COPLEY HILL

"Defrocking a streak! 60022 Mallard"

2012-02-10T04:21:00.000-08:00

Okay, we can all admit it. There is at least one, or two, locomotives that we all want to see on our layouts. There's no doubting that everyone strives for authenticity when building their locomotive stud, but there's always one particular engine which people want "just because". Mallard is one of these for me, though happily as a regular performer on the King's Cross to Leeds expresses in the 1940s and 50s, I have no problem with justifying putting 60022 amidst the A4s in my planned stocklist for Copley Hill:

So with that in mind, we will have a brief interlude from the Thompson Pacific builds for the moment. I had managed to get a right bargain on eBay last week, a £35 "spares or repairs" model of LNER favourite, Mallard. A spare set of valve gear and a new motor were fitted last week after some investigation into the causes of its non running. It's now running as smooth as a brand new model.

However, I am modelling the years 1949-52 for the next incarnation of Copley Hill, and what I wanted was a model of Mallard in her British Railways form. Cue the scalpel, files, and the fitting of a spare smokebox numberplate from a BR Green Railroad Mallard bodyshell (used for the A2/2 and bought in a job lot of spares on eBay), and we get this: a completely "defrocked" and plainly British Railways form, A4!

I had made myself a template for the valances using another spare A4 bodyshell (from the same job lot of spares earlier). I cannot take any credit for the idea behind this conversion, as it is entirely derived from observations of a similar procedure made on the LNER forum, here.

The valances were removed by scalpel, and then filed to their correct shape with a flat file, and then were carefully primed for paint with a wet'n'dry sanding pad.

Of course, a devalanced Mallard model will be missing the bottom section of the firebox, which I created (as a temporary measure) out of plasticard. I am working on a latex mould currently, to recreate the bottom section in resin to add to the other A4s I plan on "defrocking" in the future. When the mould has cured and I've made a few resin copies, these plasticard constructs will be removed and replaced.

With the defrocking done, I turned to rebranding, weathering and fitting the etched nameplates, plaques and worksplates (Fox Transfers). Here is the result:

A bit of weathering with some Tamiya weathering powders, and real coal dust, carefully worked in against the boiler bands and rivets as per the real thing, gives the model of a bit of a "used but not abused" look. I wanted to recreate the strange darkening effect from overpolishing that I had found in a few photographs of A4s in the period I'm looking at (where the paint around the numbers and lettering is slightly darker, giving an odd shadow effect). In hindsight, it's not something I will try and recreate again...

...because it only seems to be noticeable at certain angles or under certain lighting conditions. In real life, it's nowhere near as dark as it seems to show up on camera. C'est la vie, I tried something different and it didn't quite come off.

The inside of the tender was given a bit of a wash with some PVA glue, and carefully selected and crushed lumps of real coal added. On the locomotive, I applied my usual brand of Fox Transfers decals to rebrand the locomotive, sealing them with a liberal coating of Gamesworkshops "Ardcoat" varnish.

I went over the valve gear with a wash of Tamiya's "Oil Stain" colour from their weathering powder sets, and applied several different powders to the chassis (of tender and locomotive) including, but not limited to, "Gunmetal", "Oil Stain" and "Burnt Red" for a little rust relief. A few light coats of Gamesworkshops "Purity seal" sealed the powders and coal dust, and I added the Fox Transfers etched plates to finish the model off.

Overall, I'm happy with the outcome. Hornby haven't as yet offered garter blue minue the valances in the top of the range A4 model, so this is a cheap and cheerful way of getting the combinations I want. I am not certain I will be so confident after taking delivery of a couple of Hornby Great Snipes later in the year, at nearly four times the price of this second hand "spares or repairs" A4 model, but that's another story!

I've certainly learned from this experience, and the next A4 I "defrock" will be finished even better, I would hope!

Until next time, where I will hopefully be finishing 60503 between work shifts, and starting the next locoholism project in the form of another Thompson Pacific build.

"More changes afoot"

2012-02-07T15:08:00.000-08:00

There are going to be quite a few changes to the blog, and the associated websites. The British Railway Series mini-site may be unavailable for a period of time, so please bear with me as the changeovers continue.

This blog will officially take on the domain name of www.britishrailwaystories.com from Friday, too - the old address will still direct to this blog from this point on.

Until next time!

"Thompson A2/2 build - 60503 Lord President" - Update

2012-02-04T14:59:00.000-08:00

Last time I was getting to grips with the major bodyshell conversions. This time, I've finished the valve gear.

Yes, it's very crude. It uses components from the donor A2 model, and a spare set of Bachmann V2 valve gear I had squirreled away. Does it work? Surprisingly, yes. It works quite well. I have managed second radius curves with the model in its current state quite happily.

I've been making modifications to the boiler - removal of certain boiler bands, and a complete redoing of the firebox end (not finished yet - new washout plugs, handrail and similar to fit). The smokebox is next on my agenda, however, as it needs the extended superheater headers fitted before the smoke deflectors I've been working on.

I've also sorted out the tender connection, so the whole model is now mechanically complete. Onto the aesthetics and paintwork in the next few weeks!

Until next time.

"Tale of the Unnamed Engine - Coming Soon!

2012-02-03T08:24:00.000-08:00

Coming Soon to a Platform Near You!

Where it all began: the companion book to "The British Railway Series", "Tale of the Unnamed Engine" is the first book in "The British Railway Stories" eBook series, coming to the Amazon Kindle and Apple's iBooks in 2012!

Find out who the mysterious new Pacific locomotive is, from the mouth of the wise old sage and narrator, Stephen!

Travel to a world set in the 1940s, where steam locomotives rumbled across Great Britain, pulling all manner of trains, and marvel at the beauty of Dean Walker's illustrations!

This is a children's book like no other: Real Locations, Real Engines, Real History!

These are the stories we tell...

Music by Kevin Mcleod, Incompetech.com

The contents of these videos, including all text and photos
(except where credited otherwise) are
©Simon A.C. Martin & The British Railway Stories.

"Thompson A2/2 build - 60503 Lord President"

2012-01-30T15:01:00.000-08:00

Whilst I wait for the transfers for 62678 The Morpeth to arrive, I have been working on another conversion, this time using a set of Graeme King's superb A2/3 resin castings - you can inquire about their availability here - to create a Thompson A2/2 using the Bachmann Peppercorn A2 as a basis.

So the current progress is as follows, after a day's work:

The original Bachmann valve gear has been carefully remove, and the chassis filed down in the necessary locations to fit the conversion components (seen in the milky white colour). The front bogie has been test fitted using a bit of Pritt Stick to check spacing, and the same goes for the chimney and front extension ring for the smokebox.

The cab comes from a Hornby Railroad A4 Mallard bodyshell, which was going spare after a few wins of spare parts on Ebay. The cab was simply cut straight from the bodyshell, and filed back to fit, whilst the boiler of the Bachmann A2 was modified to fit.

The tender was a surprise win on eBay for £20. It's the super detail Mallard tender from Hornby and is perfect for this conversion. I take my cue from Mick who put up such a splendid "how to" of his A2/2 build here, and on the LNER forum.

The boiler has had a few modifications done, but there's a lot more jobs to do including, but not limited to, removing the washout plugs and replacing with correct shaped ones in the right locations, and removing two boiler bands and installing one to match the original style of the boiler cladding on the A2/2 I am modelling, namely 60503, Lord President.

This locomotive is destined to be in a filthy LNER livery, as it was in 1949 prior to overhaul and repainting in BR Dark Green with the cycling lion emblem. It had been allocated to Leeds Neville Hill for a short time (there were problems with with a few of that shed's Pacifics at the time) and was used on trains into London King's Cross.

My excuse for running 60503 on my layout, is that it was borrowed to work a train into Leeds Central and has been coaled/watered at Copley Hill before working into London to work back to Leeds Neville Hill!

I'm thoroughly enjoying the build thus far, though I know that the simplistic adapation of the Bachmann A2 valve gear using standard Bachmann V2 components won't be as attractive as the etched Comet conversions which Graeme and a few others have undertaken on theirs. In my defense, I'm not as skilled a modeller as they are, and will be happy with something which runs for the moment, until I can learn and build up the necessary skills that will allow me to replace my crude alternative.

I was initially nervous about chopping up a £100+ model but the conversion is going together so nicely that I feel much happier at having a go myself. So much so that I am certain an A2/3 conversion and an A1/1, again using Graeme's superb castings, will follow later this year.

60503 is my project for February and destined to run at a friend's church fair on his small end to end later this year, so I'd best get cracking when I find the time after work this month.

Until next time!

"Changes afoot"

2012-01-26T10:54:00.001-08:00

There will be changes to the blog over the next week. Watch out for the new look!

Until next time!

"A print to remember"

2012-01-25T06:12:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, on the suggestion of a close friend, I ran a competition for charity where the prize was a print of the three main characters of The British Railway Series. Well, I resurrected the idea in 2011 and commissioned a Christmas portrait of the main characters on shed at Copley Hill, as a prize for the Facebook group's Christmas Art Competition (which was a rousing success).

The above photograph shows the stunning result, which will be sent up to Newcastle on Friday for the artist to sign, and then send onto the BRWS Facegroup winner.

Until next time!

"Thompson D Class 4-4-0, The Morpeth" - Update 4

2012-01-20T07:01:00.000-08:00

We're getting there with 62768! I've put it into a black matt coat, and will varnish the areas where there are to be transfers applied. The camera does show up a few areas to sand down again - the steps, for example, so we're not quite ready to shout "finished!" by any means.

This is where we were a day ago, with the model unpainted and with the steps, new buffers and bufferbeam detail newly added. In hindsight I should have sanded it down more, but that can be done when the Archers rivets arrive next week in the final stages of the build.

I sprayed the body the same matt black I applied to the tender, and have temporarily fitted the the nameplates, worksplates, safety valves, whistle and cab glazing to get a feel of how it is going to look when finished.

I'm much happier with where I am with it this week than I was last week. Working away from home has meant that modelling time has been very limited, almost to a few snatched hours at night on a Friday or Saturday before trudging back to High Wycombe in the car Monday morning.

Is it a perfect recreation of the lone Thompson D Class? No, definitely not. Is it a decent representation? I think so, in so much that as a budget conversion, it's the best I could do currently, though hopefully lessons learned from this build can be applied to the next couple of ready to run conversions I have planned.

Next jobs are addition of the rivets, sand down the steps carefully, and repaint areas required, before applying the transfers, weathering and sealing the finish thereafter.

So, a small update on a project I am thoroughly enjoying.

Until next time.

"Thompson D Class 4-4-0, The Morpeth" - Update 3

2012-01-18T14:57:00.000-08:00

Very minor update today, I had a go at modifying the smokebox door to better represent the lone D Class 4-4-0 as I am intending to portray it. Namely as British Railways 62768, with full mixed traffic lining out but with the early lettered branding as opposed the cycling lion on the tender.

Next jobs to do are rivets, steps, buffers, front coupling, painting, lining out, weathering and sealing...!

Until next time.

"(Un) Happy Knight"

2012-01-17T08:02:00.000-08:00

While researching and writing new stories for my books, I came across on an internet forum an absolutely beautiful photograph from the late 1940s. For copyright reasons and with respect to the owner of the photograph, I won't reproduce it here, but the photograph was screaming out to be developed as children's story (and indeed, on the forum one user commented rather favourably in this vein).

The photograph concerned showed British Railways A2 Pacific Happy Knight on a train going through Grantham station. There on the bufferbeam, in small Gill Sans lettering under its number are the immortal words "Copley Hill", for it was allocated to Leeds Copley Hill in the late 40s. The Peppercorn A2s left in 1949 and 1950 and were allocated further up north, mostly in the Scottish region, thereafter.

The idea of Happy Knight being an unhappy knight - and as to why - perhaps tying into, as suggested, "why that name" (it was named after a racehorse in reality), and perhaps playing on it somewhat to induce a moralistic story, appeals greatly.

Plus, it's another excuse to add one of those fabulous single chimney Peppercorn A2 Bachmann models to my ever growing collection, one day!

Until next time.

"Unnamed Portrait"

2012-01-12T06:29:00.000-08:00

British Railways no.60114 rests at Copley Hill Leeds. Dean Walker.

It's not very often that I feel I need to sing to the high heavens on - well - anything! But on seeing this portrait drop into my email inbox, I needed to reiterate once more, with a cropped and slightly edited version of the whole artwork (so that the story itself is not revealed), just how good the artwork for Tale of the Unnamed Engine is turning out to be.

I have so enjoyed going through my emails, reading up on how much some of you are looking forward to the book, so I'd like to offer my apologies for not being able to respond to everyone individually, and to say thank you for your continuous support.

2012 I hope will be the year of The British Railway Stories, and I will do everything in my power to make it so. There's so many stories still to tell, and fresh ideas being found, recorded and developed all the time.

So, to those of you on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Blogger, and who may be writing in by email - you have my thanks and gratitude for your support.

Until next time!

"The Last Run"

2012-01-09T09:18:00.000-08:00

2012.

"Thompson D Class 4-4-0, The Morpeth" - Update 2

2012-01-08T15:11:00.000-08:00

Just a little update this evening, began adding details to the Thompson D Class, as well as preparing the tender for repainting, and modifying the smokebox door so it is ready for some plasticard bashing into its required form later in the week. The chassis was due to go into the paintshop today but I ran out of time. C'est la vie!

And just a couple of images where I put my D11 bodyshell kit I procured some time ago, onto the ex-D49 chassis:

Not a million miles away, you know. Very interesting development, and a second D49 may be on its way shortly. Where I am going to get the GCR tender from, mind, is anyone's guess!

Until next time!

"Thompson D Class 4-4-0, The Morpeth" - Update

2012-01-01T07:07:00.000-08:00

First modelling post of the new year! So what's in store today?

Well, the Hornby Railroad D49 model I had ordered arrived last Friday, but today was the first day I had to get a look at it. The model was taken out of its box, and promptly taken apart for the first stage of its transformation into a Thompson D Class 4-4-0, The Morpeth.

The driving wheels were removed by carefully taking off the chassis plate, and uncoupling the tender from the chassis by removing a screw. The front driving wheels had their crank pins removed in favour of a different set, allowing an inside cylindered 4-4-0 as opposed an outside cylindered one. The driving wheels were then replaced, and the keeper plate screwed back on.

The result: as below, a working inside cylindered 4-4-0 chassis!

You will recall I had started modifying a spare D49 bodyshell before getting the Railroad model, in a previous blog post. I had though it would be a simple enough switch between the two, however the one and only modification you need to make to the original style bodyshell is to widen the cab in the boiler to match the Railroad one above (although mine has not actually been filed out to the full depth, instead a bit of trial and error has allowed comfortable placement on the chassis).

The cab glazing, safety valves, whistle, dome and smokebox door have all been removed from the Railroad D49 to donate to the D Class bodyshell I had been working on. I hope you'll agree, the model is looking much closer to being a Thompson D49 now!

I'm really pleased with it at present. Still a long way to go, but it's a lot closer than it was, and it does prove the theory somewhat that you could "do a Thompson" and rebuild a D49 in this vein.

The only thing I'm not happy with are the traction tyres, but they are surprisingly discreet and haven't shown the problems with traction my 4VEP had shown previously.

Until next time, when I hope to have fully finished this model (adding regulator, rivets, piping, buffer details, sprung buffers, handrail, etc etc). In what livery it will appear, I haven't yet decided...!

"Merry Christmas"

2011-12-23T14:31:00.000-08:00

This will be my last update for the year, so to tie up a few loose ends...!

Firstly, I have posted the prizes to the winner of the Day of the Diesels competition - they should be with the winner next week, or the week after. Huzzah!

Secondly, the winner of The British Railway Series' Christmas Competition on the series' Facebook group has been chosen - and the winner will receive his prize next week or the week after. Congratulations to our worthy winner, who posted a stunning photograph which encapsulated the "railways in snow" guidelines I set out.

Thirdly, my thanks to everyone, friends and family alike over the last year: it's been a tough one, but hopefully with several bright lights on the horizon, 2012 will be a year to remember.

And finally, to everyone waiting for the first book to be released - stay tuned. I may have some very exciting news come the new year.

Until next year, ladies and gentlemen - thank you for reading.

Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Simon

"Rant of the Week: Manufacturer Bashing or Constructive Criticism?"

2011-12-15T12:28:00.000-08:00

"Manufacturer Bashing" - a get out clause phrase for people who want to pussyfoot around problems with manufacturing, research & development, and good old fashioned quality control.

I refuse point blank to pander to the idea that we cannot in this day and age communicate positively on the drawbacks, negatives, or problems thereof, of a product with its manufacturer if it is warranted.

If everyone was so unable to coherently put forward their point of view on a product and point out factual shortcomings, then we would not see improvements in anything. We'd all still be driving around in Model T Fords and running clockword trains, whilst balsa wood and canvas aircraft float clumsily around our heads.

Equally, we should praise manufacturers when they get it right: and I am choosing to do so by asking everyone to vote for Dapol as manufacturer of the year. Over on RMweb, their company's representative, "DapolDave" has been exemplary in his communication and willingness to help with any problems.

That, and they've made some very fine models this year of prototypes you wouldn't have dreamed of being made. Beattie Well Tanks for Kernow Model Rail, Class 22 diesel hydraulics, and a plethora of N gauge models of excellent quality.

Until next time - remember: if you do wish to criticise a product, do so constructively and factually. If you want to praise - do so openly and honestly.

Until next time.

"Hub Worlds on Youtube!"

2011-12-10T16:09:00.000-08:00

Something I hope will make things a little easier on Youtube - a "Hub World" video where all of the episodes are linked in the form of the Youtube annotations! Give it a try. Episodes 1-12 are in the first set, episodes 13-20 will appear after The Last Run airs in 2012.

Until next time!

"Artwork & Musings"

2011-12-07T14:42:00.000-08:00

Dean's handiwork once again bringing to life the characters I write about.

Another piece of the puzzle. But who, what, and where is this happening?

All will be revealed in Tale of the Unnamed Engine!

Coming soon...you guessed it, "to a platform near you!"

I have updated the pictures to the right with their descriptions, putting to rest (I hope) some of the rumours going round various websites. It should make my intentions quite clear.

Until next time!

"Engage Smug Mode"

2011-12-02T05:06:00.000-08:00

Sir Ralph seems to be making a habit of being the subject of the header pictures in my rants and general posts recently. This picture shows him being SO smug, I just had to share it with my readers. With special thanks to Dean Walker, the stories' superb artist.

Why is Sir Ralph so smug? You'll have to find out when the first book goes on sale! Trust me, he doesn't stay this smug for long...!

I am in the process of finalizing the pictures, story, and a new addition to the Colour version of the e-book - an appendix with some history of the characters and locations seen in the book.

This will, I hope, become a normal fixture. Haven't as yet decided on a title for it - my first instinct was to make it narrated by Stephen and call it "Stephen Says" (as "Simon Says" might be a bit too self serving!!!)

I can confirm that the e-book will be published on the Kindle, in a supremely cheap grayscale version, and a slightly more expensive full colour version. Both will work on the original Kindle, but the Colour version will be of course, at its best on the full colour Kindle.

I am also working on an iOS (that's Apple) version of both e-books to be sold on iBooks. I can't guarantee it will be out at the same time as the Kindle one as there is slightly more paperwork to put through, but hopefully it will not be too much longer.

I can also confirm I will be releasing a full colour paperback version of the book, in a limited amount, release date to be confirmed.

You'll also notice I have enabled comments on the blog for the first time. I have put in place settings that will allow users to comment without fear of reading vast amounts of spam.

Thankfully, with everything now set up on my smart phone, I can moderate the blog and Facebook group while on the move, so my fears about the blog being unmoderated at any time can finally be laid to rest.

Until next time!

"Happy Thanksgiving & 'Tis the Season!"

2011-11-24T03:01:00.000-08:00

To all of our American readers, I'd like to wish a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope the day goes well, and that we get to see the Sonic the Hedgehog balloon at Macy's Thanksgivings Day parade NOT puncture its head on a lamppost this time around...!

On another note, the blog banner has been updated - well, we are in the run up to Christmas after all...!

Happy Holidays!

"Musings"

2011-11-23T07:21:00.000-08:00

Just a musing I had. What if Gresley's proposed 4-8-2 had been built...and what if Thompson had rebuilt it?!!

Horrors! Or not, I rather like the idea. Please excuse the missing half of the driving wheels!

Until next time!

"Rant of the Week: New Build Steam!"

2011-11-20T04:51:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since my last "Rant of the Week", but I have just seen something so extraordinarily frustrating and aggravating that I had to share it.

Over the last six months, the "in thing" in railway preservation has either to join the "haters gonna hate" campaign against Scotsman (see previous blog posts), or start up a new build scheme for making a steam locomotive.

So we've had a Claud Hamilton announced, a Gresley J39, most recently a couple of Diesels including LMS no.10000, and to be fair, all of the above involve to some extent enthusiastic individuals who have all taken part in railway preservation at some level over their lives.

To the above, don't worry, you're not the topic of my rant. No, the subject of my rant is this:

The Great Bear New Build Project

Yes, there is a now a few individuals wanting to build a new version of The Great Bear, Churchward's only Pacific, and the only GWR Pacific ever built. What has been written on this locomotive extends to somewhere between extremely inefficient and useless, and adequate but needing modifications to get the best out of it.

So my first reaction was to groan, and think "really? Another one?"

Then it hit me.

This actually could be the most sensible of all the new build projects that has been announced.

What? Really? Well, let's think about it. The original locomotive was essentially an enlargement of the Star class of locomotives. It was later rebuilt into a Castle class locomotive.

The Stars, Castles, and this behemoth all shared certain standard Swindon components. In fact, let's be frank here, it's because so many of the GWR engines shared common, standard components, that we are able to see so many of the classes that were lost to the scrappers built afresh.

For example, Didcot's Lady of Legend, 2999 is one locomotive I have been keeping my eye on, a rarity for me as the Great Western isn't my thing normally! That is being built out standard GWR components with some new parts manufactured to complete the look.

Overall I think this will be one of the more stunning locomotives in preservation, and particularly in its place between the GWR of old, and the Star class locomotive Lode Star at the National Railway Museum.

So my feeling is, if you can build a new "Saint", a "County" and a "Grange" from standard GWR patterns and spare components, how hard can it be really to build a new GWR Pacific? The only real stumbling blocks (big ones at that) are likely to be the main frames, the unique boiler, and the tender.

But if you can build a new Peppercorn A1 from scratch...you can do anything, that I firmly believe, with just one caveat - the first hurdle for all of these projects will be regular funding and enthusiasm, and it is this I feel most strongly that needs fixing for many of them.

If enough people can get together to build a replica of the GWR's lone Pacific locomotive, why not let them try.

They could do worse than to have a go. If they don't manage to build it, the reconditioned parts or any new parts made could just go on another GWR locomotive, after all!

Until next time!

"Selling on!"

2011-11-13T11:15:00.000-08:00

I am thoroughly, thoroughly broke at the minute and require money to push forward the development of my children's book, website and associated bits and pieces.

So what better way of raising funds (other than my part time job!) is a quick firesale of items I no longer forsee a need for.

First up - a very good condition Hornby Duchess 4-6-2 (one of the latest batches).

Yours for £70 or make me an offer!

Second one in - a terrific example of Hornby's County Class 4-6-0.

Yours for £45.00 or start the bidding at £15!

Finally - a virtually unused example of Bachmann's popular Dynamis system 36-505.

Yours for £90 or start the bidding at - get this - just 99p!

All proceeds go to - ah - me - and rest assured are not going on beer money.

Well, maybe the odd ale at the odd preserved railway.

Until next time - where I'll have a few more updates on the book, the upcoming new website, and various other bits and pieces.

"We will remember them"

2011-11-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

"Thompson D Class 4-4-0, The Morpeth"

2011-11-10T15:02:00.000-08:00

Finally made a start on my Hornby D49 conversion. During the war Thompson rebuilt The Morpeth with two inside cylinders of the Director (D11) type, and it is this locomotive I am portraying with my modifications.

Two spare D49 bodyshells were sourced off Ebay, and one was cut along the front portion of its running plate, up to the front of the leading splasher, and and at the bufferbeam end for the curved running plate section.

This was then mounted further back, forming the curved section of running plate ahead of the leading splasher which the prototype had so prominently.

Plasticard strips were then added to form the running plate and one side of the bufferbeam. This was repeated on the alternate side:

...and then painted black after Humbrol plastic filler had been applied and sanded down several times, to see the overall finish.

Note I also made for each side a representation of the frames which are seen more prominently on this inside cylindered locomotive. This was done with very thin plasticard I had lying around, cut to shape and poly-cemented into place behind the running plate (but remember to leave enough of a gap for the chassis and motor arrangement to fit between them).

Not bad, but needs a bit more work. The Hornby D49 which will be used as a donor model will lose its handrails, dome, and various other bits and pieces. I'm waiting on a smokebox door and door dart to complete the components needed to finish the model (when the Hornby donor arrives, that is!)

Until next time!

"Facebook Group Xmas Competition"

2011-11-08T09:38:00.000-08:00

Just to say, for anyone on The British Railway Series Facebook Group, I'm running a special competition where the prize is a signed print of an artwork Dean Walker is preparing for the series.

The rules are as below:

***XMAS COMPETITION RULES***

1. Create a piece of artwork that incorporates a railway theme, and a wintry theme.

2. It can be in whatever medium you wish, showing whatever you like, that is related to railways and winter.

3. Upload it to this group for everyone to see, putting in the title "XMAS ENTRY - Your name".

4. The winner will be chosen by me.

5. The only criteria for winning there is is simply originality, and creativity.

6. The prize this year will be a special "The British Railway Series" themed print featuring more of Dean's beautiful artwork and signed by both Dean and I.

7. The closing date is the 15th December, and the winner will be announced on Christmas Eve (24th)

8. Final rule - have fun! :)

Until next time!

"Goodbye Stephen the Green Engine - Remastered"

2011-10-30T08:19:00.000-07:00

Two years ago I started remaking the original episodes of The British Railway Series so that Youtube users and fans could view the episodes in their original format, i.e. in one single video. At the time, my Youtube account had a limit on the length of video uploads, and all of the videos were uploaded in two parts, or specially cut to fit the ten minute limit.

Now of course, having a Youtube Partner account, I can have videos of any length (though the longer they are, the longer they take to upload!), so I have been working through the episodes and adding annotations, etc etc, to them to allow people to see them as they were originally intended when first made.

In this edition of "Goodbye Stephen the Green Engine" - the last episode to be made by the team - I have replaced the opening and closing titles, added music and generally tidied it up for a 16:9 release. I think it looks much cleaner than it did originally, and may have to re-do episodes 1-5 to match (minus the annotations).

See what you think at any rate, and comment on the video with your thoughts on the "remastering".

Until next time!

"The Call"

2011-10-27T15:36:00.000-07:00

Not one of mine, but entirely appropriate to the scene I've been writing tonight, given it's all about the memories and history, long since passed from this world.

Now we're back to the beginning
It's just a feeling and no one knows yet
But just because they can't feel it too
Doesn't mean that you have to forget

Let your memories grow stronger and stronger
'Til they're before your eyes

You'll come back
When they call you
No need to say good bye

You'll come back
When they call you
No need to say good bye

"New Banner to the Youtube Channel!"

2011-10-26T05:44:00.000-07:00

I have been working on a new banner for the Youtube channel, firstly reflecting Dean Walker's excellent artwork, most of which is going into the first book in the series, and secondly reflecting the new overall look to the blog, channel and twitter page over the last year.

You'll see that Stephen, Herbert, Sir Ralph and Allen feature in the new banner, in Dean's magnificent artwork.

Please support the series and Dean by taking a look at his website, where his artwork, general commentary and photography can be found.

You can also access his artwork by clicking the picture labeled "NER Ramblings", in the left hand side column.

Until next time!

"New Page to the Blog!"

2011-10-26T05:19:00.001-07:00

You will notice a new tab above this post which reads "The British Railway Stories".

The aim of this page is to explain the background behind the upcoming first publication and e-book of the companion books to The British Railway Series.

Stories is used instead of Series to identify the books separately to the Youtube videos.

Here's what the page currently reads:

The aim of The British Railway Stories is simple:

To educate and entertain in the same story.

It is pure History and Entertainment coming together to provide the logical step between the imaginary, and the history, for the 7-9 age group.

The stories, set in the 1950s, at Leeds, Copley Hill, were originally written as a made for Youtube Video Series (The British Railway Series).

Since the first video appeared on Youtube in 2007, the eighteen episodes of the series have been watched 3.3 million times, as of October 2011.

The series is being developed into an e-book, which will tell the stories in the way they were originally intended.

The final episodes of the model era will soon give way to a computer generated Machinima, showcasing old and new stories in a bright and colourful new format.

Simon A.C. Martin, the author, would like to be able to help preserved steam railways of the United Kingdom through dedicated donations from the sales of future books, perhaps based on the stories of the preserved railways themselves.

Please get in touch if you'd like to be a part of The British Railway Stories.

For these are the stories we tell...

Until next time!

"End of Great Northern"

2011-10-25T04:22:00.000-07:00

Four years after I started my Great Northern conversion of a Hornby A1 (see here, here, here, here, here, here, and here,), today the locomotive was broken up for spare parts, so I could have a second go at making a model of the infamous 60113.

I've been thinking on the model for some time: one of my earliest, most ambitious, and rubbish kit bashes I've ever done. My skills have got a weeny bit better since 2007, so I've decided to use whatever I can from the now defunct model to make a new one - hopefully much better than the old one!

However that project will wait in the wings for now, until the Thompson D class, the 4VEP, the Stirling Single and the Great Central D11 are complete, my four main priorities on the workbench at this point.

Until next time!

"Time..."

2011-10-24T06:16:00.000-07:00

...something I am running short on. New job has started, I'm working hard, but behind the scenes certain pieces are falling into place, by the by.

I'm currently bringing the pieces together for a Thompson D Class 4-4-0, by using the incoming Hornby D49 as a base. A few spare bodyshells, a Thompson front bogie and tender all suitable for the rebuild. The only things I need to locate are the nameplates, and the smokebox door...

More on this conundrum as it develops. Until next time!

"More Projects"

2011-10-14T03:57:00.000-07:00

I have a line of engines and rolling stock needing work. Finally having finished the painting of the LMS and the conversion of the three Hornby Clerestories, they are awaiting transfers and varnish to complete.

However I do like to ponder the possibilities every now and again, and there's two projects I have my eye on at the moment. The first is converting a forthcoming Hornby release - the Railroad D49 4-4-0 - into the lone D class Thompson 4-4-0, The Morpeth. I even have a suitable front bogie and tender ready for it!

The second one concerns the forthcoming new Bachmann V2, which is unlikely to get a body retooling but will have a much improved locomotive drive mechanism. So the thought is to use some Hornby spare parts to improve the section of the boiler needing the most work.

Pictures to follow later when the camera decides to behave itself!

"Youtube Like/Dislike Button: Meaningless"

2011-10-11T04:05:00.000-07:00

It's always interesting to read the comments in Youtube videos nowadays and see the amount of emphasis placed on the like/dislike button.

The problem inherent with the like/dislike system is that people will generally thumb down anything because they feel like it. The patterns for what videos get thumbed down is normally random.

I'm writing on this because I've noticed on my own videos - and a few other similar channels - that we've had a whole spate of thumbs downs over the last few weeks. It can only be a few Youtubers going around thumbing down every single video, because it's almost across the board and only one or two thumbs down at a time.

Now, I could rant and rave and disable the ratings, but glancing at the number of "likes" I can see that the videos are very much liked by a majority of the viewers I have, compared to a minority of wholly negative Youtubers. For example, the latest round of reviews have a very respectable 50 or so positive "likes" and one or two negative "dislikes".

Unfortunately, sometimes people just feel like being negative. The like/dislike button on Youtube gives an outlet to those people who have no creativity of their own and only wish to enforce their negative views on everyone else.

So - probably my mantra for this year - don't let it get you down! And don't disable the ratings chaps, the Youtube search algorithm identifies this and puts ones without the ratings lower down the pecking order...!

"Merchandise Discussion"

2011-10-08T15:36:00.000-07:00

On The British Railway Series' Facebook group, I recently steered discussion towards potential merchandising.

Among those which proved most popular were Gomm badges, calenders, mugs, T-shirts and posters.

These are all great ideas which I will go through to examine their cost to manufacture, deliver and then at what RRP (recommended retail price) I should sell them at to cover their costs.

The final suggestion - for a bit of fun - was a diecast toy of "W.P. Allen" in a style similar to the Take N Play Thomas range, as a one off collector's piece. Lots of feedback on this one, ranging from debate over the livery (apple green, blue or dark green?) to whether Allen or Stephen should be the character made...!

Suffice to say it's unlikely I'll produce such a model in the near future, but you never know...

As my job starts to pick up again, and the funds start to become available, "Project Wedgwood" is next in the queue for being worked on - this will be the new integrated website for the Youtube Series and Book Stories.

Until next time!

"New Thumbnails for Youtube"

2011-10-05T04:31:00.001-07:00

One of the little jobs which has hounded me for several years has been the thumbnails on Youtube. They drive me to distraction - moreso now that Youtube's new interface, Cosmic Panda, is coming closer and closer to being the standard format.

The advantage gained, however, is larger thumbnails which allow more detail in sharper focus.

The above shows the new thumbnail for The British Railway Series: Episode 1, a case in point.

It allows some of Dean's beautiful artwork to be seen more (and links to Dean's artwork will start to appear in all of the video descriptions in due course), adds some colour to Youtube's search results (always a good thing), and also allows me to tell you what episode it is by placing an "Episode Tag" in the top right hand corner.

I'll be updating all of the videos over the next few weeks to one of five templates, as above, with different coloured backgrounds and numerals in the Episode Tags. Watch out for them! Until next time.

"Rant of the Week: Weathering!"

2011-10-04T01:27:00.000-07:00

Weathering is a very, very personal thing. What works for one person will not work for someone else. However, there are some bits of weathering which look more real than other bits of weathering.

I am not a weathering expert. I'm also not very good at it! Take this, one of my early attempts at weathering.

Horrendous, isn't it? Far too orangey for a working locomotive. However good I thought it was at the time, it certainly isn't that great now - in fact it's rubbish.

So a few years down the line, I did some modifications to this model and took the opportunity to wipe off most of the grime and do it all over again, culminating in this:

It's still not brilliant, but at least it looks more realistic than it did last time around!

I've always preferred using weathering powders to using paints and airbrushes, however the work of one particular chap on RMweb has caught my eye: for it looks very good. He's just finished working on a Thompson L1, and the results are absolutely excellent.

So, have I had a go with my airbrush yet? Not yet...! The fear of failure is outweighing the clear advantages of airbrush weathering.

However, I've done a little weathering in the past week on my Hornby 4VEP. See what you make of it:

I've even painted the black peak to the cab which Hornby had put onto the unit. The weathering has been done entirely with Tamiya weathering powders, with the gunmetal, brown dirt and rust powders all playing their part in making the bogies, chassis, and cab front look a little more work weary.

You'll notice that the orange cantrail stripe has to be repainted red - a job I finished doing yesterday. The roof vents are going to be replaced - as will the cab piping. I haven't yet figured out what to do about the corridor connection or the door yet, but weathering seems to mask most of the "wrongness" of the moulding.

Overall, I've still a long way to go in my weathering efforts, but whatever you may make of my progress (or lack of it!) over the years, it's still been a highly enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Until next time, where I will have a few updates on some outstanding projects I have been working on for some years - including one in particular!

Unless today's announcement at the National Railway Museum, regarding their new 00 commissioned model, renders it redundant!

"Titles"

2011-10-03T15:58:00.000-07:00

For years I have been despairing about fonts, logos, and generally the very plain look of the title cards I use in The British Railway Series episodes on Youtube.

Well, no more - because a friend has come up with a solution, which, dare I say it, looks utterly amazing.

THE BRITISH

RAILWAY

SERIES

Gentlemen, I believe the word is "stunned". It works in iMovie too, and in different colours!

When I go to remaster the original 17 episodes and the 4 short episodes this coming Christmas period, the new title cards will use this spectacular font. I'm over the moon: how utterly amazing it looks!

Now think how gorgeous Episodes 18, 19 and 20 will look with a proper title card...!

Until next time!

"Don't Let It Bring You Down"

2011-09-29T02:55:00.000-07:00

I must confess that the last year has been somewhat of a drain mentally on me. The fear of not finding work (now thankfully dissolved for the moment, for I start work next Monday!) coupled with the exhaustive efforts behind the scenes to develop The British Railway Series further, along with all the other problems of life, including my own and my family's health had taken their toll by about June this year.

I was so glad to get away for a week with the Missus to Turkey, and while I was there I couldn't switch off. Stories were written on napkins, in my Red and Black notebooks, even on a towel when I couldn't find a piece of paper at the beach! The part of my brain which thinks on new stories never switches off.

You see, it's become so ingrained in me, the desire to tell a story, and a historical one at that, that the plethora of books & magazines managed to take over my room for a good long time, until I did the sensible thing and annexed the attic to make a library!

The characters I write about are more than just models with clay faces now. The potential of this series to grow and become something wholly more meaningful is there, more than ever.

There's one thing I'd like to address, however. There's been a lot of talk recently amongst the Thomas fandom: some of it good, and some of downright nasty.

There will always be someone wanting to pull others down. This is a fact of life I have recognized for some years. It first manifested itself at school, in a particularly cynical individual, whose only goal in life was to bring others down because he didn't have any dreams for himself.

The older I get, the more I understand this level of intelligence, and how to ultimately defeat it.

That part is simple, treat it with the contempt it deserves. Ignore the jibes, and the insults, and the detriment. There will always be someone, somewhere, wanting to bring you down. Whether it's jealousy, fear, or something else, you must always rise above it - because if you don't, then you may as well stop breathing now!

One of the more ludicrous things I've heard - from a few sources - is that a few individuals feel the aim of The British Railway Series is to take down Thomas & Friends!

Forget the fact that one is a multi billion pound industry, which is the number one children's brand worldwide, and forget that one is made in an attic using whatever spare parts and old model trains that can be found!

The major difference lies in the aims of the two entities. One makes an astounding profit every year. The other makes an astounding pauper of its creator every year! One is aimed at the pre-school market, the other is aimed solely at the 7-9 market, and written to that age bracket accordingly.

My intention has never been to take on the little blue engine - quite the opposite, particularly as I am still a fan of the little blue engine in my heart of hearts.

What I want to do, is that which is always overlooked; the history of Britain's railways, and make them more accessible to children through the medium of talking trains.

At the same time, if I can make through the sale of each book, a monetary donation to a good cause in railway preservation - then that too, is an aim worth working towards. To tell the story of our railways, our preserved railways, and give something back in the same breath.

There is nothing that would please me more, than to sell a book relating the history of a preserved railway, and the volunteers which run it, that would encourage children to look it up and gain an interest in their local preserved line, as well as the book financially supporting the railway in question.

If it has to be done with faces on engines - so be it, because it is a tried and tested way of bringing more emotional connections between children, and the iron horses they read about.

Engines with faces have always existed in British literature, stemming from as far back as the Rainhill Trials in 1829, through the medium of satire, cartoons, and into children's literature, not just from The Reverend W. Awdry's Railway Series; from Sammy the Shunter through to the drawing at the top of the page, found by Jim Gratton recently.

The drawing was done by a C. Hamilton Ellis, a renowned railway historian and artist in his own right, for The Railway Gazette, in the late 1930s.

The drawing depicts a 47xx "Night Owl" on an express freight - the elegant face of the female engine a stark contrast to the old time faces of the Pannier tank and Dean goods to the left and right of her.

The point is simple. Anyone could draw a face on a train. It's been a very British thing to do, ever since the dawn of the steam locomotive. The difference comes in the writing, the aim of the story within.

My aim is to educate and entertain in the same stroke of the pen. To highlight railway history and to tell it in a way that children will both understand and appreciate for what it is.

I only need glance at my inbox this morning to see that I must be doing something right. Emails galore, another forty on top of the hundred and thirty six emails I still need to get through, from young fans who've seen the videos on Youtube, to parents who've seen the videos through their children, and the associated blog and website.

The overwhelming positivity I get for writing my stories far outstrips the one or two people who, from time to time, feel the need to voice their negativity with friends of mine. You see, no one ever tries to discourage me directly. They know they wouldn't break me.

I've come this far, and not given up. The hardest days are ahead, but that's okay. I'm not going to let it bring me down - and neither should you.

If you have a dream, or a story to write, and think you won't make it: try anyway! You may be surprised by what happens, and what response you get. There will always be critics looking to stop you succeeding, as opposed to the necessary critics wanting to help you succeed. Don't let it bring you down.

Until next time!

"A lovely letter"

2011-09-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

It's not often that I feel the need to air one of the many fanmails I get on a day to day basis. I do try to respond to them all, but there's not enough hours in the day and I am currently about 100 emails behind the curve at present...!

However this evening, one particular email stood out. It reads as follows:

Dear Simon,

I am excited to see what you come up with. I am very sad to see the models go, I've always been a bit old fashioned. As much as I hate to admit it, you're right, and I'll be very glad to see progress. I am wondering though, what some of the details that would be different are.

Would their mouths and eyes move and the like? The effects are much more realistic, I must admit. I have Railworks and it is quite convincing, though I'm sure the soft ware you will use will be much more detailed.

I'm sure whatever you turn out will be fantastic. Good luck with that and the book. I am most excited about that. Just a thought, perhaps you could auction the models for a bit of money to get some really good programs for the cgi.

These are the stories we tell. Sometimes we have to find new ways to tell them.

I couldn't have put it better myself. These are the stories we tell - sometimes we have to find new ways to tell them.

How wonderfully profound. To the writer of that fanmail, you know who you are - and thank you for sending it. A lovely email which sums up my thoughts and feelings on the series at present.

Until next time!

"The Store Opens!"

2011-09-26T04:41:00.000-07:00

Yes, Copley Hill now has its own store - for now it will be selling only related books and toys, but in time I hope to rectify that by selling merchandise relating to the series in the future.

For every sale made in the Copley Hill Amazon Store, a 10% commission is paid back to the series for its future development. So by buying that latest railway book or children's toy in the Copley Hill store, you are contributing directly to the future of the series.

At the current time of writing, the store is down for necessary maintenance by Amazon, but it will be up and running within the next few hours.

Until next time!

"Clarifying - The Last Run"

2011-09-25T04:23:00.000-07:00

Just to clarify, and to reassure everyone who seems to think the models are going to be dumped unceremoniously over the course of the next year (and I must add, the set certainly won't be as it will continue to be used for toy & model reviews).

I have been researching this and developing it behind the scenes for well over a year. I have observed other CGI productions (Thomas included) worked out a plan of action and talked to the relevant people and compiled as much advice and thought on it as possible.

The problem inherent with BRWS as it stands is two fold. Cost and space. I haven't got a Shepperton Studios for dozens of different sets...! Making sets and modifying the models costs a lot of money.

I don't think this is something many people have grasped: the initial outlay of a model train might be £80 a time, but then it may have to be repainted/renumbered/weathered, have a smoke generator added, etc etc...

...then of course the building materials for the sets. The Day of the Diesels toy review was simple enough because I've honed my techniques in the small space, and the ability to make a scene look different has come to me over the years.

But I have wanted The British Railway Series to be more than the sum of its parts for some years now. I have been unable, at times, to do episodes simply because set A would cost too much or take up too much space to film, or model B needs to be scratch built.

Then there's the issue of time. The more complicated they are, the harder they are to film. Episode 17X didn't really progress the story because it was more of the same in many ways. Wonderful characters with a compelling storyline, but not different enough to 17 in many ways.

There is nothing to say I can't do both the models and a CGI incarnation alongside each other, in any event. The planned CGI trailer is absolutely necessary - feedback is inherent to the success of future Youtube episodes.

I could have just said "CGI trailer next year, we'll leave it till then and the models won't come out again", but I've simplified a very good script in order to give them a final run out; which they and their audience deserve undoubtedly.

I know what I have built up over the last four years and this decision hasn't been made overnight on a whim. Nothing is set in concrete other than I want to do this last big special with the models to give them a proper send off, should the planned CGI be well received.

I must make the case for CGI here. Thomas & Friends has shown what can be done - camera angles, buildings galore, proper background scenery and weather effects. The problem inherent with the brand is the writing, and to some extent the preparation in terms of the scripts.

The way I have scripted new stories is very different to the way I think T&F is done, and it will be a great advantage to me, not a hindrance, particularly if what I have been shown in private is anything to go by. Expansive sets which need only be modelled (as I do with the models, anyway!) on one side.

But the advantage is the multitude of sets I could have in a simplified fashion. I have always wanted a King's Cross set and a Leeds Central set, and it hasn't been possible to do so in model form. What about the coaling stage at Copley Hill, or Top Shed and the Met Shed at King's Cross?

Then of course there's the multitude of other minor stations and generic scenery that would be possible. Full length trains - and I mean full length trains - and smoke effects which aren't restricted to certain characters (e.g. Stephen as opposed Nigel, say).

The people I am working with are very talented at what they do, and the ideas being bounced around at the moment are very favourable.

The CGI models are going to be coloured and designed to match the artwork of the upcoming book very closely in style and colour, though of course the limitations of the software will eventually win out in some areas, as has the limitations of the models.

In an ideal world I would have had all the major characters scratch built, with smoke units, moving eye mechanisms, and in a bigger scale, but I'm a chap who earns a couple of hundred-ish each month from my adsense, and until this week was struggling for a job. Don't forget that these last episodes will take time, a lot of money, and great effort.

CGI is not the pot at the end of the rainbow; but I am well organized, I have a set vision, and I am determined to see it out and see what can be done. If it doesn't work, as I have said to several of my close friends, then the models will win out and we will return to normal viewing!

But if I do not try, then the series will never progress beyond the Copley Hill set, and that, more than anything, would be the thing which eventually kills it off. Evolution, not revolution, as they say.

Until next time!

"The Last Run"

2011-09-23T03:06:00.001-07:00

This last year has been something of an eye opener for me, in terms of how to manage a "brand" so to speak, the sheer frustration and anxiety of the publishing world, and perhaps the most heart warming thing: how many people sincerely feel affection for my characters, and the films they appear in.

Of course, in the background I am working with several people on creating a CGI trailer to relaunch the series on Youtube - that is some way off yet, and the time between episodes looks increasingly lengthy.

So after much self debate, and further thought, and a few helpful reminders (and badgering!) by a close friend...perhaps I should give the models their final run out. A proper send off for the Hornby, Bachmann and various other models which have done their bit on the Copley Hill set, through the ages.

So with that, I've come to a decision. One last, glorious "special" of sorts, chronicling the final days of the engines of Copley Hill, culminating in the "last run" by one particular engine.

The development of The Last Run starts here, and hopefully will bear some fruit before Christmas this year.

Until next time!

"Rant of the Week: Chimneys!"

2011-09-22T02:30:00.000-07:00

This week's rant of the week is double heading with some actual modelling - and would you believe, it's British Railways Eastern Region modelling this week! Huzzah!

So, for the rant: and to make this abundantly clear, the Bachmann Peppercorn A1 model is fantastic. None of the nine member strong fleet I own have been anything but exceptional runners, and have always looked very much like the prototype whilst maintaining a rugged, purposeful look as a model.

That is, in all but one area: the chimney. Bachmann decided, for reasons as yet unknown, to make the chimney a two piece moulding, where the top half is either the stovepipe or the rimmed chimney, and the lower portion is moulded into the smokebox.

I absolutely despise this arrangement. I loathe it! For me, it has been the strongest bug bear of any model I have owned, and for years I have put up with this strange look at the front end of my favourite locomotive class.

I can only ask "why" this arrangement was thought a good idea, when everywhere else you look, alternate chimneys on other models have been one piece mouldings straight onto smokeboxes. None of this two piece nonsense!

Well, I will put up with it no more! Thanks to Graeme King of the LNER forum, I am going to change all that, by replacing each and every chimney with a cast resin alternative. Graeme has provided for me at little cost, a total of twenty chimneys (and some spare/off cuts too) made out of resin.

My guinea pig for today's first event was old favourite, 60119, which was a renumbered model of 60114.

As you can see, the offending chimney is sliced in half, and this looks distinctly odd compared to photographs of the prototype. I disassembled 60119 down to the boiler, and pulled off the top of the chimney with a set of pliers (the top pops off quite easily), and then set to work filing down the moulded bottom half. In under a few minutes, you are left with this:

Careful fettling of the resin chimney to shape, and drilling out the holes, is vital for a good fit and authentic look.

Which leaves us with this. The smokebox was sanded down with wet'n'dry sandpaper prior to the final gluing down with a few drops of superglue - applied from inside the firebox after sticking the chimney down and into position with a little Pritt Stick. Surprisingly effective.

So the question is: was it worth it? Here's the side by side comparison of the unmodified 60114 against the modified 60119. I think it makes a great difference to the overall look of the front end.

I think it's a modification well worth the effort.

Only eight more A1s to go!

Until next time!

"Hornby 4VEP"

2011-09-15T04:13:00.000-07:00

What a nightmare morning.

Woke up to knock at door. A fantastic brown package (sadly no longer tied up with string, but still very welcome all the same!) containing the first unit for my planned end to end layout ("Sidcup").

A brand new Hornby 4VEP. I had been looking forward to this immensely, until I started reading the extremely informative RMweb thread on the 4VEP.

Cue panic. Can I really avoid all these extra pieces to make it look more like a 4VEP? Why weren't half of these done in the first place? Oh my god, it has traction tyres...?!

All of this, and more, were nothing in comparison to the very real sinking feeling I had this morning when I opened the 4VEP box and found that the coach which was meant to be the motorised one - wasn't! No motor bogie at all.

Panic ensured again. Rang Hattons - happy to have it returned and checked - and then I noticed the other centre coach was bowing outwards slightly...

Yep, the motor chassis had been inserted in the wrong coach. Panic over. Taking the bodies off to switch them round, I noted the lugs are really fiddly - I didn't break anything luckily, but it is not as easy as it says in the instructions!

By having the coach body on the wrong coach, my whole unit would not have worked, because as far as I can tell from looking at mine, and the instructions, the wires from the coach roof (where the DCC chip is meant to be fitted) have to be pressed into a socket in the motor compartment.

Mine wasn't: it was neatly stowed (just about) between the aisles of the seats in the wrong carriage. All of the coaches have wires in some form from the roof/body to their chassis, so it took five minutes of careful checking to make sure all was well once the switch happened.

Now that it's in one piece, working, and I have time to examine it - I'm actually a lot happier with it in the flesh than I thought I would be. But I can't find out where these "missing" door handles are. There's a single missing door handle on one side of the non-powered centre coach, but that's about it.

John M Upton's excellent modifications are something I am going to have a go on, and definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, a new set of wheels for the motor bogie. The traction tyres squeal when decelerating or accelerating, I cannot live with that forever!

So in conclusion - it's better in the flesh than it is in photographs. However, it does need a lot of remedial work - the bogies are all, as a chap on RMweb said earlier, "wrong" - but I'm feeling more confident about my ability to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse this morning after surviving the earlier shenanigans, and seeing John's modifications.

So I'll leave you with this picture - of my 4VEP with the route code "40" for Charing Cross-Dartford via Sidcup. Most appropriate, given its intended new home!

Until next time!

"Aloft"

2011-09-14T01:54:00.001-07:00

Yes, I've finally finished the attic conversion, and clearing up the majority of the rubbish! Video making now back in business. Lots to finish...!

Until next time!

"Rant of the Week: Bachmann Thompson Coaches"

2011-09-13T02:36:00.000-07:00

Just to emphasize: I actually really like the Bachmann Thompson coaches. They look pretty much like their prototypes, are well finished, cheap, and with some minor tweaking, run really well.

Well, to be fair, this rant is pretty petulant (!)

A month ago, there were five or six different types in the carmine and cream livery available on most of the box shifters' websites. I was broke, so buying any was not an option.

I am now not so broke, and wanted to buy a few for my various rakes. Are there any left? Just the brake coaches, of which I have plenty. The maroon ones - which are fairly out of period for the era I want to depict - are plentiful.

Drat, drat, and double drat!

It really does go to show that you need to buy the models when they arrive, otherwise you miss out entirely!

On the other hand, my painting skills are improving all the time, so I could just buy some of the maroon ones and give them a repaint...but with my clerestories and LMS suburbans sitting dutifully in the carriage works siding, awaiting transfers and final weathering, I think I'll pass on that for the moment.

Until next time - with a more relevant and thoughtful rant, perhaps!

"Reflecting Absence"

2011-09-11T01:34:00.000-07:00

Has it really been ten years? I remember it, clear as day.

The two German classes were in Mr Pollard's and Mr Chesire's rooms respectively, overlooking the old Quad. At about a third of the way through the lesson, Mr Pollard came to the door, ashen faced, telling us and Mr Chesire to come into his form room to watch the events unfold.

We were all around the age of 13 - I had turned 14 only two days before as one of the youngest in my year.

We sat, and watched the repeated footage of the first plane crashing into the North Tower. We would later be told it had been American Airlines Flight 11. Then the unthinkable happened. A second plane appeared - and disappeared - as it hit the South tower.

No one spoke for some time afterwards. With the replayed footage earlier, many of us had not really understood exactly what was happening.

Meanwhile, my father was working in his office at the Nat West offices in central London. He, and many other money market dealers, had been on the phone to people in both towers, and after the first plane had hit, the news channel had been switched onto the television which normally showed stock market shares. One dealer had called out for someone to "switch that bloody disaster movie off" before a round of angry responses silenced the dealer in question.

The whole Nat West office followed my father's lead - everyone on the phones was telling the dealers still there to get out of the buildings. They were literally screaming down the phones, "get out - go, get out, you're not safe", as the second plane hit. The man on the end of the phone to my father went silent. I was later told that he was one of the few to make it out alive of the South Tower.

The world seemed to turn on its head that day. When the bell went for break, everyone stayed in the old quad, talking quietly about the day's events.

We watched more of it later that afternoon, watching the towers collapse, the aftermath of several hours sustained fires in the building - and it was only when we saw the dust clouds rising over New York that it really hit home the seriousness of the whole damn thing.

The images in newspapers, magazines, on television and online later that day, week, month, year - were incredible in their subject, but at best devastating. The brave men and women of the New York fire and police services had lost a great many people who tried to save as many as they could. The damage, both in terms of the destruction, and the loss of life were there for all to see.

Two giant towers - 110 floors high - which had dominated the skyline in New York for nearly thirty years. All of us - bar the teachers - had grown up in a world where these buildings existed. The death toll was insurmountable, and fluctuated wildly in the weeks that followed.

66 British Citizens would perish in the attacks. 372 foreign nationals of around 56 nationalities also died. 2669 American citizens died.

The site of the world trade centre has a memorial garden, which is still at this point, under construction. The design has been described as "reflecting absence".

Reflecting Absence. A perfect dedication for the event which changed the world forever.

"Rant of the Week: Railway Preservation"

2011-09-04T04:17:00.000-07:00

This is all your fault Mr Walker! I really liked the idea of a "rant header" picture. So I'm nicking the idea and using a rather mad Sir Ralph Wedgwood as mine! (Which you penned, and extremely well at that!)

My rant this week generally relates to the sheer amount of diatribe that always gets aimed at 4472 Flying Scotsman - for those of you who haven't heard, the latest news as reported by a particular railway magazine is that 4472 won't now be in service until 2012. This has led to the Barrow Hill lineup of the four different classes of LNER designed Pacifics to be postponed until April next year.

My complaint is the manner in which this has all been reported. Generally it is not difficult to get a straight answer out of the National Railway Museum - they have been very upfront with all of the problems of the overhaul since it began, all the way back in 2006. It was never going to be a straightforward restoration: the locomotive has been utterly pulverized on the mainline, overseas, and on preserved railways for nearly fifty years now. That is before we take into account that the engine had a working life of forty-ish years before that, starting in 1923...!

It's by no means the same engine it was when built in 1923. It's had a plethora of boilers, probably replacement driving wheels, new chimneys, cabs, tenders and various other components and pipework that make up the entity known as 4472 Flying Scotsman. When bought for the nation by the National Railway Museum, she was a very tired engine even then - failing on her Scarborough trips every so often, until a decision to overhaul was made, and do it properly.

I've said it a few dozen times - this is the Rolls Royce of Rolls Royce overhauls. Everything is being checked, checked, and double checked, components are being renewed or replaced, and the whole thing is building up to what will undoubtedly be a fine locomotive which will earn its keep when completed. Yes, there have been setbacks - but would you prefer the setbacks now, before it is in service, or a Royal Scot style saga that ends up with the engine appearing "in service" before failing to turn a wheel for two years, and being dismantled for overhaul (again) so soon after...?

This particular locomotive is absolutely necessary for railway preservation. Forget the total cost of the overhaul (which people keep comparing to 60163 Tornado's cost to build - forgetting of course that Tornado's build was made artificially lower than it could have been through the various sponsors and goodwill of her covenators), remember that the ability of this particular steam locomotive to draw in crowds - wherever she goes - is something beyond the reach of many locomotives in preservation.

Yes, I'm calling it - railway preservation, particularly the smaller preserved railways, where she will undoubtedly visit in her first period of operation after this overhaul, absolutely needs her. 4472 will bring the visitors in their droves to these railways/centres/museums, and the simple fact is that she will almost pay for herself in her first period of operation, whilst directly benefiting many preserved railways simply through turning up.

So give the good people of the National Railway Museum, Ian Riley's Works, and the many more hard working volunteers besides, a break. They have worked unbelievably hard to overhaul a locomotive which by all accounts just kept giving up new and dark secrets of previous overhauls, and their dedication to the cause, which is the absolute gem in our railway preservation - a locomotive of immense beauty that touches the hearts of the general public in a way no other locomotive - bar perhaps Tornado most recently - has ever done.

Her importance to railway preservation as a talisman and figurehead should never be understated or underestimated, and we should all be sincerely grateful to those people putting her back on the mainline, and visiting a preserved railway near you sometime in the future.

That's why she's dual braked, after all.

Until next time!

"Turn and face the strange, ch-ch-ch-changes..."

2011-09-02T08:57:00.000-07:00

Oh dear. I returned from my trip away to find my attic room - where I film The British Railway Series, and more recently, the Hero of the Scales review series - had been completely overrun with a "late spring clean". In short: not only can I not actually get at the train set to film, I can't actually get in to sleep in my own bed, which used to rest in a corner of the room, but has apparently gone down the dump...!!!

So no videos for a week or two whilst I try and tidy up everything. It's going to be great when it's finished mind - I will even have room for my new layout, "Sidcup" on one side next to Copley Hill.

Until next time!

"The Roll of Honour"

2011-08-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

I came back from a brief holiday away in the South of England this week, and opened my inbox to find a beautiful selection of messages regarding the possibility of the first The British Railway Series book. The idea came to me that I could do a "roll of honour" which could highlight to a potential publisher the real, palpable desire for a book on the series.

I've received so many emails over the last month in that vein, that publishing them all in the intended roll of honour page on this book hasn't been possible thus far. But I will update the page every so often as I get around to reading all the emails. Here is the link: The Book Roll of Honour - which you can also visit by pressing the page tab above, too!

I can't reply directly to everyone - my apologies - but I hope by including your message on the roll of honour, and by answering a few general questions in a forthcoming blog regarding the potential book, that it will recompense everyone for the valuable time they took to write to me.

Suffice to say, I am very, very grateful, and a few of the more beautifully written emails really tugged at the heart strings a few times! Thank you so much to everyone who has written in thus far.

Until next time - when I'll be doing a Q&A on the book as it stands. Good night!

"The Booklist"

2011-08-27T15:23:00.000-07:00

Just a heads up to everyone - I have been away for a week, so if you've not heard back from me, RE signing up to the BRWS potential booklist, I am working on a separate new page for the blog - a "roll of honour" for those who have taken the time to write in and express their interest.

Watch out for the new page this week - I also hope to bring a few little surprises to the fore.

Until next time!

"To absent friends"

2011-08-18T04:31:00.000-07:00

In this day and age, you will meet someone on the internet in anonymity, and on those rare occasions when those pix-elated words on a screen actually becomes a human being, in the flesh, and you get on famously.

I am not ashamed to say that several of my closest friends I "met" on the internet - all through two railway related forums (go figure!) and to say that we take for granted this wondrous means of communicating with each other using only our fingertips on a keyboard is an understatement.

Over the last few days, one particular group of friends has suffered a blow. A very popular member of the forum died, at a very young age, and his bravery in the face of overwhelming odds is something that will last with me all my days.

Compare that, to the dismay and anguish when another of the group ups and leaves, and you are left wondering what more could have been done. Life can be brutal sometimes, and I am in no doubt that it is at its most brutal when you see the unfairness of a young life, lost, and the parting of a friend without reason.

In short, treasure your friends and colleagues, for life is too short to dwell on the bad times.

To absent friends.

"The 4th Anniversary of The British Railway Series"

2011-08-17T10:15:00.001-07:00

Has it really been four years?

So much has happened in that time.

Rest assured, the series is going to return to Youtube with new episodes.

But for now, enjoy the video and the revelations therein.

Thank you for watching.

Until next time.

"Win a Back to the Future Delorean!"

2011-08-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

Yes, this exquisite Back to the Future Delorean DMC-12 could be yours! I ship anywhere in the world, just lay in a comment on the video with your answer to the competition question.

Until next time!

"Three Days to Go"

2011-08-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

With three days to go, I am in real danger of losing it! I simply cannot find the original trailer that was uploaded in late 2006. It hasn't been lost entirely, I know its on the hard drive somewhere, just where exactly is the key!

It has been such a frustrating and busy week that I'm finding the stress levels - always ridiculously high at the best of times - to start affecting my writing. The riots in London - some of which could be seen first hand, in and around my area, and particularly visible, the damage in Croydon, which I drive through regularly, have been playing on my mind greatly.

The safety valve - normally modelling - has been halted while I carry out necessary work to insulate, and reorganize the lofts in which the Copley Hill set and my collection are stored. My hobby is without doubt, the one thing which calms the nerves, but it's been doing me no good this last month by any means!

Until next time.

"60500, Edward Thompson - Graeme King Build"

2011-08-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

There's something rather magical about Graeme King's modelling. The ability to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse - such as a commission he took on for me, making a Hornby Railroad A4 into a Gresley W1 last year.

This time around, it really is just amazing. I suggested to Graeme quite a while back that an A2/3 could be made from the latest Bachmann A2, and he agreed; he had been thinking on similar lines. We came to an agreement, whereby I would supply a Bachmann A2 for him to use as the prototype for a conversion kit, and I would in return get said prototype to add to my collection when done.

Over the coming months Graeme wove his magic to create this fabulous machine, which I christened Edward Thompson this morning.

The model uses most of the Bachmann A2 model, with the cab and front running plate removed, a smokebox extension ring added, Comet V2 valve gear, and various other details which complete the transformation. It's now available as a conversion kit, details of which you can find here - I am but a very grateful and delighted customer!

I haven't made my mind up whether it will go (as intended) into BR Dark Green or stay in apple green, but for the time being I am simply enjoying its presence on Copley Hill. Oh, and by the way - it gets round second radius curves without derailing. Simply brilliant modelling from Graeme, as always, and I get one more class to add to my Copley Hill stud that adds to the intended realistic atmosphere of the yard.

Did I mention we've had a brief discussion about a possible A2/2 conversion kit as well?

The one thing about this build which is hugely advantageous is that you can have one for roughly a third of the price of the PDK or DJH A2/3 kit, and it's been designed to be extremely simple to convert. I personally think the conversion is much more convincing than either of the aforementioned brands, but that's just one man's opinion!

Until next time!

"Project Copley Hill"

2011-08-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

Three Projects. Three Locomotive Characters. Three Aims.

One Shed.

THE BRITISH RAILWAY SERIES
Coming Soon, in Three Different Forms

Until next time!

"In the Archives...!"

2011-08-05T01:37:00.000-07:00

Stephen, The Wandering 1500, at the National Railway Museum. Dean Walker

I need something a little bigger than a 1TB HDD for my videos. I hate getting rid of footage, you never know when it'll come in useful. I currently have four HDDs with various amounts of BRWS footage and similar, and I never delete any of them. It would be criminal, should I actually make it big, not to have something for the blooper reel and to say "that's where I started...!!!"

So going through the archives this week has reminded me of a few serious bloopers. For example - when former team member Jason did the original subtitles for the second trailer on Youtube, way back in 2007 (when Allen was still actually intended to be "Arthur"), he misspelled the name to "Authur".

Then there was the original trailer itself. No faces. Looks really, really weird now. Lots of subtitling with phrases such as "the end of steam is nigh" and other really depressing catchphrases.

If it had been up to me, we would have gone into the series in 1948, with our lovely Holden B12 character at a famous museum, narrating the whole series and their stories to a few children, sat there listening at the marvel of a talking train!

The potential for this to be made to my vision now is steadily growing. "Project Allen" - the worst kept secret in the history of literature (and particularly if you look carefully at the artwork on this blog, and one other!) has shown the way forward in storytelling for me.

It has been a delightful creative exercise, but it meant for the first time in three years I dug out the original scripts I had written, and reworked them into something more meaningful and wholly more satisfying than the five first episodes on Youtube which were extremely hit and miss.

Soon I hope to share with you all the fruits of my labour, something tangible I can put my name to, with beautiful artwork and stories which go somewhere, teach you something, and entertain all in the same book.

So until next time, keep listening out for news of "Project Allen", and wait for the anniversary video on the 17th, where I am trying to cram in as much old/unused footage, "how to" segments, and a few new pieces of footage, all into one 10 minute Youtube video!

Until next time!

"A Birthday Surprise"

2011-08-03T07:22:00.000-07:00

So I got an email today from my artist - he's been doing some fabulous work recently that I hope you can all share in soon. Anyways, he's organized a bit of a surprise for me, and as it turns out, it is a really beautifully made poster to celebrate the series' 4th year (see above).

Dean Walker - he of NE Ramblings fame - and Zachery Ehlers have come together to create this beautiful poster, featuring Herbert on the left (by Dean), and Allen (in express passenger blue, drawn by Zachery) on the right.

To say I was a bit choked when I saw it is an understatement! To be thought of enough to warrant such a beautiful piece of fan fiction overwhelms me. I can only hope I can repay their kindness over the next few months as "Project Allen" continues apace.

Until next time - with under two weeks to go under The British Railway Series' 4th Anniversary. It promises to be a good one!

"The Countdown Begins..."

2011-08-01T12:22:00.000-07:00

To the right, you will see a countdown clock. On the 17th August, 2011, I will be releasing a video chock full of unseen BRWS footage from across the 17 Episodes and three specials I have made over the last four years, and I'll also be throwing into the mix a closer look behind the scenes on set.

I didn't celebrate either the second or third anniversaries, mainly due to the workload of university, but approaching the series' half decade, how could I not look back and see how far we've come in such a short space of time?

There will be updates to this blog in terms of look, there will be details on "Project Allen" to follow, and there will be a big change to the Youtube Channel, as I make the changeover to the "Cosmic Panda" channel interface.

Until next time!

"PW Staff Competition - Results Video (Trailer)"

2011-07-30T05:17:00.000-07:00

I'm still working on the video, but I thought you might like to see the gorgeous Fury, the sumptuous no. 22C01, and the ludicrous no. 701 in action to whet your appetites for what will be an assuredly fun, Top Gear styled video: ambitious, but rubbish!

Until next time!

"The PW Staff Comp 2010-11"

2011-07-20T15:48:00.000-07:00

From left to right: Gavin Rose, of The Railways of Sodor fame, in the middle is me (!) and on the right is Sean O'Connor of Sodor Island 3D.

On the 19th July, 2011, we finally finished The Permanent Way Forum Staff Competition, which was started on January 1st, 2010...!!! Our charges (from left to right, as per their owners) were Low on Money and Starving, Fury, Late and Never Early, Dawn Treader, and Slow Rail, Bulleid Baltic Tank 22C01.

Each model representing a different railway company, and a different way of doing things. Gavin's was historical, Sean's was a "might have been built" and mine was, as Sean put it, "a complete flight of fancy with some logical development of thought". Okay, that's not quite what he said, but that is my story and I am sticking to it...!!!

So now I am working on a competition video, which should show us and our engines competing in a series of challenges, Top Gear style, to see which would come out on top. After all - how hard could it be?

Until next time, goodnight!

"...what is it?" - Story of the Thompson R1

2011-07-15T06:00:00.001-07:00

"Well, that's blown it".

I was beside myself with despair. After months of building my staff project for The Permanent Way Model Forum Staff Competition (quite a mouthful!), my prepared entry, numbered 20,000 and named Eastern Eagle, suffered a catastrophic failure. Unable to source a replacement chassis in time, I looked around my spares box for whatever I could find, to make a new entry.

A Trix A2 bodyshell, parts of a Thompson B1 still extant from a K1 build which is ongoing, a double chimney, a spare four wheeled LNER bogie, and a tender drive chassis suggested I could make something from these off cuts and spares, which were otherwise going to be consigned to the spare parts bin for all eternity.

Then a glance in a charity shop, and the sight - for £15 - of a decrepit old Hornby 9F, had me thinking.

What about a Thompson 4-8-2? I started measuring up the A2 bodyshell against the 9F frames. It could be done. Lots of modifications to the running plate, and the front and rear portions of the frames could give me a 4-8-2 with the necessary cartazzi (flangeless, thanks to a spare set of flangeless Hornby wheels).

So it started to go together. I removed the rear driving wheels on the 9F chassis (I ended up replacing all of them, actually, given they were in some cases, not entirely round!), and started working on repairing the valve gear. I made some aesthetic changes to make the bracket look a little more Thompson like, and the result was as follows below:

Clearly the stovepipe chimney gave the locomotive a rather utilitarian feel, but the bufferbeam was not low enough. I decided to change both, and made the bufferbeam deeper while also fitting sprung LNER pattern replacements. The chimney was swapped for a rimmed alternative - as it was on the A3 Humorist for a short time - and I started working on a set of smoke deflectors to add to the look.

Some primer, paint and decals later, and my locomotive - in what will look like photographic grey, in black and white pictures - emerged:

The locomotive is numbered 701, with the wartime branding of NE on the tender, as per Thompson's renumbering scheme. 701 follows on directly from Gresley's prototype, no 10,000, as it was when it was renumbered 700 (and later 60700). The locomotive has a name - which hasn't been fitted yet, as the custom nameplates are yet to arrive (but I have seen the artwork for them and I am delighted with them).

Overall, I'm rather pleased with 701's appearance. The mixed traffic idea - fast fitted freight, but equally at home on passenger work, was to re-emerge with the Riddles 9F about twenty years later than I am dating my "never was" locomotive. Eight driving wheels for maximum adhesion, with a cartazzi and leading four wheeled bogie for smoother riding, along with a 250lb boiler and kylchap exhaust - it would have been a beast, to say the least!

Of course, some notable problems with the engine - it needs a Gresley A3 cab to truly be "Thompson-esque" (but I had none spare), and the banjo dome (pre-war style!) needs changing to either a round top dome, or a banjo dome. At the end of the day, it's been made in a little under six weeks, and I'm rather happy with the outcome.

Now for the Staff Competition, which is due to commence next Tuesday, with Messers Rose, O'Connor and Roberts in attendance with their own creations. For one, I am worried by the presence of a certain furious locomotive...but we'll see how it all goes, Top Gear style, in a future Youtube video!

Until next time!

"Hornby VS Bachmann Tornado Review"

2011-07-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

In short: it's in production and will be out by the end of the week, provided the Hornby model (which has arrived in Liverpool, apparently!) arrives in good time for filming.

Until next time!

"The British Railway Series - June Update 2"

2011-06-22T16:47:00.001-07:00

Portrait of Sir Ralph Wedgwood, by Dean Walker

Over the last two weeks, I've been doing some costings for Episode 18 of The British Railway Series, as it was originally intended, and the next episode of The British Railway Series, as I intend it to be, later this year.

Suffice to say, as originally intended, Episode 18 comes out much cheaper. Same old faces, same old models, new sets, new special effects, but still not quite there.

The one thing which has been gnawing at me, more and more, is how much better the series could do on Youtube, if its constituent episodes were brighter, better filmed, more animated, shorter and more compact, whilst retaining the history and entertainment values at its core.

So I started researching into new models. Not just any models - bespoke models of the characters that will do what I what need them to do, look "right" on screen, and above all sell the brand better on here, and on Youtube.

The first costing was wildly optimistic with a three figure sum in mind. And that was for a single engine. The actual cost for a 00 scale engine, complete with all the bells and whistles, tailored to suit my needs, is going to cost a hefty four figure sum.

So, there we have it. Either I find a way to bring the costs down, or I carry on as before.

The inherent problem with carrying on as before, is that I no longer have any inclination to. I do not want to settle for a few model trains on a small train set, being filmed from all angles whilst running Sidcup's least efficient smoke machine.

The whole look of the series worries me, because behind the scenes, "Project Allen" is progressing extremely well, and the artwork being created for it is something else. It captures the essence of the characters better than my own faces and models do!

So with that in mind, how could I possibly settle for more of the same?

The answer is, I won't. By hook or by crook, something will be worked out by the end of the summer.

Until next time.

"Railroad Tornado: We Fade to Grey"

2011-06-11T12:12:00.000-07:00

It all started with this review video:

I'd finished filming the review, and found that the right hand set of buffers - which are all plastic, moulded as part of the bodyshell - had been damaged in transit.

I was not very impressed with this aspect of the model. Whatever your thoughts may be of the moulded handrails, the model is clearly designed to be a cheap and cheerful representation of the new build A1. I could forgive the moulded plastic in all but the buffers, which were extremely flimsy.

I chopped the buffers off, and replaced them with sprung, LNER replacement buffers (ironically, manufactured by Bachmann!), as in the picture below:

But it occurred to me that I could go further.

In 2008, Tornado was first released for traffic. I will never forget my first meetings with 60163: firstly, outside the fence at Darlington, gazing at the unbranded, grey A1, and then the many happy days and evenings spent on the Great Central Railway, Loughborough, watching her on tests and hauling public trains.

So it then followed that I figured the Railroad Tornado - to all intents and purposes, closer to the real thing than the Bachmann Tornado - would be a perfect donor for a repainting back to her early days.

I had missed out on the TMC and Bachmann variants of the grey liveried Tornado deliberately, neither in the flesh captured the actual colour, which in the flesh, and in my photographs, betrayed a slight bluish tinge to the paintwork in certain lights.

So the thoughts progressed, and the hunt began on Thursday this week, for a suitable paint colour. I'm by my own admission, a great fan of acrylics, but whilst perusing my favourite model shop for paints for a different project, a small tin of paint, with a swatch below, caught my eye.

Revell number 49, "Light Blue" - it was grey, but with a bluish tinge. I looked absolutely perfect for a Tornado conversion.

So it began.

The tender body was removed from the frames, and rubbed down using some wet'n'dry paper, giving a smooth finish and removing the lining and lettering of the British Railways Apple Green livery. The wheelsets were removed at the same time, and both were taped up carefully using Tamiya masking tape.

The cab was also similarly treated. Both bodyshells were cleaned and dried, before masking up and moving onto the painting stage. Mixing two parts thinner, three parts paint, I carefully sprayed two even coats of Revell number 49 onto the bodyshell and tender.

The wheelsets followed shortly after, with two short, even coats applied over a ten hour period. The whole chassis had to be dismantled in order to remove the driving wheels - a word of warning, removing the valve gear and connecting rods before removing the driving wheelsets is advised. This prevents damage and makes the job of lifting them out much easier.

After allowing the components to dry, the tape was removed, and the components cleaned up. Gamesworkshops Chaos Black was used to paint wherever the no.49 paint had spilled over onto the areas of black, being brush applied, with two parts water to three parts paint.

Revell number 91, "Silver" was used on the cylinders, buffer heads, smokebox straps and door dart to represent the burnished nature of the real thing. These components were all painted through brush stroking, one part thinner to two parts paint.

The components were reassembled, the model tested to ensure perfect running had been retained (it had), and then I had time to pour a pint of bitter, and survey the results.

The result was, in my eyes, perfect.

The colour was spot on. It appeared darker, and more grey in certain lights, and bluish in others. David Elliot of the A1 Trust, had once said the original livery was an "eggshell blue" - and this choice of enamel paint matched perfectly to my memories.

For comparison:

I'm very pleased with this repaint, and can honestly say that I think Hornby have missed a trick with the Railroad version. Yes, the apple green is Tornado's main livery, but the Railroad model - deliberately plainer than its more expensive variants - looked distinctly odd with such a simplified version of the apple green livery.

The grey brings out the shapes and contours of the engine so much better - and it looks brighter, too. I can't quite explain it, but the model suddenly seems to have more presence now, than it did in its original form.

Of course, the stovepipe chimney will need changing to a rimmed one, to be truly accurate, but to say I'm happy with the results is an understatement. For months I'd felt a little down on my modelling, the quality was poor in my view, I wasn't improving as I wanted to be, and my confidence to complete my other outstanding projects was at an all time low.

Working on the coaches recently had helped somewhat (and an update for those will be forthcoming), but this simple repaint, and careful modification of the Railroad Tornado has done wonders for my enjoyment of the hobby. It's been so satisfying to sit back and remember those very happy memories though this model, and I dare say it'll form a part of my 2011 Challenge project sometime soon...

For now, I'm going to put the tools down, get out a few of those ubiquitous Hornby Mk1s, and have a play with it while the F1 qualifying plays in the background.

Until next time, thanks for reading...

Except that wasn't quite the end of the story...I noticed I had made a slight error on my model, and had kept the splashers grey. They were in fact, black, on the prototype, as this photograph will show:

And so, I duly modified my model accordingly:

I haven't decided yet if it will stay unlettered and unnumbered, as it was in Darlington in 2008, or whether it will take on its Great Central guise with www.a1trust.com on the tender, and 60163 on the cabsides. Either way, I feel it's a great improvement on a model that was lacking somewhat in the aesthetics, but certainly not the physical components.

Until next time!

"The British Railway Series - June Update"

2011-06-10T04:12:00.000-07:00

Portrait of Sir Ralph Wedgwood, by Dean Walker

So, it has now been, officially, nine months since the last The British Railway Series Episode. Where are we now, with the Youtube series?

One thing I regret about the filming of 17X is that I allowed certain pressures to get to me. Firstly, the demand for the next episode - always welcome, and I enjoy reading the comments back on the videos without a doubt.

But I self-imposed a deadline on myself to make the next episode count. 17X had a terrific storyline, three superb new characters (all of which came about as a consequence of 2009's BRWS Competition), and a much more rounded feel to the animation and cinematography.

For the last six months, I've been involved in a new series of videos - the Hornby VS Bachmann videos. These have allowed me to stretch my film making muscles a bit, have some fun, and reflect on the lighter things in life. That, and reliving portions of my childhood through the delight of the Thomas range!

All through making these, new ideas and thoughts as to the next step of The British Railway Series were developing. For example, the Bachmann Thomas & Friends range - and the virtues of 3D Printing - have awakened me to the possibilities of the videos. Moving eyes, working smoke generators, 3D printed faces and bodies for them to fit on.

In essence, the whole look of the series and its episodes could change radically, if I decided at this point I wanted to reinvigorate them.

And I have to say, I do. The models, and their faces, look tired. They have done for nearly a year. They looked fresh in 2007, but in 2011, the models with faces just don't cut it on the screen. It's not the best I know I can do. They're not bright enough, nor professional looking enough, despite the use of the many incredibly detailed models we have here.

So thoughts have turned to making the models from scratch. It wouldn't be easy, or cheap. Would it be worth doing to make the series work better for Youtube? I think so.

In fact, it's not just the character engines. It's the whole look of the videos, the way I film them, and their overall length.

The episodes have traditionally been two parters, of four to five minutes each. Later, when I was able to, they were always uploaded in their intended 11 minute format. That needs to change, for people to enjoy the characters more on Youtube, and certainly for me to enjoy making them. I no longer have the time or inclination to make long episodes, with drawn out plots.

Certainly, I want to continue the plots through the season, and I intend to do exactly that. There are dozens of stories left to tell. But the gut feeling I have is that, if I continue to develop the stories in this way, they won't be worth watching. It'll be more of the same, with the same problems.

Watching the teaser video I did with the Bachmann Spencer model, again and again, made realize that something rather powerful was missing from my videos. Image, a sense of purpose, less talking and more action! People want to see trains running. Episode 15, good and proper, was the last time I had a passenger train on screen, for gawd's sake...!

So with Project Allen progressing extremely well behind the scenes - those in the Facebook group will know what the worst secret on Youtube is at the minute...! The Youtube Series has taken a step back for the moment, and the review videos fill the void while everything gets thought through, researched, and then...by September (at the very latest!) decided on.

There will definitely be a new episode in 2011. Whether it is Episode 18, or something else, I can't yet say.

So, not much of an update this month then. My apologies. I want it to be so much more - but it's got to be right, and done right.

Until next time.

"Hornby Railroad Tornado - Review"

2011-06-06T03:35:00.000-07:00

“It's the best of British – a brand new, mainline steam locomotive for the 21^st Century”

“The A1 Trust's number 60163, Tornado, is now available in model form, from Hornby!”

“How will the Mighty Tornado fare in this model review, with tests on style, strength and SHEER POWER?”

First Impressions

In 2008, 60163 Tornado was released to traffic for the first time, running in on the Great Central Railway in her grey livery, before being painted in her most recognisable British Railways Apple Green livery.

The locomotive was the culmination of a shared dream: People who shared a vision, and were determined to turn it into a reality.

The engine has achieved super star status, appearing markedly in the national press as the star of Top Gear's Race to the North – and now, it has been immortalised by Hornby in three model variations to be released this year.

The first, and the subject of this review, is the budget “Railroad” range Tornado.

On receiving the model, the first thing I noticed was a little sticker applied to the handsome yellow and red packaging – a “DCC Ready” sticker. The box is the standard Hornby affair, though annoyingly it does not use the plastic inserts of previous Railroad models, regressing somewhat to the polysterene tray of previous years.

At a first glance, the bulk of the new build Peppercorn A1 is captured extremely well. Most notable are the roller bearing axle boxes on tender and engine, the shape of the cab roof – unique to Tornado – the placement of the A1 whistle (different from the original engines) and the plain stovepipe chimney.

On the front bufferbeam, the electric lighting and their lamp brackets are absent, but the holes for their placement are not, leaving three distinct square holes in the running plate. The hole for the vacuum pipe in the bufferbeam is also present, but no detail is provided with this budget model to fit.

A spare pipe can be fitted very easily to the front end, improving the look.

The handrails on the cab, tender and smoke deflectors are moulded onto the model, much like the Railroad Flying Scotsman model. The handrail for the boiler is separately fitted.

The buffers are not sprung, and are moulded onto the model. This is something of a disappointment as my example had some damage to the right hand buffer. The plastic is clearly not durable enough, and caution is advised when handling the buffers. If you are brave enough, as I intend to be, to fit new buffers, spare sprung buffers can be obtained from Bachmann of the correct LNER type.

The tender shares this type of buffer. Detail on the rear of the tender body is crisply moulded, though again there is no vacuum pipe, but a hole for fitting one remains present.

The tender is probably the strongest part of the model, capturing every single unique detail of Tornado's tender, down to the anti-slide plating on the water tank, to the cabinet of dials on the front. The spoked wheels are a joy to behold, and capture the prototype extremely well.

The connection between the tender and locomotive is a simple bar arrangement, with two holes for changing the gap between cab and tender. This means the tender, like the Bachmann Peppercorn A1s, does not have pickups of any form.

This is the first time I have seen this particular arrangement on a Hornby model, and I don't like it very much. It seems a rather flimsy arrangement, compared with the other other Railroad Pacifics plug in connection.

The cab is also moulded very well, entirely in plastic and as part of the injection moulded bodyshell. Two cab seats are provided, one either side. The cab roof, though relatively plain, is a very accurate presentation of the prototype's different curvature to the roof.

The chassis is a very familiar affair, if you are familiar with Hornby's other Pacifics in their Railroad and Super Detail ranges. The cartazzi wheelset – the two small wheels under the cab – are flangeless, allowing the model to negotiate tight curves with ease. A relief for my tiny trainset!

The wheels have plastic centres, with metal rims pressed onto them. The only real complaint here is the colour of the plastic – it does not match the green of the bodyshell very well.

When lined up alongside two Bachmann Peppercorn A1s, the differences are clear. The top engine is Bachmann's W.P. Allen model, and the bottom is Bachmann's own model of Tornado, first released in 2010.

The first obvious difference between the three models is the application of their liveries. The Railroad is a budget model, and has a much simplified livery. The white/black/white lining of the prototype is reduced to simple white lining on the locomotive, and to white/green/white on the tender.

The extensive red lining on the running plate, and frames of the locomotive and tender have also been excluded. The overhead warning stickers are also absent.

At the front end, the white lining on the bufferbeam has also been excluded. For a budget model, this is understandable.

The nameplates are printed onto the smoke deflectors and are easily legible. The cabside numbers and British Railways branding on the tender are neatly applied too.

More disappointingly, no silver paint has been applied to the smokebox – one of Tornado's most recognisable features are her burnished smokebox straps and handrail, and to some extent this changes the “face” of the model somewhat. The very prominent chime whistle Tornado carries behind her right hand smoke deflector is there, but is both unpainted, and very plainly moulded.

This is a very minor quibble with an otherwise excellently painted model. The livery application is crisp and sharp, the model looking smart regardless of its much simplified livery.

Haulage Capacity

Each model has to pull a train of coaches, the standard coach being used for this test the ubiquitous Hornby Mk1 coach.

The weight of one Hornby Mk1 Coach is 5 ounces, roughly 140 grams. The Railroad Tornado weighed in at ounces, approximately grams, and its tender weighed in at ounces, approximately grams.

The model, according to Hornby, utilises a 3-pole motor, not a 5-pole one. It did not seem to make much of a difference, as the Tornado model was both quiet, smooth running, and powerful. 14 coaches were pulled on the level without any problems.

The only misgiving I have is the front bogie. Like all the Pacifics in the Hornby range, older types of pointwork seem to give these trouble. The Railroad Tornado derailed twice whilst conducting this test. Aside from that, it is a terrific model.

Recommended Retail Price

The recommended retail price for the Railroad Tornado model is £76.99. In comparison, the cost of a full spec A4 Pacific is now reaching the £140 mark, whereas the high spec Tornado model (not yet released) is £92.99. Until that model is released, it's fruitless to ask whether or not the Railroad model is value for money against it.

However, it is definitely value for money against the Bachmann Tornado model, with an RRP comparable to the Hornby A4s, of £141.95 – the next batch of these models will be released towards the end of next year.

Overall, I'm sold on the virtues of the Railroad range – affordable, well performing models that look enough like their prototypes to delight and entertain any child or railway enthusiast on their train set.

So on that bombshell, it's time to end – until next time, thank you for watching!

The British Railway Series - Playlist Page"

2011-05-31T15:46:00.000-07:00

In working on the separate blog for the Thomas Model Reviews, I've come across an upgrade to the normal blog design that works really rather well. So well, I am going to be incorporating a British Railway Series Playlist page to this blog.

More on it as I work on it!

EDIT: Here's a link: The Playlist Page - will make more edits to the page in due course.

Until next time!

"All change!"

2011-05-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

If you're a regular visitor to my blog, you'll notice all the Hornby VS Bachmann posts have gone!

This is because they now have their own dedicated blog, named "Hero of the Scales" (groan!) found here.

Go over and check it out - and for the fans of the videos, posting on the individual blog entries is enabled to allow you to vote and give me valuable feedback.

Until next time!

"Flying Scotsman: The People's Engine Restored"

2011-05-25T09:58:00.001-07:00

The above image is linked from the National Preservation Website. It's not my copyright, but a photograph taken by Ian Riley, the man in charge of overhauling her boiler, and many other components besides.

It's been a long time, getting from there to here...but her time is finally near.

4472, Flying Scotsman, albeit, in wartime black livery for her running in trials, and the nunbers 502/103 on different sides of the engine. She looks utterly amazing.

Well done to the NRM, Ian Riley et al, for what is simply a top notch restoration. I am sure this is going to be a spectacular year, with one of each of the four Class "A" machines lining up some day soon...

Until next time!

"Dark Green Beauty - 60163 Tornado"

2011-05-15T14:13:00.000-07:00

I had a great day out meeting two very important people at the National Railway Museum, York.

And lo and behold - look who else was there!

60163 Tornado, looking particularly stunning in her freshly applied dark green paint.

Enjoy - until next time!

"The British Railway Series - Update"

2011-05-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

Portrait of 60114, W.P. Allen, by Dean Walker

Recently I asked a chap by the name of Dean Walker if I could commission a few pictures from him, towards making some charity prints later in the year. He agreed, and the above is a small section of a larger painting. His work is absolutely phenomenal - please look out for it on Deviantart.

So many people have asked me about Episode 18, the book, the website, and general ambitions for the series, that I felt it prudent to give an update of some form!

Episode 18 is still on the cards, but is a highly ambitious - and to date, incomplete script, that I would like to produce as the next The British Railway Series short film, by the end of 2011. With any luck, I should be able to divulge a few more details on the special, by the end of July, which is my self-imposed deadline for scripting and story-boarding.

The one thing I can make clear about the short film, is that we're looking to change the look of the characters significantly, as a result of remodelling the faces.

These faces are still very much in the early stages of development, and are being created by Richard and Sean, the admins of Sodor Island 3D. The above photograph shows one of the prototype Stephen faces, being tested.

The faces will remain static, but there will be a greater range of expressions for all the characters, new and old. Please feel free to write in and tell me what you think of the above face, at the copleyhill@live.co.uk blog.

On the series' Facebook Group, I posed a question: What type of locomotive would you like to see in The British Railway Series?

The response was sterling, a total of fifty six of the members of the Facebook Group responding, the top three locomotive classes coming from three different regions. The first placed locomotive type was the Great Western Railway Castle Class, the second was the Southern Region Bulleid Pacific, and the third was the Eastern Region, Thompson A2/3 Pacific.

It was all done for fun, of course, but you never know...perhaps Pendennis Castle, 249 Squadron and Edward Thompson will make an appearance one day!

Lastly, there's been a few rumours going around that I am writing a book, and even more rumours as to who I've employed as artist. I won't confirm or deny the rumours, but it has been hilarious to read the emails sent to the copleyhill@live.co.uk address. Some have been so wildly off the mark, it's unreal.

One email, however, summed up the situation perfectly: "Of course, you won't tell us if something is happening until it's actually happening".

Yes indeed! And on that bombshell, I'll bring this blog post to a close. Thanks very much for those of you keeping tabs on The British Railway Series, and sending in all your lovely emails and Youtube mail.

Until next time!

"4492, Dominion of New Zealand"

2011-04-16T04:39:00.000-07:00

Some real trains for a bit! 4492 Dominion of New Zealand (in reality 60019, Bittern, masquerading as her long scrapped sister) pulls out of King's Cross station this morning, in her freshly applied LNER Garter Blue livery. Note the "Coronation" livery touches - stainless steel numbers and letters, chroming lining along the valances, silver letters on the front bufferbeam.

Until next time - more coaching stock to finish painting up!

"Midland Region Suburbans, Part 1"

2011-04-11T02:30:00.000-07:00

From this, a very dark liveried London Midland & Scottish Railway suburban...

...to this, a British Railways Carmine liveried example:

The coach was disassembled into its constituent parts: roof, glazing, seating, coach body and frames.

The lining and lettering on the coach body was removed using careful application of nail varnish remover, on a cotton bud. Wet'n'dry paper was used to clear up the residue.

The coach was undercoated with a layer of white acrylic (Skull White), followed by cream (Bleached Bone), and a layer of my own Carmine mix on top, to match the GCR Clerestories.

This was then sealed with Gamesworkshops' Purity Seal spray.

The roof was painted separately, once again undercoated with a layer of Skull White, and finished off with Railmatch's BR Roof Grey enamel, after the acrylic had dried thoroughly after six hours. In retrospect, it hasn't actually changed the colour that much, and I am considering leaving this stage out for the other coaches.

On the frames, the original plastic wheels were removed in favour of Hornby's standard metal disc coach wheels. Cheap, and simple to fit. I checked the back to backs and found one set that was out. This was carefully change with a pair of calipers and some pliers.

The coach was then snapped back together. It is currently awaiting transfers - I now have another two to finish off in a similar manner.

Until next time - where I hope to have all the suburbans in both the ex-LMS and ex-GCR rakes finished, complete with transfers and couplings.

"Project Allen"

2011-04-10T04:58:00.000-07:00

Today marks the determined continuation of a new project - codenamed Project Allen. This has been worked on, on and off, for the last three years, and with today's events, is finally getting somewhere.

These are the stories we tell, after all...

Until next time!

"Talented People"

2011-04-06T11:03:00.001-07:00

Just been browsing some drawings I've been sent, and suffice to say, the quality of their detail, perspective and overall look are just incredible.

The artist in question managed to leave me speechless for the first time in a while about a week ago, with a drawing in a certain thread on the Sodor Island Forums. The quality of the artwork is of such a high standard, I've started talking to the artist in question with some interesting prospects, such as a new print for a charity event, in the future, amongst other possible collaborations.

To that end, some things are going to pick up on the front of a certain The British Railway Series. After all, these are the stories...

...until next time!

"Hornby Clerestory Conversions - Part 6"

2011-04-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

The Clerestory project continues apace, with the painting and finishing of one more coach, and a third into the carmine livery. I still have the roof to do on the third one, whilst the second has had its roof (with seven, not eight vents!) fitted, and I am awaiting the necessary transfers to finish the first two off before weathering.

A little change I made to the second coach (but not the third), was the implementation of a light coloured undercoat - in this case, a standard Gamesworkshops cream paint, namely Bleached Bone, on the advice of a friend. He was absolutely spot on in his assessment of the first coach, the carmine paint came out much brighter on the cream undercoat of the second coach (the first had two undercoats of black followed by brown.

The third coach was painted as per the first coach, however. Why? The fourth coach will be painted the same way as the second. I want to weather and rub them all down a little, and variation in shades is more prototypical from that I have observed of the books and photographs I have seen recently. The lighter colour is more correct, certainly, but the variation adds to the look, and hopefully makes these pseudo GCR coaches look a little more "real" as opposed nicely repainted old Triang Toys!

Until next time, when I'll be tacking a set of Triang "Thompson" coaches (or Mk1s with coach sides, as I should have known previously...!!!)

"Hornby Clerestory Conversions - Part 5"

2011-03-28T14:58:00.000-07:00

The first of the Hornby Clerestory conversions is nearing completion.

The roof has had very little done to it, apart from removing the beading and other related pieces, and carefully reworking the clerestory ends to look squarer and more GCR looking.

The torpedo vents were then added, and the roof finished off in Railmatch's [i]Roof Grey[/i]. The result is as follows:

The next job will be adding glazing - I may, for ease of build, just refit the older plastic panels, but I have seen an idea on a another forum that I may give a go with a scrap coach or two, as practise, before moving onto these if all goes well...!

Until next time, when I hope to have the three coaches physically complete, save for transfers and final varnishing.

"Hornby Clerestory Conversions - Part 4"

2011-03-27T14:47:00.000-07:00

The next stage in the Clerestory build was trialing various shades of British Railways Carmine paint. I've settled on this shade, which is my own mix, making it up as I go along with various acrylics. I did try Railmatch's enamel paint, but didn't like the finish particularly.

I have, under advice from a few chaps at the Gamesworkshop in Bluewater (where I get all my acrylic paints for mixing up), undercoated the coach in Scorched Brown, on top of a base coat of Chaos Black. The result is that seen below.

My shade has been made up from a roughly 4:1:1 mix of Red Gore, Chaos Black, and Scorched Brown in that order. I'm in two minds on the shade - on the one hand, I think the evenness of this paintwork is debatable (having an off day with the airbrush), on the other hand I'm rather pleased with the shade, though I'm not sure it's quite there for a perfect shade of carmine.

The lighting hasn't helped in my overall opinion of it, though I feel this photograph best represents the shade I've created.

Until next time, when I will hopefully be tackling the roofs with some torpedo vents, and finishing the rake off with transfers and weathering.

"The Return of the Flying Scotsman"

2011-03-25T16:47:00.000-07:00

It's not often I gush - but wow! Ian Riley's works have done a terrific job on the boiler of 4472 Flying Scotsman. The above photograph comes from the 4472 Twitter account.

Seeing it looking so complete is truly a joy to see. The last time I saw this engine in the flesh, it looked a very tired steam locomotive.

Reborn from the ashes, some might say. Here's to the NRM and all who've worked on 4472 - job's a good 'un!

Until next time!

"Hornby Clerestory Conversions - Part 3"

2011-03-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

The first of two packages I was waiting for, arrived today. They contained a few packs of Bachmann's standard round headed sprung buffers, and a pack of Hornby's standard disc wheels for coaches. Both were extremely cheap (a pound a pack!!!), and as this is being done on a budget, gratefully received.

The buffers are not correct by any means. The reason for my thinking here is thus. These coaches are going to be used as background coaches in my films, and will be bashed around a bit. I therefore went for a set of buffers I knew were durable enough to survive a few rounds of filming with me! They don't look too bad actually, and when compared to the original style Hornby buffers :blink: They look magnificent by comparison! :lol: They work very well too, nicely sprung and simply fitted into the existing holes without massive amounts of filing and drilling.

So this is the state of play with the first coach as it stands. I'm waiting on my second package, from Dart Castings, containing the necessary torpedo vents to fit to the roofs. Still in two minds on the roofs, am thinking it through and working out the cost of making new ones, if that's the route I feel I need to go down to make them look better.

Until next time, thanks for reading.

"Hornby Clerestory Conversions - Part 2"

2011-03-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

The next stage to the GCR Clerestory story, has been removing the curved Great Western style grab handles, on the outside of the doors. That was done with a scalpel, and some wet'n'dry paper, followed by some light brush strokes of black primer to check the smoothness of each area before progressing.

The roofs have also been filed down on each of the three coaches I am working on, and after a fairly abortive attempt at building it up to make the GCR curved profile, I'm back to square one and currently open to discussions on how best to do it.

The bogies have been shorn of their tension lock couplings, and look much better. The Hornby buffers have been removed off both ends of each coach, and overall, while they are looking very drab at present, they are starting to look a little more GCR and a little less GWR!

Final pic for the evening, my little production line of three coaches - the fourth is being held up as a "before and after" style piece, before being converted in the same manner as the current three.

For four coaches I bought from the Loughborough Model Centre, two and a half years ago now, for a ridiculous £15 the four, they are proving to be useful acquisitions, and certainly helping me build a little confidence towards modelling once more.

Until next time!

"Hornby Clerestory Conversions"

2011-03-20T17:10:00.000-07:00

After a little prompting from a few friends on the LNER Encyclopedia forum, I've started work on modifying some Hornby Clerestories I got on the cheap into some pseudo Great Central Stock, to eventually go into carmine livery.

So here is one of the coaches before:

And here it is after its been stripped back, tension lock couplings removed, and the roof filed down to the correct style:

I'm currently scouring the net for a source of roof vents suitable to fit onto the roof, but as yet haven't found anything. The next photo shows the difference in the roofs: I filed down the plastic vents and edging to smooth it out, Great Central style.

Have ordered some paint - these will be going carmine (according to a chap on the forum, the last ones were condemned in 1958, so a few most have had it), and will be painted, weathered and fitted with three link couplings, as an exercise and overall guinea pig in some techniques for future models.

Until next time - hopefully with a matching set!

"Charity Auction Piece Arrives!"

2011-03-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

I was delighted to hear from the winner of The British Railway Series Charity auction this week - including a photograph and note to show the canvas print (complete with my signature) had arrived safely.

Hi Simon,

Thanks very much for the chance to win this one of a kind canvas. I'm delighted to own a collectors item, and help two worthy charities. This will always have special place in my room, and will be even more meaningful when I get my own layout started!

Regards,
*****

I was very touched to get such a lovely thank you note from our top bidder, whose high bid for the canvas print helped myself and Ryan Hagan of the Sodor Island Forums donate some money to the Corris Railway Falcon Appeal, and The Railway Children Charity.

Who knows, that canvas print might be worth something one day...!

Until next time!

"Codename: Industrial Saddletank - Update"

2011-03-11T06:04:00.001-08:00

Sean's done a little more work on the front end - sadly we've both been busy with various other projects, but Sean is quietly confident we'll have a pre-production sample for tinkering with very soon. Note, the smokebox surround, reworked smokebox door, handrail and the running plate, all much improved from my original concept model.

Until next time!

"End of the line"

2011-03-08T14:06:00.000-08:00

Every so often, my father will climb the stairs to the loft, where Copley Hill lies, and ask me to put on "his engine".

He does in fact own a lot of models, mostly stored away from the house on a shared layout, but there's one we keep here because it's been his favourite since he was a boy.

Triang-Hornby, no.4472, Flying Scotsman. You know the one I mean - red sticker nameplates, thick pizza cutter wheels, a glowing firebox, and moulded handrails everywhere.

We'll run it for about ten minutes in admiration, as the old model pulls away with a trainload of coaches. No running in, no checks, it just gets put on and runs away with it all. Standard affair, the only model we've ever really relied on to do the job without fuss.

However, yesterday was its last day. Groaning to a halt, it gave up the ghost and that was that. Brushes worn beyond belief. Wheels worn, and valve gear rickety. Yet, working it out in my head, this model had been pushed beyond its original design remit and then some for nearly fifty years.

Fifty years. You will be lucky to get a modern equivalent I reckon. Fifty years.
Never quite seen my dad so choked up. "Fifty years...and no more" he said, before picking it up gently and putting it away in its drawer.

It was a good thing then, I had been stocking up on parts to use on the model, and...well...I've started fixing it. First was the replacement valve gear, which, even though its the older design, still looks the part overall:

Let's just say his father's day present this year is going to be a breeze.

Until next time!

"Thank You South Eastern Trains"

2011-03-06T04:21:00.000-08:00

This blog post is dedicated to the hard working, and often, beleaguered workers of South Eastern Trains, who, as yesterday proves, are not all jobsworths that the media often portray them as.

I picked up my girlfriend Charlotte at about 5.25pm yesterday from Sidcup Station, and we made our way to the cinema with a few friends. On arrival at the cinema, Charlie was distraught to find she had left her handbag on the train, containing all the usual essentials.

One phone call to my mother - who was in the vicinity of the railway station in question - and it put into motion a frankly impressive turn of events. Firstly, Sidcup station staff searched the platforms and related car park of Sidcup station, whilst also phoning ahead to Gravesend Station - the train Charlie had been on, was now heading for Gravesend, where it was promptly searched by members of Gravesend Station staff, a South Eastern Trains guard, and several members of the British Transport Police.

The handbag was found, and held at Gravesend while my mother and sister raced down there to collect it.

I on the other hand, was consoling a fairly distraught Charlie, and was much relieved to hear the bag had been found - complete, with all her various items still in it.

It just goes to show you, that although the trains may on occasion be late, South Eastern Trains do care about their customers, and the swiftness of the action they took is not only very gratefully received, but much appreciated too.

In short, thank you South Eastern Trains, from myself and Charlie.

Until next time!

"45742, Connaught"

2011-02-25T14:29:00.000-08:00

Was experimenting with some weathering techniques on my repainted Jubilee, 45742 Connaught (nameplates ordered and to be fitted when they arrive).

Overall I wanted the weathering to look darker and grimier than I've done previously, but my experiment hasn't really worked. However, the real coal in the tender does look the part better than the moulded coal, even if it's a little higher than it should be.

See what you think - it needs nameplates and front piping to finish, and maybe a going over with the airbrush again!

Until next time.

"Codename: Industrial Saddletank"

2011-02-25T10:26:00.000-08:00

It started, as all grand ideas do, over a beer in a pub. I am currently working on a venture with a friend, and our discussion which started over said beer, whilst on a trip to York, is starting to come together with very serious discussion and much thought on the way in which we proceed from this point on.

I have become increasingly fed up of plastic kits, designed for railway modeling, which look easy enough for the beginner to the hobby, but ultimately end up proving rather poor in practice.

Therefore, our first thought turned to a simple bodyshell kit, which could simply replace that on a "ready to run" chassis, most likely the "Railroad" small tank engines, that could be simply plonked on, and painted, to the delight of its young owner.

I firmly believe the future of this hobby, in modeling, lies in allowing the youngest members the ability to try their hand at things like painting, and putting together kits, and if they are introduced to plastic kits which break, warp, or are otherwise difficult for the average modeler to put together, they will be turned off the hobby altogether.

Sean and I thrashed out a business plan of sorts (which is always being revised to reflect our observations on the various forums, and magazines we read), and we have reached the stage where we are - separately, for the time being - designing and producing a "proof of concept" bodyshell to see if our theory can bear some fruit. Sean is developing a traditional outline Saddletank, to fit on one particular chassis, and I am developing a more quirky model to fit onto another chassis.

So, we went for a change in medium, that you will have seen on these pages before. 3D modeling, using Google Sketchup, a surprisingly powerful program considering it's completely free (the full package does have a cost to it, but for the purposes of this proof of concept test, this will do for now).

The idea is simple - a "Ready to Plonk" bodyshell to put onto a "ready to run" that will offer some customization for younger modelers, wanting to add something different to their growing collection of model trains.

The chosen test subject to start me out in 3D modelling was a Vertical Boiler Tank (VBT) engine, Musketeer: a Sentinel steam locomotive. The bodyshell has been designed in this "proof of concept" to fit a ready to run chassis - the standard Hornby 0-4-0 (on which the Holden bodyshell usually resides).

The reason for choosing this one was simple - it is readily available, and everyone and their mother has had one at some stage of their early modeling career. Not only that - I had one to hand to measure up!

So, bearing the above in mind: a disclaimer. The illustrated 3D model was in no way 100% accurate. In order to fit the Hornby 0-4-0 chassis, the proportions of the prototype have been stretched in several areas - length of running plate and height of bonnet most noticeably. I had however tried to keep to the measurements in everything else, including the leaf springs/oil pots/bufferbeams/and so on.

This was also my first 3D model - ever! So mistakes are likely and not unexpected. However, accuracy was not the point of this model - it was to see if the idea had merit, and could be taken beyond the 3D design stage.

To start with, I modelled the running plate:

It has been measured and designed to fit exactly onto the Hornby chassis. At this stage, I saved the running plate as a separate item - it could in theory be reused for other projects as a template for how it all fits together on that particular chassis.

The leaf springs - extremely crude I might add, as this is my first venture - are at least, in overall size and proportions, close to the real thing. However, the best way to learn is to try, and with the attempt at the Sentinel, I feel I have experienced a great deal of problems along the way that I have, for the most part, overcome.

The next job was to add the cab - whose proportions are correct in height and width, but not in length, due to the fitting of this bodyshell to the chosen chassis.

After this, it was a case of creating the "bonnet" to fit on top of the running plate. This is where the model really suffers - to clear the motor, the bonnet had to be made taller, thus changing the proportions of the cab to bonnet quite significantly. In retrospect, by raising the cab roof a little more, the overall look would have been better (but significantly out of scale in height).

Colouring the model (as below) shows up the proportions compared to the real thing even more.

However, accuracy was not the fundamental point of this 3D model. It was to prove that a bodyshell can be designed and manufactured, at a reasonable cost, to offer younger modelers a way in which to customize their models, and learn how to paint, at a very basic level. In some respects this proved a model could be designed to fit on a chassis, however in order to test the theory further, we had to change tactics a little.

The next stage would be to create a simple kit, to be put together with plastic cement or similar, that would give a decent success in building up the confidence of a young modeller.

This as an exercise into how to 3D model for the first time, had opened my eyes to what can be done, and the limits of the exercise. The next stage was choosing the prototype to follow through with a prototype bodyshell, and following the same stages as outlined here in the development of the VBT Sentinel.

We decided after some basic market research, that our attention should be turned into producing a pair of shunting engines: one steam, and one diesel, as our first kits for young modellers.

The bodyshells would be designed to fit onto an existing ready-to-run chassis, in order to provide a way of customizing a model and also allowing exploration of building, painting and finishing a locomotive for a model railway.

The Sentinel appealed to me greatly as it looks very different, unusual and very unique - the light blue paintwork I picked (taken from my photographs of Musketeer, the locomotive we based the original mesh on) was striking and gave the mesh a certain appeal.

In this respect, if we were trying to produce an all singing, all dancing, ready-to-run locomotive then I'd be looking over the plans for the little geared engine much more closely. I can fully understand why Model Rail picked a Sentinel themselves - the locomotives have a certain "Je ne sais quoi" about them.

However, given that our intended market will have little knowledge of the prototype, but recognize various forms of tank engine, we decided to change our chosen prototype for our first steam model to something more conventional looking than the Sentinel VBT. However, never rule out the possibility of seeing it reappear amongst the pages of this blog...

Sean and I spent several months discussing the choice, and throwing ideas into the mixing pot and thinking it through. We looked at what was available, and what wasn't, and what sort of chassis would be most likely to suit a bodyshell kit for a beginner to the hobby. We ended up back at the standard Hornby 0-4-0s quite often, and finally made a decision to get some drawings of a particular type of locomotive, and take a few photographs in order to develop a first new mesh.

However, we wanted to make sure we had plans for the future, and the above picture shows this forward thinking to a degree. A great deal of care and attention to get it to this stage, though it looks simplistic in the extreme, and very plain.

This is what I have termed the "template". This template has been designed to fit the standard Hornby 0-4-0 chassis (with cylinders). It is basic enough so that - if we deem it necessary - we can sculpt a variety of different styles of steam locomotive on top, thus increasing the scope of the range, whilst also offering variety in our products.

The above picture shows my initial (rough) render of our proposed steam engine bodyshell kit. It is a simple industrial shunter, based on a Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST. It's not one hundred per cent accurate to prototype, as it has been designed to fit onto the Hornby 0-4-0 chassis (and therefore there is a little stretching in the proportions, although not as much as I had initially feared). It is based on a few scale drawings, and several hundred photographs I found of the Hawthorn Leslie locomotive in question!

The way Sean and I have decided on developing the meshes is as thus: I design and create a basic bodyshell, minus details, that will fit onto a specific chassis, rendered in Google Sketchup. Once satisfied with the overall dimensions and proportions, I send the mesh onto Sean who uses it as a further template for one with better detail.

Sean has already begun the process of transferring the basic details, measurements and style of the Hawthorn Leslie engine into a new render:

There's a lot to do here - the chimney will need reprofiling, the smokebox surround is missing, the wingplates are not quite the right shape, and of course there's the handrails and similar to take into account.

The back sheet to the cab is being made as a separate item. This will allow us to make different variants for modellers to customize their basic bodyshell further, and it also allows modellers to get at the cab for painting and detailing purposes.

Overall the project has given me greater insight into the trials and tribulations of model railway manufacturers: though admittedly on a much smaller scale, and done in one's spare time rather than as a business...yet.

In these next few weeks, Sean is working on the next stage of the mesh's development, so hopefully we will have a little more to show and develop in the next update. Certainly we are looking to have some test builds finished around the middle of March.

Of course, the first physical prototypes will show up some areas of improvement - once we've fixed those, we'll make a second wave of prototypes, and all being well, we'll look at putting the bodyshell into production. Of course, a saddletank is nothing without a train for it to pull...watch this space on that count.

Until next time.

"The Bluebell Railway Campaign"

2011-02-17T16:29:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine, Chris Eden-Green, has produced the above video to help support the railway he volunteers for - and a cracking railway it is, the famous Bluebell Railway.

Here's a few words on their campaign courtesy of Chris:

"The Bluebell Railway is currently extending back towards East Grinstead, however, the council tip between Imberhorne Lane bridge and Hill Place Farm blocks the route. In order to complete their extension, the railway must remove all the waste from this site. To do this the railway must raise £2.2 million by the end of this year, or else the cost will rise dramatically".

"To find out more, or to donate, go to:"
http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk

"Please give whatever you can, ever little bit will count!"

Until next time - Bluebells Forever! :)

"Class 29, D6130"

2011-02-15T15:30:00.000-08:00

The class 29 is starting to take shape - it is destined to become a two-tone green example, D6130, which was seen at Dundee Tay Bridge on occasion.

There's very little I have had to do to the model other than fit the etched (shawplan?) windows, which greatly improve the look of the cabs, then re-prime and paint using Railmatch British Railways Locomotive Green.

I have only done one yellow warning panel so far, and it needs stripping really and starting again, it's too thick but I think the shade is okay. Certainly it'll be different once it's under weathering anyway!

Overall I am loving this model. I need to do the band of green, and strip of grey for the full livery, source transfers and glazing, but other than that, this class 29 is coming along nicely and I have had very little to do with it as a project!

Until next time.

"Tale of the Tay - Update 1"

2011-02-10T02:40:00.000-08:00

First up, some news on Tale of the Tay, the eighteenth episode of The British Railway Series, numerically. Scripting is almost finished, with a run through in the next week or so in storyboard form, and currently I am piecing together designs for the sets (there are a significant number of one-off sets to be made!), and the character list has been finalized.

The engines appearing with speaking roles will be Tavish, Clan Stewart, Ben Alder and D6130, whose name will be revealed closer to the episode's airing.

The story is set at Dundee Tay Bridge MPD in early 1960, with Tavish complaining of always being interrupted before finishing a story. In that respect, it follows on from his role in Fowler's Ghost. Tavish then tells the literal tale of the Tay, and the disastrous consequences of the night of December 28th, 1879.

It promises to be an absolute thriller, as well as being wholly respectful and historical with regards the Tay Bridge disaster itself. Reading the book The High Girders by John Prebble gave me a significant insight as to the depth of feeling of the event, and unlike Fowler's Ghost, I plan a followup short documentary to explore the event further.

Finally, partially related to Episode 18, I have decided to postpone the next BRWS Competition indefinitely. Time and money are an issue, and whilst putting on another competition, I am sure, would be a success in the short term, my ultimate goal is to make at least three to four episodes over the course of this year, and it would hinder that to say the least.

My apologies to all those disappointed by this news - but I am planning on a mini-competition, related to my new series of Hornby VS Bachmann reviews. Watch this space...!

Until next time.

"Class 29"

2011-02-06T10:17:00.000-08:00

I was extremely fortuitous to stumble across a "for sale" thread on RMweb recently. I had been collecting parts and various items to make a British Railways Class 29 diesel/electric, using the Hornby model as a base, and a Bachmann class 24 or 25 chassis to power it.

When one came up, partly finished, I took a chance, and I am glad I did as the model is stunning in the flesh. Yes, there's more to do, but the level of modelling is excellent and has produced something very special.

I was well aware of the Dapol Class 29 announcement, but chose to ignore it. Cost was the major factor in my decision to try and make my own, and the purchase of this model, with its sundries (two spare bodies and etched grills and windows) has made my project an awful lot easier!

So with thanks to Joe, I leave you with one last photo of the class 29 on Copley Hill - I will be researching which specific member of the class I will recreate in due course.

Until next time!

"The British Railway Series & Sodor Island Forums Charity Auction 2011"

2011-02-02T06:43:00.000-08:00

The British Railway Series & Sodor Island Forums Charity Auction 2011

Please watch the video above and bid if you can or wish to.

Alternatively, please take some time to read the above charities' websites, and donate directly if you can or wish to.

Thanks for reading.

"34055, Fighter Pilot"

2011-02-01T07:25:00.000-08:00

I have a friend who is very much a Southern Region fan, so hopefully this blog post will go someway to redressing the "Eastern Bias" somewhat!!!

I've had a Hornby Watersmeet West Country model for some time. The reason behind buying it was originally for use in a friend's university project. I did a mockup of his project using a Dapol kit instead, in the event, and this loco has sat around doing nothing for a number of years.

Then I had a brainwave - I wanted to model real life, preserved (barely!) 249 Squadron as I think it should be rebuilt - caprotti valve gear, giesl ejector and various other additions. So the nameplates and number came off Watersmeet, and I bought the nameplates and numbers accordingly.

Unfortunately...not being aux fait with the Bulleid Pacifics as much as I'd like, I had neglected to check which cab/tender combination 249 Squadron had. as it happens, Watersmeet is only suitable for certain light pacifics, and not 34073. D'oh!

However, a change of heart with the name and the numbers led me to recreate Brighton favourite 34055, Fighter Pilot (a malachite green model of which was my father's third ever model, and resides in the cabinet above the desk).

The headcode is specific to our home town and railway line - the "Dartford Loop" as it is called, and hopefully is not too unrealistic to be noticed at a rivet counter's level!

I removed the nameplates using a scalpel, and remove the Hornby printed West Country plates at the bottom using careful rubbing with some varnish remover and a cotton bud.

I then weathered the body and tender using Tamiya weathering powders - combinations of mud, gunmetal and rust to keep the green apparent but create a working engine thereafter. I then sealed the weathering using Gamesworkshops' extremely useful "Purity Seal", with careful and light coats of the latter sealing the weathering and making the overall appearance darker.

Fox Transfers nameplates were applied prior to weathering, the number plate and cabside numbers applied prior to weathering.

The result is as seen above. Mind, I removed the body from the chassis to do the weathering - I am going to weather the chassis of both loco and tender separately, as I want to make this a fairly decent representation of a working locomotive.

Until next time.

"250,000 Views & Counting"

2011-01-29T17:26:00.000-08:00

The British Railway Series: Episode 1, "A Great Problem Goes West!"

In the next 24 hours, "The British Railway Series", Episode 1, will hit 250,000 views since it was uploaded in 2007. That's still a monumental achievement for such a niche product on the 'tube.

Please help celebrate my (comparatively minor) achievement by having a watch and reminding ourselves of how bad it was when I first started making the episodes!!!

To everyone here on SiF, the PW, RMweb and Youtube, and to those very special people who've supported me through the good times and bad (but particularly to those people such as our gaffer, doug, sean, gavin, wee chris, CTX, jim, davey, steve, charlotte, leo, without you I wouldn't be here today nor would I enjoy the success I do.

Thanks everyone for everything.

"Some modellling! Hooray!"

2011-01-24T15:16:00.000-08:00

In what seems like forever, FINALLY a blog post which includes modelling trains in it!

A friend of mine offered me this turned brass chimney - he'd found it in what he describes as the "spare parts bin", but to me, it's a mecca of unused and long forgot sundries which sometimes may turn up a gem. And this is one of them! The Emily chimney tapers too much, and is too tall, and had to go. After chopping it off, filing the base down, and fitting the new chimney with some adhesive, I used some Humbrol model filler to make it even around the base.

And this is the result: it certainly makes it look more like a Stirling Single, even if the chimney isn't quite the right profile (looking at pictures of the preserved single, the one I am trying to model, the chimney doesn't seem to be an exact match for the original chimneys in any event).

I'm nearly at the stage where I am happy enough to spray it in primer. The only obstacle - and one I've chickened out of doing for some time - is the splasher. I absolutely dread drilling into that.

It did make me think mind - surely an etched brass overlay, designed to fit the Bachmann splasher, would aid scratch builders? Something to mull over anyway.

Until next time - oh, and I might have sorted out the handrails by next time. For some utterly bizarre reason, I was convinced the handrails had kinks in them from the smokebox to the boiler. They don't, they are completely straight. Ergo the handrail at the front of the smokebox is extremely off...!!!

Ta ta for now!

"Hornby Thomas VS Bachmann Thomas: UK vs USA!!!"

2011-01-23T17:24:00.001-08:00

Here's my latest video - a toy comparison video, showing the two top selling models of Thomas the Tank Engine in OO and HO scales respectively.

Who will win the battle of the Thomas models? Will it be Thomas the Tank Engine, or Thomas the Yank Engine?

Until next time!