87023Velocity

Still retaining Railfreight Coal livery well into EWS days, 56134 heads a steel working past 37216 heading north on an engineers working.

Hired in 47761 works a Mk2 Virgin Cross Country service south as 47853 hauls a northbound service.

Brief running session this evening. Cross Country 47s, Loadhaul 37 and 60. 7

I am surprised the split box with doors and cut away cowlings has not been covered yet. They were still a few knocking about in EWS days. Cheers Simon

Excellent, like others the wallet might be worrying. Got a bit of time to save up though. Hopefully the SNCB blue and DB Freightconnection versions will appear as specials. Cheers Simon

Another loco for transfers. This is another respray from the WCRC 37. The body has been sprayed with gloss varnish prior to adding the transfers. The transfers are from Railtec, the 3D nameplates still need adding along with the cantrail stripe and data panels.

Made a start on applying transfers to the 2 recently resprayed class 90s. A coat of Railmatch gloss varnish was first applied before adding the transfers. Here is progress so far on Virgin 90014 and Freightliner 90142. Cantrails, data panels, numbers etc still to complete. Not sure what I will do regards pantographs at the moment, ideally fit Revolution versions if can get hold of some in time for Wigan. Cheers Simon

More detailing around the front of the layout has been added along with removing a section of undergrowth and replacing with a low relief industrial unit and hardstanding. The undergrowth was used initially as I ran out of time prior to Dallams first show at Wigan in 2016. Here are some progress pictures. Also the twin birth garage unit has been replaced with a new structure as I was never really happy with the first version. The IBCs, pallets, oil drums and forklift have been bought on Ebay. Thanks for looking. Cheers Simon

Stunning work James, the 87s and 90 look spot on. 😎 You just need a full pushpull rake to go with them, have one of your 47s on a drag with the 87 or 90 pan down on the rear. Cheers Simon

66135 rolls past Dallam yard with a southbound MGR, 08802 shunts the yard. The oil drums on pallets have been added today along with the skip. The hardstanding has been weathered also. Ordered some pallets and a forklift to complete this part.

I have used closed cell foam, got it via Ebay. This is the one I used: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185133328764?hash=item2b1ace697c:g:uTAAAOSwFrFhewCD&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4PNpD07ldcFg5zJiYdeJJMxTCinbL5LzuKXSWn9qq6GWT%2BnsEc%2FpJxnPept9SN9EAS6orngq%2B76OeTglMj7DDkJs59k5UTDtKUq5nuF4%2FamTws5EjhSwoMa9YDsm98W8p2VWFVEFntmGoU3N1nWn%2Fp1tQBxI9gkwrgbgPfb00L3SUbn3ZgMUWMNmStEjdAFO%2BBZDmVvWkDL%2BQMp5LI9Z9bXOFON%2Fdxqtn3GN%2F4gBj4DKbXgtKcrAb%2FIJom7b%2BKn4ux4dGMFhNcs3wGRU1AAvBgCE5WLt%2BN86WBtD6p9sB09h|tkp%3ABFBMlN_Mh7hg Cheers Simon

More progress on the second class 90 which is on the workbench. All paintwork done now. Next job will be gloss varnish ready for applying the transfers. I tried the Freightliner triangle just to make sure it would fit due to the body grills being larger than they should be. There is a 3rd 90 which will be started shortly, again that one has received the etches for the light surrounds. Livery to be Railfreight Distribution European with the blue roof, number not decided yet. Cheers Simon

2 more locos on the workbench. These are Farish class 90s which have had the light/grill etch fitted and then resprayed. Holes have also been drilled to allow cab handrails to be fitted. The Virgin liveried one will become 90014 and the other will be finished in 3 tone grey with Freightliner branding as either 90142 or 90146 (these both on hire regularly to Virgin as well as working Freightliner trains).

I just let the Maskol dry on the brush I have used to be honest then peel it off. I keep a brush just for applying Maskol and once it's not fit for purpose, I use another brush - generally an old brush rather than new. Simon

With Dallam booked at the Wigan show on the 1st/2nd October I thought it would be wise to look at the stock transportation for the show with approximately 200 wagons to put out/away it can be quite time consuming. Previously I had used plastic storage boxes with the stock wrapped in kitchen roll along with some wagons using their original boxes. So after looking online at various options, I decided to make my own which consists of a 9litre Really Useful Box which fits 4 foam trays inside. Each tray has been cut for specific trains and will be labelled. As an example, the MGR rake consists of 36 wagons, this can be split over 2 trays. The Cawoods PFA container coal train is 29 wagons, again split over 2 trays. So both these complete trains can fit inside one Really Useful box. I should be able to do the same with the Intermodal rake (20 wagons) and Freightliner rake (18 wagons). Here are some pictures of progress, my cutting is getting better with practice. 🤣 Cheers Simon

Bit of progress with 37886, body mods i.e. engine room window and steps filled. Lower stripe needs to be added along with spraying the main grill black. The gap between body and bogie needs adjusting. Here it is partnered with 37520.

My Farish WCRC 37669 arrived from Kernow on Monday, however it has now changed how it looks and think the warranty maybe not be valid! 🤔 Pictured paired up with 37520. I am surprised that more EWS versions have not been covered and also the 37/7 heavyweights. Cheers Simon

Hi David, That is looking excellent and certainly captures the WCML feel! Cheers Simon

Yes, mask off as you say, spray a light coat of white as a base then once dry spray the gold. Simon

Bit more progress on the workbench over the past few evenings. The paintwork on 60013 is basically complete following the respray from the original Farish Mainline blue livery. Gloss varnish will be next ready for transfers. The numbers and EWS logos have been removed from 56089, the gold band will be resprayed. WCRC liveried 37669 will become 37886 in EWS livery, nameplates and numbers are from Railtec. This will need the bodyside window and steps filling in. Cheers Simon

Back to some modelling. A couple of locos on the workbench. A standard Dapol EWS class 56 will become 56069 Wolverhampton Steel Terminal, numbers and nameplates from Railtec. Cab jumpers will be replaced with finer versions. A spare Mainline liveried 60 I had will become 60013 in unbranded triple grey. The original paintwork has been stripped and a white base coat applied. Cheers Simon

After a few long and warm evenings, the fiddleyard extension is wired, track cut for the baseboard joins followed by testing to check the wiring. With that all done, 3 trains were set up on the new roads, 56067 on the Cawoods, 60070 on empty OTA timber wagons and 47761 on the engineers train.

Having placed an order yesterday evening on Amazon for the bits required to complete the track laying, said items arrived this morning so managed to finish the track laying this evening. I managed to put a temporary feed so a test train could be run through all 4 roads. Here is 56067 on 29 PFA Cawood coal container wagons passing through one of the loops. Cheers Simon

More progress made on the fiddleyard extension. Sides added to stop stock falling off, case clips added and everything bolted up. Cork underlay added along with copper clad strips for the baseboard end. I did make a start on track laying but it does help to have track pins and fishplates 🤔🤣 so have only managed what is in the pictures. The plan is to have 3 roads for longer trains and another road for DMUs, short trip workings etc. The space at the side for another 2 roads will get used in the future. Cheers Simon

Standing in for the usual 08 or 37 on the trip working, 60052 is captured between the vans.