Duncan.

Evening everyone, yes it's slow progress with the Peak. It is transferred up as you can see below and I have deliberately slopped a little dirt on the grilles and exhaust. Next will be to study some photos of prototypes and decide a plan of attack for weathering down... Oh would you look at that roof grille. Delicate etches demand careful loco handling... what baffoon has bent that...oh that'll be me then! When I had the grilles etched they were in brass lessons learnt since then, most of my etches are nickel silver these days which is much stronger! Cheers Duncan

45134 Progress Evening, Below are some photos of the loco now with it's blue coat! I hope you will agree that the etch better represents the side grilles showing off the loco framing behind. Although not completely apparent I have painted the sides of the chassis block rail grey so that the 'engine block' is more visibly apparent behind the grilles and loco framing, perhaps most noticeable in the photo above. I am looking forward to add detail painting, handrails for example, glazing, adding transfers and most importantly weathering. Cheers Duncan

Hi Nick, keep doing what you are doing. Most of the plastic pipes (although not all) are overscale,if you have the time keep making the finer pipes with wire. Cheers Duncan

Hi Nick, The eth cable looped around the left hand buffer comes as a detail part with the loco. I added air and vac pipes, coupling hook details left over from other locos. I keep all the detailing parts from the locos and rolling stock I buy. The eth socket on the right hand side of the buffer beam is a suitable looking object from the detail spares box., I don't know what is from originally or what it is supposed to be! It could be said it is a fraud, but it gives the illusion that there is an eth socket in place... oh damn I given disclosed my deception. Plating over the steam heat boiler vent etc... on this model I have filed away the detail and used milliput filler. When I post photos of the painted body I hope you will not be able to see any of the 'joins'! I have prepared brass covers for the boiler water fillers on the other body I am doing, 45036 and will post photos in due course. As ever I use prototype photos of the actual loco modelled if available, but in this case I used a photo of the roof of 45133 leaving Newcastle, here's a link Cheers Duncan

Project 45 Update Now where were we?... 45134 The first stage of the project was to modify the body supplied to match the chosen prototype. The first three photographs show the modified body temporarily refitted to the chassis. The bogies have been painted black and the end of one has been detailed with air and vacuum pipes eth connections and coupling. The body moulded bodyside grilles were cut away and replaced by my own etched grilles, likewise with the roof radiator fan grille and exhaust panel. The former detail for the steam heating boiler and water fillers have all been 'plated' over- filled. An etched fan has been positioned on a piece of plastikard itself glued to the chassis. The next set of three photographs show the completed body undercoated. The body was firstly sprayed with Railmatch Universal primer and allowed to dry for 24 hours. The loco was then sprayed with Precision satin white, with particular attention paid to the loco's noses to produce a dense white in these areas, this is to provide a good base to the transparent 'warning yellow' that will be sprayed next. After a further 24 hours drying the yellow has been sprayed. I will let this dry for closer to 48 hours before masking out the yellow and spraying the rail blue. As always if you have any questions please ask' My next update will be after the blue has been applied. Cheers Duncan PS. I have yet to start my other 45 body...45036

Hi, Do you mean the class 44 vertical bodyside etches or the 45 etches- roof and standard bodyside etches?

Hi Dave, Have you considered micro glaze fluid?

Hi 46256, Please see my class 44 conversion/detailing project starting on page 38 of this thread. I was very happy with the result especially as it had the unusual vertical pattern bodyside grilles. Cheers Duncan Sorry missed off your quote on posting above!

Hi 46256, Please see my class 44 conversion/detailing project starting on page 38 of this thread. I was very happy with the result especially as it had the unusual vertical pattern bodyside grilles. Cheers Duncan

I have decided to go for 134 Dave. I have seen photos of the loco with a domino hc until quite late in 1982. That date is at the early end of the timespan covered on Shirebrook so that's OK. I have an eth 47 for later workings... perhaps I should have an original liveried HST also... perhaps I can encourage one of the operating team to get one. Cheers Duncan

Hi, How are you going to do the extra glazing? Cheers Duncan

I am not sure Nick, it may look strange in model form... or an error, I may have to have a copy of the prototype to hand at all times! I have lots to do before I get to that stage! Cheers Duncan

One loco two faces- a new project for Shirebrook Last year @Colin very kindly sold me a class 45 loco centre headcode version with a spare split centre headcode body. After much research I think the last split centre headcode 45 running on the network was 45036, in fact I think it was withdrawn without modification. The picture below was sent to me but apologies to the owner I have no details of who to credit. The loco looks it is very close to withdrawal, I will be modelling my example in slightly less grubby condition! The centre headcode body will become an unnamed class 45/1 so it can head up my MK2 MK1 'Master Cutler set. Any suggestions for a suitable number anybody? The centre split headcode model started off in green livery I used precision model stripper to remove the factory finish. I did the same with the centre headcode body. This body was in BR all over blue livery but as I will be adding some of my own etches to both of the bodies it will be best to have a clean base. A tip for you if you are intending to respray a loco, don't forget to repaint the bogies. Why you ask they are black, well yes the bogies as supplied by the factory are black but unpainted black plastic. The bogies look so much better when sprayed black, and when weathered the difference is even more noticeable. So here we go, a couple of bodies a chassis and some etches. I will update over the next few weeks as work progresses. Cheers Duncan

Hi Andy, The model buildings and the varying levels, subtle gradients are really bringing the layout to life. Generally I dislike flat baseboard layouts as they fail to address what is slightly below track level, however, your layout and Dallam are examples where it is not at all detrimental. The (almost) continually changing height of the surrounding land surface makes the model so very interesting to the eye. Looking great Andy. Cheers Duncan

Hi Simon, You requested views on your weathering. I would add brake dust and general dirt to the lower chassis. Do you have access to an air brush? Cheers Duncan

Shirebrook Depot Photos I took a quick trip to the depot on Sunday and found 37130 and 40077 on shed amongst other locos, here are some of my photos I snapped. And finally 56022 and 37167 inside the serving shed. Cheers Duncan

Or Simon, you could spray the Revolution vans with a good coat of matt or satin varnish allow to dry for 48 hours min. If you use you paint/thinner method, which I think, looks good in your photos above the varnish will protect the printing from washing away Cheers Duncan.

Hi John, No it is the newer more recent tooling. It came out in 2017 or 2018 I think. Cheers Duncan

More Loco Repaints and weathering. First 40077. An ebay purchase- this loco was in green livery and poorly weathered. There was also some damage where glue had spilled on to the body. So it was disassembled and the body and bogie frames all went into the stripper. The body was thoroughly washed and scrubbed with cif rinsed and allowed to dry before it was primed/undercoated. Dense white was then sprayed over the noses to provide a base for the transparent warning panel yellow. Next came the rail blue. Transfers from Fox were added. The photos illustrate the weathered loco. All paints used are from the Precision range. When dry I will add a coat of varnish to complete. I do have to add some etched disc head codes (waiting for the postman). The photos below feature the 40 again with a 37130. This loco has received a new identity and has been weathered. This loco is pictured after weathering but again is waiting for a final varnish. Finally I include one of the prototype photos I used as a guide for the weathering, something I always do. Cheers Duncan

Final 2 videos from last weekend 's running sessions These are the last-promise! Cheers Duncan

Hi, Thought I would upload this photograph. I like it a lot. 56070 rolls a MGR service through the station at Shirebrook Cheers Duncan

Nice evocative photos Dave, fullfilling your original brief I believe... a stage for photographs, before you have the opportunity to convert to a complete layout. Cheers Duncan

More running day videos for your enjoyment. Below are some videos giving an idea of everyday operations on the layout. This video was taken with my digital dslr camera so I'm sorry the depth of field is limited. Back to a video captured on my son's phone and a better depth of field We have had a really enjoyable couple of days operating the layout. There will further operating days latter in the year. If you would like to come along please PM me to reserve a place. I will announce operating days in advance when dates have been decided. The next one will be late April or early May. Thanks to the helpers who assisted me in packing the layout away and Janet for providing lunch and drinks to our guests today Cheers Duncan

Hi Dave, This video was recorded on my son's phone Sony Experia 10. I will try to upload some other videos he took on his phone later. Cheers Duncan

Running Day Video Here is another video for you to view.