Prometheus

Thanks for the comments all. This is illustration I used principally. I cannot advise on its origin though. https://share.icloud.com/photos/064HQSw9DP1M-4tmKu_AKFPpw Tony

I cannot say for certain, two images had it with the safety valve bonnet and two had it alone. I went with the former. Tony

Drawings were a problem DCB. I found an old article in the Modeller, two paintings/artist’s impressions in books and a basic line drawing on line. Not a lot to go by! In the end, I had to decide which I wanted to copy as much as anything else.

And a great shame too. I had been thinking about building a 'Cathedral' for some years and eventually got around to it. An expensive project undeniably, but worth it in the end. A couple of hours a night for two months resulted in this: The model is constructed from parts of China-made Hornby Princess and Hornby King models, parts of a recent Hornby County tender and the usual assortment of wire, plastic card, screws, brass and detail parts from the bits box. The only other parts purchased were the name and number plates. It took nearly two months of evenings to construct as there were a lot of false starts, neither model having been designed to be combined in this way! All of the boiler fittings from the Princess were cut away, as was the cab, and the cylinders, steam pipes and motion were also removed. The King gave its cab to the build, along with its bogie, double chimney, steam pipes, wheels, smoke-box door, piston rods, slide bars and cross-head, cylinders and buffer beam. Everything else had to be scratch built, including the splashers. The tender has an adapted Hawksworth tender top and the tender chassis is adapted from the Princess with additional GWR fittings. The Princess chassis block was used but, like the trailing truck, it was adapted to take the new body. The model retains the Princess’ connecting rods but nothing else. Tony

I've seen any number of improvements to / cut-and-shuts of those old Hornby 4 wheelers: these are the first ones which look genuinely improved. Tony

Thanks for your comments - much appreciated. But I just couldn't bring myself to empty the vacuum cleaner bag over it and then spray it with varnish!! For anyone interested in Colliers' trains on the GWR / BR (W), there is a fascinating and extremely well illustrated article on them written by the late Ian L Wright ['Last of the Great Western Four Wheelers'] in Back Track Vol 4 No 4, July/August 1990. Superb photographs and text covering Senghenydd - Llanbradach, Nelson & Llancaiach - Dowlais, Burry Port - Cwmmawr and Cymmer Corrwg - Glyncorrwg - North Rhondda Colliery. I found a copy quite cheaply online and it is well worth looking for. Tony

A Shirescenes etch / Ratio chassis combination, running in later life as part of a Miners' train, for a layout based on Glyncorrwg which I'll never build! Tony

To reduce the absurd weight of this kit, this second one built uses only the sides/frames from the original with the ends and roof being adapted Triang Clerestory parts and additional detail provided by Ratio, various white-metal castings and odds-and-ends from the bits box. The clerestory windows have been plated over and the centre wheel-set rests in a cradle which allows both lateral and radial movement, enabling smooth passage through tight radii. The whole ensemble runs well. I always thought that this U29 was an odd choice for Keyser to have made, but I'm not complaining! It has a delightful vintage look and the odd survivors had a very long life indeed. Tony

Hi - I am trying to obtain a complete Hawksworth [slab sided without the flared top] 4000 gallon tender body in absolutely any livery for a New Year project. Any out there please? The chassis is not required. Thanks Tiony

Next weekend, the 9th and 10th September, sees Swansea Railway Modellers' Group holding its 2023 event back at the LC in Swansea. With 20 layouts and a dozen traders, as well as society stands, it promises to be a great event. For more details, see https://srmg.org.uk/2023-show Tony

Next weekend, the 9th and 10th September, sees Swansea Railway Modellers' Group holding its 2023 event back at the LC in Swansea. With 20 layouts and a dozen traders, as well as society stands, it promises to be a great event. For more details, see https://srmg.org.uk/2023-show Tony

Absolutely delightful! Thanks for sharing. You are so right about those Brassmasters ‘ Cleminson units, too. They can almost cope with 90 degree curves. Tony

Absolutely, thoroughly enjoyed looking through that wonderful collection again. Tony

And now joined by a dimensionally more-accurate All Third..... Tony

With a certain amount of inevitable compromise, this ex-Cambrian shortie was constructed out of scrap Ratio Midland Suburban and GWR 4-wheel coach parts. It does bear something of a passing resemblance to the 25ft 6ins Composite on P89 of Lloyd's 'The Tanat Valley Light Railway' however and that's my excuse. If indeed it got that far, the original coach probably lasted only seconds in GWR ownership and certainly didn't live long enough to acquire the livery that the model wears, but there we are.... Tony

I've long since mislaid my original posts on this from over a year ago but my build is now finished. It was ridiculously ambitious with enormous amounts of cut & shut and fitting, and the chassis frames were a problem too. It's not perfect, the panelling that the GWR didn't alter isn't modelled [a bridge too far], but it is recognisable from those few photos of the prototype that can be found. The coach comprises parts from two Airfix Autotrailers, heavily modified outside chassis frames from a K's LNWR Full Brake and a fair bit of scratch-building. The bits box, as ever, took a hit. It rides on a Brassmasters Cleminson chassis, which was a joy to construct and is amazingly flexible. I never want to make one of these again. I have never seen a model of one either, perhaps others took a more sensible view.... The original [one of a pair]. Photo source unknown. Believe me, you have no idea just how relieved I am that it's completed. Tony

They are such neat chassis units and it never fails to amaze me just how tight are the radii that they can sail through. Tony

And it's that good running that justifies them for me. However, on my build, as I kept the floor and step/sole bar moulding of the Triang coach, whilst the Brassmasters unit fitted very neatly inside, it left insufficient room for cosmetic W-iron/springs/axle box mouldings - they would protrude beyond the widest part of the coach body and that, obviously, was unacceptable. Instead, I used parts from two very heavily adapted Ratio 4-wheel scrap chassis with the outer wheelsets running in brass bearing-fitted axle boxes and the inner wheel, minus its pin-point axle ends, floating in a plastic card unit which allows side-play and just a little radial movement. It runs extremely effectively and the centre axle can retain its flanges. Photo below shows this at an early stage. Tony

A nice job. I’m currently doing one of these too but hope to use a Brassmasters Cleminson chassis under mine. tony

Thanks - I’ll try that. tony

I have a number of these to construct (GWR Toplights) and was wondering whether anyone had discovered a non-destructive method for slightly bending in a tumble-home on the rather rigid plastic sides? Being able to do this would make attaching these rather inflexible sides so much easier, particularly given the tiny rebate on the roof moulding for attaching the top of each side. thanks Tony

Thanks for posting. Tony

I agree and it’s the direction I was moving in. It would also provide a little relief to the otherwise black ends. Tony

My problem dates back to the 1927 livery! It seems that the droplight framing at the ends is black, but the very few photographs available are in vintage b&w, so it's difficult to tell. I'll keep digging, but I think that this one may remain unanswered definitively. Anyway, thanks for your reply. Tony

Thanks all for your replies. I shall PM you Dave, as you have suggested. Tony