30368

This old bird (1969/70) Hornby WC/BB shell is under all this re-working. Total cost about £120 (Comet Chassis etc) and some loving tlc. Kind regards, 30368

Apart from cab handrails and a 72A shedplate 34030 is complete, however, most importantly, it has not been weathered yet. Watersmeet will be lightly weathered. A bit more back story. My father ran a tailoring business in Woking, Surrey and still was when I started my apprenticeship at Eastleigh. We both took the train to get to work from Basingstoke station. Fairly often we would meet up at Basingstoke in the evening. Dad would get in his car and I would hop on my motor scooter. We lived in Old Basing. When we met at the station we always compared notes on which loco had pulled our respective trains. The last engine name that my father mentioned was Watersmeet he retired shortly after. It was a nostalgic name for him, he told me how he used to visit The Meeting of the Waters in the Vale of Avoca in Ireland when he was a lad. So that is why my old Hornby WC shell had to be 34030, a small tribute to a great (in my eyes anyway) man. A reminder of where this project started. I think the result is pretty good. I do though have to admit further errors. Firstly the leading wheel sandbox filler would have been blanked off by 1959, this I chose to ignore. Secondly, and this is a shame, the sandbox fillers are too high - I should not have copied the Hornby original! This means that the nameplate is too high. Two back from Eastleigh after overhaul. 30491 though will have to come off and go on shed, that old H15 problem of hot axleboxes. More on this later. Watersmeet is going up to Nine Elms for a check over and then will haul an Exeter where it belongs. Kind regards, 30368

Nice image of a clean "Light Pacific" and a varied collection of stock. Kind regards, 30368

Phil, I am no expert on these colour matters but I guess everyone knows that BR Brunswick Green was a darker shade from 1949ish until 1954 when a lighter shade of green was introduced. Kind regards, 30368

Many thanks John. I have some close-up images of the cylinder drain pipes and they do curve around where the leading bogie wheel is located. Kind regards, 30368

Well the old girl is just about finished, I still have the whistle and safety valves to fit but this will be done after painting. I quite pleased with the result. I'm sure there are errors, I would say that the cylinders are a touch too large but overall it looks like Watersmeet around 1959 after the fitment of AWS but before its 1961 General when its tender was modified. That reminds me I must fit the AWS receiver and cover!! Kind regards, 30368

34055 looks really good the roof weathering is good, must be nearly ready for a re-paint! The tender I am going to pair with 34030 is a much modified Airfix kit and you are right, they need lots of TLC to make a reasonable model. Kind regards, 30368

Working on the cylinder drain cocks operating mechanism. Albert Goodall (RT Models) drain cock/pipes etches are very good. Kind regards, 30368

Agree Clive but the L12, S11 and in particular, the D15 were more than a match although I do admire the original Midland Compound 4-4-0s. Kind regards, 30368

Forza Ferrari A great race! Kind regards, 30368

Quite agree Obi, like you (but then I rather like the red cars from Italia) I enjoyed an excellent qualifying and look forward to an equally great race. I am though still concerned about inconsistant penalties applied by the officials. Many F1 fans are well versed in the rules and have long memories. Your comments re Red Bull aero parts are well considered. Let's see what happens in Japan etc..... Kind regards, 30368

That sounds an interesting project. I don't think I have seen any illustrations of the proposed 2-8-2 but can understand the motivation behind the idea given Mr Bulleid's involvement in the LNER P2. Please feel free to post some images of your project. I went for 0.002" brass sheet clading for a number of reasons. Whilst I cleaned off most of the Hornby detail from the surface of the body I was still concerned about adding width and hight to the body. More importantly, thin brass sheet is very malleable and "pulls in" where rivet/bolt heads are created by my scriber and, using a ball ended tool, can be distorted creating a much more prototype look. It seems to have worked. I guess you can do similar with plasticard, it is probably best to stick with the material you are familiar with and given the project, you are not constrained by an actual prototypes dimentions. I was not aware of the Markits sheets but have the similar (I assume) Albert Goodall versions. In the event I didn't use them. Kind regards, 30368

Brought back to life Tony, or in this case, resurrected from a very very old Hornby "Winston Churchill" model of around 1969/70. The full story is on my thread: This is how it looked when I started, very gruesome. Brass sheeting in progress. Progress to date, it has a Comet chassis, Branchlines gearbox and large can motor. Valvegear, I have no idea, cylinders scratch built. It runs very well with a large section of lead under the roof! It will be 34030 Watersmeet. Kind regards, Richard B

Back from Dublin. Mrs B and I had a simply wonderful time in this friendly and beautiful city. We used the DART to visit the seaside town of Blackrock where I was able to visit the tiny two up two down house that my father lived in during the late 1920s and into the 1930s. He was born, probably in Dublin, in 1913. I really recommend Dublin for a city break. Detail being added. Cylinder inspection covers added. This image shows the panel ripple very well. Kind regards, 30368

My heritage Hornby "Spam Can" under construction. Comet Chassis and very very old Hornby body covered in 2 tho brass sheet sections. Kind regards, 30368

Paul of PDK is always helpful and I am sure he will be able to help. My only reservation is that he has had some health issues. Kind regards, 30368

I concur with that view Tony, that is the whole point of this wonderful hobby. Iit gives so much pleasure to the participants and even to, what might be called, the family "lookers on". Kind regards, 30368

Lovely stuff, many thanks. Kind regards, 30368

Wonderful images Gilbert and the "lady in blue" seems very impressed too. Kind regards, 30368

Tony, Looks like you have a few locomotives then. Don't worry about your sanity, it is much too late, I should know..... I agree, our hobby is very, very absorbing. Kind regards, 30368

Final snaps before we are off to Dublin. Ride hight now ok. Pony truck was much improved with a plastic tube over the wheel set axle and insulating washers between wheel and pony truck. I really like this image since the light reflected from the pre-1954 BR green gloss paint looks authentic with the panel ripples showing up nicely. Bogie location will have to change, I had thought that I could use the centre pivot but I suspect I will need to mount it further back with a pivot arm. Bogie now sorted using centre pivot. Pony truck still needs a little more trimming. Looking like a proper "Light Pacific". At last it runs really well. Kind regards, 30368

Cylinder wrappers fitted and some pipework and injector casting fitted. All very temp re- chassis fit to body. Kind regards, 30368

Many thanks for the info Phil. Still a ripple of pride on my part for being involved in one of the BRB's most successful Rolling Stock projects - transformed Inter City and BR's image. Take care of them guys. Kind regards, 30368

Calm down guys. I know that there are some patronising characters on this website but just let it wash over you, it is not worth the effort. In contrast, most people on the site wan't to help and offer experience and advice. Cooperation is the way forward for our hobby as so much in life. Kind regards, 30368

Those "under the roof" images always seem so evocative. Changing tack slightly, I could never understand why Silver Link was not preserved. It was well beyond my financial capability at the time so I can't be blamed! The design and construction of this locomotive, and the stock that went with it, is one of the truly great stories of British enterprise and confidence. Would make a great biopic film. Kind regards, 30368