brightspark

Ah yes. Tom Foster has approached the subject very well and from a different angle by removing the faces and using the Reverends background story. This is a nice departure away from the traditional Thomas presentation. I would love to see your Knapford done in the same style.

I thought that it was a very enjoyable show. In previous years bacon sandwiches were offered before the show opened and the same this year. But as I had to park the car the trolley had finished it's rounds. So I headed off the cafeteria and was surprised to find that they are offering a full breakfast service. Duly noted for next year. The EMGS stand had a lot of traffic and for interest I will break down the enquires. Quite a lot of people were curious as to what EM gauge was and I was able to spend some with them explaining scale and gauge and how we ended up with OO being the manufacturers choice size. Of note that many people had not heard of EM or P4 or any of the odd scales. So for them, this was a revelation that there was life beyond the Hornby trainset. Next we had a few people who are aware of EM, wanted to know more. This ranged from what scale is it , is it the same as OO? and can I run EM on OO track. These enquiries were almost the same as the group above. Then we had some people who would like to have a go at this but considered that their collection of locos etc was too big a task. When I suggested that they consider a small project, like the Inglenook that was next us (and my Daisy Sidings) a whole new world opened up to them. We then had a few people who were seriously considering having a go and talking about how to go about conversion of locomotives and building track. Of course the EMGS sell a ready to plonk point and track. Plus the kits etc from the likes of C&L. The common question is can I just pull the wheels out? To which the answer is, it depends. Diesels quite likely, steam engines - no. And the gentleman who wanted to convert to Irish standard gauge, you will need new axles. To add further comment to Bungus the Fogeyman a couple of posts back, the last and most interesting group that were the children. One still being carried in their mothers arms who was studying each locomotive on display with keen interest. Slightly older kids showed interest in EM gauge as in the first para above. With one showing a great deal of interest in the AJ couplings, who must have been around 9 or 10. So kids do not always need or want Thomas the Tank and we should not afraid of showing them so-called finescale. That is the future of the hobby - exposure when they are young. As well as showing them that there is more than a train set. I also grabbed the chance to walk around the show. I only managed a quick look at each layout, some familiar others less so. Hepton was a delight to see and to be able to get up close. There is a lot more detail in there than I realised. The various 2mm layouts were all outstanding. I had to congratulate Jerry Clifford (Queensquare) for having a painted model on his display. As I normally see his models in ex-works unpainted brass. This is, of course, a bit of light hearted banter, but I was delighted to see his finished models and wow! the painting and lettering are superb. It was also great to see the ABS range coming back onto the market. There was nothing there for me this time, but hopefully some more of the castings will come back into production. I had with me some modelling to do, a wagon kit, but succeeded in touching none of it. So a successful day. Andy

Just finished packing a few things for the EMGS stand. Do come by and say hello. I will bring along a couple of my Airfix loco's including the model of 34055 described here. Plus my conversion and upgrade of a Hornby Merchant Navy described here.

Heaven. 1. Model Railways. 2. Good company 3. Decent grub. They say that they don't normally open on Sundays, but will do when the show is on. When they opened at 8:00 this morning, there was a queue outside and it was busy all morning. No connection just a satisfied customer. Oh and the show was good as well. A good mix of layouts. Nice to see that Redbridge and Fawley were put close to each other and in the correct geographical order.

Yeah! 🙂

That is what I am wondering. I could see these on a couple of layouts I am involved with one in EM the other in P4. Any thoughts Tom? In my dreams I can see an alternative drop in wheelset being offered, just like Sutton Locomotive Works. But it is just a dream.

So the Gaydon show went well and Fighter Pilot performed her duties well with no hiccups. I was intending to take some photos of her but found that I didn't have time to do that and look around the show and museum, plus I forgot. I have looked at a couple videos made at the show, but none of them have this loco in them. Did anyone get a photo of her in action?

So we are getting ready for the Great British Model Railway show at Gaydon this weekend. Stock is all cleaned and the time-table sequence cards are sorted. My motor train is scheduled to run, so hopefully I have fixed the bugs and it will run perfectly. This is a Hornby Maunsell Pull-Push set and an old Triang/Hornby M7 no 30111, that has been done up a bit. Also making its show debut is my model of 34055 Fighter Pilot. This is an Airfix kit and the build is described here. At last we will have a Brighton loco pulling the Brighton train. If you at the show, do pop by and say hello. Andy

Thanks Steve, I think that I could use these with a bit of cutting. The body side/ front hood being 47mm long which is the same as the transfer block length. So 3 sheets ordered.

Photos of Andermatt. Taken this morning while waiting for the train. Definitely flush with the rails. on platforms 3 & 4 But on platform 1 it is higher. And new brickwork. I also noticed that there is new point-work. Mainly the double slips. I didn't take a photo (it didn't come out) but the double slip on the through lines/ sidings was of a deeper track section.

Photos from today, as I was passing through. Sorry, I didn't have a tape measure with me and I was rushing for my connection. Photos of Brig. Platform is about 4inches above the rail. Road side is flush with the rail.

And now ModelU.

Planet Industrial seem to be the only people who do a transfer for all over wasp stripes. But are out of stock. Does anyone know of another supplier? Asking for a friend. 😊

'tis finally done. Model now weathered and crew added. compare to https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/sr-bulleid-battle-of-britain-class-462-no-34055-fighter-pilot--373587731571701460/ on pintrest I noticed that the weathering on the roof of these loco's seemed to form a distinct pattern. That is a V from the chimney to a point just above the front (or before they were blanked off- the second) sandbox filler. The weathered condition is as it appears in may/june 1960 and is based on photos available on the www. Hopefully it will be pulling trains at Gaydon next month. If you are there come and say hello.

And the result. These Airfix/Kitmaster kits come up ok, if you you give them lots of love. (and I mean LOTS!)

But he didn't do a chimney. PDK is my suggestion.

I use these guys. https://www.ba-bolts.co.uk/index.html But the longest they list is cheesehead 12BAx 9/16" (about 14,3mm). BS57:1951 suggests that for 12BA anything over ¼" is a special. But they do say on their website that they can do specials.

I think, at last, I may have got to the end of this build. I have clocked just over 180hours. I suspect that the clock watching is what made it seem to drag on. A lot of that time was spent correcting errors on the Airfix body and 20 hours or so correcting mistakes that I made. With no more bits to glue or bolt on, I can fix the name board and shield and she is ready for service. So here it is. 34055 completed. Well almost complete. It needs a crew and some weathering. But it is ready for it's outing at Gaydon in October. More updates to follow, eventually.

Mad as a box of frogs. Especially you Ralf.🙂 Keep them coming.

Well considered opinion from those who I put this too, seems to veer away from the barber pole look. Yellow, as Mr Barclay suggested is popular and the shunter at Chard was yellow with yellow and black stripes on the buffer beam. But it doesn't press my button. But all over yellow with black stripes Is this the yellow and black strips you were thinking of? Photo from Industrial and ex BR diesel shunter restoration & groups news page One suggestion was for Midland red. Weatherburn or Deeley finish? Greens seem a popular choice for shunters of the period. Orange was also regularly suggested and I do like the look of Barclays orange version above. So unless further inspiration strikes, it may be a copy of Barclays loco. Perhaps you could describe the two models please. (or provide the link if you have written it up already)

I really must get on with this. I finally got around to building up the brake gear today. It is nicely detailed and runs both sides of the wheels. A recipe for shorting? I hope not. I put the model outside for a couple of photos. Still lots of detail to add. Up to 176 hours so far, but take off 30 or so for the reworking of errors. Brighton to Bournemouth headcode. I still need to add front hook and pipes. Compare to these pictures taken a couple of years later, after the tender was cut down. (both from Flickr) photo Ian Nolan. Photo - Alwyn Ladell To be added, brake gear- speedometer and a another coat of paint on that door. I didn't spot that the wheel is off the rails. Canvas roof cover is in place, doors and pipes now fixed. Almost ready for nameplates.

They are both lovely. The orange works well. Mine is still in black and the lettering is a bit battered. So I was looking at the stripes on your models and wondered if it would be too much to cover the whole model in strips. I was thinking red and white for a Unigate (I have to get some St.Ivel tanks) and calling it Humphrey. Too much? Enjoy

This arrived in the post.

Nothing else to report on the motor performance . As the loco is only used on an end to end layout, I don't think that it will get the chance to overheat. So I will leave it as is. The test will come at the the layout rehearsal in a month or so's time and at Gaydon where Swaynton is showing. Progress is painfully slow. But here are some photos from the workbench just now. I have cut and inserted the cab windows and these have been fixed with Klear. They look a bit frosty, but that is because of the light reflection. At normal viewing distance they are fine. Also attached under each side of the cab are the various pipes. A bit of fettling had to be done here, especially on the right hand side to allow the pony truck to still move. With the windows in I can start to fit out the cab. Here is the backhead painted up and ready to mount. However the current focus is on making up the brake gear. So lots of small details to go on yet.

I agree. I have built several kits in this range especially the mogul. The older the plastic the more firm it is. I don't think that this is age hardening, just a better mix of raw material. The Dapol plastic is very soft and is recycled. I think that it is a shame that the soft plastic is used as these model loco kits were meant for children to put together and have a push along model. It is certainly something I had a go at when I was in short trousers. As for the Dapol moulds, they hold their shape together (i.e. I have had no problem when aligning boilers and chimneys), but as said above, small detail may get washed out. For our purposes though I think that they are adequate and give a good basis for the body shape. We don't need the plastic chassis and wheels and will add on the extra detail.