Shedmaster

Hi, Many Thanks for your kind words. The painting and weathering work is done by a very good friend of mine, although plans are in place for me to have some airbrushing tuition at some point next year. Don’t worry though, I won’t be flooding eBay with ‘Professionally Weathered’ items anytime soon! Lol’s… Cheers, Shed.

Hi, Just a line to wish everyone a Very Happy Christmas for 2021, here’s hoping that 2022 is better for everybody! Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi, Considering the amount of years these guys n gals have been in the model producing industry, longer than I've been alive, we really shouldn't have to be asking for these things, they should come as standard due to their unrivalled experience and expertise, surely? Yes, yes, I live in hope like everybody else....enough is enough now! Shed.

Hi, Don't know about you, but I reckon the Roundel designed livery was one of the best things to happen for the railway system in the UK, definately one of the positives! Any Thoughts? Cheers, Shed.

Hi Rob D2, Many Thanks, glad you like it…. Yes, I do have plenty of fond memories of the place and the people I worked with down there. I think it will always be a sore point for me though how I never thought to take any pics back then, lols! Kindest Regards, Shed. ps…In my excitement I forgot to add that the Class 40 shown in the pics was just visiting for a week or so, whilst en-route from GC Weathering back to its home depot.

Hi, Just a few more pics, this time of some new arrivals. Wooden wheelset cradles fitted to our internal user BR 'Sturgeon' wagon, for storing or moving wheelsets around the depot... Wheel Scotches... Roof access ladder, walkway, pallet truck, saw horses and metalwork table... ISO Wheelset cradle...for Clan Line... ISO Wheelset cradle...for Class 71 ... the wheelsets are removable so can be used for any type/size as required. For a change, these are my own work including painting. Just need to weather a little now to tone the parts down a bit. That's all for today, Kindest Regards, Shed.

Ah, did I say that was it? Just found a few more that I hope you like... You'll see that the main shed is still very much a work in progress, however thanks to smaller suppliers such as Goodwood Scenics and Westhill Wagon Works, a lot of really useful details are becoming available that are fundamental to a modern depot layout. Cheers, Shed.

Okay, so now I've got the phone memory issues sorted, just a few random pics to finish off, hope you like them. Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi All, Good Morning! Just a quick pic or two from 'The Lane'... There's been plenty going on here but I've not posted anything for ages again, I know. Shed.

Hi Fran, Thankyou for your detailed reply on this, which I didn’t just find to be helpful, but was exactly what I had in mind! Honestly, I’m not at all surprised that you’d already addressed this, the Accurascale brand really is way ahead in every respect. Thanks again, Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi all, Good Evening, I’m loathed to ask as I’m certain Fran and the team will probably already have considered this but… Has any thought been put into Light Loco headcodes at all for the headcode sheet? I’m not familiar with Deltic movements or workings but was thinking out loud about light engine moves and the headcodes used, for example ‘0Z55’ or ‘0A33’ etc. Would it be asking too much to include one or two of these perhaps? Looking forward to my ‘Purple’ one arriving next year….you can’t imagine my delight when after cancelling my first order and then regretting it, a small subsequent batch became available! Over the moon doesn’t come close! Come to think of it, wasn’t the purple one running round with just ‘__16’ as a headcode at one point? Many Thanks, Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi All, Just a line to add to the above post…. There was a time, around the period you mention, when I spent a LOT of time driving 37’s off Hither Green. 37 051, 37 057, 37 109 and 37 114 seemed to be the staple diet for many of the jobs at the time and frankly, I had an amazing amount of fun with these. I even made it to Victoria with 37 109 and the VSOE empties from The Lane! I think one of my fave stories was when I was summoned from Hither Green to Stone Crossing to rescue a failure. The failed train was a 1,400t engineers trip working and the 37 on it had boiled dry I thought as it was simply way too heavy for the route on its own. So, off I go with another 37 ( not my idea ) and onto the top of the failure, thinking this is gonna take some driving so as not to blow this one up as well and fail again! I got the train to Dartford and stopped to drop off a member of staff and then I had an idea, which I think saved the day, thankfully, as everybody played ball. I was certain that the punishing gradients up the Sidcup loop line would be too much for this one 37 to manage from a standing start at Dartford if the speed dropped too low, and worked out that we really needed to keep moving and would be on full power for the whole journey. I phoned the controlling Signallers at Ashford IECC and London Bridge and also the shunter at Hither Green Bramdeam sidings, simply requesting that I have green signals ALL THE WAY and MUST NOT BE STOPPED under any circumstances until I reach to stopping point in the yard. To stop would be to fail again and need another 1Z99. To their credit, and it really wasn’t often I would credit Signallers with anything in those days, they kept me going. One 37 managed that run on full bore, from Dartford Station right up until the stopping point in Hither Green Sidings, at a whopping 15mph! To say I was impressed was an understatement, it was working so hard that it just hummed, very loudly, but it got there. There are plenty of anecdotes from working with the older, traditional machines that really made the job interesting as you had to really drive stuff sometimes. This all died with the arrival of the Class 66. Best of luck with your project by the way, look forward to seeing some pics if possible…. Cheers, Shed.

Hi Fran, Thankyou for the regular feed of info regarding various details relating to your Locos. That’s gotta be a ‘World 1st’ hasn’t it, a manufacturer showing you how to modify one of their original products? Anyways, what I dropped in to ask…. With the head codes, I understand these will be stickers fitted onto the outside of the glass panel from the factory which are changeable by the user? Have I understood this correctly? I’m curious if these will be the rubbery type plastic sheet where the light only shines thru the characters from behind or will they be a paper sticker based affair? Many Thanks, Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi Jack P, Apologies for late response to this but no, this is not something I ever looked at.... Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi, Thankyou for your replies. I’m not sure where this came from but I suspect I was ‘told’ by a colleague back in the day when I worked with these machines. Thinking back, I could only have heard it the once, which doesn’t indicate it was common knowledge then...oh well... Cheers, Shed.

Hi, Just out of interest, wasn't there a restriction originally that meant a Class 92 couldn't couple up directly to a BR Mk1 coach? Something to do with buffer vs corridor connection clearance? Was this restriction lifted then? I worked several railtours where there would be another loco between to get round this. Cheers, Shed.

Hi All, Just dropping in for a couple of things... These wagons ARE amazing in my view and exceptionally well thought out. The only thing I would say is they are extremely heavy! I reckon at least twice the weight of the Bachmann JGA wagon, (remember those?) but they roll a lot further and without any problems. The release lever apparatus for the knuckle couplings are a nice touch! I'm hoping to put a rake of 18 together, representing the 'Purley' workings but I suspect even empty, these will be a challenge for even the most capable model modern traction! Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi, Thanks for your reply, I knew it was a risky question. I’m not insulted at all, I can see there’s a whole science behind this as let’s face it, welding is all around us in our everyday lives and in many critical scenarios bearing weight/loads etc. Many Thanks anyway, Shed.

Hi All, Good Morning, Could I ask what the issues are with regards to welding a vehicle please? Simple description preferred.... On some of the ARC/YEOMAN ‘JHA’ wagons I used to work with, there was ( I think ) a label stating something like ‘before any welding, phone this number’. So, considering that was a vehicle withOUT any sophisticated electronics or computers, why does it matter? Obviously, I can appreciate you wouldn’t just take the risk of damaging this stuff but I suspect there is some sort of risk attached to the welding process? Many Thanks in advance, Kindest Regards, Shed.

Thanks for your swift reply Jim. The reason for my question is indeed related to the complexity of the former SR, and the detailed knowledge and experience required to get around safely. Something that is extremely hard to build up when only working infrequently over such a variety of routes. Oh, and of course, loving your pics as always, Thankyou for your efforts! Shed.

Hi Jim, Just out of interest, where do your ‘Conductor’ Drivers come from these days please for working off HG? Kindest Regards, Shed.

Good Morning, I think it’s safe to say this General Manager’s Saloon is going to be an amazing model, whichever version you’re running! We’re waiting with baited breath down here at ‘The Lane’ to get started on some crew training, this being where she lived right up until moving away and becoming ‘Caroline’... Kindest Regards, Shed.

Are we there yet? Sorry, couldn’t resist! Seriously, no news could surely be considered good news on this? Take your time gents, I just want it to be right.... Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi Fran, I know at this point in time you will already be several steps ahead on what livery re-runs you’ll be considering/doing but as we’re on the subject, could I respectfully ask for an inner set of VTG Grey liveried wagons please on your next release? Many Thanks, Kindest Regards, Shed.