russell price

What are the main issues with the OR Dean Goods?I have a DC one which runs sweetly except that it starts off almost flat out. i put this down t the ancient Duette or am i blaming the wrong kit? There is also the lack of pulling power but i think a bit of weight may help.

I recently bought from a trade stand a Hornby R300 pannier the last painted version sold alongside the 2721. I had one years ago which got worked up and still lives on the fleet. This one was boxed and in tidy looking condition. I paid the grand sum of £3 for it thinking it was worth a punt. Got home put it on the layout , flash from rear driving wheel and a dead short, so guessed correctly there would be a track pin stuck to the chassis magnet!!! Removed pin and a super runner appeared!!! It crawls along as good as any new stuff. It will do for sons railway if nowt else.

Well done, I have suffered from Plantar fascitis and it was bad enough just getting downstairs let alone a marathon!!

Wow i bought a nicely built and running SEF Q1 recently for £ 39 bargain of the year, cant justify it on the layout but what a beast. Beats a Hornby any day.

Thank you for the advice about the J25, Your loco looks absolutely super. Sorted the 1076 Saddle tank this evening ,it was a bent axle where the 10 BA extensions are, so ive replaced the axle and now it runs sweetly. Yes M&L kits are usually very good to assemble, this one wasnt an M&L issue. On the etched construction front ihave a DJH 8F to build which the tender is mainly etched construction so will have a go at that first. Its modern tab and slot assembly.

I maybe should go on a course, ive been building loco kits since i was in school doing them how ive learnt, mainly from my own mistakes , however ive learnt a lot from various threads including this one, It is good to see how others do it, and tackle the same problems. My metro awaits the donor 1854 bunker to appear before the bodywork can be finished, the chassis is built and runs, but ive not yet done any brake gear, i think it should be run in plenty before details like brakes are added or any painting done. Ive got a M&L 1076 saddle tank giving me a few headaches at the moment. All is fine until i fit the outside cranks and rods, i think one of the extended axles may be bent. As for the brass kits i suspect the Stella as a modern kit may be the place to start, or the LRM J25 which looks a simple prototype. Ive been following a thread on LNER locos too where it is suggested the J25 may be an older inherited kit in the LRM range. The western borrowed some J25s so i can justify one on Welshpool as they worked over the Cambrian during the war>

I saw that if it was the one on the auction site,Im ready to have a go at etched kit construction too, although with a choice of kits from the stash i would like a bit of advice on which may be the best to start off with. I have a Mallard Barnum, a Brassmasters Stella, Agnoria Gw 813, London Road J25 or a Falcon Brass Dukedog which i think is best left until ive done a couple!

Does anyone know if the water tanks were in the cab over the rear wheels ?

Thanks @Andy Keane. I have tonight got a running chassis which moves under its own power. I’ve still got some tidying up to do and tweak the pick ups. No 617 has also received as bit of surgery to the bodywork. The little drill with a sawdisc soon saw off the collett bunker ready for reuse on a 1854 Pannier!! I have leads on a cheap 1854 for the required parts to fit to 617. In the meantime I can still sort out the cab and how best to sort it . I’ve still to do all the brake rigging yet but wasn’t doing that until I have a good running chassis.

Just been to have a look and yes it does foul the wheels. Dragster Metro!! I think the idea of making splashes might be the best idea. With an open back the cab detail is on full display. Hopefully I can do something with it.

@Andy Keane That really looks good now. Yes I was going to drop the cab floor as the motor sits just ahead of the backplate. The etches in the chassis kit provide the new cab floor. If I get into the railway room tonight then I will try and get the chassis running.

Excellent, Thank you.

Tonight has seen the pick ups assembled and the final motor position decided. It could drive either axle but I’ve decided to drive the front axle. This minimises the intrusion into the cab, which will be an open cab. I’ve been comparing the metro tank to my ancient Wills 1854 pannier which shows similar construction at the bunker end. It looks straightforward enough to fit an 1854 bunker with modifications to the Metro. This means that I will build 617. If I buy another old wills pannier that could be built up with the Collet bunker off the metro. This should make an interesting loco a bit different to the norm.

Whilst I’m still deciding its identity, I have tonight assembled the chassis frame. Attached the power leads to the motor and made up the pick ups ready to assemble to the chassis, hoping to have a running chassis soon.

Seeing that photo blown up on the computer it does confirm the Belpaire Boiler, As you say the photo dates from later on. Im leaning toward building 617 in that condition which is either just before or just after its time at Aber. The Mods to the bunker and adding the spectacle plate would give me a loco a bit different. Ive got that confused by all the mods.I had only seen that photo in RCTS in a much smaller format. Thank You for your input, it has helped with a decision on the prototype.

I have just managed to establish that 617 gained a B4 boiler in 1911, so i guess that helps. The picture of 617 in RCTS we now know to be pre 1911. Wonder if it gained a full cab and or Swindon bunker? I suppose the final period is represented by the kit in the Final form that many of the class were rebuilt into, ie Swindon bunker, full cab and belpaire boiler! ive now found my copy of RCTS 4 coupled tanks which is very useful. So its looking like 617 is a contender for a prototype, which helps as it spent short while in the Central Wales Division , i believe shedded at Aberystwyth.

Tell me about it!!!, partly why the kit hasnt been built before or knowing exactly what the kit represents, It appears to represent a Metro in the final few years of their operation. I need to see if 617 carried a Belpaire firebox too before i go much further! The Wolverhampton Bunker wont be a problem to replicate. My Model of BCR No1 has a Wolverhampton bunker fitted, using old Cotswold parts, instead of the Swindon type fitted to the McGowan Kit and the Metro.

Loosely assembled, it will be losing the full cab I think and will probably be put into early livery.

Loosely assembled, it will be losing the full cab I think and will probably be put into early livery.

Thanks for the replies, regarding the front fixing, been busy in the railway room, metro body built up into 3 main assemblies to be fitted together after the chassis is assembled. I’ve punched all the rivets through and had a dry run. Also assembled the cab on my DJH 1366. This is a loco I originally built when I was in school!!!

thank you, i will solder the nuts in as per the original instructions, My kit is i would think about the late 70s or early 80s. It is fairly well cast and should i hope go together fairly well, still not decided on an actual loco yet as they werent really Central Wales Division locos, 617 was on the division for a while but i suspect was by then rebuilt to a large Metro. If anyone could confirm that then it would be appreciated. Im tempted to build it as an early condition open cab example.

Ive been in the railway shed tonight and been cleaning up the Metro, ready to assemble, Without the kit to hand, can anyone tell me if the etched chassis uses both of the original mounting points in the body?

Good to see the metros in the final stages, I still need some enthusiasm to start mine!! Mind the motor and gearbox are assembled. That said I’ve been working on a Cotswold 4700 from the half finished pile. No 4700 now trundles around the layout happily. The body is still to assemble.

I don’t have any photos , however it is featured on the club’s Facebook page. It was a decent size too.