keep parts separate, some would be needed for the rebuild later when the appearance was altered.

 

All the main fittings on the boiler were removed. This gave access to the main piping which was then also all taken off.

 

Next a photo of the tender before its conversion.

 

Finally a photo of just the chassis. To be honest this was left in place. It allowed me to focus on the boiler body which required most work.

 

That's all for now.. hope this gets you interested. Next... a cowcatcher!

[The Black Hat]

Hello all, 

 

More on Project 131. 

 

The engine is actually sat waiting developments with transfers but this is in progress. 

 

 

Here parts to make the cow-catcher are placed ready for painting. 

 

parts are lined up to see if they will fit and work. 

 

As part of the conversion to 131, the two domes needed to move. One unscrewed off, the other needed to be removed.

 

Once done they can be added to the boiler. This then needed some filing down to accept where they were to be placed. 

 

The top of a boiler dome from another donor made for a rim to go over where the bell would be placed to smarten things up. 

 

Then with this done a lego part was used to fabricate a new smokestack for 131.

 

This proved to be too large so needed cutting to shape. Here is a photo of the first test to see its size. 

 

By comparing it with the old chimney, I was able to get the size needed right.

 

I decided to file out the centre of the lego cone to accept the old chimney. That way it would be screwed back into place using the original fitting with the lego as a casing. 

 

Looking much better the engine was then tested to see if this was like the prototype. There is infact a slight gap between the casing and boiler on original so this was looking accurate according to my plans for the engine. 

 

More on all this soon... 

 

 

 

[The Black Hat]

So, heres some pictures of the final stages of conversion for Project 131. Its awaiting final transfers and testing for now. 

 

Next the house for the light was needed. 

 

With the house in place it needed final detailing to match the prototype. 

 

The chimney was removed to allow painting.

 

The engine is now fully painted and just waiting for me to again sort transfers. Wont be long before this engine comes back on the overhaul cue to be part of the future engine fleet. 

[The Black Hat]

As usual,

 

A lot of work has been done that has not appeared on the Workbench thread.

 

There have been a few arrivals that have had work done to them.

 

Firstly, Hornby's Q6. 63395 has had a full refit. This has mainly concentrated on the Tender of the loco to get it to match the prototype that is running in preservation. The two Q6s have also been chipped and run on DCC Sound.

 

Secondly, Dapol class 68s. 68002 has arrived and been fitted out with sound. After seeing an excellent deal another 68002 was purchased which will become 68019, Brutus.

 

Other engines recently have had work. These have been after a part-ex at Christmas saw some old engines going. In their place has come 60103 Flying Scotsman and 60163 Tornado, to really add froth to the preserved end. They have been chipped and are working. 67804 the L4 has also been chipped as well.

 

Finally, with the part ex, saw the arrival of a class 31. This is in the final stages of a refurbishment into BR large logo blue, which despite refurbishment of the class 37/4s and class 50s, was never applied to class 31. As a result, this is another fictitious engine which will be outshopped as 31470 North Eastern and is in final stages of its repaint.

 

More on all these with photos when time allows.

[The Black Hat]

News on the repaint and refurbishments that are ongoing.

 

31470 is all but repainted. It is awaiting a sound chip fitting and then sublte weathering. It wont get too dirty as its a preserved engine, but it won't be fully clean either. Other engines see Tornado and Flying Scotsman tested and accepted into traffic. The Pioneer Deltic is also fitted and working, although this could be getting a bigger speaker later as well. Braunton is currently running with a long wheel base tender which it had when it started a few years ago in preservation. This could be changed to a short base type to then model it more to what it has been running with in the last few years.

 

On the network end, the pace of change has increased for a bit. Really my collection is getting to the point where theres little else out there needed, save for some 142s and 156s. The next board which is likely to feature a depot, looks as if its going to be run by GBRf. With this in mind, several GB machines have been purchased and over time they will be fitted. Some final engines that are analogue look likely to go to fund the final fitting of sound to these.

 

All of this is forcing a think on the period the layout is likely to run at mostly and as such some engines that are almost surplus or stand out are being lined up for repaints.

 

The first of these was 37672 in Transrail. With me wanting to run DRS locomotives and stock a kit to change this to 37423 was purchased from R3sprays. The engine has been painted, lights fitted and had its circuitry altered. Some final painting, transfers, numbers and varnish before weathering is needed. So progress is going well.

 

67001 was purchased as an EWS 67 and has ran on the layout. However, the number of 6701 clashes with the L4 fictitious tank engine, 67801 in black. A renumber of the 67 was an idea, or renumber the tank engine but then it becomes an exception to the rule on how numbers are decided. On inspection it was realised that 67029 had not been done in EWS silver management livery and that the transfers were available. Its now planned that this engine will be painted into silver, and that if need be another 67 will be purchased for EWS. This project is about to start.

 

The final possible repaint coming on the diesel side would be to paint 47805 from Intercity into Riviera blue, so that it runs onto the GBRf depot and that theres more than just 66's on shed. Its looking likely that this could happen, but it still might not.

 

Meanwhile one engine that seems to be getting my attention would be 35018 British India Line. While its Southern region, the outshopping of this in black I think would be different and good. It would allow another modern steam engine to be seen on the layout, but its role is currently being done by 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe and 45699 Galatea and for although the engine is going to appear outside the time frame I'm wanting to look at the idea of the Black Merchant Navy I think would really look interesting in model form, and would certainly get interest. One other final purchase would be for an engine to model 45407 to go with 44871 and 60163. 

 

More on these developments, hopefully with pictures soon.

[The Black Hat]

Hello all,

 

An update here to ressurect the thread in the hope that I get round to updating this with pictures.

 

37423 has been finished and entered traffic at the June show at Shildon. It worked well alongside 37405 which has just had its front altered to reflect the bigger red LED light system that DRS use. 37424/558 has also been adapted although this change is being finished.

 

35018 went to the June show too, complete in unlined Black as 98815 which really threw people off. The engine has now been repainted as per prototype and is in BR Green.

 

66748 has been bought and painted into GBRf grey. It needs some more cantrail lining to be done and more small transfers to be bought and applied.

 

Two GB 66s have been bought and renumbered to 66732 and 66753 respectively. Meanwhile another has had its chassis swapped with a freightliner machine. That gave me an accurate chance to model 66719 and then use the exchange to model 66957 which was named at Locomotion so no doubt that will make an appearance there when the layout returns in October.

 

The two class 68s are about to get their tops replaced for accurate DRS ones.

 

Meanwhile another project will see GB 20s done. 20088 will be changed to 20096 when done, in grey. They are about to be sent off for lights to be fitted first.

 

So will get photos updated soon, but most of these have been projects going on for sometime. More soon...

[PenrithBeacon]

Thought you were a North Eastern Railway fan

[The Black Hat]

Thought you were a North Eastern Railway fan

 

I am a massive North Eastern Railway fan, but I also really like 'current scene' on the railway. Project 131 is a novelty model to add interest, Project 1401 will follow..

 

I would love to do a full North Eastern Region transition steam layout, but for now will be running engines as they are on the main layout I have. I have some Q6s done, 63395 as it is today and a Q6 63398 of West Auckland. Theres a K1 done as 62005, with another to be done as 62008 but that is down the list. Also on the list to buy for is a K1 to be done as 2005 in LNER. A B1 to be done as 61018 also has been purchased, but this will join the latter K1 too. Just need North Eastern regional motive power and more Q6's but the former by the looks of it, could be some time yet.

[The Black Hat]

Hello all,

 

Some more of an update as to engines that have been worked on during the last few months. To be honest there is a massive backlog for this, but heres some of what will be running on the layout at the Shildon Model Railway Club event in just over a weeks time.

 

Pictures here show the yet to be named, 71001 Duke of York

 

 

 

 

 

[The Black Hat]

hello all,

 

A lot of work and developments have been going on, with the stock on the layout.

 

Anyone around this weekend, will be able to see the full New North Eastern Railway Company collection working on Shildon, which is running on DCC at the Flying Scotsman weekend. This will see the full L4 set being used, alongside the P2 pair, including 60604 Marquis of Londonderry which is yet to make an appearance on this thread. 60164 and 60540 will be joined by the dark horse 60541. Then there will be two more engines making a surprise debut...

 

Other engines running that have been adapted to be authentic will be 45699 Galatea, 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe with 34046 Braunton and 35018 British India Line.

 

Photos to follow.

[John Tomlinson]

Funnily enough I re-visited your thread this week looking for the bit about "Cock of the North". Having acquired a fully lined example, which I've detailed up and changed the motor on - a great improvement by the way - my attention turned to my Railroad example. I've done the motor on that and started bodyshell work, rubbing down lettering, removing moulded handrails etc.

 

As you and others have done BR green ones I did wonder about the early BR blue as seen on "Duke of York" above. I like my RTR A3 and Peppercorn A1 in the scheme and your 71001 is intriguing to say the least. Decisions, decisions...!

 

John.