Ken A.

Nice BR5 boiler, Loftie1966, that one was on the wish list for after the Standard No 2! Actually, that one is more accurate for the preiod that I model! Thanks for the tip regarding the firebox.

Okay, slight change of plan... If I'm going to bash the loco, why not have a go at bashing a dawing? So starting with C J Freezer's drawings of a Dean Single and an Atbara 4-4-0 and a few minutes' work produced the attached "drawing". I am not looking to produce a dead-scale model just something that looks the part. Besides the "Lord of the Isles" the firebox, cab and smoke box saddle will come from a Dapol "City of Truro" kit while the smokebox will come from a Dapol 61xx kit. Add a lengith of 20 mm plastic tube for the boiler and I'll have a No 2 boilered Dean Single (I hope!) Comments please?

Thanks, Clive.

Before I start to rebuild (bash) a very old Triang "Lord of the Isles" to the Parallel Number Two Standard boiler condition, I was wondering if anyone could supply me with a copy of a drawing? It's a relatively simple modification and I have a couple of good photos of 3027 "Worcester" with a Number Two boiler but prefer to work from drawings. And before the collectors stat to whinge - the model (which I obtained from ebay for less than £20) really is in very poor condition.

Hi, Just a belated question on the topic of GWR Shunter's Trucks. Does anyone know anything about the truck that was built for the Chelsea Basin LNW/GWR joint yard? It was an M4 built under lot No. L798 around 1914/15 and was un-numbered until 1951. I am particularly interested in this vehicle as I model a GWR/LNWR joint line set in the Great War period. So does anyone know anything about the livery or the lettering that it carried in its early days?

Does anyone know if any of the Midland Railway 3F's acquired belpair boilers before the grouping?

Does anyone know if Coopercraft is still in business/ The reason that I ask is that my wife placed an order with them well before Christmas (my Christmas present) and the payment was cleared. However the kit never arrived and when she emauiled them there was no response. So, has anyone had contact with them lately? Are they still around? All the best, Ken

Sorry for the long delay since the last entry. My computer died in June and I have only just obtained a replacement. In the meantime, work has carried on a pace with the new layout and the shed (20'x8') has been cleared, all traces of the old American layout have been cleared out, almost all stock has been disposed of and a start made on the new project. The layout will consist of a large through station (Netherton, Bilston Road), at one side of the oval with a fiddle yard on the other side of the shed. Directly in front of the fiddle yard is the GWR branch to Bear's End,the track for which has been laid as has the gin pit (Small Colliery) and the Coal Tar Distillery, both served by the branch. Enough point work has been obtained for me to begin laying the main station but work has been suspended because it is now too cold to work out in the shed for any length of time - yes it can get a bit chilly in Cornwall.. Photos will follow when my wife remembers where she has put the camera! In the meantime I am working on locos and rolling stock.

Does anyone know if there are drawings of the Midland Railway's Battery Electric Loco available anywhere?

Progress is slow, the track is down although the number of works sidings on left have been reduced to one. The main reason for the lack of progress has been the sheer amount of work required to dismantle/scrap the old American layout and the large volume of waste generated.Needless to say, I completely underestimated this! Besides laying the track, the construction of buildings is well under way. More later, Ken

Hi, can anyone give me a realistic estimate of the proportion of GWR coaches that were running in Lake livery in the 1915/1916 period? Specifically in the Blackcountry area.

Well, after dismissing your idea out of hand, it sort of niggled away in the back of what passes for my mind until itmanifested its self as the offering shown in Blog post (#4). You were right all along!

Well although I have been quiet for a couple of months after an initial frenetic burst of blogging, I haven't been idle. The main thing that your comments regarding my proposal for the first section of the new layout triggered was a complete and total rethink. (You know who you are!!!) And I must say, I am glad that I posted because my previous idea would not have fitted into the general scheme of things. Okay, I hear you ask, now what is he planning? The answer is simple - an industrial scene, what else. The tiny, 1' 3" by 4' baseboard has been constructed, complete with legs and I am about to begin work on the entirely fictitious (probably!) 'Dudley Coal Tar Distillers' which will fit perfectly into the general scheme of things; I even know where on the proposed layout it will fit. Why a Coal Tar Distillery? Well its a visually interesting industry with a range of different goods wagons required to service it and there is a war on after all, so its products will be very much in demand. The general schematic is attached and all comments are welcome.

You mentioned brass overlays for these coaches, do you know who made them? They are nice coaches, but I would need to repaint them in GWR lake livery for my layout... which would not work very well.

Thanks Mike, I'll take a good look tomorrow.