M.I.B

Thanks Mike - i will look to see if it has a part number via Peter's and see if we could order them as units via a trader such as Peters.

Where did they come from Mike? They look like they could work.

You need to look for the paper chart for Enamels. They turn up at model shops from time to time.

Good on you for digging in and finishing it. There are lots of folks who have put all sorts of work into things only to have them put on hold. I worked late on Sunday on my motorcycle only to have the ride-out in April cancelled. Enjoy the quieter "enforced modelling" time - when the restrictions lift there will be so many events on that we'll never have time for anything else.

I once built an MGB when I was a prospective Wedgehead. But a BB or HGB was too big a task for a gang of spotty 18 year olds. Then we got given lots of diggers and bull dozers in a big sandpit at Chatham and told to have fun. That bit was great. Didn't join them despite that fun. Then we went to see the REEMs in Hampshire - they gave us the day off and some beer and we all watched Live Aid.......

Is that a reflection or a Double Baileys? Don't mind if I do as it's Paddy's Day. Cheers.

Straight pipes are easy to add from Evergreen tube and sheet. Sadly I don't know of a way of making elbow equivalents from scratch.

I'm not sure which of the 3500 tenders' Diagram Numbers best matches the current Hornby offering. (Adderley Hall etc) I have a couple here if you need photos .

All depends how accurate you want to be, and also on your modelling skills. I take it that your base model Star is a very recent Hornby - St Pat or British Monarch etc. One option is to fit a 3500 top to the existing 4000 chassis. Not a straight swap for earlier tender tops, but it does mean that you retain the DCC wires and sockets etc that live in the Star tender. The 3500 tops on current Halls such as the Adderley Hall model look to be a direct swap for the 4000s - two screws between the second and third axles and a third on the draw bar - both are identical. If you get the whole tender from Adderely Hall then it's super simple - unscrew the draw bar and unplug the DCC socket.

Nope - that's the Dark Blue Jobs. I was requesting the Ladies Balloon Corps ones in the big Sandpit in Spring and Summer 09............ I think that tour was their last op.

No aeroplanes on the real ones - the Queen's Auxiliary Balloon Corps sold off the Harriers to Donald Trump so that they could afford something faster pointier and sexier..........and of no use to the Army. Uncle Sam's Marine Corps however kept their Harriers (and broke ours for spares) because they are unrivalled as close air support to the troops closing with, and dispatching, President Donald's enemies........... Hey ho.

An eastbound sweeper? Returning all the XP rated "odds and sods" which have found their way West? I also like the recent post elsewhere where it describes a summer Friday train of restaurant and buffet cars........, all stocked with Tizer and Tunnocks, leaving Lahndahn for the West. Crew kipped aboard over night. They and their charge joined an Eastward bound holiday special the next day. "a train of buffet cars? surely that never happened......" It did!

The Cabinet is looking bare - the "display" items are packed and ready to go to storage. Only some easy "work in progress" is out. St Pat might get renamed before Paddy's Day - plus coal and crew. it is DCC fitted already. I will leave it lined. Not strictly accurate for a Star in late GW days, but the paint job done by Hornby is too nice to remove. Rule 1 applies. The 56XX0-6-2 is a recent addition. It is the late Bachmann "BR" version and is "DCC Ready" . Modelmaster provided a new number for a Gloucester based engine. Not yet fitted. After a re-logo, and removal of smokebox number, it too will get coal crew and a chip. I am not going to repaint from BR green. By the time this is weathered, the exact tone of green will not be visible. It's already extremely close to the Hornby green on St Pat. In front of the Traction Inspector, who is just waiting for some "black-tack" for his boots, is Witchingham Hall. This needs an unlined paint job, and a new identity. coal crew and chip are already done. I have used quite a few brass footplates/fall plates over the last 18 months, and decided to make them out of Plasticard for a trial run. The test rig for this is Kenilworth Castle. KC comes DCC Fitted from a Hornby set. No need to rename, just cal, crew, footplate, late logo and paint out all the lining below foot plate level. (already done). Marrington Hall is starting life from the plethora of cheap Adderley Halls which have been repeatedly on offer for the last 3 months. Not common to see a Hall with the smaller tenders in the late 40s, but common enough for it not to be a "never happened". This time I'm using Fox Plates - can't remember why - bought a while back. John Dew has been a super star when it comes to assisting me long distance with the transition to DCC and "chipping". Marrington Hall will get one of a number of Lenz chips bought last year on a good offer price form a UK retailer. Many thanks John. Still in its box, and in a cupboard where the "work tray" hides, is the WD Austerity renumbered, weathered and detailed some years ago. This is in the que for chip fitting. quite a complex task to get this all apart, but thankfully someone on RM Web has done a great " how to" complete with photos. Finally Pyrland Hall. Another Hornby "Adderley" bought on "special". chip is by Hornby. Plates by Modelmaster - all the usual tasks are done. Repainted unlined green at Christmas using Railmatch aerosol. Just needs a squirt of Testor's Dullcote and the bodies returning to the chassis. Pyrland also ran with the smaller tender in the late 40s for a time. But this one was a "GWR" logo'd unit, probably picked up from a 2251 or 43XX just gone into Shop. I will dig out the relevant dates, but the photo of it as such is out there, and that's good enough for me. As the UK goes into meltdown about no lockdown, and panic buying has cleared out all the loo roll, Fairy Liquid, pasta and tuna, I hope that you are all happy and healthy. Now - two verses of "God Save The Queen" as you wash your hands having read this........

Gold star to that man. Some good work there. Especially on the acute and the grave.

Really good mix of subjects, and well split up in chapters. Especially like the King photo and the 2 crane breakdown train shots. Not may Western photos - I would say its 98% steam and 75% BR(W) Shirtbutton and earlier fans - probably not for you.

I understand that while the small square tanks appeared quite early in the life of the railways, they were frequently seen late into the 1940s.

It's today - 5 March. Same as most years. Will be dreckly

A month has gone by, I have spent most of it away, and I return to a panic about a cold! I did get an Olton Hall, in it's "as restored" livery which means that it really is a Hall. It comes in maroon (ready for the Harry Potter films) and even has "GREAT WESTERN" on the tender. This is one of the quick "tell tales" when looking at Ebay adverts. If the Maroon engine has a Hogwarts School crest on it, it is probably the Castle model. If it has "GREAT WESTERN" it's the real Hall. I say "probably" above - just to make it difficult there has finally been a release of a Hall in ""Hogwarts Express" livery (tender badge) these are spotted because they feature a fitted headlamp - which on one of the variants actually works. (Time flies by researching this stuff say in airports.......) I will remain on the hunt for a late Hornby body. No big dramas if I don't get one for 10 years - I have a new DCC ready chassis and motor. I have had a real clear out of stock - 2 Mainline Manors have gone, 2 Moguls, and 2 x 61XXs. The 61XXs paid for a brand new "half price" Knight of St Pat which has been renamed to become the Star which got 3 names............ (quiz time) Dapol have announced a GWR rich output: Manors, Moguls and 61XXs. So from memory the only late GWR engines needing a refresh from the 80s models would be Saints and small Counties, Wherever you are I hope you are all happy and healthy.

Great if your stock has NEM pockets. Or if you can add them.

I have one of each, but the double fitted one is the right one............ Always a favourite of mine along with the 47XXs but not too favoured in the layout world in either GW or BR(W) guises.

Or a large County double chimney........ Many GW logo'd County models erroneously came with one.............