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.

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 last Loco of my recent O Gauge spending and this time I have to thank my wife for lending me the cash to purchase the Loco.

This is a Cambridge 31A Loco and I saw this at Norwich in the late 50’s – just before withdrawal.

I have a bit of work to do on this loco. I have ordered a proper D16/3 chimney and a couple of other bits to correct other small mistakes – it will then be re-weathered to blend the amendments.

Another arrival recently and a Loco I have been looking for for many years. I can remember seeing these at my local Station in the late 50’s. They were common on the morning goods from Norwich and as my father worked on the goods shed I remember how they shunted the yard.

I managed to afford this O Gauge Loco by selling a OO Layout, Two Locos and about fifteen wagons. without this sale I would have had to walk away from it and that would have been awful.

This is my latest purchase from Steamline, Loco made from a DMR Kit by Mike Russell, Fantastic Loco.

Photos by Steamline