Brinkly

1 hour ago, Killybegs said:

While waiting to pick up some paint from the UK for the above rake of coaches, I made a start on converting a Hornby 72xx tank loco to P4 using Brassmasters EasiChas kit and Ultrascale wheels. I'd had the wheels for years from when, back in the mists of time, I was going to scratch build a body in styrene and stick it on an Alan Gibson chassis. That never happened and the Hornby loco and conversion kit have been in my to do box for some time as well.

 

The loco is now finished and ready to go into service on Worseter.

 

Lovely work, John. Looks spot on. 
 

All the best,

Nick.

11 hours ago, Coach bogie said:

You have given me the kick I need to build some wagons. I never have an issue building coaches but rarely have the enthusiasm for wagons. 

 

Coopercraft cattle wagon now on the bench. Looking at the instructions ( is that a first???) There is a drawing with the correct end profile. Fret has a half plank too many in height. Did the tool maker mess up? On with the build.

 

Mike Wiltshire

That is a rather interesting discovery, Mike. 

Out of interest, what is that taken from? 

I discovered that several of the diagrams in the Russel book were out when I put a scale ruler over them. 

All the best,

Nick.

12 hours ago, MrWolf said:

On a related matter, as the cattle wagons I have to build up are ancient kits, what is actually wrong with the ends on the Cooper Craft W1/W5?

I don’t believe there is anything hideously wrong with the Cooper Craft kit. Geoff Kent was adapting it to a more modern variant in his book. He did replace the roof I think… I’ll have a look later.
 

I think a decent GWR cattle van is well overdue for the 4mm modeller. The Hornby SR Maunsell and Bulleid versions show what a RTR manufacturer can do. Accurascale or Rapido, please!? 
 

Best wishes,

Nick.

11 hours ago, BWsTrains said:

 

I'm no expert or masochist in these matters and for reasons forgotten, I settled on buying a couple of Dapol Cattle wagons (4F-020-037) which for some reason haven't entered into the conversation here.

 

How are these considered? They look good to my eye, only issue I found being getting inside to install weights and stock.

I believe the Dapol body is stretched to fit on their generic chassis. 
 

3 hours ago, 57xx said:

 

Hi Nick,

Leaving the over-length aside, that is a given either way, looking at the underframe, I hadn't noticed the W irons being wrong (not picky, it's good observation!). Now you've got my attention there, I can see the axleboxes look wrong for a W12 too so I erring on your statement of it being based on the BR version to be  true. I'm not sure what they're supposed to be but look neither like RCH or GWR OK boxes.

A bit of a ‘lash-up’ as my old man would say! 

9 hours ago, 57xx said:

 

I thought it was based on the W12, which the BR one was later based on.

Morning Ric,

It might well be to be fair. I just remember back in 2010 it arriving and everyone being delighted till someone ran a ruler over it! 
 

Looking in the Atkins book it is incredibly similar to a W12, but it’s still 4mm too long - if the W12 is 18’ -6” over the headstocks.
 

The end panels on the Bachmann model are 2mm too long. It also rides on BR w-irons not RCH one: very picky of me I know! 
 

I was always under the impression Bachmann sold it as ‘BR standard’ and then applied GWR branding. 
 

Warren Shepherd does produce a W12 kit in etched form. I haven’t built one myself but it does look good. 
 

If you can overlook it being too long, then it’s a very useful addition to a wagon fleet, but I found running them along side the Airfix kit, they just looked very odd! Similar to the old Mainline LMS vans compared to the Parkside kit - the Mainline/Bachmann model being 4mm too short! 
 

Run and even number of both in a train mind, and it would still be the right length! 
 

All the best,

Nick. 

1 hour ago, Graham T said:

I quite like the Bachmann ones, although I've no idea how accurate they are (not that that matters too much for Chuffnell R to be honest).

 

The Bachmann one is based on the BR standard design; however, it has one major flaw - it is 4mm too long. Shame really as it is a lovely model otherwise. 

I think Geoff Kent wrote a piece in one of his books about adapting the Coopercraft W1/5 kit into one of the more modern variants. 

All the best,

Nick.

My experience with the Hattons/DJ Models 14xx hasn't been great. 

The first one I received had a locked rear axle, and although it ran pretty smoothly, I could not free the rear wheels up enough to rotate. So I returned it and had the second one, which ran like this...

I sent that one back, too and received a third one, which runs reasonably smoothly; however, ultimately, I will fit a replacement etched chassis to it as slow-speed control could be better. It is a real shame as the bodies, and livery application is excellent. 

Best wishes,

Nick. 

22 hours ago, dessire_luvals said:

Remove the bogies

Remove the wheel sets and the clip in brake moulding.

Thin down the sides in the centres of the brake mouldings

Slit down the middle of the brake moulding.

Glue in place the half brake assemblies. Be aware that if you move them too far out the back of the wheels will touch the curvy rebate for the couplings.

Deconstruct the stub axles

 

Reduce the length of the stub axles by 1.15mm, no less as the metal bearing can’t be pushed out but could be bent in for a slightly shorter axle.

reassemble the wheel sets securing with Loctite stud lock. I went with standard EM 16.5mm back to back and Bachmann flanges cause no issues.

 

 

 

 

That is excellent work! Thank you very much for sharing. 

Best wishes,

Nick. 

13 hours ago, gwrrob said:

May I wish everyone on this thread a very happy new year 2023.

And to you and all other contributors on this lovely thread. 

Best wishes and a Happy New Year to you all,

Nick. 

Greetings Colin,

I have only just discovered your thread this morning and I'm very glad I have! I'm very impressed with your use of Wayne's point kits and your traverser! It really is excellent. I look forward to seeing Upper Hembury progress. 

Happy New Year to you,

Nick. 

Wishing you all a Happy New Year. I look forward to the continuing adventures of work's cat George, Norman and, of course, sheep bloke! 

Best wishes,

Nick. 

11 hours ago, davefrk said:

 

Here's a Youtube clip of a fitted train on Wharfeside just to show the sort of trains which will run through the layout apart from the short pickups, coal and tanker trains that plied the line, the vehicles were built and finished a number of years ago now, again mostly kits.

 

 

DJH Black Five with a scratch built compensated chassis, one of a number of locos built for hauling heavy trains at slow to medium speeds, Mashima 1630 can motor and 50:1 Ultrascale gears.

 

Cheers,

Dave F.

Beautifully smooth, Dave. Very fine work.

Best wishes,

Nick.

Morning Russell,

Really nice to see progress on Barnstaple Junction. I was up there last night just about to take 158950 back to Exeter. Really charming station and such a shame it is a shadow of its former self. 

Was the conversion of the Bachmann Bullied coaches an easy one? 

All the best,

Nick.

(P.S. Sorry to hijack your thread!)

Hello Dave,

I really have enjoyed catching up with your build over the last couple of evenings. The Lord Nelson really is stunning. You have done a great job with it. 

All the best,

Nick. 

This is such interesting reading. Thank you for starting it, Tim. 

I have a couple of grand schemes which I am highly unlikely to ever do. Since joining GWR as a Guard back in March, I spent a lot of time working over the former Southern Mainline between Exeter and Okehampton and the North Devon line out to Barnstaple. Before becoming a guard, I knew very little about the lines in North Devon.

One scheme I think would make an excellent model would be Yeoford. Having read a bit about it, it is a modeller's dream. Significant freight traffic being transferred out of Exeter to be stored there, along with the marshalling and re-marshalling of both passenger and freight services onto the respective routes out of Yeoford (North Devon, Bude, North Cornwall, Plymouth Mainline etc.). Several hundred cattle wagons were based there for the North Devon traffic. China clay and milk all being present on the line. Then into the mixing pot goes the beautiful range of former LSWR stock and model 1945, and you can have a few Bullied Light Pacifics in their gleaming post-war liveries. Not to mention empty coaching stock stored in sidings for strengthening services or those Saturday workings Dr Beeching put an end to. 

In a way, Yeoford is a massive shunting plank but with lots of through trains and stoppers passing by, immersed in rural Devon charm. Operate before 1954, and one could operate the Devon Belle... add Coleford Junction into the mix and oh... such possibilities! 

A more achievable idea is to build a layout scheme similar to Geoff Taylor's former Barmouth Junction empire. This would involve linking Horrabridge to Tavistock South, then, if room permitted, possibly making a model of either Lydford (although I suspect that would be way too big for any potential space I will have) or Launceston. The ambition there is the construction of both the GWR and LSWR sites. I can dream! I just need the space to achieve it. 

All the best,

Nick. 

On 03/12/2022 at 14:25, Captain Kernow said:

My Silver Fox Class 22 pre-dates the Dapol release, although I later bought one for Callow Lane in BR blue, seen here on the layout prior to much of the recent scenic work being done:

 

They're a favourite of mine as well!

 

Lovely stuff, Tim. It has a very natural look. 

All the best,

Nick.

58 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

Another announcement from Rapido and one I had got wind off after my chat with @rapidoandy at Warley last month. The widely used GWR open O11/15 and van V14/16  are most welcome. Nice to see they've listened and the rail will be separate and able to use it down or upright by the purchaser.

 

Images courtesy of Rapido.

 

 

 

 

I am delighted to see these recent announcements. Just what we need. 

All the best,

Nick.

20 hours ago, Captain Kernow said:

Some of your fans were standing just a few yards to the right of where the above photo was taken today, trespassing on the Kingsbridge bay platform tracks, no less, before retiring to Station House for refreshments.

 

We were indeed! Now I sign Plymouth (as a guard), I regularly 'nod to Brent' as I whiz through on my 2+4 HST set... 

All the best,

Nick.

I am deeply saddened to hear of Chris' passing. 

At shows, we would share a couple of 'political funnies' during our conversations. Chris had a real passion for all things GWR coaching stock, and was always willing to help/assist with research projects, or general questions. He would share quite regularly with me, little golden snippets of information to do with my Horrabridge project. A real loss to both the forum and wider model railway world. 

RIP old chap. Enjoy a pint and a ride on a 57ft Collett up there. 

Nick.