Jon020

Nice... neat and a good use of time and offcuts!

Hi Mark, I did have to move one of the bogie heights a bit... can't recall which one though. Yes I've not tried to sound-fit it ... yet... but it'll be interesting to see yours once its done ;-) best wishes Jon

Depending on the version of /4... some can be seen here Jon

Cheers Lee... I'll buy some more black... my Humbrol 33 has gone very matt... even with some good time stirring; I know it is matt, but I'll need something a little more satin I think. I'll have a browse at the next show I'm at - Brighton on Friday... or pop across to Uckfield Hobbybox that stock Railmatch. Black it is then Jon

Hi Lee, A bit off topic, and for that I apologise... but I thought you'd know the answer. Two quick-projects (relatively) OMWB are these two ViT 47s. 802 is getting a bit of work to make it actually look like 802 complete with the odd right buffers... and a little detailing and better stronger paint is going on... new fan grills and glazing of course. So... here's the question. What colour is the roof? It's not a trick question because they both look a slightly off-black. Dark Grey or a bluey grey. As I will need to respray a section once the fan grills go on, and I'll need to buy some paint anyway, enamel preferably, I wondered if you could suggest a close match . Cheers Lee, Jon

An interesting entry. I was seeking some info on colours yesterday - trying to work out a good colour for DRS blue (although Br Blue is my normal livery of choice). Went for Humbrol Gloss 15 in the end - very close and it only needed a touch up anyway. These colour match ideas are useful and I'll try to follow your blog more closely from now on. Jon

I had a fiddle around with fitting a headcode in mine the other week, and whilst I'm not yet satisfied, the light bleed around the edges was a little visible. I'll try the black marker/paint around the backs of the moulding, but it's difficult to see where it's needed. But, it is really necessary to run with the headcode lights lit? Can you switch it so the marker lights are used, but the headcode not... wouldn't that be more prototypical for these ??? not that I know... I just can't see the headcodes being lit during daylight, Jon

How about a series of elevated photos?

You're right about when the shutters got fitted. Not sure whether some western one retained vacs only until late - I'm sure they did. I'd browse loco images on here http://www.class47.co.uk/c47_photos_II.php?index=0&jndex=0&kndex=0&s_loco=47001 HTH Jon

37-802 - 47 035 Rail Blue with full Yellow ends and domino headcode box. Cheers. Sean. Careful Sean, I fell for that too. 47035 has marker lamp panel with black surround rather than the domino headcode box which was a pastic sheet fitted to the original glazed panel. I had to glaze mine to get the 4-digit headcode box - easier than replacing the rad grills on 148.

It looks very neat; very tidy; well designed, engineered, constructed and presented. But then again, I'd expect nothing less ;-) well done Pete; good to see "Kyle in a letterbox style" Jon

Following on from the last page's Amberley "lakes" shot ... at least, I assumed that's where it was, here some of the same class: Please stand clear of the edge of platform 3; the approaching trains is not scheduled to stop at this ssscchhwwwussshhhhh........

Modelstrip is a much more foregiving process to remove applied paint; superstrip can be much more agressive, but it's the only thing I've used that will take factory finishes off. Well sone... and a good result! Jon

Excellent to see you putting something on here again Pete, and glad to hear that the enthusiasm's returned... we could all do with a dose of that now and again ;-)

It's not a true acrylic but I can't remember the exact composition... there are two types (at least) - normal, and "plastic" for applying to plastic parts such as bumpers that flex. I use the normal grey (or white sometimes) ... and red, and it covers both plastics and etched components really well. It dries to give a good base for applying enamels in my experience... I too use Railmatch enamels. You can buy just the paint in a tin, which then needs thinning, but for thinning you still need to use cellulose thinners... and high gloss thinners are recommended rather than the usual rough-cut brush cleaning stuff. James Newitt has done this through an airbrush and the results compared to the Halfords rattle can are startling... very, very smooth. But I still just used the rattle can for my projects... yes, it's fine!

I use Halfords primers.... no complaints!

I'd had a discussion with DD at Ally Pally regarding the options that would "then" have been available; that concluded with the decision that the products as advertised would fullfil my requirements and I pre-orded to show my support for the product line which was still in early production development. I cancelled, when it seemed that the QA issues were mounting and the control of the QA problems was not being shown to be managed in a manner that I would expect for a product manufactured in the UK under appropriate QMS control. I realist that this is not relevant and I'm not opening old issues here... but there was some suggestion that manufacturing issues related to the drawings/inctructions not being followed (or perhaps not sufficiently detailed?) that when these were discussed on here.. the same person that I'd discussed the product with at AP suggested that I'd better cancel my pre-order... so I did. I've waited a while for the next batch and now I have one. I still worry about the QA issues and I do feel that the wiring I've seen on top of the chassis looks less than perfect ... but we'll see! The product does look good... but it needs to be engineeringly solid when I start to dismantle to "work" on it... as I said, we'll see! So far, I've taken the body off and tried (and failed) to remove the small electrical connector (PCB to lights) as I can't see how to release it - so hopefully someone will explain this at some point ... before I try it again. Jon

To be honest Richard and Geoff, that's why I put mine on a r-road and left it running hooked up to a battery for 2 hours last night. I too was worried that the problems had not been rectified, but I'm guessing that QA is a bit variable. Richard... your points were noted by a lot of us - one of the reasons I cancelled my pre-order of the first batch.

The previous post got me worried. Sorry about that Chopper 20059. I know there's a warning in the instructions about running on DC, being pure DC only... so I decided for the simple option and hooked up my Nobleman to my DCC's rolling road on "Napier Lane Sidings"... remember that one?, some cushioning either side should the unthinkable happen and we get a topple... and hook up a PP3 to the track. Apart from getting worried when the lights dimmed and it slowed (sound familiar) and then stop - battery flat (it wasn't a new one)... I put in a new battery and off it went... it's now run constantly for an hour in each direction and no heat or problems at all. I'm not boasting or being nasty at all... I just think that they're possibly not all at fault and mine seems (fingers crossed) to be fine... for now. Anyway... good luck with yours out there. I've a bit I'll be doing to mine, at some point, but it looks nice as it is for now. Phew! Jon

Hmmm that's worrying. I ran mine for a while in each direction, but not that long. Maybe I'll give it a proper run soon.

What did you find undecipherable "Matt". I'm happy to clarify if needed. Seems a shame to just mark someone down and not ask for something to be clarified!