Firecrest

Here's one that's lurking in some allotments in Shirebrook… still some faint traces of bauxite

Oddly enough these are both the ancient tender driven version. The Hornby one is 40634 (not 40685... oops!). One example is that the Mainline one has a metal chimney (with capuchon), while the Hornby has a much cheaper looking moulded version... I was just idly wondering really On a different tack (but still 2P related), you may be interested by a small project I did earlier this year - taking the Triang/Hornby '2P' (L1 really) and trying to turn it into something 2P-related. Only afterwards did I realise that the lettering etc should have been straw not white... still, bearing in mind the fact that both it, and the tender, were utterly trashed when I started, I'm happy (rather my father is), with the result. Just don't look too hard... if you want to see what it was like beforehand, simply Google 2P 690 Triang for an idea... pretty much everything was replaced! I drew the line at the incorrect cab windows though... anyway, laugh as you may. At least what I'm working on now started life as a 2P!

Now that sounds like a day out in heaven Ian... all interesting stuff. Serendipitous timing too, as when I read this last night, I'd just downed tools on one of your 'Basic' wagon kits (RCH) from ages past. I have to say the use of caramac coloured plastic can be very disconcerting as I have a strong temptation to nibble at it, but it's building up nicely! This is nice, and very helpful thank you. I think I'll go with the white adornments as this is later than the first image I put up, and it does figure that any paint would have suffered and faded in the interim. This is also handy in that it shows the white edging to the number itself - a feature which I've already got. Dammit! Me and my big mouth... yes, Hitchin has a rather good model railway bits and bobs stall present most Fridays. It's a bit hit and miss (pricing mainly), but you can get the occasional bargain, and certainly kits are well-priced. The 2P in question was been stripped of all identity and treated to some fascinating green and red weathering and as a final conundrum, it had been fitted with a Mainline Collett tender that had shims inserted inside to make sure it did fit! I felt a bit sorry for it, and because I have a fetish for 2Ps saved it from purgatory. Thanks everyone else for the input... GC, you're right about the RCTS archive. I scrolled along a bit further and found this https://rcts.zenfolio.com/steam-lmsr/london-midland-scottish-railway/2p-fowler-4-4-0/hA88C72FF#ha88c9383 Best as ever, Chris

That’s a fair point, and I’ll bow to your superior knowledge on the subject. Personally, I’d rather have a 2P in existence with wheels not best suited to 25mph running than none at all.

Again, thank you - that’s much appreciated. It certainly does look from the image you’ve supplied that there’s traces of white paint. I’ll mask off the hinges later. Such a shame that no 2Ps got saved, they’d have been the perfect size for many of the preserved lines out there

The nose end of 131 is quite intriguing - seems to have had a pair of nose end doors from a disc fitted loco added at some point - note the holes for the marker lights... 127 was the same but kept the discs

Ah thank you - very helpful link. It’s a good look I think too... will certainly brighten up the front end a touch

Hi all, Supremely niche question here but... I'm just working on a rebuild of a Mainline 2P (discovered looking very sad for itself on Hitchin market) and am going to finish it as 40621, which was allocated to 67A Corkerhill. I've seen a few pics of it on the scrapline at 67A after withdrawal and in some it looks as though it had its smokebox door hinges and handrail lined out in white, as seemed to be the case with some of the 2Ps up there. However, I'm not sure that my mind is playing tricks (probably)… is there (anywhere) a list of 2Ps that were treated as such, and putting the links to the two pics of it I've seen at 67A, what does everyone else think? https://www.rail-online.co.uk/p1007954498/hC568A443#hc568a443 - from the Rail Online site https://www.derbysulzers.com/snow.html from the rather excellent Derby Sulzers site As I said, it could be the vagaries of old negatives, but I'd be interested in opinions. Finally, just as a matter of interest, the body of the Mainline 2P that's being fettled and a much later Hornby version (40685) that's next in the queue seem different - I thought it was the same Airfix/Mainline/Dapol/Hornby mould? There's definite differences in the whistles, reverser and chimney for a start... has Hornby retooled it? Best as ever, and thanks in advance Chris

Not sure where to post this - so here seems as good a place as any! Probably for Patriot fans only but... was in the basement archives at work recently and these emerged... One is ex-loco condition with a minor polish, the other is most definitely not. Both gifted by BR (LMR) when 45501 was withdrawn...

Funnily enough the last thing I completed just before Christmas was work on one of the Trix mineral wagons from a bagged kit (the Ocean coal one if anyone knows it) - was very impressed by the quality of the moulding which even extended into the interior. Runs like a dream with bearings added and looks the part - shame they seem to be quite hard to find. Next project, and a favourite of mine I've been itching to get started on was the Hornby 2P from the 1970s, the one that's based on the L1 moulding. The poor little blighter came out of someone's attic sans tender and covered in an inch thick layer of dust so I took pity on it, as I have an incorrigible weakness for 2P's. Quite looking forwards to seeing how that works out and what the end result will be like. It won't be perfect - and there's a lot of hacking to do - but there's nothing like a good challenge eh?

Thank you both - I most certainly will be there! I need to swing by K&S Models anyway at some point so sounds like the perfect opportunity :) C

Hi all, Compliments of the season... Just a quick post to say hello and introduce myself. I'm 43, from Hitchin and am happiest when kitbashing or trying to make a Triang model look good. Have a fair bit of hands on experience with 1/1 scale engines as well, especially the Class 37 and 47 side of things, and have done a fair bit of writing for magazines over the years on railways and other forms of transport (namely things with wings). Currently looking at turning the old Hornby 2P 4-4-0 into something resembling its namesake - wish me luck! Best wishes Chris