stanb

I was wondering about this: I've been trying to replace the split gears on a series 1 Heljan Hymek and 47 I inherited from my late father. Its been a complete comedy of errors. The Gauge master listing states 5GBP per pair, so I figured for 20 quid would be worth doing, rather than paying 60 for the Ultrascale replacements for all 4 bogies (which looking at their website today may not be available anyway). It took a while as they were out of stock, but eventually I got an email saying they were in, and was charged 11.32 ! A few days later I was recharged 31.32, the 11.32 being for postage to Australia - I'd been charged twice for postage!!!. A few weeks later, i received a small package from Gaugemaster, with only 4 gears, not the 4 Pairs as advertised on the website!! To make matters worse these were all original gears, some of which were already split, with the remainder showing fault lines . Needless to say these were sent back - another $25 postage! Eventually I received a refund for the 20 pounds I spent. so apart from the excess postage all was well. then a few months later I received an email saying the gears were available, and another package was on it way out. Knowing I had credit on the postage I expected to be charged another 20, which oddly enough never happened. 4 more new gears duly arrived... and were the wrong size!! I didn't bother sending these back as by this stage I am starting to get quite frustrated with Gaugemaster, their less than optimal service and a cost blowout for what should have been a simply repair. To add insult to injury, a few weeks ago I was charged another 12 pounds out of the blue without explanation, I sent an email querying this charge, but was ignored. I get that GM had no control over the replacement gears that Heljan sent, but overall with this experience I am unlikely to recommend or wish to have any business dealings with this company in the future

Another extended build addition to the locomotive fleet, a Midland 3F, built from an Alan Gibson/Maygib kit dating back to the early 80's, when the tender, and some body work was commenced. Now fitted with an 1833 driving through a slaters gearbox. She'll get sound as soon as I can arrange funds for it, and needs glazing /water glass fitted before she is properly complete (I'm thinking of seeing if I can make said glass from clear). I chose 43449 as she was fitted with a rivetted cab, and being allocated to Normanton for much of the 50's fits within my loose North Eastern/Yorkshire/Tyneside 1950's theme (not that its likely she ever encountered a GWR ROD, or my N9 in real life)

Nellie has her voice (youchoos G5 file) :) Testing at speed step 2, I'm impressed with the way the Zimo is handling the Portescap. A couple of minutes with a sanding disk fixed the issue with the lead driver https://youtu.be/o2h0YUjJHHM?si=ar-jQt4UEus3KlOx She still need to visit a coal stage but to all intents she is done

Fortunately being sprung means I can drop the wheels out without disturbing the quartering, but that is a solution I hadnt thought of. Might see what I can do today, thanks

And, more importantly, I successfully completed my first locomotive build: ex LNER N9 69429 built from an original O7 kit ( yes it is that old!) . To complete the model some parts were appropriated from a Connoisseur G5, and the chimney is an LG casting. I fitted her with slaters sprung hornblocks and with an RG7, she has power to spare. Testing with a temporary Lokpilot, she has to date managed 5 whitemetal ABS kitbuilt wagons without hesitation, and no doubt will handle a few more with ease. The only real issue I am having is the pickups on the lead driver not quite engaging the tyre of the original slaters press fit driver (they seem to be running on the demarcation of the spokes, which seems to be slightly proud of the tyre), so I may have to replace the plungers with wipers at some point

Its been a while since an update I see. Since my last update I've successfully weathered a few Dapol/Minverva RTR wagons

Thanks again, you piqued my curiosity, and I just put the callipers over the wheels. the drivers B2B are 29mm, the bogie 28, and the tender 28-29 .. with a distinct domed profile on their back face - I suspect that the models wheels were subject to some reprofiling to finescale standards at some point. Allen just replied, but can shed no light as to its origins, he certainly cannot recall any Kings being made by Steam Age, but it was a very long time ago, so not a definitive no, just a probably not Maybe it would be worth trying Wissendens, but again it would have been sold by them sometime during the 70's so a very very long shot!

Thankyou for that, I just received a reply from Mike green of the Bassett Lowke Society, who also suggested it may be a model sold by Steam Age after they licenced the Bassett Lowke name: He suggested they tended to put the B/L logo on any coarse scale models they sold, although I would have suggested this one has more of a "Universal" standard wheel ( a la Lima or rivarossi) . I tend to agree with you about the logo, it does seem like an addition does it not? It appears to be mostly constructed from Nickel Silver : Its definitely not tin plate ( not magnetic) , with a brass chassis, wheels are cast Iron, but Thankyou again, I will try the Ace Trains lead, It would be good to be able to state with certainty what it is

thanks Fred, that is a good lead. This one was actually 6000, King George V but if these were custom orders then it may be possible that differing names may have been available. Alternatively it may have been renumbered/name at a later stage. I've had a comment on the GOG forum that the motor is not a normal B/L type

I Need a little help working out the providence of a Bassett Lowke model of a GWR King class. This 3 rail but close to finescale model was bought by my late father in the early 80's for what was a sizable sum at the time. He partially stripped it, converted it to 2 rail, and left it partially stripped to superdetail it at some time. (he was going to rename/renumber it too. Of course that didn't happen and now I have it in my possession. I'm not sure that my construction skills would be up to restoring it properly anytime soon so may yet put her up for sale so I'm looking for more detail as to what it is A search of the interwwebby has not found a lot about its history, its clearly NOT a pre war Marklin build, there was a mention of Beeson building some models for B/L, but the model lacks the rivetted construction often associated with him. From an old Christies auction I did find a mention of a series of B/L kings being made in the mid to late 60's which seems very late in their history but not implausable: certainly the model was build to a very high, and fine standard, and the motor is fairly small for an earlier generation. the model clearly passed through Norman Wissenden at some stage ,although my memory (may be wrong) is that it was bought it locally (Australia) Can anyone shed some light on its origins?

And basically done, time to get the crews out of the pub...maybe they should be doing less drinking and a bit more cleaning .... There may have been an oops or two that may need revisiting.. be very care filling your bunkers with coal.. and diluted PVA.. they may not be watertight And looks like I'll be doing something else for a little bit... beats messing around washing a J94 with acetone.. (Still will but not this week)

ts been a while since an update ... been busy packaging up stuff and sending it out.. anyways I have managed to do some modelling: today I dropped a chip in the Ixion, only a lokpilot so she's mute.. for now. I will get a sound chip, soon, so she can make noises like her little (new) stable mate. Anyways decided it was time to make both a little less out of the box , so while I'm waiting for paint to dry heres what they look like for now (Yes the builders plate on the Hudswell is slightly skewed.. as is the name plate.. tho not quite as bad.. Cyano set before I could get it spot on 😒) Still got the windows masked btw, It will come off once weathering and varnishing has been finished.. they are much much too clean for my liking at present, but at least they dont have that almost garish red everywhere Also received the final 2 points needed to complete the trackwork on the shelf , point motors are on their way so wont be long before it all gets fixed down. so far runs ok, but the curved point in the foreground isnt proving a reliable contact, so the sooner I get the blades hardwired, and frog switched the better.. Ive also painted the foam core.. only had one cat walk over it while the paint was wet (the white one of course) so not a total disaster 😹

and just about done.. might throw another quick flat coat over them but otherwise ready for traffic

I have to admit, I've been procrastinating with the Mogos this week, somehow my newfound enthusiasm for etched brass was not matched by the thought of forming a rather thin sheet of plasticard for the roof. I also woosed out of the g43, bauxite she is... Anyway, roofs are done, not as good as I would have liked ( maybe if I get stuck with another van like this I may be more prototypical and do it out of strips), but here they are. Not looking forward to decals as I have to put MOGO on with individual letters.. Anyways while entertaining my procrastination, I was suitably entertained building something that resembles a shelf.. I Think Morning st yard might be an appropriate name for my new extended test track

I've been busy putting mostly books on ebay.. quite a slow process I've found, so little bit slower with the production this week, but the mogo's are ready for priming I'm toying with idea leaving the G43 in GWR grey (it would have been built post war, and I can assume the paint was quite good for a few years into the early 50's), and the G31 in bauxite, will see what they look like when primed. I've cut a couple of braces for the roofs, and will do them after painting, will be one less thing to mask