46444

Morning Alex, Nice work as ever and some lovely atmospheric shots of Diddington as well. The 'Golden Syrup' (LMS) van has certainly got me thinking. Think I'll be doing one or two of these on Parkside chassis. Just found the Diagram number (1/204) so I'll keep a look out for some 'Golden Syrup' and other spurious liveries. Hope you've had a good ride? Cheers, Mark

Thanks Dave, An unhealthy obsession with earth moving equipment eh? Think mine was bird watching-of the feathered variety!

I knew I'd seen one somewhere before! I'll have a look in me book. Lyle's Golden Syrup here we come!

Hi Jamie, Thanks. Yep, there's some good stuff out there. I was even tempted into buying an Airfix 'Lyles Golden Syrup Van' that looks like it may be another LMS diagram. Not sure how accurate this one is though?

Over the weekend I picked up two very cheap Airfix/Dapol wagons. Both of these had LMS origins and as I had two Ratio 10ft RCH underframes in my spares box I thought they'd make a nice couple of projects. So off with the original chassis' and the wagon bodies were put in a plastic bag with copious amounts of Mr Muscle Oven Cleaner and the paint speedily stripped off in less than an hour. First up is the Dapol LMS three plank which I believe is based on a D1927 wagon. I think Mainline and now Bachmann use this moulding. The body was mated to the Ratio chassis and them given a coat of Halifords grey primer. Wheels for both wagons are Hornby, and they were both weighted with alloy wheel self adhesive balance weights (10g). I wanted to finish this wagon in wartime austerity livery-i:e the wood planks not being painted, just the iron work and underframe. A mixture of Games Workshop and Valejo acrylics were dry brushed on, followed by a mucky wash of Valejo black and dark earth. The black panels were masked off and sprayed and HMRS transfers used to represent this wagon, that was in reality built at Derby in 1945. A dusting of traffic grime on the underframe and wheels was sprayed using a mixture of Revell and Humbrol enamels before being sealed with Precision matt varnish to blend things all together. The second wagon started life as an Airfix private owner, but looking in my Essary and Morgan 'The LMS Wagon' identified it as a D 1892 wagon built in the mid-30's. I wanted this one finished in BR livery though as a fitted example. The procedure was almost the same for this wagon, except I had to shorten the brake levers and sourced 4 more brake hangers from the spares box. Finishing as above. Finally, I recently got one of those Hornby Trackside Ruston Bucyrus 19-RB excavators and thought it to would make a great little project. The worst thing about this model is the solid cast chassis and caterpillar tracks. I wanted to try and make it more realistic and bring out the detail. The chassis was taken off and sprayed with red primer, followed by spraying the underframe and running gear with an Humbrol grey enamel I had to hand. Then each of the links on the caterpillar tracks was sprayed in a variety of Humbrol/Revell enamel shades of black and brown to give some variation. This was followed by a dark wash of thinned enamels and left to dry. Then, some MIG weathering powder was used-dry and wet to represent earth on the tracks and running gear. The body was then attacked. I lightly sprayed Revell No:365, which is a slighty lighter shade of green compared to the factory finish around the central area of all the panels to represent fading. Once dry a dark wash was applied and wiped off before finishing with some MIG Powders. Then the chassis and body were sealed with Precision Matt varnish. Three quick projects and two cheap wagons to boot. Perhaps not one for rivet counters but this project used up some left over bits in the spares box and gives a fare representation of these LMS wagon diagrams. In some respects it shows how well Airfix/Mainline produced such good quality mouldings in the 70's/80's, and by updating the running gear a reasonably cheap wagon can be made-or two! Cheers, Mark

Excellent build Andy. Look forwards to seeing the finished result. Cheers, Mark

Postman has been this morning delivering a small package from Redruth. Yes, my BR early crest 68184 Sentinel has arrived and all I can say is Model Rail/Dapol have done a wonderful job. The detail and finishing is superb and the slow speed running has to be seen. All in a such a tiny and some may say cute looking model. As others have said if this the standard that Dapol can achieve then it bodes well for all their future OO scale releases and commissions. Also, thanks should go to Kernow Model Rail for the excellent handing and postage of the product which arrived next day following Kernow's notification of dispatch. All together an excellent team effort by all parties concerned. Hopefully I'll have a chance to play run it properly tonight. Cheers, Mark PS: Just need a version of Isebrook now in its days of working at Burton Latimer PPS: Just returned from running the Sentinel over a mate's layout that consists solely of dead frogs. No stalling whatsoever and as mentioned earlier fantastic low speed running. Already a classic and I think some of my fellow modellers will be ordering the new versions soon.

Thanks Larry and Keith for the replies to my question. I thought something was amiss with the paintwork on the GWR version. Out with the airbrush it is then! I've already sprayed the roof grey. So black ends, lamp irons and some weathering should address these issues. Cheers, Mark

Thanks for the replies. Sorry Rob, I was thinking more of a post 1938 small G W as opposed to the larger version. Interestingly, I have a set of decals for the Parkside N13 GWR horsebox which has all the data on the side of the wagon and not on the solebar. As Larry said earlier, a photo is a must! As for the ends being painted black some research is in order I guess Cheers, Mark

Thanks for the correction Larry. Mistake on my behalf, especially as I had the HMRS decal sheet in front of me when I typed it!

Evening, Picked up two of these horseboxes today in both GWR and BR liveries. Excellent they are too. As it happens, I'm building the Parkside GWR horsebox (and the new LNER one-lots of Dobbins!) and the Parkside instructions quote Russell in saying that post 1927 the ends would have been painted black. Would this be the case with Hornby version? Also appears that on my GWR version there is only the number and GWR roundel on the side. Would there have been XP/WB/Tare data etc details on these wagons? I'm modelling the GWR post war and as Rob said earlier the roundel would still have been found on wagons, but would a plain G W in gold also have been a possibility? Thanks, Mark

Thanks Jamie.

Re: Stanier Reverse Brake. Think I need to amend the solebar steps onto the vehrander. I've only just noticed this! It's amazing what you notice on a photo and not when the model is sat in front of you. Whoops!

Evening, Here's a few bits I've been up of late-namely a brake van marathon! Here's the first one-a Parkside LMS brake finished with Valejo acrylics. I tried the pre-shading effect on this model as well as the Stanier Reverse Brake and the Cambrian SR Brake shown below following on techniques aquired from my aircraft modelling days. This technique has recently appeared in the latest version of Model Rail. Next to it is a Cooper Craft GWR cattle wagon finished in BR colours that appears in an earlier entry. The GWR version is also completed. Here's the Stanier Reverse Brake which Alex (Wiggoforgold) gave me the idea for as he had already done a conversion. It's basically an Hornby model with modified veranders, wire handrails and NEM couplings added. It's not a true representation as the ends should be planked and the arch filled in below the roof but I can live with that! The Cambrian 25t SR Brake was originally built in Plymouth Freedom Fields Hospital Nurses Home in 1993 whilst doing my training. It was originally handpainted and had plastic strip handrails. It had been given to a good friend of mine who is a BR (SR) enthusiast and was returned to me in a poor state for renovation. This consisted of replacing the handrails, using staples for the foot board stays and lamp irons as well as the preshading and respray. As with all the above models they were finished with HMRS Pressfix decals and some MIG weathering powders. Also, her's my namesake hard at work on Brian's layout on a Kettering to Cambridge train in the mid-50's. Thanks, Mark

Ignore the lamps on 46400. That should be on a fruit train really but the fireman has forgotten to change them to a local passenger!

Evening, Been very quiet of late, mainly due to a course I'm doing. Have managed to do some modelling (hopefully some updates soon) and am getting into the swing of things again. However, a group of us meet at Brian's for a running session once aweek. He happens to have a very posh shunting plank in a spare room. Being an ex-Wellingborough (15A) fireman there is obviously a BR Midland theme though anything goes as long as it's steam. The only diesels seen on the plank have been an Heljan Class 14 and Class 15. I've supplied the Ratio Midland signal box and a few other pieces including the scratch built platelayers hut which is based on one that stood opposite Wellingborough Station. Here's a few photos taken on my phone: Said box and hut with a young Brian chatting to the signalman One of Brian's old engines he worked on. This is Wellingborough's (15A) 48671-that belongs to him which I've renumbered and weathered for him. Then Kettering 15B's 46400 on a Kettering-Cambridge train in the early 50's. This is a repainted Bachmann loco, and as you've guessed is one of my favourites. Just need the J15 now! All I'll say is this an excellent layout to spend an evening pottering about and shunting. Work continues, but I can't persuade him to get rid of the foam underlay and put some ballast and greenery down-which would certainly make a difference on appearance. Thanks to Brian for is excellent hospitality and allowing us to take over his layouts. Thanks, Mark

Thanks Chris for the reply. As you say perhaps a bit of kit bashing may be in order. Shame though because it's an interesting livery and although I knew it existed I'm not to sure of it's history though it fits in with my plans for a Northamptonshire based layout set around the quarrying iron stone. The link to the photo says it used to be GWR number 12 as well. Also I'm based at Isebrook Hospital in Wellingborough! Cheers, Mark

Got quite excited when I read Isebrook was going to be produced and was expecting this livery: http://www.flickr.co...N05/3118325693/ Looks like we'll have to wait for the third batch! Hopefully it may be considered (Perhaps Chris can be persuaded?) but in the meantime I await my early crest version. Cheers, Mark

Great piece of work Sylvian.

Nice touch Pete and brings the locos to life. Cheers, Mark

Evening Pete, Absolutely brilliant. I love the sense of perspective you've achieved with the dries Pete. Certainly no mistaking the location and it takes me back to a warm overcast day in Cornwall last September with a FL 66 shunting some PCA's. Great photos of the 37/66 but as Missy says the ground level shots give a feel for the layout. I personally think this is going to be one of those layouts that inspires others and is used as an example of true finescale modelling. And no I haven't been drinking G&T's either! Nice work Pete-the Mojo is in full swing and thanks for the 66 photos. Cheers, Mark

Hi Peter, Things have seriously progressed since I last looked-and very good it looks too. Excellent work and look forward to the next post. Cheers, Mark

Hi Andy, Impressive stuff! Looking forwards to seeing more posts. Cheers, Mark

Hi Al, Excellent work! Have just received one of these kits from MT to enhance my 14xx. Out of curiosity-are those dreadful traction tyres still on it? I'm tempted to try an etched chassis or have you added pick-ups to the Autocoach to improve the running quallities? I saw the real thing at the GCR today. Looked superb in GWR green with a Choc/Cream Autocoach! Mines going to be Newton Abbot's 1427 in post war GWR livery! Cheers, Mark

Ah! Sussed you then Peter! Seriously, Whimsey or a layout based around Whimsey sounds really good. I've always thought Whimsey would make a nice layout and bring a different genre to the GWR/BR (WR) branchline. I really like the work you've done on the steam pipes with some ingenious scratch building. Once the paint's on the weathering will bring all the detail out nicely. Hope to see more later. Cheers, Mark