lofty1966

Tis a thankless task scraping off those.

Try looking and scrolling in the Hornby section or type Hornby Hall in the top right hand search box. You'll be amazed at what turns up with a little bit of research !

Epic fail ?

Does he wear a funny hat? Is he too busy to read the Sunday morning papers ?

And what of this little beaut' ? "Immaculate condition" if you can ignore the fact the top section has been sawn off http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291568199178?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I removed the drivers and spun them in a mini-drill and reduced the flanges with a file. Not perfect but I don't have a lathe !

The second Dean Single was acquired from the UK and cost me around 25 GBP . Was more than I wanted to pay and was in terrible condition......I wasn't that bothered with the condition as she was going to be somewhat modified but who wants to pay stoopid money for effectively a junker ? So these are the pix of what I got So the plan here was to utilise a City of Truro Kit and produce a wide cab , Belpaire firebox ,longer smokebox version. Great idea , except I hadn't measured up everything alongside the drawings in the JH Russell Book. Nought out of ten for me as I had already taken my razor saw to the cab and firebox of the model thinking I could just graft on the cab and firebox from the Truro kit. Big shock when I discovered that the cab and firebox are two shallow for the version I was planning, plus the firebox was too wide and too long. Grrrrrrr , what a buffoon ! Next problem was the smokebox diameter from Truro was also a fraction too big and too long. With these problems it would be more difficult than intended but not insurmountable and in truth it wasn't going to be a "totally" accurate model, but bearing in mind it's utilising a 50 year old toy as it's base a little bit of license could be granted. Right ? Guys ? Guys ? (It should also be noted the firebox strap was slightly in the wrong place but I decided to live with it , as who has their micrometer to hand when its chuffing round the track) ? The cab sides had to scratch made out of plasticard and to get positioning about right I glued the Truro cab roof onto the spectacle plate. I discovered using the Truro spectacle plate made the cab a touch wide so filed about 1mm off either side. The sides were cut and filed to shape then glued to the Truro parts. as the sides were higher than the Truro plate I glued on some plasticard pieces to make up the difference. The two sides of the firebox were trimmed back about 1mm and glued together and the handrail moulding carved off. Next plasticard was glued to the bottom of the Firebox to bring it up to the correct height. By placing the cab onto the Triang footplate I was able to mark out where the Firebox need to be cut to fit around the wheel splashers and carefully filed/sanded to shape. Once I was happy I glued the cab onto the footplate let dry then did the same to the firebox ( I carved and sanded off the mudhole covers and washout plugs as these would be in the wrong places) Also added the small strengthening ribs with plasticard Attention moved to the smokebox this had to be reduced in diameter to graft onto the Triang boiler (was a bit trial and error) then the smokebox door needed to be sanded round to fit. the smokebox also needed reducing in length so not totally correct but close enough for my conversion. The chimney was also incorrect so I cut off the cap and glued it around a piece of brass rod, then glued another larger diameter piece of brass rod (precut to correct length) over the original.then glued the assembly into the base of the Truro chimney I had left on the smokebox. Crude but effective. I had to grind out the smokebox saddle to accept the new smokebox and add some plasticard to tidy up the saddle sides. A new higher floor (made from plasticard) was added to the cab and some spring covers also added. !/2 Springs from the Truro kit were added to the front of the cab and footplate. New washout plug holes were drilled into the firebox and small cut off pieces of brass tube glued in sitting just proud of the surface. The safety valve is pinched from a Hornby 14xx. Handrails were added using Gibson knobs and brass wire. Sandboxes scratch built from plasticard as model was missing one (seems to be a theme here) Front buffer beam and Chassis and tender were treated to same mods as previous model. Loco was primed and filler added where needed (lots) and sanded back to shape and primed again etc etc until happy. Same painting and lining as previous and voila, a semi decent model ! Still need a door dart and plates. This one will be 3227 Worcester Going for glass of wine and a lie down now !

Just noticed how the flash has brought out how thin some of the black paint is and some of the original red is showing through. B#gger !

First off, a lesson (possibly) learned. When documenting your build/modification remember where you left your memory card and probably a better idea, post stuff on here as you go, rather than save it all for one long essay ! So I have lost the build piccys but thought I would show the (almost finished) pics I took today with a summary of construction and parts made/purchased. I am never going to win awards for my modelling "skills" and I am never happy with my work but it keeps me out of mischief and out of the wife's hair ! Anyway , the plan was to resuscitate a couple of poor clapped out Triang Dean Single (achilles) Lord Of The Isles purchased cheaply via Ebay into something more akin to a model than a toy , but keep a low budget if I could ( Yes I am a tightwad) The first one bought from here in Canada for $35 (about 17 quid) I decided to keep the roundtop firebox and just repaint and detail both the loco and tender. Firstly the Loco chassis had the Trailing wheels replaced with 18mm Gibsons. I had to mount the axle inside a brass tube (inside bearing) and pack the some spacer washers at either end to stop sideways movement. I then glued a thin strip of brass strip onto the chassis to push the wheels down to the level of the plastic chassis bottom plate thus leveling the chassis on the track. The original Triang front bogie was replaced with the newer Hornby type with extra pick-ups and the Hornby wheels replaced with 14mm Romford bogie wheels. On the body one of the sandboxes was missing so I fabricated a new one from plasticard and added brass handrail knobs and wire to both the new one and the old one. The original moulded body handrail was carefully carved off with a sharp scalpel and filed and sanded flush as was the moulded smokebox door dart. A new brass handrail and knobs were then added along with a Gibson brass smokebox door handle and the smokebox step was added (made from plasticard). A slot was cut into the buffer beam to take a screwlink coupling and both buffers were removed and replaced with sprung Gibson replacements and a Romford vac pipe was added. The tender had the Triang wheels removed and replaced with 16mm Romfords , the end wheels had the pin point axles slightly shortened and the brass bearings filed slightly narrower to fit and turn freely. The centre axle was pressed out of the wheels and then the old Triang axle was pressed into the Romford wheels to 'float' in the original bearing housing. Front and rear handrails were carved off and due to some "play damage" some of the tenders flare had to be filled and then rubbed down. Handrails replaced using Gison knobs and wire The moulded handle on the tender filler was removed and replaced with some brass wire. A Vac pipe and a Mainly Trains etched coupling hook were added to the rear. The removable coal load that came with the tender was filched and donated to a Lord of the Isles collectable set I had which was missing its original one, so I made one up out of plasticard and spun up some vent in a mini drill using some old kit sprue. The bodies were then primed and then rubbed back if there were any glaring imperfections. Topcoat was airbrushed on in acrylic and my first (pitiful attempt at Pressfix lining was added.It doesn't look as wonky in the flesh (honest) The pix really bring out the worst ! Finally a coat of Dulcote varnish mixed with a couple of drops of black was airbrushed on to protect the decals Just waiting on some etched plates from 247 Developments to finish off She is going to be 3247 Lorna Doone EDIT Just noticed I have numbered her wrong.....she should have a zero not a two.....back to the work bench ! Second refurb to follow

Wowzers ! Hornby upping their game in response to DJ Models entrance ?

Thanks Chris. interesting stuff I was not aware of.

Incorrect. There are several pix of Maroon livery A31's in the Lewis Autotrailer Part 1 book Also a 2mm to the foot line drawing there as well. I am slowly building three of them in a thread on here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/99047-loftys-ks-dia-a31-autotrailer-rescuelash-up/ An update shortly The K's American Bogies are 9ft which are too long (should be 8ft) No 8ft Fishbellies available from any manufacturer 7ft lightweights available from Comet or buy a cheap Hornby Collett Bowender Coach and pinch the Bogies.

I have used them (and added the tie) too but they are a tad anaemic compared to Hornby's later Collet's

Only way to get Hornby 7 footers is to buy s/h Collett coaches but then you have to be careful as the earlier versions have BR MK 1 bogies Wizard/Comet do 7' etched bogies with whitemetal overlays

Do you /can you supply GWR coach lining 4mm scale (black and gold) couldn't see it listed?

Now I'm a believer.....

Are you sure about that? Your whole modus operandi seems to be knock other peoples work ?

I can confirm Coopercraft have NONE in stock !!!! And to be honest I would be surprised if he ever does.

Ooooo....I think I shall have to go and have a lie down. Now what to do with the twenty+ Railroad ones I have modified.....I know....they can go onto 'Secondary duties' mwah ha ha

Ditto Canada and UK ! Often have to get a friend to "translate" and I've lived in Canada for ten years !

A "Home" modified A28 from a Hornby hybrid. It's running on 7' Collett bogies filched from a 57' Bow ended. I put back original windows in luggage compartment too. Apologies for thread drift.....

Just got back from a month in the UK to find my Hattons preorder 64xx had arrived. Have to say very nice job by Bachmann ! A great addition to the Lofty fleet.

Safe to say gone rather than going ! Bwah ha ha

Mine is winging it's way across the Atlantic from Scouseville too ! I am sure it will look lovely hidden away in its box (along with all my other Loco's etc. ) until I finally get my layout started.....

Should I have said 8750 instead ? *Edited to add* You beat me to posting so now I look even more stoopid ! Doh !