Bluebell Model Railway

I am looking forward to receiving miy order, obviously will be a few days till they start processing orders.. But I am still surprised looking at that BR version 32661, how many areas are just not right, when there's so many photos of this particular loco... Like the coal rails, which are right on the O gauge and N gauge versions but OO I have no idea what's going on there. I thought this was supposed to be a pedigree terrier from Rails?

I too prefer the paper copy with DVD, sadly we don't have fast internet, and it never displays well on my portable device... I was slightly confused as I saw various adverts saying free dvd with this content... then I saw others saying digital content... when I purchased the mag (paper version) the description also mention extra content but wasn't clear if it did or didn't have a dvd.

Since I haven't updated this topic since 2014... its about time I did... Hornby Stepney, 655 (A1), R3780 So my next victim, being a preservation modeller, as that's all I can remember, and haven't been on this earth for to long, so I wanted to get hold of Stepney having sold off my old modified Dapol version. Of course Horn have released Stepney in it's A1 condition... which for me needs to be A1x. So a number of areas needed attention some for the brave rather than the not so confident modeller... but Im a bit daring... so what needs changing... -Smokebox flush rivet, or riveted depending on era -Smokebox door (longer straps) -Lamp irons -Remove Westinghouse pump -Splasher changed -Sandboxes -Additional pipe work -Dome moved forwards -Brake blocks -Bunker rails -Etched plates -Special extras Firstly design, as I am fortunate to have a 3D printer, I designed the parts I required like the smoke-box, bunker, and also the sandboxes, as well as smaller detail parts. So these were designed, supported and printed in black resin. I have these parts available in kits if people are interested in doing this crazy conversion. Before the cutting starts I will start with the simple bits, the ones you can unscrew and refit, luckily Hornby released a limited supply of spares, I purchased a later keeper plate with the correct brake blocks fitted to the BR version. So nice and simple... The Cab, depending what model you are making, my terrier shouldn't have a Westinghouse air pump, so needs to be removed. Some acetone to soften the glue and it came off. Some excess glue was around to 2 holes this required flatting back, and the holes filling with 2mm plastic rod, and again flatted back to be flush with the surface. If you have the improved engine green, the paint colour isn't quite correct it's too yellow and now paint matched it. Taking the Cab to B&Q they could scan the colour, and reproduce it for £2. This matched perfectly! While working on the cab, the bunker rails were added small amount of fettling, and a small amount of super glue. Detail parts are removed from the body shell, saving parts from the smoke-box like lubrication pots on the front for reuse later. The handrails are carefully removed and stored, and the cab comes off quite easily. The smoke box, this is the scary bit for any modeller, and must be done carefully, remove the chimney you may need a small amount of acetone to soften the glue, removing the box I would advise leaving margin with the rest of the plastic to be filed off. For mine I did use a disc cutter on a dremel, however I would advise a very fine razor saw. Remove the spasher / sandbox separately to clean up and remove the sandbox part. The splashers are filed down to create the half moon shaped splasher, you will need a small amount of plasticard with a thickness of 0.5mm (20 thou) this is slightly curved to match the splasher, and glued in place, some filler is used and lightly sanded back, the top will be painted black. The smoke-box is assembled with door in place, and detail from the smoke-box, handrails, lamp iron, and oil pots, and a new turned brass dart are fitted to the model, and checked for fit, and also offered up to the boiler barrel. The boiler, again depending on your skill level or depending on your prototype you can opt out of this part if you're not feeling brave... For preservation version the dome was in the wrong place, so it needed to be moved approx 3mm forwards. Using a pencil I marked where I was going to cut. I used a sharp craft knife to cut along the marks, this went quite well... I removed around 3mm more forward of the dome, and replaced it with a piece of plasticard behind the dome. I chose to leave the safety valves in place in case I damaged them when trying to remove them. The area was levelled using filled, and very fine wet and dry sand paper, and using the B&Q paint finished off. Moving the dome forward means extra room for the additional boiler fittings. Using 0.7mm copper wire, and O gauge handrail knobs, which would create the valves on top of the boiler. I marked out the position according to photo's, worth noting terrier's had various positions of these fittings, especially on the IOW versions, so make sure and check. The 2 closest the dome are 13mm from the front of the cab. With the other 1 being 11.5mm. The handrail knobs require drilling from the side to fit 0.45mm brass wire these will locate in to the empty holes on the front of the cab. The copper wire is shaped as per a photograph and a small hole (0.75mm) drilled in the running plate for the wire to locate. The brass parts where cleaned, then chemically blackened. The smoke-box and top of the splashers are painted in black this covers over the modifications to the spasher and hides the print lines on the smoke-box and the door. Details, these are optional depending on what terrier you are converting. Mine requires the extended lamp irons on the front and rear. These are available from RT models and require bending in to shape and light soldering. A small hole is required to fix them in place. When soldered you can chemically blacken them and paint them, and glue them in place with a glue of your choice, I used some araldite. The last main pipe, This runs from the cab, to the smoke-box, made from 0.8mm brass, I have also added a 0.8mm washer where the pipe joins the smoke-box, the hole for this is indented on the smoke-box. The brass rod needs to be shaped, and checked along the way, the cab on Hornby's model has various holes for additional detail. Once shaped, you can chemically blacken the brass then paint. Adding the new sandboxes, they are fitted to the underside of the running plate, I've painted the blood red as it seems to match the running plate sides. The pipe work 0.5mm brass wire, bent to shape using photos as a reference. Re-assembly, now back on the way to going back together, etched plates from EB models arrived required painting, if you're unsure how to paint etched plates view my video. Add these to the bucker sides over the number if yours is LBSCR improved engine green. I attach these with varnish not glue. Chimney Optional, To do all this work I opted to splash out, and go for a 3D printed in metal chimney cap, be warned it is not cheap costing £16-20 at the time of writing, simply order from Shapeways, await delivery, first step to remove the painted cap this is done with a cutting disc or razor saw, this leaves an opening, Evergreen plastic tube 2.5mm inserted in to Chimney which centres the cap. small amount of super glue fixes this in place. Re-fit the chimney with superglue in to the recess. The finished article..... More images on FlickR here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmG676VN

Have seen people posting about this for a while... Here and Facebook... Can always hope... A better motor would be nice... Spares would be nicer but one can dream. Guess it depends on what else they are working on and is their demand..

You asked @LB&SCR 337? hehe I'm not entirely surprised they didn't, there's lots of little variations on the preserved models... same with the Isle of Wight ones... why no preservation ones well that's because of different boiler fittings being in different places compared to their toolings, Sadly the 7mm version of Fenchurch isn't as preserved it's in it's original A1 condition rather than a bit of A1 and A1X preserved condition.

Resin printing has come a long way and is now reasonably affordable... I myself have been using them for a while, however I can see a line which is possibly here the print has maybe been paused or something moved.. other than that the there is hardly and layer lines these days. I still have no idea why when I say some prototypes why he thought resin W irons were a good idea.... Use brass nice and simple.

Wondered why there was a rush on them today, now I know why...

I'm sure Hornby will do very well with this model. However what I'm not happy about is people's disregard for ownship of photos. @jukebox @Ribird thanks

It's been a while, haven't updated this thread as much as I would like but all my 3D prints take a back seat when I am mass producing coupling converters... Anyway, I have completed a set of 4 carriages for an Isle of Wight inspired layout.... which is still in the planning stage, so all 4 carriages are complete with stained glass transfers, crests, still need to get round to doing interiors at some point... The body and the floor, plus springs and buffers are all 3d printed, the transfers were produced by Precision Labels using my images, and help from Isle of Wight Steam Railway. From start to finish this this project took 2 years. Another small project was, a Hornby terrier... using 655 Stepney what better thing to do than cut it up, 3D print some bits and pieces and change it in to a preserved example.... well a little more to it that that... but you get the idea... I printed a new smokebox, a new door, coal rails, lubrication pots, and I blew the budget and 3D printed a bronze chimney cap.... shortly after shapeways announced a copper material... great... first time I printed in metal and it does look rather nice!

Hello been a while, So I completed the above a while ago, I now have 2 printers of my own, after Shapeways problems, and squeezing and margins I had... so change of direction, and I can control my own QC. With my own printers I can get experimental and try some new things, and also replace some older models which have bowed over time... I have re-printed the GN Directors saloon.... split in to 3 like the above carriage but using the original chassis. Other projects on the go, with a big thanks to the gents at the Isle of Wight steam railway, I have been attempting to rebuild the Oldbury stock, with the lovely stained glass windows, having tackled orientation and which way up was the best to print them, I have all printed, although not quite had the time to finish them off... so sitting in primer awaiting some spare time...

Hi Tony, If you own the model may I make a suggestion? Like you I am not a fan of Shapeways and your not happy with what you have. Have a look at 3d hubs. This is a site where people have their home printers listed, and usually these guys are really good. As it shows you people in the UK it's cheaper and quicker and usually better quality than Shapeways. Look for SLA, DLP resin printers... And and it will give you a rough price, and you can look at what each person offers and what resolution you want... Very handy and very good quality and also quick. Hope this helps.

Hi Tony, Its mentioned on the 3d print groups on RMWEB but it's something you learn through expirence, and knowledge of that model. For example your locomotive probably should of been printed on its end or at an angle, due to its boiler which may have removed some of the flatter faces which make up a circle. I probably would of removed the chimney and dome and printed them separately, to improve quality. I have 2 printers of my own and I've had to change the model positioning twice to get a good print but now I've found where it's happy I just have to stick with that position. But as I say its more expirence than anything else. As I mentioned this really put me off Shapeways as they don't care much about the quality they care how many models they can put in the machine... Which then affects the quality.

Nice looking model, 3d printing does offer us the chance to produce kits and models no one else has. The problems with Shapeways is all too familiar... They do need a lot of work and prep to remove the layers... What would of helped this particular print is its orientation which hasn't helped... Problem is Shapeways don't always look despite designers being allowed decide which way it gets printed. Sadly it's more get as much in as possible maximum profit sadly quality takes a dip. So I purchased my own no more problems. You will still get some lines with resin but a lot less work required. Shapeways do offer resin but not to public I think.... Overall you have a nice model. And one of a kind.

Thanks it's a bit old now 14 years old, but it was fun to build on a low budget... As the layout is likely to be broken up when the house sells I hope I can rebuild it one day.

For those who didn't make it to the show, or missed my original post, a few clips and photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmDMHFkd

I made the journey again from the Isle of Wight to meet a few modellers and club members, wasn't to sure about this years show, but again a good show by the RD&MRC high quality layouts, some of which were struggling in the heat, fair few derailments, I saw Leighton Buzzard wasn't hot enough so they had the soldering iron out... overall a good show... well done. Also very busy! Was just calming down at 3pm on Saturday. I have collected some footage and photos, and put it all together, camera died at 3pm as well so I think we all struggled. https://flic.kr/s/aHsmDMHFkd

Looks like a kit of Lion... Having built one... One of the worst, had to build a new chassis for mine, new wheels, outside cranks, castings... Meh not great a lot of fettling.. But have fun with it if it is.

Afternoon, sadly I don't post up much these days, as I am just so busy with customer work... and also changing over couplings to Kadees... meaning some 3D printing to make pockets for various kit built rolling stock. Anyway. I have finished 3 carriages recently, with a fourth not too far behind... when I find time between trying to get research for transfers.. The LBSCR Directors saloon was completed end of last year, thanks to a great number of people at the Bluebell, photographers, carriage and wagon workshop loads of people.... thanks to all of them. Next finished for the LNWR competition a little while ago, not that it won anything but I didn't expect it to..... This observation car, was a bit of paint lots of parts, lots of individual seating, which I will have to change for easier installation, however it does look good for a 3D printed carriage. This was my proper first go with a bow pen... it came out ok, I'm not Ian Rathbone yet... lol but one day who knows. Thanks to the generous member who allowed me some of his transfers as HMRS had none.. Another carriage is a bit of a compromise as I couldn't find a kit or sides to create a 50ft 1" birdcage lav brake... so having a bit of spare cash... I purchased a discounted Birdcage brake third lav, which of course is 60ft... after looking at various drawings and diagrams of the interior, I gave it the chop.. the bottoms of the mouldings between the windows on Bachmann's has rounded corners where as the carriage I wanted to do had squared or 90 degree angle corners. So had to compromise there... the former 2nd class compartments were 1/2" longer... and had a different layout, the layout was changed sadly the compartment sizes couldn't. Overall it looks ok..

Sadly I don't have any drawings on me, I managed to get some bits and pieces from London Transport museum, however most of my research was done with a tape measure and camera. As I couldn't find much on them.

Look quite nice, sadly not ordered any due to the ones being released don't really appeal to me yet. I see they have various tooling types so hopefully one day but not today sadly. Stepney in preserved condition rather than A1 would of been more appealing to younger people. As I say I will hold fire ordering any at this stage.

I'm on Facebook, never knew anything about it.... Just very odd...

Sorry I don't recall.... I've stopped writing for one or 2... I buy what I want to read. BTW the LNWR comp vote link stopped working before the end sue to the upgrade, has that been rectified? Or extended?

Thanks sadly the whole page doesn't load on my phone sadly the update hasn't helped.. Its disappointing as I don't have a fast enough broadband to view or download the mag and video... I tried with other mags sadly just doesn't work that well.. Shame I was looking forward to the dvd, I'll just have to return it to the shop. Thanks for the clarification