Brassey

Can't use solid soldered rods in a P4 CSB chassis as that will counter the desired compensation/springing. Gently opening the holes with a tapered broach is probably the best solution here short of rebuilding the whole chassis PS: you should be able to get a GW wheel press at Scaleforum at the end of this month otherwise check out the ads in MRJ for mail order edit for PS

Thanks for the explanation of a simple but ingenious solution. I guess the same principal can be used for full cab tank engines. Peter

Your freight system does not seem to take account of fitted and unfitted trains, unless I've missed something

Hi Ken `how do you make the roof detachable? I intend to do this on my 4 wheel and 6 wheel stock. Peter

If one is going to the trouble of making your own turnouts, then prototype practice is the best guide, and the timber spacing of which remains the same irrespective of gauge; EM, P4 or otherwise. I built mine, to the best of my ability, to 1909 LNWR Permanent Way specs with the help of Templot. Contemporary GWR spacings would no doubt have been different. IIRC S4 Society templates are based on LNER standards.

IIRC the K's has a standard Belpaire boiler (as does the Mallard). I have dismantled mine but think the smokebox is a separate casting.

Anything that was rebuilt after 1908 could have been outshopped in the lake allover livery. I presume the Hornby C15 is not lake.

It is impossible for all of the class designations to have been changed over on one day so it is highly likely that some compartments were still labelled 2nd class in 1912/13

If you got that miniature blowtorch it would be fairly simple to desolder he whole thing. IIRC there might be a vague throw-away reference to the footplate width in Ricey's article but its a long time ago now!

What about trying Worsley Works. although I model in 4mm the also do a lot of 2mm. They have produced etches for me in the past from my own drawings. No connection etc... http://www.worsleyworks.co.uk/2mm/2mm_LNER.htm

Sorry Miss P that link does not work. Here are some interesting others: https://images.app.goo.gl/r4sbS987P26a69YS7 https://images.app.goo.gl/xhnXwQ8JDJAMnCin9

Regarding all-over brown livery, I have debated this issue before elsewhere; according to the RCTS preliminary survey page 44, deep "crimson lake" was adopted in 1908. Although it appears to be received wisdom that lake was not adopted until 1912 (pre-ceded by brown) there are no contemporary records in 1912 supporting this livery change but there were plenty in 1908. It is likely that the early attempt at lake quickly weathered to brown before the GWR mastered the new livery so brown was the perceived colour until the painting improved. Again according to RCTS, County Tank 2225 was outshopped in crimson lake in July 1909 not brown. So any auto tanks that were painted circa 1905 would have been chocolate to match the coaching stock but I would ascertain that from 1908 they would have been lake. It has been suggested that the only way to establish the true facts is to check the minutes of the appropriate committees' minutes held at Kew; a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Thanks for asking John, The track is ballasted but not weathered. Also numerous cosmetic chairs yet to added before weathering. Platforms are in and start has been made on other scenic elements. Currently dismantling though in preparation for a move as my daughter is swapping bedrooms. Whilst it is in bits I am hoping to get to the far side of the layout to complete the scenic work on that side which will be a lot easier than when it is hard up against a wall! In between time, I still have a mountain of stock to build. Peter

The Coal Tank is now finally in primer awaiting painting in LNWR Blackberry Black. This was once a K's kit; it's not quite perfect but I want to get it off the workbench:

I have not varnished this loco yet. It was a bit of an experiment to be honest and I used a very faint mist of PP two-part etched primer which is how they recommend it should be used. The loco is a hybrid of whitemetal and nickel and not too sure the primer took too well on some of the metal if at all. The cruel closeup pic shows the paint is already lifting off in parts particularly the top edge of the tanks. I have now reverted to using Halfords etch primer which goes on much thicker. I do however particularly prefer the shade of green on the boiler which is almost black. Not too sure what effect varnish might have on this colour

The auto train was introduced in the Edwardian era under Churchward circa 1905. I am currently building 1425 in chocolate for my layout dated 1912 so I am assuming the livery lasted at least till then. She was shedded at Leominster in 1912. RCTS gives the chocolate numbers as: 205 222 518 523 524 526 530 531 533 544 546 561 564 828 829 831 833 848 1155 1156 1157 1160 1161 1163 1165 1423 1425 1470 1488 Nos 533 and 833 had the overall dummy coachwork. The cladding on the two fully enclosed 517's was removed by 1911. It might also be fair to assume that at a major overhaul i.e. fitting of a belpaire firebox, that these other locos would have reverted to standard livery. But according to RCTS the "distinctive colouring was abandoned in 1924, though isolated examples survived several years afterwards".

I have come to the conclusion that it is an error in the Mainly Trains chassis that sets the step-boards too wide; both upper and lower. I will need to find a remedy for this as I have quite a few of these to build in various guises. I've also fixed one of the platforms now which will be hard to change if the clearance problems persist. This is an old photo of a test run showing the Haye chassis which clears the platforms fine. The 6 wheel chassis still has the lower footboards to be added:

There is no evidence that 835 carried the chocolate livery. Most if not all of those so finished had enclosed cabs. I have pictures of 835 circa 1914 and later with an early belpaire boiler but no enclosed cab. Those locos that received the brown livery are listed in the RCTS and IIRC, 835 is not among them. This is my 835 which was spray painted with a very elderly tin of Precision Paints pre 1928 which is darker than their current pre 1906! For some reason the colour on the boiler is darker than the tank sides! Since this photo was taken she has been finished off with whistles and buffers:

Seems a bit on the low side and have you run it through any platforms yet to check fouling?

Mikkel, have you considered an airbrush or would that be impractical? Peter

One went on eBay last week for a reasonable sum. I have a couple of T36 complete with MT u/frames on my todo list. The other carriage in the rake will be a 3rd class with a Ratio body.

The Haye Development 4 wheel chassis can be built as 18ft and yes Miss P I too have struggled with the footboards on the MT version! Mine are currently off the model awaiting a rethink. Edit PS: not too sure the U12 is a brake composite; more like a composite with a luggage compartment in the middle. I've had one on the bench for the past year that I must finish too.

MJT sell sets of horn guides that have one axle fixed on the etch. You would have to buy 3 sets for an 0-6-0 and have considerable waste

Encouraging to see another 4mm LNWR modeller at work and looking very good. In my experience, I find forming the duckets as a unit off the model easier. Not sure what the LRM instructions say on the matter though

From Phoenix Precision website: "It should be noted that all of our GWR colours were matched to a privately preserved set of paint panels from Swindon Works. These not only had the colours, but the dates used and the names for each colour. Our understanding is that the panels had been signed by the CME for the period."