SR71

I find it incredible that 12mins after posting a picture from 1880's we can know pretty well what the engine is. Thanks!

Thanks, I've just been reading your 50550 thread and have another Dapol Austerity that is now probably going to go that way thanks to your inspiration. I think the terrier wheels for this could be a good halfway mark before I build a dedicated Chassis and they can then go into a 50550 of my own. Do you know if you have to keep Dapol with Dapol or could you put say a Hornby Terrier wheel set in a Dapol Austerity? For the cab I will probably repeat what I did for the front and infill with plasticard and then drill/cut the new shape then fill and sand. Unfortunately looking at it to take this picture you can see the left side and across the top has come adrift and needs reattaching and the joint filling/sanding again.

I thought the first photo in this report might inspire someone. Also there are some good views of temporary track further down. My skills aren't up to identifying the loco though! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-47238701

Index S E Finecast LBSCR D1 build: RTR bench; Welcome all, This should in theory probably be a blog but I don't like the dictatorial style and so prefer to have this as a thread where people can chip in and take it off at a tangent for as long as they wish. I noticed some others have done the same here so I hope that is ok. In going through my collection after many years of storage I've realised I have many projects - in common with most - that are 'restoration' jobs and that I can't hope to find time to do them all. There are also other projects I would like to take on that aren't even in the queue yet. I hope to use this thread to show some of the restorations and projects I am working on but also get some more information on the origins of projects that have come out of various junk boxes over the years. There might also be the 'beyond Barry' condition wrecks that are currently in deep storage but parts from which might help someone out, but that is for the future. For this first post i will start with a loco I can remember nothing about but would like to restore at some point. It seems to have been red and I have paint stripped it possibly...? From the wheels it is K's but it runs and seems far too detailed to be a K's kit. Beyond that i can't say any more about it. anyone recognise it?

I have attempted a chassis previously but I think I might do the body then have motivation to make a new chassis. Previously I got as far as motion and could not get it to run freely. Looking through some old catalogues I found online wheel options (if 4') are a bit limited that I can see. Either an Alan Gibson J69 or Markits L&Y 4' but neither are 13 spoke. That's good info though, I will look out the page you mention.

I was thinking that. Trying to work out if there are any 16mm wheels I could use. Yea, I have a feeling you are right but I'm trying not to notice... Not sure I'm up for stretched chassis and coupling rods...

Thank you. When I take apart I'll hopefully remember! It's the standard austerity tank cut back and then infilled with plasticard. The firebox is brass bent round and soldered to a backhead shaped piece of plate.

Hi, Rooting through my boxes of projects I came across this approximation of an RSH Ugly like those that ran at Corby which I quite fancy picking back up and finishing. Now I'm sure someone will tell me that since 2005 when it was last looked at there is now an RTR version, as seemingly there is with everything now, but assuming there is not... It's built on a Dapol austerity and has suffered a bit in storage the cab steps aren't meant to fold away! The sand boxes are wrong at the top and need some attention. For some reason I shortened the bunker but now can't find a prototype reference for this... The main question I have looking through reference photos on Flickr (credit David Cooke - I'm not sure how to post a link to his image without it appearing as an image here, so not intending to post without permission, please check his other photos they are great https://www.flickr.com/photos/60790501@N04/) is that the wheels seem further spread apart so smaller?... but then pictures of austerities also look like there is more clearance between the wheels...? Is it just the bigger flange profile on the model closing up the gap? I'm not aiming for P4 standards but something that is passable would be good!

I have quite a lot of airfix in one form or another as they get used as a source of parts if not built as intended. I'll start off with this though; The 04 is actually on a fleischmann 0-4-0 chassis because it was A cheap, B available, & C fitted. I guess the lorry should have been a Sentinel rather than Cooper Craft but I don't know where that is. Also I've just noticed the driver of the lorry hitching a ride.... not sure H&S would allow that now!

It took me a few visits to get through this thread so i may have forgotten but I don't remember seeing any mention of the Ro-Railer bus. I built this the first time when I was in my teens and it has since been pulled apart to be built again at some point. Primarily because whatever I did with it at the time it refused to run properly for more than 5mins. It is down the priorities list but I guess it will get a high level gearbox and motor in the floor at some point.

Ok well I'm not pushing the limits at all then! Good to see, thank you. As Gordon suggests I'll look at a longer wagon next as I have some cattle wagons somewhere that could do with some running.

Triang technically but I've definitely seen it under the Triang/Hornby banner; The giraffe car. Of the more modern stuff the Peckett because it's gotten me back interested after 10 years.

Well i tried 300mm radius and a both Hornby Peckett and Hattons Andrew Barclay coped with propelling without any signs of buffer lock. I'd say you could go tighter still. My Bachmann 2-8-0 wasn't so keen though

Ah, on PC I can find my older posts. Sorry for the late responses. Good thought but all the ones i can find are 9.5mm - well over 2' in diameter! Those look good - what diameter are they? Also i see the j94 parts you have and it has spurred me to dig out the RSH Ugly I was working on about 10 years ago as the lamps etc look ideal.

The kitmaster OO railway range went to airfix then to Dapol who still make a lot of the ones that weren't lost (in a fire I think?) today. I bought an L&Y pug as a present at Christmas.

I guess I could but I've never been that lucky with masking and what to do with the safety valves present an issue. As suggested I might get a citadel pot as a tester too.

Has anyone fitted larger buffers yet per some of the great prototype photos in this thread? Is there anything that will go into the molded stocks as a swap or would it need to be complete removal and fitment of Alan Gibson industrial buffers for example? I quite like the riveted on larger heads and guess a representation could be glued to the Hornby heads if you could make some suitably bowl shaped disks. Alas currently I can't think of a way to make identical pairs.

I'd say always remove transfers. Rather than t-cut (which is a polish) it is always best to try and lightly roughen the surface of the existing paint to give a key to the new paint. Normally you'd use a fine wet and dry paper but on rtr you will obliterate all the detail. As an alternative I've used a fibre glass brush all over to roughen the surface before painting. Finally wash the body several times to get rid of any grease before painting.

I started the lining out today and wanted to attempt having the dome cover red to match the lining. It's based on a tarmac livery in 'industrial steam' published by Ian Allen. I'm not going for an exact match I just want something similar. The pecket I'm referencing has a different dome and mechanical lubricator etc... And I don't want to get into that level of cutting about just yet.

Thanks for the responses. I'm glad it's not just me that feels that the paint changed, I didn't just get worse... I wanted to wait until I'd made a start before replying with a picture. It's been a while since I did any modelling and I feared I made be overreaching! I want to paint the dome on this Peckett. So it's a one shot deal to get it right unless i want to make a lot of work for myself... At the moment I'm thinking matt paint and then satin varnish...? I will eventually weather but I'd rather not have to go full end of steam to hid my sins. Excuse the photo quality, it's just on my phone as my SLR is packed away.

Thanks all, I will decide on a kit to try and be sure to post back on my progress. I am most definitely encouraged by your responses.

That station looks great Captainalbino. I think I'm going to have to get a kit or two to experiment with.

Depending on what the original builder used on occasion I have released old contact adhesive with immersion in hot water and other times model strip (is that still available?). Whatever you try will inevitably soften the plastic for a time so it will mark easily. The previous posters are right however, if solvent has been used well you are best off trying to dismantle as little as possible and accepting that it might well crack as you go.

Hi, When I served my modelling apprenticeship I got to the point where I could almost paint as well as spray with tins of Humbrol. Then in the late 90's they changed the mixture and I couldn't get decent results thereafter. The smell also changed to be more like soap than enamel paint - not anywhere as near as satisfying! I have dabbled in recent years and had success with Tamiya paints but they only do Gloss and Matt as far as I can see so I'm still stuck for Satin. As a test I bought Humbrol 174 & Revell 330. While Revell was better they both had the same issues that I remember. They brush mark very easily, even if you apply it like icing, and if you do get a decent thin coat the surface tension seems to pull it into pools as it drys. This is apparent on the photos below on my phone but not PC, hopefully they come out on your screen! The loco body is out the scrap bin and intended to be a tough test being black under red. Both sides had some plastic showing as well as part that was painted Matt black. I thought the Matt might act as a primer but there was no noticeable difference... Of course i can do a second coat but the lumps and bumps of the first coat pooling keeping showing through. Why do I want to brush not spray? I have an area that is going to be impossible to mask so a small accent application would become a full respray to end up back where I started, almost. Thanks for any thoughts!

Hi, I am sure these have been discussed on here before but I've searched multiple combinations of wording and found nothing. Has anyone built any of the multitude of fiber board kits that are on eBay these days? A few example links below. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BS001-Bus-Station-OO-Gauge-Model-Laser-Cut-Kit/111602740018?hash=item19fc0aab32 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Coal-Order-Office-Railway-Model-OO-Gauge-1-76-Scale-Wooden-Kit/322544603964?epid=2298937485&hash=item4b1928133c:g:gRAAAOSwvNVcN1k9:rk:3:pf:1&frcectupt=true I like the idea of wooden buildings being wood but will it work for masonry? Also what it is the relief like, a step up from superquick or more towards a Dapol (Airfix) engine shed? I'm not so interested in the nitty gritty of who's kits require 6 arms and skyhooks to build but what can/has been done with these? Thanks,