grob1234

Its nice to see I have the support/encouragement of the forum here... I'm simply posting on here to share my progress... as it happens, I'm thick skinned enough not to worry what people think, others however maybe not so, and won't share what they build. On a separate note, I do wonder how the poster can come to such conclusions, having never spoken to me, let alone met me! Little wonder then in my opinion, that people are reluctant to get into kit building and 'have a go' when they face little in the way of support from the get go.

Tony, something completely unrelated to the current discussion, but I thought you might be interested in this: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/100704-oo-lner-coronation-brass-kit-build-sydnope-scale-models/&do=findComment&comment=1939868 It my build log of the OO Coronation kit I showed you, as I am now settled back in HK, I can crack on with building it. I thought it worth posting on here as I know a lot of the contributors to this thread are avid kit builders too. Thanks, Tom

Hello everyone, Here is my build log for my recently acquired OO Gauge Sydnope Scale Models LNER Coronation kit. The kit is mixed media, brass and white metal castings, and aluminium roof sections. It will build up into a full rake of 9 coaches, including the beavertail observation car for summer running. I believe the kit is a limited run, and looking at it, I estimate it to be 20 years + old, and I cannot find much reference to it on the net at all, therefore, I believe this is the first build log of this particular kit. I'm the first to admit that I'm not overly experienced in building coach kits, in fact, its my first go! However, I am an experienced model aircraft builder, and I intend to use some of the techniques from that part of my modelling on this kit. To whet your appetite, this is what I'm aiming for: http://lowres-picturecabinet.com.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/43/main/48/127362.jpg Now a few pictures to get started: Most of the parts laid out, except the wheel bearings and the nuts and bolts. Most of the tyres have been removed from the wheel sets for easy painting. Very nice raised etch detail. Of course, all this will need to be in nickel silver. I have a cunning plan for this... Beavertail castings. I think the coronation letting on the rear is not in nickel silver... is anyone able to shed light on this? Beavertail brass etch. Reference material plus Insiglass drawings. New bit of kit, 50 quid off ebay! Thats all for now, I hope to provide an update soon, work permitting. TTFN, Tom

Those latest photos are simply stunning. Compared to the real photos, I'm not sure you'd be able to make a more accurate representation. Great work!

Rather handy that Hornby have produced 4 of the 7 cars required for a 1930s queen of Scots. One car has the wrong name, but could be renamed (Loraine), so that takes us to 5/7, then just the addition of another 3rd brake and a 3rd kitchen both of which would need remembering, and you'd have the full set. Only downside is the £350 cost, but otherwise full marks to Hornby for a cracking looking product, ideal for LNER people like me! For reference the running order for a QoS service would be: 3rd brake, 3rd kitchen, 3rd parlour, 1st k, 1st p, 3rd k and 3rd b. According to Banks and Carter in LNER passenger trains and formations. From 1924, B3 locos were used, changing to C1s from about 1927. Pacifics were used from about 1936. Hope this helps. Reason for edits: spelling errors due I think to the iPad...

With regard to the future of modelling, perhaps things aren't as bad as they may appear. I think the Internet allows us access to information that in the past may have only been accessible by belonging to a club or society. One of my very good friends who lives opposite me in Hong Kong and is of the same age bracket as me late 20s early 30s and we are both "well into model railways", currently in N but have plans for future layouts in oo as soon as space permits. Generally, we model for our own pleasure, and use the Internet as a resource, just like a club, which effectively negates our need to become a member of a club. We can trade ideas on the Internet, and as long as you take a critical eye to any advice that's given (by keyboard warriors who have never run a model train in their life!) then the web provides most of the answers you need. That said there is sometimes no replacement for seeing something in the flesh! Maybe us boys and some girls will always be interested in trains and big stuff and therefore our hobby will continue to grow. I certainly have no intent on giving up, and cannot wait to crack on with more of my projects, including making more progress with my n gauge layout North Moreton.

Incredible, can't believe you don't get more comments! How many 4mm modellers can pull off plans like these?!

Lovely photos, brings back great memories of our family holidays to Switzerland. Keep posting the pictures please

Or, to put it another way, does anyone have dimensions of the Hornby x6644 motor, in order to find a suitable Mashima replacement? Looks like I could incorporate the flywheel on the rear of a Mashima too, to give this loco the smoothness it deserves.

Hello folks, going back to the motor replacement issue. I notice that the 5 pole motor option is one way of improving the stickiness at move off with the P2. However, I was wondering if anyone has replaced the motor with a non Hornby motor? Eg a really nice high spec smooth motor? I admit I haven't read through the whole 93 pages of the topic, so please forgive me if this has already been covered.

Hi Folks, Just one of the videos Tony and I made yesterday whilst running trains on LB. Sadly my upload speed is appalling this evening, but there are a few more to follow in the coming days. We should mention the scale speed is about 100mph, with no wheel slippage evident at all! Cheers, Tom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO0xBgv9Ack

Tony, what a great day at LB. We ran a large proportion of Tony's vast collection of stock, all of which ran without fault. We 'tested' my Hornby P2, which managed a very respectable 20 coaches, with some wheel slip, and we agreed that this was a very good load for an out of the box model. It's performance however was eclipsed by the superb kit built locomotives in the shed, which managed the 20 coaches silently and with virtually no wheel slip whatsoever! At the extreme end of the scale, the Deltic quite simply defied physics, with 30 coaches hauled effortlessly. It was able to ease away from stationary smoothly and looked as though it could have pulled another 30 coaches. I was totally inspired by seeing these kit built locos, and there is no doubt I will be trying my hand in the future, once I have built my coronation set of course! A wonderful day and I am most grateful to you Tony and to your wife for the superb hospitality, you made me feel most welcome. I shall endeavour to post the videos we made very soon, they just need a few simple bits of editing done to them to polish them off.

This just gets better and better! Also, this layout is entirely responsible for changing my mind with regards to track. Previously I was perfectly happy with peco code 75. Having seen thus I will definitely go for the finescale track work. Wonderful stuff!

That's a very good point you make about the extra roof lights and window really makes so much difference. Another thing to consider when I come to designing my layout space!

Love the speed shots especially! I have been looking through the last few pages of this thread, and I have probably missed it, but it seems like the layout is outside, such is the quality of light you achieve. I really like the golden tints of the low sun. Impressive.

The skies on these latest photos look spot on. Overcast and a typical Peterborough day!

Thank you for getting back to me. I think Roy has done a splendid job on the coronation set, considering the nature of the raw materials he started out with! Perhaps the silver jubilee set might be a better place for me to start. If you could put me in touch with Roy (as long as he doesn't mind!) that would be fantastic. Before reading this thread, I was largely resigned to having the rather nice but limited selection of the newer Hornby teak coaches for my LNER collection, which I have been avidly collecting from a well known auction web site.. Now I have seen the coronation and silver jubilee coach sets, not to mention the lovely restaurant triplet in teak, (which I have to admit I had no idea existed before I read this) I feel I simply have to have a go at building these kits! I'm fairly confident with PE, having used it in numerous model aircraft and ships that I like to build, but hey, I fancy a challenge, and I think these will provide that. At least for the moment I am time rich, before the delights of family married life get in the way of my hobby enjoyment! Thanks once again, I shall be following your progress with interest. Tom

Hello, I have been reading through this whole thread over the last few weeks, and I have to say it's very very inspirational. I love lner and living near the ECML makes it all the mor realistic and relevant to me. The track work is fantastic, and I will definitely be employing some of your techniques when I eventually come to build my own oo layout. (currently living in Hong Kong where space is very much at a premium so having to make do with an n gauge layout of approx 6 x 3 ft). I'm also very impressed by the locomotives and rolling stock many of which are weathered to a very nice standard indeed. I notice that the coronation coach set with the beaver tail observation car come from kits? Are you able to tell me which kit? I have seen the mail coach kit but it looks rather tricky to get a decent result from... A brass kit might be much more workable though.. There is a silver jubilee brass kit available, from Marc Models. Does anyone have any information on it? To prevent thread drift, I'm happy to accept PMs! Once again, great modelling and incredibly inspirational stuff, well done team!