Devo63

I have a copy of the drawing in my collection. I'll scan it and send it via PM sometime in the next 24 hours (it's just before midnight here). Dave R.

I have built a few Westdale kits over the years and find they require a lot more work to finish successfully than some of their contemporaries such as BSL. I have only one Westdale kit left to build in my collection for a K38 Ocean Mails van (I also have a BSL K38 which I intend to build at the same time for comparison). I have always found the ends of these kits hard to fit and the last couple that I completed I added some internal strips at the ends to provide a more secure attachment for the end pressings. As the body has the sole bars as part of the pressing it is very difficult to insert an interior if both ends are attached. I always glazed the windows and inserted the floor with any compartment/seats first before attaching the ends. I have also found it harder to scribe any door or panel lines on these models compared to the BSL kits but it can be done. The body pressings are of their time in the history of model making. One advantage of the range was the preformed sides and roof which made it easier to assemble. The downside was the lack of detail on them due to the forming process which would explain the lack of cut outs and recessed guards door. The door could be carefully cut out and replaced by a piece of plastic or brass shaped to fit.

From the window arrangement the kits appear to be either E140's or E145's bow enders. The compartments in these were 4 x 3rd, 1 x 1st, 1 x 3rd. The van end had a pair of luggage door and a guards door each side with a window between the guard comp. and the last 3rd comp on the left hand (?) side. E140 was fitted with 7' plate bogies while the E145 had 9' type. The door and grab handles on both types were recessed in small square cut outs in the bodysides. As Jason mentioned the guards door is slightly recessed in the prototypes. Dave R.

The Beyer Peacock 0-6-0 is definitely on my wanted list. Just need sufficient warning to save up for one.

This is one loco I've always wanted to model. My father took a photo of No. 784 at Barry in 1948. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/108032-rtr-0-6-0-chassis-selection/&tab=comments#comment-2194972

I found this in my old Railway Modeller collection from Volume 1, No. 3 dated Feb-Mar 1950. Dave R.

I had both of the Airfix 1/72 scale Whirlwind models in the past. The original tooling dated back to 1958 and was in production until around about the mid 1970's. A complete new tool was created in 1978 which was a great improvement on the original model. Dave R.

After six and a half years delay (mainly due to various health issues) I've finally resumed work on this model. As the interior is quite visible I'm planning to populate the coach with a number of passengers and a few catering staff. The publicity photos show a pale jacket with dark lapels and cuffs and dark trousers. I assume the jackets are cream as there is a contrast between them and the (white?) shirt colour. Does anyone happen to know what colour the trim on these were? Also what is the difference between the jacket styles. One has just the collar in a dark finish and the other has the full lapels. Is it part of a ranking system in the catering department? One final question - does anybody know the curtain colours and pattern used in the H55 when new?

PM sent with pic. Dave R.

The D98 was built in two lots in 1927/8 (Lots 1377 &1389) and were fitted with the 7' single bolster bogies typical of the time. Dave R. Edit - Ms P beat me to it!

In the Gibson chassis range there is: LM1-245 GWR Duke 4-4-0. This should be suitable for the Bulldog as well as the Dukes and later Earls. Dave R.

Just going through the boxes and found another Duke kit partially converted to model the earlier, narrow, cab. This has the later chassis and wheels and the final type of K's motor. The motor is one of the 5 pole types whereas most of the later motors I have are 3 pole. I've never used one of these and might experiment with using the kit parts to see how it runs. I think I better pull my finger out and make an effort to get most of these locos up and running again. I think having nine of these 4-4-0's on the layout would look quite good. Dave R.

I have one of these curved frame Bulldogs which I picked up at a show about twenty plus years ago. I had it running as 3317 'Somerset' but it is now awaiting new wheels, gears and motor and possible renaming to 3307 'Exmoor'. The original underpinnings were transferred to my model of 'Tre Pol and Pen' but they now also require renewal. I always thought that the model was a clever conversion combining the Duke frames and footplate with Bulldog boiler and other fittings in a reverse of the Earl conversions carried out by the real railway. It was interesting to find out that the parts could be purchased direct from K's. Closer inspection of my the bodyshell does not show any obvious signs of any previous cut and shut. I have seven small wheeled 4-4-0 models (4 Bulldogs, 2 Dukes and 3265) but only three working chassis between them. One of the Bulldogs, 3345 'Smeaton', is either a scratch or kit built model dating back to the 1960's (if not earlier) and was fitted with a Romford Terrier motor which has since been replaced. This leaves just two Keyser chassis for the six locomotives. Both of them are the earlier keyhole type fitted with the old Mark 1 motor and preassembled driving wheels. I've had them running for well over thirty years and they have never missed a beat. On the subject of the Mark 1 motors, can anyone advise of suitable replacement brushes for this type? Some of my older models must be wearing them a bit thin by now. Edit: I just found that I have five Bulldogs! 3373 'Sir William Henry" was hiding in the back of the cupboard. It is working order and has the same type of early chassis. Dave R

Hi Mike. That luggage box is looking great in model form. I've been following your BG threads with great interest and been impressed with your methods of arranging the printing as a set of parts as opposed to trying to print in one piece. I've only just started trying to learn 3D drawing techniques and your description of the thought processes involved has given me the inspiration to try a bit harder. I still have to decide what type of 3D printer to buy. I've been dabbling with BG models since I bought a couple of Mike Sharman 'Firefly' kits about 40 years ago (1 each with 4 wheel & 6 wheel tenders) and plan to try and get them up and running with proper mechanisms sometime in the next 12 months. My previous methods of running involved a couple of home made, four wheel, power bogies fitted inside a six wheel first and a iron luggage van. Both motors lost the magic smoke that makes them work around the year 2000 and my 28mm test track was scapped about the same time. Dave R.

As the model is possibly being released as both the film version "Thunderbolt" and as the L&M "Lion" perhaps they could do some tooling modifications to make a model of "Venus" as per the photo I posted a couple of years ago? It has a large dome on the front ring and possibly (very hard to tell) a round shaped top to the firebox.

That's the type used but I can't remember which of the two was in the film. I'm currently trying to make one from a shortened Mainline 'Crocodile H' body after a case of mazac rot shattered the plastic platform at one end. Dave R.

The motor appears to be an old K's Mark 1. These usually had a hole in each side plate tapped to 6BA which may line up with the middle hole in the chassis. If using a bolt to secure the motor to the chassis you must take great care to cut it to the right length so that it is firm in the motor frame but doesn't foul the armature. The worm and gear wheel do not seem to be from K's and look more like Romford offerings. Dave R.

I sent an email to the website sometime last year (maybe earlier) regarding the entry for GWR 6007 'King William III'. The entry states that this locomotive was in service from 03/1928 until 09/1962. The original 6007 (from lot 243) was written off in an accident on 15th January 1936 and condemned in early March of the same year. Lot 309 (03/36) was for a replacement, new build, engine carrying the same name and number. It may have included some parts from the original build in its construction but how much is not recorded. 6007 would have only been 26 years old at the time of scrapping. Dave R.

Very nice model. I've got a bit of a soft spot for the small wheeled, outside framed 4-4-0's and have a collection of 5 Bulldogs (one curved frame), 2 Dukes amd 1 Earl either currently running, under repair or still to be built. One of my Bulldogs (3345 Smeaton) is of a similar construction to your model. It is made from brass and nickel silver and came with a non working 7 pole motor (Romford Terrier?) which I am replacing with a modern Japanese version. When I bought it a few years ago I also thought I was getting a Keyser model but found that when I opened the box it was quite different. The outside frames are totally devoid of any rivet detail and the boiler bands are a bit heavy. The tender is similar to your model with a smooth sided finish but does appear to be slightly too wide. All the loco and tender frames were painted red but had the Garter type Great Western branding on the side. Dave R.

I've used the Roxey etches a fair bit in the past and found them very easy to use. 4A108 has 120 T handles and 4A115 has 84 grab irons. If you are going to build any brake coaches Brassmasters sell the ex Martin Finney window grills, item no. E7.

I don't have any drawings of the E121 in my collection but, as the compartment sizes were fairly standard, it should be easy to work out the spacing on the doors. How many compartments were on this particular model? I have a spare Comet etched fret of 18 droplights sitting in front of me. It could take a few weeks to get to you from here down under but they are yours if you want them. Drop me a PM if they are any use for you.

Can I borrow your eyes next time I paint some figures? The last time I tried to paint any tartan was on an Airfix 54mm scale Black Watch figure and I was proud of the fact that it vaguely resembled the correct pattern. As for the availability of tartan paint, you will find that supplies are hard to come by these days. The Australian inventor of this product (and various other useful inventions) was the famous Henry Hoke* who was proprietor of the Hoke's Tool Company. As well as the tartan paint he also made striped and polka dotted variants which could come in very handy at times. Search on youtube for the ABC documentary series "The Lost Tools Of Henry Hoke" to find out more about this incredible genius who was way ahead of his time. * Look him up on Wikipedia Dave R.

On my various builds of Westdale and BSL kits I photocopied diagram illustrations from various publications (or the drawings that came with the kits). I cut little slits along the door lines and make small pin holes at the handrail/grabrail points in the prints and align them over the model sides. You can run a permanent marker over these holes to mark out any drilling & scribing required. For scribing I just use a thin, flexible piece of scrap brass as a guide and scribe the lines with a cheap splinter remover I picked up at the chemist. One end has a fine point for the initial scribing while the other has been filed slightly to increase the definition of the lines so that they show up after painting. Before painting I usually add the door hinges made of little cuts of wire glued into place. The combination of glue and paint has (so far) never let me down with bits falling off. Dave R.

The only Westdale kit I've built finished was the K38 'Ocean Mails' van. The ends were tacked into place with super glue then Araldite was liberally spread around the inside seams. It went together quite well in the end but for some reason I painted it (very poorly) in British Railways livery. Needless to say I got rid of it in my great purge when trying (unsuccessfully) to save my house from sale. I have two other K38's to build, another Westdale and a Phoenix. I've just checked the Westdale kit contents which include the preformed roof and body sides, 2 stamped aluminium ends, stamped aluminium truss rods which are bent to shape with a partial floor and 4 stampings in the shape of the corridor connections. There are 2 thick glazing strips, a wooden floor which is longer than the body and 4 white metal oval headed buffers. This kit has just a simplified drawing of the body showing where to scribe the doors and no other instructions although I seem to remember some form of generic instructions in the previous one I built. The Phoenix kit seems to have more promise. I have built a number of the BSL/Phoenix kits quite successfully over the years with very few problems. The K38 has seperate aluminium sides, roof floor and solebar stampings, white metal ends and underfame detals, brass buffers, some plastic truss rods which may be usable and a precut sheet for the door droplights. It also has a better drawing of the van and better (once again generic) intructions. When I can summon the motivation to really get stuck into modelling again I might do a simultaneous build of the kits for comparison. Dave R.