Darwinian

Apart from a few remaining details (eg. replacement lamp brackets) most of the groundwork is done. I have now noticed that the cab roof appears to need another angle iron across near the back end. Not sure how I can do this to match (reasonably) the central one. The buffers fitted are just cast GWR self contained ones with the central hole drilled by hand. They look OK to my eyes from normal viewing distances but one day I hope to replace them with the correct ROD pattern. The damage/additions have been undercoated with Games Workshop Abbadon Black but the whole thing will get a coat of dirty black before the GWR additions are picked out again. The straps that used to hold the Westinghouse pump were from brass strip. The smokebox dart handle probably ought to be a bit longer than this one. Buffer beams are only undercoated and couplings to be added. There is a Traintech sound SFX unit in the tender which is rather fun, but little else done to it apart from the matching buffers. The sound unit didn't like the cold! I brought the loco down from the unheated loft to photograph and the sound unit was dead. Now it has warmed up downstairs it's working again. I took out the DCC mounting plate and cut the wires back to the loco as there is no pickup from the tender. Adrian

They only go pop if you squeeze 'em too hard. Bagpipes that is.

There was a period when cast iron plates were used for a number of classes. Details were given in an article in GWRJ relatively recently (sorry can't remember which issue). According to that the lettering/raised surround were picked out in a cream colour so Bachmann's seems OK on this. Looks a really nice model, although I'm not sure I can face carving the topfeed and it's supply pipes off another model. Hope they bring out a topfeed less version later.

Sorry Ozzyo I see what you mean. I think the picture in the background above is possibly curved, the firebox looks very odd. Atbara's carried parallel, short cone and finally long cone boilers. I think this one is the later long cone as seen here: http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrbsh57.htm If I did that correctly, not tried to put in a link to another site before. Adrian

PUASHP said the kit was for a City (No.4 boiler IIRC) so had to be reduced in diameter for the Atbara (No2 the same as Bulldogs I think, apologies if I've got this wrong I haven't checked in my books). Or maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree .

My first attempt at using my home made fly-swat applicator. rather than using a tea strainer I found a £1.50 sugar sifting pot. Once attached and connected on the fly-swat handle it means I can fill it with fibres and they won't fall out as the cup screws onto the frame. Just to make sure I went over again with the balloon trick. The grass fibres are "Green scene" short and medium lengths. There is some leaf scatter under the grass layer to provide some colour variation. Clumps of Woodland scenics foliage and underbush make up most of the rest. Adrian

Coming along very nicely. The smaller boiler is quite distinctive.

Well what great memories. I grew up in Camberley in Surrey and there were two model shops of note when I was a lad. First was "The Model Shop" I think, up on the high street not far down from the station. Lots of pocket money went on 1/32 military modelling but I never could get into the helicopters the owners built and flew., far too expensive. Then along came Fred Blackman and Mallard Models on the London Road. Many a happy hour spent in there discussing what I was building and trading in Triang/Hornby for new fangled brass kits. Fred even suggested what to try building first. Then the business became "Cove models" in Cove (surprise?) and then moved to Aldershot. I'd left home by then but dropped in occasionally. All shops now long gone, along with Eames of Reading, another regular haunt when visiting the town or on my way home from Uni. I also remember visiting a real Aladdin's cave of a model railway shop at the top of a hill somewhere in Exeter on several occasions when on holiday at my Uncles who lived in the city. Until a couple of years ago we had Model World here in Dereham but that changed hands and then closed completely a couple of years ago. My nearest model shop is now on the other side of Norwich - Great Eastern Models. (Unless you count Starlings toy store but they have less than ever and at RRP or higher). Adrian

Coming along nicely. Although they are complex Martin's kits do fit together beautifully, they just take care. I think it is the 2,500 gal tender I chose, can't remember for certain. I know I built it with the box style water filler cover rather than the later dome. It was the smokebox section that I over annealed, the dents are on the other side. The key was making sure everything was square across the ends of each section, then they all line up fine. Adrian

To be honest I don't remember all that well where I struggled. I seem to remember getting the double frames set up right was a bit awkward and I somehow managed to get the cab roof higher at the back than at the front. Fitting pick-ups was another headache. I ended up with top wipers on the driving wheels only curved up into the splashers and mounted on blocks of Copperclad on the underside of the footplate. Mine is built using basic flexichas approach and I've not quite got it to sit level. As so often with 4-4-0s it has limited traction. Mine has a Portescap/RG4 fitted in the usual place. I filled the tapered part of the boiler barrel with lead shot but just sealed it in (no PVA). I later lined each side of the firebox with lead shot held in with diluted PVA. I know this can cause expansion problems but as it has a large open surface on the inside I'm hopeful that it won't cause any problems. IIRC the boiler is etched to leave the boiler bands standing proud, This makes the metal very thin and easily distorted. Without rolling bars I expect that I tried rolling using various lengths of tube on a mousemat/carpet but could not get a tight enough curl so I heated the metal over the gas cooker and let it cool. I evidently overdid this as after rolling it was still quite soft and dents easily. I think I read of someone lining the boiler with a second layer to reduce this risk. I will not anneal the boiler on my Aberdare. Here's a broadside shot. Adrian

I'll be watching this with interest as I've done a Finney Bulldog but there are some issues with it . I've got an Aberdare awaiting my attention and I keep finding other projects to do first. At least I've got some rolling bars now for the boiler, I over annealed the Bulldog one and it dents if you look at it . Adrian

More progress in making up the additional bits and pieces. I will need some medium length handrail knobs so hope to get those at Peterborough. Sorry about the picture quality I had to take these with the flash as it's too dark outside. Smokebox door and motion bracket, the latter thineed down to leave a small flat step at the bottom only. Whistle and safety cvlave cover fitted. Sanbox lids from 15thou black plasticards discs (Cut with a sharpened bit of brass tube ) Piston tailrod covers fitted to cylinders. I had to estimate these by comparison to the cylinder lenght, they might be a tad short. Simply brass tube with the whole at one end filled with wire soldered in then rounded off in the mini drill. Mounting plates from a double layer of black plasticard. A test fit suggests that being 00 I will probably get away with these not fouling the pony truck on curves. Finally a reworking of the pony truck to look a bit more like the real thing. I still haven't solved the buffer issue, might have to resort to a temporary bodge until I can.

And so the dastardly deed begins . First up the component part breakdown. I hope this will be far enough to do the job. The markings were removed with a fibre-glass burnishing stick. Initial hacks = remove safety valves / whistle and smooth off (files and fine wet and dry). The smokebox door was prised out using a scalpel. The replacement door handle was from "Caley components". The handle is probably a bit too short. I'll have a look at the Markits version when I get a chance. The motion bracket has had the upper step filed off and the width of the plate reduced. The lower step needs reducing further as it was just a small flat plate. The GWR safety valve cover came from the scrap box. Removing the handrails was straightforward once I remembered how. Heat the knob with soldering iron whilst gently levering away with a fine screwdriver behind the handrail . Of course I only rememberd this after breaking a couple off trying to pull them out, leving the tail in the hole Had to get those out by holding the shank of a small drill bit against them and heating that while pressing gently. Some slight scarrring to the firebox side is evident where the soldering iron touched momentarily while doing this.

Thanks Nick, One thing that I have become aware of is that I failed to keep the top edge of the sides straight. As a result the overhang of the roof at the cantrail is rather uneven. I seem to recall that I used some coaches I had already built combined with fresh kits so that may have contributed to the curving of some fo the pieces. Something to watch out for as you assemble yours. Adrian

Sorry about the delay we've had relatives staying for a couple of days. Anyway here are my antiquated efforts.This set was built on my desk in my digs during my University student days. I imagine the painting was done at my parents but i can't remember now. I was only 20 at the time and this was my first major kit bash attempt. They are in the wrong period livery for my present layout, the stepboards leave a lot to be desired and the recent attempt at re-weathering them is not entirely succesful. I'd do the stepboards with evergreen or simlilar sections or in brass these days, I think they are just plain 15 thou plasticard and it shows. I also got the roof overhang too long on the driving end. I doubt I'd discocered microstrip at the time (if it was even available) so i suspect that the bolections around the cab end windows were fashioned from stretched sprue. First up the driving trailer: Now one side (not the best one I think) of the intermediate trailer: And finally both togethe behind a 54xx tank: Adrian

I did this kit bash when the article first appeared. I still have the set I made running on Mallard models GWR American type bogies. The result isn't quite accurate but captures the look of the originals. After all these years the driving cab ind has bowed slightly and I have fogged the glazing while attempting to improve my weathering. I'll try to post some pictures if you are interested.

I know it's been a long time in the making but my 00 chassis is coming close to completion. Space saver boxes did fit even in 00 with the gearbox between. I couldn't fit the vacuum pump on mine but it's barely visible between the narower frames. My issue now that underhung springs are back on is how the devil do I fit the pickups! Adrian

"The TV chimmney was a 'later on' modification, IIRC." No some of the locos kept and run until failure were fitted with these immediately during the sort out in 1925. There are several pictures of these. Others of the class, including Westernised ones gained them later on, presumabluy as the original chimneys corroded. I'm still stuck with those blasted buffers. I tried to concoct one from brassss tube and palstic tube (so that I could apply plasticard details) but it doesn't look good. On the plus side i found a suitable safety valve cover in my box of spare loco bits. Adrian

That sounds right. I got my journals mixed up it was by Gerry Beale in MRJ. Issue 216. Still one in the loft though. Adrian

IIRC the cast iron ones had the numbers picked out in cream. There was an article about iron vs. cast plates in GWRJ but the issue concerned is in my loft storage at the moment. Adrian

Looking at the pictures in advertisements the chimney looks the same on all the Bachmann ROD variants. I only have a BR one so cannot compare directly. I have also noticed that the Bachmann one I have has LNER type sandbox filler lids. These are only slightly raised and have a concave top with a bar across. The originals (as on the JA Brown loco?) are simple caps but are a little higher so that's another job. Easy to do with a suitable disc of plasticard or rod. I am still pondering how to do the buffer housings. 3D printing would be an answer but I would have to learn CAD first. It might still be quicker to bodge something from a GWR self contained or from plastic. Gibson Collet buffer heads would be about right I think but lack the hoole in the centre of the face. Adrian Adrian

Well the postperson delivered a nice new Bachmann 04 this morning. A bargain example from a well known Liverpool box shifter (after all no point paying top prices if I'm just going to destroy it's collectable value by carving it about). A careful survey against photo's revealed a bit more work to do than I anticipated to begin with: Chassis: Very little fortunately. Cut away the coupling pocket and adapt the front bogie to look a bit better . Add front sand pipes Add piston rod tail covers to fronts of cylinders (hope bogie clearance isn't an issue! ) Cut down motion bracket to a simple bar with a single flat step at where the lower step is. Smokebox: All straightforward (but see below) Remove number plate from door. Remove dart and replace with wheel and handle closure (cast brass one on order) Remove snifting valve behind chimney Move top lamp bracket to in front of chimney Cut LH handrail and add the odd lump that sits on that side (unless this was part of the westinghouse brakes but it seems to still be on these patched up locos although removed form Swindonised ones) Add extra handrail knob to support front of handrail next to this object. Add lance cock to lower left (didn't they all have these?) Add ex Westinghouse pump support straps on RH side. Footplate: More simple stuff Couplings (Dinghams in my case) European type buffers (? see above) Hand rails next to sandbox fillers in centre of splasher (between wheelsets 2 and 3) Footsteps below sandbox fillers in centre of splasher Remove the vac pipe from the front (there isn't one on the tender anyway!) Body: Some problems here Move whistle to top front of cab (think I've got one of these in my bits box) GWR safety valve cover. Should be a tall narrow type but I don't have one. Will have to see what the one I do have looks like or find a source. Add a pimple to the top/front of dome (most of the GWR locos seem to have these at this time) Remove blower pipe (?) from RH side - replace handrail knobs on this side at least . Drat it - new handrail will probably be needed now! Add GWR number plate (Finney so I can have 3077) Tender: Dead easy Buffers as above Improve /replace coal (except that the coal is a cast weight so if I take it off I'll have to put some weigh inside instead, probably better with the mass lower down anyway) So probably a day or so's work then the respray . Although I'll follow the GWRs approach on this one and just try to patch it up. So remove existing markings. Touch up new parts / damage. Paint the patch on the tender in satin black. Apply GWR power disc. Weather liberally! And then Adrian

Thanks for that Rob. Yes a picture would be good unfortunately pictures of the locos the GWR only kept for 1925-30 are a bit thin on the ground I suspect. Interesting that No.17 had parallel shanked buffers on the tender. None of the photo's I have seen show the tender buffers on the non westernised locos. The European buffers look a lot like a dean/churchward buffer but with ribs on the tapered part. I migh try that approach. Looks like leaving the parallel buffers on the tender migth be OK. I don't know what the tenders were built with. I am prepared to accept a "probable" appearance for a loco for which I don't have a photograph. None of the one's I do have photo's of are right for S.Wales sheds. Adrian

I have now found my copy of the RCTS bible and have reached the following conclusions. Buffers: The GWR self contained type with 6 flanges look pretty similar to the WD ones although slightly more parallel in the body. In the absence of anything better they will have to do. I've got a safety valve bonnet (cast). In the RCTS book ROD 1947 as GWR 3089 is shown in the as patched up and sent out condition. Again there appears to be painting over of the WD number and insignia, a GWR numberplate and power classification (Blue(?) D). I'll go for 3083 which lasted until 8/29 and hope no one finds a picture of it with a Taff vale chimney (although I wonder if they all got them as the A class would have been getting Swindon boilers at about the same time). No idea where I could find one of those, not even the SEF U1 has the right type. I have also checked J&A Brown No. 17 and it was indeed the first GWR 3063 on loan from July 1919 until 9/21 based at Neath according to the RCTS volume / GWRJ allocation list. The post 1925 3063 was ROD No. 1951 (NBL22009) on sales list of GWR on 6/29 and at Old Oak in 1928. Adrian