County of Yorkshire

34 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

There was a discussion within the last few hours on the Rapido SECR wagons thread about the difficulty of finding pre-Grouping wagon prototypes that lasted in quantity until the 1950s - a period modelled by many, and therefore seen as essential for a viable model. The conclusion drawn was that manufacturers were forced by this criterion to select prototypes that are "late pre-Grouping" - post Great War for the Rapido SECR wagons; the Rails SECR van goes back to 1909.

 

Rails are offering the Iron Mink in three liveries: with the 16" G W initials introduced in 1920 (which they describe as "late condition"); with the RCH 1936 standard small lettering; and in BR grey with black number panel. 

 

There were 4,901 Iron Minks built (including a handful of non-standard vehicles) between 1886 and 1901. The normal life in service of a 19th century goods wagon would be about a third of a century; one would on that basis expect Iron Minks to be more-or-less extinct before the 1936 livery was adopted. 

 

I have questioned the BR livery before in the thread on the Minerva 7 mm version, without getting a straight answer. I'll ask straight out here: can anyone actually say how many Iron Minks were still in ordinary revenue service in, say, 1939 and 1952? I'm willing to bet a Rails Mink to a Ratio one that the answer is, very few.

Whilst admittedly it’s on its way to the knackers yard, there’s an iron mink in post-1936 livery in 1947 on Warwickshire Railways website here: https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrb1787.htm

I know it’s not kosher to talk price on here these days, but these feel around £10-£15 overpriced to me. They don’t exactly look finescale do they, and that anaemic ‘GW’ font gets worse the more I look at it. 

26 minutes ago, Ribird said:

But for £36.95? And being a Rapido wagon? 

 

Not sure if that is a good deal or not. Do correct me if it is. 

 

They’re produced in partnership with Dapol. 
 

The venerable yet still decent Ratio Iron Mink kit is still available for less than a tenner. Ultimately prospective purchasers will have to make their own value judgments… 
 

Well, well, well… Is this the dawning of the age of the GWR rtr wagon? 
 

https://railsofsheffield.com/collections/iron-mink-vans?mc_cid=d5f5052676&mc_eid=640c17b9af

The model itself looks good but I’m not sure about the lettering for the post-1936 GWR version? The font looks incorrect. The white roof will have to go.
 

Anyway, a pleasant surprise! 
 

CoY

9 hours ago, Robin Brasher said:

I am still waiting for the Hornby R40107 1st class coach and R40110 LSWR brake 3rd.  These are available from Hornby but not yet from the retailers.

Are you sure you've checked everywhere?

R40107

R40110

CoY

The steam-era coaching range is arguably one of Hornby's unsung strengths, and there are some superb models about, at very competitive RRPs when compared with other manufacturers...

I've been particularly impressed with the following, in order of impressiveness:  

- GWR Hawksworths

- SR Maunsells

- LNER Gresley non-corridor stock

- GWR Colletts corridor stock

- LNER Thompson non-corridor stock

- GWR Colletts non-corridor stock 

- SR Bulleids (57ft stock)

- LMS Stanier non-corridor stock

I've never owned a Hornby Pullman as I've no need for them, but they've always looked very fine when I've seen them elsewhere.

I really think steam era coaching stock is ripe for Hornby to further exploit, starting with more accurate Gresley corridor stock (and with more diagrams like CK, BTK and TTO), Period I or II LMS stock, and GWR toplight (!!!) or flat-ended stock of 57ft or 60ft variety. 

Cheers.

CoY

14 hours ago, BMacdermott said:

GWR 00 Rolling Stock Mini-Poll No.1: Siphons

 

Here’s what to do…

1. You may vote for any or all of the items listed plus the ‘focused choice’ option.

2. They must be items you would realistically wish to buy if made RTR at ‘affordable prices’.

3. Submit your entries on this thread simply as (for example): 2, 4, 7 – with comments and explanations following. My posting which follows should serve as an example.

4. If you vote by PM, please only list your selection of numbers without explanations.

 

GWR Siphons

1 Siphon C – External Frame 4-wheel (eg Diags.O8 & O9 of 1906)

2 Siphon F – External Frame (eg Diag.O7 of 1907)

3 Siphon G – External Frame (eg Diag.O11 of 1912)

4 Siphon G – Internal Frame (eg Diag.O22 of 1926, Diag.O33 etc of 1930)

5 Siphon H – External Frame (eg Diag.O12 of 1919)

6 Siphon J (eg Diags.O31 of 1930 & O40 of 1932)

7 Siphon – ‘Low Siphon’ 6-wheel (eg Diag.O4 of 1896)

 

Your ‘focused choice’

If there was only enough plastic available in the world to make just one of the above, which would you choose? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7.

 

My choices: 3, 4, 6

Focused choice: 4

Cheers.

CoY

20 hours ago, gwrrob said:

Also finished is this SR built van painted in GW grey [Railmatch ] , transfers and weathering as before. This is the Dapol unpainted body married to the Peco/Parkside chassis inspired by a similar build by @46444.

 

Nice V35 Robin!

I am currently working on the same, but I can't decide the best way to join the Peco/Parkside chassis to the Dapol body. How did you go about it please? The wagon floor included in the chassis kit is too narrow to be affixed to the bottom of the van sides. 

Cheers.

CoY

14 minutes ago, County of Yorkshire said:

I have all I need (I think) but I wonder if they could be adapted into other diagrams using brass sides? I will consult my Longworth book of GWR coaching stock...

 

CoY

Looks like the only other possible diagrams could be: 

D101 Brake Third (Hornby D98 as donor) - same length and bogies, but 5 compartments instead of 6. Phoenix did the kit, and according to Miss Prism's website, Worsley Works are to do so but they are "not yet available".

E124/125 Composite (Hornby E131 as donor) - same length, but 9ft bogies, which look to be the only visible cosmetic change.

E129 Brake Composite (E131 as donor) - same length, but 9ft bogies. 6 third class compartments and 1 first, small brake area. Comet do the sides.

E134 Composite (E131 as donor) - same length, same 7ft bogies, 4 third class compartments and 5 first (compared with 5 third and 4 first in E131). Phoenix did the sides.

E135 Brake Composite (E131 as donor) - same length and bogies. 5 third class compartments and 1 first, medium sized brake area. Only four ever built and so no suprise that no-one does the sides. 

There is no suitable full third coach conversion option given different underframe lengths.

Seems to be more options then I first thought. Anyway, hope this is of use to someone!

CoY

Heads up - Hornby Collett subs, at what is frankly a "silly cheap" price by modern standards over at Kernow:

https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/c/614/OO-Gauge/5

I have all I need (I think) but I wonder if they could be adapted into other diagrams using brass sides? I will consult my Longworth book of GWR coaching stock...

CoY

4 hours ago, rapidoandy said:

Can I ask where that's displayed?

In a Rails of Sheffield product announcement email sent this afternoon. 

Yeah, I guessed it was an error rather than an actual April Fool, but the image of a dowdy gunpowder van featuring a multi-coloured interior, flush glazing and interior lighting cracked me up.
 

Disco wagon? Would be banging’! 

CoY

April Fools! 
 

:-)

YOU ARE BUYING  A "HIGHLY ATTRACTIVE" WRENN UN-BOXED MODEL No W2217 LNER  CLASS N2  0-6-2T  TANK LOCO'  FINISHED AS LNER VERSION No.9522  IN APPLE GREEN LIVERY. IN ORIGINAL NEAR MINT CONDITION 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WRENN-MODEL-No-W221-7-LNER-CLASS-N2-0-6-2T-No-9522-TANK-LOCO-LOT-62/402760630667?epid=675908944&hash=item5dc667818b:g:Sc4AAOSwwk5gWQKj

:-)

CoY

4 hours ago, gwrrob said:

A bump for this thread as I'm after the black panel transfer to renumber an ex LNER 6 plank done by Oxford.

Railtec

Just to "bump" this thread. When people say they use Evostik for brass sides onto plastic RTR, what is the exact type of Evostik used please? Just conscious that Evostik is a brand name with many different products under the brand...

Pointers would be very much appreciated as i'm losing patience with trying to get my GWR D125 sides attached to a Bachmann E158 shell.

Cheers.

CoY

I'm a sucker for true time-capsules with that little bit of "something extra".

Berwyn on a cold autumn afternoon with a roaring fire in the waiting room, the raging River Dee 60 feet below, and the distant sound of pannier or prairie charging up the bank from Llangollen.

Rothley on a warm summer's day, drinking tea from china cups, whilst the signal box bells ring happily away. 

Oakworth on a cold winter's night, gas lit both inside the waiting room and out on the platform, waiting to join the revelry aboard the bar car of the next train during the KWVR Real Ale Festival. 

Goathland at any time of the year, after the last southbound departure of the day, with the dull roar of the weir in the nearby Eller Beck. The patina of the Edwardian enamel signs. Sheep idly grazing up on the hillside. The signalman locking up his box after the end of a long day. 

Any of the tremendous SVR wayside country halts. Arley, Highley, Hampton Lode; take your pick. Where, amongst the iconic architecture, signage, poster art, and rolling stock of the Great Western Railway, to quote EM Forster, "all of the West Country is latent"...

You just cannot buy atmosphere. And I've really, really missed it these last 12 months!

Loco crew with 9303 at Reading, April 1947 here. Does this help?

CoY

3 hours ago, No Decorum said:

When the Bachmann Modified Hall was first launched it was, for its time, an excellent model apart from the boob of omitting the fire-iron tunnel. However, things have moved on and it noticeably lacks features such as a fall plate and provision for sound. I don’t think it needs a retool but an upgrade would be very welcome.

Err... the last release of the Modified Hall (approx 2016?)  had a completely inaccurate front end beneath the smokebox door. It had the correct extension frames, but the wrong type of running board “drop” over the cylinders - it mixed the standard Hall running board drop with the extension frames of the Modified Hall. 
 

Brassmasters had to issue a brass fret of parts to help rectify, which I am currently mid-way through completing. 
 

CoY 

This is a most excellent announcement, and one that just seems to make so much sense.  A popular loco that appeals to modellers of both the historic GWR & BR scenes plus contemporary preserved lines alike. I can’t wait to see these iconic locos get the Accurascale treatment. I’m certainly going to order 7819 in GWR green, and perhaps one in Shirtbutton too. Though one request; please, please get the rendition of GWR green right! More Bachmann/Dapol’s rich middle-chrome green; and less Hornby’s chalky/blue green! 
 

That said, I do feel sorry for Dapol; that’s twice they’ve been gazumped on Western locos by other manufacturers. It’s a shame as their recent mogul is a great bit of kit. 
 

Interesting comment from Fran on ruling out GWR toplight coaches. The thoughts of the manufacturers on making these coaches RTR has always seen much conjecture but never anything definitive, until now. I think Fran’s comments have firmly put the prospect of RTR toplights to bed, at least until 3d print technology matures. 
 

Given they were at Didcot, any chance the Accurascale team measured up the Collett sunshine coaches? They were much more consistent in build and variations during their lifetimes, were a GWR/BR(WR) staple from the 1930s to the 1960s, travelled quite widely on inter-regionals, and exist in good numbers in preservation (Didcot, SVR and SDR all operate them), so how about it? Bachmann have consistently failed to re-tool theirs, so...

CoY 

I have to say that even as a GWR modeller I find these apeeling. 
 

Don’t think I’ll grab a bunch, but perhaps just one to give skin-deep coverage. 
 

CoY 

7 minutes ago, tomparryharry said:

Like others, I've seen discounted prairies, but these have been the pre-upgrade versions, with the nice little moulded shovel on the tank top. 

No, the new tool Hornby model was down to £99.50 with the likes of Rails within a few months of release. Others like Bure Valley Models still have them for £105. I paid £115 for mine when new. 

I'm not complaining at the prospect of bargains - far from it. Also, the 31xx and 81xx variants are to be welcomed, as is the Dapol take on GWR green which is infinitely superior to the Hornby sludge variant!

All I am saying is that I am astonished that the Dapol business case for these still stacks up. 

Full marks for their endeavour.

CoY

I have to say that I am astonished that Dapol are proceeding with this model. The Hornby version is still widely available and indeed was discounted fairly swiftly by many retailers. I just cannot see the market as being big enough for both versions? 

Surely bringing the Manor's development forward would be a safer bet and help to ward-off any pouncing on the prototype by other manufacturers? Clearly Dapol's business case for these is still seen as sound. 

I do think this will lead to bargain bins overflowing with prairies of both manufacturers. I hope I'm wrong but I can't see otherwise. It's happened before with LNER B1s, Adams Radial tanks, and BR 75xxx 4MTs. 

CoY

Hi there, 

You may find it useful to take a look at two pictures that I took at Didcot back in 2015 here. It's images 11 and 12 in the list of images, both show the GWS's 3822 with wartime mods; the first image shows the detail of the cabside blanking plate, and the second image is a "picture of a picture" showing the loco in running condition with the wartime cab topsheet cover in place. 

Hope this helps - but you're right, images and written text on these wartime mods is somewhat rare. 

Cheers,

CoY

On 09/01/2021 at 11:40, gwrrob said:

 

Very much so and here she is awaiting Dave Frank's buffers. A little filling to be done but overall a very clean build indeed. I've also fitted cast coupling hooks and with use the blackened hoops from Smith's on these. The Climax fire pumps are from the Oxford Diecast range and will be tied in at the end of the build.

 

Hi Rob, 

A nice build.

Are the cast coupling hooks the LMS whitemetal ones? If so, how to you fit the three links? Do you just hang them from the hook, or do you drill out the coupling eye with a .45 drill bit?

I try to do that latter but seem to end up snapping a fair few drawhooks! I'm really trying to add three links to all my kitbuilt wagon stock but it's such a faff sometimes!

CoY