JaymzHatstand

Eric has always been high on my list of wants/needs, I've long been on the lookout for an appropriate donor to renumber into 5428 but haven't yet found one. Today's announcement solves that problem on many counts, so after already talking myself out of a new Hornby 5, I've gone straight back on that and ordered one!

I've had plenty of trips behind the real loco, and I'm on a protracted journey to amass a representative NYMR fleet, and this is certainly a key member of that ambition. All we need now is 44767 and I'll probably have some sort of accident, or at least my wallet will!

I think I might swap the lamps for some more scale ones, though there's often a modern HI one present for the Whitby trips, and I suspect that could be made to be part of the ensemble.

Looking forward to seeing more, and obviously the arrival!

Cheers

J

Excellent work! Its always best to keep the domestic management happy, especially with requests like that!

Cheers

j

Finished paying off my first order of these last month, and went straight on and placed another! I've still got a rake of part built Parkside mins, which will get finished eventually, probably! One lot can be loaded, the other empties maybe.

I keep toying with the idea of adding a colliery exchange siding to my layout, to give my Planet Industrials Victory somewhere to roam, especially with the HUOs I already have (any chance of some more of them one day please?!) I think having a number of 16t to mix in will more or less seal the deal on that permanent way development!

Looking forward to seeing more development progress, and, of course, them clanking around my layout!

Cheers

J

The lamp tops and pots arrived the other day, and I'm very impressed by the quality of the printing, theyre certainly an improvement over the Peco equivalent. Sensibly, I ordered enough to convert all of my current L&B stock, which will happen in due course.

Now to make another acetylene cylinder control box and associated pipe work!

Cheers

J

I had a quick browse as a result of the discount, as I've been after some L&B carriage lighting pots (acetylene variety, as Peco have started making their with oil pots), so added a couple of packs of them and some barrels for a bit of background clutter. 

I couldn't find the discount code section, so just presumed that as it had passed the weekend that it had been deactivated. The 'message to seller' box was there, but not the discount one. It didn't stop me ordering though, as its something I've been meaning to do for ages!

I'll report back when they arrive!

Cheers

J

Oh no!

No!

Please, no!

I've been trying to resist the urge to delve into 7mm scale narrow gauge. I sense this resistance will crumble with the inevitable announcement of Britomart!

I've not had the chance to watch the launch video yet, but will in due course, but I'm wondering if it'll be a reasonably simple conversion to 14mm gauge. I was speaking to Paul at EDM at the York show, and he was telling me about the complex process of converting the Lionheart Manning Waddles despite them being initially touted as easily converted.

I'm certainly interested, my bank account might not be, and nor might the lack of space I have for building a layout, but those are future issues! For now, I'll just drool a little!

Cheers

J

That's excellent! I've not been brave enough to wield a soldering iron when Seb's about yet, I can guarantee an inquisitive hand would appear somewhere! The flux probably wouldn't get sampled, more likely spilled everywhere!

Cheers

J

When last I posted, I was waiting on some loco crew from ModelU, who did arrive before my holiday so were duly packed in my travel paint caddy and were ready to install by the end of the week.

I have also added a bit more colour to the cab, it's by no means immaculate, or the neatest job, but it's enough to add a bit of visual interest. 

The vent on the cab roof was part of the whitemetal casting, and as such was rather brittle and delicate and while trying to adjust it, of course, it snapped off so a new one has been fashioned from a piece of scrap brass and some rod for the support. This has been soldered to the roof casting, and the area tidied up before painting the same black/black grey mix used on the smokebox, running plate and tank tops.

The next job will be to replace the screw couplings with standard 3-links, as that's what the real loco carried. This is quite the fortuitous, as the Slaters brake van I have lined up next requires screw links, and the kit only comes with 3-links. More on that in a future update!

I'm hoping to have a goods train available for traffic by the Whitby Club show in July, so a brake is essential in that, and probably another wagon or two! Time will tell!

Cheers

J

6 hours ago, micklner said:

It would have been easier to have simply added the Doors to the Body moulding, instead of supplying them as seperate items. 

I completely agree, they Re gmcommendably fine etched items, but incredibly difficult to get into place. I'm glad mine is a black loco, as I wouldn't fancy trying to match the green when some glue inevitably got smeared on them!

A removable cab roof ymwould have made things easier, likewise for adding a crew, but that would have presented its own tooling challenges, and a slightly ill fitting one with the firebox glow on would be very obvious!

Still, now that mine has its doors and crew, it really is one of the best locos I own, and have seen in RTR. The sound is excellent too, and really makes it fun to play with!

Cheers

J

Lovely! I've been contemplating one of these, and this canny video is making my wallet shake with fear! The NER green examples are lovely, but a bit out of period for me, c1917 so it'll probably have to be a  lined black one, but that's equally smart!

It'll go nicely with my E and U class locos, once I get them finished!

Cheers

J

Thanks for the links, most useful again! 

The decals I found were for an automobile 40', so would need a completely different car.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126147812201?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=svnD02QfSGm&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=TDhArKjYQwW&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I think tprevious us owner of the car I got had it for a long time, hence its age, but as it was free, I wasn't going to complain! He did say I could do with it what I wish, so I might investigate improving it detail wise eventually, I found a handy guide with some ideas for improving it

https://hedley-junction.blogspot.com/2022/02/a-second-life-for-athearn-40ft-boxcar.html?m=1

Those caboose look rather nice, I do like the brown livery. Would the non-central cupola variants be suitable too? They do look older and would presumably have been in service?

Thanks for all of your advice, and sorry to have hijacked your thread!

Cheers

J

Thanks for all of that, plenty of interesting reading and ideas there!

I think a manifest freight is the way I'll probably head, as the variety will keep it a bit more interesting, and give me wider scope for choice of car!

An old Athearn UP boxcar has been donated to my cause by a friend who found it during a clear out, and I'm not going to turn that down! Livery wise, it looks older than the previous car, so hopefully a bit more era suitable! If not, I'm quite happy to have a go at rebranding it in due course.

<A bit of further research shows it is an earlier livery than the previous one, but still a little too modern! Assuming the body type is correct, I think I've found a source of decals with 'Route of the streamliners' on one side and 'Serves all the west' on the other, I think!>

A caboose I think will be the next thing on my list to keep an eye out for, with a view to probably adding a few details such as lights, and maybe some interior details (as I don't fancy shelling out a lot on one with those features already!) as a bit of a slow burn project.

Thanks once again

Cheers

J

Wow!

What a layout! I've spent my evening at work catching up on the whole thread, and have found the whole thing fascinating! My main interest lies in LNER modelling with a hefty dose of Welsh 009 (which I'm sure will appeal!) Ever since I was young, I've had a fascination with the BIG American locos, and always looked in awe at the old Kittle Hobby adverts on the back of the old RMs which always featured the Rivarossi Big Boys. I just couldn't comprehend a model of one! The closest I've come (so far) to seeing a real one was at Dobwalls, and totally agree on it being a wonderful place, and terribly missed. Fast forward a good few years (probably around 2020), and Father Christmas surprised me with the Hornby/Rivarossi 60th Anniversary edition. I'm still blown away by it! 

#4014 gets to stretch its wheels around my room, but until recently only light engine. A friend was in New York for a long weekend, and picked me up a UP boxcar. Blue touch paper lit! I've been trying to work out what I need to make a reasonable representation of a train for it to haul, and your consists have provided plenty of inspiration! I've tried looking things up online, but haven't managed to find much of use (not that I can make sense of anyway!)

I'm not fussed about a scale length train, as I have neither the space or funds for that, but I think that picking up the odd wagon here and there should do nicely, the only issue I have is not knowing which ones are livery appropriate! If you could offer any pointers, I'd be most grateful!

Thanks for sharing such an inspirational and astounding layout! I hope you don't mind me posting a couple of photos of Dobwalls, though im not sure why they have uploaded sodeways!

Cheers

J

Of course, we got one for our little boy for Christmas, with a couple of extras. Might have to get the proverbial skates on to pick up a few other bits!

Ah well, he enjoys what he has atbthe moment, and there's always 'daddy's room' to provide further rail based entertainment!

Cheers

J

1 hour ago, EMA747 said:

Looking really good with the colourful interior. Are we allowed to post links to shops? If so I have used some cheap but decent led lights in one of my L&B coaches that might be worth a try?

It's relevant to the topic, and as long as you have no affiliation, other than as a customer, I think that's allowed! Also some photos of what you've done would be welcome too!

Cheers

J

A quick update on Peco bowsider 17. I've got in! With a bit of investigative unclipping, I've achieved full interior access, and as a result got some paint onto the seats.

Reassembly was a bit tricky, but I think I've got it sorted now, so if I need to do it again, it should be much easier.

I'm now toying with the idea of lights, but that'll take a lot of research and experimentation!

Cheers

J

On 06/12/2023 at 07:44, JackB95 said:

Looks lovely that J.

 

Someone pointed out on Facebook ... (apologies to who posted this - I can't remember)

 

It was me! No need to apologise!

Cheers

J

I picked up Carr 17 yesterday morning from Monk Bar in York, and it's a lovely thing indeed. A much nicer finish than I could have hoped to achieve on such a complex livery! I've had several trips in 17, so it was one on my radar for adding to my fleet.

It's had a brief test run with my Worsley Van 5, which is how it was arranged last time i rode in it.

I'm looking forward to getting 18 in due course too. I might end up with 20 as well, just for completeness in due course, but we'll see.

The next step is to try to get some colour into the interior, though the way the roof support is arranged, may make it a bit difficult.

Cheers

J

That's a cracking video, good to see Mr Williams on it too, especially with regards to the colours and finer details.

The directions of travel underneath are a particularly nice touch!

The two short carriages in their preserved liveries are on my list, having travelled in both during various trips. I've already built a long-bow (19) from a Worsley etch and it'll be interesting to how well they compare.

I'm not looking forward to trying to line this! It's currently in its base colours, and looks pretty smart, and with a big slab of lead between the frames, runs rather smoothly, if I may say so myself!

Looking forward to getting my hands on the Peco ones, hopefully they'll have arrived at Monk Bar when I pop in later this week!

Cheers

J

Mine has been renumbered this weekend, with HMRS pressfix transfers to become a Whitby loco (and the same one as the O gauge one I finished for my Dad)

The smokebox and roof have been toned down with a matt black/black grey mix. I've started adding some of the details from the bag including the steps and couplings. The rest will go on in due course, and a crew will make their way into the cab, once they are painted, once I can figure out how to get them in there!

A bit of very light weathering will follow eventually!

Cheers

J

That's some really good design, and some very skilled assembly of it (all!)

The J72 chassis is something I've been toying with the idea of for a while, one of these days, I'll actually get one! Though with three of the current Bachmann E1/J72s in my fleet, and a Kimber E, I'm not doing too badly for NE shunting locos! Nowhere near your collection mind!

Is there much space in the chassis for pickups, or has that been designed in too. It's always the one place I seem to stumble over with chassis construction, especially when compensation is present as I can never make reliable contacts, so a smooth rolling chassis without a motor suddenly becomes a kangaroo when wired up!

Cheers

J

On 12/10/2023 at 14:15, Strathwood said:

Hopefully helpful.

 

Kevin

 

Very much so, Father Christmas has been duly informed of the two volumes! Thanks for the heads up, and hopefully I'll (fairly) soon be having a good old read!

Cheers

J

Well, I've been umm-ing and ah-ing over the idea of building a small O gauge layout of Murton on the present day Derwent Valley Railway (I say small, in scale, the station to signal box would be 9 feet, and that's just the one siding!) As I've spent plenty of enjoyable days up there over the last year, including driving their 08, and stock wise, not much would be required. Amongst their loco fleet are two 88s, one of which is in the range (Rowntree No.3), the other being a base green loco.

I dare say that once I finish paying for a few other things, I'll be going for No.3, probably with noises because if I'm going in, I might as well go all in!

As others have said, I'd love to see this sort of spec in OO, but with the Hornby one probably not far off, I completely understand why that's not likely!

An excellent announcement with plenty of spec at a very reasonable price (as usual!) I suppose I'd best take my tape measure with me next time I go and have a crack at a building or two!

Cheers

J

14 hours ago, SteamingWales said:

Found what you are talking about on Facebook (not my photo)

 

Definitely some nice scope for a diorama

 

That's them, definitely worth building a small shed photo plank for!

Cheers

J

That's very nice indeed! Something I've spent quite a while looking at drawings of, as I've made my own 'based on' version.

The proposed design was certainly a purposeful looking machine, and you've absolutely captured that. I could well be tempted as a stablemate for mine, do you think a Farish 08 chassis would fit? 

Cheers

J