RosiesBoss

G'day, Gordon A, You're right! I'll tone them down initially with black paint, which has worked very well in so many other models using the same rods, such as 152. Regards, Rob

G'day, St Enodoc, Thank you for your kind words. It seems like such a long time since we chatted at the very last St Luke's show. Times have changed and there won't be any more held there. I look forward to a time when my wife and I won't be in self -isolation and we will be able to share times with our friends and relatives - but not just yet. Meanwhile, I have to be content with sharing my models on-line. I am interested in your universal coupling rods, which should be much easier to use than the SS strips I have been using recently. I guess they don't need (brittle) carbide drills, either. Apart from completing 1346, I have been carrying out some maintenance and improvements on several older coaches and wagons in my collection. I'm about to put suitable HMRS transfers on a few rebuilt (ex-)Tri-ang clerestory coaches for use on my branch line terminus layout. While doing this, I will be thinking about what new construction projects I can start. My scrapbox holds lots of goodies, including spare tenders, bits of bodies and chassis, as well as wheels, motors and gearboxes, which allow me to choose from the following: GWR 803 (ex-L&M Ravelston) 0-6-0T - scratchbuilt body on Hornby Toby chassis GWR 681-4 (ex-CR) 0-6-0PT - to use kitbashed Hornby body on K's J69 chassis GWR 1358-60 or 1380-86 0-8-2T - scratchbuilt body on 2nd-hand H0 chassis GWR Barnum class 2-4-0 - semi-scratchbuilt body on Tri-ang Nellie chassis GWR 39XX class 2-6-2T - semi-scratchbuilt body on Tri-ang Princess chassis GWR 781-5 (ex-BR E class) 0-6-0ST - Heavily rebuilt Bachmann Thomas, including smaller wheels I'm yet to make up my mind, and I could end up making something else entirely! The way things are going with COVID, it looks like I'll have plenty of time to make more models while still isolated. At least it keeps me off the streets! Happy modelling and kind regards, Rob

Introduction Having modelled locos and rolling stock of the GWR for a long time, my collection of locos can be subdivided into the following groups: · Pure GWR designs · Central Wales area types (See Ref. 10) · South Wales area types My South Wales area models include: · 0-4-0ST: 968, ex-Swansea Harbour Trust Peckett – 3D printed body on Hornby Pug chassis · 0-4-4T: 3, ex-Barry Railway G class – modified Craftsman kit for LSWR T1 class · 0-6-0ST: 680, ex-ADR – scratchbuilt body on 2nd-hand H0 chassis · 0-6-0ST: 2195 ”Cwm Mawr”, ex-BP&GVR - kitbashed from some Hornby Smoky Joe body parts and a 2nd-hand H0 chassis · 0-6-0T: 2161: ex- Brecon & Merthyr Rly “Victory “ class – Centre Models kit · 0-6-2T: 83, ex-Rhymney Rly – Rebuilt Dublo N2 body & chassis · 0-6-2T: 152, ex Cardiff Rly – scratchbuilt body & chassis · 0-6-2T: 411, ex- Taff Vale Rly O3 – modified Wills U1 body on 2nd-hand whitemetal chassis · 0-6-2T: 1670: ex-Brecon & Merthyr Rly - Rebuilt Dublo N2 body on scratchbuilt chassis I have a soft spot for the ex-Mersey Railway (MR) 0-6-4Ts. Some were sold on to the Alexandra Docks Railway (ADR) and thence to the GWR. A few came here to Oz, where I photographed the last survivor, J&AB 5, in Hexham, NSW in the early 1970s: More information on this loco may be found in Ref.3. After many years of procrastination, I worked up the courage to scratchbuild one of the last survivors that ran on the GWR: No 1346, which had been ADR 24 and MR 2. Images of 1346 seem to be scarce, but can be found scattered around the “net”. I did use lots of images of J&AB 5 for insight into details of the class, as, apart from the removal of condensing apparatus and the installation of a full cab, it remains in almost original condition. Images of the other survivor, “Sarah Siddons” (Ref.5) also proved useful. General arrangement drawings are difficult to find, although I understand that the original (MR) design was published in Model Railway News in Aug 1966. I relied on the weight diagrams published in Ref.2, together with whatever images I could locate. The diagrams showed that the wheelbase is unlike any produced as the chassis of any RTR model that I could identify, so no short cut was available here. Hence I chose to build the inside frames from brass channel and the bogie frames from square section brass tube. The main frames were fiddly, as high precision was needed to get the outside cranks and connecting rods to rotate freely . Parts · ½” x ½” brass channel · 18mm dia Romford driving wheels, bearings & extended axles · 12mm dia bogie wheels (brand unknown) · High Level Slimliner compact gearbox (54:1), through www gwydirvalleymodels.com · Mashima motor with 2mm shaft · Flywheel made from old Dublo coach wheels · 0.010” & 0.015” brass sheet · Copper pipe, for boiler barrel · BA screws, washers & nuts · 0.4mm dia phos. bronze wire, for handrails and power pickups · Nylon M3 screws & nuts for power pickups, screwed into holes tapped in chassis · Insulated household wire (for main steam pipes) · Commercial brass handrail knobs · Home-made outside cranks · Home-turned chimney, dome & safety valve cover · Stainless steel strip from windscreen wiper arms (for connecting rods) · Modified Hornby smokebox door · 3D-printed front sandboxes · Front springs adapted from those on the chassis of a scrapped Mainline Dean Goods · Hornby buffers (meant for 28XX class) · Thick acrylic sheet, for rear sandboxes · Transfers for rivets: “Signs of all Kinds” (Adelaide, SA, Australia) Soak 156 · Green electrical insulation tape, for boiler bands · HMRS “Pressfix” transfers for buffer-beam numbers and tankside insignia · Home-printed cabside numberplates Construction Construction took quite ordinary progress, with the frames being cut and sculpted from channel brass and the body soldered together from parts cut from brass sheet and copper pipe. In some cases, paper patterns were adapted from the weight diagram. The bogie frame was made from rectangular cross-section, thin-walled brass tube. In this project, I chose to use 0.015” thick brass for the outside frames, so the front-end would remain strong and rigid, despite having no footplate in front of the smokebox. Hence, it was impractical to impress the rivet pattern from behind, as done in some other projects. (See Refs. 7 & 8.) One trap for the unwary. The footplate is narrower than the side tanks both in front of and behind the tanks. This is obvious at the front, as seen in the weight diagrams and photos. The narrower rear section is more subtle, evident to my eyes only in photos such as the one above, where the shadows help out. (Guess who had to re-make the bunker because of this?) Some details were 3D printed. Others came from the scrapbox or were turned on my lathe. Tank fillers and front cylinder covers were punched out of polystyrene sheet. Rear sandboxes were carved from pieces of thick acrylic sheet. Frames: Roughly cut out, with paper templates Trimmed: Complete with motor, gearbox & pickups: Footplate & side tanks: Boiler, smokebox & firebox: Body almost finished, on frames: More details added: Finishing The livery applied to 1346 was tricky to resolve. Would it have been plain black, as applied to many short-lived absorbed locos (see pp.53-4 of Ref.6), or would it have been green with “Great Western” on the tank sides? The image in Ref.4 resolved that, as “Great Western” is clearly visible. This would have been applied when the GWR replaced its boiler with that recovered from (withdrawn) 1344. I therefore chose to finish the model in GWR green. Boiler bands were made from thin strips of green vinyl electrical insulation tape. The model was spray-primed in grey, then brush-painted with two coats of the black, green, red and metallic colours. The vertical rivet pattern on the side tanks, so obvious in many extant photos of the prototypes, was represented by water-slide transfers, applied between 1st and 2nd coats of green. This gave a superior effect to that achieved in my model of GWR 153 (Ref.9), where the transfers were applied before priming: 1346 passing other South Wales locos at Carmarthen Junction loco depot: 1346 passing 2195 & 152 at Carmarthen Junction Station: Reflections This is not a museum-quality model! It was designed and built to run alongside many other scratchbuilt and kit-built GWR types and to tolerate regular handling. Some compromises were made, such as: · Flangeless wheels on centre driven axle, as the 3rd axle is so close that flanged wheels would foul each other · Absence of underhung springs on 2nd & 3rd axles (I couldn’t work out how to attach them to the inside frames.) · Minimal rivet details · Rear steps mounted outboard of the frames to facilitate the model negotiating curves · Rear part of outside frames modified to provide clearance for bogie wheels Nevertheless, I hope it captures the look and feel of this long-lost loco. References & Further Reading 1. RCTS “The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway – Part 10 – Absorbed Engines 1922-1947 (RCTS, 1966) 2. J.H.Russell: “A Pictorial Record of Great Western Absorbed Engines” (OPC, 1978) 3. http://www.australiansteam.com/JAB 5.htm 4. http://www.gwr813.org/GWR1346.htm 5. Photos: https://hmrs.org.uk/photographs.html?limit=30&location=645&p=1&subgroup=174 6. John Lewis et al: “Great Western Way” (HMRS, 2nd ed., 2009) 7. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/107593-gwr-1076-class-double-framed-pannier-tank/ 8. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/134586-gwr-stella-2-4-0-kitbash/ 9. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/132253-gwr-ex-cardiff-railway-kitson-0-6-2t/ 10. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/154031-gwr-680-–-ex-alexandra-docks-0-6-0st/

G'day, cypherman, There is some discussion on this product here: How long it lasts depends upon how much you use your model. It could be months or years. And it doesn't seem to deteriorate over time once applied. I'm still happy with it. Regards, Rob

G'day, Florence Locomotive Works, I've just sent you a PM with a scanned copy of the Sep 1963 RM article that others were chasing. I hope it will help. Regards, Rob

G'day, all, I've used a chassis block and motor mounts from a Hornby Bill/Ben to restore a Toby chassis afflicted with Mazac rot. As mentioned above, the chassis block has alternative positions for axles to facilitate assembly as an 0-4-0 or 0-6-0. Regards, Rob

G'day, all, Here's something else rebuilt from a Hornby L&Y pug - a GWR Peckett: Some details of construction may be found here: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/155869-gwr-968-peckett-0-4-0st/ Rebuilding can be so enjoyable! Regards, Rob

A casual search of “Thingiverse” in August 2019 revealed several basic locomotive body designs provided for free by 2A Rail. These were downloaded and stored for future use. They are no longer available on Thingiverse. The first project I attempted was a Manning Wardle 0-6-0T, the body of which was mounted on a Hornby Terrier chassis. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/147303-3d-freelance-manning-wardle-0-6-0t/ The next project used just the saddle tank of a Peckett W6 to make GWR 680. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/154031-gwr-680-–-ex-alexandra-docks-0-6-0st/ The latest one is a GWR (ex-Swansea Harbour Trust) Peckett 0-4-0ST. http://www.gwr813.org/GWR968.htm This was almost unique on the GWR, as it retained its Salter safety valves until scrapping by BR in 1960. For this, I printed a Peckett W6 body in PLA on my Ender 3 machine. After cleaning up the print and removing unwanted details, I fitted it to a slightly modified Hornby L&Y pug chassis. I added quite a few details to the body, as listed below, then finished it with Humbrol acrylics and enamels, followed by HMRS Pressfix transfers, as well as home-printed numberplates. Parts List · Hornby L&Y 0-4-0ST (R3024) · 3D printed Peckett W6 body · Scrap lead weights · Slimline tension-lock couplings · Home-turned brass chimney & dome · Large whitemetal buffers (from scrapbox) · Dressmaker’s domed button (for smokebox door) · Scale couplings · Commercial handrail knobs · Misc. brass sheet & tube · Copper wire - for injector pipes · 0.4mm phos bronze wire · Bell from scrapped Bachmann H0 “Jupiter” 4-4-0 Results Here are some images: Hornby pug donor model: Assembled model, almost finished: Finished model: It isn’t perfect, but looks ok and runs superbly. With its boiler packed with lead, it is amazingly powerful. I’m happy with it as a learning exercise using 3D printing. The only cost was A$50 for a second-hand Pug. (Everything else came from the scrapbox.) The current Hornby Pecketts sell in Oz for around A$160-200.

G'day, all, A further alternative would be to scratchbuild a new chassis, as detailed here: It worked for me! Regards, Rob

G'day, all, Another, relatively inexpensive solution would be to install a 4-wheeled tram mechanism into the coach, as done here: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/103776-motorise-gbl-stephensons-rocket/ It worked for me! Regards, Rob

Introduction I have a soft spot for GWR locos that ran in Central and South Wales, due to historic family connections with those areas. I am especially fond of those engines that did or may have worked in the Oswestry Division in the early to mid-1930s. Currently, this part of my collection includes the following: 2-4-0T: 1196 0-4-2T: 848, 4833 0-6-0ST: 1331 0-6-0T: 1376 0-6-0PT: 1565 2-6-2T: 4508 2-4-0: 3515 0-6-0: 908, 885, 1195, 2322, 2573 4-4-0: 1043, 3283, 3265 2-6-0: 2620 Looking through Ref.1, I long ago wanted to model No. 680, an outside cylindered 0-6-0ST that was built by Pecketts for the Alexandra Docks but worked out of Oswestry after Grouping. I baulked at this, as the construction of the cylinder/slidebar assembly was beyond my skills. However, a similar assembly has become available as a spare for another Peckett loco modelled by Hornby. I recently used an example for my model of 2195 (Ref 4.), so I gathered other bits and pieces and commenced work. Components · Cylinders etc from Hornby Peckett 0-4-0ST (X7164) · Saddle tank from 3D printed Peckett 0-4-0ST (Ref.12) · Backhead, reduced in size from that used for Manning Wardle 0-6-0T (Ref.13) · 2nd-hand 0-6-0 chassis & wheels · Hornby Type 7 motor (X8259) or similar · Hornby tension-lock couplings (X9072) · Brass rod for turning · Sheet brass & copper · H0 scale NSWGR buffers and couplings (new old stock branded Mansfield Models) · Turned brass handrail knobs · Whitemetal injectors (from scrapbox) · Turned brass whistle (from scrapbox) · Office staples (for lamp brackets) · 0.4mm dia. Phosphor bronze wire (for handrails and pickups) · PC board for keeper plate & pickups Construction This began with the loco chassis, which had been used in a revitalised Tri-ang “Polly”, formerly used in my club’s U-Drive layout. The wheelbase and wheels were about right. The chassis need to be cleaned up, trimmed and overhauled. Using the dimensions and sketch in Ref.3, as well as photographs of 680 and published drawings of similar Peckett saddle tanks, supplementary drawings were made of the cab, footplate and buffer beams. The footplate was then cut out and assembled with side valences and buffer beams. The chassis block was trimmed to fit neatly under the footplate and between the buffer beams. The Hornby cylinders were too narrow to fit this chassis, so the assembly was split and rejoined with a wider spreader. Test fitted to the chassis & footplate, they looked like this: The project had to pause in Nov 2019 for a few months because of the terrible bushfires in eastern NSW. My family and pets had to be ready to evacuate with little notice, so all important things were packed, ready to load in the cars and run. These included some of my models and project items. Construction resumed in mid–March 2020: this time during self-imposed isolation for COVID-19. Crossheads were fitted to the slidebars and the slidebar supports were installed onto the chassis. Pickups were fabricated from printed circuit board and phosphor bronze wire. The previously-used motor had seen a lot of use and was suspected of being tired, so it was replaced by a brand new Hornby Type 7 motor, held in place by a home-made motor mount. The motor was connected electrically, then tested and adjusted to ensure smooth running. A 3D printed saddle tank body (Ref.12) was printed in PLA on my home printer. The tank was removed from the rest of the print, then trimmed and rubbed back until it was a good fit over the motor/gearbox when placed on the footplate. The smokebox door on the 3D print was quite unlike that of 680, as seen here: http://www.gwr813.org/GWR680b.htm, so the centre of the printed door was carefully drilled out, leaving just a rim, the underside of which was cut away. A dressmaker’s domed button was then glued into place. A backhead (Ref.13) was 3D printed and trimmed to size. The cab was fabricated from 0.010” sheet brass and copper, with trim pieces and cab edging made from modellers’ brass and soldered on. Cab handrails were added at this stage from 0.4mm phosphor bronze wire. Test fitting of the saddle tank to the footplate revealed that too much of the motor was visible. In the real 680, there was no “daylight” visible under the boiler, as it was set too low. Therefore, a simple skirt was made from thin brass and soldered to the footplate. Cabside steps were fabricated and fitted at this time also. The saddle tank was then attached with 5-minute epoxy cement. The chimney and dome were turned from brass. The tank filler was made from brass tube, cardboard and scrap brass. The smokebox door “dart” was made from a handrail knob, 0.4mm bronze wire and a 14BA washer. These fittings were glued into place, together with: · scale couplings, · buffers · whistle · handrails and their knobs · whitemetal injectors · detachable roof. · lamp brackets · cab floor · vac pipes · reversing lever · tension-lock couplings Finishing The chassis was touched up with Humbrol matt black enamel. The body was spray primed grey, then painted in GWR colours with Humbrol enamels and acrylics. The internal bunker was coaled and a Dapol crew fitted. HMRS Pressfix transfers were used for the buffer beam numbers and the roundel. Home-printed number plates were fitted to the cabsides. Green and red areas were then varnished with Humbrol satin clear enamel. Results Driver’s side portrait: On shed at Carmarthen Junction, with other Central Wales locos: Shunting at Gennigael: Awaiting departure from Gennigael with branch line passenger train: Reflections I guess I could have modelled this loco with a kit from Agenoria, where the estimated cost would have been in the order of A$500. Inclusive of all parts, this project cost less than A$100 and had the additional satisfaction of designing, making or adapting all parts. It’s not of museum quality, but it works well and fits in with the rest of the collection. Oh, yes! There’s one more thing. It was a great project to do while in self-isolation. References & Further Reading 1. C.C.Green: “Cambrian Railways Album – 2” (Ian Allan, 1981) 2. RCTS “The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway – Part 10 – Absorbed Engines1922-1947 (RCTS, 1966) 3. J.H.Russell: “A Pictorial Record of Great Western Absorbed Engines” (OPC, 1978) 4. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/148059-gwr-2195-cwm-mawr-project/ 5. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67786-gwr-1376-ex-bristol-exeter-0-6-0t-project/ 6. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/88895-gwr-ex-cambrian-railways-73-class-0-6-0/ 7. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/126196-gwr-ex-cambrian-railways-large-belpaire-passenger-4-4-0-94-class/ 8. www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/72460-gwr-1331-ex-whitland-cardigan-0-6-0st-project/ 9. www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/134586-gwr-stella-2-4-0-kitbash/ 10. www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/137953-gwr-517-class-no-848-%E2%80%93-a-tale-of-three-chassis/#entry3315390 11. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=user_activity&mid=17793 12. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3343816 13. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3848743

Background In 2013, I posted several articles about stock on my fictional GWR layout “Carmarthen Junction”. Links to them are available at the end of this post, for those who may be interested. I am grateful for the kind comments and encouragement I received at that time. Since then, much modelling has been done, most of which has been reported in this forum, with images of the newly completed models posed on my layout. I have been asked recently (in another forum) to provide more information about the layout itself: size, design, operation, etc. The layout’s name was chosen long ago, in recognition of my Welsh roots (Radnorshire and Carmarthenshire). It does not pretend to be any particular place. It exists to display my collection of model trains and give them some context when operated and photographed. My first permanent layout was shared with my brother at our parents’ home, in a 12ft x 8ft garden shed that our father converted from being his workshop to becoming our train shed in 1965. This was the origin of the size of successor layouts. Here is an image of this first one, taken in 1972. I left home in 1977 and built a new set of baseboards – a group of 8 boards which bolted together to make another 12’ x 8’ layout. Eventually, it was sufficiently detailed to be exhibited at my Church’s model railway club’s first model railway show in 1986. In time, this layout needed refreshing, so it was stripped and rebuilt. Here it is, at another of my club’s shows in 1998. As time passed, the old boards became rather tired. No surprise here, as they had been recycled from old office partitions. A new set of boards was designed and built from scratch using finger-jointed pine frames and 8mm thick MDF tops. They rest on a set of plastic-topped trestle tables (cheap, but effective). A new track plan was devised to suit the boards and their joins. It was planned to be built in two stages: the ground level first and the inclined track and elevated rear section after that. So far, I have not begun the second phase. Design Materials Only Boards 1 to 5 have been built. Board 2b is yet to come. Temporary elevated scenery is in place over Boards 1 and 3 to simulate tunnels and help conceal the rear storage sidings. Most boards are joined using case clips and located with patternmakers’ dowels. Track circuits are carried from board to board via multi-pin plugs and sockets and heavy-duty wire. Point control circuits are carried on rainbow coloured ribbon cable, Tracks and points are all Code 100 Peco, with live frog points wherever feasible. Each rail join has a wire soldered to each side of it to minimise voltage drop across it – essential for live steam operation. Fishplates are in use, to allow for thermal expansion/contraction, as Sydney’s temperatues range from around 0 to 40 degrees C during the year. Points in the hidden siding area are operated by Peco point motors equipped with an accessory switch which lights green/red LEDs to indicate which tracks are selected. These same points also have latching relays to ensure proper electrical connection, instead of just depending on the point blades. Points are activated by means of electric pencils, boosted by a CDU unit. At every baseboard join, the rails are soldered to brass screws. Cables, plugs and sockets take the power from rail to rail across the join. Once all tracks were installed and wired up, they were extensively tested and adjusted until everything ran smoothly. Only then was the track ballasted, using Faller ballast for the main lines and granite chippings for the sidings. Control Systems There are four independent 12V DC circuits, each equipped with a PWM controller. Each panel has a relevant track diagram which mimics the relevant track layout and provides the contacts for the electric pencils. The two main line controls are side-by side and include DPDT switches to select either 12V DC or 17V live steam systems. The loco and shunting yard area has numerous isolation switches to facilitate shunting of the MPD. The Peco turntable has its own home-made PWM controller and DPTD switch to control its home-made motor/gearbox. The layout’s wiring loom has provided connections for the planned elevated branch line terminus. Its control panel is next to the controls for the hidden sidings. When live steam is to be used, the relevant main line DC system is switched out and the 17V LS system selected. Here we can see the Hornby rolling road, used to warm locos up before use, the standard Hornby control and the Hornby Live Steam Club’s superior hand-held “Live Drive” controller. Scenic Details This early image shows the layout at the beginning of detailing. Many of the buildings ultimately used had not yet been constructed. Another early shot, which is much more advanced and which features the bespoke card platforms. The layout was built over a six-month period in 2010 and was sufficiently complete to be shown at my club’s annual exhibition in November 2010. The model buildings derive from many sources, including Airfix, Alphagraphics, Dapol, Peco, Hornby, Metcalf, Prototype, Wills, Mike’s Models, Builder Plus, etc. The loco shed was scratchbuilt. Where feasible, the shops have suitable signage and interior details. Scale figures and vehicles have been used to give little cameos to further enhance the illusion of reality. The following images are of the scenic areas used as backdrops for the model train images featured in the links listed below. The Salvation Army shop has a bilingual sign! For those who took pleasure in the “Great Gathering” of A4s, here’s my version, featuring 4468 (motorised GBL), 2509 (Hornby LS), 7 (Hornby-Dublo 3-rail), 60030 (Hornby-Dublo 2-rail) and 60008 (Hornby LS). It’s not hard to imagine yourself being miles away when watching the models go by………. Links to some earlier posts 1. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70550-carmarthen-junction-miscellena/ 2. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70468-gwr-absorbed-locos-on-carmarthen-junction/ 3. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70438-gwr-4-4-0s-on-carmarthen-junction/ 4. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67522-carmarthen-junction-engine-shed/

G'day, Al, For the last few years, I've been getting my knobs from Casula Hobbies https://casulahobbies.com.au/, usually at one of the several shows they attend around Sydney. Joe, his wife and crew are always kind, courteous and helpful. A few years ago, I asked them to bring some dummy leaf springs to a show I aimed to attend, so as to avoid driving to the other side of Sydney from my home. They did so and I was then able to complete my model of 1565. A visit to their shop can also reveal lots of other treasures not seen on-line or at shows. I hope this helps. Regards, Rob

G'day, all, Here's a link to the thread describing my conversions of Tri-ang Blue Pullmans. I hope it's of some interest. Regards, Rob

G'day, all, Rosemount Tramway will again be one of the guest layouts at the North Shore Model Railway Association's annual exhibition at Forrestville (Sydney, Australia) over the weekend of 7-8 March 2020. (https://www.nsrma.com.au/exhibition-2020/) I hope to see some of my fellow tramway modellers there. Regards, Rob

G'day, AVS1998, I've upgraded the Triang Caley coaches, as described here: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/102076-motorisation-of-gbl-caledonian-single-and-upgrading-of-her-coaches/ I'm happy with the result. Good luck with your project. Regards, Rob

G'day, Andymsa, I've had some success with this product, having used it on a couple of Tri-ang Dean Singles, some Mainline/Hornby Dean Goods and a repair of a friend's Athearn pacific. My best effort was its application on a model of a GWR Stella class 2-4-0, described here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/134586-gwr-stella-2-4-0-kitbash/ The secret to subsequent smooth running is to brush it on thinly with the wheels rotating so that it sets evenly around the tyre. Bullfrog Snot is an essential part of my toolchest. Regards, Rob

G'day, all, A Grafton crane is preserved (?) on the dockside at Strahan, Tasmania. Lacking any vestige of a cab, it was easy to photograph it in detail, which may help other modellers. I hope this helps. Regards, Rob

G'day, all, During the rundown of steam depots here in NSW during the 1960s, Eveleigh Loco Depot lost its huge coaling stage and its loco shed. The small number of steam locos remaining for shunting Sydney Station and Darling Harbour were coaled by means of a vertical boilered crane: There were several varieties of such cranes scattered around loco depots and workshops, from such builders as Coles, Harmon and Grafton. Quite a few survived to be preserved in various museums around Oz. There are plenty of images of Coles cranes here, which may help with the scratchbuilding of a model. https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ACYBGNQ4dha_WDBXuqn88JI82yRSWCHbrA:1571514848807&q=coles+steam+crane&tbm=isch&source=univ&client=firefox-b-d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjM5MmCjanlAhWFTX0KHUJ-D3cQ7Al6BAgJECQ&biw=1400&bih=764 I hope this helps. Regards, Rob

G'day, hconn, I agree with Andy: the prototype loco is indeed by Brush. Its wheelbase is 5'9", the same as portrayed by the Dapol/Hornby L&Y 0-4-0ST. Its wheels are 3'7" dia. Those of the L&Y loco were 3'0". Unfortunately, the saddle tank is set very high compared with many others of its ilk. The Hornby Peckett was indeed a contemporary of your chosen loco. If you wanted to kitbash a Dapol/Hornby into a different Peckett, you could use a (free) 3D design from here: https://www.thingiverse.com/2A_Rail/designs and adapt it to the L&Y chassis. I've been so doing, while learning how to use a new 3D printer. Without any cleaning up or detailing of the body, it looks like this: There's quite a bit of work ahead to make it presentable, but isn't that what modelling is all about? I hope these comments help widen your choice of prototypes. Regards, Rob

Another example is Hunslet 1825 of 1938, preserved as PWD79 in the NSW Railway Museum, Thirlmere.

Thank you, Northmoor for your observation. I agree that the two designs are generally similar, but Margaret was built by Fox Walker and Cwm Mawr by Avonside. Margaret has no external coal bunker, whereas Cwm Mawr does. I imagine that, above the footplate, GWR "standardisation" came into play, hence the family resemblance. Regards, Rob

G'day, all, Here's another project which has used the smokebox, saddle tank and backhead of a Hornby Smokey Joe: Construction details are here: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/148059-gwr-2195-cwm-mawr-project/ Happy modelling! Regards, Rob

Introduction 2195 Cwm Mawr was built for the Burry Port & Gwendraeth Valley Railway as their No.5 in April 1905. Taken over by the GWR in 1922, No.5 was sent to Swindon for rebuilding, emerging in 1926. She spent most of her service life at Weymouth. Excellent drawings and a potted history are found in Ref.4. Back in 2013, I started to assemble a model of 2195, using a Hornby Toby chassis, but changed direction to make GWR 1331. (Ref 1.) This exercise did produce a brass cab for 2195. A similar damaged chassis was set aside in the scrapbox. Further checking revealed that the Toby chassis is too tall for 2195, so a search began for a suitable alternative. In Nov 2018, a group of pre-loved US outline H0 chassis was purchased, among which was one designed for a 4-6-4, with 21mm wheels , but with a suitable wheelbase. A couple of months later, the cylinder assembly for the current Hornby Peckett 0-4-0ST became available as a spare, so one was ordered from Peter’s Spares. My spares box contained a roughly repainted second-hand Smokey Joe model, so all of the main components were now to hand. A newly acquired 3D printer gave me the potential to make some small components that are now no longer freely available. Construction The chassis was stripped: It was then cut down from 4-6-4 to 0-6-0 and set up for the tank engine. I had no 14mm drivers in stock, but did have some Romford 15mm wheels, so proceeded with these. My scrapbox contained suitable brass bearings, which were opened up from 3mm to 1/8” i.d. to facilitate fitting to the Romford axles. Crankpins were fitted to the wheels, which were then test fitted to the chassis New coupling rods were made from stainless steel strip. The Hornby cylinder assembly was too narrow to fit the chassis, so both the stretcher between the cylinders and the slidebar support were cut and then rejoined with extension pieces of brass, superglued into position. The crossheads, as received, had minimal rotational movement on the connecting rods, so each was carefully eased by scraping off small pieces of metal from the little ends of the connecting rods, where they fouled the crossheads. The crossheads were fitted to the slidebars before gluing the slidebar supports into position. The chassis frames were filed back as required to fit the full cylinder assembly to the chassis so that the footplate fitted easily over the top The Smokey Joe model was stripped down. The motorized chassis was stored for a future project. The footplate was modified until it could fit over the chassis and so that the cab could be fitted. It looked too bare, so a new one was made from 1/16” thick brass sheet, to which was soldered extra brass and copper sections to fill the gap below the Hornby saddle tank, as well as the pre-existing cab. Loosely placed on the chassis it looked like this: With the saddle tank/smokebox sitting on it, it started to look like a loco at last: The gearbox was assembled and fitted to the motor. This unit was then installed in the chassis. The chassis was then tested for free running and adjusted where necessary. This motor/gearbox combination fitted well, very low in the model, leaving room for ballast weights to be fitted later, if needed. Pickups, wire and a new copper-clad baseplate were fabricated and fitted. The mechanism was tested and adjusted until everything ran smoothly. Buffers and scale couplings were fitted. The footplate was covered with paper to cover the gaps left to provide clearance for the wheels. Injectors and a toolbox were designed, 3D printed and then fitted. The smokebox/saddle tank assembly from “Smokey Joe” was then trimmed and glued in place. Front sandboxes were then 3D printed and fitted. The replacement chimney, dome and safety valve were turned from brass and glued into position. A smokebox door dart was made from a handrail knob and wire and then fixed in place. Handrails and their knobs were then fitted. Lamp brackets, made from office staples, added a lot of character. The model was then painted with Humbrol enamels and acrylic paints. HMRS Pressfix numbers were mounted on the front buffer beam. Number- and name-plates were printed onto photographic paper and attached. The backhead from “Smokey Joe” was modified, painted and then mounted in the cab. Once the transfers and plates had settled, the model was varnished with Humbrol satin clear. The model was completed with a Dapol crew and “coal” in the bunker. Reflections This was not another “cheap and cheerful” project, because much material was bought in especially for this model. Its total cost has approached A$200. However, it is unique and has been a very satisfying exercise, allowing me to learn and practise new skills on my 3D printer. I guess I could have imported and assembled the Agenoria model, but its price (GBP210 – about A$386) was a bit too much for me. I’m impressed with the High Level gearbox – the first I have used. It went together easily and precisely. In combination with the Mashima motor, it runs very smoothly and silently. It is a suitable substitute for the NWSL products I have been using recently and which have ceased production. With this project, I have acquired a very smooth shunter, capable of very slow but powerful operation. Very satisfying! Parts List · Japanese brass American outline chassis (2nd-hand) · Footplate & saddle tank from Hornby Smokey Joe (R782) · Cylinders etc from Hornby Peckett 0-4-0ST (X7164) · 15mm dia Romford driving wheels, axles and crankpins · Sprung brass buffers (source unknown) · Scale couplings (source unknown) · Tension-lock couplings · Mashima 1015 motor · High Level Slimliner compact gearbox (54:1) · Misc brass sheet · Brass rod · BA screws & nuts · 0.4mm dia phos. bronze wire · Handrail knobs · Stainless steel strip (for coupling rods) References & Further Reading 1. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/72460-gwr-1331-ex-whitland-cardigan-0-6-0st-project/ 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BP%26GV_4_Kidwelly_and_5_Cwm_Mawr 3. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67786-gwr-1376-ex-bristol-exeter-0-6-0t-project/ 4. Railway Modeller, May 1989 5. RCTS “The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway – Part 10 – Absorbed Engines 1922-1947 (RCTS, 1966) 6. J.H.Russell: “A Pictorial Record of Great Western Absorbed Engines” (OPC, 1978) 7. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/147303-3d-freelance-manning-wardle-0-6-0t/

G'day, all, Thanks for the comments. It's early days yet, but I think I will continue to use 3D to make bits and pieces I can't make easily by other means. I'm currently making a 4mm scale model of GWR 2195 "Cwm Mawr", mainly from brass and copper, but using a saddle tank/smokebox from a Hornby "Smokey Joe". Its chimney/safety valve/dome fittings will be made from brass on my lathe, but I'm currently designing a set of injectors to be made by 3D. Let's see how this works out. Regards, Rob