Nile

There's a big advert for these in the October RM, it states they will be released over the next few months. So maybe by the end of this year?

Something I hadn't realised, until they arrived, was the two different bodies produced in this run. The difference is quite clear when they are put together. Proper job!

Painting the NLR coach. The starting point was a coat of PPP P.60 Teak. To get the well worn and grubby finish I was after I brushed on light coats of various brown shades of Acrylic paint, and finished off with a thin wash of black, as seen on the end. The rest of the body and chassis similarly (mis)treated. For the markings some improvisation was needed. The SDJR crest is very close to the NLR one, and indistinguishable in this scale. The numbers and 'FIRSTs' also came from the SDJR section of HMRS sheet 24, the SMOKING label from the LNWR sheet.

What was wrong with this one?

The kit provides information and parts to detail the interior, most of which will never be seen if the roof is fixed on permanently. I've kept things fairly minimal, the seat might just be visible through the open door I've added in the bulkhead. The roof is held on with magnets, allowing access for maintenance if needed.

Now in greyscale: Acid-8 primer on the body, halfords grey on the roof. While that was waiting for paint I got on with the next project, a Prickley Pear GNSR brake coach: Not that I've taken up modelling the GNSR, this will become a freelance model. That's why I've inverted the roof, there are ribs on the other (now under)side. The real things were built in the 1860s by Joseph Wright & Sons of Birmingham.

And now for some detailing. Some guess work was needed for the emergency brake indicator gear on the end, most of it is barely visible as these ran in close coupled sets. The valve housing is a block of plastic with holes drilled through it. Compartment partitions were made from 20thou plastic card using an end as a guide. Ratio seating will be added later. Fully detailed roof plonked on top. I haven't yet decided how I'm going to fix it on. Now ready for painting.

Rather than get on with the chassis I felt like a break from this loco. I have a few coach kits I want to get built, I'm starting with a NLR kit from LRM, this one is the first class. Starting with the chassis: The wheel units, one of which rocks for compensation, are removable. I've added some card packing under them to get the correct ride height. Body sides: I left off the bits above the windows for later. They can be soldered on, the problem is keeping them straight. I decided it was far easier (for me) to glue them on later after the soldering was done. I screwed the sides to the chassis, using it as a jig to hold them in place while I soldered the ends on. There is enough adjustment possible to get them set just right. Later the nuts are soldered in place. Somehow I didn't solder the body to the chassis, this is the resulting body:

My guess is this is a Con-Cor HO scale standard gauge model, they did 16.5 and 10.5mm versions in lots of (fictional) liveries.

Are you sure of that, or are you thinking of the 700 class?

To confirm what LRT wrote above, this is the relevant line from Hatton's website: "Please wishlist your items now and we will notify you once pre-orders have opened." Don't Panic!

Non-FB alternative at RoS: https://railsofsheffield.com/blogs/news/new-Bachmann-narrow-gauge-talyllyn-locomotives

I've been adding detail bits to finish off the body. Some of these have been recovered from the Bachmann 0-4-4T I modified on my RTR workbench, such as the clack valves which are combined with some copper wire. The vacuum ejector came off a Hornby Jinty, trimmed to fit and combined with more copper wire. There was nothing wrong with the supplied safety valve cover but as I wanted a polished brass one it was easier to use one from LRM.

This video about Planet might be helpful, complete with waggly bits.

It's in BRM. Yes they should be clasp type. Possibly the builder has used a kit for an unfitted type. It's O scale so I'm not familiar with what's available for GER stock.

I think the red ends mean it's vacuum brake fitted, or is it air on the GER?

I combined these recent conversions with some Hatton's Genesis coaches for an improvised photo shoot. A gathering of LNWR and MR trains. Photo-bombed by a GWR saddle tank. Recently renumbered coal tank No.747 has found some LNWR stock built from London Road Models kits.

It costs at least 75p to send a letter, and you've got to buy a stamp and then actually post the thing, far too much work. Much easier to rant on t'internet.

The basic Hornby 0-4-0 is no longer the pocket rocket it used to be and is quite useable for shunting. They still seem to be churning out loads of them at fairly low cost. Worth a try if you are after hundreds rather than thousands.

From the first post:

A little more progress to report. After much procrastination I decided what number this would be. I've mainly based this model on a photo of No.1347, as it's the only one I've found with a rear weather-board. But I'm going to use its post 1907 number 1680 so that it matches condition with the Bachmann model of 0-4-4T No.1273. This places them both in the few years after 1907 before they received large numbers on their tanks, and probably a repaint into black in this case. Numbers and letters applied: The backhead is nice resin casting, apart from paint all I've added here is the regulator handle. Backhead glued into cab, along with some gauges made from Evergreen rod.

Probably not. But if it was I would like to see the pre-super heated version produced as well.

Some more forward dating. When I bought the tender body from Bachmann I also bought a loco body, for a Midland 1P 0-4-4T. When the model of the 1532 class first came out I almost missed out as I hadn't pre-ordered any. I managed to get a Midland red one (of course) and a LMS black one, can't remember why, must have seemed like a good idea at the time. It was always my intention to forward date the MR one with large numbers, but then I had another idea. Buy another Red body, forward date that and fit it to the chassis from the LMS one. The body ain't cheap, but a lot less than a used loco. Time for some photos, this was the starting point: Some parts were removed for re-use on this model (chimney,steps and coal rails) and others. The main work on the red body was replacing the tank side markings with large numbers (press-fix). The bright hand rails were toned down with Tamiya Smoke (X-19). This has moved it forward about 10 years. And now a sort of before and after view: Side by side comparisons:

Thanks for the responses above. It looks like the only source of suitable RTR LSWR locos for these is OO works, I wonder if they will consider some re-runs?

Perhaps some clarification is needed. I was specifically referring to the Four Coach sets just announced by EFE rail, before they were reduced to 3 car sets.