Schools Class 30922 (O Gauge)

This is probably the last of my five resurrections of the cheap SR locos. I have started on the Atlantic but it is proving beyond my capabilities – we will see!

Back to Schools Class Loco Cheltenham, This was in reasonable condition and I did not even have to do a partial repaint. It was just a case of adding missing parts and revamping broken parts.

So there we are – six locos purchased – one traded for some services to motors – four completed – one in limbo land as to whether I can achieve a reasonable result. Well for my initial outlay of £600 for six locos – I now have four very passable locos that I value at least £250 each – would I do it again – yes!!!!!

A Fiddle Yard for Gare de Brindille

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)

Three BR (Southern) Locos

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.

Three Clark Presflo’s Weathered

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.

Departmental No17 (Ex B1 61059)

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.

Another purchase today.

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.