Review Of The Year - Part 2

Picking up on our look back at the year, and a lot of what we were up to in the spring revolved around the carriage fleet.

 

April

A long-term ambition had been to get round to buying and assembling a Chris Veitch brass kit for the FR 'sentry' brake van, which makes a very distinctive model full of Victorian character.

Trying our best to keep up with the carriage works in Wales we also set making a miniature version of the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway's new Pickering brake replica.

This project had a false start because, at first, I purchased the Dundas brass kit.

Once Himself put the body together he found there were a few inaccuracies in the dimensions, but more importantly from our point of view, the design made it difficult to paint and to fit an interior.

So we put that one on ice and got hold of the alternative body kit from Worsley Works.

If you read the first part of the Review you'll have seen a picture of the early stages of my commission to scratch build a model of Carnforth buffet car 114.

This was a snap I took just before it was sent off to its new home.

May

A crucial part of the Pickering project was to find a way to depict the fake lamp pots on the roof.

I had a number of goes at scratch building one which could be copied with resin casting.

Himself got round to finishing off the paint job on the 3mm scale ex-GWR 2-8-0 tank engines he'd been building for the Engineering Consultant.

It was just as well we kept in his good books, unknown to anyone, he was about to become a very important person in the top left hand corner of Wales.

In this month I also resolved that the time had come to make a model of the WHR's diesel shunter at Dinas.

The post about my intentions resulted in an offer to try out one of the prototype body kits from RT Models....

June

The paint job on the Pickering brake was one of the more straightforward ones so we didn't have long to wait for a picture of it posed ready for service on Bron Hebog.

With the Pickering built it left the Hudson toast rack carriage as one of the obvious missing vehicles from our WHHR sets.

We managed to get hold of one of the 009 Society kits before they sold out, but I was also keen to have a second model of the FR replica 39 in its current green livery, so the only option left was to scratch build.

This was a fortunate move because it transpired that Winson Engineering wasn't capable of making an exact copy of the original carriage, and there are some fundamental differences between the 1990s version and the original carriages.

My plan was to make a master for the carriage sides in styrene and cast a copy of it - the one in the picture shows me starting to embellish it with extra details in brass and styrene.

And June was also the month when, after much planning, we began installing the baseboard for a permanent dual gauge test track, my first home layout since I was a teenager.

We came up with an 8ft x 5ft board which can be folded into a frame on the wall when the space in the study is required for something more boring, such as *spoiler alert* self-isolating from Covid-19.....

Bush Train

I've been sent some nice pictures of WHR diesel shunter number 9 which was finished off during the week.

It looks pretty good to me considering where we started with a set of prototype nickel silver etches from RT Models, and we've added a lot of extra details such as the castings I made for the doors along the side of the bonnet, the protective bars in front of the grill and the exhaust and lights.

I've written in previous blog posts that this model is undersized because the design was based on the majority of these Baguley Drewry locos, whereas this one which worked in Australia and was retired to North Wales is longer and wider.

However, I hope all the extra details and the colourful livery will distract the eye.

Multi-Shade Shunter

For a humble yard shunter the Dinas-based Baguley Drewry number 9 carries an exotic mix of colours.

Himself is making solid progress adding the green and orange sections to the yellow base on the body.

The very fine band midway up the cab sheets has been covered with a waterslide transfer and will most likely be picked out in the same darker shade used on the top of the bonnet.

The orange on the rods and fly cranks certainly helps them to stand out and will look great when it's moving.

Brexit Yellow

Himself took the decision on which colour scheme to paint diesel 9 out of my hands by giving the bodyshell a couple of coats of yellow before the pixels had appeared on your screen in the previous post about this model.

As always, our readership was quick to point out the gaps in my knowledge, and it turns out that what I assumed was faded paint on the bonnet at one point was, in fact, just undercoat!

Being more familiar with the stringent paint shop procedures at Boston Lodge it hadn't occurred to me that a half-painted locomotive would be left out in the yard, and used, but I guess that's the difference at Dinas.

I'm rather pleased with how well the resin cast bonnet doors look now they're painted to match the rest of the body. 

We haven't attempted an exactl colour match but have used the closest Hunbrol tin we can find to the pictures of the real locomotive, which I'm told is painted 'JCB yellow'.

Or, as other readers have suggested, that shade should perhaps be called 'Brexit Yellow' on account of the political views of the chairman.

Although given the current state of the economy and society in these islands I'd suggest that prefix might be more appropriate for a particular shade of brown....

Diesel Embellishments

Himself has completed the detailing work on WHR diesel number 9.

As mentioned in the previous post about this model, it's transpired that this particular locomotive is a longer, and a little wider, than the standard Baguley Drewry diesel of this type which RT Models based these prototype etches on.

However, once you start to add on all these extras - such as the lights, the lamp brackets, the housing for the exhauster, the exhause pipe, steps, and brake pipes - they draw the eye so much that I wonder how much it will notice that it's slightly too small?

Since we built the Harrogate Peckett I've been impressed with the kits produced by RT, which are certainly a step up from the 'scratch aid' etches on offer from Worsley Works (and that's not a criticism, by the way) but I think these images show just how much these can be enhanced by making the effort to scratch build the embellishments, and it's a shame I see so many models where this is not attempted.

I look forward to seeing how this progresses during the painting stage.

I guess the next question is whether we finish it ex-works with all the sunshine yellow livery all over, or if the bonnet should have the washed-out, faded look of the real loco?

Bull Bars

There's been more work on the front end of WHR diesel number 9, specifically the protective structure in front of the radiator.

The real one has quite a few more bars, but short of getting something etched bespoke for us I think this will give enough of an effect.

Besides which, I'm hearing whispers that the prototype etch for the loco we're using has turned out to be a smidgeon on the small side when a tape measure was run over the real thing, so there's always the question of how much effort Himself should go to with this one because I couldn't rule out that a some point in the future the chassis may be transferred to a body of the correct dimensions,

Regardless, its's developing into a very nice looking model, and given that the real one has only made the most occasional forays to Beddgelert so far it's never likely to be a front line machine for us,

But it is yellow, and yellow is my favourite colour, so it's definitely got a place in our stockbox.

Rob's Bonnet

A day isolating in the 'Covid Cave' on Sunday gave me the opportunity to get the master and the castings for the new side doors on the bonnet of WHR diesel shunter 9 completed.

I think I'm pretty satisfied with how they've turned out.

I cast three copies (and one for luck) of the first master of just one set of the double doors, then joined them together - with an extra blank door on one end - to form a second master.

Once that had been used to make a mould I cast a few copies of this longer set and selected the best pair to use on the model.

When they had cured the spare door was cut from different ends - because they need to be a mirror image - and I've added some hinge details using fine styrene rod.

They're not that much thicker than the nickel silver etches which came with the kit prototype from RT Models and I'm confident they'll look quite effective on the finished model.

I think this can now be passed back to Himself to work out how to replicate the 'bull bars' style grill protection on the front.

Doors Time

With the toast rack project passed over to Himself for the roofing and painting stage I've not got any excuses left for not tackling the doors on WHR diesel 9.

As you may have read in previous posts on this blog, the idea is to make this up from a test etch for a potential new kit from RT Models running on an adapted Farish 08 chassis.

Because it is a test, a few of the details will need to be altered before it goes into production, including the side doors on the bonnet which were not the same as the ones being carried by the WHR example based at Dinas.

In the kit these were meant to be metal overlays to be positioned on top of the perforated bonnet former.

I think I shall try to make a very thin masters out of styrene and attempt to cast copies. 

Keep following the blog to see how I get on....

Tall Slim Aussie

While I was away Himself was making progress on the test etches from RT Models for the Dinas shunter number 9.

At this stage the bonnet and cab are just resting on the footplate, and in the case of the bonnet it's just a basic former which will need some thin door and grill pieces scratch built on top.

What surprised me was how comparatively thin it appears, probably on account of the cab being so tall.

The most important developments have been down below where the chassis has had its Farish fly cranks replaced with brass ones from Meridian Models and the jackshaft drive has been grafted on.

Himself has decided not to use the replacement keeper plate supplied with the kit but to insert a brass tube through the rear of the chassis to hold the unpowered axle.

Its been reassembled and test run on the layout.

The next stage will be for me to do something with the bonnet.

Australian Adaptations

Himself has begun making the alterations to the Farish 08 chassis which will power our model of No. 9 - the large, yellow, ex-Australian shunting diesel at Dinas.

In the search for a more authentic look, with chunky fly cranks, he's replacing the plastic extensions which create the false outside frame effect on the 08 with a couple of packets of brass cranks we had in our strategic reserve of bits and pieces.

These were once produced by Meridian Models (item MP24) but so far as we can tell are not available at the moment - which is a shame because they're very handy to have.

They are fitted over the stubs of the overlong axles on the wheel sets on the chassis.

Quartering is as simple as it can ever be because you can line up the crank with the inset in the wheel where the original plastic cranks were positioned.

The jackshaft drive will be created using the clever replacement chassis keeper plate supplied by RT Models and employing a fourth set of these cranks.

Bags of Drewry

The previously mentioned aspiration to build a model of WHR diesel number 9 has taken a big leap forward with he arrival of some prototype etches.

We were offered the chance to buy them from the owner of RT Models who is working on bringing out a kit to run on the Farish 08 chassis. (What else?!)

Unless I am mistaken - which is always a possibility - these are in nickel silver, and I bought them knowing that at least one detail will need to be kit-bashed, because the etched vents in the side doors along the bonnet are in the wrong places.

This is more than outweighed, I hope, by the benefits of a crisp, solid and reasonably heavy body structure.

The other fun aspect is that it because it is a test etch it doesn't come with any instructions, so I'm sure Himself is going to thank me for that!

Peckett Pics

A few days ago one of our readers asked to see more pictures of our Peckett Harrogate and so I’ve dug back through the archive to find these.

For those who don’t know the background this is a famous ‘might have been’ from the early days of the FR revival.

It was built for service at Harrogate gas works - with a much more restrictive cab profile than the one it now sports - and was brought to the FR as a potential solution to the motive power crisis in the late 1950s.

Linda and Blanche turned up a couple years later and that was that for Peckett which was sold 30 years after its arrival having never seen service.

A stripped down chassis did make some exploratory adventures up the Vale shortly before its departure, but they only confirmed its unsuitability for the line.

There was a Hollywood ending, though.

Eventually it landed up at Statfold, acquired its new name, and steamed on the FR as a gala visitor - albeit only between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Tanygrisiau.

It also did some gala runs on the Welsh Highland up to Waunfawr, and a little application of Rule 1 sees us running it on Bron Hebog and Dduallt.

The kit is by RT models, and it's a little cracker.

Perfect running is guaranteed by the Farish 08 chassis and some simple etched motion parts.

The body is made up of a big lump of a white metal casting and a nicely produced brass etch for the cab and fake frames.

With all that weight sitting above on a simple, reliable chassis, it's just about all you could ask for in a OO9 locomotive.

Himself added some extra detailing, as he always does, such as the vac and air brake pipes, which really set it off.

With no lining, aside from the letters on the saddle tank, it was probably also his favourite locomotive to paint.

(Since our model was made the loco now bears the legend 'Statfold Barn Railway' which means Himself has had a lucky escape!)

I See A Red Engine And I Want To Paint It Black?

With apologies to Sir Mick and Keith, but it appears I have a decision to make with regards to our Lilla.

Himself has been adding a few brass embellishments to the 3D printed Robex body, such as the handrails and whatever it is on top of the dome.

(UPDATE: since this was posted a reader has got in touch to tell me it is a regulator lubrication valve. Every day's a school day.)

I get the impression he finds working with this inherently brittle material rather stressful compared to brass or white metal.

(His last email to me began with the words 'before I wreck it completely....')

Those of you who are familiar with the Minitrains chassis which is used on this kit will notice what a good job he's done reshaping the fly cranks so they no longer have the big counter weight on them.

He has also made use of a handy etched fret from RT Models to replace the slidebars and the original, and rather chunky, couplings have been changed as well for brass ones.

So now he's asking me about my preferences for painting it?

It seems to me we have three choices,

For a while on the FR it ran it plain black livery.

(I'm sure he'd be delighted if we plumped for that.)

Then for a long while it was in lined out Penrhyn Quarry Railway livery, and last winter it emerged from Boston Lodge in the rather natty Cilgwyn green.

What do you all reckon?

Green Scene

One of the joys of operating a layout at home - as opposed to at an exhibition - is that you can run what the heck you like and there is no know-it-all standing a few feet in front of you to point out the error of your ways.

These days Dduallt is our trainset and we'll do what we like with it, thus...

I think the Peckett 'Harrogate' looks rather good on the '90's push-pull set, don't you?

(Even better in the passing loop at Dduallt too, but that's a whole other debate...)

The Wee Controller  (my 3 year old boy) had ordered that we get this engine out of the box on that basis that it looked like Percy (of Thomas fame) which accounted for its presence.

The R T Models kit makes a very tidy model.  It runs beautifully on the outside framed Farish 08 chassis and it's got a nice lump of white metal right over the driving wheels to give it decent traction too.

Such a shame the FR never got around to rebuilding it.

Pecket Painted

It's just over a year since I posted a photo of our Peckett 'Harrogate' in its first coat of green paint and it's only now that we've managed to get it finished, but, hey, that's railway modelling for you.

So here it is varnished and with its Statfold Barn Railway initials in place on the tank.

Like 138 it is also awaiting a set of plates to complete it.

Alas its appearances on Bron Hebog will still have to be filed under modellers' licence because currently it has ventured no further south on the WHR than Waunfawr, but it's a nice wee engine so we're going to run it anyway!

New Toys On Test

The show at the weekend was the first chance to give our newest locomotives a proper test run.

The one that did the most mileage was our 3rd Backwoods Garratt 138 which went into regular service straight 'off the workbench'.

It will in time be finished in the locomotive's current red livery and as running coal-fired.

Also getting a run out was Himself's impulse purchase, an RT Models kit of one-time FR resident Peckett tank Harrogate.

He was inspired to make a model after seeing the real thing in action while were exhibition the layout at Dinas on the WHR last year. It was on loan from the Statfold Barn Railway.

I believe I'm right in saying that the locomotive has yet to traverse the full WHR so this picture of it emerging from Cutting Mawr is a bit of futurology.

Even more improbable was our double heading of our new Brian Madge Britomart and Mercian Models Welsh Pony - not only because Pony is in the very early stages of a scandalously overdue restoration (in my humble opinion) but also because, as others have already pointed out, it's highly unlikely the pair of them could ever haul this length of train up the hill to Beddgelert.

Although I think I know a driver who given half a chance would give it a go!

Those there at the time also witnessed a minor miracle in seeing one of these Mercian England engine kits moving given that the gearbox, as designed, will not fit inside the locomotive.  It's taken all of Himself's ingenuity to make this model work.

I have a big soft spot for Welsh Pony - indeed I am one of the regular donors to the restoration fund - and I think this model's going to become one of my favourites.

Peckett Preview

You'll have to forgive the background to the picture - Himself had been nibbling at his brandy-laced Xmas cake when he took the snap a few weeks ago - but here's a shot showing progress with painting the Peckett 'Harrogate'.

Himself says he's getting quite fond of this wee beastie and it might end up seeing a lot more action on Bron Hebog that it has on the real WHR.

Primed Peckett

Himself has picked up the Peckett again and finished it off with the final detailing and it's looking pretty good to me.

The RT Models kit really has the squat, purposeful look of the prototype, even if it does rather flatter to deceive being designed for short bursts of power rather than sustained output.

Himself tells me that although the smoke box door looks crooked in the photo but isn't really.

He also reports that all the holes around the front of the tank have been pre-drilled or cast slightly off centre.  Oops.

It's now been given a first coat of primer to show up any faults of blemishes that need to be fixed before it is sprayed with a top coat.

I think it's going to make a nice little model - a shame it's only been a special event performer on the FR & WHR but I suspect we may find a few more excuses to run it.

Plugging Away With The Peckett

Although he's ever-so pleased with his new luxury 'Grandad Cave' Himself does come up for air every now and then and puts in a shift in the rolling stock construction centre upstairs.

Close examination of the clocking in machine reveals that he has spent an hour or two of the last week working on our RT Models Harrogate Peckett kit adding the handrails to the saddle tank.

This is a bit of the locomotive where form clearly had precedent over function.

To look at the saddle tank you would think it is rather capacious, but in fact the front portion, above the smokebox, is just a dummy and carries no water at all.

I think it certainly would have looked rather odd without it.

From this angle you can also see clearly what an outrageous overhang there is at the front and the back of this beast.

Had the FR ever got around to restoring it then it surely would have been given a very radical rebuild as a 2-6-2 or perhaps even a 2-6-2T with a Blanche-style tender cab.

Peckett Assembled

There's steady progress with our Peckett, Harrogate.

Here are a couple of snaps with the cab and saddle tank units in position although they have not been soldered together yet.

It's looking quite purposeful from the front.

There are lots of detailing bits and bobs, such as the cab roof, handrails and the couplings to be added but this RT Models kit is coming together really nicely.