I usually try to model locos that I saw or can prove visited my native East Anglia. On this occasion, I have found no proof so far, but I am sure it must have visited some time during the 1970’s, 80’s or 90’s.
So why model this loco? Well it was one of the last 37’s to retain its original BR Blue, possibly the last! I added the frost grille which it retained and covered the steam boiler port. I also found one photo with a few of the ‘Selwyn Sheep’ stencilled on the body! So to be different I added some Railtec transfers of the said beastie.
Here we have two Scottish 37’s modelled in the 84-87 era. I have tried to keep away from Celebrities and Namers and portray something a bit different.
37155 by this time was a Motherwell engine working mainly freight workings and awaiting the call to works for a complete refurbishment before returning as a 37/7. It will be heavily weathered later.
37264 – Although a Scottish based Loco for most of the mid 80’s, it seemed to escape quite a bit and I have four photos of it in East Anglia. It seemed to change its Depot Pet Logos quite often and I saw it with a large Scotty Dog, a small Scotty Dog, an Inverness Stag and with nothing at all ! It was fitted with a ‘car type’ headlight which moved from above the head code box to below the head code box. I have one on order from Lees Locos, but not sure where it will go yet. It will also be weathered later.
A recent Heljan purchase finished off today. The nameplates are Proto Neo and transfers by HMRS, It is modelled after its time in Scotland, and was found roaming the country. I saw this loco between 1989 and 94 several times around East Anglia and thought how great it looked. By the way this Loco retained round buffers all its life, and I replaced the ovals with the correct paten.
It will be weathered, but that is going to be a while as yet!
Due to the heat in my garage over the last few days, I sought slightly cooler temperatures in the house. I have ended up numbering and detailing some of my recent O gauge purchases from the new Heljan website by Accurascale. The prices are really keen and their delivery is brilliant.
Here are two different Sand wagons in O Gauge – One is RTR and the other is a kit-built. They have a light weathering, mainly due to the materials (sand) carried. Basically no big lumps to damage the interior or exterior of the wagon when loading or unloading!
I have been prepping a small batch of items for weathering over the next week or two. I am going to move over to my four unfinished layouts now the better weather is here. I only have about a 12- 14 week window for my layout work using our bench picnic table, sorry- my workbench!!!! I have no inside areas available at present, although I hope that will change eventually. Please come back to see them after weathering.
Class 31 x 2
Class 56 and 58
Class 02
After research – I found one of the 02 engines that moved from the NW to the NE.
Two Sand Wagons – one ready to run and one kit built.
This is a Parkside (Peco) wagon kit, made to an excellent standard. My job was just to paint, letter and weather. It will be fitted with a removeable load later.
The Main job was to get paint into all the crevices by the ‘wash and wipe’ method, underframe was airbrushed and further bits were dry brushed.
I am getting ready for a weathering session on O Gauge Steam Locos, this will be the last one for quite a while as I have a backlog of wagons to finish next, then lots and lots of Diesels!
Below are photos of the Locos, although they are not quite ready yet, another couple of days should see the weathering start.
All are BR(E) based locos and all kit built – they are a N7/3, a K3, a F5 and a J15. All have been re-numbered and had extra detail added.
I purchased four very tired and tatty O Gauge LNER Suburban Coaches at a recent Exhibition at a very reasonable price. They were sturdy, and a nice long term project I thought. But when I got home I started to wonder why I purchased them – I don’t even model LNER !!!
I decided to spend my Mayday Holiday bringing them up to a better standard. I removed the bogies and completely refurbished them, I made up new buffer beams to replace someone else’s attempted refurbishment, fitted new buffers, internal fixed (solid) but working (sprung) on the outer coaches. I also added Vacuum pipes, Steam pipes and screw couplings to the outer ends. I used ‘fixed’ Sprat and Winkle hook and loop as all inner couplings to achieve a nice close gap between coaches.
I touched up all the paintwork and repaired and repainted the roofs on all the coaches as best as I could, not perfect, but as best as I could. They will need varnishing and light weathering to make them better. Whilst on the subject of weathering, I intend to give the bogies a light dusting later. The bodies will remain more or less pristine.
There was two different types of Brake Coaches, one Composite Coach and one all third Coach. I have made them into two rakes of two, but inter changeable.
When finished, whether keep or sell, I have no idea!
