JaymzHatstand

It would appear so! The later mods to three tender extended the fire iron tunnels too, fortunately these don't feature on the express blue version!

Thanks very much, there's some very messy soldering as well, but as long as it does the job, and doesn't interfere with anything, that's not a problem!

I'm thinking about the all-over deep red colour and rather weathered as in this photo...

http://www.iomsrsa.com/images/stories/MB-f.27.jpg

I'm looking forward to having a couple of bits of stock so I can have a bit of a play! I'll need some track too, and to sneak it all past the domestic management!

Cheers

J

Looking at the drawing of the bogie brakes in the Brown/Prideaux/Radcliffe book on the line, the S R lettering is a little high, the stopper for the sliding door should be the centre line for the letters, and there is a single plank width between it and the S. The van number is on the lower left hand side, inboard of where the dog box door would have been and the the weight lettering (8 Tons, Tare 5:18:2) is staggered over two lines with the 8 starting to the right of the panel line which passes through the centre of the R!

I hope this is of some use!

The van looks ver smart indeed, its something I've been tempted by having a go at for a while now, although I'm rather keen on the ducket van (No14)

Cheers

J

Thanks for the compliments, Matthew, the Open Third has had an orange base coat applied, once its had the woodstain applied, there'll be some photos of that on here. That might have to wait until after Warley of course!

Cheers

J

Thanks for that and for the example photos you PM'd me, they are most informative. I was aware of the shape issues of the Kirk roof, but as I'll struggle to get the bodies to pieces completely without any damage, I don't think that modifying them for a new roof is completely practical (although it would be nice!).

The window apetures wil most likely be treated though, its not something I'd ever thought of before. Is this just a result of the way the sides are moulded in the first place?

Would an MJT roof require the body modifications too? I can't remember if it was one of theirs or a modified Kirk roof in the photos!

Cheers

J

Thanks, that's most helpful! And something I have considered doing, as I've yet to progress any further with my build! I will get ono with it though! One day!

Cheers

J

Thanks for that GCRS135, I'll investigat the whitemetal ones next time I see the Gramodels stand, and Dan I'm looking forward to seeing your photos

Cheers

J

I know that feeling, I keep trying to finish things before starting something else, but I do suffer from ease of distraction, and that is never cheap either!

I've fancied one of the Englands for quite a while, they're not too big, and not another tank engine! Also the extra wheels wired for pick up should make it pretty hard to stop on slightly didrty track!

Cheers

J

That's a very smart England sir, the lining really looks superb! What chassis is it on?

Is all this action to clear space on your workbench for a Brian Madge quarry hunslet by any chance?!

A height gauge is something I really should sort out, after finding out just how out some of my couplings are at the exhibition in July!

Cheers

J

Now that's an intriguing little bit of kit, looking forward to seeing how it goes together

Cheers

J

Nice one, congratulations! I've been following both on here and its always good to get something in the national print, I hope to do that one day!

J

By playing train I take it you mean 'testing', at least that's the excuse I use!

That is some good progress, and learning from past errors is always good, and something I hope to do when I have the time/space/funds to start another layout!

I assume you've also built provision for legs into the frame (forgive my tired brain if its mentioned above already!) As trying to retro fit legs can be a bit of a pain in the proverbial!

Cheers

J

Oh dear, that is quite an adventure, but I can thoroughly agree with the quality of the Parkside after-sales service (satisfied customer disclaimer!). The chassis does indeed look superb, now I'm fighting down the urge to give them some pennies for one!

As Ian said above, boiling water can help with low-melt solder, and I believe Eileen's Emporium stock it at a reasonable price!

Looking forward to the next escapade, it reminds me that my bodges are not unique! As well as providing some very informative bits and bobs and do's and don't's

J

That safety valve looks most convincing, and being in 009, I can imagine how small it is!

I'm enjoying watching this come together, and it's possibly even inspiring me to get on with my 101 projects!

J

Very nice indeed, I'm looking forward to seeing both of these painted and ready to enter service. The only faults I've ever had with any Worsley etches have been my own lack of skill/patience, and with each one I put together, I learn a little more, so the products themselves are thoroughly recommended!

Keep up the good work,

J

I've just rediscovered your blog, from your most recent entry, and realised that I'd commented on here, but for some reason, I didn't receive notification of your response! That's a most generous offer, if it is still viable, if not, it was most gemerous! I have now increased my rake to 15 which is far more than my fiddle yard and run round loop can handle! So they'll be split into two rakes for now I think!

How have you got on with the S&Ws? I've gone back to using them on my OO stock, and once set at a sensible height are pretty user friendly, just a bit of a pain to put together and fit at times!

J

The Tamiya 48th scale vehicles are rather nice, and the improvements you've made to this ex-Italeri kit really lift it up. Its certainly given me some ideas for my own military modelling, and as for Tanis, that's just an A3-sized bit of inspiration!

I'd love to see your Do335 as well, always an eyecatching aircraft!

Looking forward to seeing more of this

J

That's very smart indeed! I saw it on the Worsley site a while ago and was rather tempted then, even more so now! I've built a couple of the FR carriages, and was looking for something a little different. I'm looking forward to seeing this painted!

Keep it up

J

Wow! Its a proper old classic one with the moulded handrails and shiny metalwork. Its in a lot better condition than my old one is, the motor was fine last time I tried it, but the main coupling rods kept jamming and I couldn't figure a way around that, so its now a static exhibit, just like the real one!

Looking forward to see the finished article

J

How about 'Arnold R Sole' or going by your current profile photo, how about the 'Real Ale Tw*ts' get their own establishment? Tere are a colossal range of Viz characters that could preside over the premises, there is a fabulous list of them here, read, chortle and enjoy!

J

Make sure you get some sort of lubricant into the tubes so that when you ballast, any glue which might get into the tubes doesn't affect its movement (I speak from experience here!)

I can vouch that when the GEM point control is a satisfying way of operating points, especially where angle cranks are used, its almost like real point rodding! In theory and practise at least, if not appearance!

A good bit of tracklaying there

J

Wow! That's a brilliantly informative link, thanks for that! I was already aware of the loading gauge problems of Churchills in transit, and have built a couple of Airfix ones sans side pods!

I'll be saving those instructions to read at my leisure!

Cheers

J

After having a quick check with my steel ruler, neither wagon are 16.5mm from rail head, one is above, the other below!

The actual detail differences aren't a problem, as you say Tony, as the Parkside one was converted from an existing design to serve a purpose (as the originals were) and the Gramodels one is bespoke, this should also account for the greater width of the Gramodels wagon. Unless it is just generally bigger, and one of the two models is out of scale (or perhaps both are)

Mike, the ramp wagon is listed on the Gramodels price list as TBA and I seem to remember talking about it when I bought the flat. It was in the research stage then I think. I'll have to investigate Parkdise bogies, they aren't listed on the website, but it can't hurt to ask! As for the RM article, I've got that too, along with both Model Rail features (and any subsequent bits) and the Rail Express Modeller segment.

In terms of loading, I've not fully decided yet, but I do like the idea of a block train of Churchills behind my black V2!

Cheers for the input

J

The Hornby wheels are bigger, but oddly changing them made next to no difference, which is surpising, because looking at them they are maybe 0.5mm bigger. I tried the larger wheels in the Parkside bogies too, and still no change worth reporting. I may just have to keep them in separate rakes, although I do think I'll have to invest in some wheels of the correct diameter, as it does look a lot better with the smaller ones in, obviously I'll need spoked ones, not the discs in the LNER flat.

Cheers

J

Thanks for that livery help, most informative and descriptive! I take it that by 'conventional independent brakes' you men standard levers operating from the central v hangars? Would they both be set towards the end away from the doors still?

I was hoping that the bend in the tie bar between the two W irons would be solvable with some washes of plastic weld, but it's still curved, so I'll need to replace it with som plastic strip.

Thanks again

J