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I have played around with the pickups on my Hornby 08 for ages, but I think there’s a more fundamental problem causing the coupling rods to bind and add resistance that the motor can’t overcome. It’s possible that a wheel or axle is out of alignment. Stripping the 08 down is about my least favourite job, but there’s little alternative really.

Seeing your 08 running so smoothly makes me realise just how poor mine is. Is yours Bachmann or Hornby?

1. That ‘North Wales’ layout is the reason for my layout, my presence on RMWeb and my persistence in continuing in the face of all evidence that my modelling skills are a poor match for my ambition! There is something so encouraging and honest about the layout, with no hint of ‘of course you mere mortals can’t begin to imagine...’. I love it. 2. Having seen you efforts so far, sound fitting a Heljan class 33 is well within your ability. After that, the others will be like shelling peas. 3. Final loco? I think we need to nail this concept before it turns into something serious! On your 24th deltic or 600th 47 we can re-assess. PS Great videos!

Were they in multi (both blue star?), both working separately, or was the 33 just ticking over?

A good day of mixed running and working on the ballast. I’m slowly chipping away at the excess (note to future self, less is more when ballasting), and my patent pending 16mm wide wooden stick is making light work of it. I’m then topping up the thin areas - the photos really highlight where it’s needed. I’ve also started a light bit of weathering at the South end and I’ll slowly work round as the ballast progresses. First we see an 87, just detached from a Euston - Holyhead, on the stabling point. Next, resident 03, and potential next loco to the works for numbering and match truck painting, pulls a set of parcels vans out from White Lane sidings. It’s awaiting the signal to come off the loco holding road and into platform 4. Quite a handy place to keep my track rubber!

Quite a few 37s ran paired with 33s on the Holyhead service, it’s certainly an option.

That’s because of how the TOPS code is made up. The first 2 letters denote vehicle layout, in this case AB, for Gangwayed Corridor Brake. The third digit for the class, in this case 1 for First. Finally a suffix for relating to the mark. 1 is Mark 1, but since 2 would be ambiguous Z is Mk2, A is Mk2a, B is Mk2b etc. A Mk3a is G. This coach is AB1Z, of which 17037 and 17042 made Intercity Mainline livery in 86. Both were based at Carlisle and ran mainly in the motor-rail sets. 1 Mk2a, 17093 at Bounds Green was part of the charter set. 3 Mk2c’s, 17128, 17130 and 17134 were Oxley based and ran predominantly on WCML services, but also made regular runs on cross country services. This is mainly information from my Platform 5’s from 86 and 87, Flickr and Longworth.

I have been contemplating this for a while, and decided to compare to the elegant wiring found begind a proper panel. I’ve come to the conclusion that the real ones benefit from being significantly larger whilst not having to include functions like track feeds and frog polarity. It also takes several people months to build a real panel, so practically I think settling for it working and looking good on the outside, is an agreeable compromise.

That’s a good question now you ask. I assumed it was just a stock balancing move, but why bother to marshall it next to the other buffet if not in use? Potentially it’s an inter regional service, or even just a charter.

An RU to RBR conversion is now a project I’m looking forward to. The problem with any blue grey alteration is the pesky white line and its cuvre at the corners. Potentially this conversion will only require some colour matching mid coach and avoid a full repaint. My other option, not open to you 3-4 years earlier, is to do it in IC mainline, which isn’t as hard as I first thought due to the availability of transfers for the red and white stripes. I think your actual biggest problem at the moment is that no-one has any Mk2fs in blue grey in stock.

Isn’t RMweb just great? Thanks very much. Updates to follow..

Brilliant. Very much appreciated. Will microsol rescue the current lining or should I restart?

I popped out over lunch and stumbled into 1986, managing to grab a couple of photos of some of the models in question. In the first shot we see Airfix mk2d FO, Mainline mk1 RBR, Bachmann mk1 RU and Bachmann mk2f SO. Both catering vehicles are corridor side. Next up, by amazing good fortune, we see almost same formation but with the RBR and RU in the other order and showing their kitchen sides. For me, I think not many people would be able to spot the difference, let alone know that the RU is incorrect for the period. But I know, which means I need to address it. Only close up can you see the improvements that both Bachmann coaches offer over their earlier counterparts. As a rake, the difference in heights are negligible and the difference in colour about true to life. The biggest difference for me is the close coupling. I have a PV rake which is close coupled and the difference is enough to make me want that look as standard. Ultimately we all choose our own standards, for me I’ll have to address the RU and change the RBR (or investigate Keen). But I won’t lose any sleep whilst the first half of 1986 takes me 20 years to sort them out! I think if I was buying long rakes to appreciate from a distance, the Airfix would beat the Bachmann on economy (~ a 5x price difference), so long as I could sort the couplings.

Does the Hornby RB have a close coupling system compatible with the Bachmann 2fs? The Mainline model looks a little dated next to the Bachmann now, but still stands up remarkably well for the age. Its lack of close coupling will ultimately see its demise on my layout.

I’ve been looking at the RBR from RU conversion too, as until yesterday I thought they were externally the same. I think you’re correct in your assessment that two windows and a door need plating over on the kitchen side. I don’t think any alterations are necessary on the corridor side (you can only see my layout from one side so there’s a cheap solution possible). I’ve found a couple of pictures of 19xx in the mid eighties on Flickr. The top one is the best I can do on the corridor side. The bottom one seems to match your mock up. I also never realised that there was inconsistencies in which came first, buffet or restaurant.

I have recently taken the plunge and attempted my first relivery project. Converting a Bachmann Mk2z BSO from Highland green and cream to BFK in Intercity mainline livery. I’ve made a reasonable start with painting the two greys and first class yellow. The white and red transfer (Fox) for the lining is giving me a slight headache. The transfers themselves are brilliant and I can get them straight (enough). I am struggling with the raised detail on the coach though. I hoped that I could let the transfer dry and then simply force the transfer down over the detail, possibly even cutting slightly with a sharp knife, but I’m having limited success. The photo shows the lining taught across the door handle, handrail and doorstop. Does anyone have a tip or trick to share for this? Or am I best to remove the lining, sand or trim the raised detail flush and then reapply the lining? All help gratefully received!

Portsmouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Crewe, Bangor and back would have been quite a long day in a mk1! Now I write it down I wonder if you could actually do a return in a day? Certainly wouldn’t be a short day out.

Fascinating thread this. I’m going to spend some time later checking the differences on my mk1 catering vehicles later tonight. Visually the Mainline RBR and Bachmann RU seem to be minimal, but I haven’t been inside for a beer on either of them! I’m also intrigued to know if you can actually buy any Bachmann mk2f TSOs at the moment, certainly in blue grey. Very happy to be pointed in the direction of a supplier with stock!

Great looking layout! Just a few miles further south 37/4s were in abundance, just not very common in my area in 86. Although a few made it through on the Crewe test trains. Now I’ve done a bit of transfer work, I’m much more confident about renumbering locos. Even large logo ones!

Great pictures and lots to learn from them. It’s about 7 years later than my period, but really interesting nonetheless. I think the roof vents are of the Mk2A/Z variety and suggest a BSO, although I can’t recall seeing a BSO in I/C before. It looks like it’s lost it’s I/C lettering. There were definitely a couple of Mk2C BFKs in general use on the West Coast, I’ve found a handful of pictures of those. The ballast is fantastic and shows exactly how my nice shiny white ballast needs to be weathered.

To be completely honest I’m as surprised as anyone that my little BFK project hasn’t been quietly shuffled off to one side yet, but here we are daring to look a little bit promising. There are still many opportunities for this to end up in the expected spares basket, but right now I’m more than a little happy with it. Of course, since I started it I’ve discovered that the two Mk2z’s so treated were used almost exclusively in the motorail rakes. 4 coaches and 2 car flats would look even more ridiculous than the usual shortened model railway rake, so it will be staying in my inter-regional set (if it actually makes the layout).

Here’s another view to get some thoughts on. This is the Crewe lines to the right and electric loco stabling on the left. Originally I intended a tunnel or bridge portal (think Huddersfield). The stabling may either be fully walled or disappear into tunnel too. Further back someone suggested having the station the full height to the fireplace top, which I dismissed initially but keeps coming back as a better and better idea. Potentially a road could run over the end of the layout some 250mm above track height, possibly a bit like Lime Street. Has anyone got any thoughts on real locations to take inspiration from? PS the glue’s still wet in the picture, so be careful touching it.

Here we see Scottish region 37/4 crossing over from the middle road to the Down Crewe. It will run down platform 2 to get to the loco yard. I’m still not sure what to do with this loco, it’s a long way off home soil! I may renumber it as Canton based 37428 to pull the electrically heated Christleton to Holyhead service, repaint it all blue to fill in occasional freight duties or sell it on to pay for a more appropriate type 2. Meanwhile it is being used in the speedlink fleet... At the other end of the station, the Jocko has been fired up and run into the platform stub, to do two jobs. Firstly to shunt the trip freight the 37 brought in and secondly to demonstrate that I didn’t gauge the platform ramp as well as I thought! This bit of platform needs some thought as it’s not a passenger road, but for access to the main shed. Initially I was going to have a wall along the back of the platform, but thought a small bit of platform facing would be useful for staff pick ups etc. I’m not sure it looks right though. There is at least one prototype at Worcester Shrub Hill, which gave me the idea. The trouble is that doesn’t look right either!

Excellent. Other than time, materials and ability I can crack on!

That is one of my options (if you see my layout thread you’ll be able to work out how soon such a conversion might happen!). Not many skinheads made it to /4 status - maybe just 3? I always like to model the everyday (like D200 and 97406...). Other than numbers and ETH jumpers what else needs doing? PS 9C85 please excuse the blatant hi-jack of your thread!