Sandy Harper

The Slater's GB30R 3M motor unit arrived this afternoon, I was surprised to see it had a Cannon motor, the last one of these I purchased had a Mashima fitted. So that should make for very good running. Looks like the supply of the remaining Mashima's has dried up at last! Nice model Ken. Sandy

Hi David. My one is a Alistar Wright design modified for 7mm by the late Andy Copp of Lochgorm Models. Sandy

Well done Peter and David. I knew you would have the answers, not quite the one I wanted but, I now know what direction I now need to go in. My grateful thanks for your time and effort in gathering this information. My kind regards Sandy

Busy day in the paint shop yesterday. A coat of varnish on the 2-6-2T A coat of red oxide on the HR Goods Brake that will be darkened down to represent HR brown. and a coat of Satin Black on the B4 Sandy

Hi Peter, As the only Southern modeller I know, can you help me with a livery question? I have just finished building a 7mm model of a B4 with the original cutaway cab. It was part built when I got it with the early cab already fitted. So, If my internet research is valid, none of these original cab versions ever reached BR ownership. The internet also stated that the filled in cabs were fitted during the war to hide the glow from fire boxes! I take that with a pinch of salt as there are photographs taken in the '30's showing filled in cabs. My question is, can I paint my version, cutaway cab, in plain black with yellow SOUTHERN and the number below on the tank side and which number would be appropriate? Or, what would be the latest livery, in Southern days, that I could get away with, with the early cab? Regards Sandy

Gents, If I may butt into your forum to ask a question on B4 livery. I have just finished building a 7mm model with the original cutaway cab. It was part built when I got it with the early cab already fitted. So, If my internet research is valid, none of these original cab versions reached BR ownership. The internet also stated that the filled in cabs were fitted during the war to hide the glow from fire boxes! I take that with a pinch of salt as there are photographs taken in the '30's showing filled in cabs. My question is, can I paint my version, cutaway cab, in plain black with yellow SOUTHERN and the number below on the tank side and which number would be appropriate? Or, what would be the latest livery in Southern days, I could get away with, with the early cab? As you will gather I am not a Southern expert! I look forward to your responses. Kind regards Sandy PS probably easier to PM me.

This will appeal to Southern fans. Well outside my comfort Zone but a request for a copy of the original instructions was fruitful and I was able to start work on it. It arrived in a box of part built assemblies, reasonably put together, and then had mysteriously been disassembled again for some reason. Quite a few bits were missing so some scratch building was needed. Included in the box was a DVD with a couple of dozen photographs taken in the shed at the Bluebell so that was a great help. The main superstructure was complete and square so it was a matter of working out what was missing, scratch building it from N/S sheet, and adding detail items from my scrap box. The chassis is next but it only had three wheels. Argh! Regards Sandy

Thanks Peter, The hoppers were a College Models kit. No longer available but Northampton Model Railway Supplies http://www.nmrs-models.co.uk/ do a kit. Regards Sandy PS next on the bench is a LSWR B4 from Zero Zephyr that had been abandoned by its previous owner.

A wagon moment, 3 x SR Walrus's drying in the sunshine and a pair of HR wagons. Sandy

Er! Aren't they supposed to have coupling hooks? I'll get my coat! Sandy

Thanks Sandy. Im having trouble in my mind visualising how fixed aluminium angle would work? Im probably just being thick tho! Rich Basically a length of 1"x1" angle cut in two equal parts. Size will depend on what you want to bend. Drill two holes in one face and screw it down to your bench or a length of MDF . To bend a brass etch, loosen the screws slightly, place the brass under the angle and with a thin length of steel (old steel rule) bend the brass up to form a 90 degree angle. Alternatively, place the two lengths in a vice (back to back) place the brass etch between the two, tighten in the vice and bend along the half etched line using a length of wood or metal. Regards Sandy

Rich A length of Aluminium angle screwed down on your bench makes a good folding tool as does two lengths clamped in your vice. Be very careful when using liquid lead. In certain cases it can be very destructive if used incorrectly. Sheet lead (roofing flashing) cut to size and shape, and glued in place, can be just as effective. Regards Sandy

It'd dead level! Must be the crappy cheap camera producing strange effects. Sandy

What's the photo all about? You may well ask?? It all started with an innocent enough question from a fellow modeller "How do you fancy finishing a Ballast Wagon kit, already part built. All the bits are here but it needs wheels?" After the Stanier Class 3 there was a small gap in my building schedule so I agreed to the request. Why, oh why, oh why? When I got it home, and had a look in the box, I discovered there was another complete fret there, but missing the sides and castings. Ok, no probs, NMRS do a similar kit and Grahame is bound to have the castings needed. Indeed he did and, after a quick phone call and the exchange of cash, they arrived the next morning. Great service. Scratchbuilding the sides was straight forward using some .10thou N/S. Then I get a phone call from my friend " I have found another one, complete with castings" And then there were three!! Sandy

Come on John, I want to preserve what little sanity I have left!!!! Fox's finest revised, all in one, transfer. Sandy

Stanier Class 3 2-6-2T has eventually emerged from the paint shop as BR 40157 and will now enter the finishing shed for the fitting of the final items before entering service. Regards Sandy

Yup! Sounds about right. Sandy

47181 resplendent in her early BR livery and fitted with a Loksound V.4 and twin speakers. Now in need of some dusty grime and glazing. Sandy

Tidy job! SAndy

The Class 3 is languishing in the paint shop at the mo so rather than let the soldering iron get cold I had a go at this Sentinel Y3. The Y3 is the bigger brother to the Y1 I built a few weeks ago and from the same Walsworth Models stable. It comes as a 'Complete kit' only needing paint, solder and transfers to complete for a tad over £100. Good value for a kit that goes together over a long weekend I thought! Now for a good wash and brush up and join the queue in the paint shop! Sandy

You're a brave man Peter, I would have been reaching for my 'barge pole' on seeing that! Excellent work on the chassis. There is a certain satisfaction in resurrecting a heap like that. I built the Oakville Black Five a number of years ago and I don't recall any great difficulty with it. Your Jubilee should be fine in your hands. All the best Sandy

Hi Duncan, the cab is one area where a significant re-design would be beneficial! The riveted strengthening strip on the bunker rear is a half etch that sits in a haf etch recess so it would appear that the model is intended to represent the engine in later life and not in original condition. If it is thought viable as a commercial product it may eventually be available through Walsworth Models but some additional costs have yet to be incurred in the re-working of the cab area and a couple of faults that I have found. Regards Sandy

Having got the BR Class 20 diesel build out of my system, I have returned to my more usual stomping ground. This Stanier Class 3 was acquired without any instructions and I agreed to write them as I built it. It did have one or two issues with it but nothing insurmountable and with a couple of minor modifications to the master etching tool it could be issued as a kit. It's still not quite finished as I have the wheel balance weights to fit and to sort out the cab roof which won't sit down squarely!! Regards Sandy

Happy Birthday Peter. Sandy

To my To my knowledge only Martin Finney, of the more recent kit designers, designed his tender kits to accommodate 'outside' bearings, as per your photographs, and they needed special axles from Slaters to fit them. Most 7mm designers these days use the dummy 'inner' chassis as per Ken's build which, in my opinion, makes life a little easier to construct if not prototypically correct. As you say 'Horses for Courses'.