Jack P

I'll make sure to PM you with some detail photos - if that would help? I've been working on a few other projects, which means the desk has not stayed tidy. The Crane has had the last of the detailing added to it. Needs some further weathering, but not much! I've also just started working on the first of 3 support coaches to go with the crane. Of course I got this far before realizing that I'd forgotten to add the interior window frames and door hinges. Some quick work taking it apart saw me managing to add the missing detail on one of the two sides before calling it a night. I'm off to the hardware store today to pick up a dowel to help me properly form the tumblehome. I also could really do with some folding bars - does anyone have any suggestions? In order to get some practice in for the support train coaches, I picked this up from Hattons, it was already partially assembled. It's an SECR Driving trailer, from set 660. It had been painted, but wasn't fully finished, missing parts like door handles, and the driving end details. It's still not fully finished, I just need to add the handrails on the end of the coach. The soldering certainly isn't the tidiest, but under a coat of etch primer it actually looks ok! This is just a first pass to make sure that everything looks ok before final priming and painting etc. That's all for now!

A couple of hours over the weekend saw transfers finally applied. I'm a big fan of this van, and will definitely pick up another.

Oops wrong thread!

Finally, a proper green engine! Hat, coat ...

Just chipping in with coupling talk; For ease of use, my corridor coach sets are all coupled with kadees, this serves 2 purposes as being both practical, and somewhat prototypical, as both southern coaches and Pullmans used knuckle couplings. On all other stock - coaches/locos/wagons I use screw/3-link couplings, which usually means I either need sprung buffers or couplings to negotiate anything more than the widest of corners. Not strictly the most practical, or sensible, but I enjoy it, and i enjoy the way it looks, both static as an individual model, and when running a lose coupled train.

Nothing super exciting, but a burst of modelling energy means two updates this week! As part of a trade I've managed to get my hands on this - Converted RTR/Scratchbuilt beauty. I don't know the provenance of it unfortunately, as the person i'm getting it off isn't the builder either. Mty understanding is that it comes with a box full of parts to finish off and some documentation/research. I believe it is the Pullman car 'Topaz'; I'm not as clued up on pullman coaches as some members of the forum, but nonetheless, i'm looking forward to the challenge! I've also changed up my work space at home, a bigger desk (albeit not by much) means more room for modelling. It's deeper than the old one, and has a nice curve in it, so while the measurements on paper only appear to add an extra 10cm in depth and 15cm in length it feels significantly bigger and sturdier overall! That's all for now!

In the same vein, I was wondering if the collective mind of this thread can offer some tips on kit-built coaches and removable roofs. I have a roxey kit (part built) that i'm looking to resurrect and 3 further kits to tackle, and I haven't the foggiest idea how to approach the roof. these coaches will have interiors, and i'd like to be able to disassemble them for painting and interior assembly. What successful methods have people had for making coaches - with particular mind to the roofs - able to be easily dismantled?

Thanks everyone for your input, I do sincerely appreciate it! I think I might be cheekily trying to defer the decision. But at the end of the day I realise that it's something I'll have to make peace with - whatever I decide. As many of you have pointed out, the transitional period was just that, and it's unlikely that there would be anything more than a slight change by extending things out by a year, if anything, it's a good excuse to run the 'Trials Locomotives'! I will continue to ponder this decision and see if there's anything that really piques my fancy from 48' that I simply couldn't do without. On another note - I went to hunt for my sprog one last time before I bite the bullet and buy another, No luck there, But I did find 4 more boxes that I had forgotten about! All big, green express locos! Here are some gratuitous photos of them 'on shed' You can see the light bar has been added at the top! This has given me a real kick up the proverbial to get this scene finished. I'm still playing with the track layout, but the plan is to have the roads hooked up as a DCC programming tracks, so it will do more than just 'look pretty', although not much more! I've also gone and placed an order with Roxey for the majority of stock needed for my breakdown train (just to add to the endless list of projects!). That's all for now!

Thanks Tony! I've been keeping an eye out for the volumes by Weddell, but they usually command some very high prices!

Hi guys, Me again, Just wondering if anyone able to shed some light on what a particular coach actually is. In this case the information I have is pretty thin on the ground, and none of the books I have, have anything more to add: Southern Numbered 81, Later Southern department stock number 949S, 6W LSWR (listed as a GV) built in 1895 and allocated to Guildford as part of the breakdown train stock. Apologies that information is bare, looking for any suggestions as to what diagram this could be, or any reference to books that might tell me. Thanks in advance!

Apologies, I think i've found some information that I think could clarify which coaches ended up in 1561s train. I'm just trying to ascertain if 1560 was actually ever allocated to Guildford? From my understanding if the above is correct for 1560s, then 1561s would be; 1561s - Nine Elms 8/40, 6/46 Guildford? - Does that mean that SR van No 81 was allocated to 1561s? - When the breakdown cranes moved between MPD's, did they take their tool/riding vans with them?

Hi guys, Just wanted to ask some collective questions for the SR crane (sorry to spark this one again) - I just want to confirm, when new, 1560s was allocated to Feltham, and 1561s to Nine Elms? - 1560s was then allocated to Nine Elms in 1946 - was this also when 1561s was allocated to guildford? - Were there any transfers in any intermediate years? - Were there any transfers after 1946 but pre 1948? Thanks in advance!

Nothing particularly exciting to report, I spent some time over the weekend upgrading my PC, It now has a Miami vice colour scheme How does this relate to modelling? Well, strictly speaking, it doesn't, but it does mean I have the capacity to edit videos, so hopefully there might be some better running videos coming up. Also I like tinkering, but I honestly needed another expensive hobby like a hole in the head! I finished off the O1 over the weekend too, ready to be sent back to it's owner. This involved properly coaling a loco for the first time; I added some details like fire irons, lamps and other clutter. Next was a 3 link coupling in front, the Hornby screw link looked (and was, from my understanding) wrong. I also spent some time over the weekend tweaking my two H's, and fruitlessly trying to fit a DCC decoder and get the body on over it. I also realised that in the move, I've misplaced my Sprog. Looking all over and at my parents place produced no results, I'm horrified to think it, but possibly it got thrown out! Eeeeek!! I will continue looking. I'd like to get your guys opinion on something - up until now (as far as railways are concerned) the world ended on January first 1948, I've ignorantly been ignoring the change to BR for the longest time. However, recently i've been tossing up the idea of changing my time frame very slightly. In the beginning, I had originally wanted to model 1943-1947 but deemed this as being too broad of a window. After much debate I settled on 1947 - somewhere between the 1st of January and 31st December. I am now considering moving this window again, to include 1948 - as I continue to research repainting dates and shed allocations etc, it seems that there is much more information immediately post nationalization than there is Pre. I also think that it opens up a rather unique period of the railways in Britain, with multiple liveries, different branding styles. It also gives me a chance to produce Merchant Navy 'New Zealand Line', Which I was planning to do as 21C21 (with some creative licence), as a slightly more accurate representation. Interestingly what spurred me on and down this rabbit hole, was a picture from the latest 'The Southern Way' with a B4x in grimy wartime black, at the head of a rake of blood and custard maunsells (equally grimy!). The picture is dated 1950, so obviously a bit of a reach, but it shows the kind of unique variety I would be able to represent. What do you folks think? Is it more interesting to represent one of the big four on the brink of being assimilated into the nations railways, or would you rather see the transitional period between the two? I'd love some thoughts and opinions! Thanks in advance!

Hmm, does seem a little far fetched. Maybe i'm the one gaslighting you!

Thanks Phil. I actually realised, admittedly sometime later, that the screw shackles were incorrect, and it's now correctly fitted with 3 links! I think what you're alluding to here lines up nicely with the debate over sprung buffers on locos or rolling stock, sure, if you use tension locks, you don't need them. Anything closer where buffer locking on corners is a real issue - it makes a massive difference. This hobby is all about compromise, and where any one individual decides to draw the line.

I think that's gaslighting the issue to an extent. I appreciate they're in the same vein, but adding a small amount of paint (in reality: easy) as opposed to soldering DCC ready wiring to a pcb within the constrains of a RTR loco is (comparative to painting) difficult. Yes the missing paint should be there, but cosmetic issues and mechanical issues are, fundamentally different. In the same vein as Phil's comment, I've spent a good amount of time this weekend replacing the brakes (rotors and pads) on my car, as well as touching up a damaged rub strip on the front bumper - I'm not suggesting that this makes me a formula one driver, (although, again, that analogy seems to go right to the extreme end of the comparison), nor do I think it makes me a qualified mechanic. But it does make me someone who is willing to have a go and do things myself - not to mention, when there's a group of mates all doing it together and having a laugh, it's both fun and rewarding knowing that you've done it yourself/together. Certainly more fun and rewarding than handing over a (possibly) considerable amount of $$$ to a shop. On Phil's second point, I bought the LSWR van mentioned earlier, knowing full well that I would need to repaint it to be happy with the finish - yes, maybe it would be slightly easier if I could just open the box, and run it without having to worry about things being correct, but I also had to weather it, and fit screw link couplings (chosen coupling method), I'm also choosing to stick with OO and not convert it to P4 - So it involved a level of "Correction" and compromise regardless of the colour. I hope Hornby do produce a new correct run of these vans, so that the older models in the incorrect colour get a nice price reduction and I can pick a few more up! (because despite the paint shade, they are excellent little models!) I like tinkering and modifying things, which might not be everyone's cup of tea. But if that means that there's something wrong with a product, that I think I'd be able to fix, and that 'something wrong'; is the deciding factor in me owning it or not? Well, I'd rather own it. Having said that, I also don't purchase models with the intent to ever make a profit from them, or even really consider their resale value. So obviously the approach, and extent of time and involvement one is willing to put into this hobby can be endlessly vast as the people who choose to enjoy it, however that may be.

My question to you; in this instance, given that as you've (correctly noted!) the vans are in the wrong colour, what do you think the resale value will actually look like, especially if Hornby end up releasing Vans that are the right colour?

It never ceases to amaze me how unwilling some people are to modify/tweak/customize locos, even in the smallest, easiest, most insignificant of ways.

Hi guys, Me again. I've tried to find information on which E4's kept olive green into 1947, but have unfortunately been unable to do so thus. Is there any chance one of you more on to it people would have some information as to what locos would fit the bill? Thanks in advance!

Nothing much to report at the moment. Still adjusting to life in the new place as well as a focus on other hobbies while the weather is nice! I did manage to get out to the model club yesterday for the AGM, Lots of compliments on my H2 and Lord Nelson, which is always nice! I was also given some stuff from an estate lot that a fellow club member didn't need - this included a rather well built 6 wheel P4 chassis for a van of some description. I'll take some photos of these at a later date! This is the same member who gave me some 'blueprints' of southern stuff. which I have since had laminated and put up on the wall A recent ebay win, was this SR van, it's been extensively rebuilt from the tri-ang base All I've done so far is fit sprung screw link couplings, still need to fit sprung buffers - will get around to it eventually! It runs superbly though and makes a unique addition to my fleet. Since purchasing I found out through the sellers son that the builder has passed away. As such, apart from the buffers, I will be leaving it completely as is, as a sort of tribute. I've also been working on the 3D Printed i3 body that@Javier L Printed and sent to me. I have modified the SEF nickle silver chassis a little bit, but it needs further tweaking in order to get it sitting right, This is all thanks to the SEF body sitting too high on the chassis. It is coming along slowly though! Just to round things off here are two black locos on the club's DCC layout turntable: That's all for now!

Oh but Mr Teague, (with some creative re-imagining) they DO! However as you're a busy man, with plenty already on your plate - this might suit you better: https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/shop/locomotives/locomotives-by-class/lord-nelson-class/sr-lord-nelson-class-4-6-0-864-sir-martin-frobisher-era-3.html Looking good as usual though!

It's do-able! I found the easiest approach was to remove them from the body, and using a toothpick with a dab of paint, just run that around the edges, any over-spill was then cleaned up with another toothpick once the paint had dried. While they were apart I fitted sprung buffers/couplings too. (not pictured here) I do still have 4 more of these things to go though...

Hi guys, Question for those more in the know, i'm after some information on the LNER O6's built at Brighton in 1944. What were some of the main differences to the standard 8f's? I've seen some information on tender types; riveted/un-riveted, but is there anything else I should be aware of? Thanks in advance!

Hey guys, After some information on the Hornby 8f's, specifially the difference between the 'new' (2019) ones and the older (2013) ones, to me it doesn't look like there are any cosmetic differences, but are there any differences under the body? OR any other differences I should be aware of? Thanks in advance!

I'll take some photos when i'm home tonight to try and show how I managed to get inside them, It's not as painfully annoying as you might expect. Although it is still painfully annoying