Foden

Sound advice. I've still not yet pulled the body off the chassis, as I have other items ongoing on my work bench, but I'll defiinitely make it a priority before putting it back. I've no issue swapping over components onto a later chassis. Infact I've just bought a later model to re-spray, and if I make a complete hash of the respray, voila, spare chassis!

I have one of the rotters, R2421. It's been 'in store' in it's original box, and in a dry location for years. On inspection it still appears to be in fine condition, and still works as it should. As I'm quite fond of the model, I'd like to swap the body onto a non rotten chassis before any damage is done. Is this simply a case of finding a later non rotten example, and then just swapping the body over, and then problem solved?

I'm trying to find if there's a comprehensive list out there on the web for finding out what depots had what allocation of departmental locos in the mid 90s pre privatisation era. Does anyone know of such a site that might be what I'm looking for? The reason I ask is that I'm repainting some locos into dutch livery, and want to be accurate in renumbering, and adding depot plaques, and indeed choosing the right candidates to number into.

Excellent, exactly the advice I was after, thanks for sharing.

I've been repainting some old lima diesels for a while now, and been using a method of a 24hr dunk in brake fluid to strip the paint. It's worked wonders, and as I'm a mechanic the brake fluid is free (well, sort of, it's through my business for very little!) Now I have more confidence, I'm moving onto one of my 'proper' models, a Hornby class 31 infact, that I'll be re-spraying from the modern DCR livery into BR Civil Dutch livery. My question is this, is my method of stripping the paint going to be safe for the light lenses on the body? Obviously I'll be removing glazing as I have with the Lima models, however all the Lima models I've been using as guinea pigs had painted on lights, so this hasn't been a concern. Unless I'm mistaken, the lights on the Hornby (full fat. not Railroad) model are fitted into the bodyshell, and are not removeable?

I suspect indeed you're right. I was using the term broadly ofcourse to suggest some form of machine of butchery would be required. Not having access to a milling machine myself, nor knowing anyone that has, I've been looking at these mini milling machines on ebay for a few hundred pounds, generally from Germany, or ofcourse the old ebay favourite, China. I've no background at all in metalwork and fabrication, mechanical yes, absolutely, but not fabrication. So I'm not sure if one of these machines is the best route to market, or there are other tools more readily available to do the job.

Without trying to step on Steve/Merlin's toes regarding his fitting service, would anyone care to venture into a photographed step-by-step how 2 for fitting an EM2 into the body of a common model, maybe a 37 or 47? I'd like to give this a go myself and replace my 20x40 roof enclosed models with EM2s, but I have a little trepidation about potentially ruining the chassis of a model that cost 3 figures. I appreciate every venture needs a pioneer to do it the first time, but I'm just not THAT brave/confident, yet with the right guidance I will grab the dremmel. Steve, I do hope you don't see this 'request' as trying to undermine your fitting service. What you offer is for some people, but with around 18 potential candidates for surgery, my budget simply wouldn't stretch to a commissioned speaker fit on all models. Plus, anxiety aside, it's something I'd really like to do myself anyway, for the modelling enjoyment if nothing else.

Thanks guys, appreciate the replies. How well did the single 20s cope with a decent train? In the second photo by eastwestdivide there looks a fair load behind that solitary type 1. Considering the higher powered 31s were often slated for their poor performance, I'm guessing single 20s took some patience and skill to get anything more than a modest load up to speed?

As per the title, I'm aware that 20s worked individually in their early years, and were later paired up nose to nose to eliminate the single cab issue, and to provide a more useful combination for heavier freight trains. However towards the latter years of BR, were there many examples of 20s working single on the mainline with a load? Also, as a side question, would 20s have been found working engineers trains in a similar time period in the 90s? I believe all were allocated to the coal sector upon sectorisation? Are there any known examples of 20s borrowed for weekend engineering turns?

That's a very interesting and surprising fact.

An excellent layout, and an excellent series of videos and guides too. Fair play to you for taking the plunge and starting over, as sad as it must be in one respect, it must also be exciting given the opportunity to start over with methods and knowledge since gained over the past eight years. As ever, I'll remain another of your many avid followers and look out for your updates with anticipation over the coming months. Good luck.

Sadly I'm inclined to agree. But an official statement from the company one way or another would be nice.

Hi guys, sorry if there is a topic about this already. I've got a couple of your 37 V4s fitted with 20x40mm in your low profile enclosure all sealed up and fitted under the fans in Bachy models. I'm really happy with the sound as it is, but the talk of these earth mover speakers has got me interested! Forgive my arrogance but what's the benefit over the 20x40 in the enclosure? And would it still be likely to fit in the manufacturer's speaker location (with a little trimming if neccessary) I'm a little loathed to do away with ballast weights and install in the tanks as I want my models to pull full rakes of 20+ wagons, and I find the install under the fans a nice easy route to still good quality sound. I also understand that I'd have to have an EM1 and a 20x40 in series due to resistance? Is there no way around this? I'm worried I'd be limited on room for 2 speakers if they have to be mounted up top. As a side note, I'd just like to say that I have 3 of your 37s now, and a 47 (allbeit not the new offering) awaiting install, and the quality of the recordings, and the added 'fun' factor that these sounds give to me personally, is absolutely amazing, so genuinely, thankyou!

I'm also interested to know what's happening with these, especially in the wake of Dapol's recent announcement regarding release cancellations. I'd like to get a rake going, I'd rather not build the Cambrian kit, as good as they are, as I want dutch livery, and masking off the sides with the doors is a bit of a pig

I'd never seen 08s or 09s working in multiple before, were there many other instances that this happened? (Excluding the unique class 13)

Cheers for the insight, interesting reading indeed. In layout terms from my perspective, I can't see an occasion the 08 pilot would have to move all 20 (which would be the maximum, not the norm) loaded bogie hoppers anyway, more likely will be a split in the rake to 10, much more manageable for prototype, and model alike. I'm not even sure my Bachmann 08 could shift 20 lions/cows with loads in Once again Mr Rivercider, an excellent source of information.

The maximum train length I'd be looking at on my layout is around 20 YGB/YGH wagons (as plans stand) although the likely shunting move would be to split this rake into two to be shunted. In which case I suspect that tractive effort of the model loco is going to be more relevant than that of the prototype. That said, the thread is more as a matter of my own interest, than it is relevence to my layout plans.

Looking into specifics for a shunting layout, and it got me thinking about what sort of tonnage an 08 can actually shift in a yard before it's at its limit of traction and power for shifting weight. Been watching old videos of peak forrest and there seems to be a resident class 37 pulling the loaded stone trains out from the loader, is this because an 08 wouldn't have been upto the job? I know there's a certain quarry (Yeoman I think) that had an American switcher loco doing the shunting, and I dare say on other private stone terminals they also employ larger shunters, but on a BR owned yard, what was the point where an 08 became not enough, and another larger class was employed as a 'super shunter'?

Thankyou for your input, yes it's certainly got a lot of exciting operational possibilities, and I'm blessed by a decent sized garage space (just under 18ft x 8ft) to implement it. It's been an idea of mine for a while, but I wasn't sure if what I had imagined was actually reflective of operations in the afforementioned era.

Really insightful and an interesting thought regarding the speedlink trip workings. Thankyou.

Really interesting reading guys thankyou. The idea I'd liked was to have an end to end layout and a few decent length sidings of around 10ft, probably 5 or 6, and a small loco stabling point off to the side. A single track would emerge from the fiddle yard through a tunnel and onto a loop where an incoming train can detatch and run around it's load. A shunter can then break down the incoming wagons into respective sidings. I was imagining the following scenrio: A train would bring in a rake of full ballast wagons (Sealions, Mermaids, Dogfish etc), the shunter would then reallocate the wagons to a holding siding, or in the case of a large rake of 20 or so bogied hoppers, split the rake up into different lengths. After sitting awaiting their engineering turn, a loco would then come in and pick up a certain rake and dispatch it off to its required destination for engineering work. A similar story in reverse would happen for the empties before being shuttled back off the quarry to refill. And indeed a similar kind of pattern for loaded spoil wagons also, meanwhile the engineers department locos could rest up at the stabling point between jobs. I could use the excuse of a busy weekend enginnering timetable to draft in some of my other sector locos of suitable type (31/37/47s) as an excuse to have them on the layout also. I have a couple of 56s and 60s that I was really hoping to use on the layout as I love the models, but noting they were air braked only as pointed out does limit this possibility. Unless I could get away with an occasion of a long heavy rake of air braked Sealions and or Seacows being brought from the quarry by a construction liveried 56 or 60, to then be broken up to different 'job lengths' by the shunter on arrival? As a footnote to the moderators, I appreciate this subject has gone a little off piste from the original prototype discussion, to more of a 'plan for my layout', for that I apologise.

Were the workings direct to/from site, or between sidings and quarry/tip?

This may seem very naive from a person with a railway interest but I'm really not sure how large sidings like Bescot even operated. I've seen videos on YouTube from the era that interests me and there seems to be a lot of movement of freight in many commodities moving around Bescot yard in the 90s? Maybe you could enlighten me to its usage?

I'm trying to come up with some ideas for a garage layout, and I'd like as best as possible to be able to choose something that will realistically allow me to run most of my stock (trainload era early 90s diesels mostly). I've decided on a freight specific layout, and I'd also quite like a layout with some sidings to allow some shunting movements, something that adds a lot of play value to me personally. I've come up with an idea of some civil engineers sidings, accompanied by a small service shed, and locomotive stabling point. I've a decent size to work with (~18ft) so can get some decent length sidings in. Did such sidings exist? I'm thinking of holding areas for rakes of ballast awaiting weekend/evening work, equally holding sidings for enginners wagons of spoil and other spent engineers materials just back off site, but not yet disposed of. I'm wondering if this is a realistic operational concept, or whether in reality ballast was transported straight from quarry to site, and spoil straight from site to landfill? I'm assuming at the very least there must have been some dedicated sidings strategically located for empty hopper and spoil wagons to be stabled when not in use? If the idea works it'd give me scope to use the few varieties of dutch locos I have in my collection. Also as a secondary question, were other locos of suitable types 'drafted in' from other sectors? I've seen photos of RFD 37s lending out on engineers duties, but what of other sectors? Can't think I've seen many photos of RF: Metals, or Petroleum motive power on the front of ballast trains (pre privatisiation that is). Pretty sure I've seen a few parcels and RES 47s pulling ballast workings on weekends though? And finally, if that all works, how was the block working of ballast hoppers moved between quarry and sidings before it was actually used on a specific engineering duty? Were engineers sector locos used, or did the block working of ballast come under the operation of RF: Construction? I'm wondering if I can squeeze in a few contruction sector workings as 56s and 60s to add some variety to the layout. Sorry for the many questions guys! Help and thoughts appreciated.