The Western Master

Precision paints do have a metropolitan maroon on their books but I do feel this is a somewhat darker shade of maroon than might be expected...

Has anyone mentioned Clive Foxell's layout of Rickmansworth? It featured in Railway Modeller July 2013 and featured a magnificent collection of rolling stock stock that covered periods from the 1930's to the present day. Unfortunately the collection was sold off piecemeal at auction 3 years ago (https://www.vectis.co.uk/model-train-sale_34?filter1=N+Gauge+Layout+Featured+in+the+Railway+Modeller+July+2013) but I have the Metropolitan Railway Pullman coach he modelled after a lucky Ebay win. Sadly Clive passed away not long after the layout was sold but his collection is out there scattered across the modelling community....

Well the first print came through last week. It looks great but there's a few elements that need remedial work such as thicker walls on the ends to make them more structurally sound. But as you can see, a lot of promise....

Thanks Roger, that'd be great

Greetings modellers While the dreadnoughts project plods away (see separate thread), I am thinking about traction. I have my metrovick bo-bo in the works but I'd love an E-class (Met 1 for those who do not know the Metropolitan railway locomotive classifications). Now to produce a model in N gauge leads me to 2 options 1) heavily modifying a Dapol M7 as done by the late Clive Foxell for his layout 'Rickmansworth' (see Railway Modeller, July 2013) or 2) producing a 3d printed body to fit the M7 chassis. In both cases, I think something besides photos will be needed to understand what needs to be done so the question is as follows. Is there any layout drawings for the E-class which can provide a simple frame of reference from which a 3d model might be created? As always, answers on a postcard please! Thanks Pete

Hi Jim As and when. Sorry I can't be more precise but we don't know if we'll need to modify the CAD. I expect delivery of my test print for the 1st class coach in about 10 days time. Unfortunately I'm away from home a lot with work at the moment so modelling is a slow burner but I will update when I have info.

Greetings modellers and Happy New Year Development is progressing as time allows. We are now at a stage where a test print can be ordered from Shapeways which I will do this week. In the meantime, please see the attached pictures. In case anyone wishes to know, the plan is to obtain couplings and buffers from a 3rd party (Graham Farish couplings and NGS buffers are currently the preferred option). I will also be deploying Peco bearings in the bogies to facilitate free running. Wheelsets will be Graham Farish spoked sets. I have tried printing some parts at work but unfortunately they do not have 0.2mm heads for the 3d printers which prevents the detail on the body coming out so I will defer to Shapeways for future prints. More updates will follow soon. Pete

V. nice. Money well spent I feel if the quality is this good at prototype stage...

There may be another set of CAD images before prototypes but I would suggest that, in a similar manner to other 3d prints, this is merely a base from which a modeller can detail as much or little as they like.

Yes this will be 3D printed. The decision was taken to produce new bogies because of the need to introduce the electrical pickup on the back bogie on the Brake 3rd's. I felt that producing a new bogie would look better than taking an existing bogie and fudging it through.

Yeah I have a set of etchings for a 1st class but when I worked out the amount of time involved in making a coach I suspected that a complete body that just need detailing and painting would be more efficient use of time.

A small project I've been working on in collaboration with Pegasus Designs. Prototypes should be in production in the next week or so..... CAD shown here is a first proof and there's a couple of changes to be added so please bear with.

Fair enough, always willing to stand corrected

Looking at it practically you need to approach TfL for one and be ensnared in a myriad of bureaucracy but this could be overcome.... More importantly, you'd need engagement from Bucks Railway Centre about the use of Met 1 as I think her boiler certificate expires in 2020. You might have more luck with getting Tyseley's L94 down there as she has all the necessary equipment (not sure about brakes) and is mainline ticketed. For a consideration you might even get both Tyseley panniers in maroon down to West Ruislip. However, as far as I know there are no brake vans which would be useful to have (unless someone can correct me!). I know 2 Ashford 20T are sat at Acton awaiting some love and care.... As always, finding funding is key but I don't see why you couldn't a run to Watford in principle...

Latest livery https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4347/36901700210_7b9278470c_b.jpg

In the grand scheme of things though, as stated elsewhere, knives are only part of the issue. As Night Train rightly said if someone wants to carry out a knife-related crime you can't stop them. What you can do is disillusion idiots who carry them for the 'look' about the true horrors of what happens when you get stabbed. There appears to be no coordinated prevention campaign for any of the major crime groups in this country. Anti-drug campaigns have been mis-managed since time in memorial, family planning campaigns have not prevented the UK from having one of the highest levels of teenage parenthood in Europe and driver safety campaigns don't appear to stop people being killed everyday by other people speeding or driving dangerously. And the reason is that it boils down to money. Like jjb1970 said, if it can be done cheaply the govt jumps on it otherwise they don't want to know.

Apparently the livery is being renewed this year ahead of the special trains being run in the summer.

Right modellers Contemplating kit bashing one of these using a Japanese Test Car loco kit which is a similar outline. However, out of academic interest I would be interested to know if any photos of either vehicle exist as a quick trawl of the internet produces nothing except this model built by Mike Taylor using the Radley Models kit. A history of the vehicles can by found in the LURS Journal ‘Underground News’, Issue 256, April 1983, Page 84, UNDERGROUND NETWORK No.2 by Piers Connor Interestingly, the District used two other electric locomotives for many years. They were numbered L8 and L9 and they were used to transport wheels between Acton Works and Ealing Common depot. They had begun life as battery locomotives in 1909, being built by W.R. Renshaw & Co. They had a cab at each end and a long covered section between for batteries. In 1924 the District decided to dispense with them for engineer s trains and use steam locomotives instead. Acton Works had just opened its new wheel shop and the newly redundant locos were converted specially to transport the wheels to Ealing, where the fitting to cars was carried out. The conversion was carried out in February and March 1924. They were withdrawn in 1969 and were broken up at Ealing Common by T.W. Ward in January 1970. L8 and L9 were not their original numbers. They were originally numbered 19A and 20A. They had replaced two earlier electric locos, 21A and 22A which were built in 1904 as 'breakdown and ballast’ locos. These were really actually flat cars on a pair of standard motor bogies with a cab at each end. They also had a pair of winches mounted behind each cab.

Hi Guys Things are a bit quiet on the modelling front right now as I've started a new job near Banbury. However, I'm still quietly working at stock for my eventual layout as the singular pannier tank I had before now has 2 brothers. One was a non-runner from DCC supplies but for £12.50, I think that's not bad. This will either be repaired if I can or the motor will be removed entirely for use in double headers. It is shortly to be dispatched to GC Loco weathering to be renumbered as I currently have two L97 locos. I'm tempted to have renumbered as L93 as I am a child of 1993 but we'll see... In other news, I picked up a LifeLike SW8 switcher from ebay which may become a second Metrovick Bo-Bo as time allows. Otherwise I'm stuck in the dilemma of how to get some Dreadnought coaches together for loco-hauled trains. The 3 options are; 1) Repaint Graham Farish suburban stock in brown with red ends on brake coaches with additional detailing as required (easy but I'd like something a bit more accurate) 2) Build Wolsey Works etches into model (only have 1 set and no experience of building brass kits, nevermind the fact that I have to find a lot of extra details as they are scratbuilding aids only) 3) Pluck up courage and learn how to 3d design and look at 3D prints.... Still, with 7 weeks of nothing interesting on telly to look forward too, I may find some extra time on my hands.... Happy modelling y'all... P.s. Facebook's 'On this day' feature brought up some photos I'd completley forgotten about from Acton Open Day 2013, celebrating 150 years of the underground. The layout is definitely London Road and I believe the 5 inch gauge may be connected to the work LTCambrian has previously done...

Thanks guys, cognitive dissonance dissipated!

Silly question but is Sarah owned by TfL or is it an 'arrangement'? She's not listed on the museum's collections list.... http://www.ltmcollection.org/vehicles/type/type.html?IXtype=110&_IXSESSION_=QmhX1LU51Qo

Won't be able to post photos for a bit as they are currently in safe storage following a change of location but I will conceed that the ride height is not great . The issue is trying to get them to rotate freely and sufficiently to tackle 1st radius while at the same time achieving realistic height which is not easy to do....

Hi Oliver I'm currently creating pseudo 1959 and 1938 sets with the corgi trains, and I woul dbe very interested to see how you link yours up, could you share some photos please? Thanks

Hi dluc I used Kato bogies. You can buy 3 pairs for around £12 on ebay including postage. They're probably not the most accurate but they are sufficiently low so that they do not look weird when on the track Hope this helps

I certainly like the idea of owning all 3 preserved examples in 3 different Liveries (i.e 6000 pre-war green, 6023 as preserved blue and 6024 in Br late crest). Now Farish have created the Castle and Dapol the Grange/Hall, it's the Top Link engine that's crying out for a contemporary standards model.