Devo63

Seriously , how many Siphon F 's is too many ?

 

 

I think the most obvious answer would be if you had seven or more. That hasn't stopped me in the past running eight of them in one train just before I culled my collection!

Dave R. 

I have a couple of the Mainline Crocodiles stashed away someplace and agree that they are quite good models for their age. I was wondering if it was possible to cut these down to convert them to a 4 wheel Loriot Y? Has anyone attempted this conversion or have any suggestions in what may work? 

Dave R.

The Trix shunter may have been for export but it was actually advertised for sale in the United Kingdom. Railway Modeller Vol.1 No.3 from Feb/Mar 1950 has a full page advertisement on the back cover from ABC listing them for sale. How many would have been available is another matter entirely. RM Vol.1 No.1 Oct/Nov 1949 has a 3 page trade review for the Trix Twin system and includes a photo of the shunter incorrectly labled as an 0-6-0. 

ps. Vol 1 No 3 was also the first issue with a full page advertisment from Graham Farish on page iv.

Dave R

I thought that I would resurrect this thread instead of starting a new one.

I'm planning on making a model of the train as it appears at the end of the film and wondered if anybody knows of an OO scale model (brass, 3D print etc.) of the ex GWR Loriot Y (41989) used for mounting Dan's 'house'? As one of the two that were built has been preserved I'm hoping that someone may have produced a kit. Failing an existing model I would be happy to scratchbuild if you can direct me to a suitable drawing of the wagon. I know the major dimensions but most of the photos I've found of preserved 41990 have been taken at an angle.

My second query is regarding the Toad van. Which of the currently available RTR or kit versions is the best for representing the film version?

I'm attempting to make the model as accurate as possible and to this end have already started to modify figures to represent the squire, vicar and bishop as they are the most visible occupants of the train. I've had to put up with the burdensome task lately of having to watch the film a couple of times to get livery details etc. Just one of the many sacrifices I make for our difficult hobby!  

Dave R

According to the list I picked up yesterday:

 

NC254Z  GWR 70ft autocoach dia.A26

 

 

Did the list give the price for the autocoach as I would be interested in picking one up. Being at the other end of the world I get very envious of all you back "home" * who can chase up the suppliers in person at shows or at their places of business. The Adelaide Train Show, held over the weekend just finished, was very weak in British outline bits and pieces for sale - unless you wanted about thirty "Flying Scotsman" clones for your collection.

Dave R

* I have kept hold of my dual citizenship.

The big drawback with a railmotor versus a locomotive/trailer combination is that the whole unit is out of service if repair to the boiler or motion are required. I don't know how many complete spare boiler and engine setups were available at Swindon or some of the major repair centres but I would not think they would like to carry too many on the books. Most likely they would have just enough ready for scheduled overhalls. 

Railmotors were also limited in their towing capacity whereas even a small to medium passenger tank locomotive could haul 3 or 4 trailers relatively comfortably.

Dave R. 

I like to collect models of early steam locomotives from the mid 19th century as a sideline to my GWR obsession interests. In this field Piko turn out a quite nice representation of the Leipzig & Dresden Railway 'Saxonia' in HO scale. This is similar to the Trix 'Adler' set in that the locomotive is unpowered with the actual drive being fitted in a luggage van. The two coaches (2nd & 3rd classes) are very attractive and, being more recent in production, much better finished than the Trix coaches or the ones supplied by Hornby for the 'Rocket'. They turn up quite frequently in the 100 to 150 GBP price range. I was lucky enough to get my set for under 50.

Dave R.

After reading this thread I have now started pulling out all my old RM's and having a bit of a browse. My collection includes issues bought by my father before I was even thought of up until I stopped buying it regularly at the end of 2004*. The oldest bound years I have start in 1961 but there are a number of years which have disappeared over time. Complete years 1964, 1965, 1972, 1973, 1977 & 1978 are totally missing. I know we had them but there is no trace now - probably lent to someone in the past and never returned. There are thirteen various complete years still awaiting being bound. The bookbinder who did the binding in the 1970's is still in business so I will have to chase him up for a quote.

I have eight years of magazines from the 80's and 90's which are missing odd issues. Can anyone recommend a second hand business who deal in old railway magazines? I would like to fill in the gaps and have them bound to match the others. Some of the years which I know we had but have since disappeared are available from online auctions. The biggest thing putting me off is that the postage to Australia for a full year of issues is usually about five times the cost of the magazines themselves. Still, it would be nice to have over forty years of Railway Modeller sitting on my bookshelves.

* Since then I have only bought issues which have articles related to my interests.

Dave R.

I just noticed I have finally made my 100th post. Taken me long enough!

I'm another modeller who would like to see GWR 70' coaches available RTR. I know exactly when they will be announced - the day after I finally complete my seven coach South Wales set!

Even though I mainly model between the wars GWR (plus a pre-group joint GWR/LNWR line in planning stages) I would always be interested in small, older design, 0-6-0 tender engines from any pre-group company - I just love the variety of liveries from the Edwardian era.

Some of the suggestions made previously in this topic regarding earlier Great Western designs would also be appreciated. A 517 class, an Aberdare and an early square frame Saint would be nice but what I would really like to see is a good model of a large 0-6-0ST. We seem to have plenty of panniers but the earlier saddle tanks are only available as kits and they are few and far between. If done right the chassis could be used for original build saddle tanks and also used under models of the rebuilds. I would also dearly like to see a pre-group Welsh design 0-6-2T, preferably from the TVR but would be happy for RR.

Dave 

But did they keep time?

 

Keith

Hi Keith,

I don't know how long it had taken to arrange for the relief locos but the train was about an hour late. My father said (bear in mind that what he remembers happened 67 or 68 years ago) that the train approached the station at about the same rate as the normal Castle hauled ones. He also said the crews of the two locomotives looked like they were enjoying themselves hauling an express for a change.

Dave

The Dean "Goods" in reality more a mixed traffic loco

In the late 40's my father and his mate Ron would regularly go down to Cardiff General to see what was hauling the express from Paddington always hoping for a brand new engine or a shiny recent overhall. On one occasion the train was very late. Dad said he was about to give up and go home when they finally saw the express approaching. They could see plenty of smoke and could clearly see the coaches but could not make out what was hauling the train. When the train finally got close enough to see they became aware that it was being pulled by a pair of grubby, almost worn out, Dean Goods. They found out later that the Castle which had been hauling the train failed near Newport and the Dean Goods were quickly grabbed from their regular duties to take the express. My father always said he was disappointed at the time and failed to take a photograph, a decision that he regrets today.

Dave    

Is it listed here?  http://www.brmna.org/xref/locogwr.htm

 

The only E Class here is given as a 0-8-0 though

There were five of the E class 0-6-0T supplied to the Barry Railway by Hudswell, Clarke between 1889 & 1891. BR numbers were 33, 34, 50, 51 & 53 which became GWR 781 - 785. GWR 783 & 784 survived to become part of British Railways with the other three sold by the GWR in the 1930's. 783 was 'Swindonised' with a new boiler and extended bunker while 784 just had minor changes made by the GWR. * 

I don't have access at the moment to my copy of Russell's Absorbed Locomotives at the moment but from memory the four 0-8-0 were actually the Barry Railway D class built by Sharp,Stewart.

* these details info are from one of my old file cards I wrote up about 35 years ago

Dave 

I had a look at the selection of wheels from the Alan Gibson range. There is a listing for the correct size in the catalogue. A small compromise is that the wheels are described as 10 spoke when the E class had 12. This should not be a problem for such an obscure prototype and would be a lesser compromise than using a RTR chassis.

Dave 

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I thought that there may not be anything suitable but I had to ask to make sure. I may have to look at a brass chassis, either a Terrier or SEFinecast P type, and some Gibson wheels if there are any about the right size. I assume that the tyres would have been fairly worn by this stage of its life so I do have a bit of leeway.

GWR 784 was a favourite that my father, as a teenager, would keep an eye out for due to the small size and he was disappointed the year after the photo was taken when he found out it had been sent for scrapping. The loco was 59 years old when withdrawn so it had a reasonably good innings. This was one of the few photos he still has from his weekend and holiday visits to various depots in and around South Wales (Cardiff born & raised) before he came to Australia in the early 1950's. He left most of his photos, models and personal treasures behind when he emigrated and these were given away to various family and friends when his parents came out later. I hope to make a model of it for him (he's now 80) to run on his new 13'x6' layout which he has under construction.

Dave  

Can anyone suggest a readily available RTR chassis for my next bashing project? I’m planning on making a model GWR 784 (ex Barry Railway E class) based on a photo my father had taken of this engine in August 1948 in Barry. The loco is a 0-6-0T by Hudswell, Clarke with a 6’+6’ wheelbase and 3’3½” driving wheels.

There are a few chassis kits available with the correct wheelbase but I would prefer a RTR version if something suitable could be found. This is meant to be a ‘cheap & cheerful’ project to fill in time when I am a bit fed up with other model construction.  

Dave

Edit for location of pic. I was speaking to dear old dad who advised that it was taken in Barry depot during the summer school holidays in 1948.

Hi Dan,

The Samson certainly looks the part. If my metal working and soldering skills were any better I'd have a go at one myself.

A couple of years ago I built a 'Northumbrian' 0-2-2 based on the old 'Rocket' kit you have in the photo. I fitted the tender drive unit from the Bachmann 'Dewitt Clinton'  and it ran very well. Unfortunately I burnt the motor out with a load that was too heavy for the poor thing. I'm trying to pick up a couple more of the Bachmann locos to replace the burnt out job and to provide power for a scratch built 'Planet'. The biggest trouble is that everyone wants ridiculous prices for them these days. I have about half a dozen of the old K's HO scale Spanish Mataro coaches and I'm thinking about fitting a Black Beetle or Spud bogie in a couple to provide an alternative propulsion method if I can't get hold of the Bachmann units

I look forward to seeing further progress on your projects. They are quite an inspiration.

Dave R 

Thank you for bringing this range back from the dead. There are a lot of the former K's and Nucast range I had always meant to buy but couldn't afford at the time.

A couple of questions for you. 1. Will all the kits have new chassis as they are released? 2. Will various separate parts be available as per the current South Eastern Finecast policy?

Best of luck with the re-introductions. I'm looking forward to all the old GWR and South Wales models becoming available again.

Dave

As ever guys you bring me the best gwr pron!

 

Just discovered the rather horrific Hornby 2900 class. This looks like a perfect candidate for another 'not quite right' engine for 'not quite right' carriages. But has anyone tried a 4-4-2 conversion on one? I'm aware to take 1 back as far as 1905 will require some frame straightening too...

I'm in the process of doing just such a conversion. I had a pile of 2900 class bodies in the spares box and decided to convert some to the straight frame versions. The 4-4-2 version is going to be loco powered using an old spare Triang Hall chassis with suitable re-wheeling. I have chickened out on modifying the boiler to a half cone version and will stick with the full cone with a shortened smokebox. This narrows the choice of prototypes down to a couple of locos. I'm not trying for a showcase model but something that looks the part. The biggest stumbling block at present is the side frames for the trailing wheels. I've made three different versions but they either looked wrong or failed to work. Any suggestions an suitable parts would be appreciated. If I can bring myself to stop spending my pension on model railway items and buy a new camera I may be eventually able to post some pictures.

Dave 

 

Do we need another category of pre-pre-grouping?

 

 

I've always thought there should be a group/category of 'Pioneering Railways' which can cover the period 1800 - 1850. This would cover the earliest steam powered locomotives to run on rails up to just after the Railway Mania of 1846 and 1847. So many of the early railways had their one-off designs and ideas that it is an interesting period to model. A few years ago I built a small 8'x4' layout, partly inspired by Mike Sharman's articles in Railway Modeller, with a variety of early locomotives and rolling stock of British, Continental and North American types. Due to the fact that the models were so widely dispersed in origin I labelled it as a (please don't groan) 'Recreation Society Museum'. I have every intention of building a newer version in the same style but with a broad gauge demonstration line and transfer shed included next time.

Dave  

I am Australian born and bred with a Welsh father who spent the first eighteen years of his life growing up in and around Cardiff before seeking sunnier climes. From an early time in my life he regaled me with stories about the Great Western Railway and the various locomotives of that company and the various grouped concerns that he saw daily from the late 30's until the early 50's.

He would tell me about staying with his Grandfather at his residence of Porthkerry House watching a 72XX class loco running from Swansea to Cardiff or days spent around all the various rail yards and sheds in Cardiff looking out for the latest arrivals from Swindon. One story he still repeats is about the time he and his best friend were waiting at Cardiff General for the South Wales Expess. It was getting on to being about an hour late when it finally came in. At first he couldn't make out what was hauling the train but as it came closer he could see that it was a pair of Dean Goods working hard after deputising for a failed 4-6-0. He told me they were both disappointed with that! The first model train I can remember watching him run was a Hornby Dublo Castle class with a train of chocolate and cream painted Kitmaster Mk 1's. 

Even though I grew up at the time the last of the South Australian Railways steamlined 520 class 4-8-4's, 700 class heavy freight 2-8-2's and Victorian Era Rx class 4-6-0's were making their last runs there was really no choice for me when it came to modelling - it had to be GWR.

I have slowly built up a large reference library covering everything that I can find about the company and constituents. My collection of models can be used from early broad guage era up until Nationalisation. At model railway shows (few and far between in these parts) I always look for any GWR themed displays as a matter of course. Every visit to the United Kingdom must included at least one trip to Didcot and to two or three preserved lines where the GWR predominates.

Reading through all may various books I have come across many references to the Great Western's dealings with other companies, either friendly or fiercely competitive. This has steered me to start building a collection of other references and models in both pre and post grouping eras but tending to favour the earlier period. I now have about six LNWR locomotive kits either building or in waiting. I have a pair of P class 0-6-0's in SE&CR and SR paint schemes on the go plus a number of other pre-group prototypes and stock from all around Britain such as a scratch build of Drummond's LSWR 4-2-4 inspection saloon. Some of my models would never had been anywhere near Great Western rails. I think 'Rule 1' will have to apply for these.

Dave       

Mikkel

I'll be very interested in seeing what mods you make to the Bachmann chassis. I've been contemplating a similar fitting and could learn from your success (and, God forbid, mistakes). The 94xx looks good so I may do the same to my old Lima model. It's currently in bits needing new brushes. The body was reasonably good for the time it was made but the chassis with those terrible wheels and no detail was atrocious. Plus it could barely pull anything other than a few wagons on a gradient. My old GF 94xx is also hors de combat at the moment as well. Just lucky I'm concentrating on the GWR earlier in the 20th century at the moment and don't have a current need for my post war models.

Dave 

Over the years I've drawn up (and thrown away) a wide selection of plans for locomotives for the GWR supposing that the broad gauge had survived into the twentieth century. My favorite was a two cylinder (inside) 4-6-0 with 7 foot driving wheels and a Churchward short cone boiler with no top feed. I always thought that this could be the BG equivalent of the 'Saint' class but designed for express West of England services from Paddington in the Edwardian era. What a sight something like that would have been tearing down the Wellington bank with the 'Ocean Mails' in 1904 instead of 'City of Truro'.

I might have to start designing engines for all the other railways of Britain after they had lost the 'Battle of the Gauges'.   

Dave

The era this loco is from is correct, but it's way outside my area of operation (see my avatar for a clue to my preferences) but I'm probably going to try and afford one anyway. The Stirlings are damn fine looking engines. I do have one of the old Kitmaster models built up with a K's tender drive unit but it hasn't worked in years.

Dave

p.s. - This will most likely halve the value of my two unbuilt Kitmaster models.   

Those tea chests look very effective - glad my method was of help. I'm afraid it puts my earlier efforts to shame. I think I'll have to try and make another batch using your technique of printing onto the veneers if I can locate any locally.

Dave

Edit - And try not to flatten them this time!

Mikkel,

I just remembered a few extra details from my tea chests. I used the foil dull side out for the strapping. The bright finished side was a bit too shiny in 4mm scale. Also some of the chests had tiny drops of grey paint on the strapping to represent the screws/nails. From normal viewing distances they were quite effective but in real life would probably been almost an inch in diameter. The chests were labelled with non-descript bits of paper with the word TEA stencilled on. I think the stencil I used was just one of those cheap ones available from general stationers for school children.

I'm looking forward to what ever else you can come up with. I always follow your posts with interest.

Dave