Here is an older Heljan model of an original Class 31 as running about 1976 – 82. The only modification was the boiler filler and steps have been plated over, this was achieved by using a kit.
I has been weathered to a medium grubby standard.
Here are some Class 24’s as running in East Anglia in the late 50’s – early 60’s. Four are plain green and one has a small yellow warning panel. As I wanted them all to be a bit different, I broke them down into three types when weathering was added, see below.
Sadly Heljan put Silver grilles on the bodyside of the all green models, none that were allocated to East Anglia had them! So they had to be modified before weathering, the green with small panels was fine, no silver bits!
All The current Heljan batch of 24’s have the second type of exhaust port – all the below should have the original types – it was decided to leave them as purchased sadly – hopefully a detailing conversion kit will become available!
As the head code discs are push fit, it was decided that we needed to keep the flexibility to change them when the trains were made up, this way we could always have the right code displayed.
Light Weathering (D5024)
Medium Weathering (D5036)
Medium to Heavy (D5042)
This was a re-number and re-logo exercise followed by a medium weathering. This Loco was a 31B, Ipswich engine during the era portrayed. It could be found on anything from an Express to a humble Milk Train. This model is brass ready to run by Sancheng.
The O gauge stabling point also sees a few wagons coming in and out. Below are the main ones used on the layout.
Today, my son John came to help me refurbish ‘Merlins’. It had been in store for the last five years and was very dusty, although covered. It has been invited to The Stowmarket Exhibition on Sunday 29th June and we wanted to test everything was OK on the layout and the Locos.
After a good clean up and testing, the layout is fine, no problems other than a small number of paint touch ups needed – that was a relief !
Now the locos were taken from storage and tried after wheel cleaning, Mixed results I am afraid, out of the ten locos, seven were fine and worked well, although none are fitted with ‘stay alive’, most were DCC sound fitted over 8 years ago!
The Little Loco Class 15 is very hesitant, but we are hoping that more running would help. Sadly my Heljan Class 37 and Class 33 are complete non runners due to gear issues. The 37 had new gears fitted for its last outing in 2020 and the 33 was similar, but that had received two sets over its life so far! Heljan can’t even get replacements correct – what a mess.
Although I am unlikely to be at the exhibition myself – please come along and have a chat with John and Nick.
Today I have been working on my O Gauge multi purpose layout. I have built a concrete hard standing for the building and some vehicles, then made walkways. I used two layers of cork, Railmatch concrete enamel and I weathered using wood stain.
I then added a little extra ballast between the track and the walkways and re-weathered everywhere it was needed.
Another two Heljan Class 24’s, this time they are as running in the tops period. I choose 24082 as it was a long lived engine being only one or two withdrawn after it. I wanted something different from 24081 which outlived counterparts by over a year!
97201 is as supplied by Heljan, I have just added the name ‘Experiment’ using Railtec transfers.
Again the details packs all went on very well, with no issues.
Here are two Heljan Class 24’s detailed, numbered and prepared for weathering. The detailing pack all fitted well and Railtec Transfers were used.
The all green one had all those horrible silver grills painted matt black, for later blending when weathering eventually takes place.
Here is the latest Class 45/1 from Heljan. I have done it as one coming to the end of its life, but with a Tinsley painted name and their snail depot logo, I used to see quite a few both 45/0 and 45/1’s over at March Shed in 1986/7 having brought in freights. This one was also given High Intensity Headlights, but they were short lived before being withdrawn.
Transfers were by Railtec.
On the very long ‘to be weathered list’
This is the one of the latest Dapol models and I really like them, a lot. When purchased it was a NE engine and I wanted a pure Southern Loco. I changed the number from 82027 to 82023. I can now run it with my Terriers, B4’s and some kit built Locos on my Steam Loco Shed Layout.
It will of course be weathered, but it is a the back of a very long queue.
