Signaller69

After thinking about cutting a section of roof out and turning it through 180 degrees and whether I could make a neat enough job I came to the same conclusion! :-/ Cheers, Martyn.

Looks superb, I see you have started work on the roof too. Have done a couple of 29s for "Crinan" but not quite to the same level as yours, the incorrect bufferbeam/skirting I had been pondering and seeing your work I think may be the inspiration I needed to tackle that area, as I have some Lanarkshire Model Supplies buffers ready for use, as well as a third Hornby 29 ready to be attacked. Have you done anything about the roof fan/bodyside grille relationship? They should iirc line up (along with the relevent panels) but the roof fan grille & panel is offset to one end on the Hornby model. I replaced the fan grille with a Shawplan one and made the side grilles from mesh on mine but otherwise left them alone, as much for not knowing which grille was wrongly placed as anything. Look forward to seeing further progress, fairly sure you will beat Dapol too. . . .

A couple of those brake vans are just what I need, will have to look out in the local shops. Beats the £22 each Bachy super detailed model for my purposes. Like the Mk.1 coach in the other publication its interesting to see that a slightly more basic version can be produced (by whoever) for a fraction of the comparitive mainstream model, even if not everyones cup of tea.

It seems this kit has gone through several incarnations then, still not got round to doing anything with mine as yet. Many thanks for the information.

Many thanks for your comments Kingmoorkid, glad you enjoyed it! Martyn.

Couple of pics from today at Pontefract, layout has performed well barring a few "human errors" and the odd sticky coupling and seems to have gone down well with viewers. :-)

All set up for Pontefract this weekend, some new stock on the roster so looking forward to playing!

The DMU appears to be missing an engine, on way to works perhaps?

Xmas present from my other half, Preiser 14084 figures fitted (some partly repainted) and lightly weathered. Edit: still undecided on doing something about the ballast load, possibly a tarpaulin as others have done, or possibly some lube oil drums and a part covered tool load.

Super work on your 25, I did a lot of work to make a headcode box fitted 24/1 using a Bachmann 25 bodyshell (only because I had it to hand), I'm quite happy with it but its not in the same league as your inspirational work to be honest!

Good show Nick?

Another CR 0-4-4T known to have worked the Banff branch was 55185 in October 1954, as per the photo on p.50 of "Scottish Branch Line Steam" (Bradford Barton). Its passenger train consists of a LNER 4w Passenger Brake Van, a (GNSR?) bogie Composite (6 compartments, has lavatory at each end) and a standard LNER Gresley era non-corridor Brake 3rd.

Looks an interesting project, I have a soft spot for colliery lines. The various levels of buildings, railway and stream in your plan already shout "Welsh Valleys" to me so looking forward to seeing the layout take shape! Martyn.

With the Parkside CCT awaiting glazing, thoughts turned to weathering another "Crinan" loco, this time Heljan class 17 "Clayton" D8608, after finding a good "Brush Veteran" photo here: http://picssr.com/photos/59835095@N02/interesting?nsid=59835095@N02 I wanted to portray the loco just prior to withdrawal as per the photo. Weathering is brush applied, mainly using acrylics with some thinned enamels. I would like to add snow ploughs as per the prototype but this poses clearance difficulties due to the bogie mounted NEM coupling pockets (if the ploughs are fixed to the chassis) and the fixed footsteps at each end (if they were attached to the bogies) so we shall see.

Welcome to the forum, super job you have done there. Where did you get the idea for the markings on the tarpaulin? They certainly add interest to what would otherwise be a fairly plain cover. Is that a DC kits class 303 lurking in the background? Cheers, Martyn.

Agreed. Bachmann would need to start from scratch to get anywhere close to SLW's standards. I doubt the price differential will be anything like with the respective 24/0 models.

Link the SLW facebook post mentioned above re photo 24135: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=238641859900519&substory_index=0&id=184632555301450 Great news if a headcode box 24 is next, Highland pre tops BR blue would suit me! With the various detail permutations (grille blanking plates, cantrail water fillers, cabside token apperatus, headlights to name a few) I think SLW is well placed to cover different variations. The Bachmann one seems to have been on the back burner for ever and is unlikely to be able to offer so many detail variations; IF it ever appears I doubt the price will be hugely different either.

Another book to add then! Thanks thaddeus.

Thanks for the advice Brian, I'm fairly used to scratchbuilding goods stock bodies but have to admit the idea of cutting out all the windows in the correct places, as well as in line, is somewhat daunting! Do you know if 4mm scale plans for the different vehicles have been published anywhere? Cheers, Martyn.

Looking really good David, lots of Highlands atmosphere already. Nice to see the lattice work connecting the canopies portrayed too. Martyn.

Not had much in the way of projects underway lately with working on both Talywain and Crinan. One of the latter's Heljan 27s has had a spot of toning down as it was a tad shiny for my liking, a coat of Daler Rowney matt varnish has cured this. The full yellow ends were done a while back along with the weathering, quite like this hybrid livery which was copied from a colour photo taken at Fort William c.1970. A quick job has seen a grounded stores van body knocked up from an Airfix RTR Meat van body from my bits box: Also a start has been made on a Parkside Dundas SR type, plywood sided, CCT. Having built one previously, I have deviated from the instructions with this one in making the body and roof as one assembly, with the chassis as another. This is due to noticing the floor moulding has a slight twist in it; thus this would get built in to the model if the body is glued direct to the floor, and short of compensating the chassis it would be a nightmare to rectify for smooth, derailment-free running. The method I am using is to brace inside each end of the body with plasticard (marked A and B for chassis orientation), to which the chassis will be screwed; 2 screws either side at one end and one at the other (which will also hold the Kadee no.5 coupling in place). Thus any slight axle alignment issue can be cured by tightening or slackening the 2 screws at the other end. Simples. The other advantage of this method of construction of course is that the body can be removed to allow access for glazing, adding weight etc. I have also used piano wire to make the underframe trusses instead of the flimsy plastic rod included in the kit. Almost ready for painting now.

Very much enjoyed catching up on this thread as I would like to do either an Ayr or EG 5 or 6 car set in plain BR blue c.1970 at some point, my original thinking (pre reading through the previous pages) was to hack up several Triang Mk.1's but with the different window size/spacing/body profile I may have to rethink! The kit options look to have flaws (not to mention availability issues?) too so not sure if this is a viable project for me for the forseeable future. But I shall make sure to follow the inspirational work on this thread. Cheers, Martyn.

Photo from last weekend's show at Prestatyn showing the revised set-up. Folding legs with bolt-on braces fitted, along with a new dark grey curtain and lighting facia: This gives a high viewing level without bending (though I acknowledge can make viewing difficult for some people eg wheelchair users; and I'm 6ft and can only JUST see over the top of the backscene, making end operation preferable). However, with the legs folded it can stand on 2 trestles for a more conventional operating height. The curtain is held by my now standard use of velcro after too many years of messing with drawing pins. The lighting facia was salvaged and modified from a previous layout the day before the show and is fitted with a modular kitchen strip light, another will be added for more even lighting. Next job is to wire in a Hand held Feedback controller and switch to allow it or the original to be used. The layout performed well on the whole and had good feedback (mainly in the hands of Neil H as I was required elsewhere most of the day).

Looks like an old MTK class 74 body plonked straight on a Lima/Hornby Railroad Class 33 chassis. Perhaps the builder didn't feel confident adding the MTK bogie side frames and underfloor equipment, or its been re-chassied? Whilst far from perfect, I have to say I've seen worse, and illustrates quite well one of the few options available for doing a 74 in years gone by. Hopefully not for much longer!

Thanks Peter, looking forward to seeing how the bridge in particular is coming on! Martyn.