brian daniels

I went into Howes today and saw they have at last got some later quality replacement wheels for the earlier Heljan locos that keep getting dirty/tarnished. So if you need any to save you having to keep cleaning your wheels give Howes a call or use there web site.

A couple more from me.

There wasn't many fitted with ploughs Michael and only this one with them in BR blue as far as we know D7001 They all had plough brackets from new though. And yes I know I should have removed the headboard clips on the front but I did not want to repaint the model if I didn't have to. I can live with them.

Got a bit of weathering on the Hymek at last. I will do a bit more on the underframe I think. Still got to get a sound chip and speaker shoe horned in on top of the cast chassis.

Hi Peter, don't know if I will go down the Heljan 26 route yet but I may well give in to one I have 3 JLTRT ones and would like to finish the fleet with a SSC fitted 26/0. I must admit I do run the Heljan stuff a fair bit as you know they will pull what ever you put behind them. I wish I could build a proper depot to run and phot them on rather my little US depot photographed here but I just have not got the room for one. I do like the 27's more than the 26's, it's those headcode boxes with domino's in Still got a 27/2 and the NB ones to do sometime together with a 20 with token recess and sound to pair up with my IM allocated 20052 and the 33's when they are available.

I like the 27 in Waverly, very nice. Just did this in photshop, does it work?

Mike, I bet you could almost hear a gaggle of little sulzers chirping away in the back of your head as well when you looked at these

Just finished putting the details on the bogies today Pete so will be painting them now then you can rest assured a pic or 2 will be here

I went to take a picture of my Judith Edge 06 now it's nearly done but thought whilst there why not try and make a fuel point somewhere in Scotland. So with JLTRT 24/25/26 and 27 to hand it was time to transport back to 1976 (well about then with a 24 on shed)

Done a bit of weathering on my 27101 recently. I still need to put some oil stains on it when I can get the lid off Also got the Hymek step etches from Pete Harvey. A great improvement on the large plastic ones.

Got some paint and transfers on the B tank now. Still needs a coat of varnish but that will be done when my 06 chassis needs doing shortly.

Finished building the MMP B Tank could do with a couple more but I can't see it somehow. The 27/1 is nearly there as well.

It helped having a week off work and also having wheels and motors to do the job. Also and most importantly, it's a great kit to build Some kits Iv'e done you get bogged down and loose the inspiration to get on with them but this one I just could not wait to get on with it. By the way I have now got a Machima and Roxey 40-1 gearbox for it as the Portescap whine was getting on my t*ts So I shall stick this in then when I get the worksplates on it start painting it. I just got some cabside data panels for the 06 from Precision Labels and some for my 27/1 so I can get that varnished this weekend. I am building a MMP B Tank that I have had for a couple of years at the mo so even I have the odd kit that takes a while to get built!

Precision paint then . As was said earlier it did look a bit shiny but as you say it's good for putting transfers on. Nice compact little loco that baby deltic, shame about the kit quality

Who's paint is this on the baby?

Managed to work out how to fit a casting for the bogie end stretcher which has the life guards on. I made a stretcher out of plasticard that "wedges" in between the bogie sideframes and then glued the casting onto it. Hope it's strong enough or I will have to drill a couple of holes and bolt the castings on. I think that's about it for the moment until I get the bogie step etches done.

Finished upgrading the bufferbeams (apart from the vac pipe that's still got wet paint on it ) Also added the lost wax brake cylinders and sand pipes. I have asked Pete Harvey to do some etched cab steps as these on the model are a bit chunky. The only pictures I have seen of a blue Hymek with ploughs has them in a very brake dusty/weathered condition. I would think that they were originally black as per green hymeks. Shame really as you can't hardly see them at the moment until they get weathered. Still got to decide what to do about the headboard clips on the yellow front.

Thanks for the roof pic Bruce as they say "every little helps" for when I get a 27/2. I have just re-visited your gallery and found the shot of the desk in an 06 brilliant stuff, must go and redo the controls on mine as the kit had no mention of what to do here and I didn't get it quite right.

27 chassis is now primered so while I wait for paint to dry I thought I had better get on with the next project, detailing a Heljan Hymek. I have fitted some cast MU, vac, air, steam pipes and a side step into the bufferbeam, although they are only a push fit at the mo as I will pre-paint them before glueing them in. I have also added some tubing for the exhaust's. Now onto the bogie sideframes as I have some new air cylinders to replace the half round moulded ones.

The 06 was built with an Antex 25W iron Micheal with the largest bit you can get for it. The lights on the rear will be glued on after the wasps are put on. I will paint the ends yellow then use Fox wasp strip decals. One problem though that I can see is that the wasps on these are at a steeper angle to other shunters so will have to do the stripes in 2 halfs. By the way ther is an etched grill to go over the front of the rad when it's painted. It's going to be 06002, probably as my colour pic of it with a top light still on it and a worksplate on the cab. I have ordered a worksplate from Diane Carney as they do one pretty close to the correct style. Unfortunatly to do a one off correct one will be a bit too expensive. I also asked Severnmill Plates and he too said it would be to much to do a special so I will have to make do with the Diane Carney one when I get it. As to the 27 pipes Steve they come in the kit, lost wax steam/vac/MU and air pipes. Forgot to mention the 06 comes with the 2 window rear cab if you want to do 06007-10 and these also had a rounder light fitting which are also supplied in the kit.

Got some paint on the 27 body at last now the weather has cooled down as bit. Still need a bit of pipework on the bogies to finish. At Railex a week ago I bought a Judith Edge 06 kit and have now finished it. A very nice kit to build made from a decent gauge brass. A couple of comments on the kit, It does not come with buffers but I had a spare set of JLTRT ovals which are not quite the right style as these are for a re-furbished 50/37. But a quick rub with a file on the rib underneath them and then solder a wire around the end and they look presentable apart from the ribs on the back of the head. The reason I stuck with these is that they are self contained to stop them rotating, you do not need a wire or anything to stop them rotating. The "lid" on the bonnet had holes for wire/bolts in the centre of it but looking at a picture of 06003 it only has the wire/bolts around the perimiter. The windsreen wipers are from JLTRT spares. It was a good job I have a few pictures of these as they came in VERY useful. I have fitted it with a Portescap motor/gearbox as I have had one knocking about for a while just waiting for something to go in. The cab roof I made a clip fit between the rainstrips so as it makes it easier to put the control desk and glazing in after it's painted. It is compensated with the rear axle resting on a piece of brass on the centre line and the rods jointed (they are supplied ridged and leaves it up to you find out how to hinge them )

We are not vetted for it at all, at least I don't think so, who knows what MI5 have delving into It's just another job for us that comes round one week in 16 or earlier if we have to cover for a driver on holiday. It's a cr*p job for us now as we start at 05:00 and finish at 15:30.

I thought you might have seen them. My access to Marchwood is because I drive the MoD train in to the place

Got a few pics at Marchwood on my website 40 pictures in total. Marcwood pics including the rare distant ground signal when you exit the MoD!

Got a few things on the go at the moment. The 27 is in the paint shops going blue. I have just put a Shawplan etched rad grill on my Heljan 37 which improves it no end (pics attached). Brian said he should be doing more rad etches for the Heljan O Gauge range . I am having a go at detailing my Heljan Hymek. So far I have put Shawplan etched numbers on it, having to double them up as they are a bit thin. Again Brian at Shawplan knows this and said he will be redoing them thicker, together with thicker nameplates for the 7mm range. I have fitted it with a set of JLTRT snow ploughs that I fitted to the cast chassis with 10ba bolts. The only blue Hymek with ploughs that I know of was 7001 unfortunatly which means I will have to remove the headboard clips and that will probably mean I will have to repaint the yellow ends Also bought a Judith Edge 06 kit at Railex last weekend. It is nearly built but am still waiting for wheels from Slaters so will post a pic when it's on wheels. Now for some good news, I have ordered some bufferbeam details from JLTRT to go on the Hymek and am informed that they will be selling bufferbeam detail packs and their buffers separate shortly . So all of you out there that want to improve your ready to run models we have the answer at last with decent lost wax air and vac pipes, nice MU jumpers and superb correct ETH recepticles.