Here is a Hornby 08 repainted to represent a 08 specially painted by Cambridge TMD and named ELY. This Loco spent a lot of time out based at Ely, but could also be seen at Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge on shunting duties. A light weathering may also happen at a later date.
This was an O gauge kit built loco that arrived with me in undercoat with the instruction to make it look like a MSLR loco. This type of Loco never ran on ‘The Middy’ so it fell into the what might have been category.
After some reasearch and advise, I formed a plan to mix up the paint colour and purchase some transfers in the correct typeface. This achieved I jumped into the unknown! Here are the results, the loco is numbered ‘4’ as the actual loco’s were 1 – 3 and so logically any additional loco would have been 4 in theory!
This Loco was built to a reasonable standard but was not always ‘square’. There was also a couple of missing pieces I had to replace. Overall not to bad – a good exercise in imagination!
Here we have two items of rolling stock that needed updating, one Loco and one Van.
Firstly the Van, when removing the LMS lettering some transfers came away taking the original paint work as well! I look on accidents like this as an opportunity to do something a bit different. I masked the area that needed treating and mixed up a grey that was near, but a little darker, and hand painted it on. When dry I painted on a supposed ‘new’ plank. To add further interest I also added an advertising/contents sticker for ‘Spratts Oval Mixture’, Dog food I think. I tried to add the black backing transfers for the numbers, but sadly they were old water slide and disintegrated as I applied them, I painted the said panels on and added the numbers required. I tried a few new ways on the weathering side, I emphasised the slats under the contents sticker and also used a browny – rusty coloured permanent marker to highlight a few rivet heads.
Now to the Loco, and what a loco, a massive O-6-O. I don’t know much about the loco, other than it was a Wolverton Works Depot shunter.
The change from LMS to BR early was very straight forward and after changing the logo’s, it was varnished and then blended by weathering the changed area.
Well, to start with, it is no longer a O Gauge Plank – it is now multi gauge with OO gauge track, magnet and ‘spratt’ height gauge added.
Although I have moved more towards O gauge, I still have some OO stock left and due to rising costs I may well use the OO as a fall back.
The only thing I need to purchase for the plank is a set of OO rolling roads.
I have Glued the original O Gauge rolling road Box to the Plank and will do the same with any new OO rolling road.
Finally, yes there is room for a N Gauge Track, if put under pressure by my son.
Here are some bits and pieces I have had a while now and only just got around to doing.
Dapol Wagons
I will say it again – if using wash and wipe to start the weathering process, then all printed detail must be varnished first and left to dry for 48 hours plus. Sadly the tampo printed details will disintegrate if not varnished.
Nondescript Coach
I think I was given this as a challenge! It was painted Brown on one side and Brown and Cream on the other! The roof was off and some interior fittings were loose. But the worst thing was that the Glazing was superglued in, apart from one bit that had fallen out! What made it worse was that the glazing was misty and had paint over it. Well after re-assembling and hand painting the sides – this is the result.
And Finally a re-livery and re-weathering of a Pug from LMS to BR.
I have always fancied having a go at one of these ‘semi’ withdrawn loco’s. Being from East Anglia and remembering them at Norwich, Ipswich and Gt Yarmouth, it was just a matter of time before having a go.
Another thing that provoked this exercise was that when looking through the Fox Transfer catalogue, I spotted what I needed.
I found a few photographs of various loco’s and decided on ‘Department No.17’ This was ex Thompson B1 Loco No 61059, a Ipswich Loco. Sadly none of the photographs were colour, so it was a case of relying on my memories of seeing these loco’s.
Two points that I discovered after the renumbering were that the transfers were a bit on the large side and slightly wrong for this loco. Summing up, I considered this a weathering exercise of the generally unloved carriage heating B1’s.
After much thought it was decided that I would lightly weather the Project Mercury ZDW.
This loco is owned by Graham and is planned to run on Morlock Heath. As this layout is based in the Mid 80’s a degree of updating is needed on the basic model.
Again we wanted something a bit different, so after some research we decided to go for 25035. This was one of a handful of unofficially named Loco’s that ran towards the end of their BR careers.
Work Carried Out
The nose doors were carefully removed by medium and then very fine ‘Wet and Dry’. I did not use a scalpel at all as I did not want any indentation caused by cutting. The cab was then partially repainted.
I added the extra catches on the grills on one of the body sides as per prototype. After research it was noted that not all 25/1 had this modification but 25035 certainly did. From photo’s I could see that the catches did actually vary in size slightly – 25035 had the larger type.
I looked on all websites that sell Transfers and could find no ‘nameplates’ had been made for these loco’s. So it was ‘make them yourself’ time. After several attempts I managed to get a reasonable likeness, but I think they are about 15-20% to large! I decided I would rather have this than too small. I can always replace them if they ever become available.
The body side footsteps and the boiler grills were covered as per prototype.
The Head Code 4 Digits were replaced with Marker Dots.
Finally a Light to Medium weathering was applied.
This was not a quick project – but very rewarding.
Below is 25035 CASTELL DINAS BRAN photographed from both sides and ends
This wagon was made by Graham using a brass kit with ‘poppy’s wood inserts’ The painting has just been completed by myself.
We were both looking for something a bit out of the ordinary to use on our Morlock Heath Engineers layout and this certainly filled the bill.
I will weather it if Graham requires it done, but I have failed to find a really dirty photo of one as they seemed to have been well looked after in their short life in this livery. I will post further photo’s if it is weathered.
I added a ‘Air through Pipe’ as this wagon could be run in Vacuum and Air Braked rakes.
Les is a very old friend and he paid a visit on Sunday. I have known Les for over 20 years now and he is an absolute delight to ‘talk trains’ with.
Les has recently purchased some loco’s and I agreed to help him number and weather them. The below photo’s were taken by Les when he arrived home.
Oh and one Van
I HAVE TO SAY——–Nice wallpaper Les!!!!!!!
