Woodcock29

One of the occasional tasks I do for local BRMA members here in Adelaide is replace split gears on Hornby locos. To date I reckon I've done 2 Britannias (one was mine), a Duchess, Stanier 2-6-4T, and at least one West Country and Battle of Britain (original). I use what I consider to be a fairly generic Hornby pack of gears (they seem to fit most of the recent steam outline locos) which include two gears on the idler shaft and another for the driving axle. I only replace what is split and too date have found no issue in replacing the split gear, even if its on the driving axle. The axles have splines and its not difficult replacing them in the correct location on the axle. I haven't bought any packs recently but when I last bought four packs locally the only problem was waiting about 3 weeks for the model shop to get them from the wholesaler who was just around the corner and had them in stock as I had checked! I've also seen a number of locos with mazak rot in the chassis, particularly around the motor mount area which results in total failure of the chassis block. I had one of the early Class 31s with this issue and I noticed it when small cracks appeared at each corner of the loco body and upon removal both chassis ends broke off and when I tried to glue them back on more pieces simply broke away! Hornby did supply me with a replacement chassis some time ago but I've not bothered to take all the bits off the old one and fit them to the new block at this stage as I hardly ever run my BR period stock. Andrew

Jesse For one you'll be able to see a lot of 4mm scale kit built LNER stock like you see on Grantham and that you are now building, on my layout. Also you can see and have a go at operating a new LNER exhibition layout currently being built by Gavin Thrum, which will be finished in time for the convention and will be exhibited on the Friday evening and during the Saturday at the Convention. Its based on Spilsby in Lincolnshire. I'm providing the stock - I've currently been teaching myself how to line with bow pen and another lining pen. Have done a C12 and almost finished a D2. Hope you can come. Andrew

Hi Jesse Looks like you might have time to paw over some Yeadons during your recouperation. Did you manage to get some of those cheap secondhand volumes that David Lord has? By the way you might like to schedule coming to Adelaide for the 2020 BRMA convention into your plans for next year. It's during the period 8-12 October. Regards and recover quickly. Andrew E

One of the most interesting facts about the various LNER 2-8-0s (and in fact most LNER classes!) is the range of modifications and the challenge in getting the details right in our models. I've actually used several Bachmann WR RODs to make LNER O4/3s (surplus RODs bought by the LNER) as these had a different cab roof to the standard GC built O4s and also Bachmann made a better job of the footplate on this version as they got the length of the wide part over the cylinders wrong on their O4 model which they released first. Always up for a challenge! Andrew

Yes most certainly, it has a brass Crownline flowerpot chimney. I replaced all the plastic handrail knobs correcting the position of some (one side of tender and cab horizontal rail) in the process. Also fitted sprung buffers which look much nicer, mind you they don't really need to be sprung. Andrew

Here's my upgraded Heljan O2/3. This has had a significant makeover, including correcting the valve gear with a new expansion link and correct positioning of the front joint on the eccentric rod. Tony in the photos of the trial version you show of the O2/2 above it appears that Heljan have used the same footplate as for the O2/3, ie that from a loco with long travel valves. One of the key issues in my view is the highly malleable material used for the valve gear, certainly much softer and therefore more prone to bending on any mistreatment than other manufacturers valve gear. However, apart from the incorrect expansion ling/eccentric rod issue and the motion brackets that stick out too far the valve gear actually looks very realistic and the model can certainly be significantly improved - which is after all what we modellers should be doing isn't it! I must say it was handy that a lot of spare Heljan parts were available from Howes - I bought a full set of what was available including the O2/2 cab and GN tender frames, all of which are likely to be used somewhere along my railway modelling journey, including some when I eventually get around to converting a Nucast O2/3 kit into a Gresley O1. Andrew

Hi Jesse I would say that the Heljan O2/3s are very good haulage wise. However, they leave a lot to be desired detail wise. I'll send you a copy of my review for TCH by email as I can't remember off hand when you joined the British Railway Modellers of Australia. Andrew

Thanks Doug Andrew

Tony I bought a part built D&S NE Newspaper van a couple of weeks back whilst in Canberra for the BRMA Convention - an interesting vehicle - seems like there was only one built, it was a test case but the NE only built 6 wheel vans for this traffic thereafter. Hope I can build it as well as the one above? I also have one of the 3rds illustrated above which I bought many years ago - its in the roundtuit drawer! During the convention weekend I also bought an unbuilt D&S non-gangwayed elliptical roof composite. as well a a range of other NE stock, including a part built a D&S NE horsebox and a part built Chivers 4 wheel NE CCT - something I've been looking for for a while. Regards Andrew

Hello Tony I used the wrong word in my earlier post. I should have said 'timely' rather than 'interesting' as I had no intention to imply it was being repeated. I actually like the repetition as it reminds me of some of the great models shown previously on this thread. I also have two of the Bachmann D11/1s. The first of these I bought when 'Prince Albert' was a new model. I immediately stripped it down and provided a new tender - in that it was a modified Bachmann O4 tender with water pickup. The self trimming tender provided with 'Prince Albert' has been set aside to pair with a B7 in due course (initially the thoughts were this would be a modification of a spare unbuilt Ks B2 that I have, similar to my creation of 'Valour' but now it awaits Graham Nicholas'/Graeme King's etched/resin B7). However, that D11/1 has not gone much further as its still in bits while I decide whether to make it a BR liveried 'Marne' or an LNER 'Marne'. I did get as far as adding real brass beading to the splashers. I've been waiting to see if Bachmann would bring out an LNER black, fully lined D11/1 but alas to date they've produced about every other variant of a D11/1 and then even a a lined black LNER D11/2! In the meantime I've bought a good secondhand renamed Bachmann LNER black 'Mons' from a mate but its not lined so will have to be lined by me when I become more competent. 'Marne' may well still appear in LNER black lined by me in due course as a BR version would hardly ever get run! Andrew

Hello Tony Its interesting that you should show this BEC D11 again. In the process of learning how to line with bow pens and Bob More pen I have resurrected my old BEC D11, built originally about 1975, partially rebuilt in mid-80s and now its being partially rebuilt again purely to be a test bed! Actually I had already lined the tender before I decided to knock out the coal and rear deck with water filler so I could insert a new deck with the correct shaped water pickup/filler box arrangement! It all came out easily with only one knock as it was a glued model - a sign of the times for me at that stage. The incorrect oval tender buffers have gone and I have also rubbed down the smokebox to remove the rivets to suit my mid 1930s period. It will never be anywhere near as good a the Bachmann model in accuracy - for a start the tender is too wide and of course the detail is heavy in most places but it will serve its purpose well and hopefully look okay when finished. I'll post a photo or two once its completed. Regards Andrew

I think the sun is shining through a gap in the clouds creating shadows and bright parts of the superstructure on that second tower, also the edge of the deck towards the stern. Other photos off the web show one overall grey colour. So as you imply variations in lighting give quite contrasting colours. Andrew

Baz Please let me know if you are coming to South Australia again as I would like to meet you. Andrew

My mistake - its actually 4BBB - wasn't thinking clearly early this am, been operating at an exhibition in the Mid North of South Australia for the last two days - only 4 layouts, 3 of which were quality South Australian outline layouts and the other a quality small LMS layout - all built by one person, or in the case of the one large layout by the group he's involved with. We were rostered to operate all 4 so quite a bit of learning to do as I didn't know the large layout as an operator, despite having seen it many times! Andrew

Gilbert I think that shot with the B17 and Deltic is superb. Social foursomes with my wife at our club today, as its a public holiday here (bank holiday to you). Regards Andrew South Australia

Hello Tony My understanding is that it was only black ex NE locos that had their buffer stocks painted red by Darlington in LNER Days. This has only been deduced from study of colour photos taken in LNER days not anything I've seen written down. Incidentally this weekend we're at the annual BRMA Convention which is in Canberra this year. Regards Andrew

Hi Jesse Are you coming down to Canberra tomorrow for the BRMA Convention? Andrew Emmett

Talking of Claughtons, here's a DJH kit I built for a friend about 20 years ago, which I have subsequently acquired. The photo is on his layout. I might have posted photos of this before? Andrew

Good morning Tony Mention of Bec is interesting. I recall you built a Bec D11 last year, I think it was, or at least fixed one up. I have recently been resurrecting one I originally built about 1973 and rebuilt in the mid 80s, as a test piece to practice lining with a bow pen and a Bob Moore lining pen. I think I'm getting there slowly? I need to line two C12s, a D2 and D3 for the layout that Gavin is building for which I'm providing the stock (and eventually more of my black LNER locos that should be lined!). Of course in commencing work on the D11 I decided to upgrade it a bit further so I haven't finished lining it yet. It runs ok and has a Buhler motor with Ultrascale gearbox. I'll post a photo when its finished - you will probably like it with its naval connection - Jutland! In the process I have actually lined the C12 I built late last year but its not quite finished yet and is definitely only a step in my learning on the techniques for lining with pens. I'll need to weather it a bit to mask a few areas that are a bit rough, I'll post a photo of that also when its finished. Regards Andrew

Jidenco/Falcon Brass- urrrrrrr..... I'm sure I have posted the photo of this Falcon Brass L&Y steam railmotor before. I started it about 9-10 years ago for a friend and as I was still working at the time I ended up shelving it for 18 months or so but once I retired I got it out again to finish it. Its probably about 30% scratchbuilt - most of the underframe and coach steps, roof detail, interior of cab and coach, back of cab, coach bogie outer frame (to represent later mods), half the valve gear and other loco detailing. When the friend decided to sell some of his kit built locos I bought it even though it has no place on my layout. I do run it though on another friend's exhibition layouts. The biggest error by the kit designer was incorporating the rear cab sides sheets as part of the coach side etches - they should actually be flat whereas the body has tumblehome! Initially I just cut them off but in the end made new ones as the cut out wasn't the right shape. The valve gear was actually too small and some of the holes had broken out! So I made new parts from etched nickel silver brake rigging from the late Dave Cleal's range. There is an error in the beading/mouldings on the coach side but Jidenco's designer must have simply followed the Horwich drawings as the same error is evident in the blueprint I got from the L&YR Soc compared to the photos of the coaches as built - and I must say the L&YR Soc were extremely helpful in providing the coach drawing and a heap of photos of the locos, including a rear view not attached to a coach. Its powered by a Black Beetle motor bogie in the coach which I fitted by raising the level of the floor in the rear of the coach. Back in the 80s I built two Jidenco GN fish vans - the 6T and 5T (with clerestory roof) versions. The underframes were absolutely awful and if I was building them now they would be mostly replaced. I later discovered that the arrangement of the doors on the 5T version is completely wrong! I have also got two of the GC 6 wheel brake vans to build, as shown by Jonathan above. One of these is new and the other I acquired in a job lot and is part built but not square- urrrr! Andrew

Try PDK as I got replacement chimneys and domes from them sometime ago. Actually I need to get more GC stuff from them soon. Andrew

Hello Tony I built this Bristol Models V2 in 1978. It was my first kit with outside Walschaerts valve gear. Bristol Models didn't supply cylinders or valve gear so I used old Triang Britannia cylinders originally and Ks P2 valve gear which was available separately. Later on I replaced the cylinders with NuCast cylinders and also fitted a NuCast chimney. I think the boiler is a bit too narrow at the front end - the opposite to the Bachmann body! Also the boiler handrails and vacuum ejector pipe are a bit too low- this was dictated by the position of the superheater header covers. The lettering and lining is mostly the old Kingsprint with some hand lining. I don’t run it very often. At one stage I planned to rebuild it with a NuCast boiler that I got as a spare but other priorities prevented this - particularly my growing interest in pre-grouping locos and coaching stock. Regards Andrew

Hi Jesse Congratulations on getting this far. The fact you are very happy with how it runs is terrific news. I would definitely be filling in the gaps. Here in Oz I tend to use Plastibond which is available from hardware shops. I'm wondering how straight the chimney is ? If its not straight its worth the effort to remove it and refit it as I see the chimney, dome and smokebox door as the face of the loco and well worth extra attention. It appears to me that you have soldered it on. I would tend to fit chimneys and domes with 5 min araldite as this allows a short time for adjustment. Although I haved soldered where you can get to a spigot from below. It may not be possible to easily remove it. If its not straight and you damage it I should be able to supply you with a replacement. Regards Andrew

Also Jesse, as David Lord is the Archive Officer for BRMA, his contact details are at the top of page 2 in The Clearing House. And also further down page 2 as Central Coast Area Rep. Andrew

Hello Jesse I called on BRMA Member David Lord up at Ourimbah on the Central Coast on my way back to Adelaide from the Gold Coast yesterday. He still has quite a number of Yeadons that you might be interested in as well as an almost full set of RCTS LNER Greenies in case you haven't got those. You can more or less name your own price. Regards Andrew Emmett