37501

Thank you for your kind words. The Class 37 engine and generator was bought on eBay and listed as a Scalecast English Electric 12 CSVT in 4mm scale. It came complete, 3D printed and just needed painting. I am very pleased with it. The 37 needed quite a lot of surgery to remove the correct part of the roof and to add partial bulkheads at either end. I left the motor bogie mostly intact so had to box it in to hide that and the big gap in the floor. The turbocharger exhaust outlets need to line up below where the exhaust ports are in the missing roof. Best wishes with your future projects. John

Another one for the MoD train. I saw a photo online of a large wooden crate in an OCA wagon, looked like the kind of box we received Diesel engines in (16 Cylinder Paxman Valenta) when I was in the RN. Had to have a go at making one. All wood, mainly coffee stirrers over a wooden core. The other end of the wagon now has a tarpaulin covered load in. John

Scratch built these two mobile generators for my MoD train. Made to a totally fictitious design... Built another one for the BR Civil Engineer. Made from plastic card and various detail parts from my scrap box. John

Some photos of the crane during construction and early painting. Metal coach wheels have been fitted and a lot of weight. The jib has been lengthened and is forked at its pivot point which allows it to negotiate large radius curves with the crane body locked parallel to the underframe. John

Pictures of the Class 37... 37209 was the first Class 37 that I saw, passing south through Dumfries in July 1985 on a Speedlink service. It was in BR blue at that time. John

Here are two projects that I have enjoyed working on over the last few months. The Hornby crane has been extensively modified to be a rough representation of a diesel breakdown crane. The old Lima Class 37 is ready for a power unit lift. The engine and generator were found on a well known auction site and the 37 gutted out to make the engine room. Both of these are to feature on a 1980s era layout that I intend to build this year... John

Can’t fault Hatton’s service department. 3 replacement axle boxes were posted to me free of charge after I sent them an email. Excellent service. John

I have just fitted sound to an older blue and grey Class 108. It has two sugar cube speakers in parallel located in the passenger doorway. Sounds loud and clear. Also achieved close coupling by shortening a pair of Kadee couplings and gluing a piece of black felt in the gap between the gangways. Completed with a light weathering and passenger figures... I hope your sound installation goes well. Best wishes John

Yes please.... Although the thought of replacing my Bachmann TE 37/5 fleet is threatening to give my bank account a heart attack...!

It is possible to fit the two outer snowplough blades around the working coupling, either tension lock or Kadee. Requires gluing on small brackets made of plastic card, I did this on a Bachmann 37401. The other end has the buffer beam pipe work and dummy screw coupling. Here, I have fitted the three part snowplough onto the underside of the buffer beam rather than on the bogie. Looks a lot better in my opinion. Requires a bit of surgery but worth the effort. John

Have you checked that the drive shaft is securely in place or that the worm gear is secured to the top of the bogie tower? I have had a loose one on a Class 37. John

Concerning indeed! Does anyone know if there were any other Class 37s produced in 2015 please? John

Agree with you about the need for Eastfield and Inverness 47/4s in LL. travelling by train in the mid 1980s they always looked great with West Highland White Terriers or Highland Stags, nameplates and snowploughs. The Stratford batch, 47580 to 585 were elusive for me but I did see 47580 at Stirling and 47583 (in NSE) at Carlisle. I bought a very nice Bachmann 47593 reworked by ABC Workshops, lightly weathered. I just had to move the snowploughs from the bogie to beneath the buffer beam and fit sound. Very keen to see the forthcoming Heljan 47 but I will be keeping my Bachmann ones. John

Brilliant news. A blue three car for me.

I would welcome a bog standard EWS one with the correct font for the EWS on the body side, if a second production run happens.

I agree with James, the Railmatch aerosol varnish is a great time saver as I have found that any type of varnish clogs up the airbrush. i have just finished rebuilding a Hornby yellow breakdown crane and applied Railtec decals to the jib. An all over coat of gloss varnish was sprayed on prior to applying the decals. These were given a few days to dry before spraying on satin varnish. No visible backing film. Further toning down was achieved using an airbrushed waft of Railmatch frame dirt. John

My solution was to fit a Kadee coupling to one end of the loco. This required some surgery but it works and allows the full snow plough to be used. I found the Hornby self centring coupling to be nothing but trouble. John

My full rake of BBAs received now. Loving them. Now looking to making up suitable loads. I have Cambrian BBAs with steel blooms made of plastic and painted / weathered so might do the same with these, or possibly steel coils laid eye to sky... I always knew that if I built enough Cambrian BBAs, a RTR one would appear. John

Received my 4 BBAs today. Many thanks. Delighted with them. Above and beyond any of my other wagons in level of detail and weight. The bogies and the mesh deck are stunning. Looking forward to another 2 batches from retailers including 6 Railfreight black and red ones. John

It was the period 1985 to 91 that I spent photographing trains, travelling on trains and trying to get round depots. Every weekend and on as many weekdays as my apprenticeship would allow. Iconic locations like Eastfield, Thornaby and Cardiff Canton were packed with Class 37s. My favourites are from BR blue, Large Logo with Westie, Railfreight Grey and the Railfreight Sector liveries. John

58050 had Separately Excited Traction Motors. (SEPEX) I believe this was initially trialed on 56042 which had Class 58 bogies in the mid to late 1980s. The 59s have the EMD Creep Control system which gives haulage capacity much superior to the 58s. John

Delighted to see the PBA Tiger wagons. I missed out on the pristine ones when Kernow did them and wasn’t happy with the weathered ones as I do my own weathering. Even better is the news that they should be available this year. John

I can’t disagree with that. Loving my 66756. I was very keen on buying a standard EWS liveried one, 66005 but was put off by the font of the lettering. John

The air dam at the coupling end of a Bachmann 66 can be fitted around a Kadee coupling. It requires a bit of surgery but gives a good result. John

I must have got a good one, 66756 from the first batch. No issues other than an axle box which fell off. I have not yet attempted to re- attach this as I have other projects on the go. My big worry is that I will have to remove the body at some stage to fit a driver... John