S.A.C Martin

My only shame is that there's quite a few unfinished projects, however my workbench is now organized and whilst the 4VEP has jumped the queue somewhat, D6130 is next and will be much happier I am sure with some glazing and numerals applied. I have actually finished the paint job but didn't get round to blogging it. I will now!

What a fabulous mine of information this is. I knew D9010 got the two tone green with double arrows, but I had no idea it was unique amongst the deltics in that respect.

Looks terrific Tim, extremely well modified. Will look amazing with your usual levels of muck!

Thanks Tom for your insight - error being discussed in the 4VEP thread now. I will be changing the cantrail as a matter of course now!

When I started on my aborted 60113, I decided to mix the paint up myself and came up with quite a dark shade which looked very different in bright light. I suspect some of this is also at work with some of the photographs of the blue pacifics, particularly the Duchesses for which I'm not sure that a colour one exists, but the b&w shots of the blue duchesses I've seen always look extremely light compared to the somewhat darker shades of grey in pictures of A4s and A1s.

One thing I am dead certain about: neither 60007 nor 6023 are necessarily "wrong" in their shades of blue, but they are different shades nonetheless. Both very handsome engines regardless.

The interpretation of the express passenger blue shade seems to have varied region to region too; that's before the pigment failure and weathering is taken into account.

The only colour pics of 60113 I can find are either in the blue, stovepipe, straight nameplate (sans crest) (British Steam Memories II), or in the apple green, 113 but with British Railways on the tender (private collection). The nameplate in that photograph doesn't look black to me, and again I think "red", but...it could also be the sheen of the paintwork on the nameplate, where the deflector is a more dull black as opposed polished on the nameplate.

I'm still leaning towards red with the rimmed chimney - there is a chap somewhere which has modelled 60113 in the same form with red nameplates, and it looks rather good.

If in doubt, leave it in the black, perhaps?

So I've heard! That will be something special. I think he's currently mulling over its livery at present...!

I've nearly finished modifying the fleet and can honestly say the improvement to the look of the front end is great. No idea how I am going to be able to live with it on the Bachmann Tornado mind, but I dare not modify it for fear of ruining its value...!

Fair enough Tim - reading Peter Grafton's book implies it got the chimney in 52 with the green, but if anyone would know, Peter Townend would so I'll take it as canon! That's fascinating, does that mean you could have blue livery, red nameplates with crest and lipped chimney? The possibilities are intriguing...

The only thing I would query with the owner is the use of the rimmed chimney. I'm pretty certain 60113 had a stovepipe when in blue, and when painted green had the switch to a rimmed one. There's a few photographs of her in the blue with the Great Northern oval on the front, and the stovepipe is apparent. Regardless, I do like that shade of blue on her and I think the finish is very nice chap.

That looks absolutely lovely! I dream of having a decent 60113 model in that livery one day. I had a go once, converting from a 4472 model. It didn't go very well!

Really looks the part!

Hi Sylvian, watch this space for an A2/2...we're in discussions Suffice to say, Graeme has done some terrific work here, and elsewhere, he is a proper gent and deserves a lot of plaudits for his modelling.

Utterly superb Simon. I'll be ordering this conversion. Using a V2 cab there will also be potential for an A2/1!Dave.

Hi Dave, we did have a very interesting discussion on the LNER forum a few weeks back, where we concluded that an A2/1 wasn't possible, mostly down to the way the Bachmann A2 is set up (and the fact it has a very slightly incorrect wheelbase, according to Graeme). An A2/3 yes, specific A2/2s, but not an A2/1, sadly.

Definitely a great conversion kit, Graeme has designed it very well.

Tell you what Gavin, I still think this, with Fury of course, ranks as some of your best work. Really looks the part and certainly matches the TIOS description as Awdry wrote it. Smashing!

As I said when I saw it in the flesh Gav, a job well done! Looks terrific

Fair enough chap, it's looking good to go in any event

Looks great, minus the chip in the chimney - I trust you've spotted that chap?

DoG is one I'd like to model too when I have the money. Chris' DoG caprotti valve gear parts are excellent, and have been used in another project for a friend.

Hi Martin,I imagine you must be one of, if not the first modellers in the country to repaint one into grey! It does look very realistic. I only saw Tornado once in her grey livery in the flesh and that was at Taunton a couple of years ago having spent the day on the WSR. I've often thought that modelling the 'modern' period would be boring, but that certainly isn't! Regards,Nick

I'm not laying claim to that yet in case someone else has already done it...! But if I can claim it, I will, once its complete with transfers

Tell you what - does make you think. I'm 23 years old, and older than Tornado. Tornado started working after I'd been at university for a year. In short, my adult life is going to be growing up watching this engine go from one end of the country to the other. When I hit 70, Tornado will have been running for 51 years...!

Not really - it's a fictional engine to have been built in 1944. Full eight wheel tender.

There might well be Richard, but I fail to see what relevance this has to the Railroad Tornado The livery was not an undercoat but a one off, specially ordered paint to run the locomotive in without worrying about dirtying it/damaging it too much.

Sensational work!

In short, it's a fictional locomotive class being made for a private competition between friends.

Thanks chaps - I've amended the article slightly, I hope it answers the question RE the transfers

It's amazing how well that livery just suits the shape and style of a standard, this one particularly.