This months picture…
Picture of the Month – June 2020
Tag Archives: Bogie Van B
Workbench Witterings #5 O2 and not an O2, is this more weathering I see before me
With a nod to the fact that today, 23rd April, is not only St Georges Day, but also the date on which William Shakespeare is understood to have both been born and this year the 400th anniversary of his death, hence the stretching of a few quotations from his writings (so much more than witterings) in the title.
My last Workbench Witterings #4 post detailed some of the locomotives I have been working on and finishing over the last few weeks and this Workbench Witterings #5 post shows a few more.
First up is a pair of the Kernow Model Rail Centre ex LSWR Adams O2 class, 0-4-4Ts in the form of two mainland versions in SR post war black livery. Number 225, Kernow Model Rail Centre release K2105, was already in post 1946 SR black so has been lightly weathered, crew added
(nice and simple to do as the cab roof is designed to be easily removed) and real coal added to the bunker.
She will generally be seen on Fisherton Sarum sharing duties with an M7 class loco coupled to my Pull Push set number 734 or the Kernow Model Rail Centre ex LSWR Gate Stock Pull Push sets when they arrive.
Number 193 started life in BR lined black livery as 30193, Kernow Model Rail Centre release K2106, and repainted into unlined SR livery, unlike 225 is non pull push fitted.
Now backdated to number 193 as well as crew on the footplate and real coal added to the bunker she has been fitted with both red and white lamps at each end on the lamp irons above the buffers, as per a locomotive carrying our shunting duties.
I have also, carefully using a small razor saw, cut out the cab doors as these were only found on the pull push fitted mainland O2s (although those on the Isle of Wight also had cab doors). To reduce the distance that the tension lock coupling extends past the buffers I also shortened the NEM coupling pocket slightly by cutting off a few millimeters from the front face and holding the tension lock coupling in with a spot of glue.
If you own one these Kernow Model Rail Centre O2s it is also worth checking that the back to backs of the driving wheels are correctly set to 14.5mm, as some have reported issues with haulage which has mainly been due to the back to backs being slightly too wide and simple to rectify by pushing the wheels in slightly, not that mine needed any such adjustment.
Next up is a Bachmann ex LBSC Billinton E4 Class, 0-6-2T repainted and numbered as 2486. Although ex LBSC locomotives they could seen seen across a wide area of the Southern network. After the closure of the Salisbury Western Region shed in 1950 the ex SR shed was allocated numbers 32506 and 32486.
This was reported as being much to the annoyance of the ex WR crews on the duty shunting Fisherton Yard as they preferred their previsous GWR pannier tanks! So modellers licence regarding the bringing date of allocation to Salisbury slightly earlier will apply on Fisherton Sarum. She has been finished in a condition where she could benefit from a good clean and a bit of an overhaul.
Finally for now, it is not just locomotives that I have got round to finishing off with a bit of weathering, also seen here are a couple of Non Passenger Carrying Cars.
Firstly the Hornby Bogie Van B that I mentioned on my Workbench Witterings #1 post after repainted into malachite green a while ago as non stove fitted version number 231.
The other is a Bachmann PLV, Parcels Luggage Van (coded PMV in BR parlance) and is still in Maunsell green under the layer of grime.
As I said before I have managed to catch up with finishing a number outstanding projects and these last two Workbench Witterings Posts don’t yet cover them all but I wont bore you with more pictures of weathered black locomotives for now so watch this space for something different next time around.
Southern Railway / Region related model news 07/08/15
Today’s post is an update / catch up on the status of a few Southern Railway / Region related models that are in progress with a number of the Ready to Run manufacturers / commissioners.
Kernow Model Centre
Regular readers of my blog will know that I have been assisting the Kernow Model Centre with their Southern related commissions and I pleased to be able to report progress on a number of fronts.
Firstly: Production of the Adams O2 Steam Locomotives has now started and the first models will be leaving China in a couple of weeks time. This does mean that the pre-order special offer price has now ended, but they are still taking orders for these models.
It should be noted that the amount of manual labour to assemble these highly-detailed models is very high and this is why the models will take a couple of months to actually produce. It is worth just considering that for a moment – a production line at the factory will be fully-occupied producing the O2 models for three months straight. Imagine that for every hour of every day, you will be inserting tiny pipes into the pull-push gear for months on end! To give a further taste of this there are some images and videos can be viewed on the Kernow Model Centre website here.
The anticipated delivery dates for each version have been advised as follows:
K2101 Number 24 “Calbourne” BR Black early emblem – Expected around October 2015
K2102 Number 16 “Ventnor” BR Black late crest- Expected around November 2015
K2103 Number 30182 BR Black early emblem pull-push fitted – Expected around October 2015)
K2104 Number 30225 BR Black late crest – Expected around December 2015
K2105 Number 225 Southern Black with Bulleid Sunshine lettering pull-push fitted – On board Hyundai Victory, due into Southampton around 15th September 2015
K2106 Number 30193 BR Black early emblem – Expected around September 2015
K2107 Number 207 Southern Maunsell Green pull-push fitted – Expected around December 2015
Secondly: the first off tooling samples for the ex LSWR Gate Stock pull push sets have arrived in the UK and a few tweaks are being made before they can be signed off for production.
Four versions of the 1914 Stock will be available: –
K1001 Set number 374 in SR Lined Maunsell Green livery
K1002 Set number 373 in SR unlined Malachite Green livery
K1003 Set number 363 in BR Crimson livery
K1004 Set number 373 in BR (SR) Green livery
Further information on the Kernow Model Centre ex LSWR Gate Stock can be found here.
Graham Farish
The Graham Farish N Gauge SR Bogie Van B models are about to hit the retailers. The following initial versions will be available:
374-630 SR 50′ Bogie B Luggage Van Southern Green
374-631 SR 50′ Bogie B Luggage Van BR (SR) Green
374-632 SR 50′ Bogie B Luggage Van BR Blue
Dapol
Dapol have released images of the first livery samples of their 00 Class 73 diesel electric locomotives. There are still a few things to correct, including a spurious high intensity headlight on the BR blue version along with some number sizes and positions, but they advise these have been noted and will be corrected.
Hornby
I am able to advise that work is continuing apace on the development of a number of SR / BR(s) models. I have been privileged to have been assisting the design team with some of the initial design work on the Bulleid Original Air Smoothed Merchant Navy locomotives that will be part of the 2016 range announced here and I can tease you that the CADS are looking great so far!
Hornby have also released footage of the first running sample of their Class 71 3rd rail electric locomotive here.
Hornby have also published an interesting Engine Shed blog post ‘A researcher’s tale’ by Paul Isles about the lot of the Hornby researcher. I was pleasantly surprised to get a name check by Paul, whom I can confirm is very passionate about his role and also a pleasure to assist on a number of fronts…
Southern Railway / Region related model news update – further updated 12/06/2015
Today’s post is an update / catch up on the status of a few Southern Railway / Region related models that are in progress with a number of the Ready to Run manufacturers / commissioners from N to 0 gauge.
Kernow Model Centre
Regular readers of my blog will know that I have been assisting the Kernow Model Centre with their Southern related commissions and I pleased to be able to report progress on a number of fronts.
Firstly: livery samples of the mainland version of the Adams O2 have now been received, a number of corrections made and already second livery samples returned in the last week or so. Once all the variations are finally signed off then production can start, along with the Isle of Wight versions that were fully signed off a while ago now. Further information on the Kernow model Centre O2’s can be found here.
Secondly: It had been kept reasonably quiet, that the although the CADs for the ex LSWR Gate Stock Pull Push sets were previously signed off, tooling has actually commenced and The Kernow Model Centre have now received photographs of the first off components from the tooling. These now require assembly and shipping to the UK for inspection. Further information on the Kernow Model Centre ex LSWR Gate Stock can be found here.
Lastly for now: I can also advise that work is also progressing in the background with updates and corrections to the CADs for the ex LSWR Dia 1541 10T road vans, first announced last September. So watch this space for further news.
Bachmann
The first livery samples for the Bachmann four wheel luggage vans PLV/PMV and CCT’s first announced in March 2012 have now been received and all can be seen here on the Bachmann website. They are producing the following:
39-525 Southern PLV Passenger Luggage Van Southern Railway Green
39-526 Ex-Southern PMV Parcels & Miscellaneous Van BR Crimson
39-527 Ex-Southern PMV Parcels & Miscellaneous Van BR Green
39-528 Ex-Southern CCT Covered Carriage Truck BR Blue – Weathered
Graham Farish
The first of the original Merchant Navy Pacific models that I reviewed in my post here have now actually started to appear with the retailers.
The N Class Mogul 2-6-0 first announced in March 2013 is now on its way, with the review samples having been received by the model media so they should start to appear with retailers during July and August. Just like the Merchant Navy, I can vouch for the fact that it is an impressive looking model, especially for its size, and continues the increase in levels of detail for N Gauge Ready to Run models. A video of these models, but sadly not actually running, can be viewed on their website here.
The following four initial variations are being produced:
372-930 No. 868 in SR Olive Green
372-931 No. 31844 in BR Black Early Emblem
372-932 No. 31811 in BR Black Late Crest
372-933 No. 810 in SECR Grey
The livery samples for the Bogie Van B model have been signed off and the expected delivery of the of these models is currently due the end of August / September.
Dapol
Dapol have via their Facebook page here (you do not have to be a member to access the page) Dapol have released CAD images of the planned 4mm working signals in both SR Rail built and also ex LSWR lattice post styles. [Edit:] Dapol have also advised 2mm version of these signals are planned.
At the start of last month they also announced a delay to the O Gauge Terrier due to the the level of electromagnetic emissions. A slight modification is now required to the production which will result in delay in the shipment of the initial SR green and LBSC versions towards the end of July, however the BR and Bodiam variants are now due to be delivered three to four weeks later.
I have also been informed that the CAD work on the first variants of the N Gauge Schools class first announced in July 2012 have been completed, I had already provided some corrections and information to Dapol for these a while back so it is good to hear that they are progressing, but no news as yet when tooling might actually commence.
[Edit:] I have also been reminded that BR green liveried versions of the N gauge Maunsell coaches are due out next month and that Dapol have also now committed to bringing out a brake composite and four compartment brake third by Quarter 4 2015 and these are currently at CAD/CAM stage. This will make possible several prototypical set formations.
Hornby
[Further Edit 12/06/15] Hornby have today released a video via their Engine Shed blog post here from their development team that shows the first running sample of the Adams Radial. Keen eyes should also check out the coaches that the sample is hauling as I think the cat might have been let out of the bag on some other appropriate items they have planned for release in 2016, that I was previously made aware of, but I wont say anymore until more formal information is released…so watch this space…
Workbench Witterings #1 A 45T steam crane and a green Van ‘B’
As promised a few posts ago when I first opened the box on my Wild Boar Models 45T Ransomes and Rapier Steam Breakdown Crane I thought it was about time I started “a whats on my workbench” type series of posts, so welcome to the first of my “Workbench Witterings“. I am sure I am similar to many modellers in that I have a large number of both unstarted and or unfinished projects on the go, so hopefully this series of posts might encourage me to actually get on with completing a few of the outstanding things currently on the go…
First up then is progress on the above mentioned 45T steam crane. Following the comprehensive instructions for this kit has been pretty easy and all the parts, a mix of 3D printed and brass etchings have good together really well and enabled painting to commence. Where the parts needed to simply clip in place or be held with brass wire acting as hinge pins such as between the weight relieving trucks and the main carriage or the crane body and the jib the they have done so very easily. The rest of the items including the etched brass detailing parts such as handwheels and cast name and information plates have been attached with superglue. The components were then primed using the the trusted Halfords plastic primer rattle can and then top coat brush painted using Humbrol matt 32 to represent the SR Grey livery as first carried by the SR steam cranes before they became black in early British Railways days. I took the opportunity last week to give her a test run on the High Wycombe and District MRS test track and all was fine, although a little additional weight has now been added to the underside of the main carriage truck. All that is needed to complete is the rigging from the fine cotton supplied as part of the kit.
Secondly is the repaint of a Hornby Bogie Van B from its original blue livery to malachite green, embarrassingly looking back at this blog post here I actually started this at the end of last year! Before reassembling the Van B I took the opportunity to replace Hornby’s representation of the roof vents. Although these are separate mouldings I felt they looked a little flat so replaced them with some suitable cast white metal ventilators from my coaching stock bits box (but I think there were originally obtained from Southern Pride Models) and then repainted the roof. She now awaits some weathering before she enters my operational fleet on Fisherton Sarum.
Now to kick off / complete a few more projects so watch this space…
Black and blue and green weekend…or model repainting
The American phenomenon of Black Friday really hit our UK shores in anger this year and not only included retailers cutting prices on the Friday itself but many online retailers making offers for the week before. Traditionally in the USA it was the amount of trading the day after their Thanksgiving, which signified the start of the run up to Christmas, that was when traders got themselves back into the black financially , hence the name. Special offers than started to appear and so on. Last year a number of mainly US owned stores got in on the act here and its now spread like wildfire across many stores and mediums, all without having to have eaten turkey the day before…
I took advantage of one of the deals and purchased direct from Hornby a BR blue version of the ex SR Bogie Van B, a fine model but one they have not yet produced in malachite so I though it would make a better candidate for repainting than their nicely done olive green version.
In addition to the Van B repainting I have also been working this weekend, in parallel, on the repainting of a Bachmann N class for a friend who is modelling the South Devon GWR line around Brent, whom wanted to recreate a photograph of an N class on one the turns used to ensure SR drivers were familiar with the line for diversion purposes (GWR drivers also did turns on the SR line round the North of Dartmoor too).
She, as per the photograph, will be become number 1848, and at this post war time, was in fact a Salisbury based engine so it provides a nice link to Fisherton Sarum whilst infiltrating a GWR layout!
Once complete I will pose a photograph on Fisherton Sarum before she heads off to her new home running in GWR metals.
My repainting process for both follows the same basic process with the bodies removed from the chassis:
- Remove the existing decals (with Bachman locos I used good quality enamel thinners on a cotton bud)
- Remove factory fitted such as smoke deflectors, pipework, valve fittings, glazing etc.
- Mask any areas such the buffer beams or roof on the Van B
- Give a dusting of the excellent Halfords plastic primer, this gives a key for the top coat and prevents any reaction between the factory paint and the top coat of Halfords Satin black or Railmatch malachite for the Van B
- Brush paint matt black the smokebox and cab roof and ends of the Van B, repaint the buffer beams if required
- Decal using HMRS Pressfix decals.
- Lightly weather
This is tried and tested method that I have deployed on pretty much all of my repainted R-T-R stock that can be found on Fisherton Sarum
Hornby’s Bogie Van ‘B’ has arrived
First announced by Hornby in January this year and detailed on my post at the time here, the Southern Railway Bogie Van ‘B’ has now arrived in the shops. The first four versions are two in SR pre war Olive Green livery and two in BR(s) Green all with different running numbers.
The model builds on the success of their 4 wheel SR Van C (BR code BY) released a couple of years ago and it is just as exquisite. These 50ft vans have the same nice modelled SR 8ft bogies as their wonderful Maunsell coaches and include the same close coupling cam mechanism with NEM pockets. As with the Maunsell coaches Hornby’s close couplings are included in addition to the now usual narrow tension lock style coupling.
The model includes many separately applied fine details such as handrails, door handles, sprung buffers, vacuum pipes and even lamp irons, The underside is just as well modelled with representations of battery boxes, generator and much, but not quite all, of the brake gear and linkages. On the roof, the vents are reasonably well moulded and the guards look out periscopes are separate fittings with the wipers also moulded, the glass however is not represented and the whole thing painted roof colour. Whilst speaking about the roof, the rain strips are very straight and not as curved as the majority of the prototype vans. However one picture on the excellent Southern Railway resource SeMG website here appears to show similar straighter rain strips, although I am certain this was pretty much an exception rather than the rule.
Livery application is up to Hornby’s usual high standard, although the guards lettering does appear to be slightly oversize, which considering it appears to be correct on their Van C models this is a little surprising. The olive green versions have the door window droplights in varnished teak as they would have been. Mind you these vans were soon quite dirty and not often cleaned so much so the livery was quite often not discernible.
Overall this is an excellent model, even with the minor niggles highlighted above, and will certainly be very popular with Southern modellers (and judging by stock levels at some retailers it already has been) and when perhaps a BR blue liveried version is released suitable for a heavy level of grime to be applied (see Paul Barlett’s excellent reference site here for inspiration) wider afield modellers will be able to make use of them as towards the end of their life they could be seen all across the network.
Happy, or is that Hornby, New Year!
Firstly of course Happy New Year to you all!
Hornby’s 2012 Plans
As I mentioned in my It’s Christmas message this is the time of year that Hornby announce their plans for the coming year. The last couple of years it has been on Christmas Day but this year it has been kept until today to formally make the announcement. Every year there is an issue of a news embargo requested by Hornby following their briefing of the plans to the media in early December until they formally release the information themselves to the public domain.
This embargo was originally, and now somewhat ironically, put in place at the behest of the printed media. You can, however, bet your bottom dollar that one magazine or other, often blaming print / distribution schedules will report on the plans earlier than the official release date, as has once again happened this year.
This also leads to much froth and debate on web forums about what has been released or can and should not yet be said, however, at the end of the day, it is all publicity and noise generated for Hornby.
Although I have known about Hornby’s plans for sometime, unlike some blogs and forums I have respected Hornby’s intended release date hence this post today.
I am not going to provide full details of all their plans but I am happy to outline below the Southern related items that will be of interest to us Southern Modellers.
BR(s) Converted Maunsell Pull- Push Sets and Third/Second Open
Twenty Pull Push sets were converted by BR(SR) from late 1959 to mid 1960 as replacements for earlier Pull Push sets of SR and pre-grouping design, such as the ex LSWR Gate Stock sets that have already been announced by Kernow Models.
They consisted of an 1935 built ex-Diagram 2403 Maunsell Brake Corridor Composite and a Diagram 2023 (ex 1930 built Diagram 2005) Maunsell Second Open (was designated a Third Open until 1956) neither were styles previously produced by Hornby.
The brake end was modified by inserting two windows to form a driving compartment, with the corridor connection removed, and droplights replacing the familiar former guard’s lookout duckets. Similarly the outer end of the Second Open had its corridor connection removed but the corridor connection between the two vehicles was retained.
On one hand an obvious choice for Hornby due the success of the standard Maunsell coach range meaning that they have underframes etc. already in place. On the other hand as they did not already have the Diagram 2005 Third / Open Second in the range it has meant two new body moldings. The Second / Third Open type will also be released as a Diagram 2005 loose coach in Olive Green as No. 1400 and BR(s) Green as s1314s.
SR / BR(s) Bogie Van B
Following on from Hornby’s lovely four wheeled Van C released a couple of years ago, the addition of the bogie Van B is a natural and often asked for progression as currently only the Ratio kit is available.
The Van B’s were first built to diagram 3093 in 1937, being 50ft over headstocks, steel framed with mixed 6½” / 3½” planking on the body side and fitted with standard Southern 8ft bogies (as Hornby have already exquisitely modeled on there Maunsell stock). Some were fitted with a stove for the guard the only real obvious difference being the chimney, and in Southern days the livery, as the stove fitted versions were not for working off the SR, identified them by orange painted squares at the top of the sides at each end and the lower part of the Guards door.
Other items
In addition to the above totally new items there will be DCC Sound fitted versions of rebuilt Merchant Navy 35023 Holland-Afrika Line and rebuilt West Country 34040 Crewkerne. The Railroad range will also gain the original old style ‘Schools’ Class as 911 ‘Dover’ in pre 1931 livery, but with loco drive in place of the old tender mounted Ringfield motor. New liveries include: a short frame M7 249 and narrow cab T9 708 with watercart tender both in SR Bulleid black , SR Green N15 771 ‘Sir Sagramore’, wide splasher T9 30313 with late totem, BR lined black ‘Terrier’ 32670 with early emblem and original West Country 34001 ‘Exeter’ with early emblem.
Britannia class appears as 70004 “William Shakespeare” in full Golden Arrow regalia as she would have carried for hauling the service when she was allocated to Stewarts Lane between September 1951 and June 1958.
Hornby have advised their intent to ensure that all are release during the calendar year, and are sufficiently advanced in the design / production process to achieve this, having resolved some of the supply chain issues experienced during 2011 (which includes the use of new factories / companies in China).
The much rumored 2Bill emu has not been announced, perhaps Hornby are keeping this for another year, following on from mixed reaction to their 4Vep and with production of the 5Bel Brighton Belle units now being carried over to 2012?
The advent of the Third/ Second Open might perhaps lead to the production in the future of a Maunsell Restaurant Car as these were generally paired together or am I am wish listing…