jwealleans

Not all the same type, but the livery will help: Paul Bartlett's site There are some photos of the in traffic in this country; the last ones I saw were at Braintree in 'Essex and Suffolk Branch Line Steam' by J D Mann.

There were thousands of them built by and for several different countries in the later 1950s. I have a drawing for the Italian version and it matches the Dapol one exactly. I believe it was a standard design approved by the UIC (like the RCH in this country). Bear in mind that the kit is HO scale and will look undersize with 4mm stock. The Hornby one (of the BR ferry van?) is a bit late for me but I gather it's a reasonable model. There's a set pof photos on Paul Bartlett's website and there has been discussion of it on here, or perhaps the old forum. For extra variety you could scratchbuild one or two; I've done so, as has Jon Hall, if you look for our WB threads. There are photos all over the web and a book of BR diagrams available to download from here. Transfers in 4mm are available from Precision Labels.

Last update from me before some more travelling; in between showers (perhaps in between dry weather which has forced me to work outside?) I've managed to get a few things closer to finished: I'm pleased with this. It was a bit of a spur of the moment idea but went together quite quickly. Rereading the instructions it shouldn't have quite so many side panels but I'd started lettering it by then. Looking at the photos I can see this needs the wheels painting and some of the copper wire I used to attach the chains darkening. The chain came from a stand at Hartlepool - I really can't recall what they were called - and is the finest I've ever seen available commercially. It's American (of course). There was no name on my packet but if I see it at a show again I'll make a point of remembering it. The same stand was at Doncaster this year - my apologies to them for forgetting the name if they happen to be reading. The pipes used to be attached to a flag which one of my kids brought home - from the Tall Ships, IIRC. This was a buy at Hartlepool as well. The ABS flat I've had for a while but the load is Duha which Durham Trains were doing at a knockdown show price. The Duha stuff, for those not familiar with it, is hugely impressive, quite expensive and in the main too modern looking for me. I thought I could get away with this one. Horseboxes are pretty much there as well. John Isherwood's transfers for these as far as possible; the brown one is supposed to have a GWR roundel showing through the brown paint. That needs a bit more work; I may just end up patch painting over it if I can't get it to look convincing. Finally the main focus of attention in preparation for Thurston's next trip out in October; a GE Restaurant Car from Dan Pinnock's new production. I've made a start on this a bit blind as I'm struggling to find pictures, if anyone can point me to any. The only one I keep finding is E669E which was different to all the others. Anyway, this will be on hold while I'm away so I can do some trawling and ask a few knowledgeable people. It's gone together nicely up to now - I do like the way he's doing his bogie fixing in these coaches - but we've reached the point where I'm going to have to depart from his instructions to make it fit together in my preferred manner.

Hear, hear.... not really my area of interest, but I've very much enjoyed this thread and like everyone else have got something out of it. The Comet tender kit was the first brass kit I ever built, with what must have been a clapped out 2W soldering iron and electrical solder.... and it still went together and looked OK. I suspect I'd be a bit critical of it now, bit it's in a box somewhere with the Dublo 8F it was built for. I can't see it would tax you more than this lot has... go for it.

I use Tacky Wax (available on Ebay) for this purpose for coach bogie securing nuts and the like. Whether it would work with valve gear and the extra strain I don't know. There are some grades of Loctite but you'd have to be careful not to lock it so firmly you'd destroy it if you tried to remove it. From memory the lining was white on black SNCF locos. I'd finish it satin; gloss looks all wrong on a model and tends to obscure detail. I'd try the SNCF Society for your stock and working questions.

Hi Pete, It's actually a yellowish car primer I picked up in France. I do have some of the Phoenix stuff but I only use it on brass.

Someone did direct me to those, thanks - I can't see it back upthread so it may have been on a separate one I started about interior colours for the railcars. I need 3 + 2 seating so I may go back to these and adapt them once I've seen what else is out there.

Since the last post I've been travelling quite a bit which always means plastic kits. The Sentinel has not been completely neglected, though: it's now painted and has acquired an identity. Cheers to Mick B for the transfers for the name. The HRMS 4mm letters are too big, so they're the 3mm ones. I think it was Mr Ripley who put us onto that dodge. Anyway she now awaits glazing; the interior is on hold while I see what's available to make these reversible tram seats. I also need to consider the drivers' steps; I think they need to go onto the motor bogie as it won't go round corners otherwise. The cosmetic sides mask the BullAnt fixing screws, so they will also have to be removable. None of this is impossible to overcome, but I need a clear evening to sit down and do it. I have been mainly spending time on a project which PMP did some months ago - GWR horseboxes. Someone had told me that if you scribed planks into the ends of the Parkside horsebox, it made the previous diagram. PMP then showed that with the Lima body and Parkside chassis you could make a very nice model of the next diagram. So that was that - I had to have a Lima horsebox. Before I found one I was offered a Triang one which a friend had started to convert some years ago and never finished. So then there were 3 - although I didn't want the Triang one in the end, he'd been kind enough to offer it so I thought I'd complete the conversion before I returned it. It's taken me a couple of weeks in hotels to get them this far: Top two are the Parkside (left) and Lima (right). I missed a little trick on not packing the solebars up under the Lima one so it's a fraction low. I'll finish that one as a 'tired' vehicle. The one which has surprised me is the Triang - although it's 2mm overlength it doesn't look too grossly out of shape and the two major flaws - the raised beading instead of grooved planking and the roof - were very easy to overcome. I drew a knife along the raised lines and then dug out a groove with a scrawker. There is a small gap to fill in on the upper sides where two doors are shown instead of one. You can see the slightly lighter plastic. The roofline was files down until the Parkside roof fitted and it's now the right height. All three have had steps fitted and are now ready for paint. Finally a couple of kits I picked up at Redcar at the weekend and decided to try to get done for Thurston's next trip out to Taunton: Top is a Roger Chivers LMS Twin Bolster - like all his kits it took less than 20 minutes put together. If only they all fitted like these. Below a BR Lowfit, but with LNER brake gear as per the first batch of 1951. Red Panda, an impulse buy from Mike's stand mainly because I had the tractor and wanted something to put it on. I pinched the underframe from an LNER Conflat. The Fergie 35 - lovely machines, I was driving one last weekend - I bought in East Kent Models while I was away. It needs a chimney but is not bad apart from that. I've given it a wash of a darker grey to bring out some of the detail. There's a lovely picture on Paul Bartlett's site here which I had in mind when I bought it. I also know how to rope it on as well, now. One thing that did bother me was the very clumsy steering wheel; a trawl through Adam's WB on the old forum reminded me what he'd done to his road vehicles, so here it is later with the remains of a Bill Bedford handwheel and a lace pin instead. The seat is still a bit crude but I may put a sheet or bag over it.

Not built one but we have one on Pilmoor. I think you can get a general idea about DJH kits from reading the forum. The A8 needs careful attention around the front bogie and cylinders to get it to go around anything like model railway curves; ours will only run one way at the moment pending heavy attention this winter. I can't comment on the accuracy of the body.

Hi Tony, I don't know where you're located but there is a 4mm model of Brafferton as part of the Pilmoor Junction layout at Ormesby Hall in Middlesbrough. You'd be welcome to come along on a club night or weekend when the layouts are open and have a look. I'm sure some of the members who did the original research would be happy to talk to you about it as well. We do get the odd visitor with a direct connection to the area, including a chap who told me he helped demolish Brafferton station.

received my first delivery of the new D & S 4mm production yesterday. Dan also advised that he will be producing the following in October/November: DS107 GER D 16 Horsebox X20 (1888) DS170 NER D 67 Horsebox (1890) DS177 NER D 191 Horsebox (1913) DS207 NBR D 110 Horsebox (1911) DS265 GNR D 352 Horsebox (1898) DS312 LNER D 5 Horsebox (1938) DS314 LNER D 4 Horsebox (1936) All priced at £20.50 and £1.70 P&P. Hurrah!

Glad it meets your approval. It's certainly more visually interesting than the Ratio components. Before anyone gets the diagram out to check, I have since added the safety loops. Quirk of either the camera or the tripod - I can't put my finger on which. A number of photos back upthread are the same although apparently level when taken. Or my house is on a slope. It isn't quite level, as you can see by the amount of W iron visible over the bottom of the solebar at each end, but to the naked eye it's not apparent.

Something of a diversion now... some time ago (last February, in fact) I built a Ratio SR ferry van to go with the continental rake I was building. I built it straight from the box to a show deadline, but a short while later Adam pointed out that both wheelbase and brake gear were wrong. I filed it for future action and then found a query on another forum about making the same change to the kit. That prompted me into action so I obtained a drawing and the Mike Clark bits and it's been on the bench for about a fortnight. I thought it would make more sense as one update. First thing to say is that you'd be much better off doing this before you've built it - I had trouble thinning the solebars without making holes in them and getting the floor flat. I'd probably replace the floor altogether and space the solebars slightly further out. Anyway, this is what I've done to it: Undergubbins removed and Bill Bedford sprung W iron units assembled and ready to go in. Ride height being checked against a BB buffer height jig. You can see the minor variation in height between the W irons caused by the uneven floor. There's quite a lot to grind off under there. As the glue dried on the W iron assemblies I started to have a look at the etched parts. It's quite complex when you first look at it. Once the wheels were firmly attached the components were folded up and attached. Mike Clark's book of diagrams is useful here, but remember that he shows them the right way up and your wagon is upside down. I had to do most of the next steps twice because I am not capable of remembering that. The complicating factor here (in addition to the fiddly nature of the Masokits etch) is that the components are made for a 10' wheelbase and this wagon is only 9'. So, as evident above, I attached the bits which didn't need altering in the places they needed to go, then folded up the pushrods and cut them down to length. The shoes and v hangers give you a datum point to work to while doing this. You lose some of the details, but I'm afraid they're probably beyond me anyway. Apologies to Mike Clark if he ever reads this. Instead of remaking the holes in the pushrod ends and folding them round the shoes as you should I just put them behind the shoes and soldered them on. Here it is with shortened pushrods and most of the rest of the gear in place. It's so crowded under there that I don't think the missing details will show. Finally with new axleboxes and springs - I was going to try to reuse the Ratio ones until I realised they were RCH standard and so had some MJT ones to hand. A quick rinse and scrub and some black paint and grime and it'll be back in service.

It's on a proprietary chassis, Paul, so I wouldn't swear to it being spot on. I didn't do anything mechanical to it at all, just reassembled and repainted the body. Tonight has seen some progress on a few other projects before I start something new. The Sentinel is in white primer before I apply the cream. I've filled in a few of the gaps around the roof as well. Steps have been added - they've already taken a thump or two by the look of it - and the floor painted. I think clearances around 3' curves may be tight but it'll be a couple of weeks before I get down to the club again to try it out. Also for Ormesby, this LSWR all 1st which I've had to replace some of the glazing which had fogged due to the effect of whatever glue had been used. I believe this is a Roxey embossed plastikard kit. We've replaced the whitemetal bogies with MJT units, reusing the sides cosmetically, and are standardising on Bill Bedford couplings. I've replaced some of the brake gear which had fallen off. I still need to fit the lavatory windows with the etched crests and the roof. The roof was a bit of a sod to get off and will need repairing once it's refitted. Just to show I listen - someone PM'd tactfully to point out that I'd put the brake levers on this back to front. Well, not any more. Finally something about which I know nothing; I built this kit from a job lot just as it came and with impeccable timing there was an article about improving one in the next MRJ. I acquired a book at Hartlepool with some pictures in it so between that and the model I've added a certain amount of extra bits. The buffers are still wrong but I can live with that until/unless I see the right ones at a show. It does make up nicely, I have to say.

I don't have the book to hand, but that vile blue 'RONUK' one was - astonishingly - an accurate livery.

Hi Mick, Red coupling rods - well, that's what the original builder had done so I just tidied them up. There is a picture of an A7 with them in 'LNER Locomotives in Colour' and another of the GE Coffee Pot in 'The Big Four in Colour'. I don't think it was an unusual feature, though I'm not sure whether it was a works or a shed thing. I think the angle does exaggerate that distance at the rear, if you compare to some of the other photos back upthread. It's a proprietary chassis anyway so it may be that it was already incorrect. I certainly haven't altered it.

Posts from me have been a bit rare lately but I haven't been completely idle; the N8 went back into service last week and here she is entering and leaving Pilmoor station.

Thanks for the offer, John, but I was able to get what I needed from the NuCast chap at the time. I was missing two or three splashers, IIRC. Having just done some for a different loco I think you'd be able to file up the centre steps from the Comet etch. Jonathan

What Alan said, really - I'm following his thread and I shall follow this one. Can I ask where you sourced the steps? I acquired two a number of years ago and contacted NuCast for spares then. I was told at the time that I'd had pretty much the last bits he had and he wouldn't be making any more.

What our friend means, Mick, is that the return crank should be almost over the centre boss of the middle driver. Have a look at this pic and it shows it. I'm sure you've got a broadside one somewhere you can use to position it. Neil Dimmer photo of Pretty Polly

Bits of fiddling about with this and that; the N8 still awaits those grilles from Mainly Trains, but I did have a thorough read of the RCTS book and discovered that the coal rails were all plated over well before my chosen era. They have therefore been discarded and a new set made up in plastikard. The Sentinel is making some progress in that I have it fully wheeled and (hopefully) it will move under its own power tonight for the first time. It is high at the unpowered end because that's the end I've so far checked and packed to the correct height. I will do the same to the Ant the next time it comes out. Closer shot of the driving end. The motor is very unobtrusive and with ~1mm of packing to add will be even less so when completed. Those plastic pieces on the sides of the BullAnt are also ideally placed to receive the cosmetic sides from the kit. This is what holds it together. When it's complete I'll replace these bolts with the 1/4" ones from Eileen's. The retaining plates for the BullAnt are Araldited to the top of the floor; the unit mount sits underneath, so it can drop out if required. I will see how it runs before deciding whether I want the other bogie to pick up. You can also see where I had to extend the slot sideways to allow the bogie to turn without the gear tower fouling. The body securing mount was easier to make than I thought; it was quite easy to introduce a slight bend into the brass angle, which is soldered to the inside of the front and then bolted up into the captive nuts from underneath. I may put a further body fixing at the end of the passenger compartment, near the middle of the vehicle. Two reasons for this - firstly the sides have a tendency to bow out and this will pull them back together; secondly there are a lot of whitemetal undergubbins to fix to the cobex and I don't want it to sag. Putting a cross piece between the doors will not interfere with the separate interior for the passenger compartment.

You're quite right Arthur, the two Guisborough Sentinels were a class all to themselves. I expect I will end up scratchbuilding them. Thanks for the other thread - some useful stuff there and as usual I can only tip my hat to your workmanship.

Ah, now, if you're going to etch up Sentinels.... any chance of the Guisborough pair (Old Blue and Old John Bull)? That looks a top job, Arthur. Did you build it then glaze it? Not as daft a question as it sounds (I hope) because I'm sure 1949Bob on the LNER forum told me he'd built his Clayton from perspex and added the plastikard detail over the top. Claytons... there's another thought....

Morning Arthur, We had a much more detailed discussion about it on the LNER forum here and came to the same conclusion. It's now just awaiting some final detailing bits and then it will be finished as 861, which we believe was shedded at York just prewar and is therefore a good candidate to have been seen at Pilmoor.

I think you and I have a similar project in mind, Paul.