Hornby announce their 2023 range, a summary of SR/BR(s) items

Hornby have today announced their forthcoming range for 2023 as being a year of catch up, so not a huge amount to report for SR / BR(s) modellers (or anyone really...unless you are a collector of Gresley pacifics). New Tooling Hornby's new tooling for 2023 is not SR / BR(s) orientated and includes the LNER … Continue reading Hornby announce their 2023 range, a summary of SR/BR(s) items

General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society awards contract for Trailing Truck restoration and confirm the grade of steel for the new crank axle

Two major steps forward for the General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society (GSNLRS), that aims to restore the Merchant Navy locomotive 21c11 / 35011 to her original as built condition complete with air smooth casing and Bulleid's unique chain driven valve gear, were announced at last weeks Annual General Meeting. Regular readers of my blog … Continue reading General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society awards contract for Trailing Truck restoration and confirm the grade of steel for the new crank axle

Workbench Witterings #11 Forward dating @Hornby Bulleid Merchant Navy 21c3 to 1947 condition

As I hinted in my Workbench Witterings #10 Forward dating @Hornby Bulleid Merchant Navy 21c7 to 1947 condition post here, I also intended to do the same with my  R3435 21C3 ‘Royal Mail’ model.  Like the latest Hornby model of 21c7 the previously released model R3435 21C3 ‘Royal Mail’ model has been produced in her … Continue reading Workbench Witterings #11 Forward dating @Hornby Bulleid Merchant Navy 21c3 to 1947 condition

Workbench Witterings #10 Forward dating @Hornby Bulleid Merchant Navy 21c7 to 1947 condition

As per my review, here, of the Hornby Bulleid Merchant Navy R3717 21c7 Aberdeen Commonwealth in SR wartime black, the model has been produced in her early condition, with the 'widows peak' without smoke deflectors. 21c7 was one of the first batch of ten Merchant Navy pacifics, she was introduced in June 1942 in malachite green … Continue reading Workbench Witterings #10 Forward dating @Hornby Bulleid Merchant Navy 21c7 to 1947 condition

35011 General Steam Navigation boiler lifted for the first time 61 years – a major milestone reached in the restoration project.

On Friday 2nd October 2020, the boiler of Ex-SR Bulleid Merchant Navy Class, 35011 “General Steam Navigation” was successfully lifted from its frames for the first time since 1959. The boiler was built by North British in Glasgow in January 1941 and has been attached for a total of 61 years since its last overhaul … Continue reading 35011 General Steam Navigation boiler lifted for the first time 61 years – a major milestone reached in the restoration project.

Bulleid Merchant Navy update: No.11 gets a new Trustee and Director and No.6 and No.28 faultlessly perform #bulleidbrilliance

By the very nature of the fact that you read this blog of mine, you will I am sure like me not help but admire the Bulleid Merchant Navy paciifics in either original air smoothed or their later rebuilt form. It is of course  great that a number have been preserved and are at various … Continue reading Bulleid Merchant Navy update: No.11 gets a new Trustee and Director and No.6 and No.28 faultlessly perform #bulleidbrilliance

Merchant Navy pacific 35011 General Steam Navigation arrives at her new home @35011GSN

Further to my post here just last month about the planned move announced by  The General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society that 35011 will be moving to its new base of the Swindon and Cricklade Railway, I am pleased to be able to advise that just only four weeks later, on Monday 15th April, the move … Continue reading Merchant Navy pacific 35011 General Steam Navigation arrives at her new home @35011GSN

Great News about Merchant Navy pacific 35011 General Steam Navigation @35011GSN

Regular readers of this blog will know, via its dedicated page here that I am shareholder in 35011 General Steam Navigation. The intention of The General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society of course is to not only to return the Bulleid Merchant Navy Pacific 35011 General Steam Navigation to steam but also back to her … Continue reading Great News about Merchant Navy pacific 35011 General Steam Navigation @35011GSN