Brian Kirby

Hi Larry, I'm stirring the chocolate paint, as i type with the other hand. If you're modelling ER 1953 (Coronation bunting on the station ?) you'd need one of the various Gresley diagrams. The only BR Mk1 catering cars by then were the three car RFO-RK-RSO and WR only two car RF-RSO sets. All the BR RB and RU types came later in the 1950s. Bob, looking forward to the G,GM,RV vent info. Cheers, Brian.

Many Thanks Bob, Beautifully explained. The graphics really are terrific. So on a shell vent, are the leaves or fins only attached at either end with slots between ? Or are the fins continuously joined to form a solid hemisphere (or half of a dome) ? Going way off the RB topic, did the hideous-looking early Mk2c G and GM square box vents and later RV type, still have the same internal arrangement as the earlier vents ? Cheers, Brian.

Thanks for that Bob, great graphics. I'm a bit confused, why do you call two of the dome shape vents "torpedo" ? What is the "torpedo" aspect about them ? To me, a torpedo vent (visually) has always been a diamond shape with pointy sides ! Is it something to do with it's internal shape ? I always thought the "ridge dome" was more common than the shell, until 1960 ? Lastly, those Dart Castings vents and sprues look very similar to Southern Pride's offering (or vice-versa). Coincidence or just two good representations ? Cheers, Brian.

Hello, someone's been studying Mk1 roof pics all of a sudden ! Yes, you're right about the shell vents on Mk1s Larry, they seem to have crept in between the regular ridge dome and the later scallop dome (the round blobby ones with the slot down the side, that also appeared on early Mk2 coaches). The shell type also seem to have been used as replacement spares through the years. Bob 65B Reid can probably give a better insight to all this. Add to this the different windows, interiors, V hangers and other u/f detail, then as you say the Mk1s become a potential minefield. But then again the various big four designs have familiar and uniform looks, then you start noticing all the little variations. Cheers, Brian.

Hi Craig and Dave, Here are some, hopefully, better pics of the Comet/Bachmann RB with the underframe the correct way around. Apart from chopping the ends off, the underframe is so far completely untouched and if you look carefully, will notice it is slightly bowed, from where Bachmann have glued in the u/f details. Also the body needs to be mounted properly and about half a mil higher, and the doorsteps repositioned. Quite right Craig, the position, type of and orientation of the V-hangers is a tricky subject and things started changing in the late 50s. With a few changes, the RU chassis should convert to the RB layout without much trouble. When i discover where i've put it, i should also be able to re-arrange the Bachmann interior to the new layout. Having chopped off the ends, i like to glue them to the roof, then complete the body box with the etched sides joined to the roof and rebated ends. The chassis and interior is removable, but held in with screws. Cheers, Brian. (Memo to myself: Don't take pics of cream coaches in front of a cream coloured building )

Thanks chaps, I had only plonked the cream body on it's chassis for a quick pic. I've only just noticed that it's on the wrong way around ( or arse-about-face to use the technical term ) ! Apart from details, there are a lot of similarities between the real RB and RU chassis, as you'll probably know. I even managed to re-use the roof parts from the original RU. Someone told me that the Bachmann RU roof details are slightly in the wrong place anyway (by one roof panel). Cheers, Brian.

Hi Everyone, One of the "Holy Grails" of BR modelling is to get a better quality Mk1 Restaurant Buffet (RB) car, which was a very useful and numerous type. Bachmann don't make one, Mainline did and Replica have carried on producing it in recent years. When the Mainline version appeared (nearly 30yrs ago ?) it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. It's still pretty good, but the windows aren't very flush and it doesn't match the Bachmann profile. Here are three different approaches to the problem. First, a straight out of the box Mainline blue-grey model with the original windows removed and replaced with Replica plug-in type. One problem here, Replica don't produce a 3' window, so the 4' version has to be cut down and trickier still, the window vanes have to be altered. Next comes a Mainline RB rebuilt with Comet brass sides. I did this one for a friend a couple of years ago, i think those ugly couplings got chopped off shortly afterwards. Lastly, the version i'm most pleased with, Comet sides on a Bachmann RU body and chassis. Using this body means it blends in nicely with other Bachmann Mk1s. Roof details and door steps have to be slightly relocated, but nothing too serious. This has started off in cream, so as to end up in WR choc/cream and create the Bristolian rake. Cheers, Brian.

I'm guessing, but THAT picture of the Western pulling the long rake of maroon Hawksworths, is probably where they've rounded up the late survivors into a uniform rake. This would avoid all the bother of using gangway adaptors when coupled to Mk1,LNER or SR stock, although it did still happen. By the date of the photograph the Collett stock would have mostly disappeared, leaving just Hawksworth and LMS Stanier style stock with British Standard gangways. Also, the Western Region would operate huge numbers of holiday specials during the summer, so this is probably a reserve rake for just that purpose. The rake shown may have been unique or perhaps there were a few like it, although it would not have been typical a few years earlier, when more of a mixture would be seen. Cheers, Brian.

Thanks to all for the words of encouragement about the curtains. Didn't anyone spot that the one with the yellow stripe now has the bodywork for a Slip coach ? (Or to be more precise a de-fitted ex-Slip coach). I haven't finished it yet, more work to do on the cab ends and i've now chopped out and re-positioned the battery boxes, ready for adding the vacuum reservoirs. It will be numbered as W7376W, which as far as i know, was the only one repainted from chocolate/cream to maroon and was used in the Banbury and Oxford areas in the early 60s. Cheers, Brian.

I've now altered the Hornby curtains another way, by just removing the outside half of each one. It's a clever piece of printing by Hornby, giving the illusion of folds, seems a shame to lose them. Original BCK above for comparison. Looks a bit different. Cheers, Brian.

Love the action shot of 7007 there Rob, especially the hissing steam. It looks like the train is approaching Nether Wallop Jct. in Somerset, circa 1957 i'd say. I've been busy aiming my binoculars at the computer screen, trying to work out what the fourth coach is ? Cheers, Brian.

Thanks for that Bernie, I never built one of the Mopoks, but i remember the kits, they were pretty good for their time, we are talking of nearly 40 years ago now. I should imagine they too were quite a tricky build, you had to join whitemetal ends to a rolled acetate bodyshell, then very carefully glue the printed sides to the acetate and add the cantrails in microstrip. If memory serves, the floor was a strip of wood, the associated A.B.S. BR Suburban kits had a folded tinplate floor instead. The printed sides of all the above gave very good flush glazing ! Cheers, Brian.

Hi Chris, Did the Mopok Dynamometer Car have the said slogan already applied to the choc/cream printed sides or did one apply a set of transfers ? I seem to recall Mopok transfer sheets in my distant memory. Suitable transfers for the above would be very handy right now, although any surviving Mopok (or MTK !) transfer sheets are probably a bit past it by now. Cheers, Brian.

Hi Norm, Yes they would, but not necessarily as a uniform train, more likely a 3 or 4 coach rake with a mixture of Hawksworth and various Collett types. The different designs were freely mixed up and regarded as interchangeable. A four car train could be BTK/TK/CK/BTK of whichever coach you fancy. Cheers, Brian.

Well one of them's a Red Kite. BK

Hi Everyone, Those curtains just had to go, here are a couple i've done so far. The BCK now has pale blue curtains in first-class, light grey for third/second-class. I've also changed the gangways and couplings. I'll do a write-up and more pics in the Scratching and Kite Building Section. Cheers, Brian.

Yes, printed sides do give a very flush effect, although in the case of Mk1s, they have the continuously curved side profile as modelled, but the glazing should be straight vertical panes, not curved as here. If anything, i'd say the printed sides were rather too flush, although the effect is improved if your model qualifies for external window frames. As i mention above, these two 1957 types were different again, they had a different profile/tumblehome, more like a DMU or Mk2 coach. From the waistline up, the body and glass should be straight, so the models are wrong on two counts. I'll cheat by reprofiling the ends. Neither 3083 nor 3084 had external window frames added. Cheers, Brian.

Apologies, i should have tagged the two photos clearly, although plenty of people seem to know which is which. The upper pic is E (later W)3083, with the multitude of windows and the one everyone's talking about. The lower pic is E (and also later W)3084, which is slightly less recognisable, having six seating bays with tables, bigger loos and quite distinctive luggage racks opposite. (The models don't carry numbers yet, since i plan to paint them blue/grey). There were 14 of the "1957 Prototypes", from 5 different builders, although 2 coaches were rebuilds from existing stock (source - Parkin). They were commissioned as what we would now call "concept" coaches, looking for new ideas to incorporate into later standard builds. Most lasted until the early 70s, most, but not all, were repainted blue-grey. Just recently, a colour picture of the Doncaster FK E13222 in blue-grey has been found in the new book "BR Diesels in the 60s and 70s" by Colin Maggs (Haynes). It was similar in appearance to 3084, but with compartments and the toilets and doors reversed. Many thanks to Robert C for adding the prototype info and to Paul B for the links to his photo collection. Eagle-eyed RMwebbers will notice that the models have the wrong tumblehome, but i can't change that. Cheers, Brian.

Hi Everyone, Following on from building the Southern Pride Sleeping Cars, here are the SP kits for the two contrasting Doncaster First Opens. Same plastic chassis and underframe, but these come with pre-coloured printed sides. I'm no longer a fan of the pre-printed format, they tend to have a rather bland finish and these kits have been sitting at the back of the cupboard for years, for that very reason. SP have released four other 1957 types in etched brass, but as far as i know, these two coaches have only been made as printed versions. As can be seen, i have built them up as per the instructions, although i have again changed the gangways. Having added door detail and scored the door lines, the plan now is to mask off the windows and paint them both blue-grey. It could be risky . . . . . Cheers, Brian.

Well i've bought two and i'm very pleased, both run beautifully and the shape and livery look good. It makes a nice change, since i have criticised other products before, well just a little bit. Still got to put the bits on mine, i like to put a thin wire bar coupling + cosmetic screw coupling on the front (to make it pretty)and a Bachmann coupling on the back for double-heading and auto-uncoupling. As PMP Paul suggested, when used in pairs, the short bonnet tended to usually lead, so that will be "the front" for me. I think the bogie sideframes could benefit from a splodge of black paint and then weathered, to bring out the detail. Cheers, Brian. (96.5% happy with this model )

Regarding the cranks, you can either use Pete's method of packing shims behind the cranks,although as he says, you'll have to grind down the back of the projecting crankpins. Or there's the way i did it, by fitting cut fibre washers to the crank axle, inside the frames, and carefully supergluing on the inner side of each. I actually used two cut washers either side, in case the glue seeped. Anybody else worked out another way of doing it, without taking the axles apart ? Whichever way, it stops the cranks from flailing around wildly and keeps the rods straighter. It should also be o.k. still on sharp curves. Is this the quick cure for Heljan ? Cheers, Brian.

I'm pleased to report that after a bit of chassis surgery, my Class 14 has settled down to be a nice smooth runner. I had to alter the depth of my rocker beam on the axle at the crank end, i'd made the loco ride slightly high at that end, all fixed now. Apart from improving pick-up, adhesion and stability, compensation should theorectically keep the wheels cleaner, with less arcing, now all wheels are always in contact with the track. Credit to Heljan, the motor and mechanism are lovely and quiet, perhaps the heavy castings have deadened the sound ? Paul, your loco must have the equivalent sideplay (or slop) as everyone else's, perhaps your pick-ups are tighter ? Now i've sorted the running, i can fit the brakeshoes and do the body mods. Perhaps it would be better to replace the handrails (mine were broken) with pins and metal strip. Looking at real pics, the handrails appear to be continuous around the ends, with no gaps. One other slight worry, i'm not sure how much strain those delicate coupling rods will take ? Cheers, Brian. (85% happy now)

I like the tail/side lights, not so keen on Heljan's headcode lights. To be fair, i haven't fitted the Class 14 headcodes yet, but on previous models their bulbs or LEDs seem to illuminate only the two centre characters. For this reason i ripped out the headcode lights on my Heljan Clayton and replaced them with wide angle white LEDs mounted directly on the chassis. Trouble is, there's a lot less room inside this Class 14, the whole thing is like a six-wheeled Rubik Cube ! Cheers, Brian.

Well i paid 115 quid, so i'm keeping my lights ! Thanks Trevor, for the motor access heads-up, it sounds even trickier than i thought, i will venture forward very carefully. Thanks also to Trevor and Coppercap for the "T" explanation, body hoisting does make sense. Come to think of it, i'm sure i've seen a pic of an 08 held up by a hook and chains this way. Cheers, Brian.

Looking forward to seeing the pics Trevor, would like to see how you get on. I want to keep my working tail-lights, they are one of the best things on this RTR model and look as though they could be easily broken. It will be far harder to fit working tail-lights on my other whitemetal one ! Fibre optics anyone ? Cheers, Brian.