rodent279

I think Evening Star top and tailed all the shuttles, with 5051 on the London end, unless someone knows otherwise? First steam out of Paddington since 1977 wasn't it?

There's a lot of detail differences on the body, and the bogies are different though they do look similar.

If an 81 is released, I'll be placing an order.

The raised pan does look a little odd, but it also looks like its on the same road as the 86. I'll have to get the original photo out and look at it under a loupe.

Power was off for some reason, not sure why or exactly where. The electric loco's pan may be up, but I don't know whether power was on in Euston itself. The 25 dragged the train as far as Willesden, a few other trains were dragged as well. At Willesden, the rat came off & the electric worked forward. @South of 1E may know more?

By my reckoning, the whole fleet of 327 class 25's were built quicker than I've done this kit! I have one bogie complete, and the chassis of the 2nd complete. Photos to follow. Determined to finish this during quarantine.

And 25325 in happier days, with 25279 running round at Shrewsbury with a Euston-Aberystwyth summer Saturday holiday train.

Can't say I'd noticed the marker light panel before, but now you mention it, yes it's wrong. The light doesn't bother me, it's only what BR would have done if they'd continued in service.

Looking almost like it could be Toton or Cricklewood in the early 70's, shiny 25321 stands outside the shed at Butterley, after a heavy rain shower. March 2001.

25236 backs on to the 1300 Blackpool at Euston, Sunday 8th April 1984. The rat dragged its train + 86247 as far as Willesden. 25059 stands at the head of the 1000 Euston Wolves, with 86259 the train engine.

Certainly looks pretty convincing.

Did the Cheddington-Aylesbury branch ever have a resident diesel shunter? Were the services ever diesel worked?

Ah, who wasn't a sniper in their youth?

Plausible. Most GW locos built after the Kings seem to have had parallel buffers, so some deliberate design change occurred. Maybe it was a simpler casting than the taper form? Do buffers wear out, and require replacement? If so, why can't the heads and innards be replaced, and the casing retained? From what I can tell, the restored KE1 seems to have taper buffers, presumably replicas.

Awesome set of photos! So Presflos were a common sight at BY, it wasn't just my mind playing tricks!

Had that happened, electrification from Aylesbury at 25kV linking in to Cheddington might well have seen off the GC at the time of Serpell, if not earlier.

I well remember those long rows of 25's, later 31's. Also lines of Presflo cement hoppers, either unloading at BY, or waiting to be tripped to/from Pitstone. I also remember the Wolverton stone train coming over the flyover around 11am, headed by a 56. I worked in the Telephone Rentals building, the smaller one right next to the fast lines, which used to say Telephone Rentals PLC on the wall facing the railway. The stone train used to make the building rattle, as did every passing WCML express.

Similar question that might never get an answer. GWR Kings as built had Collet taper buffers. These were replaced sometime around Nationalisation, or maybe early 50's. Why?

What exactly was SS testing brake blocks for? What is there to test? Wear rates, braking efficiency?

It's not far off though. Add some weathering and from a distance it'll be convincing.

It does look in pretty good nick considering it's the best part of 60 years old. To me, it's worth a preservation order, on the lines of New St power box. Rugby flyover must have been built around the same time, and is in a similar style.

No, not spiritually. How do I find whether I've posted on a specific thread, a long one, potentially some years ago? I can't find a way of searching for my posts in a specific thread. Cheers N

Pretty sure that wiring to Swanbourne was in the original WCML electrification scheme into London, but was one of the bits that got pruned when Macmillan/Marples came to power. I will check up. Edit:-quick conversation with my dad, who worked on the wiring into Euston, he confirms that wiring to Swanbourne was in the original scheme, but was cut back, partly because the traffic for the proposed marshalling yard had gone. He had the bolts in the flyover wrapped in waxed tape, but 50yrs on I'd guess that they're probably no longer fit for purpose.

Thanks for the replies. If I'm honest, I'm not sure that I've got anything in mind, I'd just like to have a look at some guides to see how it's done, and whether I think I'm capable. I've built plenty of kits, mostly plastic, but a couple of white metal as well. Partly I'd like to detail some RTR models, partly I've always liked the idea of building something from scratch. I can grasp how a shape like a boiler is produced, but how about say a Belpaire firebox? Cylinders? Rivets? How do you form the shape of the noise of a diesel, say a baby Deltic? Cheers N

Hi all, Looking for some advice on how to mix Humbrol colours to get BR bauxite, as used on freight stock. Which Humbrol colours should I use? Does it matter if done are gloss, some matt? I have a selection of base colours, and some rail colours, but not bauxite. I've just finished a Presflos hopper, which I want to finish in bauxite. Looking to mix my own as I haven't got a model shop nearby, and to make use of the stock I have. Cheers N