Richard_A

just noticed someone has a few of these kits listed.

21 minutes ago, Barry Ten said:

 

I think those are ex-GWR fruit vans.

Thank you, something else for the list.

2 minutes ago, Barry Ten said:

 

I've got a couple of the older Black Fives and I've done the Brassmaster detailing on this one, renumbered as a Bath loco. I hope I picked one that matched the boiler details of the Hornby one. I fitted most of the Brassmaster bits but not the axlebox castings as I wasn't convinced the job would be worth it.

 

I made a video a while back; apologies for the slightly lumpy acceleration, not a fault of the loco.

 

 

The only thing I'm not keen on with these models is that the rear axle has a lot of vertical play in it, which (with the articulated coupling rod) can make things look a bit odd. They do seem to run well and be able to pull enough for my needs, nonetheless.

 

Al

 

 

 

 

I have found a catalogue number of r2250 which I think is the 2002 release which I'll think I will buy.

I am just completing a rake of vans and I wonder, if you could tell me what are the vans to the rear with the horizontal slats?

25 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good morning Richard,

 

I've gone through my model Black Five pictures, and I'm afraid I don't have a K's one (someone out there must have). I've never built one, but I'm sure they could look the part if made well.

 

The 20-year old Hornby Black Five might be worth investigation, especially if fitted with the Brassmasters detailing kit. I conducted such an improvement in the Right Track series of videos; the one on improving RTR - Number 4 if I recall correctly. That might be found on Chris Walsh's Youtube account now. 

 

A couple of years ago, I 'improved' a pair of Hornby's second-generation Black Fives, for very little money.......

 

 

 

 

I could have taken them further - removing the weird flange at the bottom of the tender's soleplate and changing the axleboxes, for instance, but they certainly look like Black Fives. 

 

They're also more powerful in terms of haulage capacity than the latest ones.

 

 

Shap seems happy to use them (though the front numberplate is wrong!).

 

As can be seen from the examples above, different boiler types are catered for (though I think the top feed is in the wrong place on one of mine).

 

It could well be that several of the older Hornby Black Fives will come onto the second-hand market now, users 'upgrading' so to speak. I think they're certainly worth investigation. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

Thank you, I shall check them out, if I can figure out which catalogue numbers I need..

All this talk about Black 5's, is getting me interested in buying a kit for an eventual Central Wales/Swansea themed model.

I know of DJH and Brassmasters ones but, what is the K's one like? I see them on eBay and I wonder if buying a badly built one to dismantle would be worth it.

12 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

But worth having a go at modelling.

I have started, so I might finish.

They look good, but ugly. 

I've always thought that the black fives and Jubilees to be well balanced looks wise, but the caprotti versions of the black five lose the finely balanced proportions, to me anyway. 

The caprotti versions are bloody ugly things. 🤐

6 hours ago, Quarryscapes said:

 

These are Steetley Lime & Basic Wagons which are available RTR from Dapol in O gauge. A google search will reveal drawings online (They can be found in print in the WIld Swan published Mike Lloyd Tanat Valley Light Railway Book). In 00 Dapol also do an RTR Lime wagon, however it is a generic model, and not particularly accurate. It is available in the later SLB livery of Steetley if you particularly want Porthywaen sourced Lime on your layout. 

Thank you, very informative. 

Just need to figure out how to make some in 4mm scale. 

I think the book will be bought. 

I was looking on the hmrs website at these wagons. 

I might be able to figure something out. 

12 minutes ago, Paul H Vigor said:

Its basically a wooden open wagon fitted with a pitched roof.

These look like they are seven planks high on the sides and 10 on the ends, I wonder if a cambrian kit or similar could be adapted. 

Just now, Paul H Vigor said:

Plenty of 00 lime wagons listed on ebay.

Cheers, I suppose there must be a typical design for them. 

5 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

They'll be carrying burnt lime, which needs to be kept dry; it reacts very violently with water. The wagons are noticeably shorter than other mineral types; reflecting the density of the load. If you can't find drawings for the lime wagon, you might find one for a salt wagon, which is similar in design.

Thanks, I forgot about the need for burnt lime to be kept dry, even though I used some once for a repointing job, very scary but exiting. 

I know Ian kirk used to produce a salt wagon kit, might be worth finding one. 

The image attached has been taken from the book, red dragon and other old friends. 

The covered vans which are assumed to be carrying limestone look quite interesting and I would like to make a few, I model in 4mm to the foot and am aware of the peco wagon but it doesn't really appear to match these. 

Can anyone point me in the right direction, either kit bashing or scratch building, I don't mind. 

https://www.scalefour.org/shows/S4SW2011/allt-y-graban.html

Here you go, the bridge in your images, I'm pretty sure is the new bridge modelled here. 

8 hours ago, Ralf said:

 

Thanks Richard, how sure are you? I wondered about it being the bridge further south? As the line isn't on an embankment and the land (ex Mynydd colliery) would be NCB owned... I am clutching at straws mind you.... 

 

 

Thanks Keith, very interesting, hadn't seen RailMapOnline before, although still I cannot identify where the Landsale yard was, I'm hoping if I manage to turn up a newer map than is on NLS it may solve my problems. 

 

Thanks

Ralf (very confused) 

 

I'm pretty sure, I have to go to this area a bit for work and when I fancy a long lunch, I park up near the bridge and go for a walk. 

There is a model based on the area, I'll see if I can find a link. 

I find it funny when I read this thread when, people state they made something 50 years ago and it seems like an eon ago, then I realise that I'm only 5 years away from 50, therefore I am slowly getting old. 🤪

If you look for allt -y-graban road, that is the location of the road Bridge in one picture. The line in the background is likely to be the Swansea district line. 

I can't help more, but the area is very interesting regarding railways, just compare the centre of Gorseinon as it is now, to the 1930s. 

Hi, 

Yes please. 

Kind regards Richard 

Got one of these in my stash. 

A craftsman Models Class 120 kit for £18, yes please. 

On the book, designs for urban layouts by iain rice, he has a couple of designs which fit your space, I'd see if you can get a copy and browse. 

23 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good morning Rob,

 

Yes, the XP64 set................

 

 

Dave Lewis of Southern Pride produced kits for it almost 30 years ago. His made-up set ran on Stoke Summit (here hauled by a modified/detailed Lima Brush Type 4). 

 

We were very lucky at Wolverhampton MRC having a 'pet' kit-manufacturer as part of the team. It enabled us to create trains way beyond the imagination (at the time) of RTR manufacturers.

 

 

Trains such as 'The Elizabethan', made up of the post-War Thompson PV vehicles (with two Mk.1s making up the Aberdeen portion). At much the same, Bachmann produced a presentation Elizabethan set in a polished wooden box. Despite claims from the then MD that 'much research has taken place to make it accurate', none of the cars was appropriate for the 'Lizzie'. 

 

So far, no RTR manufacturer has produced Thompson PV cars. 

 

Other Southern Pride kits created which first appeared on Stoke Summit included..........

 

 

 

The Mk.1 Pullman cars for use in the 'Master Cutler' and 'Tees-Tyne Pullman'. 

 

In the case of the former, modified Hornby cars were also employed.

 

 

As they were with the latter, but only the brake cars this time.

 

The motive power is a modified Lima EE Type 4 and a SE Finecast A4 respectively.

 

Of course, now there are the Bachmann Mk.1 Pullmans RTR and the later Hornby Pullmans............

 

 

But it's a pity the colours don't match (which they did on Stoke's Pullmans). 

 

 

Dave Lewis even produced the Mk.1 Pullmans in reversed blue/grey (the Deltic is a much-altered Lima product). 

 

Other rolling stock types now available RTR include...........

 

 

 

The TPOs (the two leading cars are altered RTR Mk.1 BGs and the motive power for both trains is modified Lima). 

 

 

And the 'Anglo Scottish Car Carrier', here made-up from Dave's own Southern Pride kits - including the four Mk.1 passenger-carrying cars (the A4 is Wills/scratch/Wright/Rathbone). 

 

Heljan now makes the carriers RTR...............

 

 

 

 

And very nice they are, too - motive power respectively SE Finecast/scratch/Wright/Haynes, modified Bachmann/Davey and Crownline/Wright/Rathbone. The passenger-carrying cars are modified Bachmann and modified Hornby products. 

 

Who would have thought, all those years ago, that so much would now be available RTR? However, both the XP64 and Elizabethan stock remain for the kit-builders.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

On 01/05/2024 at 16:43, LNER4479 said:

 😆

I managed to get the last of Dave's xp64 kits, it'll be a long time before I pluck up courage to start them, I hope someone can take his range on when he finally retires as I have wanted to buy some of the mk2 kits and I have missed out. 

For years, I'd look at his website and think his kits were expensive, now I realise they are good value, and I have had to pay a premium for unbuilt tpo kits via ebay, for the ones he no longer produces. 

Does anyone have one of these knocking around? 

Recently, I have bought a few British Railway Modelling magazines from the mid 90's, I recognise a few names from this thread, but the thing that has struck me is, the articles are so much more interesting than modern magazines, MRJ excepting. 

I have even read Tony's V2 article, very amusing. 

On 21/03/2024 at 13:49, Dieselbob said:

Hi Richard

I was just looking at 4 VGA's I built from Kits, probably 35 years ago now, which are sitting on my layout, I couldn't remember the name of the maker and you have reminded me that they are Roy Gould kits, thanks for that. Time for them to go, the will be on ebay this weekend if its an 80% off week.

cheers

Bob

I think I had these in my watch list, cdo you still have them?