Barclay

Hi - Here's that MRN cover I referred to - have always loved that look, but never brave enough to try and paint it (it is a bit out of my period, that's my excuse!) I do have this mag but have copied this from one of @Ruston's posts as it's easier than rummaging through the loft. The orange dock shunter was inspired by this Hudswell Clarke I saw at Thomas Ward's yard in Silvertown in 1986: It's just a standard Tri-ang with Ultrascale EM wheels, and some extra handrails and new buffer beams: And the big one is a straightforward cut 'n' shut with some etched grilles, and scratchbuilt bogies with Athearn sideframes - nonsense but enjoyable nonsense! Mind you, if a dairy owned a loco., and it was visible to the public, I reckon there's every chance it would be white, and pretty immaculate, perhaps with red striped beams and a red stripe on the edge of the running plate? Would it look cool, or bonkers, or both? Not sure !

Haven't seen your Kingdom Kits Barclay mentioned for a while - was it OK? I ask merely as someone similarly afflicted!

I was scared off K's after building this 14XX at the age of about 14/15. It never ran properly, though there was a lot in inexperience involved! Left it at that for nearly 40 years, then came back with the Hudswell saddle tank (Ambis chassis); the Coal Tank (New etched chassis frames); and now the 1361 (CSP chassis). Time to give it a break when this one is finished!

Brassmasters sell an etch of replacement splashers which can be made up as the later pressed type or the earlier beaded type that most of the MR loco's had. They are also the correct size unlike the oversize Airfix or Bachmann ones. This is intended for the Bachmann loco and I don't know if the Airfix wheels would permit scale size splashers. For Boiler fittings and, perhaps, backplate too, you could try Alan Gibson.

This truly vile article had an overnight soak in white vinegar followed by a quick scrub with a toothbrush and Cif.

Not too much at all. There was a steam loco at Steel, Peach, and Tozer in ?? Rotherham?? that was on the cover of MRN in the early 60's in full black/yellow stripes - it looked amazing!

Thanks for that - so 1518 had the older simple wrap-over cab in 1947? Perfect!

I do like the older stuff! It's a rubbish picture but here's 47 003 running through Sheffield Midland in 1983:

Incidentally, I was doing a little research and discovered that only two appear to have made it to BR days (My layout is set in late 1947). I've seen photo's of 41518 and it has a more enclosed Midland style cab which it obviously acquired at some stage of its life. What about the other, 1523? Ideally I would build mine with the older wrap-around style, otherwise it's build a Midland cab for it!

If you like the idea of building things then please don't be put off the notion of building kits etc. Soldering brass and Nickel silver is as easy as falling off a log if you follow the basics: Clean the metal beforehand, use an appropriate flux and lowish melting point solder, such as 145 or 179, and use a clean iron. I would also urge you to consider EM or P4 on the basis that if you are building loco's and track yourself you might as well. EM in any case is as easy as finescale 00; P4 I've not done and suspect a little more finesse is required, but by no means unachievable. As others have said it needn't cost the earth, and unlike the large one-off cost of a pricey RTR loco the investment tends to be incremental. Stepping away from RTR track immediately makes you think in terms of more realistic radii and suddenly everything is looking so much better!

At least I'm not going mad, well I might be but not over that - Looking forward to seeing version 2 !

With the viaduct, the six rings of bricks on the inner edge of each arch would be headers wouldn't they, while on the model one they appear to be stretchers. I can't quite tell from your picture of the real thing a few pages ago but I think they are headers and must admit I've never seen bricks laid end to end in such a position.

I remember reading that one of the MSWJR Beyer Peacock 2-6-0s, knocking around the vicinity of Swindon in its final years, was used to deputise for a failed Castle on an express - not for very far I think! Given that this was in the vicinity of Swindon you'd think they might have had a more likely stand-in, but perhaps it was just in the right place at the right time.

I can't be accused of rushing this I know... To be honest modelling has taken something of a back seat this summer, but the points were all completed, and I am now laying the track starting from the pier where the Fairbanks-Morse stands idling in this picture. This has been an ideal loco for testing as it has no paint or detail to mess up. It's now time to stick down the diamond, then start at the other end and the tracks can meet in the middle. The carfloat bridge has also been timbered and the track laid on it. Yes, I know the loft needs tidying up. I would love a proper railway room in the house itself (maybe when we retire) but the downside would be I would have to keep it tidy!

Funny you should mention that - the loco is based on the premise that the Tri-ang dock shunter is Bagnall inspired, and Brush-Bagnall also built some Bo-Bo loco's for the Steel Company of Wales. They didn't look like this of course, but I think they should have !

They are great fun, and a hoot to drive - quite smooth but nearly supersonic! I meddled with this one a little: And with this one a lot !

You reminded me of my beloved Pentax SV, unused since before Lockdown - now to get some film. Having said that Digital is a thousand times easier for taking pictures of the train set.

Sounds too easy - build it in EM !

They are generally regarded as the earliest etched kits, first available in the late - 40's. They are rather different to a modern etched kit in that the brass is only etched from one side, so you have to cut the parts out. Serious model-making. I have a kit for the Armstrong Whitworth diesel in my stash to build one day. There was a feature in MRJ no.2 (Can scan it to you if it's of interest) and a build of the Armstrong Whitworth in MRJ Compendium no.1. About 10-15 years ago my work used to take me to Ipswich and as I was round the corner I just had to look for 50A Fore Street. It was an empty old shop as I recall that appeared so forgotten that it looked like it might not have been touched since Mr. Sayer and Mr. Chaplin (???) shut the door and walked away 60 years previously. As to the price of this kit, they can go for decent money because of the historical interest. Since we are talking about antique kits, anyone else built one by R. M. Evans? These are stamped brass, again from the late 40's. I believe this is the Martin Evans who would later become editor of the Model Engineer. I got this from ebay very cheaply some years ago. It needed quite a lot of extra parts...

Those motors (looks like a DS10 as others have said) are OK but they are high revving and really need gearing down to get a smooth response, which I suspect this gearbox doesn't do sufficiently. They also aren't that powerful and a largish white metal loco is probably putting quite a load on it. I would be inclined to withdraw the steel worm from the motor shaft (grub screw fitting) and see if the chassis rolls smoothly. If not try a dot of oil on the wheel bearings. Still no go? Check there's a small element of clearance where the coupling rods sit on the crankpins. They should be capable of being waggled back and forth very slightly. If the chassis can be made to roll smoothly there's no reason why it shouldn't be OK. The motor could be easily substituted with a slightly larger can motor (from ebay, or perhaps the 12/27 that Taff Vale models sell). These are slower revving and more powerful so would work much better with the gear train that is in the loco. Just some thoughts...

Tell me about it - I think I bought it around 1987, from The Engine Shed in Leytonstone High Road. The wheels are some sort of Mazac casting though the frames are actually brass. I do look at it from time to time, work out what would need to be replaced, and, as you say, put it back again...

I can't stop myself, I have a drawer full. They give me great comfort - sometimes I look at them and gloat. Please tell me this is normal?? 3 or 4 added since this photo 2-3 years ago, but one and a half built, so I'm only losing ground slowly!

I believe the asbestos is only in the resistance controllers, i.e. Clipper and Duette, because it is part of the resistance mat. I wouldn't want to take either of those apart for that reason, but I still use them for 16V AC for my layout.

I wouldn't worry about the slight colour difference, I'm sure that such variations existed due to weathering/time out of shops, etc. Am I right in thinking that 'Great Western' pre-dated the shirt button? If that's the case then it will have been a while since it was painted and even a clean loco ought to show some signs of fading and weathering in my view - the black would no longer be black, or shiny, and a gentle tone down wouldn't go amiss even for a well looked after engine. Did they have a polished brass safety valve and ring at the front of the boiler at the time (ever?). Just some thoughts from someone who doesn't know a lot about the GW - after all I managed to paint a 1946-built pannier in pre-1926 green, and couldn't bear to paint over the brass safety valve!!

I know exactly what you mean - primer/paint/hand paint the red bits/weathering - all these stages really need a decent gap between them but I always find myself taking shortcuts. For black paint I find the Halfords' rattle cans give an excellent finish, kept in the warm, and shaken very thoroughly first.