toboldlygo

Thanks for the tips, worked like a charm

Not necessarily a quality control issue, as with most loco's in the steam era they didn't always run with shedcode plates fitted.

I'll leave it be, found a more suitable candidate for this donor

If they've been sitting in the box for a while in warm environment (such as a loft) the factory lubrication does tend to seep all over the keep plate and on to the contacts. I've had enough of them apart over the years (over 100) to rectify most of the problems mentioned. Though I've been fortunate not to encounter the cracked drive gear on a Bullied, though I have on a couple of T9's. The early one's also have tendency to throw coupling rods if they've been miss-handled...

Might have been mentioned somewhere before, but how do you remove the smoke box door on the B1?

... and it was just someone carrying the Olympic Relay Torch.. .. Hang on a minute that's me

For such a small class they have a veritable minefield of detail differences. Also they are fiddly as hell to fit etched plates as Bachmann ones are oversize so they must be trimmed down. The left-side one is straight forward to remove, the right side however is moulded to the reversing lever, so great care must be taken.

Hi Dave, Just to point out that there is a third tender variant to be considered. 5 of the class that were rebuilt ran with a 5,250 gallon re-bodied tender

I snapped one up as soon I got the email from Rails, as I have a cunning plan

Thanks for that

I will definately pre-order 30069, just as soon as I figure out which number is my MR subscriber number :/

February and March have flown by and there's me too busy to post and update. Well here goes, my Bulleid plans have been tweaked and several other locos have been slotted into the mix. T9 30718 was in works and was subsequently completed: These locos have been completed: Q1 33034, I really love weathering these. This is the 6th Q1 I've renumbered so far, it's also the first loco I've used etched route indicator discs on. An 'Inworks' picture taken prior to weathering M7 30053, 2nd M7 I've done, this one had to be recrested back from a late to an early crest, again I've detailed up the top of the water tank with the fireman's tools (Hornby ones painted ) BoB 34084 253 Squadron, 93rd Bulleid light pacific I've done not including repeats . It caused a bit of head during the research during the quest for crests, as it appeared to have run briefly in 1959 with a 4,500gl unmodified tender with a late crest, before having it's 5,500gl one back with it's Early Crest! WC 34108 Wincanton, 94th Bulleid etc. This one caused a bit of confusion as according to Irwell Presses 'The Book of West Country and Battle of Britain Class Pacific's' she was rebuilt with a 4,500gl tender and then had it swapped for a 5,500 gl tender in 1964 end of story you'd think. However when I was looking for photos, she's clearly seen on the end of steam specials in 1967 with a 4,500gl tender again - bangs head against brick wall lol I still modelled with the 5,500gl one as I had photo's of her with it phew An 'Inworks' picture taken prior to weathering There would have been a couple more but things got slowed down by the renovation of my Pond Up next to the workbench is another Q1 33033, then WC 34106 Lydford and MN 35013 Blue Funnel. That's all for now TBG

Best way to describe finding the correct donor etc for an A4 is like trying to walk blindfold through a minefield on your hands backward. lol

I always seal the top coat of colour with gloss varnish prior to transfer application, makes it easier to move transfers around.

A brief update first A4 60001 Sir Ronald Matthews is nearly completed, just coaling and oil required, here's a quick snap I took prior to the hand weathering being done and the head lamps being fitted. T9 30718 is progressing smoothly, though she is just a rework thankfully. On to the subject at hand Bulleid Light Pacific's, I suddenly had a brainwave - I've got a number of perfectly good donors up in the loft doing nothing so why not re-purpose them It's going to be 2009 again for those of you who remember my Bulleid exploits from then So once Q1 33034 and M7 30053 are completed, it's going to be the rest of the year on Bulleids. Here's which ones are going to be coming: 34084 253 Squadron (605 Squadron as donor - though I'll probably use 222 Squadron's tender top as she'll be modelled as prior to Hither Green 02/1960 and she had a late crest on her tender. 34096 Trevone (Westward Ho as donor) 34097 Holsworthy (Yes Tor as donor) 34108 Wincanton (Sir Trafford Leigh Mallory as donor, tender top will be swapped with Lydford donor's one) 34106 Lydford (Weymouth as donor, tender swap with above) 34005 Barnstaple (Plymouth as donor) 34009 Lyme Regis (Sir Fredrick Pile as donor) 34032 Camelford (213 Squadron as donor) 34042 Dorchester (17 Squadron as donor) 34044 Woolacombe (Ottery St Mary as donor) 34047 Callington (Sir Keith Park as donor) 34079 141 Squadron (222 Squadron as donor, spare 4,500gl cut-down tender top will be used and re line cab) Should keep me busy That's all for now TBG

A busy month as usual, lots of cursing and swearing with nameplates etc, but I've got there lol! First up the completed victims - sorry loco's in their various states of dirtiness First up is Q1 33035 now complete, done and very dirty: Next is a very lightly weathered 34057 Biggin Hill on an Early Crest and unmodified tender: Finally for the completed loco's is Grange Class 6800 Arlington Grange looking remarkably clean compared to her sister loco 6870 Bodicote Grange (see previous blog entry): In the paintshop currently is my first renumbered/named A4 Class - 60001 Sir Ronald Matthews on an Early Crest, single chimney, 52A (Gateshead) shed-code. I've fitted her with a decoder and yes she's going to be very dirty! Here's a quick snap of her in between second and third coats of dirt..... Prepped for a return trip to the paintshop once the A4 is done is T9 Class 30718 and after that will be another Q1 which will be 33034 on an Early Crest..... That's all for now TBG

It's definitely not a Spam Can and it's not even southern!!!

With the completion of West Country 34031 Torrington, I have 20 WC/BoB's left to do. It's hard to believe that it's not quite 3 years since I started down this slippery slope!!!! My main problem now is decent reasonably priced donors as they are few and far between, I'll get there somehow!! I plan to revisit two I did in the early days this year, that were modelled using the wrong cab width loco (I didn't know better at the time), these are 34072 257 Squadron and 34110 66 Squadron - donors permitting. Current state of play on my workbench: 6870 Bodicote Grange - completed, just need to take some better photos when the weather is better. (Edit 6/1/12 new photos taken ) Q1 33035 - needs coaling and final detailing. 34057 Biggin Hill - in the paint-shop. 6800 Arlington Grange - everything's ready to go, just not started. And finally there's something streamlined yet to be started

It's that time of the month for an update and my production line grows even longer. 34031 Torrington returned to the front of the queue and is now awaiting it's final coats of varnish (once the paint-shop warms up!!!) It's a true REBUILT West Country with all the parts from different sources etc. The 5,250gl tender fully lined out on one side Engine and tender coupled up, at this point I hadn't lined up the side of the tender facing the camera or applied the cabside numbers Grange Class 6870 Bodicote Grange is next in the queue, currently awaiting more weathering. 6870 awaiting it's turn in the paint-shop Another Q1class is up next this time it's 33035, again on a late totem and yes it will be very dirty!!! This one's already to roll into the paint-shop once the first two are done. Following on from them will be another Grange Class and another Battle Of Bitain Class. The loco's and plates are here so they maybe started sooner rather than later. Their identities are 6800 Arlington Grange and 34057 Biggin Hill (a repeat I know, but this one will differ from the previous one I've done ) That's all for now TBG

I've bitten the bullet and pre-ordered the BR (SR) set, I hope they turn out as well as the BWT and Sentinel have.

After lord know's how many renamings/renumberings of Southern Region Locos, I'm doing one with a distinctly Western flavour. Upcoming is a 6800 Grange class 6870 Bodicote Grange ​to be precise. A suitable donor has been requisitioned, just got to acquire the plates In the meantime 34031 Torrington's tender is completely modified and currently awaiting it's next stage of painting, I'll post a picture of it shortly in it's before painting form. Once finished I'll get the engine all renumbered and the loco will then be weathered together. As promised here are a couple of pics of Torrington's, modified Wrenn Bodied 5,250gl tender and the the work I've done to it to bring it up to spec of the loco! (added on 26/11/11) Summary of work carried out All the molded on handrails have been replaced with nickle silver wire ones, The tender's molded floor has been removed and one from spares of the scrap 4,500 gl tender has been used Roof has been reduced in length by .050" to match the later Hornby ones Ladder holes have been filled and ladder (scratch-built using a spare ladder from a 5,500gl WC tender) position in roughly the right place - they seem to vary slightly from re-bodied to another. Currently letting the varnish dry and nearing completion is N15 30797 Sir Blamor de Gamis. Will need coaling and final detailing as per the norm. What I won't be doing is adding a decoder to it, after much cursing and swearing I fitted them to 30770 Sir Prianius and 34095 Brentor, which both proved to be right pigs (I can see why Hornby have been putting the sockets in tenders!!) I also fitted a decoder to Q1 33036, which happily proved tobe the easiest of the bunch!!! Speaking of Q1's another one's joined the queue!!!! That's all for now TBG

It was a bright sunny morning, that's where I went wrong with the natural light bit. As it washed out all the colour that's on her.