Prometheus

I have just used a thin coat of Klear on a Mopok coach to enrichen the lower chocolate brown and give the printed sides a slight gloss finish. It worked as expected and also it has considerable success in removing slight superglue misting (note that I said ‘slight’!). It has saved me a number of times in that department. Tony

Thanks for the comment. Out of interest, do you have a date for the kit’s release? Using parts of the Hornby underframe has helped considerably with the weight stakes and it’s not too heavy at all now. The flush sides compliment the Hawksworth body well, too, although the prototype’s prominent seams cannot be replicated. Separate handles and grab irons help lift the illusion however. I’m not at all sure that I could build a rake of these coaches but my hunt for the not dissimilar construction PC Models slip coach continues...... Tony

Having been given this kit sans instructions I assembled it largely from photographs on-line. It was an interesting exercise though and the finished product, although not perfect by any means, was better than I thought. The majority of the white metal castings were not usable however and were replaced by items from my bits box [I was lucky enough to have an identical pair of ends in good condition, better buffers and better ventilators]. The chassis was another matter altogether though and the central truss rod / sole bar mouldings, being completely un-salvageable, could not be replaced by anything that I had to hand. I remembered then that I had a scrap Hornby Hawksworth coach however and was able to use parts of that and some other castings to complete the underframe area. The Hornby part required some thinning but it fitted nicely eventually and provided a far more detailed, realistic underframe than the original castings might have. All that remains of the original kit are the printed sides, the acetate body shell and the wooden floor. The interior of the coach is scratch built but is, inevitably, almost invisible! I thought that the body shell captured the characteristic profile of the Hawksworth roof rather well although there was no provision within the kit for the prominent guttering. That I attached with fine microstrip and it also provided a useful barrier for the sides to butt up against when locating them. The sides of the coach are also pretty flat with no major bowing at all, although one end does curve out very slightly because of the width of the end casting being greater than the shell and floor. The body shell - inexplicably - was some way shorter than the printed sides and it was necessary to cut the sides right back to the doors to enable them to fit. Consequently, it was not possible to fit a grab iron at each of the right hand ends. No matter. Excuse the dust in the photos! Tony

Pat Hammond's book comments that Triang were looking for a Southern loco but also something that would be cheaper to produce than one with outside cylinders and the associated slide bar/cross head requirement. The 4-4-0 configuration delivered this admirably. He reminds us too however that some parts of the model press saw it as an unimaginative choice for a new release at the time. I don't know why this was so. The B12, when it arrived, was deluged with praise: I would have thought that a model which delivered open-spoke wheels for the first time and which was also Triang's first Southern steam loco would have been too? Tony

There were, I think, 15 L1s in total but I cannot tell you why Triang chose this model. It was, however, their first Southern loco and maybe the reason lies in that? Supposition though. Their 2P did follow on however. Tony

This was the 70/71 version. I removed the traction magnet but did think for a while about adding a smoke unit. I saw sense though! The L1 was such a beautifully proportioned locomotive it’s a great shame than none has been preserved. Surprising too, maybe, that no r-t-r model has appeared since? Tony

I did wonder about those uprights on the tender Duncan. It may be too late to retro-fit now, but I'll see [I actually have that moulding from an N Class tender in my bits box]. Tony

Updating this venerable model has been a project at the back of my mind for a very long time. Obtaining one to work on was another matter altogether though and they have become expensive items. I managed to acquire a 'spares or repair' for £24.99 however and Blandford1969 provided me with a Bachmann N Class tender at an extremely reasonable price [for which many thanks, Duncan]. After the titanic struggle I had with Talgarth Hall, a Finescale kit, this provided a delightful and pretty much stress-free project. The intention was not to produce a finescale model but, rather, something which updated the original and so would not look out of place alongside more modern offerings. The build blog is here for those who have little else to do: https://srmg.org.uk/50-years-on-updating-the-triang-maunsell-l1-class-loco ...otherwise, some photos. Tony

I thought that I’d recognised Ray’s table! Tony

I'll try that next time Lofty - been following the instructions on the side of the tube until now. Probably the only time I do follow instructions! Tony

Ah, no. I had discovered the site that you posted a link to though. No copies on eBay, but one for £17 on Amazon. I can’t really afford that for a single build, particularly as it may not show the full underframe in sufficient detail anyway - always a problematic area for illustrations. I’ll probably just go with a Bk 3rd u/f and add additional parts where I can see them from external photos. It is highly unlikely that anyone has the original paperwork, but it’s always worth posting a request! tony

MIB - I have always used a Bostik-type impact adhesive. It’s a one-shot job so there’s no real room for adjustment once the side has been overlaid, but it’s worked well to date. tony

Thank you for posting that Mike and do not think me ungrateful but I have that already. It's the template for underneath that I need as there are a number of parts that I cannot identify and their positions are not clear. But thank you for taking the effort to look though, it is appreciated. Tony

Yep - all four volumes, but they deal with GWR coaches rather than later BR conversions. This coach was altered in 1961 and so is excluded alas! Tony

Thanks Ian I will do that, although it's unlikely to show the positions for the additional Dynamometer Car fittings. better than nothing though, so will look. Hopefully, someone on here will have an old copy! Thanks again and good luck in your hunt. Tony

Hello all I am trying to acquire the template for the underframe section of this Mopok kit. Unfortunately, one was not included in the kit I recently acquired. Can anyone help? Many thanks Tony

Great stuff - thank you. tony

Does anyone know if a list exists (anywhere!) which might indicate who (other than Comet) has produced brass overlays to change r-t-r GWR coaches into other, more prototypical GWR stock? Thanks Tony

I have posted news of our cancellation in a number of places on this forum a while back but inexplicably missed posting here. Anyway, sadly, it’s off. Tony

Not surprisingly, this has been up there for absolutely ages. And it's destined to remain there, too... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rare-GWR-00-Gauge-40-Passenger-Brake-to-Dia-K15-Kit-Built-rebuilt/254515720599?hash=item3b4251b197:g:D5kAAOSwWI1eSrpi I particulalrly liked the: '...I make no apology for the high price being sought for this particular model. It will seem totally unacceptable to the ‘bargain hunters’, who try it on to get models for ‘next to nothing’, but will make good sense to those who know the standards that I set and the quality of my work. As usual, this yet another ‘unique model’ that is unlikely to be repeated...'. Best of luck, chum. Tony

Truly 'rare' this one.... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-cardboard-paper-train-platform/324180218881?hash=item4b7aa59401:g:BFEAAOSw6FFevsMc But a snip. At least that's what it needs, with a large pair of shears.... Tony

Almost everytime that I attempt to log onto another railway forum, this message comes up on a blank page: Could not determine your IP address Is this likely to be my problem or their's? Any easy way of resolving it? Thanks Tony

I need a pair of brushes and their springs for an Anchoridge DS10 motor. Does anyone know anyone who stocks these? An internet search was not particulalrly helpful. Many thanks Tony

I have been wrestling with this rather old Wills 'Finecast' kit since early January but, at last, have beaten it into a final submission and can move on to something else altogether less trying. The finished model probably comprises around 65-70% of the original kit. So many of the castings were unusable because of poor moulding they had to be abandoned: the steam pipes, for example, were actually too short, the smokebox door was never going to fit, the cylinders were not satisfactory and I have an absolute loathing for white-metal in any part of the motion. The footplate broke into three at one stage during construction, it was unbelievably fragile. This is what I had to contend with: But, I quite enjoy this sort of challenge. Replacement fittings came from many different sources including a set of rather old white-metal Hall detailing parts for the original Hornby 'Hagley Hall' [manufacturer forgotten, but probably M&L Premier Kits], cylinders and slide bars were adapted Hornby Grange ones and the tender constructed from Bachmann, Hornby and white metal components. I did not want to use the kit-supplied tender - too heavy and I'm not overfond of the huge, slab-sided Hawksworth ones. Everything else was found in the bits-box [now hugely depleted]. The chassis block was, happily, straight and true. The engine runs on Romfords [obviously] and is powered by an RG4 [bought for £30, unused, but with a seized gear box - a soak in IPA sorted that out nicely]. It runs smoothly and without a wobble. Hand-painted throughout with Pressfix lining, sealed with Dullcote and then brushed with two coats of clear. Crew by ModelU. Only real regret is the lack of room for brake gear and sandboxes - the chassis and scale wheels would not allow fitment. In all fairness, whilst there seemed to be problems at every turn, it did end up as an enjoyable - if a little dimensionally challenged - build of a Hall. Tony

Thank you Ian. I have seen that one and have a bid on it. Fairly confident that I’ll be substantially out bid though. I have seen them hammer for more than £50 in the past! Thanks again for the reply. Tony