New Railway Modellers Forums

Don't struggle too hard getting your 14xx to crawl, they were built to pull a couple of passenger coaches with a reasonable turn of speed. Their wheels were to big for "low speed grunt" Doubtless with the right man driving they could be coaxed along fairly slowly, but I remember them nipp...

You have quite a big layout there. How large is the room? The layout is 14ft long, 2ft 6in wide (with a bit wider at one end). It's more working diorama than layout - there's no fiddle yard or hidden sidings as either would have essentially halved the scenic length. Hence it's designed with two sma...

I was quite tempted when Triang brought out TT, had my dad not (correctly as it turned out) predicted it wouldn't really go anywhere I would have spent my money on TT rather 00 - the manufacturers wouldn't actually have gained anything (except costs). I assume Peco know what they are doing, but I do...

Looking good. I was so tempted by those ICI bogie hoppers, but they were never seen at the KX end of the ECML ...yet another ABS kit... Are you willing to disclose the source? Or are they simply ''from my unbuilt kit stash"... ...a battleship grey... The ICI hoppers never made it to the WR eit...

Captain Primer has been out in force, the ICI hopper has been primed, primed again and has it's first coat of battleship grey - or at least a battleship grey (Humbrol M64), and the transfers have arrived. The milk tank has also been primed, and the tank silvered (Railmatch Yeoman silver, it's a bit ...

Well the Sentinel had to go back, probably to the great siding in the sky, so something else needed to be found - within budget, which rules out an 03 by a mile... This came up surprisingly cheap and DCC fitted, I kind of won it by accident really. The glowing fire box works so all is well, and desp...

Back to making stuff, in this case an ABS GWR Iron Mink. Way before my usual time period for models, but I fancied a go. Well, ok, the price was right... The body and stuff was pretty straightforward, but the brake gear was fun. This consisted of a pile of castings with injection tubes (if that's wh...

Three wagons actually got painted this weekend (not a fav activity) - bar a couple of bit and bobs to go on when the paint dries. Finally getting the two 12t 'Pipes' (ex LNER/BR) next to each other (buffers not fitted yet on the left) allows a comparison between plastic and brass kits - swings and r...

Just to follow up.... the Peco platform lights, 7mm scale, it turns out have hollow posts. Using Layouts4u Nano LEDs there is a small slot either side of top locating pegs in the Peco lamp that the wires fit through nicely. The base for the actual lantern has two lugs for locating it, filing off one...

And finally it's complete. The 'ICI' letters were easier to place than expected - rivet counting from a photo to the rescue! I soldered bits of left-over etch to the back to get the stand-off distance and clear the rivets. I think this looks about right. This kit certainly kept me occupied for a goo...

So the brass rod arrived and was duly fitted. This took a long time with constant check-fitting and adjustment but it was well worth the effort when they line up neatly with the vac pipe casting. I wouldn't have had the patience a few years back... And then on with the handbrake wheels. Time to play...

I finished up with a Antex 690D, having struggled with my Weller WHS40. Both work well, but the Antex displays the actual tip temperature rather than a more or less guessing with the Weller's thumb-wheel control. Being 40W, the Weller struggles with any large brass assembly, and to be honest the Ant...

The colour for these wagons in TOPS era is referred to as 'Battleship Grey''. Simple to find. right? Well, as it turns out, no. Back in the days of yore battleship grey was battleship grey, but now.... egads, Sir. Does anyone know what the correct shade of grey should be on these at this time period?

I used to sell s/h Land Rover spares, and it's a sad truth that parts make more than complete vehicles - I 'killed' many perfectly good cars to make more cash. I didn't like it, but gotta pay the bills. The Hornby tin plate boys and girls have the same thing going on, perhaps more business oriented ...

After a diversion in the exciting world of traction (failed) back to the hopper. Wizard Models solved the rivet strip problem, the largest ones are pretty much an exact match for the kit supplied ones. DSC01261.resized.JPG With them fitted the outside now matches the photos, worth the effort I think...