Hacksworth_Sidings

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/315314989138 For any TT collectors… A bit on the steep side, but a lovely conversion nonetheless.

It is only the starting price for the bid, and with how sought after the Dublo Bulleids are I can easily see it going up, maybe it was a case of “I have the body but no chassis, but I have the parts to make a new chassis, it’ll be a fun project to see what I can toss together”.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116153948886 This here’s interesting… Hornby Dublo West Country body, but it seems to have a heavily modified Triang chassis, the main drive wheels seem to be from the later Hornby release of the BoB, modified with extended crank pins on the centre driver, fitted to a B12/Scotsman chassis block. Front bogie wheels seem to have been externally sourced, but a very nice conversion and a testament to the skill of the modeller who made it regardless! Certainly not a “Britannia” as the listing states though…

I do have an Airfix Prairie, hardly run it though, I should check how well that handles my Triang layout now I’ve got everything pinned down and wiring sorted, my experience with Airfix’s RTR locos is iffy though, they often just tag along to the club with me since they’re some of the few I own which will actually run there! Really need to rewheel some Triang locos for club running…

I would, but I model primarily with stuff from the 1930s (if we’re talking Hornby Dublo’s original toolings, of course I own no prewar Dublo stock) up until the 1990s, a good chunk of newer models don’t much like my Triang track, newest model I have that takes it decently is an old Hornby Toby, but that has the chunky, unrealistic, standard 0-4-0 wheels, I know Dublo models are alright with series 3 track (and my dodgy trackwork), hence why I’d like a Dublo N2.

Slowly getting there… Need to source new steam pipes for the outside cylinders, glue the cab to the body (I currently have it sitting on the drawbar with blu tack holding it in place for photos), do all the necessary filling, then add the detail parts… I actually went and shaved off all the moulded details on the left side before I cut the body, so I’ll likely go through a few rounds of sanding, filling & priming to get the blemishes smooth, before I replicate those details on the correct side, alongside the fitting of things like the safety valve bonnet, steam pipes, etc. Having a professionally manufactured Castle model helps a lot, been using my recently acquired Wrenn castle a lot for reference as I have no access to my book of F. J. Roche’s drawings at the moment, they seem to be of similar length (though I won’t be surprised if mine ends up either too long or too short), the Hall cab seems to be a good stand-in for a Castle’s too, quite possibly the wrong shape and size though, I need to make the chimney taller so any recommendations for that will be greatly appreciated.

I’ve been meaning to get an N2 for a good while now… If R1 wheels are of similar or same diameter, I might use one of the two I’m buying from you for converting a 3 railer to 2…. The only drawback with the N2 chassis for the Prairie I can see is the gigantic motor, then again, the 6100s are rather large, still something to be mindful of.

Had this project in the works for a good while now, finally got some hacksaw blades and I’m far enough along to show off what I’ve been doing… I’ve mentioned this before on another thread, but I’ve always wondered what Triang’s “TT3” exclusive locos (Castle, Merchant, the two continental locos, Prairie) would look like if they made them for the OO range as well, obviously they didn’t have to do those models for OO (GraFar did a Prairie and a Merchant, Dublo produced a Castle), but I’ve always wondered what they’d look like if they were produced with the more toy like aesthetic Triang offered. With that out the way, I’ve begun a Princess to Castle conversion! Waiting for poly cement and Milliput to dry, but I’m utilising the boiler, smokebox, firebox and steam chest from the Princess, with the buffer beam, cab and tender from the Hall (a Lord Westwood in my case, which was in poor condition when I got it, so I’m on the hunt for another in good nick). I’ve split the Princess body into three segments (a shortened boiler & smokebox, firebox is the original length), pushed the front dip in the frames (and the two inside cylinders) further back so the smokebox overhangs the dip slightly, using the Hall’s buffer beam to extend the front (filling in with Milliput and strengthening with super glue), cab is from the Hall as well, correct length and size? Probably not, but you’ve gotta make do with what you have to hand, chassis is modified from a B12, bought it as just a chassis for a tenner, added cylinders and rods from a Princess. Still got plenty of work I need to do before she’s ready for paint, debating which Castle I actually label her as once she’s done… Do I go for one of the models Triang offered? Tintagel? Windsor? Or do I go for a preserved Castle? Thinking 7029 if I go for a preserved loco…

Been thinking more on this… Would a resin kit be doable? Make silicone casts from the supplied sprues, then cast new sprues out of resin, would get rid of all the prep work you need to do with 3D printing… Though I can already see them being expensive, given a real person would have to physically make the casts and mould the sprues, cure the resin, do any necessary cleanup, then ship them out, compared to digitally remaking the components and putting them on Shapeways, an on-demand 3D printing service, where all one would have to do is recreate the parts, prep them for printing, and let Shapeways (and the modeller) handle the rest. Just an idea, but one I don’t see being too viable… Maybe for something like replica body shells for older models it could be doable? But otherwise not much of a viable option.

Possibly a Rivarossi?

I forgot that thing existed… The livery the painter chose for the Dublo one seems more red than purple to me though!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/156166243218? I don’t remember the Deltics wearing red… Certainly an interesting repaint, could defo do with being reverted to BR green though…

Not what I had in mind… Certainly a good idea though.

Shared on eBay madness, but I feel like this’ll turn heads here… https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/196338478378? Motorised Crocodile kit!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/196338478378? Might be of interest to the Rosebud Kitmaster collectors here…