The Bigbee Line

Many thanks for the excellent pictures, especially under the headstocks. Couldn't ask for more. Need to get my finger out now...

Some of the sidings (only a very small part) were sat straight on the brick paving from the old loco. I think part ot seven road.

Nice models, I do like decent wagons. It's surprising what you can do to rejuvenate a bashed up item from the scrap box. You probably said in an earlier post, but where did you get the tractors? Again, thanks for sharing.

Yes, they look like the Multifrets. Here are a couple of shots of some going on to the NPC. Some wagons were not fit to run back on their own wheels. Date 24 March 1993. The Tiphokk wagons were 'the' three wagons for this traffic, Copper/Lead Dross from Avonmouth. I think it was only dangerous on sea, not dangerous by rail. If it got we, the gunge that ran out was the problem. It had been previously conveyed in high sided SNCB open wagons, again these were sheeted. I'll try and find a picture. The three wagons reverted to ordinary traffic, but still had some of the sheet gear in place for a number of years.

The balloon looks very nice. The method of painting was around in the late 1970s, can't remember who was doing it, but it was in Railway Modeller. I tried it on some coaches using Humbrol paints, thinned until it was milky. What mixture do you put in the panels? It's a bummer when you have an idea that you think is original, them you get your balloon deflated when you read that someone else is doing the same thing....

Thanks Jon, I'll wait patiently

Brian, Thanks for that. I had seen these, but hoped there might be a picture of what's in the shadows. The other option is a look at a preserved example. (Just need to find out where the nearest one is?)

I picked up a Hornby Lowmac the other day. Has anyone any pictures of the brakework under the headstocks? Thanks

Another of the old school bites the dust. Motor Books was a handy walk from Charing Cross, also Hamblings was another blast from the past. With Victors in Islington, my favourite trio to visit when in the vicinity.

More things to tempt people into a change of scale. It's dependent on the terrier turning up (and being a decent runner).

Just found these images of a 'bare bones', a 4 foot mini layout from 2007 Take a some code 75 peco track and some second hand medium points. There is a small traverser that allows shunting between the sidings. This with the points allows limited run rounds. It got as far as some ballast and greenery before if went on ebay. Easy to operate, but not economically viable to sell. The postage is the killer. The stock is Kadee boxcars and an Atlas S-2 with an MRC sound decoder. It was easy to fit. I plan to tweak the position of the speaker to improve the sound.

Brian, 6O38 yes via Tonbridge. There were a few BR wagons that got to Dunkerque, including some ex Ferry CCT's and 2 axle runner wagons (protecting overhanging loads of steel)

The library yields more images: A ballast hopper in the Town Yard, not sure why it's there. I remember one day when a train came out of the Shakespeare Tunnel and it was clear that the wagons behind the loco weren't on the consist, there was at least one hopper and a 100 tonne tank wagon loaded with petrol. A 'Willesden Mis-shunt' The next shot is a brand spanking new National Power Hopper, shunting had to be planned as the inners only had AAR couplers and the wagons were loaded in France from the other end of the boat. The SNCF shunters could be a little obtuse at times. the wagons went to Bulwark Siding for some preparatory work before heading north. A Ferry Open in Engineers service A cargowaggon Habfis2 van. the type modelled by Heljan These two wagons didn't make it to the Town Yard as they were specially constructed for the Channel Tunnel works trains. They were a mobile cement mixing plant. Finally a couple of 33/2s waiting for the boat in the old Trainferry Yard after is had a brief resurrection

That is not the official reason. They were meant to be used for moving spare parts etc. A couple of 'ferry lowmacs" were used to go to and fro to Dunkerque. The chocolate vans were occasionally detatched at Paddock Wood. I remember dropping off at Paddock Wood when working a Willesden down to Dover in the 1980's

I was never a City of Truro fan until I saw it running at Sheringham. It's a tiny engine, imagine it at speed hauling a heavy train on a dark stormy night. The traincrew were real heros.

Dave, Some more from the archive: A couple of the experimental air braked wagons. In Engineers use, but in my time at Dover used as mobile lamps holder; most ferry wagons did not have BR style lamp brackets and each train required an adaptor to fit the tail lamp. At times there was a real famine and to enable the train to run a small wagon would be tacked on the rear. Has anyone any pictures of such trains? A couple of vans in Engineers use

Looks very nice, my kind of bash, I once did an ex LBSC stroudly tank (a cross between an A1 and an E1)from a J72, widened the tanks, rounded off the tank tops, flat cab roof, extended footplate to the rear with a tool box behind the tank. Finished in unlined black, if you squint not a bad model. When we move house they are lined up for resurrection. Have you described the 'how to' swapping the wheelset with the traction tyre?

Scrapped with old crest, see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/train-pix/8573475410/

An old shot from the archive. The black GP-7 is an Atlas/Kato from the early 90's. I went to the model railway shop in Eastbourne and asked to see the 'new' Atlas GP-7. The running was outstanding, at £42 very expensive. I went home with the non dynamic brake version. The following week I went back and got the other one. Both were in Canadian National green. They were repainted using Humbrol Dirty Black. A tip from someone else was to open the tin and decant off the clear liquid from the top, then top up with some brand new thinners. The tin was then sealed and mixed by keeping it in your pocket all day. The paint was then brushed on, quickly, without trying to brush it out. The result is a very thin coat with a semi gloss finish. The imitation aluminium stripe is part of the Microscale decal set. The Green GP-7 is a non powered dummy. Take an Athearn GP-7 and an Atlas/Kato body (Actually the hood, cab and glazing). Hack the hood and cab from the Athearn body, everything above the walkway has to go. I ditched the motor and trimmed the cast frame to narrow it down (As the Atlas/Kato hoods are scale width). Once they fit, glue the hoods and walkways together. The Athearn handrails were refitted. The U shaped mouldings at the bottoms of the side stanchions were sliced off. Once in place the bottoms of the side stanchions were set into the plastic walkways with a hot soldering iron (A tip I learnt from assembling the grabs on a Slaters NER wooden coal hopper). At the time it was a cheap way of adding a second loco at a reasonable price. It was fun at the same time.

My main road for US modelling is the Southern. Like the Southern in the UK they were very fond on innovation. They would have a idea and soon something would pop out of the workshop. Here are a couple of my test runs to use up some Athearn cars:- This is a Pulp Rack (used to carry sawn tree trunks across the wagon, no securing). Its an Athearn 40' flatcar with box car ends grafted on. The next a Boxcar with hopper doors, slope sheets and extended sides. I used an Athearn Reefer for this one. A couple of detailed cars. The first is a Concor 53' flat car. Lowered, wire grabs fitted, and Kadee #4's fitted. Note - It has different era decals on either side. Nice and heavy, track well. Need some weathering. A scale #58 fitted has been fitted at one end. The next is an exercise to modify and detail an Athearn Bay Window Caboose. So far only lowered. That's all for now folks, thanks, Ernie Puddick

Just getting used to this blogging lark. I started in HO in the early 90's with the purchase of an Athearn F7 with a huge open frame motor and brass wheels. Instantly attracted to the slow running. A lot of water under the bridge since then. I am waiting a house move and will need to rationalise my excess stock (too many loco's). Currently trying to discipline myself into a south eastern US backwaters layout, prpoably dual period - 50's and early 90's. The images below are from my past test shots (2008) on a garage layout. Boards from 3/4 ply and track is some s/h code 100. Thanks, Ernie Puddick

Just need to fit a decoder, new axle gears and do something about the fuel tank. An NW5 was an early EMD attempt at a 1000hp roadswitcher. Very few made, the Southern had one!!!

I took the chassis from a P2K GP18 and a couple of spare bodies from Athearn BB SW's. Much filing later, plus a modicum of evergreen and it's just passable.

Looks Good. I've started to change the wheels on one of mine for 14mm Romfords. The axleguards have dimples on the inside that can be eased to take the axles. The axle arrangement as built is a bit cranky. I will use one for a short Southern Region Milk train, Thanks, Ernie Puddick

For some shots of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway a railway in India, built by the British in 1908. The famous Hindi song Chaiyya Chaiyya from the film "Dil Se" was shot on the roof top of NMR http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOYN9qNXmAw&list=FLSzMF5yinNwa1txNQaVw-qQ&index=9 Enjoy, Ernie Puddick