happyChappy

Thanks Trevor they both look great. I've also got a crimson WHR (590) Baldwin from which I would like to remove the lettering and numbering. Unfortunately, Bachmann positioned the 590 number centrally on the side tanks and then place the 'WHR' lettering above this number so it is extremely close to the yellow upper lining band. I'm hesitant to have a go at this loco in case the lining is also inadvertently removed. Any suggestions?

I've plucked up the courage to have a go removing the GVT lettering on the Bachmann Baldwin using airbrush flow improver fluid with a cocktail stick to rub the fluid into the lettering. I'm mightily pleased that the technique has left no trace of the lettering and the underlying paintwork is completely unscathed.

Thanks Trevor. Presumably the 'after' version is yet to receive the final finish? I've chickened out of removing the Baldwin's GVT logo but experimented with a cheapo Bachmann wagon with 'ICI' logo. I used a wooden cocktail stick to carefully rub the Vallejo airbrush flow improver into the lettering which, (with a bit of patience), comes away cleanly and leaves the underlying paint finish undamaged. A quick overall matt varnish produces the finished wagon shown below. I'll have a go at the Baldwin next.

Thanks Andy. Always a risk of damaging the underlying paint surface so I'll be as gentle as I can. Can't say I've ever used a fibre-glass pencil although I'm sure I've got one hidden away somewhere to have a go with.

I would like to remove the 'GVT' logo on the side tanks of a Bachmann Baldwin loco. I'm interested in the technique adopted in the attached YouTube video which uses Vallejo Airbrush flow improver to remove Bachmann numbers without damaging the underlying base paint. Has anyone successfully tried this method or what alternatives do you suggest? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw8bT2wGOCc&pp=ygUdcmVudW1iZXJpbmcgbW9kZWwgbG9jb21vdGl2ZXM%3D

Thanks. That's reassuring and your logic makes a lot of sense. Actually, the proposed crimson liveried version looks quite cute but how could I justify one on my RAF munitions layout? The RAF sites occasionally held visitor open days in their latter years of operation and used rather motley home-made rolling stock for passenger rides. However, they never ran 'foreign' visiting locos and only used their own green versions.

The pre-production views of 3 new multicoloured Baguley-Drewry diesels is a bit of unexpected news to me. As the green and yellow versions have been in the pipeline for years I do hope these haven't been axed and replaced by these new liveries.

At the end of your video (5.01mins) you zoom in to Linda. In this still picture the angle of the coupling rod cranks looks to be decidedly different suggesting either the quartering is incorrect or the wheel-sets have been replaced incorrectly when refitting into the drive gears. These small chassis' will be very susceptible to any errors in this area and resulting poor running is often more noticeable in one specific direction just as you have found. Not good that Bachmann failed to fix it twice. I'd definitely return it for a refund.

I like the look of the Tramfabriek chopper couplings but most of my locos don't have NEM sockets (and those that do can vary in height). Have you tried fitting these couplings to any plain buffer beams such as Minitrains/Roco/Liliput, etc?

Do you fancy a Hunslet in yellow? Interesting how much taller the Baguley Drewry loco is.

Here is the rear of the loco which may be useful.

Hopefully this will be of help:

As my MOD layout is based upon RAF rather than RNAD I used the Pavla Model aircraft 'bombs'. The WW2 weapons set come in an assorted pack https://www.matadormodels.co.uk/zsundries/lists sundries.htm. They look the part even if they are really 1940s armaments.

You could start a new topic in the 'Narrow Gauge modelling' section.

Like you I had to return 2 'Dorothea's for 'tight spot' issues. I've lost confidence in the chassis and have given up on the Quarry Hunslet which is such a pity as the loco looks fabulous.

That's great and has the basic flavour of an RNAD depot. I like the continuous run aspect built into it. What sort of era are you setting your layout in? My layout is based on Dinton, located on the opposite side of Salisbury from Dean Hill. Dinton was Air ministry rather than RNAD but much of the rolling stock was common to both. Even today at Dinton Business Park the tracks are still visible where they were inset in roadways (e.g photo on page 45 of the book you mention). The layout was designed to fit into one of those 'Really Useful' plastic storage boxes so is very compact and is basically a 'U' shaped end-to-end. One side of the layout has the exchange shed based on those at Chilmark and the other side an underground storage magazine like those in Dinton woods. One day I'll join the ends of the 'U' with a fiddle yard to make it a continuous run.

Yes, and they look great. Nice and colourful. Any more thoughts on your Dean Hill layout ideas? The MOD also had a fairly large number of Hudson bogie flat wagons with removable ends. Short and long versions were produced which Bachmann may like to consider for future models. I'm going a bit off-topic here but here's a pic of my rendition of the shorter version using Peco bogies.

Approximately 16mm point to point. Not surprising that the axleboxes are too far apart for Greenwich wheels.

Photo of magnetic Bachmann wheels removed from RNAD brake van. Excellent news that Peco have now produced non-magnetic metal spoked wheels. Thanks for that - I'll give them a try. Any idea if the axles are same length as Bachmann? Also photo of my RAF Armaments repainted brake van fitted with additional lead weight. Brake man still to be fitted.

No screw holding the NEM pocket just a push-fit plastic pin. There's enough length on the spigot that the pin fits into to allow a 10BA washer to be fitted over the spigot before refitting the NEM socket. Use the appropriate washer thickness to adjust the coupling height. I've had to replace the wheelsets to eliminate the problem of the originals being magnetic and being attracted to under-track uncoupling magnets. Unfortunately, Bachmann wheels, although lovely to look at, have longer axles than Greenwich (or Grafar) non-magnetic wheelsets. Straight swap results in the replacement wheel axles simply falling out of the axle-boxes. A 12BA washer glued on the back of each axle-box reduces the width sufficiently to hold the Greenwich wheels and provide free running. Shame to lose the spoked original wheels but needs must.

Anyone else found that the coupling height on these new RNAD wagons is rather high? Coupling to peco stock is a complete no-no and all my Greenwich couplings seem too low. I'm going to try to lower the NEM coupler pocket with a shim washer placed above the NEM pocket. Rather annoyingly the built-in steel weights and wheels are magnetic so if you use under-track magnets for uncoupling then the lightweight wagon is 'grabbed' by the magnet causing erroneous un-coupling.

Seeing as you've made such an excellent job of the scenic side of your layout the fiddle yard side would make an interesting station/ quarry / workshop site if also treated to your scenic skills. Then you'll have 2 layouts in one.

Reading about running issues in this thread made me very cautious in purchasing a quarry Hunslet. At the shop the first example tested was poor - needing a finger prod to start off and then only running at high speed. A second example seemed better so it was this one I selected. Further testing and running-in on a rolling road at home revealed a pronounced rear wheel wobble, a tight spot in the mechanism so it would not run at scale speeds and a tendency to need a finger prod to start off when changing direction. I'll never be happy with it so back it goes for a refund. Such a disappointment compared to the Baldwins which are such smooth performers despite their very intricate valve gear.

Dapol replacement wheel-sets are non-magnetic and simple to fit to Hornby or Bachmann stock. They work a treat with Kadees but make sure there isn't a slab of magnetic steel weight in the floor of the rolling stock.

Calshot was a rather strange one. Not quite RNAD it was a Royal Naval Air Station for flying boats and was linked to the staff encampment at nearby Eaglehurst by a 2' 6" gauge railway. The photo appears to show a staff train en-route between the two. Interesting 'luxury' carriages.