Hampshire Hog

Hi Darren, I think how easy or difficult this conversion is depends very much on the confidence and skills of the person who wants to have a go, it was undertaken using the most basic of hand tools - screwdrivers, files, drills and modellers knifes and as can be seen from this photo the Bachman steel block that contains the motor from the 416 unit sits on the top of the Lima plastic chassis with some filing and cutting modifications to the plastic chassis and then re-drilling the mounting holes. Sorry guys this chassis block is from a 416 and not the 108 as I first intimated - which completely escaped my mind - I now remember that the 108 chassis block is too wide to fit into the Lima bodyshell, but all the bogies come from the class 108. This 117 now works the off-peak 1/2 hourly shuttle service between Leaford Jct and Leaford Twn, a picture below shows her calling at Leaford Millway Road station. My thanks to P.C.M Pete and PaulRHB. Kevin

Thanks Paul, that viaduct is on a higher level so will be on the back burner for a while!! I was wondering if you and your little DCC sproggy thingy were free again at some time please? I have a couple of sound chips playing up, there is no great rush. I bought this Lima 117 secondhand ready modified a while back and since then I have re-powered it with Bachmann 108 running gear it makes a big difference. Best regards Kevin

I am afraid I became inpatient waiting for Bachmanns Distribution "Herbert Austin" and therefore did a couple more of my own by means of purchasing new 47359 in Metals sector and turning it into 47207 "Bulmers of Hereford" pictured below, and respraying 47 474 "Sir Rowland Hill" from Parcels sector to 47 231 "The Silcock Express" only to find out that "Herbert Austin" is incoming from China shortly. Best regards Kevin.

Thanks Peter, for the information and for sharing your photos. Kevin.

Hiya Peter, sorry to be off topic, whilst going through your flickr pages there are some picks of an aircraft carrier I was just wondering if you know any more information about it? My thanks and best regards. Kevin.

Many thanks Peter, spent several hours today looking at your flickr pages, a great mixture. See you soon. Kevin.

Happy New Year Peter, thanks for another fantastic picture, I don't know why you don't publish a book of all of your superb photos - put me down for a copy if you ever did and I am sure many others would appreciate them too. Leaford Jct's resident 08 541 heads back home through Leaford Millway Road station with a trip working from Leaford Town yard. Model.Maker wrote: "This is an absolutely fantastic layout, very inspirational as I'm currently researching the early 90's period! Happy New Year" Many thanks for your kind comments M.M, good luck with your research - maybe we can see the results on hear at some stage in the future, if your location in good old blighty allows you would be welcome to visit. Another of Leafords locos waits for its next turn in the loco road at town yard. See you soon Kevin

No problem Rhys you are always welcome, and the route numbers get easier with every visit. 7APT7 wrote "Great to see Kevin Hope you had a good time with family over the holidays, have a great new year to. Jamie" Thanks Jamie yes we did have a good time over the holidays, we could not see the living room floor Christmas Morning with all the grandkids presents all around the tree, and you know the usual ate to much and drank to much, just hav'nt enough space for New Years Eve, although I might manage a morsel or two. Anyway moveing on with a picture of the last Tinsley Class 47 I will be doing for a while (well at least until Bachmanns pre-ordered "Herbert Austin" turns up). The problem has been for along time now I have been buying locos that have been favourites rather than those that are suitable for the sectors that the trains represent - and I have ended up with a right mismatch, so I have slowly put things right purchasing and where necessary re-spraying locos into Metals and Distribution sector liverys for the most common trains I posess and also bringing back fond memories of happy times at Eastleigh, here is Class 47 47 095. Happy New Year to all. Kevin.

I don't know what of sort fish he is hoping for in the dock, but there is at least a Bass and Sturgeon in the busy yard at Leaford Town. Thanks OnTheBranchline. Best regards and a Happy New Year to all. Kevin.

I Look forward to meeting you soon Rhys. Class 33. 33 065 "Seafire" prepares its stock ready for the return run to Eastleigh after some engineering work in the area. And two more Tinsley distribution 47's join the fleet. 47 335. and 47 306. Just a bit more weathering required to both. Best Regards Kevin.

Other unusual workings occured in the area when heavy winds brought down a large amount trees, one such working brought Coal Sector class 58 58014 "Didcot Power Station" to Leaford Jcn. See you soon, Kevin.

Come on mate, we are all looking forward to your posts on here!! wishing you the best whatever your ideas bring whenever you have the time. Scoobyra said, "Not even this layout is safe.........I somehow managed to crash a train on this one too!!!!!" Believe me Mike, I have some crashes too usually because of my incompetence and senior moments, considering it was the first time you had seen the layout let alone operated it, I thought you did well. You are both welcome if you would like to visit at any time. Anyway I always like to post a photo whenever I post and this time is no exception, Bristols long range fuel tank fitted Class 47 47834 "Fire Fly" finds itself on freight duties arriving at Leaford Town Yard with a Severn Tunnel Jct - Leaford Docks working. Best regards Kevin.

Hi Scott, its good to hear from you, the building behind the 37 is a Walthers Cornerstone Engineering Office Kit No, 933-2967 available from Gaugemaster for £49.00. + postage i would imagine. See you soon Kevin.

Hello Paul, yes thats true, but to be honest 37712 has Howes latest Class 37 chip and the sound it makes is music to my ears, well done Brian, perhaps you could call in sometime. Best regards, Kevin.

Thanks Nigel, hopefully you will still think so when you see the photo below, as you say (very Hamworthy steel ish). Thanks for the depot plaques, best regards. Kevin.

Blimey Rich that is a very unflatering term for a ladies nasal appendage!! and no I have not modified mine as I am not sure that she will actually stay as 712 so her nasal appendage will be staying as standard for the moment.lol Here is a picture of her after arriving at Leaford Docks alongside one of her Cardiff heavyweight stablemates. See you soon Kevin.

There was no rush Nige, thanks for posting them - especially the video - I still cannot get my head around posting videos on to rmweb! Jaggzuk said "Hi Kevin A fantastic layout, full of atmosphere and lovely detail. I really like the variety of train loads and just how evocative of the era they are. I was interested to see the timber wagons in post #1229, can I ask what you have used to create the logs? I assume it is a real life plant? Also, what did you use to create the red strapping? Cheera Paul" These wagons and their loads are at least 25 years old, they are Cambrian Kits and the loads are a result of a trip to the New Forest where various twigs were collected and then cut into individual lenths to fit into the loadspace as can be seen, the red strapping is car masking tape cut into thin strips after being painted. Thanks Paul. Another Metals loco joins the fleet. Regards Kevin

Hi Jamie, I am sorry to hear about your Dad, but I am glad that the picture provoked some good memories for you, here are couple of my favourite pics of Leaford dating from November 2009 some of my first postings on RMweb which have jogged a few memories for me. Caught in the headlamps. Late night departure. Hi Dave, Many thanks for your company yesterday and for letting me see just part of your fantastic stock collection. The pictures look good and I am glad that you enjoyed yourself, I am looking forward to another visit soon. Best regards, Kevin.

Many thanks for your kind comments Jamie, I hope that you like 33's here is a pic of 33 109 ready to leave Leaford Jct yard with a parcels train. See you soon. Kevin.

"P.C.M Looks good Kevin, Are they the latest motor rail wagons behind the loco. Also noticed your class 47 still has it's ETH orange boxes either side of the bufferbeam, It's an easy job to remove them and keep them in case you need them for another class 47. Cheers Peter." I am not sure that they are exactly the ex-motorail wagons, but they are the latest from Oxford Diecast and they are certainly very similar, the only regret I have is that I ordered weathered ones and on reflection it is my opinion that the non weathered ones look better. My thanks Pete for the bufferbeam information My best regards. Kevin.

Thanks Jamie, the truth is the picture is not distorted, I allways look like that! "Hi Kevin, A few more pics for you. Cheers Peter." Not as impressive as your pic Pete, but hopefully a representation. See you soon. Kevin

Many thanks for the excellent pics Pete, I wish I was more of a photographer and had taken pics myself in the past. Best regards, Kevin.

Hi Dave you have a pm. Regards Kevin.

That would be great Pete, and thanks for the ones posted already, it is always good to see photos of this era. MRDBLUE17 "Hi Kevin, It's been a while since I've caught up April it would seem. Fantastic new wagons the Tigers look good as do the Hattons Warwells. Of course that fantastic Powell Duffryn steel wagon really looks the business next to them. I like them from seeing them as a kid at Hamworthy which took me to Peters photo at Ham with that pair of 37's. If only they still ran like that down there. All the best Mark" Hi Mark, it is nice to hear from you again, yes you are absolutely correct the Tigers are fantastic and I think are good value when you see the detail on them, and as for Powell Duffryn wagons - scratch built by Steve Adcock and owned by Nigel Crow, - I consider myself to be very lucky to be able to use them on Leaford. On several ocasions recently Nigel and myself have sat on Poole Quay side looking across the water eating fish and chips also wishing to turn the clock back. "GordonC Said:- Fantastic work finding examples of what to do with those Crewe-cut bodyshells picked up cheaply in the unwanted liveries!!" Thanks Gordon, I think all of us Railway Modellers, appreciate a good bargain. And still more pictures, another metals train awaits in Leaford Jct Yard for onward tripping to the Docks. See you soon. Kevin.

Hi Dave, Thank you for your kind comments, To be honest Inter-City Swallow Livery is not the easiest to re-spray as the red and white stripes along the sides have quite a depth to them and will have to be removed - otherwise they will certainly show through the new paint - even after several coats of Halfords Plastic Primer, to remove them means a lot of fiddly rubbing down which can destroy all of the moulding details, please don't be put off by this as a nice job can still result - but it will be easier with a different liveried 47 to start with - perhaps Banger Blue as a suggestion, on the good side with careful masking you do not have to re-spray the fronts or roof as they are the correct colours in this livery. From your location it would seem that you are not far from me, I wonder if you would like to visit at some time? Another view of 47 165 taken on the stops after bringing the "Hamworthy" into the docks -she is now waiting to be released. Best Regards. Kevin.