Adam

It's been a long, long time hasn't it? Anyhow, I picked up the most recent copy of one of the popular modelling mags only really because the editorial team have had themselves scanned and rendered in plastic. A fiver for some decent figures and a paintbrush (just as the flux brush is on its last bristles) seems a reasonable deal to me, and the magazine will make good dividers for the stock box. Anyhow, to the figures. There's an immediate problem: For those of you rusty in 4mm scale arithmetic, 27mm scales out at a Joel Garner-esque, door frame and ceiling troubling, 6' 9". Now with the best will in the world, Andy York and chums are somewhat diminutive in comparison to Big Bird and needed cutting down to size. The surgery was swift, somewhat brutal and non-reversible and a couple of mil' were removed from the gentlemens' legs. The legs were drilled, 0.5mm wire let into the ankles and their feet pinned back on. This has done nothing for their BMI, sadly, but with a modicum of restyling of clothing and adjustment of waistlines they still look more or less right and scale up to somewhere in the region of 6' apiece which is a bit more like it, if still a bit tall for some contexts. I suppose I'll have to paint them now. Adam

Here's one I don't think has been seen before: a Karrier Bantam getting its feet wet - https://www.flickr.com/photos/127815237@N05/38489871202/in/album-72157648796040956/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/127815237@N05/38465713066/in/album-72157648796040956/ Adam

Robert is taking a break from RT Models at present - Alan Gibson does a casting for the BR 9F, part no. 4M821. Adam

Well this is good news - I've regarded the W4 as a bit twee (Manning Wardles fall into the same bracket for me) so held off. Looks like I'll be holding off on a permanent basis and wondering how to regauge an 0-6-0 to EM instead... Adam

Thanks Porcy - I'd missed that. Adam

Very nice - what's the chassis under the Janus? I always solder the links up. It looks better and the risk of a coupling failing is mitigated which is important even if you're not running 30 odd wagon trains (and besides, fixing things like that is dull). I look forward to seeing more. Adam

Another year, another Sentinel. You may recall my - rather involved - conversion of a pre-war 200HP loco built for the S&DJR into a post-war machine (here's the finished result if your memory need jogging: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67087-the-200hp-steam-sentinel-and-a-distant-cousin/?hl=sentinel. This one is the smaller brother, a post-war 100HP loco from RT Models (with drive unit from High Level) and has, so far, been a complete delight to build with every part fitting exactly as it should and, because it's etched in Nickel Silver, nice to solder, too. Arthur built a coule of them and recorded his findings in this thread: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/81445-100-hp-sentinel-from-rt-models-kit/?hl=sentinel I'll be basing it on one of the Roads Reconstruction (1934) fleet used in the precursor to the massive Whatley Quarry. There are plenty of pictures of these about so here's my personal favourite collection, from 1967: https://www.flickr.com/photos/boxbrownie3/sets/72157626030789364. The chassis unit is mostly invisible and folded up without fuss. The gearbox and swinging gear train was a mite fiddly, but results in a smooth and very slow-running loco (but the real thing is only capable of 13 mph). Despite this, the flywheel does have some effect and once fully weighted, I'm hopeful that the thing will be relatively powerful - unweighted trials had it pushing 8 wagons perfectly happily. Thus far the only alteration I've made has been a cosmetic one. Sentinel made their loco steps from Durbar plating so I've added an overlay to represent this (the etch came from Intercity Models, I think Shawplan may do something similar). These Mendip locos only had steps at the rear... So here's the body assembly thus far: And finally, for now, body popped on chassis to check clearances. What this demonstrates is that there's plenty of room for adhesive weight when the time comes. The coupling hooks are from AMBIS - I think they are slightly overscale for usability, but the tininess of the loco accentuates this a bit (nothing wrong with the hooks supplied on the etch, by the way, it's just that I had these made up and ready to go!). Adam

It's coming along well isn't it? I look forward to seeing the finished article. All best for 2019! Adam

... If any DJH bits make the cut? Very nice tidy work, Dave. Adam

It's been around a long time, I think, dating from back when RTR was, erm, substantially less good. That said, I wonder whether this is the first reworked Mainline J72 to get the nod - that moulding is almost as old as I am! Adam

Since 587 was on the Patchway job, I have the relevant IRS guide! From that, I can quote some of the dimensions: 2' 9" wheels, 11" x 15" cylinders and a 9' 6" wheelbase. From Patchway it apparently went to Kirk and Randall (Contractors) c.1905. This begs one or two questions about the photo - there was only one Hudswell, Clarke on the Patchway job and that was an 0-4-0ST (444 of 1895). The loco' pictured seems to be an 0-6-0ST so it must be somewhere else... Adam

Interesting - I have no clear sense, but the chimney cap and nameplate lettering style look quite 'Hunslet' to me but that's less than conclusive. The loco pictured is clearly a side tank and not a saddletank and clearly has inside rather than outside cylinders which rather rules out the Black Hawthorn... The better way to confirm would - I reckon - to find the appropriate IRS handbook and see which of the two machines worked with a Hudswell, Clarke saddletank (in the shed) and what may well be a Manning, Wardle. Adam

I think I see what you mean about the running, but it's acceptable (and as you say, many a mile from the starting point). I would not be so concerned about four-wheel pick up; all my four-coupled locos work perfectly well with no additional assistance, though mostly because they have no option! Adam

And I'd assumed that it was O gauge! That proves the point, rather, doesn't it? Adam

It's 4mm scale - as the first part of the account of the construction made clear (back in issue 221 http://www.modelrailwayjournal.com/index.php?o=&s=high+wycombe&t=All&g=0&x=0&y=0)- that piece desperately needed an introductory sentence explaining that. Adam

That's looking excellent Andrew - I look forward to seeing it once it's done; the orchard is especially effective, I think. Adam

Excellent news! I was wondering why this looked a little odd - the real thing, of course, has 3' (nominal) wheels (12mm in 4mm scale) whereas the dear old SPUD has 10.5mm discs. Easy enough to change, of course, and if you were to use a more sensible mechanism with a plausible top speed you'd start with that in mind. Adam

Thanks! I'm glad someone noticed - it's a feature of so many industrial locos which is quite simple to do, if you have a collection of spare etched screw coupling links, that is... Adam

Thanks! Low angle and natural light - makes a massive difference to all manner of models and hides a multitude! Adam

Basking in the winter sunshine, Peckett, The Marshal now all but complete (I'm a little unsure about the smokebox weathering - a bit overdone and a bit 'soft', perhaps). The name, by the by - as well a being a decent name for shunting engine, courtesy of Narrow Planet - is a reminder of John Marshall, Bristolian and Union man to his toes, who bought the kit and died before he could get around to building it. Thanks John. Adam

That's great news! And of course, more on the real thing is welcome. I've nearly finished the model now so we're due an update on that, too. Adam

I'm utterly astonished (positively, I should add). An excellent development. Well done EMGS and PECO. Adam

I've almost completed one of these: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/123415-a-peckett-from-the-black-country-limited-lining/ Not a bad kit though there's a few features which I wasn't mad keen on - and how I've dealt with those is explained in the thread. Adam

Basically by applying the transfers - remember they're face down in this instance so the glue is on the top surface - onto the cab side (or whatever) and using Klear as a wetting agent while manipulating it, or applying it in the normal way and adding Klear which wicks under by capillary action. Once dry, it's stuck in position. Adam

After quite an interlude: It may appear closer to completion than it is; the rear wheelset is scrap (entirely my fault; I've given one of the wheels an incurable wobble) so a new one is on the way from Gibson. The lining was a bit of a saga: within the panels this is the same Fox yellow/black/yellow (N gauge variety) but applied upside down so as to provide a thicker black line and thinner yellow lining, glued on with Johnson's Klear. The sandboxes are knocked up from plastic sheet and a stub of square section with a bit of sprue for the lids. Also on the way, I hope, are some name and works plates from Narrow Planet so I'll save a full reveal until these have appeared and with any luck, I'll have persuaded it to run! Until then, here's the cab interior: Obviously, there's a little more work to do including, er, the tops of the sandboxes which sit at bunker top height and I had completely forgotten about. There's a casting for the backhead somewhere in the box, too. Adam