Mr Grumpy

Many thanks! perhaps the neighbours will stop complaining now :-)

Hi Cav Alex and all other delighted 56ers :-) I have been playing with my gorgeous 56019 resplendent with red buffers. Like most new owners I am more than over the moon with my loco, BUT believe it or not for my measly sized railway room, as fabulous as the sound is, it’s a tad loud for me. I would like to turn the sound down a little. I use a 20yr old Lenz 100 and wondered if anyone could be kind enough to let me know which CV(s) to tweak to adjust it? Many thanks in advance:-) Richard

Hi adb968008 Thanks for taking the time to provide a nicely balanced comparison between, on the surface, two very similar locomotives. It refreshing to read a decent overview without trashing one against the other :-) Richard

Thanks… I now have a further batch with etched walkways and end ladders to complete once the warmer weather returns :-)

Hi LaGrange, I didn’t open the bag, but I had a good look and couldn’t see any. Dapol are exchanging the bags and also offered me a replacement body shell, which I declined as everything else looks ok including doors, grille etc :-)

My sound equipped 59005 arrived with a few minor (but irritating) chips to the roof paintwork above each cab. Also with a bag containing incorrect nameplates and buffer beam skirts. I believe the decoder is a Zimo, which I have tended to use in my large scale locos, with great results. My DCC equipment is away being repaired but on analogue control the front and rear lights work correctly. I’ll let you know if they are working correctly on DCC once I get my gear back.

Hope these photos taken near Reading in 1987 may be of use regarding exhaust and bogie dampers originally fitted to the locos. The loco(s) don’t appear to have been named and the number plates didn’t have blue backgrounds. Unfortunately I didn’t nab the numbers. Yeoman Endeavour was at Didcot Railway Centre also 1987. Yeoman Highlander, modified bogie dampers, original exhaust, Westbury 1991.

I got round to weathering all 10 PCAs to varying degrees of filthiness :-) Here’s a selection, still have the couplings to change though. Transfers are Railtec except bottom left which were specially commissioned from Fox Transfers. Richard

Hi I purchased a new class 50 in Feb 21 and was disappointed to find the cab doors were not fitted flush. Hornby’s answer was to return the loco to the store for a refund. As I had taken a very long time to find this particular loco, I decided to keep it and repair the door issue myself. Fast forward to yesterday when I took delivery of a rolling road to run in my locos as I don’t have a layout yet. It immediately became apparent that the rear wheel set on one bogie was not moving. It turns very freely by hand and there is absolutely no feeling of partial meshing with the gear train. The other two wheel sets are meshing perfectly. I’m willing to have a look inside the motor unit but before I do I would appreciate advice on how to remove the bogie (non fan end)from the loco. I have watched a couple of videos on YouTube but they didn’t really go in to great depth on the removal. Also, is this a common problem with a simple solution ? And lastly, I wonder if I could run the loco as it is and not cause further damage or loss of hauling power ? Any advice greatly appreciated ! Thanks , Richard

Hi Chris It went very well, thanks! I can’t access the wagons just yet due to storage issues but will post some pics as soon as I can. It really is difficult to achieve the look of the real thing as there doesn’t appear to be a great deal of cement powder on the wagons due to newer loading techniques. Hope to have a few pics soon! Richard.

Thanks for your response guys. I’m using enamels on top of Halfords mat lacquer which was applied several weeks ago to protect the transfers. I’ll post a couple of photos with the results :-) In the mean time here’s how a couple of them are at present….

My ‘spray booth’ is basically the garden table. I’m wanting to crack on and weather my rake of PCA’s and wondered if +25 degrees may be too warm? I wonder if the paint may dry too soon or even before it hits the wagon and cause a powdery finish? Any one have any experience with this as the weather looks hot for some time! Thanks, Richard

I tried a different technique…lots of layers in differing colours and keeping part of the ‘Esso’ signage on one side of the wagon.

I have now all but completed my TTAs, just a little cleaning of some overspray to deal with. All in all a very enjoyable project :-)

Here’s a photo of one of my re-sprayed Bachmann TTAs. I removed the original branding using automotive rubbing compound. After a bit of experimentation and faffing, the tanks were then primed with Halfords grey primer then followed by a coat of Ford Dove Grey. The decals are from Railtec and are excellent as usual. The top coat is Halfords matt laquer. I now have 10 PCA’s to paint and re-brand. Richard

Thanks guys your wagons look very nice Geoff. I’m guessing you used the Railtec transfers? Mark, is that paint a Halfords brand? Thanks for you help, Richard

Could anyone who has painted a post early ‘80s TTA please help me out with the colour they have used? I have tried Phoenix late BR freight grey but it seems too light. Several years ago I used Halfords grey primer but what is available now is far too dark. A friend suggested Ford dove grey but again it wasn’t right. Any help appreciated. Thanks, Richard

I’m about to start a nice little project re-spraying and lettering 10 Hornby Tiger PCA’s to Blue Circle grey. I was hoping to spray in gloss to assist the seating of the transfers. I would be grateful if some one could please advise on the correct grey to use. I’m happy to use Halfords or any proprietary rail based modelling variety, but preferably gloss to save overspraying with a gloss varnish. Thanks, Richard

Just got the 33/1 and 47 back today The photos really don’t do them justice. It takes a while to take in all the subtleties Jerry incorporates that make these models to be proud of. Thanks for a cracking job Jerry, next loco landing with you soon Richard

Thanks for the further photo Steven :-) I have tracked down a Bachmann blue BG with ‘Newspapers’ insignia and I’ll be buying that and keeping the NSE BG too. Just for interest, here’s a photo I took in May 1986… 47567 ‘Red Star’ on the Bristol Temple Meads-Paddington vans which really got me interested in parcel trains. The long gone Western Tower land mark is in the distance.

Many thanks for the photo Steven. It’s tempting to leave the coach as it is, but I do like the rail blue BGs too :-) Richard

Hi I’m building up some 1980’s parcel stock and got a bit carried away and bought a MK1 NSE liveried BG at a good price. However, I can’t find any evidence of one on a parcel train. (I think they were possibly as rare as hens teeth). I have decided to re-paint it in to a blue NVC BG with ‘Newspaper’ branding. I don’t wish to model a full newspaper train, but wondered if one may have been attached to a parcel working? Any photos of such a working would be a great help ! Thanks, Richard

Hi guys, I used Railtec's 7mm yellow fruit D sheet back a couple of years or so and it was excellent. Also had a couple of commissions carried out to a very high standard, again in 7mm. Just started to dabble in 4mm scale and would like to add my name to the list for white fruit D markings please. Just checked the Railtec site and none shown as yet. Thanks Richard

Hi John, problem solved...I just found and bought an ‘unused’ one in the correct colour on eBay

Thanks Steve, But the handrails I would need to remove are separately fitted to the body rather than moulded rails. Richard