bobwyer

Should have been clearer, surely the buffer beam itself screams as loud as any 12 spoke wheel, or moulded smokebox door handle. Fortunately the absence of prominent rivets should enable a replacement beam to be easily produced and fitted with the advantage of being able to paint and number accordingly in a non cramped environment twixt hook and buffers

Is it just me or is everyone happy with the obvious error of omission on the front buffer beam, I'm sure that if Hornby had done this then WW3 would have started

If the reversing rod housing is the same as Tintagel then it, if present can be easily removed or if not then one from Tintagel or similar can be fitted, either way a winner!!1

Out of idle curiosity, while fiddling, I discovered that the inside pv cover from Tintagel Castle fits very nicely onto KOGC thus enabling the Kings of the Star class to be modelled without resource to extra lining on fireboxes of BR versions, freeing up the Star PV cover to be fitted to an early version without ejector and top feed. Slight alteration to boiler fittings, carefull removal of top feed and probably wimping out with WW1 austerity finish, but that's the fun!!

Sorry for delay after first post but family events had to take priority. The chassis on Lode Star is, like KOGC, as straight as a die, bogie assembly removes with one screw, makes substitution of wheels easy and also frees up space for large thumbs to insert drain cock assembly. Now, deign clever or what? If you carefully remove front buffers by breaking the very thin glue line the resultant underlying hole take replacement brass Churchward taper buffers without any further fettling, glad I ordered more then I needed for the 42xx/72xx refurb saga. Tender brake handles are very, very fragile as are the whistles on Lode Star,, no protective whistle shield, good job Bachmann included brake handle spares in the COT set. Just about to start drilling to fit cab side rails, the vertical rails look much better if some black ink is fed into the gap to visually isolate the moulded rail, probably simpler but I've several old bodies of various sorts to practice on first. However, stand back a couple of feet and "distance adds enchantment" Will try to get some pics tonight

These are moulding marks stretching across the smoke box, boiler and firebox in about the 11 o clock and 1 o clock positions looking at the front, common on several Hornby boilers, as opposed to cladding joint marks

Someone has to be first!!! I have Lode Star and KOGC, have dismantled KOGC to facilitate removal of moulded hand rail with minimum disruption to lining/paint. Tried it out on old model Hornby Castle cab first, easy to do if you have a steady hand. The footplate assembly is removable with care, exposing the splasher /nameplate assembly which is etched brass, once again easier to upgrade. The separate footplate obviously is for later versions with the "vauxhall" piston valve cover. The footplate is as straight as a die, no banana tendencies. Front bogie now has 10 spoke ex Castle wheels awaiting replacements, tender is exquisite, but beware very, very fine fittings, to offset tis the brake pull rods/brake shoe clearance holes are much easier to negotiate. Paint /moulding marks along boiler top, but careful scraping, burnishing reduces there, I am gong to lightly weather the top surfaces so thought this worth the risk. Accessibility to the outside steam pipes enable the inevitable flash marks to be remove, safety valve removes easily for any changes, All for now, nothing serious apart from bogie spokes, but I am not touching Lode Star, that is a thing to be admired!! Had hoped to be able to provide photos but pressure of domestic responsibilities have put that off till next week All in all, apart from the spokes, nothing that a steady hand and patience won't stop a very good model being even better, but this is the fun of Modelling, criticism is so easy, remember when Hornby Dublo Castles were the bees knees?

Indeed it is Lode Star, the brake fittings are the easiest to fit that I have come across. Just off to put it on the rolling road. Pictures tomorrow. Modelfair have also delivered my Knight of Grand Cross, but I have to collect from PO tomorrow, I was out collecting Lode Star when it arrived.

Collected mine from Steam Museum Swindon yesterday at 1145, well worth the wait.

For copyright purposes amend the post to"an approved copyright free image of a GWR hydrostatic lubricator" until I can take a picture myself, and post here.

Perusing the problems of 5011's hydrostatic lubricator, or lack of, may I suggest the following. Please see attached a digital image of the correct lubricator, paste into say PowerPoint, or whatever your favourite image manipulator is, size accordingly and print on gloss photo paper to correct scale size, cut, fiddle and paste and the mechanical oil pressure gauge is hidden by an image of some 5x4mm. Cue correct Meerkat clicking noise.