Although my usual modelling genre, as regular readers will know, is the Southern Railway between 1946 and 1949, however due to Canute Road Quay having very few visual references to either period or location (yes there are a couple, but hey…) it allows me to change the location and era with different rolling stock, vehicles and details.
I have deliberately left the vehicles and other details such as crates, sack stacks and oil drums etc. loose, this enables them to be both be moved around, to give some variety in photographs, and or replaced with other items to different periods.
This is the first in a series of ‘Making Quay Changes’ posts with the Canute Road Quay being transported to either a different location or era or both. In this case we have stayed in my usual era but moved Eastwards, to perhaps the docks of Ipswich or Yarmouth utilising the lovely Model Rail magazine limited edition ex Great Eastern Railway J70 class 0-6-0 tram engines (or Toby’s if you prefer).
The J70 share the quayside with a Peckett W4 class and an Andrew Barclay, modified Hornby and Hattons models.
The locomotives were manufactured on behalf of Model Rail Magazine by Rapido of Canada.
They are such delightful models featuring: a coreless motor, options of fully skirted or unskirted, open or closed window and front doors and the distinctive cow catchers; I could not resist the urge to purchase a couple!
The two J70 models I have represent a version still with full side skirts and one with the skirts partially removed.
I have also varied the front door and window positions, fitted crew members and lightly weathered.
I feel the weathering really brings out the details of these models and tones down, my possible only criticism of the model, their out of box very bright orange woodwork finish.
This weathering has followed my usual practice of layers colours including: brake dust, dirt, rust, soot etc. via different processes of: drybrushing, washes and airbrushing along with cleaning some areas with a cotton bud but leaving the dirt in the crevasses and corners.
The J70 class designed by James Holden was a more powerful version of the earlier Y4 0-4-0 tram engine designed by T.W. Warsdell and 12 were built at the Great Eastern Railway’s Stratford Works between 1903 and 1921.
During their lifetime, the last being withdrawn in 1955, the J70 class were used at: Ipswich Docks, Yarmouth, Colchester Hythe Docks and of course on the iconic Wisbech and Upwell Tramway for which they gained their most fame.
I hope you enjoy this slightly different post, I apologise to the die hard Southern Railway / Region readers for this post being of Great Eastern / LNER content, but worry not, I will make amends in the next ‘Making Quay Changes’ post with Canute Road Quay back at its spiritual home of Southampton Docks but a different era, but what will it be…?
Do we need to call a Doctor……? 😉
Joking aside these J70s look absolutely in place and sets the scene wonderfully. These look to be superb models – if only I could find an excuse for one on my Sussex-based SR layout.
Thank you for sharing these superb photographs! 🙂
I’m now tempted by these lovely models. They’re certainly improved by the weathering.
I’m constructing a fictional ex-SR branch set in Hampshire, but my childhood days in 1950’s North East London mean I have an alternative stud of locos and coaching stock so the branch can be run as an ex-GE line (where’s my N7, Oxford Rail?).
Do you operate Canute Quay at home for your own enjoyment, or is it purely for exhibition? I ask as I wonder whether I’d get tired of a minimal shunting layout and keep my efforts and finance for my slightly larger (11’x 18″) project.
Thanks for the updates, I hope to see your layout and good self in person before long.
David Lonsdale
Wokingham
Hi David, thanks for your kind message, I do indeed operate Canute Road Quay at home and it is fun and relaxing to just while away 30 mins or an hour or more in an evening. To be honest once you start playing the time flys by!