mattingleycustom

One observation - when cutting out etched nameplates, etc, don't forget to file the tabs down. Etched nameplates with extraneous 'bits' of brass sticking out is not a good look. Glenn

Very evocative photo of No.2744 Grand Parade with a wonderful assortment of Pullmans in tow. Grand Parade (the 2nd) was the youngest of the A3s and the very opposite of Flying Scotsman. Glenn

... and on Bulleid air-smoothed pacifics only, there was no green line on the two casing stripes, it was simply orange/black/orange Glenn

This painter has made a lovely job of the numerals on this A3, but alas he's painted it the wrong shade of green, the lining is all wrong and the number should be 4472 ... and I thought my eyes were bad! ... ... I'll get my coat! Glenn

Heroic weathering indeed for Hycilla, certainly one that begs the question: did the prototype really look like that?, I have no doubt there is photographic evidence of the loco in such a state. I like it, having weathered a fair few locos myself it's always a challenge/fun to produce something really filthy. I admire much of Tom's work; I particularly like the weathering he applies to the pre-war Gresley pacifics, showing that not every loco was gleaming in those days. Glenn

Well done on renaming a couple of 34051's. I think Hornby have produced it under four different catalogue numbers now? Your splendid 34057 and 34066 renames look excellent, the etched nameplates and plaques together with some subtle weathering really enhance the models, very impressed. Glenn

Interesting, I thought all RN warships were painted red below the waterline (although I can think of a couple of more recent exceptions), so what colour was Hood's hull painted? Glenn

Rest assured there most definitely was a third rail in 1942 ... or were you extracting the proverbial?!

On further examination my 35017 has exactly the same problem: drive coupling loose in the box, easily sorted. Glenn

Hornby's R3861 No.35017 Belgian Marine arrived this morning. On the test track the motor turns freely in both directions, but the wheels don't ... oh dear, has anyone else had a similar problem? Glenn

Tony, This was the only one painted in Pullman garb, retained and repainted as such after the others were withdrawn from service. The Golden Arrow often had a crimson example at the end of the train, usually kept cleaner than those on less glamorous duties. Unsure if any green GBLs were used on the 'Arrow, but with the Southern Region's passion for reviving green after 1956, it wouldn't surprise me. Glenn

Tony, I do like the panning shots, especially of the A4s, they really look like they are speeding along. Something I noticed with these shots is the late BR emblem on 60013 and 60062's tenders look a bit oversize, are they HMRS transfers? I'm sure I put some on a Bachmann 9F tender a few years ago and thought they looked too big compared with those on the prototypes, I think I was weathering the thing so it didn't show too much. I used the Fox version from then on as they look far more to scale. Glenn

Cheltenham Model Centre showing R3861 Belgian Marine as available to order Glenn

I would just get a knife and cut the cylinder cowling off. The majority of Hornby's R3115 34001 Exeter models came complete with an errant AWS box above the bufferbeam which the prototype definitely didn't carry as it was rebuilt at least 2 years before AWS came out, I just cut them off and renamed them to the one's I wanted. Glenn

... and while you're at it, the roundel on the smokebox looks better in etched brass too Glenn

The only error I can see with 21C7 is the three lamps above the bufferbeam are all pointing skywards (35024 is the same), other than that it's pretty good. Did the earlier release: 21C3 Royal Mail have this error? Glenn

Bulleid Pacific and GT3 have love child!

Cheltenham Model Centre list 35029 in stock

The trader wasn't called 'Lineside and Locos' when I was active on Ebay (until 2014). Not so brilliant when he started out but boy was he prolific; I think the models were going straight from their boxes to the airbrush and out the door again. The early efforts were reminiscent of the early Factory weathering where they paint the top grey and the chassis brown and that's about it. To be fair, with weathering it is difficult (impossible?) to please everyone, as what appears right to one modeller looks wrong to another. I always tried to base my weathering on photos of the originals in service, not always successfully but it kept me busy for a decade or more. Glenn

I was looking at the streamlined versions of this latest model and something just didn't look right to me, but I couldn't put a finger on it until now. It's the boiler bands (or cladding bands I suppose), they are way too prominent compared to photographs of the originals, in fact Hornby did a better job on the previous model. Such a shame as these locos have at last gained a proper set of Coronation Scot carriages to go with them. Glenn

At one time I was renumbering and weathering these locos regularly, here's a photo of 92139 (ex 92077 I suspect) from the archives. Probably a commission or perhaps an Ebay sale. I have a few of these in my collection, but my current favourite is a renumbered 92110 that plods happily around my test track quietly doing its business pulling anything you care to hang behind it. Who needs tender pick ups when you've got ten driving wheels?! - Superb! Glenn

Well now that the great man has passed away maybe here is an opportunity to give the new P2 a proper name at last. 'Duke of Edinburgh' commemorates both Prince Philip, the lasting legacy of his awards scheme for young people and gives No.2007 the Scottish name it should have. There's 65,000 tonnes of Aircraft Carrier named Prince of Wales already, surely that's enough tribute the next in line to the throne? Glenn

It's always been my understanding that had Bulleid not left the LNER to go south in 1937, he would have been favourite to succeed Gresley. Is this assumption correct, or was ET always in line as the next CME? Glenn

'Paddlebox' is correct and not that pretty in original form but once rebuilt they were truly ugly beasts, see link to SR Email Group website page: https://sremg.org.uk/steam/t14class.shtml Glenn

They are the images you posted on page 72