Jack P

I decided to give something a go, that's a bit out of my usual Southern scope, I've got some LNER pigeon vans to build, and I didn't want the finish on them to look too out of step with my other LNER stock, so.. I followed Mike Trice's guide, the base colour is 'Lifecolour Rust Light Shadow 2' with some cheap stationary store Burnt umber oil paint brushed over the top. I think it's come out nicely. I'm waiting for the oil paint to dry, and then i'll apply a coat of cellulose clear over the top. Thoughts?

Thanks Brian, I appreciate the support for the H1 project, I foolishly thought once I'd obtained the RTR bits, the rest would be easy... Not so! Yeah, it's a real pain, it's slowly coming back though, which is nice! Hi Tony, Yes I do, a really fantastic book it is too. I hadn't realised that there are 3 other books in that same range that I was missing! Honestly what i'm really missing is a front shot looking down towards the footplate, although i'm unsure if one even exists.

Progress, of sorts: The H1 is slowly ticking along. I have made enquiries with a few different places and should have some further information headed my way in the next little while. My plan of attack is to use photos to assess the approximate size of components, then mock them up out of plasticard, and then when it's close enough, send the whole lot off to a friend, to have him measure, tweak and draw the bits up in CAD. Then simply 3D print the large assemblies. The intention is to print a whole new cylinder assembly, and the steam chest pipes that go into the smokebox. This will ensure that both sides are the same, however this then leaves all the little details, many of which will need to be scratch built. I have started a thread asking for specifics, and photos that might be lurking about CLICK HERE I'm also trying my best to clear a few long standing projects, the renaming/numbering + weathering of the second Brighton Belle set is on the cards. Most pressing is to finish this: It's not perfect, but it would be nice to get it finished and have somewhere to take some decent photos. Slowly slowly

I'm so very sorry to hear Tony. Pets have a way of becoming more than just a part of the family. The great cattery in the sky holds many beloved and loyal furry friends, with all the fish they could ever want.

Thank you very much David, everything helps!

Hi all, I am currently working on a 4mm project to replicate (or something close to that) 2039 in 1947 after Bulleid had worked his, errr, 'magic' on one of the remaining H1's. I am in the throes of doing the same. So far I have found photos in the following books. - Bulleid Locomotives, a pictorial history by Brian Haresnape - Leader and Southern experimental Steam, Kevin Robertson - LBCSR Brighton Atlantics, James S Baldwin - LBSCR Atlantics, Jeremy English I have also perused these two websites: https://railway-photography.smugmug.com/SRSteam https://mikemorant.smugmug.com/ Can anyone suggest any other books that may be of use to me? I would pay through the nose for a blueprint, or GA, but that might be wishful thinking. In addition to that, if anyone has their own photos or research that they are willing to contribute, it would be most helpful! Thanks in advance! JP

Here's the finished 'Original Cab' Project, finished as 21C122 'Exmoor'

That looks fantastic Dave, It's so nice to finally see her running under her own power. I'm glad that you've built DC and DCC capabilities into the pickup board. Most good DCC chips allow for running on DC as an option. Which is very handy in instances like this, where it's not quite as simple as plugging/unplugging.

I think I had a realization that all i've done this year is work and modelling, for a large portion of time I did both from the same desk. Suddenly one day after work, the desire to open the new box of bits and take it to the workbench just completely vanished. I'm sure it will return, I have enjoyed my furlough into air modelling, it's given me a change to try out a few techniques that might not be directly applicable in railway modelling (pre-shading, battle damage, etc).

It seems like much longer than a month since I last posted here. I felt like my modelling had hit a wall, and I was really struggling to get up and over it. Honestly, I still feel that way and I have no idea why. Loss of modelling mojo is a real **** I decided to tackle a something that I'd been wanting to do for a while, some 1/48th scale Luftwaffe planes. Here's the first of 5-6, a Bf 109-E3, with some battle damage on the left wing. I have a Ju-87 Stuka, Bf 110, He 111 and a Do-17, waiting to be built. I don't have plans for anything more than that, I just wanted some planes to display. In railway related matters, I managed to get my N15x to a stage that i'm happy with. I really struggled with this one, I think the fear of messing up got to me. I think this loco alone was the catalyst for me deciding to down tools for a while. A slightly more long term project is inching its way along, My sleeve valve prototype H1 has gained all of the main bits, and is now waiting on me to obtain various bits of tube and rod, and make a start. In other news, my partner and I picked up a new wagon! Not sure if there are any other automotive fans in this thread - but it's another, slightly more hidden hobby of mine. Hopefully more updates around the corner.

I've found that usually around this time of year (coming into spring/summer) my modelling takes a bit of a backseat. More so recently, we're house hunting, and bought a new car, plus i've decided it's time for another speight of upgrades for my computer. I haven't done nothing though, i've been working on repainting a gate stock set and weathering and detailing an O2 for a friend. Finally building up enough courage, I decided to tackle my N15x. Being a mixed traffic loco I settled on a suitably grubby look. It's not perfect, and I had to have a few tries at getting things right, but it looks much more appropriate for my time scale. The aim is to tackle the H2 next.

Thank you! Yes Resin casting is on the list of things to learn, I think i'd like to figure out how to build points next though!

A few more sporadic updates, A slow burn project of mine is to modify everything RTR to include small details, One major thing that slightly older RTR locos struggle with is the fallplate. In the past i've devised a solution (shamelessly borrowed from @Nile) but have run into issues with the fallplate coming loose, especially when transferring the loco from the bench to the stock box, or the stockbox to the track. So I came up with this: It allows the fallplate full up and down movement while retaining it. The retainer isn't as prominent now that it's been painted black, crew will further help to hide it, and I doubt it will be visible once everything is finished. In hindsight, I think i'll make the retainer from thinner wire and add two, one each next to the splashers inside the cab, this should help with disguising it further. I also made a start on the next kitbuild - the L has taken a back seat again. This is a 4-4-0 though, the SECR E class and will hopefully be finished in time for the Rails D. I spent most of the weekend building up the chassis - more on that in another update. I wasn't happy with the face of the loco. The rivets were really poorly formed, and there was heaps of flash inside the opening that the smokebox door is supposed to fit into. The loco I'm choosing to model only had the rivets in a ring around the door, and at the back of the smokebox. So I sanded them all off and made this; It took two engineers to explain how to create the ring of rivets. But I got there in the end, unfortunately I knocked one of the knobs right at the end, so the last 3 rivets at the top right started to wander. I decided to call it there and by some sheer event of luck, the space where there were no rivets was the right size to take the smokebox door bracket. Not perfect, but better than It was before. I'll add the lower smokebox rivets with archers transfers when the body goes into primer. I pinched the chimney and dome from a spare C class I had. There wasn't anything glaringly wrong with the WM castings, but they just weren't as crisp as I wanted. I'm in the throes of adding the all important details now, I think the majority of the castings are all in place. I'm working on a representation of the inside valve gear too.

Snap! I spent some time recently sorting out the same connection on one of mine (918 Hurstpeirpoint). I feel like this model in particular suffers from issues with fragility, especially with the loco/tender connection. Have you managed to amass all 40 Schools?

Not wishing to re-hash previous discussions (but with 2061 pages, left with not much choice), could you please explain why Tony? I've recently started using Gibson drivers, and I think they are far superior to Marktis/Romfords in appearance - not that I think those wheels are particularly bad though.

Apologies for the vagueness of the question; I really like these and would like to pick up a few, does anyone more knowledgeable than I know if any of these definitely wouldn't have been seen on the Southern in 1947ish?

Thanks Ray! I was hoping to come across and see it + meet many of you wonderful people in person. Eventually!

More gratuitous photos of the 'Queen'. Please excuse the fact she's dropped her leading driver... And Beachy Head, because why not?

Ding ding ding - that's the one. Photos are scarce, but there are some excellent photos of the front end detail in; Leader and Southern Experimental Steam by Kevin Robertson. I've purchased a donor H2, and will use the tender, chassis, cab and probably the boiler assembly. Will have to see how it all fits together. Oh, I also completed this over the weekend: I'll take some still photos at some point. Hopefully making my way out to the club at some point soon, so I can get some video of it running.

Dave, If that turret is a Maunsell fitting, then possibly SEF would do it as a spare for their Schools/U/N/W kit too?

I've spent the last few days feeling a bit dejected. I had a go at cutting the replacement frames for my DJH L, and in typical fashion, I expected these to be perfect on the first try. They weren't (Terrible infact). I'm well aware of my fault(s) but there isn't any way for me to mentally move past this quickly, and i've gone into a bit of a modelling slump. I thought to take my mind off it I'd tackle a project that my Club's treasurer asked me to complete. Repainting an O gauge sentinel into GWR green with a red bufferbeam. It was actually a lot of fun, it's been a long time since I've worked on any O gauge stuff, and I think the end result was OK! I also decided it was time to start a project that has been waiting in the wings for a while. Any guesses for what it is?

Thanks Gerry! It was awesome working on something different to the usual. Excellent! - now if you could continue to not look tooooo hard that would be appreciated!

I'm using 0.015 N/S. I put the metal in my folding bar and levered it around, using my vice to finish the fold off. I've also got some 0.015 Brass, and 0.022 brass. I'm not having too much trouble with the cutting part, just keeping the line straight. I picked up a Stanley Hacksaw and some replacement 32T blades. I'll give this a go when i'm home

Ok excellent, I work across the road from a hardware store so I'll nip across and grab one later today. I folded the sheet metal over at the top and then soldered it along the bottom, it definitely aided with getting everything the same on both sides.

Michael, Apologies if this has been covered before, but what radius are your corners?