David_Belcher

As no. 2839, 'Norwich City' was originally 'Rendlesham Hall' until 1938* - in the words of Norwich's favourite fictional son, "they've rebadged it you fool!" David *Along with 'Tottenham Hotspur' (the plates for which appeared on 3 different locos of the class), the only Footballers not part of the actual Footballer batch.

Ingenious. I might have to come up with something along those lines. David

Hi all, So my almost-finished 00 layout has a sliding fiddle yard based on Wickes kitchen drawer runners and has 7 tracks on the moveable part. At the dead-end of the fixed bit there are 6 tracks for the sliding bit to line up with, and also 6 tracks at the end connecting with the main layout, of which 2 are running lines (the Up & Down main) and the rest holding sidings (see photo). Does anyone have a foolproof system for powering the moving and fixed parts from the Up or Down running line supplies (the main layout uses a twin controller with cab control) without short-circuits or simultaneous Up & Down inputs occurring? I'm thinking along the lines of something that allows either (a) a manoeuvre where a loco can run around its train to go back out or (b) simultaneous fiddle yard arrivals & departures. Thanks in advance, David

I did think that extra brake gear looked odd. Should do as a reference for the truss rodding though. David

By coincidence, over on Twitter, one of the railway-heavy accounts I follow posted a pic of a somewhat demoted 12wh Clayton-built Pullman brake of a similar type recently. I'll probably use it as a point of reference for some of the underframe details:

The Kenline tail lamps are very neat if you can get hold of them. I've used them on top of buffer stops in place of Peco's rather pallid efforts. David

Progress so far: GF bodies (poss. factory seconds?) with added Hornby LNER-type gangways. Brake underframe with Tri-ang details but no truss rodding yet. Hornby 6wh bogies for brake, Keen 4wh for kitchen. David

Sounds like tricky work...might be one for the New Year. I do need to pop a pic or two up of what's been done so far, although I've been a bit distracted by loco builds/repaints and the ICI hopper project. For the kitchen/parlour car I eventually managed to get hold of some Keen Systems bogie kits cheaply, which are easy to build and look ideal. The MJT white metal ones turned out to be cosmetic sideframes only, should have read the eBay listing properly. Oops. Still no idea what to do about glazing, might have to resort to old-fashioned recessed windows. David

Did anyone do British steam-outline models with cab glazing until the Trix LNER Pacifics came along?

I had a double-motored (extra power bogie nicked from a 125 power car) 24/1 years ago that was a Hornby conversion, but foolishly sold it as surplus to requirements!!

Currently starting a very quick repaint/detailing job on one of these to accompany my ICI bogie hoppers. For a model that's been around almost as long as me, it's not a bad body shell at all, moulded handrails and the usual Rovex painting/decal guide marks aside. The bodyside grilles are very well done in particular. Wire handrails have been fitted, paint/decals/varnish plus SE flush glazing and cab figures still to do. Will pop a photo up when done. David

I'll see how it runs first before making any tweaks.

...and here we are. The red backed plates (a ScR thing IIRC) definitely look better than the black ones, even if they aren't stainless steel like the real life 46249 had. David

Modifying RTR stuff and bashing/building kits is good fun and you do get the "I did that!" feeling of satisfaction. I have a thread on here about my Caprotti Black Five which ticks those very boxes. Plus, apart from 71000 I don't think *any* locos with that valve gear (ditto Lentz* & Reidinger for that matter) have ever been available off-the-shelf in 00 so kits and conversions are the only options? David *The Rovex D49 dropped a clanger here IIRC.

Is yours rewheeled as well? Mine has 26mm Romfords, recently added Markits balance weights which improves things no end. Just the varnishing, nameplates, cab windows & crew figures left to do now so expect photos of 46249 in a week or two... David

Ingenious. Reminds me of an old D. Fereday Glenn article in RM where he altered a couple of Dublo N2s to make ex-Rhymney and ex-LBSC 0-6-2Ts.

Weathered, just the dummy loads to go. Brake van (early Airfix, standing the test of time well) is coming along.

Oh, I nearly forgot the Mainline Peak which I put Jouef Class 40 bogies under to eliminate the worst feature of the Palitoy body shell, i.e. buffer beams in entirely the wrong place. David

The Peco/Rivarossi Jubilee lends itself to all kinds of clever N Gauge conversions (Black Fives, Rebuilt Patriot, Standard 5MT, etc., etc.). David

Amongst current stock, RTR conversions/bodges are: Caprotti Black Five as described here. The sausage van/Thompson BZ. Standard 5MT from a Mainline 4MT with altered details, Airfix 9F cab roof/side sheets, Tri-ang Britannia tender, powered by a reversed Dublo 4MT tank chassis adapted for a RG4 motor with Romford wheels and Rovex 9F cylinders/valve gear! Past efforts include a K3 on a doctored Tri-ang 3MT chassis with Footballer cylinders/gear underneath a Footballer running plate/cab with Hornby A1 boiler/smokebox sections plus Jamieson tender. I'm sure there are cheaper/easier routes to all of these but it is enormous fun. The modelling equivalent of a cryptic crossword. On the workbench for the future: Hornby Ivatt Mogul to be turned into its push-pull tank equivalent. David

The 6w BZ van behind it is an extreme piece of Rovex bashing - Thompson coach bits on a Palethorpes sausage van underframe!

The old Tri-ang 3MT tank slightly modified at the back and minus a pony truck. Airfix crossheads/slide bars in place of the coarser Rovex originals. Kept the original driving wheels, pony is a metal-tyred replacement. Tender wheels from a Mainline Standard 4MT. David

Thanks for the kind words. Your converted/kit-built ones look superb; in comparison mine is riddled with compromises & errors but has been a really fun exercise in RTR conversion from some models that have been around longer than I have!! I think my painting & lining skills are improving too, as this project and the motorised Airfix Mogul (attached) I built a few years before it turned out better than many of my steam models. David

Surprised nobody's yet done a RTR Caprotti Five. Too niche?

About 30 years ago or so, boxed (apparently shop surplus) Treble-O-Lectric Mk1 coaches and 24s kept showing up at toy fairs/model shops in the West Midlands. Maybe I should have taken the plunge or else persuaded Dad to give them a go on his N layout...