Caledonian

Learn something new... I'd say probably in that case

NIU ? I'm assuming its part of the original Hornby release, otherwise I would have expected a different number

Idly trawling through Google [as you do] this morning Olivia's Trains are offering a couple of L&NER J36s - both no 722 so nothing obviously new in the way of releases, but... while one's being offered for £150, the other at £185 comes with a tender cab

There's an interesting photie of a ballast train at Dunblane on page 268 of the wagon book. All of the wagons have canvas covers on the axle boxes, but they look heart-shaped or shield-shaped and a touch stiffer than your photie above

The painting looks good. I've been using Tamiya myself for a while with good results Intrigued by the ballast-plough and would be interested in a blog post

If you do get the chance of one, remember that the BR versions have smokebox numberplates which will need carving off

Likewise Maude and two [!] L&NER ones... in retrospect, a wise move

Tasty, very tasty Now you've had a go, are you tempted to work similar magick on some others ?

Thanks Gents, that's very helpful. Essentially a 1927 introduction means that the accompanying cattle wagons [per my earlier question] won't be plastered with lime and probably oughtn't have G W markings on the ends.

Sheep-worrying

Another, not unrelated question I look at pictures of Great Western vans and see doors with external framing including a diagonal brace. However the vans as sold by Hornby, Bachman and Dapol, have no external framing and appear to be exactly the same as those used on British Railways vans. Is this a silly mistake "helped" by the re-use of the same tooling, or did the Great Western bring in plain doors, and if so when ?

Anent painting teak, it's worth noting British Railways' unhappy experience with painting Gresley stock in red and cream. Looked quite magnificent when first applied but soon turned very scabby The all red [maroon] which followed seems to have lasted much better, which again seems consonant with earlier experience.

Very helpful [and interesting] gents, and thanks to all who responded. The photies of the G W on the ends look very tempting, but I'll probably stick to the sides.

Judging by the clearest photie its 25" However, without getting complicated, it looks as though I'm safe enough plastering a G W on each side, but not on the ends. [but I should still have the wagon number on the ends as well as the sides?]

A simple question that probably doesn't have a simple answer I have some fairly decent Bachmann cattle wagons which I intend to backdate to GWR ones. Painting them grey is straightforward enough and I'm in possession of a requisite selection of GW markings from HMRS, but before I start getting artistic I've been looking at my books I'm in possession various of photies [pre 1936] showing the large G W on the side of various wagons together with all the other smaller gubbins which you'd expect. This is straightforward enough, but I also have some photies showing additional markings on the ends - large G W and wagon number - but not on others. Were the GWs on the gable ends time limited, say just for example before 1930, or limited to certain areas, or something entirely different ?

Does make you wonder how many Australians are descended from Dorset county bridge breakers

Sellar and Yeatman probably nailed it by declaring that the Cavaliers were wrong but romantic while the Roundheads were right but repulsive

Ah splendid. Very interesting - and useful Both this and the other photie do suggest a rather dark livery, ie; green rather than brick red, but it I suppose it doesn't rule out a repaint at some point. Either way, its too good a locomotive not to find an excuse to run it

Intended to confuse German spies

It's a touch later than you have in mind but MCR 24, an ex LSWR 4-4-5T, as made by both Hornby and Oxford, made it to Catterick in 1920. That would be exotic.

Absolutely splendid. I've been away from the forum for a few months and this was just what I needed 😀

Those look very good and above all convincing, can you provide more detail on the roping and cleating, please

Ha ! and quite right too.

No, they do indeed seem more than a touch overdue. Mind you, although I' far from convinced about the khaki paint job I have a suspicion that if it was lined out it might pass for the pre-1914 livery

complete with the one strong man in the photie