Prometheus

I'd appreciate some help identifying this kit please. I acquired this white-metal tank, together with its brass block chassis, quite a while back and from heaven knows where now. Its turn has come around but I would like to know a little more about it before some attempt to complete it is made. I've a feeling that it may be a Rhymney Railway 'R' Class 0-6-2, but I'm really not certain. Can anyone help please? Also, might it be a Wills kit? Finally, adjacent to the GWR-style safety valve bonnet is a moulding which looks rather like the original safety valves? I'm guessing that this needs removing, but confirmation would be gratefully received! Many thanks Tony

Thanks Carnforth - I’ll send you a pm. Tony

I'm trying to acquire a single Romford 20mm non-insulated driving wheel to complete a project. Anything out there? Many thanks Tony

Ditto, Jeff. I found a poor photo on line which appears to support the paint below the roof strip though. I’m pretty sure that I’d have done it anyway however! Tony

Number three finished - except for numbering. Usual liberties taken with the livery. I think I'll keep away from these for a while now! They are so pretty though..... Tony

Was it not Taff Vale prototype? Tony

I heard this a couple of hours ago. Oddly enough, I was listening to 'Nevada Fighter' earlier this afternoon. Here, from 1977, his first music video for 'Rio'. Delightful whimsy. APOLOGIES IF SUCH TINGS SHOULD NOT BE POSTED - PLEASE REMOVE. Tony

Steve - I cannot find your e-mail address. Have a query and your contact form is out of commission. Thanks Tony

I have always had a liking for these 40ft vans, having built or ‘rescued’ three K’s kits and with yet a further carded one to think about (which will probably be a stores or departmental van of some sort). But, given that only a very small handful would still have been in use by the late-‘40s, and probably even fewer in this fairly original condition, I was surprised to see that the look-outs had not been removed and parts of the paneling plated over. I thought that this would have been almost inevitable by then. Tony

This link goes to a current eBay auction. The club's set is the same, although in vastly better condition. Tony

This is a shot of the loco Fred - to photo the rest I'll need to visit the club on Thursday. Tony

Delightful! My club has a Marx O Gauge AC tinplate loco and two bogie coaches (with a third very easily repaired), and a suitcase of track, which it is trying to sell to raise funds. If I post photos later, would you be able to hazard a guess as to realistic value (in other words, we are not expecting thousands!) ? tony

Praise indeed! Many thanks. Tony

A little challenged dimensionally and the roof is not wholly correct, but it's still recognisable as a four-compartment Dia T20 Brake Third. Three scrap Ratio four-wheelers went into this and the result, overall, is quite pleasing. And here partnering an unaltered out-of-the-box build All Third. Tony

Yep, a ‘Touring’. Earlyish hatchback. tony

I'm afraid that BMWs do absolutely nothing for me these days, but I always liked the 02 Series, not at all ostentatious and nicely styled cars, and very much of their time. I spotted this 02 quietly disintegrating whilst in west Wales recently. I don't know whether it is [was] a 16/18/2000 model, but I always wanted one when they came out. The 02s looked very good in that bright lemon colour scheme .... Tony

Thanks for that Lofty. I did in fact turn that up with a Googlesearch after I had posted the original request. I have managed to fill my window rather more neatly! Tony

Thanks for your reply Duncan. I could have used a Shirescenes overlay but I quite enjoy cut-and-shut as a process for creating compromised but recognisable rolling stock! I just wish that I could find a way of bashing together the O.13 Milk Train Brake that way!! Tony

Thank you also, Jonathan. No, no immediate plan to arrange for the doors to open! Tony Tony

Thanks for that Lofty. Looks like a fairly straightforward Ratio conversion. Tony

Thanks Dave for the reply. I did check but the line drawing doesn’t show clearly whether the doors are doubled or not. I think that they are, but just want to be certain before I get the knives out! tony

Could someone please advise whether the above coach, a four compartment Third with a centre Guard's section, had two central doors [on each side] for the Guard's compartment [one glazed, the other not] or just one. Many thanks. Tony

A Hornby Dublo BR 8F repainted as LMS 8414, one of the Swindon-built batch. All original apart from plastic wheels replaced by metal ones throughout and new buffers fitted to the front. Although originally a non-working wreck, very little was required to get the motor running strongly again. The shadows cast by the rivets show how proud they sit!!! Tony

This one I didn't make, but I did get it running! A £40 eBay non-runner. Nicely built and on Romfords, it had to be worth a punt. Reason for not running? Immediately visible on arrival: a pick-up was in contact with a wheel spoke, causing a short. 30 second repair and it now runs beautifully on - surprisingly - its original K's motor. Some very minor cosmetics will follow and I'll get shot of the Triang couplings, too. Tony

Very nice, and hand-lined, too. Tony