David Bigcheeseplant

Chris said it should be ready for Scaleforum, there was a made up test etch on his stand at Expo EM and no doubt it will be at Railex. The model had the 5 foot 2 wheels to make it a 54xx and the wheels fit in the large Bachmann splashers

High Level had an etched chassis on his stand at Expo, the kit should be available at Scaleforum. interesting that the model on display had 5 foot 2 wheels making it a 54XX and the larger wheels fitting in the splashers on the Bachmann model. Chris did say the body and footplate were one moulding making it hard to make replacement splashers for the 64XX. David

Right hand was for right hand drive locos left hand for those left hand drive locos!!!!!!!!!

The reversing lever in the cab looks too tall its almost touching the inside of the roof.

1473 had a top feed in the 1950s while in plain black later it had no top feed and was in lined green. David

1442 had a top feed when I saw it last year.

Not on this Thrush neither was Chocolate but blood and custard maybe!

I want Thrush in Maroon, but understand it was better with the cream on it!

Andy thanks for the better photos. Why oh why is there a brass bell the old Airfix one had the same, and in all cases the bell was painted the same colour as the coach body it was attached to, it must cost more to get it painted a separate colour than body colour, oh well out with the paintbrush. I wonder how easy it will be to get inside of as the seating and inside woodwork could be picked out in various shades. There seems to be a handbrake handle in the drivers compartment but no regulator handle. also the moulded handrails I think need to be replaced. Being someone who likes to model rather than collect models and raise them to a standard I am happy with. Any RTR model I can use to get a result which is top notch with minimum effort is worth it. Maybe an add on detail etch with the missing auto gear under either end will be forthcoming but a small supplier. Also a number had curtains Shire Scenes do these as an etch but, those with curtains do have different look. I have always had a soft spot for autocoaches they just seem more interesting than normal coaches. David

How about a 41XX then I have also a photo of a LMR 2-6-0 Mucky duck on a single auto trailer in the 1950s

Gary has been doing more work on the footbridge to the north of the station, and I must say it looks great, the photos were taken on my phone so not too great but it gives you an idea.

I have got a Comet kit of the same autocoach but will still be getting a Bachman one, and will no doubt do something creative with it to, If there are moulded handrails I will replace them. If have Thrush you need to sort the inside out!

Is it really that expensive as said above a Comet kit will cost you around £40 and you need to build and paint it.

My mistake regarding Great Western lettering should have checked before posting. But did any have British Railways on the tank sides? Off topic but I don't like any of the later company liveries G crest W I can't stand, I prefer the roundel GWR on unlined locos I can just about tolerate, LMS passenger Black instead of red and Bulleid Green and sunshine lettering? Oh well just waiting for my 64XX to turn up in the post. David

I think the 64XX were introduced after the roundel came in so none would have Great Western on the tank sides, if you want to model them as built you will need to remove the top feed and bunker side steps. I have never seen a photo but wonder if any had British Railways spelt out in GWR style, as other locos had.

http://www.Bachmann.co.uk/image_box.php?image=images1/branchline/39-576.jpg&cat_no=39-576&info=0&width=650&height=230 An image of the new Bachmann Hawksworth autocoach, not a great photo but it looks good. Not too sure of the brass painted bell but some maroon paint will sort that. I am sure that plenty of extra underfloor rodding can be added by those who wish to do so. It has the normal back to back seating so those wishing to do the bus type seating will have to do some work, moulded handrails round the driver door may need to replaced, but hey ho it looks a great model. David

I had no idea Hornby had done two different cab cuts outs and tenders, it was good fortune the one I got had the larger cab cut out that matched 65390 although it seems I will have to shorten the tender handrail to match the length of the one on the loco, add the boiler pipe and small details. As well as 65390 being used on the Watlington Branch 65405 and 65452 were also used. David

British Railways written out on the tank sides would look good

I posted these photos earlier in the thread I was comparing the photos with my model that arrived yesterday and notice that 65390 has a pipe down the boiler side missing on the model, and the tender handrail or height seems different, plus were the reversing rod enters the cab seems to be missing a box cover. As someone who knows nothing about J15 locos can someone point me what variant 65390 is? David

Geoff Williams Aylesbury looking across the Park Street level crossing, see this at Risex next Saturday at Princes Risborough.

Another photo of a J15 at Chinnor on the Watlington branch. I have just ordered one from Hattons so mine will become the one in the photo. It looks like it has no lion on the tender but it is there if you zoom in on the photo. My Dad who was a fireman and drove it said it was clapped out and would not pull the skin off a rice pudding! David

It did occur to me a few years ago the Aylesbury Railex is probably the modern day equivalent and we're blessed with having that every year. If MRJ did ever happen again, what would be there and just what ever happened to Hursley? I remember queuing round the block for the MRJ show, it was different from what other exhibitions were doing at the time, and when I had the idea of doing Railex eleven years ago the MRJ show but a basis of what I wanted to do. We have had a number of layouts appear at Railex that were at the MRJ show (this year we have Peter Kazer's Corris), although some are no longer around while others are unlikely to be seen in public again. Going back to the title of the thread Geoff Williams iconic Aylesbury has been acquired by the Risborough club and will be exhibited twice, the first being Risex this February and Railex in Aylesbury in 2016

A metro tank will be fine. just remember to post a photo on here.

Dave is the originator of this thread, so has probably taken his cue from here. I certainly will too on future buildings (where appropriate). I know that not everyone agrees with the chocolate windows theory, but personally I find the evidence convincing. I should have noticed that! The building looks great and in the early colours it really looks nice. On some layouts that have been set in the Victorian and Edwardian period and have GWR buildings painted in the later style look quite odd to my mind. I look forward to seeing a 517 with Indian red frames running in to a GWR station with the earlier structure colour application.