"1679, Charlton Athletic"

I'm very lucky these days in that I have an excellent model railway club nearby (Erith MRC) with which to run my rolling stock. 

One such engine to run in was this, my model of fictional Gresley B17 "Charlton Athletic".

She ran beautifully a week ago. Made from Hornby's model of "Sandringham", a Bachmann tender replaced the GER type tender, the Westinghouse pump and associated grubbing were carefully removed, and the smoke box was given plastic Humbrol filler and sanding down plus paint to finish. My usual Johnsons Klear/Pledge floor varnish finished the boiler, cab and tender.

It's been a highlight for what has been a pretty horrendous year so far for me, bar the magnificence of 25 February 2016. 2016 just has not turned out the way I wanted it to at all. It's been frustrating, at times very sad, and heartbreaking (both in football and love interests!)

Yet my railway modelling goes from strength to strength. I'm really enjoying building my fleet and my model railway. It's been such a comfort when I'm feeling down. 

This year I saw someone I thought I'd never see again. Meeting her reminded me I still have the potential to feel and be a normal, working human being. This in itself is a beautiful thing, as I have for some time - maybe for years - wondered if I'd have feelings the like again.

All I can say is that love is the best thing we do. Even when it's not reciprocated, though it can be hard to take, remembering why someone makes you feel the way you do is never a bad thing. If love was easy, straightforward and tangible, it'd be just another commercialised and organised aspect of our lives, and it wouldn't be love.

 If you're wondering why the sudden about turn in blog content today, let's just say I am doing my best to move on from feelings that I realised this year have been lying dormant since a cold New Year's Eve in 2005. I meant it then and I mean it now. The clock never stops ticking. Or should that be beating.

I'll leave you with one last shot of 1679 - a more normal, regular service is coming to the blog. Hang in there everyone: we all get there in the end.

"These are the stories we tell..."

Well, that's it ladies and gentlemen. The last copy of Tale of the Unnamed Engine left Sidcup earlier today, bound for Nova Scotia in Canada. We released the paperbacks for the first time in August 2013 and two and a bit years on we find ourselves with only our stock allocated for our stockists left. 

To say that today was a difficult day was an understatement. We did, after all, print and bind 2000* copies with help from Tony Lord of the London College of Communication, Blackheath's Binders, and many more besides.

I think I speak for myself and Dean when I say that we thoroughly enjoyed bringing this volume to print after releasing it as an eBook back in the summer of 2012. 

I'm so very grateful to everyone who bought a copy of the book. For those of you who didn't get a copy, have no fear. Email us on copleyhill@outlook.com, and if we have any left from returns or similar from our stockists, we'll be in touch.

All that is left to say, is that these has been the first story we told...and we're getting closer to the second one, day by day.

Here's some artwork Dean has been working on - the faces haven't actually been illustrated yet, the shading is the colour of the smokebox. Note also that the steam and smoke is yet to be done too, but there's so much rich detail in the picture already. I think you can guess what railway these engines come from!

Until next time.

*Actually, it was 35 boxes of 60 books each, which is 2100 copies. The overspill comes from printing, we had to make sure we had enough for 2000 books to sell! 

"Hornby 2016"

Today saw the announcement of two very impressive new locomotives for the Hornby 2016 Range, and I think you can safely say that I am naturally thrilled at the inclusion of more London and North Eastern Railway locomotives and rolling stock.

I wrote to Hornby a few years ago and the Gresley J50 and Holden B12 were at the forefront of my comments. I fell vindicated in my choices and assuredly the new B12 really looks the part.

Some will say the B12/4 should have been the first choice variant, as they were longer lived and wider spread (several of the class making it to Scotland in fact) but in reality the variations between them probably render the B12/3 the easiest to tool up. With the existing Great Eastern tender behind the B17 and D16 already produced, a B12 was never going to be too far away in any event.

Then there's the Raven Q6, a stunning example of a well kept trade secret and one product that is going to make a lot of people very happy.

The times are changing and Hornby have improved on the production and delivery of their stock over the last few years. I personally feel both the J15 and the S15 have shown that Hornby are capable of producing some extremely high quality models, and the way they've communicated with their customers this year has been nothing short of superb.

I would add a caveat that I would like to see improvements in the relationship with their stockists, however, in the new year and would welcome any opportunity for both sides to get together and talk things more.

Otherwise, the future looks very bright for Hornby and rest assured, there'll be some space for some B12/3s made for on my layout...the Q6 is not one which would have visited my chosen part of the London and North Eastern Railway, but I doubt I'll pass up the chance to add one to my stock for something different.

If you want to read more on Hornby's new range of models, please visit their web page here. Better getting the news from the horse's mouth!

Until next time.

"BRWS Ltd Update #9: Thompson's only design memorial"

One of the things that I find wonderful about this hobby is the research. You can turn up many interesting combinations of locomotive name, number and form. 

A case in point: Thompson's B1s. Built by Darlington, Gorton and North British, they all had some detail differences including smokebox rivets, style of and placement of works plates and the smokebox door type.

Bachmann's latest, unnamed, apple green Thompson B1 no.1123 was the subject for my latest round of modelling. Having purchased a number of these at a knock down price, I went through my preferred books for research on the class. The Power of the B1s, Yeadon's Register and the RCTS' LNER volume 2B all featuring some interesting prototypes.

I had already made a model of class pioneer Springbok and two more of the deer namers caught my eye for different reasons. 

B1 no.1039 was featured in Yeadon's Register with an unusual difference to its classmates. The photograph in the book shows it coupled to one of the ex-Raven/Gresley Atlantic six wheel tenders. These tenders were a close, if not perfect match for a V2's group standard tender. Since I had a number of these spare, I took the opportunity to remove the shaded LNER lettering using some water and a glass fibre pen, and add Gill Sans plain lettering instead. The base model's tender will go to another Thompson related project in due course.

1039 had electric lighting, but the base model does not. I removed the lamp irons and used some bits from a spare Replica Railways B1 body shell that did have the electric lighting fitted. It's not a perfect match for the original style Thompson lighting system but it'll do in terms of representation. Some wire was added to the right hand side of the boiler and fitted next to the stones generator on the running plate, also taken from a spare Replica B1 body shell.

The original chimney was cut off, and the smokebox filed down, for a brass cast Gibson's B1 chimney with a much nicer profile to be fitted. Superglue of the semi-quick drying kind was used to allow some time to fiddle around and make sure it was fitted properly. Fox Transfers provided the nameplates and works plates for this model and these were duly added using the same process.

One modification I have made to all of my Bachmann B1s is to remove the original, large, plastic coupling bar from the tenders. I use Hornby's Railroad Scotsman metal drawbar, available as a spare online, and these are coupled through the tender's drawbar and through the locos to be screwed in. This closes up the gap nicely without making it impossible for the models to go round corners.

The other B1 being worked on, Addax, was also shown in the same book with a very nice combination of BR numbering and full LNER livery. I repeated the process for this model, with the one additional being the smokebox numberplate fixed in the normal position. This will need repainting as the brass numeral effect isn't accurate. 

The nameplates and numberplate for Addax came from Modelmasters and though I dislike the brass effect on the smokebox door am ultimately happy with the shape and style of both. The comparison between Fox Transfers and Modelmaster etched plates is interesting. I can't say that I have a particular preference but it'll be Fox from now on as they have a better selection of the B1 names available at present. 

So here then are two variations on the same theme made that look similar and have similar detailing but ultimately are different and individual. 

Springbok, Steinbok and Addax will be joined by a few more in due course no doubt. For the moment, an older split chassis apple green B1 Sir William Gray keeps them company, making a quartet of named apple green B1s for my work in progress layout.

When finished, the three deers will be weathered and coaled and with crews fitted, and will no doubt enjoy a mixed bag of work on the layout. I am already imagining a few different freight and passenger formations they could be seen on.

Ultimately for me, the LNER has always been about Thompson's plucky B1s. Although only an LNER liveried locomotive class for around 6 years, they epitomise the post-war LNER rather well and they are - one must admit - very handsome machines.

Many say it's Thompson's only design memorial, both in actuality and in quality. I don't believe the latter myself, but one cannot argue with the fact that it's the engine Thompson is best known for. 

And when all is said and done, it's the locomotive the LNER needed - and got.

"BRWS Ltd Update #6: Empire of India, Talyllyn 150 and a new stockist joins the proceedings..."

So to start us off in this sixth update of the year, here's a few images of no.11 Empire of India which is nearing the finishing straight. A lucky find by a contributor has happily led to me getting the roof and tender painted correctly!

That is, with the tender painted black above the beading, and the roof painted black down to the edges.

 

 Overall I am really happy with her and she'll get a run out at the Erith Model Railway Club this week.

Now we move onto the big steam event of this year. Talyllyn 150. I was very gratified to be able to go with a couple of close friends (including one Ryan Hagan of the Sodor Island Forums) and we enjoyed seeing all of the different shades of red on offer!

Of course, the two guests from the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway were Russell (making a first trip back, and a first trip in steam) and Prince. Both very handsome engines which I admire greatly. The compactness of Russell is astonishing towards the front end!

What's a trip to the Tayllyn without seeing one of the old ladies? Talyllyn herself looked resplendent in her new livery, which I personally thinks suits her the best of all the liveries I have seen. Much better than that lined black...!

Of course there was one engine who wasn't going to be in steam, and sadly Sir Haydn will have to wait a little longer for his overhaul...

I don't think I have ever admired a narrow gauge engine as much as I did Talyllyn that day. The vast majority of my photographs she's in somewhere! Looked fabulous. Nearest the camera is Douglas who I generally ignored the whole day. Sorry Douglas!

Russell is an astonishingly powerful locomotive for its size, but one of the quietest operators I've heard for a good long time. I doubt that'll be the case when she's running on her home railway!

Then of course, there is the other old lady, looking utterly resplendent in a matching livery to her sister.

Dolgoch really looked rather wonderful. It does beg the question, what livery will we see them in for Talyllyn 200...!!! (If I live that long!)

I did manage to sign a few of our books and generally meet and greet anyone who wanted an autograph. There was one chap named Lewis who made my day by recognising me sitting in one of the coaches! Thanks Lewis, you really cheered me up that morning :)

Finally, we have a new stockist! The Corris Railway has agreed to take ten books on and they will have them within the next week or two. 

This brings our number of stockists in the preserved railway world up to four. To that end, I am preparing a new part of the website giving links to these railways and advertising them a little better our end.

Until next time!

"Empire of India"

I just thought I'd share a few pictures of a project I have been working on, the London & North Eastern Railway's no.11 Empire of India. I sold my original Empire of India a few years ago and really regretted it.

Of course, this one was made in a completely different fashion to my current A4s, and I've turned the clock back on the livery chosen for my model, which will have the 1946-48 LNER stainless steel lettering and numerals fitted instead.

At the end of this month there'll big the now usual big update regarding my modelling for the month, but I just wanted to share a few pictures to garner some feedback on the garter blue livery.

You will remember that I have been formulating my own paint and methods of painting my models. Well, I think I've finally cracked it with this model, which requires a Tamiya light blue being applied onto grey primer, followed by my latest reformulated (and a bit expensive now!) garter blue shade.

And yes - the tender is the wrong type (it should be a 1928 corridor tender) but rest assured, no.11's tender is in hand (and currently drying after painting. This tender will be going behind no.8 Dwight D Eisenhower).

I'll go through the full build in some detail on the 30 June 2015.

Until next time!

"No.4480 Enterprise"

A quick recap needed on the building of my Gresley Pacific fleet, given I've actually finished one of them now!

So we start with one of Hornby's newest Railroad Flying Scotsman models.

Then some modelling happens...!

Essentially the cabs, washout plugs, cylinder blocks, smokebox doors and chimneys are replaced, and smokebox superheater headers and sometimes domes are added. The domes and superheater headers can be bought from Graeme King on the LNER Encyclopaedia Forum, whereas the chimneys are spares bought from Hornby many years ago. The smokebox doors are my own resin casts of the super detail Hornby A3 smokebox door. The cylinder blocks were cheap lined out spares from eBay.

The cab replacement method can be seen best here. The front loco has the replacement cab with the shorter cut out fitted, and the one behind has the original cab with the side sheets extended. Fitting the replacement cab requires cutting the original one off, filing down the top of the boiler backhead a little bit, and several rubber bands and slow drying super glue.

Truth be told, replacing the cab altogether gives a much better, more accurate finish, as the addition to the cab side sheets doesn't hide the fact the sides don't curve in as they should do. Plus, the replacement cabs (from the cheap Great British Locomotives magazine models) have full cab glazing - very useful!

The reason for replacing the cab is simple: this gives the cab type accurate for 1946-9 era Gresley A3s, as well as the right hand drive detail that I need for all of my A3s (except for Humorist, which as you can see above was actually converted from right to left hand drive in addition to all of the detail differences added including the stovepipe double chimney.).

The modifications also include adding lamp irons, handrails, couplings, vacuum pipes, smokebox door darts and white metal buffers, and cylinder drain pipes too. The white metal buffers

The chassis gets either a repaint of the wheels, or replacement with lined Hornby alternatives and a new front bogie in many cases.

Well, I finally managed to finish one - no.4480 Enterprise. The paint is just a standard Plasticote gloss black paint, bought from B&Q.

She looks very glossy here compared to the unmodified Railroad model behind.

Very, very glossy in fact! Note that although a lot of the detail is moulded on, it does look superior to older Hornby Gresley A3 models if not quite as refined as the super detail model.

The comparison between the two models - as bought and as modified - couldn't be more marked.

Enterprise received some light weathering and some lamp irons and lamps, in addition to some real coal in the tender. The weathering was mostly brushed on with some powders, and a light touch with a fine brush on the smokebox and around the front and on the tender. Games workshops' Purity Seal spray was used to seal everything in.

Toning down the shiny paint has still left something of a metallic look to the boiler, which I like.

Although annoyingly NONE of my transfers appear to be on straight. They looked it when I put them one, and they look it in real life. New glasses needed...?

Aside from the transfers problem (which I'll deal with in due course), I've really enjoyed turning a budget model into something more accurate. It was great fun, cost me a lot less to do than buying the top detail model from Hornby, and I've another seven to do to complete my fleet. The chassis of the Railroad model is a lovely smooth runner, and the flywheel drive is excellent. The diecast cartazzi and extra weight really add to the haulage stakes too, making it better in my view than the super detail alternative if you feel like putting some effort into your modelling.

Picking the wartime livery for 4480 wasn't entirely a cop out though, as I intend for four of my fleet to be apple green, and four of them to be wartime black. 

This way I have a variety of tender and boiler types and combinations and liveries ranging from NE Black to LNER apple green and British Railways on the tender. Lots of interest for the impending model railway!

Until next time.