Sandy Harper

Can you see them now? Sandy

Anybody else not seeing the pictures? Sandy

A friend, who lives in the North of Scotland, has built a beautiful model of 'Findhorn' a small terminus serving a fishing village on the Moray Firth Coast. The line was built by local promoters to join up with the main line of the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway, as it became, at Kinloss near Forres. It was only 3 miles long and did not require much in the way of stock, which was fortunate, as money soon ran out and the directors were forced into buying something cheap to run their little enterprise. Neilson & Co of Glasgow offered them a contractors engine of a standard design. A very basic 0-4-0 with no cab at a price they could afford. It is thought that it was only tasked with pulling a wagon or two and an ex NBR brake van from the Junction to the village a couple of times a day. This first photograph shows it in fairly new condition on the branch. Later, when the Findhorn Railway was absorbed by the I&JRly, and by now the little engine was in need of some TLC, it was taken to Lochgorm in Inverness where Stroudley rebuilt it by removing the Gab gear and replacing it with Stevensons Link. He also increased the wheel base by moving the front axle forward by approximately a foot. Probably to try and improve the running. Eventually it was sold to a contractor building the Caithness Railway, which is when the second photograph was taken. My Friend asked me if I could scratch build him the rebuilt version. Apart from these two photographs there was a third, of an original contractors engine, taken showing the RH side which has proved useful. Note the rivet pattern on the tank and the lack of mudguards. There were some line drawings (sketches) done by modelers in the past but none of them quite matched the photographs and apart from some basic dimensions, wheel size and base quoted in books, it would need quite a bit of conjecture to draw it up to build a model. This was where a good friend who is a bit of a whizz on CAD came to my rescue. After many hours pouring over the pictures, and the available sketches, we managed to produce an etching tool. Here is the test etch being built. The original was built with a wooden chassis which is why we have designed the kit chassis as a box section. Sandy

So, what happened to the Stanier? Amazing parallels with 82004. Oops! forgot to post. Sandy

No , still here beavering away at the modelling bench but nothing much of great interest that lends itself to a decent posting. Actually mostly repairs etc at the moment. One item of interest was a Crab that had a noisy motor and I was asked to fit a new one. Part of the history was that it had been used on a 24volt layout and someone had driven it rather hard and damaged the original motor so it had a 24volt motor fitted but then subsequently reverted back to 12 volt use.When I got it on the workbench I found that it had a pair of enormous resistors fitted in the tender!! It also had press-on cast wheels, so some brute force was required to get it all apart and then a lot of tweaking to get the quartering back to where it was originally. Anyway, it has now got a very quiet, ex-Ron Chaplin, motor gearbox from MSC fitted and on its way back to its owner. I should have a new build on the work bench soon so I will get posting now that the nights are drawing in! Regards Sandy

On behalf of Walsworth Models: Ok, a suitable motor has now been sourced and full production will commence, after we catch our breath, from a very busy Guildex. Apologies for the lack of Website but due to circumstances beyond our control we were unable to access it to bring it up to date. Our only option was to start a new website but as neither of us have ever done that before it will need a bit of IT savvy to get our heads around it. Hopefully within the next few months. Meanwhile you can contact John Percival direct via phone or email 01952 510198, mob 07468889056, email walsworth.models@btinternet.com or you can contact me here. kind regards Sandy

I fully concur with Peter. The only way to line a coach, without tears, is to use a lining pen. Yes, a decent Haff will cost about £40 but you will wish you had invested the money years ago. If you want to know everything about painting and lining get a copy of Ian Rathbone's book on the subject (Still available on Amazon) If you can't line a coach, after reading his book , take up knitting!!! Sandy

I go away for a week and he's built another engine!!!!!!!! Sandy

That's a thought Thanks Sandy

Is there a method of adjustment to reduce the amount of 'backlash' in the vertical wheel that lowers the head? Sandy Edit - on the Proxxon mf 70!

The tape I used was about 3/4" wide Sandy

I've been waiting for this kit for a few years and now see why it's taken John a while to complete. Still looking forward to it. Dava Nearly there! The internal fittings have been the hold up but the cushions for the settees and chairs have been been mastered and are being cast along with the spindle arms for the chairs. The interior is very, very visible! Sandy

Used it as a bus bar on an 8ft DCC layout with no ill effects. 2 small locos operated at the same time. Sandy

Walsworth Models. Sandy

Most of the building is now complete just a couple of jobs left. Window droplights being the most obvious, before starting on the roof, which will be fun! The interior will have all the seating, table and driver fitted but a couple of castings are yet to be delivered. The only other thing missing is the main gear wheel which is coming from Germany. Sandy

It doesn't look too bad from the photographs. The front end should reattach ok, The deflector can be straightened and repainted . The cab only has a slight deformity that will probably go back to shape with finger pressure and the tender front bulkhead can be straightened and painted. Any repainting appears to be on the black painted areas so should be reasonably straightforward. SAndy

Peter, I sent you a PM. SAndy

Peter, i'll scan the instructions for Dereks crank pins and photograph the set of parts so that you can see what they are like. Sandy

Not Dereks. Derek's are a interference fit from the front of the wheel with a csk screw fitted from the rear to tighten and a screw crank pin cap fitted from the front. If you want more details, or want to order any Peter, let me know and I can arrange for you. Sandy

Well done everyone, Yes a NER Petrol Inspection Saloon Built 1908 in York. Drivers cab at both ends and seating in the saloon for 6. This model represents the earliest variant. They were quite long lived, never figured in the Running Stock, but were added to Service Stock in 1925. Sandy

Ok, another clue,

Nobody even close yet. Sandy Clue: It's a 4 wheeler!

Your starter for 10??? Sandy

Good to see someone else having a go at modelling the Caley. Seems to be picking up a certain inertia these days ; solid association with an excellent magazine, good books published, seriously accurate kits available. ​Passing an Antiques (Junk) shop the other evening It looks like the Antiques trade have also sensed an up turn in modelling the Caley. In the window was a pair of Triang 00 Caley coaches marked at £60 EACH! Ebay has them at £19.99!! Sandy

If I remember correctly they were cupboards below, with a work surface on top at waist height for the production of hot/cold drinks, and above were open shelves for curly sandwiches etc Regards Sandy