Wagonmaster

The Class 303's have more of a First Generation dmu type profile, definitely not Mk.I. Rather than a curve from cant rail to solebar, they have a pronounced tumblehome near the bottom. Not sure what you could use really. Wouldn't have thought a Trans Pennine Class 124 was suitable? Emu's with Mk.I profile cars are Class 302, 304, 305, 307, 308 and 309.

Thank you Michael for confirming the lighting layout. As I said, I'm aware they were not used, but I would just like to have them displaying correctly if I can. The model is a bit disappointing and I only really had it as I thought it would save me time on building your excellent looking kit. In the event, I shall probably end up building your kit anyway now.

Just trying make sense out of the lighting arrangements which are clearly not right. There should be four white lights on the front, top centre and three along the bottom. There is also one red tail light somewhere near the middle bottom. Would I be right in assuming that the bottom row centre white light is directly below the top centre white light and the the red tail light is the offset one? I know the Fell didn't really use the electric lights but used discs or oil lamps, but iit would be nice to have them displaying correctly. I can always turn them off!

A bit late to this thread, but brought back quite a few memories of 'building' some of them. I had a go at the Class 17 without success. The Class 59 actually turned out quite well, but weighed ton. The Bristol Railbus and Class 140 are some that I still run and do actually resemble the prototype, quite well in fact. Colin did some Irish stuff and I certainly remember his 071 Class, B121, B141 and B181 classes i didn't buy any, but opted for the Modern Irish Railways kits instead running on Athearn chassis. It might have already been posted, but does anyone have a list of what Colon made in 4mm scale. A scan would be great if available.

I totally accept and agree with your comments Michael. It was really just an exercise in getting what is supplied on the model to work correctly, and to try and make sense of what is supplied!.

Although my Fell had arrived a while ago, I didn't take an in depth look at it until the DCC decoder had arrived. Well, a bit disappointing and not the definitive model I was hoping for. Might end up building the Judith Edge one anyway. However, the short comings have been covered here already, but just a few observations with my black liveried version. Nearly all he pick ups needed adjusting. Having done this, the loco was still a bit hesitant. So that done, the lights and direction were wrong. Red tail lights on moving forward, whites on moving in reverse. Investigation revealed that the motor feed wires had been swspped around, hence wrong lights for the direction of travel. Also, the black wire was half hanging out out the plug, hence the hesitant running. With this corrected, the loco ran much better and the correct lights showing. I had fitted a 6 function decoder, so now had lights on f0, one cab light on f1 and the other cab light on f2. Pressing f3 put an additional pair white lights on at solebar level at one end, f4 doing the same at the other. These were not directionally controlled, but easily fixed by reprogramming the decoder. But what are these light supposed to be? They don't really conform to any head code indication. So, just a few observations. A pity you have to 'fix' a brand new loco before you can use it!

Thanks for posting this photo. I'd not seen this one and it does show the loco from a higher angle. Does it help though? You can certainly see the green to black demarcation above the cab windows, but elsewhere it is less clear. It does rather look that the black above the cab windows is just a strip and doesn't cover the entire cab roof, like the Olivia's version. But I wouldn't like to say about the rest of the roof. I don't think it's black as you can see a transition on the cab roof, but is it green? The loco had been modified by this stage as well as renumbered.

This is the main photograph I've been working off. No.6701 is as built here and I believe this is the works photo taken at Doncaster in 1939. You can see a definite difference between the green and black above the cab front and side windows. There isn't such a marked difference in the central body section which leads me to think the roof is green here. Pleased you like it though

Yes, I did look at this version. However, I don't think it is a Heljan product, but something Olivia's Trains have produced. None of the photographs I have seen so far show the locomotive from above, only from ground or platform level. As such, it would be very difficult to say whether this is right or wrong as it cannot be proven either way! It would be interesting to find out what evidence they have for this though. Incidentally, Olivia's version also has a green central roof section. Do they know something we don't?

I take on board your comments and did consider how to treat the roof before I commenced painting. The model is supposed to represent No.6701 as it left the works in pristine condition, i.e no grime on the roof. I had also looked at as many photographs of it as I could track down to see what was going on with the roof. To me, they all seem to show a green central roof. I could not make out any distinct difference in shade to indicate a different colour. I could be wrong here, but if any definitive evidence shows a black/grey central roof section, then I will be more than happy to repaint it.

I was waiting for someone to point this out. I haven't been able to find any written details or colour photographs to confirm the livery either. I worked off the Works photo, it's a three quarter view with the nearest pantograph down (I can forward a copy if you like). If you look closely, you will see that there is no change in shade or finish between the bodysides and central roof section. There is a change on the cab roof though. Some later photographs taken in The Netherlands as No.6000 also show the same effect. If the central section waa black/grey, I would have expected to see some tonal change at cantrail level, but there isn't one. A little trick I did with the computer was to try colourising the monochrome image. This also showed the central section as green. For what it's worth, I also noticed that the Olivia's Trains version has the green roof. They also have a different cab roof colour arrangement. This doesn't prove anything of course, but maybe they know something? I agree it looks odd, but is that because we are so used to seeing grey roofs?

Well I have finally finished No.6701, aka 'Tommy'. It's taken a while and not the easiest kit I've ever built, not helped by not having any instructions. My thanks to those on here that have helped. It is fitted with dcc and has been chuntering around the layout. Must get some OHLE installed! Hope you like it.

Although not completely relevant to this thread, the obvious class in need of tinted windows are the Class 52 Westerns!

Seems like we need a full range at once! Years ago, we modern image modellers only had a shunter and classes 31, 35, 37, 77 and 81 from Tri-ang Hornby for quite a few years. I would throw in a Class 47, but the myriad variations over their life could be a problem. A Class 57 would be a logical follow on. The other, for me, would be a Class 25. It will be very interesting to see how this develops.

I see the nose grille arrangements are different between the black and green liveried versions. Or are we just looking at two different sides? Find out soon I guess!

Ah, that was it. Thanks

Is it me or was there a cryptic comment from Rapido a while ago about a new scale/gauge combination? I wonder now if they were they hinting at TT120?

A bit more progress applying the transfers. This is a long, fiddly job especially trying to get them to sit right. Below is a photograph on my workbench showing how far I've got. I may need to redo some of them.

I didn't build the motor bogie quite as supplied. I used some Romford 16mm spoked tender wheels. These are on 2mm axles whereas the etch has holes for 1/8th axles. I fitted the 1/8th bearings, then used 1/8th to 2mm reducing bushes. The motor is a Mashima 1426 double ended type. Attached to this are some 33:1 gears that have 2mm spur gears to fit on the axles. These parts came from Branchlines. The folding flap motor mounts are in the wrong position for this combination and were removed and repositioned slightly lower down. There is a bit of trial and error here to get the gear mesh correct. Easy enough if you only tack solder the mounts. When happy with the meshing you can fully solder the mounts to the frames. Pick ups are phosphor bronze strip shaped and soldered to pieces of pcb sleeper that are glued to the central outrigger. I hope this makes sense and that it might be of some help. Below is a photo that might explain it better.

I didn't find the etches overly thin. Maybe the 'Tommy' etch is a little thicker than the standard 76? I did re-enforce the body a bit inside though. You are right in saying the parts are not a great fit. I had to bodge a few things and use filler. As I mentioned in an earlier post, this wasn't easy as there weren't any instructions! I have used the supplied kit chassis. I couldn't find anything else with the correct wheelbase. This was a fiddle too, but now seems to run well enough. I'm now at the lining out stage, but struggling to work out how to put the circular lining around the marker lights! I think persistence is the key, just keep having a go now and again!

A little more progress on 'Tommy'. I have now painted it in the main colours of Doncaster Green and black cab roofs. I have seen the odd model in LNER livery having an all black roof. I have looked very hard at various photographs and do not see any evidence for this. Photographs show black cab roofs, but if you look closely, there does not appear to be any tonal difference between the body sides and the central roof section, apart from lighting. I haven't come across any colour pictures and I doubt if any exist to prove this. Now, am I right in thinking this, or does anyone have any evidence to prove otherwise? I'd love to hear from you if you do! It looks a little drab at the moment, but as I move on to some of the painted detailing, lining and numbers, I think it will look better.

Although I have been side tracked with ED1 and 'Tommy', a small amount of work has been carried out on the Class 123. I decided to use a Replica Railways motorised chassis I had to power this unit. The chassis is under one of the centre cars, where I figured it would be less noticeable. I had earmarked this chassis for something else and the wheels were too large. A call to Replica saw a set of replacement 12mm in the post. However, when I came to fit couplings to all the cars, I noticed a big mismatch in ride heights. The motorised car being a good few millimetres higher. Quite obvious as the yellow lining didn't follow through! After a bit of head scratching, I have decided to replace all the bogies with Southern Pride ones so that I can adjust the ride heights easily. I will now have to get a set of B4 and B5 sideframes. The headcode lighting has now been fitted, but the trailer cars still need their underframe detail. More progress reports in due course

Slow progress with ED10. Having now got a few photos of it in original condition, I have made a start. The body is basically complete, but it is apparent that I will need a new footplate as the 3ft gauge version is quite different from the Standard gauge footplate. I will have to make this from some 15 thou brass sheet.

More progress on my MSL Kit of 'Tommy'. With a bit of help from RMWeb, I have managed to complete the body and a running chassis. All the more tricky without any instructions! 'Tommy' is now in primer awaiting its coat of Doncaster Green paint. The chassis needs more attention to the bogies. It is slowly getting there!

I don't have an Olivias Trains version, but I did build the Silver Fox kit many years ago. It is a resin body with moulded grilles. I replaced the moulded grilles with some see through etched brass grilles that used to be available from A1 Models. I would say it was good for its time and stands up reasonably well today. However, it probably isn't as good as a modern production model would be. A good substitute if the Rails/Accurascale model doesn't happen.