Downendian

Hymeks and renumbering. A difficult one this - I've only done four of my fleet so far - I won't tell you how many Heljan Hymeks I have though! Some I picked up through ebay for as little as £33. I have designs on detailing my only surviving engine from my 1960s/1970s model railway my trusty Hornby D7063. Lovely little engines of which I have fond memories - Bristol was swarming with them in the early 1970s, but alas my enduring memory is of the last year in service 1974. I want to represent all these machines plus a few special "characters" which unfortunately I'd only seen in scrapyard condition. This triplet are D7000, D7093 and D7054. 7054 was a celebrity as she just refused to die was reinstated in her GSYP livery as late as 1972, and ended up in a forlorn state dumped at Bristol St Phillips Marsh and then to Swindon. I saw her in both these locations. D7000 the Doyenne has had her headboard clips removed and all are awaiting scavenger fans and the small handles at the bottom of the doors used to close them by drivers at rail level. Also some had the D painted over post demise of steam in 1968. D7093 was a frequently sighted machine right up to her end in late 1974, and even earned a spruce up for the Swindon works open day in September 1974. These cruel close ups show how difficult it is to get perfect alignment (although I'm fairly happy all be said). My procedure is to put the loco in a lipped tray on tissue paper and fit the alloy numbers one side at a time. The numbers (Shawplan) are removed very carefully from the fret using sharp scissors taking great care to remove all the "pip". Sevens are very difficult numbers to deal with for some reason! I remove the final two digits of the factory fitted number using the T-cut method, and then use the D70 to serve as a guide to fit the new numbers. I prefer using epoxy adhesive to fit as this gives ample time to move the number or D into position. Leave to set overnight and then do the other side the following day. It is fiddly and due to my eyesight I do the whole process under a magnifying glass and desk lamp. The Locos are stabled adjacent to my developing station site- 08 402 is on station pilot duties in the background shunting ex-SR parcels vehicles. This Hornby loco didn't need renumbering she was a Bath Road allocated shunter in my time frame. Neil

Renumbering A rather mundane chore to be said but an essential one. I eventually want all my fleet to be individualised to locos I can remember seeing (or not in many cases!) around Bristol in the 1970s. The first I have photographed this morning are 3 of my split box peaks, straight out of the box Bachmann models (formerly 45 053 and 45 120). I want to represent most of my peaks as named engines, it gives them a bit more character. These three are 100 Sherwood Forester, 45 004 Royal Irish Fusilier and 45 006 Honourable Artillery company. They will eventually be in 1974 guise where a large number of 45s still had pre-TOPS numbers and less than half the class were TOPS. 100 is more or less complete, just awaiting satin varnishing having had her headcodes fitted but 45 004/006 are still to be backdated and have their decoders installed. I'm still to check if any of these had the small radiator panel plated over- and will be so treated if this is the case with prepainted plasticard. Still in the Dunstone workshop is 99 3rd Carabinier- it has got its nameplates fitted but awaiting its numbering. My default renumbering process is rubbing the factory fitted decals with a blunt cocktail stick after applying a small amount of T-cut to the area. With gentle rubbing eventually the decal will vanish, but does remove some blue paint in the process- don't be alarmed this is quite normal. After cleaning with water, the area is dried and then waterslide transfers applied - again a cocktail stick is used to good effect to position the decal. The numberplates are Shawplan, some being in three parts (more fiddly but look better). Everything should be sealed under satin varnish and then to weathering. The peaks are rather unprototypically sat around my developing diesel refueller site awaiting their next duty. I have a significant peak roster, but quite justifiable based on the number of machines passing through North Bristol in the 1970s. Neil

Project number 2 : Crosti 9F Well strictly with all the Crosti stuff removed and allegedly an 8F. My spotting memories were completely dieselised- I cannot remember steam in service although I have been told I saw them as a very young child. My steam locos are intended to be machines that frequented the old MR route out of Bristol and towards Bath. I will operate my layout with two themes - 1970s WR based and late 1950s WR based (Midland and S&DJR bias). My steam roster is quite small comparatively but I'm particularly fond of big freight 2-8-0s and 2-10-0s. I have just acquired a railroad Evening star which served as the donor for a Golden arrow Crosti resin kit. I put this together in around a fortnight during this summers leave, a credit to the quality of the kit which required just a small amount of adjustment to fit the railroad chassis. Some advice though- I don't know how much of the chimney to ream out - clearly some is needed- but would it go all the way through the boiler or were there baffles (?) etc as per the Bachmann 9F model- sorry my knowledge of steam locos is somewhat under development. Help gratefully received. The mouldings are crisp, and following a minimum of filing and sanding to remove flash I was able to fit handrails and reverser rod (from 30A cooker cable!). Fitting the handrails was a challenge and reinforced how my eyesight has deteriorated in the last few years. Soon to be removed is that awful front coupling and fit some other pipework on the other side of the loco. The buffers are Alan Gibson LMS/BR standards. She will eventually become 92026, which was a known visitor in the Bristol area, of which I have just obtained a copyright slide of on ebay. Transfers and paint has been purchased and will be the first serious project to go under my new Iwata Neo airbrush. I particularly like the fox smokebox preformed number sets- there would be no way I could get those straight. The locos sit on the trackbed of my developing steam MPD - I will start a thread on my layout hopefully soon when its semi presentable to the public domain. Neil

Hi all I think it's high time to reveal to the public some of my work. I have (far too) many projects ongoing, and I hope this thread will encourage me to get them finished - some have been going for years! Inspired by the likes of Sean (Penguin of doom) here we go -but be warned updating certainly won't be as prolific as the wonder penguin. Index Class 13 build from RT models kit and Bachmann 08s. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1338696. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1719068 http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1719617 class 24/1 and 25/0 from Hornby and Bachmann Hybrids http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=784521. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=803604. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1634345 Class 31 fleet : modified Lima Class 35 Hymeks http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=792525 Class 37 fleet : modified Lima and Vitrains http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1697064 Class 40 fleet : Lima rebuilds on Bachmann/Hornby railroad chassis. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=835020. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=883183. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1369285. Fitting Shawplan windscreen etches to Lima 40 http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1654808 40 116 project http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1700405 Bachmann class 40 modifications http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1329391 http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1685270 Bachmann mark 2 chassis degunk http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1718985 Class 44 44009 Snowdon project http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1796528 Class 45http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=792503.http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=797915 Class 46 peaks from Bachmann models . Nose seam reinstatement http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1749288 Class 47 from Lima and Heljan rebuilds http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1484696. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1565306 Class 52 modifications of Heljan model http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=826295 http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=992543 D1065 Western Consort in 1976 condition http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1189078. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1228732 D1065 Valance addition and modifications to Dapol chassis. The first Heljan/Dapol hybrid? http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1944951 Class 56 modifications from mainline/Dapol on Hornby chassis http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1484696 Class 252 prototype HST Class 253 Lima on Hornby chassis S&DJR large boilered 7F http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1904230 Crosti 9F Golden arrow resin body on Hornby chassis http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=791088 Crosti 9F Craftsman conversion of Hornby evening star http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61530-downendian-details/?p=1842990 I really liked the 24s - and prior to the Bachmann model appearing had some attempts at dealing with Hornby bodyshells. However, we still lack a RTR 24/1, and despite the arrival of the Brassmasters resin bits for one I decided to butcher one of my spare Hornby bodyshells. I'd picked these up for the princely sum of 75p each back in the 1980s. I like the Hornby shape better than Bachmann - they seem to have rendered the cabs well, but naturally I wanted to have the performance of the Bachmann chassis so a forced marriage was required. Detailing so far (1) Chopped off winged horn mounts and filled. (2) Fitted craftsman flush cab doors and vents (3) adjusted height of window - 24s and 25/0s have noticeably higher windows than their 25/1 and 25/2 sisters. this was fiddly but I'm getting there (4) added Bachmann bufferbeams to underside of cabs and filled recess (5) Truncated Bachmann chassis by cutting off bufferbeam area - the chassis is approx 1-2mm longer than the Hornby bodyshell. (6) Cut out boiler filler recesses and scavenger fan. Still to be fitted are the handrails and lamps. She will be finished in my favourite diesel livery for the class green full yellow end, and will be a LMR machine, 24 136. What the photography has revealed is where attention is still required. Neil

Just about to listen to.... Put Marillion sounds that cant be made onto my iPod, and will listen to on the way into work. Just delivered this morning- will immerse myself in it over the next month! Neil

Here's a heavily modified Bachmann 40 (40 196) constructed by Roomey of this parish, of which I am the proud owner. It uses the Bachmann noses and the (more) correct Lima body. Excuse the scenery in progress! I'm hoping the new tooling will address both the squat nose and the cantrail/flank errors. 40 015 in the background is unmodified save the renumbering, naming and frost grille fitting as per 1974 condition. Neil

Just noticed the Hattons preorder pricing on 40 141 has gone up £20. I have two on preorder at £62 and £68. May have been a good move. Many of my Bachmann 40 chassis have gone under detailed Lima models. If you want to see how wrong the flanks are on the current Bachmann model try fitting nameplates when comparing to prototype photos. Neil

Rick - the Portsmouth Harbour To Bristol service was almost always two 3H units too. In the summer of 1975 one 3H was routinely put on the Stapleton Road to Bristol Parkway shuttle with the closure of the Wootton Bassett to Westerleigh Section of the South Wales line. A pretty unusual roster for it- I'm sure Bath Road had nicked one! Neil

You could sign my copy Paul, bought in the 1980s -,it may double the value Neil

A day late - a couple of busy days at work. Wednesday 4th September 1974. The last day of the magnificent summer holiday of 1974, spent consoling ourselves at Temple Meads that the lazy days of sitting by the tracks watching the Westerns and Hymeks all day long were limited for that year. Was it really 38 years ago? Life is so short, it seems like yesterday warm tizer, haversack and Branston pickle sandwiches sustained us for a day sat amongst the BRUTES. Bristol Parkway: 48, 46 018, 47 054 Lawrence Hill : 08 140 Temple Meads: D4004 08 377/411/669, 09 024, 25 077/134/200, 31112/249/258/286, D7029, 37 224/230/299, 45 012/114, 41/58/95/125/134, 46 001/004/008/013/017/022/037/048/052, 47029/111/122/151/178/231/243/251/329/483/485/495/498/506/531, 1585, 1731, 50 005/7/9/11/14/15/16/19/20/25/27/30/33/39/43/44, D1009, D1027, D1031. 3H units 1104/1110/1126. Still some non TOPs class 08/45/47 lingering - for the peaks and 47s due to the ETH fitting programmes. A single Hymek was an indication that the end was in sight- they were a daily sighting until this date then they almost vanished, working predominantly in the London area till the end. The 50s were firmly in charge of the Bristol- London service, but the high failure rate often meant that a faithful Western or a 47/4 was supplemented last minute. I have vague recollections of seeing the last 37 and 25 i saw in Green around this time- must check Russell Saxton's lists to see which were the ones I saw in 1974. Edit-Russells list suggests 37 230 may have been in GFYE that day. 47178 too. Neil

I searched amazon for your book OPC book and 7 used copies came up

Another vote for the Larkin volumes -excellent reference texts. Recently acquired the volume on departmental wagons and learnt a lot. I also have An illustrated history of BR wagons by Paul Bartlett, Larkin, Mann, Silsbury & Ward, which maybe out of print but worth a look on Amazon. lots of 4mm diagrams, prototype photos and lot numbers. Neil Edit: just checked 7 copies on Amazon used, pricey but worth it.

Thanks to Waggy for his WR railrover records. Very interesting to see the large numbers of Hymeks in South Wales, they'd gone by the time I started spotting, 1971 was still very much in the heyday of the hydraulics. Neil

Just checked through my pre-Ealing Western shots, and one I have in colour of D1060 suggests black/rusty or blue/rusty battery box clips, so fits with Mike's comments. Neil

July 1975 week ending 19/7/75 was the first major cull of class 24s. Scottish and some LMR 24s 24001-008/010-012/024-027/029/031/ 065/095 were all put in store. 24 025/026/929 and 031 at Crewe depot, 24 006 at Eastfield, 24 003 at Polmadie and a further 10 at Cadder yard, In those days without the speed of the Internet we could only find out from the monthly edition of modern railways, which we normally scanned with horror to see which Westerns had their call. I had not expected the 24s to go, and relished that May when Crewe was swarming with these wonderful little type 2s. My source of information on this and when I first found out was on delivery of my monthly Inter City Railway Society newsletter - not till September was this reported. Incidentally 1200 Falcon was put in store this week 37 years ago as well. Neil

On the M5 yesterday afternoon. The excellent Pixies "death to the Pixies" Neil

Hi Shane Really loved the MR article, really brought back some memories of the beast when it arrived on the WR. It's a stunning model and appreciate how much work this must have taken. I fancy giving this a go and have bought the genesis class 252 ends as a start. Is there any possibility of making the cantrail grilles and other grille etches made available commercially - Shawplan? Neil

Bath Road's 03 382 worked the trip to Stoke Gifford yard from Bristol East Depot on at least one occasion - I saw it. It was almost always an 08 or BRs only two 09s 09 024/025. Neil

Inspired by the current BMW 6 series Ad "unknown pleasures" by Joy Division. A dark, brooding but entirely inspirational album from 1979. The BMW ad is the Moby version of "New Dawn Fades". I downloaded that version and an Instrumental of it by Peter Hook and the light which is rather good, and of the ethereal "atmosphere". Joy Division- not everyone's cup of tea, but I thought they were superb Neil

In the field opposite my cottage I have heard Nightingales in the hedgerows the last two nights. So they have returned, despite the summer gales. Heard but never seen. Neil

She is an image of beauty ....have three on pre-order, can't wait. Same query re the valances - will the full items be provided with the model for those not needing access to the NEM couplings? Neil

Thanks for the heads up. I've wanted to add a Jube to my roster for a few years and this was the impetus to order. Hattons do this from time to time (remember the cut price Bachmann 47s a few years ago?), and I hope that they sell these quickly and continue to do so. This is a real bargain bearing in mind the DCC chip at current pricing is £12. I think the bargain may correspond to the current bank holiday - although I believe they've been discounted now a few weeks. Neil

Swallows returned to South Devon a week or so ago. Swifts in the Bristol area this week.

Jeff It's a ventilation panel, also fitted (OTTMH) to D1012/28/39/56 in the latter years of their lives. It was a rather ineffective modification to try and reduce the greenhouse effect in Western cabs. Neil

I just had to return to this thread...and add to it, Growing up in Bristol as a kid, and within cycling distance of the triangle of lines at Patchway/Parkway/Filton Westerns were seen almost every day until the very end. Although I've mentioned in other threads and old incarnations of RMweb the regular Western workings, here they are again. By 1974 passenger turns to South Wales were rare, but the 1C63 arriving at Parkway in the early evening were regular 52 diagrams. They were almost omnipresent in Stoke Gifford yard on Stone trains, growling away before spirited departures on trains of Empty or loaded MSVs to Northampton or Tytherington. The 6M53 St Blazey-Stoke on Trent clay liner had a 52 on it about 50% of the time, as did the return empty working the 6V53. Many other times though they turned up on Passenger trains to/from Birmingham and a plethora of unrecorded (unfortunately) freight workings, with that glorious mix of vacuum braked and unbraked wagon load stock in bauxite grey/rust liveries. Mr Fray Bentos's excellent Flickr site has pics of Westerns around the "Parkway triangle" and their appearance in the past ten years made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. We must have been stood side by side at some point! One shot of one climbing Patchway bank is excellent. I remember that on still summer evenings sat on embankments East of Parkway, you could hear Maybachs approaching up that bank a full five minutes before they broke cover. Fray also has a shot of a Western at what we called "Winterbourne bridge" at a spot where you could legally get almost trackside by climbing an embankment. Seeing Westerns here at point blank range was pretty hair raising. At that particular spot in the summer holidays of 1974/5 we used to get there at 0630 with bottles of tizer and sandwiches and watch the Westerns, hymeks (in 74 at least) peaks, brush 4s etc whizz by. Misspent childhood? Won't have any of it- what is the equivalent memories for kids today?