millerhillboy

Thanks 'Chard for your kind words, always appreciated. Can't take credit for the weathering work, that came courtesy of a talented friend from Glesga. I think he's done a fine job, I know some don't tend to like the stained look and would perhaps might even say its overdone compared with the superbly subtle work of Mr Stafford. However for me I do tend to like the workstained look for some reason.

2mm is really kicking on, with Dapols class 26 imminent (I've one pre-ordered) and Bachmann's A1 due any day now its truly good times for the wee modellers. Now if only my eyesight would just hold out....

Still on the workbench is a halfbaked yellow striped Merlin and also a Peak. I really ought to concentrate on the scenery and layout at some point

Finally, another 4MT, and a Hawick stalwart now and probably in a distinctly more grotty state than Hawick would have ever allowed her to get in, but hey I like dirty locos!!

Another new superb Bachmann Farish model with a mince round ;-) in situ to remind you all of the bloody smallness of these things :-). I swear my eyesight is in reverse gear because of the size of these things

Another completion but also seen before so apologies for duplication, but her she is in her final guise. Again workstained.

80124 ended up at St Margarets in later life I believe via Dundee, and I think I came across photographic evidence on Borders duty.

Showing some of the shortcomings of older models (in this no footplate steps or pipework).

A couple of completed additions to my north end of the route based roster ....

61244 in a more workstained guise.

You'll need to excuse the smokebox shedplate which remains from the original model, I just can't do 2mm shedplates!! It was torture even just getting the buffer beam markings right in 2mm.

Thanks to Bachmann Farish these days for really upping the standard of N gauge models. This one is a beaut, and has already been joined by another one awaiting an Edinburgh identity in due course.

Any mention of the green one's release date?

Lovely class 26 there Dave, just spot on.

Nicely timed pictures to whet the appetite for us N gaugers with the imminent release of Dapols 2mm version. I've already paid my deposit for one.

Farish's A1 also due, as is there new 101 DMU.....where's that savings tin.

Hi Simon

When working with the N-Brass lamp irons, I try and get them in a vice or strong pair of flat nose pliers, I get them into position and then hold tight, and at the same time bending the bit required to form the L shape. After a bit of practise I can just about do it most of the time, did take practise though.

In terms of getting rid of the bits of flash I do that under a magnifying glass with a brand new scalpel blade, before I carry out the bending process.

First couple of times I used the N-Brass lamp irons I got the same effect, looked pretty much OK until observed under harsh photography conditions.

Also somebody does nice brass oval shaped buffers that suit the 4MT just lovely. Can't for the life of me remember, but they were an improvement on the standard offering. Well worth it.

Tihink it was someone via the NGS shop actually, I believe you recently joined?

Thanks for continually giving us more pictures, they truly are a treat, in particular for us with an interest in the area.

Tantalising picture of the class 27 in the vicinity. Question is can anyone go the full hog and give us a full blown WR instance?

N-Brass lamp irons just require bending (magnifying glass required) and securing, no drilling required.

Buffer gunk is just matt black paint applied randomly which just ended up in quite a nice effect luckily.

Hi! Those N Brass ones look really good, I'll have to see about ordering some. The staples were more a free experiment after reading about them in Nspirations - but now I've started looking at all the other kettles that don't have them and looking at the stapler and my still unbroken drill bit - could be dangerous! Which make are the vac pipes?

 

Thanks

 

Simon

I think I drilled an A3 footplate or two and decided it wasn't for me!! I was just using drill after drill (if you know of any stronger drills then please let me know :-) ).

The N-Brass lamp irons are pretty cheap too and you get loads on a sprue.

I need to go through my stock and do them to all actually, they do look OK, certainly better than nothing.

The pipes are possibly Farish, maybe Dapol (sorry not a good answer) . You used to be able to buy pipe/snowplough kits from Dapols website, don't know if you still can.

I just collect pipes from the little bags as and when they come in now, so I've just got a pipe scrapbox now that I just lift things out of as and when required.

They are handy for diesels too, here's one I did earlier (true Blue Peter style) using Dapol ploughs off their hymek plus a selection of pipes from both Farish and Dapol.

PS don't ask what headcode 1B29 is? Its wrong and needs changing

Simon

Just catching up with your workbench and I notice you are playing with staples for lamp irons.

I used to play about with drilling the footplates but found I just went through drills like crazy (how you managed to do those boilerside handrails with one drill is beyond me!!).

Anyway, I've started to prefer using the N-Brass lamp irons these days, much less hassle and I think they do look OK.

Another old Farish model that really didn't have much going for it in its normal guise but I hope I've made her a bit more interesting if nothing less.

She's meant to be an Eastfield straggler thats ended up east, I wanted a loco with a tablet catcher recess although I don't know if that loco specifically had one, I know other ED class 25s did so that's good enough for me.

Ploughs again I'm not sure about but I figured she might have ......

Given that my layout is set just south of Edinburgh I've allowed myself one of these, not strictly correct for deepest darkest borders railways but she's strayed in.

However with the imminent arrival in N gauge of dapols class 26 then that will solve that particular problem.

So let me see, that's new 47 and a Dapol 26 needed. Ouch, where's that pennies jar.

PS please don't ask what 1B29 is, its clearly wrong and needs sorting.

Secondly and inspired by this photograph for some reason D5066 in action I present the N gauge equivalent.

Not as you might expect the new Graham Farish class 24 but this is a brass kit running on a farish chassis.

Can I join the shout for more pictures, so 'Leith' are these pictures that I'd love to see more.

I worked for many years in Salamander Place and then Commercial street for many more. Done quite a lot of lunchtime exploring in this area and this layout simply 'screams' north Edinburgh, it really does.

Two more pacifics for Ruberslaw; Haymarket's 60011 and Tweedmouth's 60539. Admittedly, this wouldn't have been a regular on the route, but working into Edinburgh on a regular basis, it's quite possible that Bronzino would have been borrowed on occasion, particularly as she was mostly as stand-by power during her time at 52D.

 

Coming soon; 60161, 61931 and 61937!

 

Dave.

Me really likey like. Super work, just a nice level of workstaining, suits them perfectly.

I've got an N gauge A1Peppercorn in the pipeline, current away at the paintshop, really looking forward to getting her back after you mentioned 60161 etc. and seeing 60152 above.

However for quite strong reasons she's assuming a Holbeck identity, but I'll be playing the 'its my layout' card on that one!!

Pictures when she arrives.

Dave

Are you going to be doing the bogie narrowing job on the GF peak? Always a nice improvement if you can be bothered with it.

I've got a peak sitting in exactly the same boat, i.e needing a WR identity, so I'll erm just be copying you;-)

mmmm A3s and A4s. Lovely lovely lovely.

Absolutely astonishingly good. That chassis is just so good.

With the advent of new Graham Farish mk1s I'm keen to adopt a new rake, some of the above postings give me a good idea and actually confirm some of the likely stock used in a mk1 rake.

However, I'm certainly not a coaching guru and need as much advice as possible.

So unfortunately I am restricted to rakes of probably 6 carriages due to (who said N gauge was great for long trains!! ) space and storage siding restrictions.

So question is what services would have constituted 6 carriages or 7 at an absolute push.

General context of the question is north end of the line, mid to late 60s.

Right I do seem to be hogging this thread and no doubt you are getting bored of clunky looking crude N gauge models

Final one for just now, and no WR thread would be correct without an example, St Margarets V2 60824.

Standard Farish model, not a bad model other than the horrendous boiler skirt area which is criminally bad (hopefully Farish will re-release this model with a tender drive at some point).

She was dropped a mm or two by Dr Al of this parish to give her a better stance, a most effective modification when seen side by side.

I couldn't accept seeing a clean V2 so she is suitably grotted up.

Dalry's 45483, not a WR exclusive loco but being from Dalry I'd expect her down there upon occassion and I think there is some photograhpic or documentary evidence to that effect.

Anyway, given the layout depicts a ficitonal location very much at the north end of the line then strays from the Edinburgh area are expected and allowed ;-)

This was a original Farish black 5 but running on a duchess chassis giving a more accurate size of wheelset although I believe the linkage is a bit off.

Farish have since replaced this model with a superb tender drive version which is a 100 times better. Still I'll not part with this old dame as a lot of effort went into her.

Particular effort was made to move away from the dreadful coal mouldings in original farish models and I was quite chuffed at the outcome for a first attempt. Crushed real coal being used, seems to give the right amount of 'shine' of the coal load