Gilwell Park

Hi 8900 has the longer, more curved reversing rod, post 507. 2614 has the standard rod, post 406. Roger

Hornby's 8900 represents a piston valve rebuild and therefore has convex frames in front of the smoke box rather than the concave frames on 62614 which retained slide valves. The reversing rod was also different. Roger

Try to get one of the China made bodies from EBAY, they already have wire handrails, which can be a right pain to do well. The worst feature of the old B12 is the chimney, get a turned brass one from precision paints. Makes a world of difference. Roger

Hi I have seen, for sale on BBAY, what are described as self adhesive refurbishment transfers. Simply cut out and apply. Has anybody had experience with these items, are they any good? Thank you. Roger

863 Lord Rodney retained his Maunsell cylinders, with visible outside steam pipes till withdrawal so Hornby are correct. It also retained the short smoke box with piano front beneath. 851 Francis Drake was fitted with an early version of Bulleid cylinders and lost the visible steam pipes but retained the short smoke box with piano front. In 1956 Walter Raleigh was fitted with a rebuilt Merchant navy chimney and looked quite different. So, as well as different wheel sizes, a shorter boiler, 4 different tender styles, there are many variations in a small class. Roger

Hornby seem to concentrate on groups of models. The GE section has B12, D16, J15, B17 plus B1, K1, L1, O1. They have started on the NE section with the Q6, plus the LNER standard types. About time therefore they followed up with a J27 or B16/1 or G5. What I would really like however is a GC A5, although Bachmann seem to have adopted the GC. Roger

Hi Apologies entered my post in the wrong section.

Hi I initially ordered, back in November 2011, set 373 in steel panelled style. Recently however after looking at photos of the prototype and pre production samples I decided I preferred the original style of panelling. Kernow kindly agreed to change my order and the earlier version of set 373 was delivered a couple of weeks ago. I am very pleased with it but of course it was in the wrong livery for my BR/S layout. I therefore removed the southern style lettering & numbers with a sharp cocktail stick (harder to do than on the Hornby 58' rebuilds) and renumbered it as set 374 which retained the varnished malachite green till withdrawal in 1956. I have replaced the inter coach couplings with one of the Bachmann pipe type from their mk1 coaches. It looks better and leaves only a minimal gap between coaches. It can easily be tweaked by gently warming and bending. The front coupling and socket have been removed and coupling to a Hornby M7 is by Hornby close couplings, it runs very well. Overall, after a very long wait, I am very satisfied with my purchase. Now, who wants a pair of modified Ratio Midland suburban coaches painted green! Roger

I agree, but it worked the other way. B12, F4, J67, even fitted with NB tenders.

Hi I hope for a D34 Glen having seen Glen Douglas in Dawsholm shed and Glen Loy on Eastfield shed during a London Railfans Club trip to Glasgow at Easter 1961. I can also recall the writings of Toram Beg and the Railway Roundabout film " Two Glens to Fort William". The only problem would be how to justify one on the GE section in BR days. Roger

Hi Not sure if this has been mentioned previously but it appears that Oxford are producing LNER 8011 and earlier GE numbers of the N7. These locos were Westinghouse brake only, and remained so until withdrawal BR in the 50s-60s. They spent their entire lives on the Liverpool St suburban services and were never vacuum fitted. I wonder if Oxford will produce some GE stock to suit? Roger

I'm still waiting for the LNER J67/69 that Liliput advertised at the Toy Fair in 1961! I have built two Wills kits in the meantime. Roger

Hi According to the RCTS book 2409 was withdrawn in April 1953 but was not fitted with a smoke box number plate. Those fitted with such plates were 2322/3/7/40/3/9/50/1/4, 2401/8/11/26/44/5/9/52/8/68/74/82-4, 2513/5/6/32/4/8/41/51/6/68/72/3/8/9. Roger

Hi Apologies, I see what you mean about the lubricator, even the Heljan model has one. I referred to Russell which shows a small lubricator, not the larger device fitted to the Kernow model. Roger

Hi. My K's 1361 has correct size wheels, no splashers, but a very thin running plate over the wheels. The cab steps line up with the cab door and it does not have the lubricator on the dome cover. I have been unable to find a picture of one fitted to a loco in BR days. I do not think I will be replacing my K's model. Roger

I received my email on the 20th & promptly paid up. Originally ordered in 2011. Roger

Hi I agree, having explored from 90 mile beach to Stewart Island in January/February this year South Island is the place to go. Mount Cook is wonderful, great walks and the blue of the lake has to be seen to be believed. However the Forgotten World Highway from 30A on North Island will never be forgotten by us, stuck behind 2000 sheep for 45 minutes! Roger

At least the Hornby model has an ash pan! Roger

Hi. On pictures of the prototype, and the original CAD artwork, 5 cylinder cover bolts are visible above the running plate. On the EP only 3 are visible. Also on photographs and the CAD artwork the top slide bar is invisible under the running plate, on the EP it is painfully obvious. Looking at the excellent marked up post 597 the piston rod of the EP does not appear to line up with the centre line of the cylinder? Something is definitely wrong, hopefully the final EP will show corrections. Roger

Hi. I do not pretend to be an expert on Dean Goods, only having ever seen 2516 originally dumped at Swindon and as later restored. However all photos I have found appear to show that on the centre line of the boiler, where it joins the firebox, the cladding is the same width. On the model there is a pronounced step from boiler to firebox. Is this another problem or am I being over fussy? Roger

Tony Thanks for the picture, by the look of it an overhaul was due. I have a colour picture of the set in 1959 at Yeovil and it appears to be in good condition. By then it had acquired some additional sheet panelling and lost the guards door and droplight, second window from front in your picture. The Kernow model is ideal for my late 50's SR, SW section model. Roger

Hi. Kernow are producing set 373 in late Southern Railway condition with original panelled sides and in late Southern Region condition with steel panelling. When was the set steel panelled? and what shade of green was used when it was repainted? Apologies if this information is contained within the previous posts but I cannot find it. Thank you Roger

Doug I can sympathise, mine took ages and you seem to be adding a lot more detail than I did. Roger

Hi Do you not need a Quint Art for your N7? Roger

Hi How about getting stuck behind this lot, 2000 sheep on the forgotten highway in New Zealand.