Over the last two days I have made a fiddle yard for Grahams latest SM32 WW1 Layout. Before this fiddle yard all shunting was carried out on the visible layout, but now it can be carried out off scene. Simple construction as there is only one line, but it had to be matched up with the old ‘end board’ which is still part of the layout.
This Layout is Appearing at the Hornby Model Mag – Great Electric Show at Milton Keynes (2022)
Yesterday we attended the above Exhibition with two layouts, Grubb Lane and Morlock Heath, both O Gauge. It was a nice relaxed and friendly show with lots of old mates attending and some visitors that I had not seen since pre-covid days.
Here is a few Photo’s taken by my wife of our layouts.
MORLOCK HEATH
These are the first three Locos of the six I purchased in May – all were in very Poor Condition, including Rusty Wheels, Poor Paintwork, Lost Parts and being Non Runners. The Build Quality was quite poor, I paid £100 for each Loco!!!! I thought they probably were Ex Garden Railway Locos !!!
All wheels cleaned, some may need replacing later – All with be weathered to tone down sub standard transfer lining.
This is an update of what’s happened so far on each loco.
T9 – unknown Kit
Complete repaint, missing parts made, Motor refurbished and general re-soldering or gluing.
E1 4-4-0 -David Andrews Kit
This was a somewhat newer kit and needed a little less work – Loco is still awaiting its Motor refurbishment. The following was needed, partial repaint, some re-soldering, make missing parts and fit, had to be renumbered as it was numbered as an E1 tank engine !!!!
Class D – Javelin Kit
Again a reasonable kit, motor still to be refurbished, Partial repaint, make missing parts and fit, re-solder and glue some loose parts. Bogie misaligned and sitting to high – reprofiled for better fit.
The other three is now two!! I gave the Lord Nelson 4-6-0 to Graham to help pay for the reconditioning of the motors he is doing for me – This is very likely to run again after some TLC. Of the remaining two, the Schools is certainly repairable and will be worked on next. This leaves the Atlantic which is the worst by far, only 50-50 whether I can do it, as it appears to have taken a tumble in the past.
Well that’s the update, further photos when I have weathered them.
This a OO Loco that I have just sold after having it for many years, I have renumbered it as a Local Cambridge Loco for the new owner. I have also touched up the ‘light’ weathering.
To note on this Loco is the replacement chimney in Brass, real coal and a footplate crew. I think this gives a far better model.
These are the last three of the Presflo’s for Mike, this makes the rake up to six. This batch was very similar to the first batch, using misting, wash and wipe, and dry brushing.
At this point I would like to say what a great model the Presflo’s are, well done Ellis Clark Trains.
This is the first three of a rake of six Presflo’s that have been weathered for my friend Mike. They are to run on his early sixties layout.
Two different types of weathering was used, first the Yellow one was subjected to a wash and wipe session before a bit of misting and dry brushing afterwards.
The two brown examples were totally misted and dry brushed, although I did one lightish and the other more to a medium standard.
A lot of examples I have seen have used a near white paint – I used three shades of light grey, the last one with just a drop of light yellow mixed in.
Here is a B1 that was taken into Departmental service during the Mid 60’s for use as a carriage heating Loco. It was based at Ipswich from 1964-66.
I have now weathered the loco into its rather run down condition during its departmental use. I have also removed the screw couplings and just left the hooks – this was to ensure it was not used for hauling a train.
When I went out today I had no intention of buying anything, in fact things are a bit tight at present, well, they just got tighter.
I went to an O Gauge Summer Bash and Buffet and there was a couple of tables selling bits and pieces, one had a few ready to run Kit Built Locos. There was one that really looked special, it was a Johnson 1P 0-4-4T in lined early BR Black No. 58038, it was expertly built (builder unknown) and painted by Alan Brackenbrough. After inspection and bartering we agreed a price and it was mine.
Although not a BR(E) loco it was a local engine, it was LTS based in the early fifties and based at Plaistow in Essex and almost certainly visited ex GE metals.
When I purchased my O Gauge D16/3 I was not happy with its chimney, it just did not look right! I purchased a LG cast brass replacement and fitted it on arrival, I am now very happy with the result. After I fitted the new chimney I repainted and blended it with the original weathering.
BEFORE
AFTER
This is the rest of Nicks stock for ‘Lowe St.’ There are two 08’s, one 48DS and a few wagons. All have been weathered after fitting of loops and spratt’s as necessary. The blue 08 was factory weathered by Bachmann, I have tried to enhance it a bit, but I prefer to start with a blank canvas.
