w124bob

When I was at Manchester Victoria we had a Stanlow to Immingham job we worked from Vic as far as Wakefield, waited a few hours then did the return. We always referred to it as the gas tanks but I think now it was probably LPG.

Slight jump in time to the 80's with Gateshead 47417 and a typical MK2A Newcastle to Liverpooi service. Whilst Holbeck's 45006 passes with a similar train.

Regarding 47012, anyone changed the dots to a headcode. Just wondering how easy it is to get the glazing out to remove the printed dominoes, it's a doddle on the current class 46.

Some prototype information, the top lights were rarely used even when new and by the mid to late 60's were more or less redundant. When shunting in a yard the bottom outer lights should display 1 red 1 white at both ends. The light nearest to the mainline would be the white one. On the mainline the leading end would have displayed the lamp code for the type of train being hauled (rarely express!)hence the top white light, light engine moves would have required one white at the front and a single red at the rear. Now the reality, the lights are very feeble, only 40watt bulbs at 110volts behind a very dirty fisheye lens . Pretty much invisible during daylight and glow worm at best during darkness, I would usually put a proper paraffin or battery tail light on the rear for a mainline run. In model form I really wouldn't bother with working lights and particularly on a Jocko. One final point the actual light switches are under each individual light, not in the cab. It's basically the way the lighting circuit board has been wired at the factory is not prototypically correct, there no "headlights" on an 08.

Most of my recent images for DM are already cropped and edited to a size suitable for this forum. If you look at the O gauge Jinty for example(via the Flickr albums) that image can be enlarged because it's never been edited in any way. I'm not an expert on this photography stuff, just from previous experience images over a certain size don't tend to load up on here. Perhaps there should be a "how to photograph models" thread! The Bachmann crane from a couple of years ago first time on the DM thread.

One more from 22 now on Flickr, hopefully the spotters were happy with their pictures! Click the image to go to the rest.

Another,

Teaser for today, 350 was a very local engine from 1966 to '71 being based at Healey Mills. Just one of nearly 30 photos of 350 taken recently, I will post more in the next few days. Had some fun weathering this, there are about 4 layers of acrylic, powders, oils and varnish(Dulcote) on this. Full yellow ends were robbed from a blue loco, the half yellow ends will get a repaint in due cause.

Stanlow to Jarrow and Stanlow Leeds(6E18) regularly double headed from to Stanlow as far as Castleton. Lead engine would come off there and return light to Ellesmere port. This started when the Manchester Victoria banker was abolished around 1987. See this, first double header is a 37/47 combo on 6E18 in about the third minute. Then at 15mins a proper 47x2 combo again 23.30mins, plus celebrity rat action, the Pilkingtons Mk1's and 31's on Blackpool Oldham loop trains. The late John Earwicker was relief signalman for the area. From Flickr

The steam heat project has now been abandoned, big compromise on the boiler water tank and news from Barwell make it not worth while. Tablet catcher version will be done.

Sorry, to clarify I was doing my own conversion of a Heljan class 25. I'd posted some mock up pictures over in the Heljan section, using a widened but shortened water tank from a scrapped Baccy class 25. The compromise was forced because of very restricted space for the bogie to pivot. Having seen those images above I gave up, my compromise was to much when viewed against those EP pictures. I will do a tablet catcher recess version, as something different.

Steam heat Heljan now abandoned, the compromise on the watertank was to much when viewed against the EP's from Bachmann, I'll wait! With the website issues sort of interrupting this thread have I missed the livery options? Really hoping for a plain green FYE boiler loco, two would on be my roster immediately. Note to Bachmann please tell the factory not to glue the headcode glass and gubbins behind it in place! Other than that the cash is waiting, rats need to breed!

Another Gateshead loco passes Dewsbury Midland, a backdated Bachmann class 46 now with headcodes. As all the previous pictures have disappeared here's the link to my Flickr page https://www.flickr.com/photos/28630680@N06/albums

Since the pictures of my original 25/0 conversion are not appearing here's some new ones along with a second conversion. The two chosen were both Holbeck locos 5168 uses the chassis from 24035 with all the lighting circuit boards swapped over. 5172 is a renumber of my first conversion first shown some pages ago, I made a rookie error as I didn't check the picture I was using and numbered it 5170. Only to have it pointed out that 5170 had a replacement cl 25 style headcode box at one end!

Just for interest, 25032 at Coalville in July 1980

Well sods law prevails here, I'm just finishing a steam heat Heljan conversion! To be 5234 i green FYE. Also interesting that they are showing a non boiler, body side filters version on the EP's as only four were like this. Three from new 029, 030 & 031 were withdrwan in '76 and '77 whilst 032 as the only dula braked one did another ten years. 25242 lost it's boiler sometime in the 60's but was fitted with dual brakes, withdrawn in 1984. I l will be adding the earlier body style locos to my fleet. This is the one (early body) I've really been waiting for. Since a 25/0 is an easy conversion from a 24/1 we now have a full set of Derby type 2's.

There's very little else to be done to a standard VEA, alterations really are down to modelling individual wagon variations. One note on the airpipes supplied. Bachmann have included both the brake pipe and main reservoir pipe. The later is only needed one very early VEA vans fresh from the works. BR switched to a single pipe system in the very early 80's, making the main res pipe redundant. I found only a tiny number of red/grey vans (all nearly ex works)with it still fitted, bauxite VEA's vans should be treated similarly. The main res pipe(touch of yellow onthe handle and end) is the one that fits behind the buffer beam, brake pipe(red handle and end) fits into the hole on the buffer beam. Red/grey repaints on vans in the late 80's can be represented by leaving the top door rail red and changing the double arrow and Railfreight logo to a smaller size. See Paul Bartlett's site for numerous difference including vans in the engineers fleet, ZEA.

The next class 25 variation, just a test fit of bits at the moment. Blue boiler vent came from a Bachmann class 24/1(now a 25/0), etch part is from A1 Models and is part of their class 47 boiler and planking plate set(sold via their Ebay page). The water tank will come from an old Baccy class 25, this needs to be widened by about 3mm but shortened by about 2mm to prevent fouling the bogie and limiting the pivot. A Brassmasters one might be an alternative, the five boiler locos in this batch had yet another variation on the exhaust if anyone is looking at a blue variant.

I'd forgotten the Triumph connection, volunteered at Shackerstone back in the mid 70's and I seem to recall Royal Enfield R&D isn't that far away.

A brief description on the mods to this loco appear in the Heljan section, but here's 7647 passing through Dewsbury Midland.

My version of 7647 is now finished, the only thing I need to do is change the 6 to 0 on one number, some trainspotter wag decided to invent a Derby Hymek!

My two red/grey vans arrived just as the site went off line, so here we have what I've done. Comparing real vans against the model shows some minor livery issues and variations, the top door guide on the initial red/grey repaints was black, so that was touched over. The vertical door locking bar should match the body colour, again a quick touch up with suitable red and grey paint and finally silver on the buffer shanks. Some vans had the number panel on a black background so I changed one of my mine(number panel from Raiitec), nearly all had some form of dangerous goods labels. Either remnants of old labels or yellow diamond stickers warning of the current cargo, these were added from a Railtec set, with the white ex stickers just painted on. I also noted some vans had hints of red on the roofs under the grime. The faded look was done with a white charcoal powder, then Dulcoted and retouched up were needed. I now await the VIX ferry vans from Rapido, the two barrier liveries on order.

This would be my only excuse for visiting Hinckley! Born the town, grew up in Barwell and have only been back twice in the last 35 years.

Judging my your current posting history have you just cleared out your locker! I think this particular instruction came after Canton were loaned a couple 25's for some trial which didn't go well. Information on Derby Sulzers, but I can't find the specific loco which has the write up.

Don't seem to recall it being that good in practice!