The Fatadder

That is my worry, worst case I have to respray the grey (at least that can be done with the glazing etc left in situ) James managed it, so it’s certainly possible.

Not started yet, but I will be using e Amal thinners as per James and Nick, all be it there’s a little more risk when you won’t be covering the area with a new transfer

Mine arrived today, absolutely lives up to my high expectations for it. Even though I won’t use them, it was the little things like the pre cut etched plates that really set it apart. Now to get to work on removing the coal sector logos, and get it converted to 56078 in 1999 condition

Enjoyably evening at the Rec last night watching England U20s take a part the Welsh. Nice to see some dominant forward play particularly at the scrum, just walking through the welsh pack. dreaming of a similar performance this afternoon, but no doubt it will be a lot closer.

Does it come with the prototypes gun rack in the cab?

Looks like a Warners takeover. Makes sense as it kind of felt given their existing portfolios it would end up getting absorbed by either Warners or Key. Will be good to see it continue

I think the dogfish looks convincing based on some of the photos I’ve seen (though by the late 90s I think there was more rust than green paint remaining7

It would be because Hornby have a complete inability to paint anything the right colour…

One other thing to bare in mind when stripping paint with >90% IPA is that the IPA doesnt damage glazing. So if you are stripping something like a Hornby HST powercar which has unique curved glazing that is impossible to source replacements for, soaking the body in IPA will soften the glue meaning the glazing can easily be removed without any damage. (Sometimes it needs a separate soak in clean IPA to clean off any residual paint that has moved onto it while cleaning up). Ive never tried it in an ultrasonic bath, sounds like that speads up the process a fair bit vs room temp IPA in a bottle that I use (up to a couple of hours depending on the OEM paint thickness).

Nightingale is now finished, while repairing the tender steps I noticed how crude the rear buffers were, so these were removed and the holes opened up to accept a set of turned brass ones. a simple wire loop was added for the loco to tender connection. the boiler is of course too fat a diameter for a Bulldog, not a lot that can be done about it other than keeping it away from the curved frame version with its scale boiler. I could easily just sell this on for a healthy profit and buy the bits to make a better one, but I’ve grown rather attached to this old thing.

because for the most part for a lot of operation it is sufficient to the task I guess? My Accurascale Deltic is fine running on a cheap Lais decoder, at a cost of some of the higher level functions. For me running on the mainline I really dont care about cab / engine room etc lighting, it just never gets used. All I care is that I can turn off the tail lights, and turn on the markers/headlight, because running on the mainline that is all that is relevant. After a bit of fiddling with the speed curve the running is no worse than other locos with better decoders. That said for my 56 I am torn between getting a decoder that can handle the full set of functions, or putting in a Lais chip for now before getting a full fat Loksound setup. (of course if I go down the latter route, theres every chance that like the aforementioned deltic it ends up with the Lais chip for a lot longer.) If the interface is only being used for programming, a SPROG connected to the computer's USB is a good option. I just wish they did a bluetooth version that could interface to an ipad rather than having to lug the laptop up to the workbench... Ive finally got round to ordering mine this afternoon, after selling my Hornby 56049 and a few other bits over the weekend to pay for it, It will become 56078 in unbranded triple grey as mentioned previously. Cannot wait for its arrival.

On the ex Hattons Class 66 Accurascale have done some pretty significant tooling modifications (including changes to the body to add a lift out section for DCC fitting that would have required much more significant changes to the tool than what I would suspect would be needed to the 48xx, so I guess there is promise on that front. On the other hand if its EFE who have got the tooling, I'd expect it to be the same... I know which I would prefer to see!

Really pleased with the 3d print / dukedog chassis model, not cheap but highly recommended. Wish I had some green paint so I could finish it off!

Found it in short for passenger trains More details in Mike's full post linked below

One of the few 'recent' models that I would be itching to replace should an upgraded version appear, all be it if the body was relatively unchanged I would be inclined to see if I could move my existing GWR black and weathered 1470 body onto the new chassis Fingers crossed there is good news on its reappearance soon, for now I am more than happy messing around with Bulldogs

I think on the front, certainly the few photos I have seem to suggest this. Im pretty sure @The Stationmaster has written about this in detail somewhere on the forum. Will have to try and find it again Excited that by the summer I should have two bulldogs in service (even if only one will be able to work under its own power). Hopefully will be able to get my Mitchell Manor to at least freely roll to add a third option, though I’m thinking seriously about rebuilding its chassis so it will actually work on its own…)

A little modelling (and a little shopping) this evening, first up I’ve finally placed an order with Rainbow Railways for my Rapido B Set (Kingsbridge in wartime brown naturally). Just need to decide if I will get a second for the other Kingsbridge set that I still can’t verify the livery for. Then onto some modelling, until I sort some paint the curved frame Bulldog is in limbo. However a delivery from Bachmann Spares today gives me the parts to finish off Nightingale. As I’ve said before, this is a very old model a fair amount of which has been scratch built. Getting it running with anything other than its original design would have been tricky. (Which would have also kept its too small wheels.) However as mentioned previously given it doesn’t need to power itself the Bachmann Dukedog chassis was the way to go (for less than a set of Gibson wheels!) the boiler section at the front of the chassis block was chopped off with a hacksaw, the gear removed from the axle and a basic keeper plate fitted into position. 3.5 mm spacers were needed on each end of the chassis (which also gave something to screw into for the body fixing and bogie mount). While the axle slots needed opening slightly to match the new parts. All that remains is to attach the bogie properly to the front of the new chassis block, and to add some sort of loco to tender linkage (as well as reattach a broken tender step) For a loco that has to be at least good ten years older than I am, I’m pleased with the end result, looking forward to seeing it on the front of a King and a set of coaches

I find black tack on the edge of the plastic chassis frame works really well

Utter failure of a painting session at lunch today: There is a massive air leak somewhere in the outlet system, not the end of the world as the 25l air tank holds plenty, but frustrating none the less. The painting was a car crash, GWR Green had dried solid in the can. The rattle can of Brooklands Green had also gone off and just splattered the loco with green blobs. It now needs cleaning up and trying again once I source some replacement paint (no doubt not until Ally Pally or Swindon, which ever comes first). The EWS gold paint had also dried up, with some left in the bottom which was 50 - 50 as to whether it was useable. after spraying it was rapidly apparent that it wasnt useable and was immediately wiped off the model. Another new tin of paint needed.... Finally the NVA car carrier was successfully sprayed white. At least one project can now progress over the coming days, just not either of the two more pressing ones!

For ideas for future releases, how about one of the locos that were running in triple grey with no branding, not just good for people wanting that particular loco but also perfect for anyone renumbering to any sector or Transrail. (It would be a great choice for the 60 for the same reasoning, just adding Mainline / Loadhaul/EWS branded triple grey to the potential renumbering list)

I am even more impressed now, going to have to speak to the guy who did it and get some advice on the setup he is using (and the orientation of the print). There has been a lot less fettling required than usual, removing the remnants of the supports and no work needed filling pressure tares, exaggerated layering or any of the other oddities that hit my prints from time to time. All being well I am hoping to get it sprayed green over lunch, although the compressor still needs fitting with its new regulator before I can do anything which will limit the spraying time. Of course I say I am going to spray it green, I havent actually managed to find a period photo of 3335 to verify its livery so I am assuming green and not black. All I have managed to find so far are pre war photos, and photos of a very nicely finished 7mm model in green with G W R on the tender. Not exactly a reliable source to go from, but seeing as the Bachmann tender is already lettered for G W R i think it will have to do for now.

Some very nice engineers wagons there, having done the Cambrian and Warren Smith P18 kits and the Kirk P23, looking at that Chilvers P17 I think I need to add one of those

New toy day..... Just had a delivery of a 3d printed curved frame Bulldog that was designed by a chap on the GWR Modellers facebook group, intended for use with the Bachmann Dukedog chassis. Also included is an accurate bogie for it, with the model just needing bufferheads and handrails to complete (along with a few of the fixing screws etc from the Bachmann donor model). Mine is going to be finished as one of the last two survivors of the curved frame Bulldog, Exeters 3335 (for which I need to get a set of plates ordered from LRS). For now I have test fitted the chassis (without the fittings for the bogie) and aim to get it painted over the next couple of evenings if the weather holds. The question will be how well Phoenix GWR green and Bachmann GWR green match up to see if I can avoid needing to respray the tender as well. If anyone can direct me toward 1940s photos of 3335 I would appreciate it. I think the quality of the print is high, including some very nice cab interior detail and a representation of the inside motion which is no doubt going to be a real pain to paint. In the mean time this evenings task is going to be getting it fitted with handrails, its been a while since I last formed a set so naturally I am really looking forward to this wonderful task..... I ordered a Dukedog Chassis block and complete wheelset / rods / bearings from Bachmann spares on Friday, so as soon as that arrives I will get it modified and fitted so that 3449 will be ready to enter service.

You are making me more and more tempted to switch up my plans and do Iris 2 rather than the tractor pair with my Lima 101. It wouldn’t take too long to draw up a suitable 3d print for the grills (which I’d recess into the body similar to how you’ve tackled it.

I really need to start using the sprog/decoder pro more. It’s the lack of electrical outlets where they are needed in the study that puts me off. Need to get it sorted! Ive been doing a bit of tidying on the layout in preparation of taking some higher quality photos for a potential magazine article. without the facia plate the ends of the bridge were still in white foam board, so this has all been painted black. There was also a messy strip along the front edge where the bank was built up for the river, so a strip of electrical tape was added to hide the messy part. This needs something a bit more permanent going forward, but does the job for now. bits for the compresssor are due tomorrow, so fingers crossed I can crack on with 37668 this week and get it into service. The chassis had most of the detail bits added last night. Very frustrating that Bachmann have continued with the rubbish bogie mounted snowplough instead of doing it properly ala Accurascale. (Still at least they did the windscreen properly….) just need one more split box /0, one centre /0 and one more 37/4 body and I will have the whole fleet upgraded (bar the 37/7 which will probably get a Shawplan upgrade)