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. 

On 10/11/2021 at 23:19, Kitman said:

I don't think it was 2000gal but 2500gal.   The moulds exist and are fairly modern (probably from Autocom days), The loco body moulds are probably the K's originals and are worn out.  The tender is much more detailed than the original K's one would have been, probably for a new redesigned tender it has an etched chassis or though at the moment we can not find the etch tool ref to be able to order them.

 

Who would be intrested in the Beyer Peacock kit being reintroduced? If we can, we would try to add some extra parts especially some suitable cab detail if we can.

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

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

Dave R.

On 31/05/2021 at 06:47, CinderMonkey said:

Is this in running order in the photo? It certainly appears to be in steam but there is no rod between the drivers so must be running as a 2-2-2.

 

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.

On 30/03/2021 at 00:52, Coach bogie said:

They would make you up a curved frame Bulldog if you asked. 

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  

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. 

On 18/03/2021 at 18:20, Miss Prism said:

Is the Loriot Y the Titfield one?

 

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'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.  

On 09/12/2020 at 12:35, The Johnster said:

Any advice about scribing the doors will be appreciated!

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.

Hi Knuckles,

Your posting above has answered one of the questions in the PM that I sent to you. Now I have another one to add - do either of the tenders have the guards 'coffin seat' for earlier periods?

Dave R. 

I've just been looking at your broad gauge range and I'm sorely tempted to grab one or two when funds are next available. Have you any plans to release suitable tender prints for these kits? The only BG tenders that I have are the old Mike's Models 4 & 6 wheel white metal versions that came with my Fire Fly kits many years ago. Both are currently dismantled as I want to try and make some resin copies for future projects.

Do you have an estimate on the costs for say the Dido and Victoria types, with chassis, if bought direct from you? I'm hoping postage to Oz would be around the £15 - £20 mark but the way things are going lately it may be higher.

Dave R. 

On 03/10/2020 at 08:06, Steamport Southport said:

 

BR blue between 1969 and 1971. Then only available in green until withdrawn in 1976 and replaced by the Class 25.

 

 

That would fit in with when my GGF bought the one for me as he died mid 1970.

Dave R.

On 29/09/2020 at 21:05, cypherman said:

This looks like an updated version of the original Frieghtmaster train set that I longed for as a 10 year old child.

That was the only actual train set that I owned. It was bought for me as a Christmas present by my Great Grandfather shortly before he passed away. I had it for many years but hardly ever used it as I was mainly interested in running steam outline (especially GWR & WR) and could never often bring myself to run a "modern" blue diesel on my various layouts. I eventually sold it in the late 80's to raise funds for more up to date models.

Through the late 60's and early 70's I was given various locos and rolling stock at the appropriate birthdays and holidays. The first locomotive I actually bought with my own money was a K's 14xx kit and the matching autocoach. I had an after school / Saturday morning job at the local Woolworths store which provided the nessessary funds to go and order the kits from a model shop in Adelaide and then had to wait for about three months (or more) for them to arrive from the UK. 

Dave R.

My (stalled) 'Glamorgan Railway' project was planned to use various modified RTR models and kits for locomotives and rolling stock. The most ambitious class (for South Wales at least) was the express passenger 'Castell' class 2-2-2 locomotive No.3 'Castell Coch'. This partly completed conversion is based on the Bachmann TTTE 'Emily' suitably shortened at the front end with a modified cab profile and various spares box boiler fittings such as a Dean chimney, misc. dome and safety valve. The GR passenger loco scheme is very similar to the LNER garter blue A4's including the red wheels and black & white lining. Passenger rolling stock is based on the old Furness Railway blue and white.  GR freight and mixed traffic locos (2-4-0T, 0-6-0 tender, 0-6-0T & 0-6-2T types) are an unlined, slightly darker. blue finish with rolling stock a mid grey with black ironwork and large GR initials. The paint schemes were developed by experimentation on various scrap loco bodies and old Triang goods wagons until I found something I liked that was different from the other Welsh railways variations of red, green and black. One of the first things I did was to work out a back story for the line from its foundation until eventual closure. This gave me the basic details I needed to plan the various acquisitions of equipment and rebuildings by the company throughout the history of the line.

Dave R.

PS - After typing all this I might dig all the bits and pieces out and make an attempt at getting some of it up and running. 

On 28/09/2020 at 20:33, Paul H Vigor said:

Hi John,

Can this process be dated? When did modellers start to use etch-resist?

Paul.

The process has been around for quite a while. I was just reading an article in Railway Modeller Vol. 1 No. 3 from Feb/Mar 1950 on the construction of an O-gauge LNWR 'Bloomer' where the author states "Photo-etched name and number plates are of course included. These were made, to my own drawings, by students at a local Technical College as a laboratory execise."