Signaller69

Thanks Marcus, most kind of you. I'm very happy with how they have turned out, but having done 3 it may be a while before a planned fourth one happens! There are other areas which I considered altering such as the cab side doors which should sit slightly further in from the body sides, and the lower body fairing which should be slightly more angled inward but frankly, life is too short! Also due to the time and effort expended on doing them, not to mention cost grounds, I'm unlikely to replace them with new Dapol versions any time soon! Martyn.

Looking an interesting project as I'm thinking of something similar in the not too distant future. Has there been any further progress? Martyn.

Station building looks superb, you have really captured it.

Really nice layout that I've managed to miss until now, and I enjoyed reading through the previous posts. I'm another fan of the Minories style, due to the "playability"; its also nice to see some proper signals too! As for your dilemma over medium vs large points the only thing I would add is that if the point is from a straight section diverging onto another straight section, or curving in the same direction as the point, then mediums are fine, but if there is any sort of reverse curvature then large radius look better, particularly with passenger trains, in my humble opinion; I say this only because I had a similar dilemma, and I also appreciate the trade off with train lengths. Looking forward to further developments! Martyn.

Its still showing as "1st Engineering Prototype seen" on Hattons project updates: http://www.hattons.co.uk/projectupdates Available for pre order too so can't see it being cancelled.

All 3 class 29's have now had the same nose job and roof mods as 6107 pioneered.

A third Hornby Class 29 has been added to the fleet (6107) which has had major surgery including deepening the cab ends, which led to the other 2 (6121 & D6129) having the same treatment (full details in my workbench thread). 6107 is currently unpowered to use for double heading, the other 2 have Bachmann Class 25 chassis, although all are interchangeable if desired.

Thanks Steve, I've found your loco thread very inspiring as I'm another "non airbrush" weatherer. Cheers, Martyn.

Thanks Marcus, likewise! Just not sure how I managed to miss your cracking layout up to now, but will certainly follow progress in future.

Super layout Marcus, with plenty of operating potential and movement by the look of it, very nicely detailed too. Martyn.

A couple of shots which hopefully show the way I attached the Hornby Class 29 underframe moulding to the Bachmann Class 25 chassis. Basically it involved cutting slots in the underframe side into which the raised parts of the Bachmann chassis sit, and gluing 30thou trapezoid shaped fillets to the underframe where the bogie sideframe lugs once rested. These have a small hole drilled in the centre to allow the original Bachmann screws to secure the underframe to the chassis and can be accessed when the bogie or sideframe is removed. This is adequate as when the chassis is fitted to the body the whole thing is rigid, although when removing the chassis again I found some flex as the fuel tank section pulls away from the chassis slightly due to flex. I overcame this by using a small blob of epoxy resin where the underframe cutouts meet the chassis unit; more screws could be used at this location but they need to be long enough to pass into the top of the Bachmann chassis, and have heads small enough not to interfere with bogie swing. I concluded the epoxy resin can soon be overcome if I need access to the motor at any point. The middle photo shows the plasticard trapezoid fillets which act as fixing points. The lower pic shows the Bachmann 25 bogie with Hornby 29 sideframes fitted. Bachmann class 25 bogie frames are a simple clip fit so the original bogie sides were carefully removed outside the brake rigging and the Hornby 29 bogie sides again affixed (after a good clean/degrease) to what was left of the Bachmann frames with epoxy resin, taking care to ensure they didn't foul the bottom of the underframe moulding or chassis unit - clearance is quite tight here, and although there is not a lot of meat to the glued surfaces none have come away at any point. I have read elsewhere of people having to mill parts of the chassis away to get it to fit the body; I can only assume this is to allow the original Hornby glazing unit to fit as, not using this, I have found no problems whatsoever, even with fitting the roof fan on a flat plate inside the roof, or any of the other roof mods; there is plenty of room also for the Hornby cab interiors.

If they are anything like the seagulls in Rhyl, they certainly do dare!!! :-)

I know its a long time since anyone posted in this thread but found a useful blog with lots of photos of Mallaig Station etc from the 30s onwards all in one place: http://merailway.livejournal.com/703.html EDIT: my father built an "O" scale model of the rationalised Mallaig, which was on the North West exhibition circuit in the 90's, based on 1980s operation; my contribution was a heavily reworked Lima Class 33 converted to a 27 using MMP parts and stretched motor bogie!

Article on Pullmans and the different types very interesting I thought, even though I don't model them (wrong area & era). Paul Lunn's take on the Liverpool Overhead Railway had some good ideas for modelling it too, though the idea of building it to alternate with New York elevated railway cars was a bit left field for me; clever nontheless. The featured layouts were nicely done too, Aylesbury LNWR has an interesting history. So plenty I enjoyed reading about even if nothing was really relevant to my modelling, but that's not why I subscribe, its just an interesting read for my down time.

Interesting and valuable memories re St. Rollox John, can I suggest you also share them here, if you've not done so: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/47894-sad-eyed-people-the-class-21-and-29-livery-resource/?fromsearch=1 ? As it such a relevant topic. I did wonder about doing a double Hornby motor bogie conversion using the original unpowered wheels thus doing away with the dreaded traction tyres; the later models already have extra pickups of course. But finding some cheap Bachmann 25's swayed the decision and the Ringfield motor bogies were sold on. 25 odd years ago I did a class 22 conversion using the A1 models kit which used an etched body to fit around Hornby 21/29 cabs, this also used etched grille overlays and cab detail and turned out well, although the crude Hornby wheels vice nice spoked ones marred it. It has long since been sold on when I lost interest in "Western" matters; I wonder if it was the same grille/cab detail etches that A1 supplied for 29 detailing? Cheers, Martyn.

Thanks John, you would think adding 2mm or so (scale 6"+) to the depth of the nose would be quite obvious, but as you say if you don't know its there you probably wouldn't notice the difference without such comparison. More noticable, I find, is the lower (correct) buffer height and side fairing depth where it meets the corner. My earlier conversions (6121 & D6129) are currently having the same treatment so I will post a photo once they are finished, along with how I fitted the Bachmann class 25 chassis to the Hornby 29 underframe for anyone interested. (Soon I hope; I love class 29's but its getting a bit "Groundhog Day" on my workbench lately, anyone following this far may be inclined to feel the same!) Martyn.

Our Club has a rather BACKWARD backwater layout - Llamedos. And slightly different spelling, but the "Upsan Downs Light Railway" has been on the Exhibition Circuit for a while I think.

Yes, it surely ranks as one of the all time great model design cock-ups! Although bizarrely the door outline did show up quite visibly on some of the Class 29s post headcode box conversion, as can be seen in Brush Veteran's photo: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/uploads/monthly_02_2015/post-4697-0-70974500-1424824614.jpg . If I ever get hold of another 2-tone green model it will be done as D6123 which retained headcode discs vice boxes, but this involves more work again.

Oxford Rail Mk.3 thread here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/107460-oxford-rail-announces-oo-gauge-mk3-coaches/?fromsearch=1 HTH. Martyn.

Almost finished 6107 now, weathering c.1970/71 progressing using photos for reference, Kadee couplers fitted, cab interiors ready for refitting, still needs the Shawplan works plates, windscreen wipers and headcode box glazing fitting, along with bufferbeam pipework (at least, as far as the couplings will allow). Headcodes themselves were printed on computer and stuck in place with Pritt Stick. Comparison with my earlier rendition of D6129 shows the deeper cab front and buffers at the correct height, which the latter will also receive shortly along with other work, as well as showing the variation in number/double arrow positions.

Looks to be coming on nicely. Those walls look nicely weathered too, did you use Slaters walling?

Well I'll be blown, I've never seen (or at least noticed) a photo showing the original style of grilles before, we live and learn! Many thanks Bernard. Edit: class 21 in the condition shown in that pic would be a much easier proposition as the Hornby sides and roof would be basically correct, although the front end as you say would still need extensive work, if only I modelled 1959!

Mobile Ops Manager most likely in case of points issues.

Take it that was 6X59 you were on? Just missed you if so as I was on at 6pm at HJ.

Flush glazing done, a real PITA as I elected to cut each piece by hand, 22 pieces in all. I could have used SEF Flushglaze for the bodyside windows as on my other 2 class 29s but as the cab windscreens needed doing by hand anyway (the hardest parts) I thought I may as well go the whole hog this time. Thin clear plasticard was used, secured with a thin bead of PVA. Curved Nail scissors were useful for doing the windscreens.