SRman

Mine isn't a pre-grouping layout per se but I intend to vary the periods it represents from time to time, even to the point of changing a few buildings, the road vehicles and stock on it, and hopefully the signage as well, although that may be more difficult. I think I may have to put up with a few anachronisms as a compromise but we shall see when construction of the layout has proceeded further. At the moment I can also run my pre-grouping stuff as preserved items with more modern stock. I have some London Transport trains too, with the oldest stock modelled so far being half a train of 1920 F stock, albeit in post 1933 LT livery, so it *sort of* quaifies! I have some locomotives in SECR, LBSC and SECR liveries but don't yet have suitable trains for all of them. The LSWR M7 does look good on the front of a three set of SR liveried Maunsell coaches, a scenario that could have occurred into the mid 1920s. I have assembled a train of mostly southern area private owner wagons which include a couple of anachronisms because I like the liveries (eg the Firestone open wagon which actually dates from around 1928 or after, since the Brentwood factory didn't open until then). I am working on acquiring suitable brake vans for each of the railways but, so far, only the SECR is properly represented, and even that is still under the late stages of construction. As for the LSWR, I have a set of suitable Roxey Mouldings brass coaches to build (all currently still in their flat condition!) plus an earlier plastic and brass kit, from the same source, of a luggage van. Of course, the upcoming Bachmann Birdcage stock in SECR livery will be a 'must buy' for me, and I have two Roxey LCDR luggage vans bought in built condition from swap meets recently, being painted into SECR red. If you wish to take a look at progress so far, I have really only completed the London Transport circuits, so everything has to run on the LT lines for now. You can see it here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/27719-srmans-new-layout-yet-to-be-named/ .

Yes, I was probably a little too impatient and posed the question before the SIG was set up! I managed to get some Phoenx Precision paints imported shortly before the PO bans applied, including some LSWR salmon, LSWR umber, LSWR loco green and SECR wagon grey but I cannot, fr the life of me, find that SECR grey. I know exactly where the other tins are, but not that one. Annoying!

Falcon (or Faulcon) Green sounds good.- I hadn't thought of that one. The XB Falcon is in good nick although its paintwork isn't. It does have 'character' though! I bought it in 1985 for spare parts for $150, It turned out to be in better condition than anyone had thought, spent a few thousand on it over the years but it is now worth more than I have spent on it (not counting 28 years worth of normal servicing costs and registration, etc as they would apply to any car, rare or not!). It is that rare thing: a car that is appreciating in value now.

Falcon Lane could be a goer. It is apt in another sense: I still own, and occasionally drive, a 1973 (Australian) Ford Falcon hardtop (two door coupe, in English!). Falcon Road. Falcon Bridge. Falcon Park. Falcon Wood. Just trying a few variations for size! I don't think I can use "junction" as I don't have a 'proper' junction, although I do have that siding pseudo single-track branch line running off the Underground lines. Hmmm. More food for thought. Falcon Junction would also make me think of Eagle Junction on the Brisbane suburban lines. It does trip off the tongue easily. So does Falcon Wood, although I was going to name the small woodland tract Newton Wood after my good friend Doug, who did the baseboard timber work for me. Edit: trying to use a perfectly valid English word c-u-m between the words 'siding' and 'pseudo' but the stupid language checker keeps blanking it out. It is not a rude word in this context but the automatic fixer-upperer doesn't care about that!

Here's a quick question for the SECR experts: I am in the process of finishing the Roxey LCDR brake van in SECR grey. As base coats, I have used Humbrol blue-grey #79, with the intention of using the correct SECR grey for the last couple of coats. However, I cannot find my tin of SECR grey at the moment. Can anyone tell me if the Humbrol 79 is reasonably close in colour? If so, I may just leave that as the final colour - it looks fairly close from the limited number of coloured photos I can find on Google. p.s. As the post offices are now refusing to accept paints and the like, it is now nearly impossible to obtain new stocks of specialised model railway paints/colours over here in Australia.

Yeah. Let 'im make all the mistakes!!! You are a man after me own 'eart!!

Thanks for answering that. Roxey have quite a few pre-grouping items available in etched brass, including this brake van. Cambrian Kits are to produce an LSWR D1543 brake van in the not too distant future too, as well as their existing SECR 'Dance Hall' vans and SR 'Pill Box' types. I was lucky enough to find two built Roxey LCDR/SECR luggage vans at recent swap meetings here in Melbourne. They were very nicely constructed although the brake gear had suffered minor handling damage before I bought them - price = $20 Australian each (that's approximately

Two more pics of the LCDR brake van going into SECR livery - the second coat of Humbrol 79 has been applied. I have posed it with the as yet crewless Bachmann 'C' 0-6-0 in magnificent full SECR lined green. Also visible in the upper photo is the recently repainted Dapol track cleaner which was in Hatton's dark grey and white livery but is now in simplified BR blue and grey livery.

Sorry to hear about your back, Peter. I don't go back to work until Tuesday. Hopefully I'll cope by then. The polystyrene does make a mess, doesn't it?! I always keep a vacuum cleaner handy, just to get the stuff off me!

Another suggestion: Church Lane (or Street or Road). I have been laid low with the bad back but am starting to improve now. My first modelling task since then has been to experimentally swap the station buildings from the Hornby Skaledale Italianate style to the Bachmann art deco style. I didn't really intend to use this building here but I think it looks rather good. It will be linked to the platforms by a footbridge (Ratio modular covered footbridge on the way from Hattons right now for experiments to commence!). The lighting was not the best and the white of the all that polystyrene swamped the camera a little, although I have tweaked the photos a bit to compensate. Another thought occurred to me while I was laid up: I have a large Kibri modern tower building that has close to the same footprint as the large Tudor hotel in the existing photos. If I am careful with the scenic surrounds I may be able to swap them from time to time to suit a more modern image period. I had a similar idea way back at the planning stages for the main line station: have two interchangeable modules, one with platforms in use (1960s or earlier), the other with derelict, weed-grown platforms to fit more modern settings.

As I am recovering from the back problems of the last week or so, I have now been able to start a few simple modelling projects - or continue with existing ones. I can only spend short times sitting at the workbench for now but things are improving rapidly. Besides the class 350 conversion to class 450 mentioned elsewhere, I have finally, after much thought, come up with a way to level the LCDR brake van - it was previously sitting a little high at the compensated end. The solution was actually quite simple. The compensated unit rocks on a single piece of wire threaded through the cradle mounted on the underside of the wagon and the separate cradle carrying the 'W' irons and the wheels and springs. I removed the wire (it was only lightly glued in place), and removed the wheel/axle/'W' iron cradle assembly. I then used a drill the same size as the wire and hole in the wagon mounted assembly and drilled the holes upwards towards the floor, elongating them into slots by a little less than 1mm - this was by trial and error to get the ride height just right. Once that was done I reinserted the wire through the two assemblies and all was well. The other thing I did was to give the whole body a quick spray of grey undercoat, followed later by a thin coat of Humbrol blue-grey #79 as a base coat, to be followed by more thin coats of the same colour, before the final coat or two of the proper SECR grey can be applied. I still have to sort out the brakes and brake gear. I have found the diagrams in the instructions almost incomprehensible, together with the brass 'wooden' brake shoes being too thin to be convincing, so I am going to rethink the brake blocks altogether, probably using plasticard, before I nut out the brake rigging. Here are the progress shots; please remember that the colours are by no means final.

The vinyls to convert a Bachmann class 350/1 into a SouthWest Trains liveried class 450 arrived last week, while I was unable to do anything due to a back injury! I have now healed sufficiently to allow short (very short!) spells at the workbench, so I did a little preliminary painting on the first driving coach of the Bachmann class 350. I have also removed the pantograph and associated insulators and conduits/bus bars from the appropriate coach, Some holes will require a small amount of filling before painting but as I won't be using the vinyls here that can be done at any stage of the conversion process. I noted from photos of that coach in Modern Locomotives Illustrated that one of the underfloor modules appears to be absent when compared to the 350. I would assume that it was the AC high voltage step-down transformer and equipment. This was a rather nicely moulded separate fitting on the model and was easily levered out with a small flat-bladed screwdriver. The vinyls come with panels to cover the pantograph well, the red and orange flashes on the roof and include a red panel for the driver's cab air conditioning unit. I decided that I would actually paint the drivers aircon unit red and dispense with the vinyl panel for that. I have also decided that I will paint the roofs, ends and skirts (above the underframes) blue. The photos show the first thin coats of red and blue. These are still very thin and do not necessarily reflect the final colouration of the panels. The vinyls themselves may be seen on Electra Railway Graphics' website at http://www.electrarailwaygraphics.co.uk . Photos are of only the first coach at this point. I don't know how rapidly I will be able to progress with this project but I will take photos at each stage - hopefully slightly better ones than these!

I agree with you on the chip fitting score, Rob. I have now done five 4 CEPs, two MLVs and five 2 EPBs ... all of them were pains to get into!

That reminds me, Bachmann are to produce an E4 in OO so it may well develop an N scale version in due course.

Lima mechs varied enormously even between examples of the same models. Some ran like dogs and nothing you could do to them would improve them, others (like yours) ran beautifully and just about forever. I have had my share of both extremes and many in between. To be honest, after several attempts, I don't usually consider the Lima mechanisms worth converting to DCC and have recovered several decoders for other projects after "de-DCCing" the Lima locos. However, my 31 327 was a sweet runner and I have converted it with great success. I got carried away and converted 31 004 as well but that was rather less successful and still is not the greatest runner. I'm seriously considering getting the Hornby RailRoad version and swapping the mechanisms then selling the remaining Hornby body and Lima chassis - I did the same with a Lima 59 and a few DMUs, although I retained the DMU bodies for further conversions so merely pulled the motors and gears out of the mechanisms to turn them into unpowered dummies. I also bought several Hornby class 73s, usually on specials, and swapped the Lima bodies on to the Hornby chassis. I keep all 73 bodies for future reliveries though. I had nine Lima 73s and now have five of them on Hornby chassis (two with sound fitted) and one with a Model Torque motor in the Lima chassis. DCC works well with the latter motor but the atrocious Lima brass wheels and limited pickups still mean this one is not the best of runners. That means I now have around 14 bodies that can be simply and easily swapped on to the working chassis, allowing fast and easy changes of identity and period!

Another pic from me: the SECR 'D' 4-4-0/ This was an original Wills kit I bought second-hand as a non-runner. I replaced the handrails and knobs completely as the original builder had them running in a curve along the boiler, added better electrical pickups, added a spring to the front bogie to give better balance and retouched some of the paintwork, adding the indian red / brown frames as well (I mixed the colour myself!). It is still not an accurate rendition of the SECR livery but looks more representative than when I bought it. Sorry for the reflections - it is behind glass. I should have taken it out to photograph it. I also didn't notice the tender wasn't on the track properly until I looked at the photo! I had it on display at an exhibition here in Melbourne in the 1990s. While it predates my time considerably (I'm a 1950s child!), a lady came up to me and started reminiscing - she could remember the SECR days from her childhood. That was a really heart-warming moment for me and makes modelling like this all the more worthwhile.

The SECR 'C' in full livery (together with the BR black liveried version): If you wish to see it in the flesh you will have to come to Melbourne ... where you will be welcomed! A mate picked up a suitably old-fashioned crew for me on his recent trip to Britain. Once they are painted they will be added to the cab.

I wouldn't class myself as a pre-grouping modeller but I have assembled, or am in the process of assembling, some pre-group trains, all in OO. I have the Bachmann SECR 'C' class 0-6-0 with a train of private owner wagons, with a Roxey brass LCDR brake van still under construction. A much older model is a Wills 'D' class 4-4-0 in pseudo-SECR livery (I couldn't manage the lining properly!). There are two Roxey Grand Vitesse luggage vans which are being repainted into SECR red. There are a couple of Cambrian Kits SECR Dance Hall brake vans but those are going into BR liveries (one as a ballast brake). I also bought one of the LSWR liveried Hornby M7 0-4-4T locos some time back and have a rake of unbuilt Roxey LSWR coaches and luggage van awaiting my attention. I also have an older Hornby LBSC E2 tank - in two minds as to whether it is worth converting to DCC. There are a couple of Hornby LBSC brake vans both in SR brown but one will be repainted to LBSC grey eventually - they aren't bad models when all is said and done. Somewhere in bowels of the stock boxes I have a short rake of Ratio GWR 4-wheeler coaches converted crudely to 6-wheelers, representing rather generic pre-SR stock painted in olive green. I don't know if this gives you any ideas. I have to say that I also model 'modern image' with those dreaded diesels and electrics, so that may push me down a bit in your estimation, Mikeandnel!!

Another possibility occurred to me just now, in view of having the church at the top of the hill: Church Hill! Thanks for the further suggestions, guys. Seeing as the LT station is mostly complete now, I will have to start putting names on it soon.

Yes, I like the idea. Rick. Thanks also to Gary for his suggestion. Maybe a fictional variation on Lavender Hill, like Primrose Hill? No, wait, that's a real one! Daisy Hill? Rose Hill (sounds like girl's name!)? A street name can work. Many years ago I made an exhibition layout with wintry snow scenery. The station and signal box were named "Winter Lane", which summed up the layout's theme nicely.

Simon, the problem is I want it to be fairly 'generic' so the location can sort of drift a bit, depending on whether I am running the Brighton Belle or a 4 CEP or a 4 REP. Even so, New Hey has overtones of New Haw and Weybridge. It has to be the London (ish) end of the line. Clapham Junction would be ideal but I don't quite have enough room to model that properly!!

Good question, Simon. I still favour something like New Hey but I also still think I can come up with something better. Suggestions are welcome!

After a period of inactivity on the G16 project, I have now done a little more detailing work. This was to add a wire run (or is it an oil pipe run?) from the front of the tank to the bulge over the cylinders on each side plus the start of what will be the clack valves on each side. For the latter I have used a thickish brass wire with some fibre washers intended for valve gear applications. Next, I will add a little Milliput to the tops followed by another of those fibre washers. The photos show this work to date, with apologies for the blurriness of the first pic. Those wire/pipe runs are deliberately kinked and wavy - photos of the real ones show this to be so.

I have been on school holidays for the last two weeks and have made a small amount of progress with the layout building, although not as much as I had hoped/planned for! I have done some further levelling and grading of the polystyrene landscaping at the village end. I am generally happier with it now. No photos of that to show at this point but I will take some soon. I have been fiddling with the track diagram for the LT lines and have now printed it and laminated it, ready to mount behind some clear acrylic (also shown in the photo). I will then drill holes where he switches will go. Normally the track section switches will be left on for DCC but sections will be able to be isolated for DC analogue running. Apologies for the reflections. I have been giving some thought to the Oxted line bridge - part brick arches and part under-line lattice girder. I have not found any suitable bridge kits from the kit manufacturers (Faller, Vollmer, Kibri, Walthers, Atlas, etc.) but I hit upon another idea; the Ratio Pratt truss signal gantry! I am ordering four such kits to play around with. Each gantry on its own would not be sufficient to support the bridge span (in real engineering terms) but two or three side by side should look the part, in conjunction with some plate girders ... I hope. Google Earth street views are quite helpful in visualising this, if anyone wants to look.

They obviously didn't follow the modellers' rules for weighting of wagons! A bit of lead in the bottom of the wagons may have prevented the derailment!!