Jub45565

Looks just the part Andrew! One thing I've been doing, alongside seeing what Comet and Branchlines have to offer and assessing prototype photos, is seeing what is available in other scales. Not all of it will be easy, or possibly necessary, to scale down but it shows how the fittings can be tackled. http://www.lgminiatures.co.uk/?s=ivatt Have you left the bunker ladder as it was? I think this is my next challenge, as the Bachmann one is a bit chunky and doesnt have the same extension and fixing bracket at the bottom as the prototype. I think the old Crownline detailing kit may have included this, but I don't think these are currently available (and would be about the only thing I'd use from it) I may well end up drawing one up.

Likewise, and also interested how the boiler will be tackled?

I saw Stevenson's/Millholme today at Stafford, and to correct the above it isnt the D552 they do. It is D502 driving brake third, and D526 driving brake comp. According to Midland Record No 5 they were withdrawn either c1923 or c1930. D552s and D551s can be converted from Ratio kits though, and these did last until the mid-late 50s.

Yes, a good example is the 8F. The current Hornby model might have a nicely running chassis, finer valvegear, sprung buffers, etc - but in basic shape the firebox has been fattened to allow for the loco drive mechanism. The old tender drive body is therefore a better starting point from a dimensionally accurate, rather than nice looking bells and whistles, perspective (it is the old body sold in the Comet kit). Horses for courses of course, in that if just using out of the box and as a passing train, the newer one looks better...

This is a bit of a tangent from the topic, as unfortunately they aren't being produced by Bachmann (at this stage anyway!) - but see here: https://www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/MoDs Apologies in advance for any days lost looking around the rest of Festipedia...

Is that one in their list? I think I have looked through it at an exhibition, and only saw the D552 version which was scrapped too early to be of interest. The D1246 lingered on into 1959.

The Hornby none gangwayed stock cover the right diagrams to convert for LMS PIII push pull fitted stock. Comet, 5522 and 247 have all done ends - I think the Comet one is the only one available new currently. A Midland D1246 would be amazing, but as far as I am aware there isn't even a kit. Alan Gibson also do push pull apparatus, should peoples preferred combinations not be available off the shelf.

The Ffestiniog Have a few of those bogie wagons (without the ends), and very useful they are too. Mainly used for carrying rail, but have been put into all sorts of use. They were initially on loan, but I believe (could be wrong!) they are now fully part of the FR fleet.

Probably a bit late! - but the Comet roof is a hybrid to suit several profiles. Therefore it only suits the Comet ends. Unfortunately 247 don't do the correct roof any more. My current choice is the Dapol kit one. They can be cheap but does seem a big waste - & they refuse to answer emails requesting them as a spare part. Looking good though!

Lies is harsh... but there are descrepancies and unknowns which he filled in adding 2+2, but making 5. The problem is once it is in print, it is too easy to take as gospel. These days, there is a wealth of information available to researchers which just wasn't in the public domain when Boyd was writing. One example is the Welsh Highland Railway carriage numbering - a matter which is cleared up in a booklet printed by the WHHR/64 co. On a slight tangent - as I said in the main Bachmann 2019 announcement topic - I'd like to know where Bachmann have got the idea that 590 was lined when painted red/maroon/lake in 1934, as I have seen no reference or evidence of it before!

With the CSB chassis' I've built, once the weight is fitted in & centralised the CSB wire gauge is altered to suit to match the proper ride height. I don't see how a low chassis would work, as the cylinders are generally attached to the chassis so would then sit low? There are some good examples of both CSBs & Comet/Brassmasters/Markits coil sprung hornblocks on the clag.org website. There is also a Streamline Sheffield/John Brighton article online in pdf about building a Comet Ivatt class 2 tender loco with the coil springs. I'd also add to the general rule that Comet chassis' are designed to allow for P4, and frame spacers can be swapped at no extra cost.

I have been quite here, but beavering away trying to make progress! I will hopefully get a proper update done later in the month (which can also include a video clip of a rotating turntable...) but as a bit of a preview this photo shows some of it. I need to blend in the veg patch, and colour the edibles... I also need to add a few more fence posts. Ambis point levers have been assembled and are in the paint shops, these will then need timbers adding for, and the rodding added, before more ash ballast can be used to fill in some of the gaps. I also need to blend better the ash - granite ballast better. The van wasnt placed where it is on purpose, honest! The signal is RTP from Dapol. It isnt ideally seated which partially accounts for the wavy ladder - but I am very tempted to replace with a brass alternative anyway. The water column needs the tie chain fitting, and it also shows up the under scale RTP water tower (there isnt much 'head' available for the bottom half of the tank...). Telegraph poles are in.

Thanks John - not entirely as you say (and scaling is difficult with camera perspective - at least signals have ladders to rung count!) but does explain why the head looks very similar - also being a 1950s replacement! But food for thought nonetheless.

As above... that looks anything but crude to me! I have a need to do similar lamps (though unfortunately as replacement heads on octagonal posts), but I had been trying to over complicate things in my mind and make them illuminate. Even small leggy LEDs look too big, and the legs too fat, to make them look anything like right, so thanks for sharing this - much food for thought! Not illuminating probably gives a wider choice of post options too. I have measured a BR(M) 'head unit' (which for some reason is at the Ffestiniog) - what height have you made your post? Thanks,

One thing I don't think I've seen mentioned yet - 590 (WHR Baldwin) was red from 1934, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't lined. I've just checked with my images and while they're all b&w they don't show any hint of lining or differing edge colours... plus the FR was in a dire financial position so will have done it on the cheap! This image could be bodged from an ALR version, but they've gone to more trouble than just clip the cab back on. The lining on Peggy is very much the same style, but Peggy is lined around the bunker panel, while the 590 image wraps around to the rear... Edited to correct autocorrect... 2nd edit to note the description states lined too, but still pretty sure it shouldn't be!

Andy has quoted anticipated shipping dates from China. Bachmann list the delivery to shops on their website. So these tie up. What doesn't is the 158/9s which will no doubt upset a few people, but at least they are this year.

Erm, they did feel the need for an extra loco in the mid 20s (when the Baldwins were available cheaply) - but built Lew.

Looks like a generally sensible approach - though a continued lack of maroon Thompson's is odd to say the least! But at least there are maroon Portholes to come in 2019. Last I saw for the 1P on the availability list was 'On order' but I couldn't see a key as to what this actually means...

Looks excellent! Could you explain what you used, or how you did, the weeds and hedges please? Very convincing in the close ups. I also like the out of use level crossing, I've had similar ideas before - the implementation is brilliant.

I can't agree with this - Hornby coaches are still let down by the glazing when compared (on LNE, LMS and BR Mk1s at least, which I have looked closely at). The Thompsons are top notch.

Disappointed to not see any Trout at all - BR black seems to have only had 1 batch ever? I did get a couple of the yellow ones from last year, and they stripped nicely in brake fluid (Wilko's Dot 4). The LMS brakevan looks good, and it will be hard to resist a 6 coupled Peckett...

For 2D CAD I use DraftSight - basically Autocad - from Dassault (Big Canadian Defence company who own a large proportion of Thales too). This is free, I havent found a need to upgrade to the professional version.

Firstly, before anyone points it out, I'm aware I took a photo of the wrong one! Ie this one has a crooked insulator pot, though it straightened out fine. Secondly, to note that I soldered the white metal arms to the brass rod with DCC Concepts 100 degree solder. Much nicer to work with than the traditional low melt, and doesn't require the brass to be pre-tinned. I've used it on a couple of things this autumn, and it is now my go to whitemetal solder. I will be making caps for the poles, I have 1,2 and 5 thou brass sheet so just need to work out which one looks best.

It's been a while since an update, but things have been bubbling away. Currently are a set of telegraph poles, 3mm brass rod with Wizard arms. Most photos show earlier arms - more of them, only 2 pots per arm - but just before starting work I refound a few later photos which had seen them replaced! These are to be plugged into the layout using the bases as shown, and aligned with a rod through the pole which also sets the height. They are removable for several reasons - 1 of which is that I plan to experiment with invisible thread wires. This may or may not work, but best to allow for it. It will also make some other scenic work easier without having to work around the poles. This is probably the last proper update before Christmas- it seems it is now mere days away - so Merry Christmas everyone!

No it isnt - 00-SF uses flangeway clearances suitable for standard 00 wheelsets and back to back - P4 uses tighter clearances all round, so shouldnt be included in the name as that would cause far more confusion (16mm to P4 standards would be fine with that terminology). But yeah, as I said, I thought it might be outside the remit of the question - but just a thought.