ian@stenochs

Hi Pad. I built one of these. Really good kit. The most difficult part is the bunker corners. Make sure you use the longer etch, small one on left of main sheet in your picture, and be prepared to do a wee bit of fitting to the brass castings for the corners. The resin boiler/tanks save a lot of time and difficult bending. I stuck it to the footplate and cab with Araldite and reinforced joint with a few self tapping screws. Enjoy the build. Ian

I like the washout plugs. A shortcut I have used is to utilise 4mm axle bearings, the type for pinpoint bearings. Just drill a hole to suit the square wire. I had lots left from my P4 days when I started again in S7 but they are quite cheap to buy. Ian.

Thanks for the feedback. I was only seeing the loco with the Stirling cab. I assume a rebuild. Original looks dainty and quite petite judging by the crew posing by the splashers. Ian.

Nice to see something a bit less mainstream being built. I will be following this thread with interest. I assume the loco is a Mathew Stirling design. I am building one of his uncle James' lockos. An 8 class from the G&SWR. Bit more archaic as it has slotted splashers in the style of the senior Stirlings but also with the family style of round cab. Ian

I have had a soft spot for the Port Road ever since I fell off the signal box steps at Parton in the early 70s which curtailed a long weekend away with my then new wife. Still get reminded about it if we are in the district! However the line is a real modelling opportunity if you want an excuse to have a mix of rolling stock. Particularly if you you like the pre group period. Green Locos of the Glasgow And South Western and blue and black from the Caledonian plus coaching and other stock from Midland LNWR, NER etc. You can even have some quaint PP&W Locos if you choose Newton Stewart as a location. I am currently building a model of one of the G&SW 187 class 0-4-2s with full tender cabs which worked to Wigtown and Portpatrick. Something that is very unlikely to appear as a kit! Ian.

But why would you buy a Frankenstine beer when you can get the Real thing? Ian

And those kits of his that came out under the College Models branding? I would not touch them with a barge pole!

Hi, I thought I would upload a record shot of a couple of locos which have just come off my workbench. Both locomotives could have been seen chimney to chimney although they would both have been in LMS livery. Both were shedded at Hurlford for a while. The 306 class is scratch built and is part of my collection of Smellie/Manson G&SWR goods locos, only one more to build and I will have the set! The 4F is a long term Hurlford engine and has been built as one of the engines I saw as a young train spotter. The model is based on the JLTRT kit with the addition of a Griffin inside valve gear kit. The engine still needs a bit more weathering as she is far too clean for a Hurlford engine of the 60's. Ian.

Looks better now you have got the boiler in place. However the front springs look a bit basic and lacking depth. Can you laminate another layer on the back to get nearer scale breadth? Ian

Hi. Silver steel hardened and tempered works fine on brass but takes a bit of time to make the cutter. I have been using the shank of a broken end mill ground to shape in my fly cutter. Works just as well on steel and holds its edge very well. Ian

I bought and built a lot of Agenoria locos when Pete Stamper had the company. All built well and accurate to prototype and I would recommend them to anyone looking for an industrial loco. Since Williams took over there have been some prototypes introduced which I am interested in but which I won't consider buying based purely on his reputation as College models. I wonder if the poor sales is as a result of chickens coming home to roost. Ian.

Yes Rod, I used the S7 group driving wheels but standard Slaters for the tender, turned down of course. Ian.

There is also 'Legends of the G&SWR in LMS days' and the articles he wrote in the G&SWRA Journal. His 'locomotives of the G&SWR' also includes human stories amongst the technical details. Amongst railway authors he is almost alone in making the railwaymen a major part of the story. Ian.

Thanks Richard. There are lots of interesting variants on the Pre group scene which look a bit odd to those more used to the uniformity of the modern railway. I model the G&SW which used single lever brakes on one side only until the BOT regulations forced them to fit them both sides. As a bit of a lazy modeller I quite often only fit one set despite my modelling period being 1906-12. However I know that the G&SW, as well as others, did not rush to conform to the BOT regulations and there were still wagons with only one sided brakes running during and after the Great War period. Happy modelling, Ian

Hi Richard. I have been watching your thread for a while and have just noticed the brake lever on your OCT is on the left end which goes against the normal right hand position. I note the same brake position on the long open earlier in your postings but also the timber wagons are on the right. I have only ever built 1 GCR wagon, a 3 plank open, and it has the lever on the right. I have come across a few other companies wagons with left hand levers or levers on both sides at the same end as in GWR but they are not that common. Can you tell me roughly what proportion of the GCs stock used the left position. I would think it could have been a wee bit awkward for shunters to have a mixture. Did the Board of Trade ever try to enforce a uniform position like they did with the single sided brake? Regards. Ian.

Hi Jazz. Thanks. I just wondered because a few of the kits that I have built have had some of their basic dimensions, and more often details, not as per prototype. I like to get things correct and always check against a GA and photos before and during a build. Ian.

Hi Jazz. I have watched your thread for a while now and you have built a fair number of kits. However I dont think I have found you refering to drawings or photographs of the prototype. Do you just assemble the kit or do you model a specific prototype? Ian

Hi All. I am chairman of one of the smaller line groups as well as a modeller. We do try to publish as much information, drawings etc as we can but as has already been said we don't have enough manpower to do all we would like. There is also a financial implication as publishing is costly and has to at least break even. The 'ordinary non active member' is a valuable asset in that their subscriptions and purchase of what we do produce enables the continuing work of disseminating what we have. However we will never be able to make all we have available no matter how much we would like to. I think most line societies will answer specific questions, there will be a few 'experts' in different areas who can often help. However we frequently get the general 'tell me everything you know about xxx station' type of question just pixxxxes us off. If you want help you have to give something in return. I know I need to do some research if I want an accurate model but some folk expect everything on a plate Ian

Hi Jim, Its good to see you redressing the balance back to the golden age of Scottish Railways even if it is the Caley :-) Here are a few pictures of my efforts, the Sou' West in S7, 'Auchlin' on the old A&C lines through Ayrshire. Happy modelling, Ian.

My Myford is bolted to a home made wooden bench. 2.5"square softwood frame, ply top and shelf and 1//4" ply cladding turning it into a cupboard which is my tool and paint cupboard. The lathe is on the Myford drip tray with raising blocks. The assembly is free standing on a concrete floor. In 25+ years use I have not had any problems with the lathe moving despite some heavy work on 1/4 size traction engine parts. Nowadays I only make 7mm locos which certainly do not cause any problems. Happy modelling. Ian

I always have more than one loco on the go at a time. As I scratchbuild there is little cost outlay as metal,In the quantities we need, is quite cheap. It always helps if a problem is encountered whether info or skills to switch to the other model. Usually on returning to the problem I find it is not so big. Happy modelling. Ian