w124bob

It's taken a couple of weeks to get this pair of retooled Bachmann class 20's to the point where I'm happy with their appearance. Both were Tinsley engines in the 70's, being given dual brakes around 1979 and along with 20144/145 were that depots only dual braked examples for a few years. Whilst the class made fairly regular visits to Healey Mills from either York or Sheffield, the class rarely crossed the Pennines even in later life. So I'm stretching things a bit here, but I have a soft spot for these venerable old engines.

Now joined by 20035, identical treatment with the exception of a depot ID sticker.

Turning this on it's head I know of two locations were a loose couple train could run without a brakevan. Ellistown NCB exchange sidings to Mantle lane(Coalville). Distance is about half a mile on a falling gradient, sectional app instructions allowed a class 9 train to run with out a brakevan. So thats 30 plus unfitted minerals behind a pair of class 20's over a level crossing and into mantle lane sidings. On Flickr there are several pictures of similar class 9 trains entering Healey Mills yard from the Wakefield direction without brakevans.

My Dad dabbled with model railways when we were kids in the early 70's, so there was always a layout or two with the usual Triang Hornby Jinty, Dock shunter and class 31. By the time I was 14 I would cycle the 5 miles to Cadeby to see the GWR layout built by Teddy Boston and go to a model railway club affiliated to BT in Leicester. Ironically my interest in models and train spotting stopped when I started work, why build a layout when I'm being paid to work the real thing! My interest was rekindled when I discovered the house we'd bought was just a 5 miniute walk from the Manchester Model railway Society clubrooms, I drifted into US ho and along with a few other members back around 1990 we built a modest exhibtion layout. Early retirement and the increasing difficulties of getting US ho has led me back to model the era of my spotting days, D numbers, two tone green and the run down remenants of the steam era infrastructure.

Whilst I appreciate the effort Bachmann have gone to, particularly as it attempts to copy the real 82018 it looks a little flat, a common airbrush issue. The real loco in period(1966) looked even worse! One advantage however is that powders adhere better to this finish. My additions would be dry brushing an artist oil mix of white and black. Use card as a pallette to draw out excess oil and aim for a very pale grey, then dry brush streaks down the tank sides. For powders I use just two, black and a dust colour, by doing any powder work in a plastic tub with a lid you end up with a nice dirty mix sitting in the box , generously applied over the model the excess fulls back in to the tub for reuse. I know this is not a Standard 3MT but you can get an idea of what can be achieved.

The CAO classification means the van has no pipe for connection to the rest of the train(air or vac) therefore if used in this situation on a fully fitted class 08 or 20 hauled train the van would be the last vehicle. However every effort would be made to use a piped van CAP for a vac train CAR for vac or air, it would be rare but not unknown for a CAR to be wasted on vac train. The van can be marshelled anywhere with in the train. Some trains required a van on the rear for propelling moves regardless of loco type. It should also be noted that a SHARK is a ballast plough not a brakevan. The other use for brakevans on fully fitted trains was where traincrew worked gates occured, the Denby branch comes to mind. To save a lot of running around, two airpiped vans were used when available on MGR trains, seen behind a class 56 this looks quite strange.

A fairly simply renumber and new arrows to do 20009, one of just 4 of Tinsley 1970's dual braked locos. Buffer beam pipe work has been repositioned and an airbrake pipe added, the new tooling makes cab removal easier so a crew added too. After weathering I painted the underframe gubbins, thanks to Brian Daniels on Flickr for plenty of detail photos. A second class 20 is getting similar treatment to represent the only other disc fitted dual braked loco on the TI fleet, 20035. The pair were often seen together as were the other two 20144 and 20145. I have also now painted the window surrounds rail blue, used a fine black Sharpie to blacken the frame then touched in with blue, the centre divider is left as is. More piccies when 035 is finished.

As promised weeks ago! A Fairburn tank, Low Moor 42141 complete with red smokebox number plate is in charge of a local passenger train. New to Saltley in 1950 it transfered to Normanton in 1952 and spent the rest of it's career in West Yorkshire, finally being withdrwan from Low Moor in 1967. The model has home made front steps from a lenght of signal ladder, Railtec did the numbers (incl smokebox) and there is a Modelu crew in there. Just fire irons to add to the watertank top, real coal and front buffere beam detail. Third image is from the Flickr album with more images, just click to sse the full set.

Just posted another similar image and I'm wondering whats happening with the effect on the grills, the swirl effect is not on any image until reposted. I generally crop and resize down to about 650x250 for a better forum fit. The Above is from my files, image below from my Flickr page.

Just a hint of Black Country Blues here, a simple renumber of the current Bachmann class 45.

Dewsbury wharf (so named by myself just for this thread)is an entirely separate layout built some years ago by an MMRS member and now acquired by a section of the MMRS, it's a simple 8ftx16inch shunting plank. It now forms part of a larger modular layout which will make it's debut soon.

So the crew down at the wharf have fired up the ancient Peckett rather than do the transfer down to the Midland with the Sentinel, In the yard we find todays trip engine is 2091

Rumour has got a round that a certain railway photographer is in town,

Not Dewsbury Midland but Dewsbury wharf,

Just stumbled upon this picture. Jaguar purchased Guy Motors in 1961, something I didn't know, William Lyons is the gentleman.

One rather nice BL model built abroad was the Austin Victoria, based on the 1100/1300, Mk2 version had a few dolly sprint styling ideas.

A very good article appeared in the MRJ a few years ago on reg numbers and their format, mines in the loft so will dig it out , MRJ 146.

I have struggled with white on black printing, but remembered these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293108973522 pre 1963 but a good possibilty.

Tax disk ,and a Sun newspaper wedged down the front of the dash! Yes I realise it needs a vertical line to represent the quater light divide. Number plates as well, I must try and find some, I've seen Fox bus related ones but am struggling to find non bus fleet ones.

A more traditional coal train and a new vehicle(details on the road vehicle thread), will post another few images on Flickr later today.

With just a few etches from Scalelink and additional bits I've detailed an ERF LV from Oxford Diecast. Under the front bumper a crossway exhuast was added from a few bits of tube and insulated wire(for the bend). Air cleaner stack is again a piece of tube and a rivet found in a box of bits, bent wire and angle for the airline support and twisted single strand wire for the lines. Rear lamp brackets from an RT Models etch for loco lamp brackets! Whilst the lenses are tiny bits of wire insulation. The Mirrors, wipers and a steering wheel came from Scalelink https://www.scalelinkfretcetera.co.uk/product-category/frets/176-oo-gauge/page/4/. The trailer was dismantled and had one axle removed, new landing gear added and a new tail light board scratch built from odd bits of plasticard. The landgear wheels are from plastic screw heads from some Kadee coupler kit. Just white on black number plates to add. Layout is Dewsbury Midland.

A few pictures of some of the twenty in the fleet, plus 56040 with the current full train. Click on the image to go to the full Flickr album, more of 56040 coming soon.

Today we step forward to the early days of Railfreight as 56040 passes with a rake of HEA hoppers. Now I know I said some steam would appear but these were taken tonight as it was supposed to be a Grid night, sort of! Next post will be steam.

A very lightly weathered 828 on a rail tour!

I knew I'd seen a picture some where, there are at least two Viva HB's with Granada logo's here, Flickr image from the Manchester town hall archives(1972 album). The hole site covers several years, some cracking period stuff! You can zoom if you click to go the Flickr page.