Ian Rathbone

When I built my ‘Greater Britain’ I used two MSC JH motors but when it was changed to DCC (the two big motors being too much for the average chip) I put in an ABC Offset motor and gear box with a Delrin drive. Only possible with no inside motion of course. Ian R

Multiply the prototype weight (in tons) by 0.435 to get the model weight in ounces. (It is coincidence that the factor is 0.435 and the scale 1:43.5). So a Jinty at 49 tons should weigh about 21 ounces. Ian R

The BR lining was not the same colour! BR Coronations had cream lining. LMS Coronations had red/gold/red lining. There are no transfers available for the latter. You will need some gold paint and red paint and three year’s practice with a ruling pen. Ian R

On the subject of transfers for the BR emblems I think the HMRS transfers are rather primitive, the Fox ones are far more detailed - and you get more time to position them. Conversely, if you model the areas of BR that used 10” numbers then I think the HMRS numbers are better as Fox’s figures are too fat, especially in 7mm. A couple of weeks ago I dug out a loco that I built back in 1976, which makes it 45 years old. It’s a Wills A3 for which I scratch built a chassis and used Jamieson valve gear. I can’t remember which paint I used but looking at it now it seems more Darlington than Doncaster. On my metre of track it ran well but it could do with a decent run somewhere, unfortunately LB is ruled out as it is EM gauge, (I built it while a member of the Market Deeping Club, which had a strong EM group). Ian R

Here’s one I built on commission some years ago, in fact the last 4mm loco I built. It from an ex K’s Milestone kit which went together quite well, and it ran well too. The Rocket behind is a motorised Airfix kit (kit 2/-, 10p in today’s money), which I built back in the 70s. Unfortunately, despite packing as much lead in as possible, it is too light to pull much. Ian R

A bit late to the party. City of Birmingham is the only locomotive left that carries BR ‘steam’ green, ie pre ‘64. However before it went into the museum BR Crewe touched up various parts of the engine and tender - using the green paint that was being used for diesels at the time. Ironically it is also now the only locomotive left that carries the diesel green. So, a double reason not to ‘restore’ it. Ian R

For most applications Humbrol 174 Signal Red is good for buffer beam red. However it is not suitable for GWR or early BR(W), for this you need China Red which is quite a browny red with a bit of a pink tinge. for that you need equal parts of Crimson Lake, Humbrol Tan (9) and Humbrol Bright Red (19). Ian R

The one thing that spoils an excellent build is the over thick boiler bands. A real life boiler band is about 2mm thick which, in 4mm scale, is 0.025 mm (or 1 thou in imperial). If your loco is to have a lined livery, the thickness of the transfer on its own is sufficient. If it is to be unlined then Scotch Magic Tape is the best solution, under a couple of layers of paint it is very stable. I model in 7mm scale and always use either a transfer or tape. This one, built by Steve Duckworth, is 4mm - Ian R

Tony, where is the Black 5 to run? The ‘MT’ classification was only used in Scotland. Best regards Ian

How about fictitious wagon or van liveries? Ian R

The best thing to do when faced with making a bend is to anneal the brass in the vicinity. I use a hob on the gas cooker and heat until the brass turns red. If you don’t have a gas cooker or blow lamp find a friend who has one or the other. Let the brass cool naturally then using a dowel or pencil or whatever (slightly smaller in diameter than the bend to be formed) gently form the bend, checking continually that it is at right angles to the edge and in the right place. Do not use pliers as, on annealed brass, your fingers, or a flat piece of wood on the outside of the bend, are sufficient. If the bend is in slightly the wrong place roll your former towards the true centre and continue bending, then gently straighten out the bit that is wrong. The annealed brass will harden off over time. Is this kit not part of the Ace range? Ian R

Two weeks after being bulled up for a Royal duty 30926 is showing signs of road dirt. On shed at 82G.

I used compasses running along the edge of boiler band, the point of the compasses replaced with a short length of 1mm brass wire. The wire follows the edge while the nib puts down a line at a set distance from it. It’s not an easy technique and the band needs to have a good clean edge. It works better if the boiler (and handrails) can be removed. I use the same method to line valance edges, wheels and buffer beams. Ian R

It was the only card loco I have painted. It came to me already painted so had been around for a bit. It needed lots of tlc but, of course, I couldn’t strip it, so lots of very gentle rubbing down was called for. As I recall its bodywork was very rigid so it had been built by someone who knew what they were doing but as it was ready painted I don’t know what pretreatment it had received in the way of shellac or primers. The splashers should have polished brass beading, something else that can’t be done in card, not on this engine anyway. A proper engine - again 7mm scale but live steam and scratch built. It has a pot boiler but can run for 20 minutes on one fill. The ornate lettering is a transfer, but because of the heat, I couldn’t use transfers for the boiler bands so the lines were ruled directly on to the bands. Ian R

An interesting L & Y High Flyer, 7mm scale built entirely from card apart from mechanical parts and a few castings. (Builder not known). I think the tiny tender looks silly. Ian R

Here’s a more workaday Z - On the topic of Thompson and the Great Northern rebuild, this is one I painted some years ago, I think Mike Edge built it. This is how it was originally turned out in dark blue , more GE than GN. I heard tales that there were plans to rebuild it to an A3 on Thompson’s departure but that was probably apocryphal. Re ‘Glastonbury Abbey’, on looking through my old spotting books a couple of years ago I found that I had actually cabbed the loco on a school trip to Stafford Road shed. Coming from murkier parts I had never seen so much green, copper and brass in one place. I cabbed Lode Star more recently while it was at Tyseley. Ian R

Talking of RODs, here’s one I painted fairly recently. Completely black all over, as sent to France, even with French style buffers. The only colour is the dirty pine floor of the cab. 7mm model built by Mike Edge. Ian R

Here’s another Paddlebox photo. Nine survived into BR days but only three were renumbered, 30446, 47 & 61. This is 30461 in an early BR livery with ‘British Railways’ in the Southern ‘sunshine’ letters. The H, R, S & T were transfers from the word ‘SOUTHERN’ while the remaining letters were hand painted to match. The BR number was on the front buffer beam and also on the back of the tender. This is Eastleigh, 19/8/50. The loco was withdrawn in 5/51.

Tony, it’s not the building, it’s the painting. Regards Ian

Surely a Jinty wouldn’t have both the LMS cartouche and the coat of arms. I would remove the coat of arms before anyone sees it... Thank you for the Gresley photos. Regards Ian R

Good morning Ian, Do you remember painting all those Pullman cars as well? Regards, Tony. Of course I can’t remember, it has to be 30 years ago. They must have done some miles! I haven’t built anything in 4mm scale for some years, my last being a commission for ‘Titfield Thunderbolt’ from a K’s Milestone kit, no less. This is my latest in 7mm - Working inside motion, compensated chassis and, whisper it quietly, DCC. I’ll get my coat. Ian R

My first post on this thread. I’ve just finished painting this A4 for Tony. It was originally built to work on the layout ‘Shap’ at the last Warley show hauling a steam excursion on an otherwise diesel railway. I painted it in LNER Blue, with o/h warning signs, as running in 1968, shown here on LB. However, Shap has been backdated so Sir Nigel became redundant, so Tony asked me to repaint it in BR green. I stripped the body paintwork and started again in LB era livery. It has been gently weathered to represent a cleanish ‘cared for’ engine. Hopefully Tony will take a better photo of it. Of course he will. Ian R

The ex GNR Atlantics are not the easiest loco to line out so well done. I generally add black to my white paint, one mustard spoon in a tinlet of white. It sounds a bit drastic but it works well in most scales. Another point is that for any livery that has lining on the wheel tyres go for something other than Romford/Markit. On the insulated wheels it is impossible to get the lining in the right place as the insulation lies exactly where the line should go. I haven’t modelled in 4mm for a long time so I don’t know what driving wheels are available, I’m guessing Ultrascale. it’s always good to hear that my book has made a difference, so keep up the good work. Ian R

What colour did you use for the white lining on the Atlantic? Ian R

It was my demo on the 0 Gauge virtual exhibition re preparing models for painting. Forget Maskol and similar products. Go to your local hardware shop and get Copydex in a small tube, it will last 3 weeks on the model before degrading, it creates good boundaries and is not affected by the thinners in enamel, acrylic or cellulose paints. Apply with a cocktail stick or worn out brush. Ian R