Arthur

Fascinating stuff. Brass prohibited for use in loco kits, shortages of steel, we don't know how lucky we are. That Acro coupler looks interesting, simple and discrete. Does anybody know how well they worked?

Nice bit of imagineering, it certainly looks the part.

That does make a surprising difference to the overall look of the wagon, it looks more squat and ready for a heavy load.

Do you mean that light coloured vehicle just right of the locomotives Jonathon? If so, that's a Thames 400E drop side, same cab as this; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Thames_400E this is a Thames Trader, somewhat larger; http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/50_fordthamestrader.htm

This Coal Tank is from a Pro-Scale kit, the only one of theirs that I ever built. I don't recall any particular difficulties with it, perhaps one of their best?, though it was built a good while back.

The pig iron has come out really well Dave, I shall be hunting down appropriate sprue..... Always good to see a Scammell, that's an interesting way of flush glazing, not come across that before.

If you are modelling BR steam, you'll need a few of these then Barry; http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnneave/3962190245/ Lancashire Steel Manufacturing Company ore tipplers on their way to the Irlam works. Bachmann have plans to introduce one.

Yes, the Big Bedford is a significant gap in the die cast ranges, not glamorous enough perhaps. You've captured the every day scene with those models. I have to admire your hand lettering Adam, it really does add a lot to the overall impression.

Thanks Adam, I thought that it might be RTI, those glazed cab ones are very effective. I've made up a couple of their Fordson 7v's, it's a useful and interesting range.

Lovely work as usual Adam. What are the origins of the AEC, model not prototype? That really does look good.

Thanks John, I'll follow that up. Edit. Bought one via the eBay link.

Yes John, they're well made and built to last. Where did you get the neomagnets from?, I'll try that with mine, it's a model I intend to keep using.

You also have to thaw out the motion and bearings which are also frozen solid. This is featured in the 1955 BTF film 'Snowdrift at Bleath Gill' where locomotives which have been trapped for days in snow drifts are being rescued.

Thanks Robert. I'm very pleased with the final result myself. Adam, thanks for the info on the buffers, I've been looking at photos of the Tennants fleet and, though some of the shanks are painted red, along with the buffer heads, it's clear that you're correct about the greasy brown colour. I shall attend to it tomorrow!!

Thanks Adam. The transfers were made up for me by John Peck at Precision Decals. I do the artwork with Serif PagePlus software (which John recommended), email the PDF to John, and he prints them off. Very reasonable cost and unbelievably quick service. John advises me on how to prepare the artwork and is generally very helpful. The decals do have a carrier film but once settled down with Solvaset they look painted on. John prints legible text at 2 pt (that's the smallest I've tried) and on the Sentinel there's a black drop shadow and I've some of that on text down to 3 pt.

I've just completed my RT Models Sentinel which I picked up from Robert at Warley. I'll be adding some build notes, either in one of my existing threads or maybe a new one, but here are some images for Roberts own thread. Firstly, pretty much complete, awaiting weathering and final details; Weathered and caught taking a break at Lancashire Iron & Steels Barton Hall Works. At work with one of Roberts section rolls on a scratch built internal user wagon. A nice kit, highly recommended.

Info on Pig Iron Dave, Machine cast pigs are typically 24" x 10" (across the base) x 4" high and weigh around 100lbs. They are 'flattened' to speed cooling and so that they readily drop out of the machines moulds. They have a deep groove across the centre enabling them to be easily broken in two. By setting the rate of flow into the moulds it's possible to partially fill them such that two smaller pigs are cast, one in each half of the mould. These machines were in use in the 1920's and the last casting of pig iron into sand beds was probably in the 1950s, just possible some small plants carried on into the 1960s.

Inspired by scenes at Tennants Whifflet foundry at Coatbridge, a Lancashire Iron & Steel Company Sentinel moves an internal user wagon loaded with a mill roll casting, still hot, from the casting bay. I've just completed the Sentinel from an RT Models kit and the mill roll is a resin casting also from RT Models.

Let me get back to you on the size Dave, I think I've got some actual dimensions somewhere. I'll be interested to see what method you come up with. Just a thought about the pig iron wagon, should it have a steel floor? They could be loaded hot.

Glad to see they went to a good home! Looking good Dave. I do like that pig iron wagon. If you are intending to add some pigs to it, they would, by 1973, be machine cast like these in the left foreground and in the plate wagon. Compared to the old pig bed cast ones they are relatively flat. http://www.flickr.com/photos/52554553@N06/10419662884/

Just needs a 'newspeak' slogan like 'Strength through Unity'.

Well according to the review in the Feb. MR, the models wheelbase is 26.5mm

There's been a couple of mentions of these, Adrian's BR suburban coach kits; I bought this off Norman Wisenden, well he sold it to me as I didn't go in looking for it. One of those models which went straight onto the workbench and I was so pleased with it that I few weeks later I went back for two more. Nearly thirty years later they are still in the 'to do' pile........ The glue along the top of the side is giving up, I'll need to run a scalpel under it and re-fix it. Mention has been made of the Kemilway 4MT mogul chassis. I know that I'm not alone on this forum in believing that, as a chassis kit, it has yet to be surpassed.

Hi Brian, No, not Fox. I spray yellow first and then cut 3mm strips from plain black decal sheet and cut and fit them. It's easier to get strips to fit round details and corners than it would be with large panels. Here it is part way through; Once positioned and dry enough to stay in place, they get two or three coats of Solvaset to settle them down before final trimming.

Very nice Dave, good to see some early progress. I like the idea of scratching through the RTR finish to get the 'rust' in. You're obviously not finding that the acrylics dry to quickly to work with. Limestone, by rail, 16t minerals I would guess though it needs to be dry when used so possibly sheeted? Same with the sand, that definitely has to be dry before it's cast into. So I guess that would be covered too, though I've no evidence to prove it. I was brought up very close to Gardners Diesel engines and their, much smaller, iron foundry had sand delivered in bulk road tankers.