On my Workbench

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

I did indeed see the BR blue A3 on the Grantham thread and didn't it look great? No lining on the back of GN's tender at all, although there should be a bit of red edging, I believe.

The G2A was weathered entirely with Tamiya Weathering Master powder compacts with that sponge/brush applicator thingy. In fairness, it was Mrs BB on one of her rare trips to the model shop who pointed them out. I find pack B (Snow for limescale etc, soot and old rust) and pack C (orange rust, gun metal and silver) the most useful. Never tried the others - an opportunity, I reckon! Anyway, they're about £4 a pack over here so may be worth your while Googling 'em Manna.

I do find that the "wash" method does leave the loco looking "flat" so dry brushing paint and the weathering compacts just "lift" this. It has to be exaggerated because in reality, the shade differences are too subtle, but not by much, otherwise the result will be garish and unrealistic. You can also overlayer the powders, calming down overbright patches of rust.

The 7F has been overdusted with the powders and I'm now sourcing crew, lamps and tools for 'em. Photos to follow in due course.

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

Here's an idea for those BR era modellers who need smokebox plates for workhorses.

Get hold of one of the Ian Allan ABC reprints. I have no doubt that you have your originals but they'll have underlinings and stuff in them won't they? Mine from the 1970s and '80s certainly do! The Locoshed ones are better because you get the number without all the class Part number markings.

You then need a scanner and a suitable image processing package. If you can't afford Photoshop then a free (yep, you read that right, FREE!!!) substitute is GIMP. Nearly as good and 100% cheaper!*

Scan the page showing your chosen number at a high resolution then crop tightly onto the number. Flip to negative, size to a height of 2mm and print. The result will be revealed in due course. It's just that I can't be bothered renumbering my Mexborough Pacific until I can put that %#£$ tender right!

If you can manage a batch of them, then this method becomes more economical in terms of paper. I use ordinary copier bond although decent coated paper is probably better. Do not use photographic paper because this needs more ink to make an impression and this causes the black ink to bleed into the white numerals. I still bear the scars, as does my B1 from numberplate removal, required after the bleed got so bad, the numbers were invisible. And yes, the bleeding occurs over time. The numbers were crystal clear when first printed.

Mrs BB who is a legal eagle type wench says: other downloads may well be available!

[Atlantic 3279]

Does Mrs BB mind being called a wench, or is it a case of the heart not grieving over what the eye doesn't see?

[Blink Bonny]

Does Mrs BB mind being called a wench, or is it a case of the heart not grieving over what the eye doesn't see?

Ay up!

Mrs BB is a Black Country wench and proud of it. Hence my domiciling in this place where "bits om me chips" is met with blank looks.

Its a foreign land!

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

I've been working on my layout and also on a few customers' engines.

Anyway, I had an unusual request recently - to "do something" with the pony truck on a Bachmann V2 with "that kit thing in Model Rail." The customer was adamant - it had to be the Derob kit.

I've built and fitted it this PM and was pleasantly surprised. Apart from the bit of insulating tape, everything else was there including a Gibson pony wheel . Goes together well and looks really good. Photos of the painted and assembled cartazzi to come.

£20 well spent. Now, there's a black V2 in my stock cupboard upstairs. Where do I get an A3 bod from?

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

Back again!

Not an LNER machine but may be of interest. Go on - have a guess as to what it is!

Piccie with a body on to follow.....

[2002EarlMarischal]

Hmm. No sign of bogie or trailing truck mounting so staying as an 0-6-0? But tender or tank? Black wheels not much of a clue. Perhaps those sanders are distinctive - there must be a clue somwhere?

Does "not LNER" mean pre-grouping or not even of GCR, GER, GNR, NER etc ancestry?

I'm afraid I can't "name that tune in one"!

[CVR1865]

I think it is a midland 3F in the fine history of kit building, "if I build one a RTR version will get released".

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

CVR, that's close enough - its a :

You win 1st prize of....

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!

The body is seen here in "as bought" condition from our Club Stand. I have the missing step which will be re-fitted. I will be de-assembling then re-assembling it with solder, converting it to right-hand drive along the way.

Sorry about the LMS ancestry - I will return to the paths of righteousness eventually...

[2002EarlMarischal]

Just wondering about the degree of transgression from the path of righteousness!

My late father's favourite locomotive was LMS 6100 Royal Scot in its unrebuilt form - as a memento of him I have a model of that loco plus a handful of coaches to the left of my desk. In my "ongoing projects yard", I have SR King Arthur "Excalibur" awaiting a rename to one the Arthurs used on loan by the LNER during the war. Nothing from the "other" one of the Big Four!

Oh, I nearly forgot the NE O6 and O7 in my display cabinet. Can I be excused?

[CVR1865]

Huzzah!!

And very sharp she looks too.

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

I was brought up LNER and LMS so I've got me excuse.

More to come.

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

More progress!

Sadly, the loco wouldn't go round any curves with all three axles flanged so....

Horrible, I know, but there you go. At least the W & T wheels have a fairly soft nickel silver tyre so removal is fairly easy.

Now to fitting the crankpins:

With Romfords, the bigger the spacer the better then it is more difficult to get flux in the insulating material. W & Ts have a plastic centre so no worries here! However, you do need an SAS attitude: in and out before anyone knows you're there!

Noisy little bleeder but its quietening down with running.

[Atlantic 3279]

A rolling road - that's a bit swanky isn't it? I have to test run, or run-in, hand held, jacked up, or upside-down on any handy supports....

[jwealleans]

Tell you what, I got one as a bonus when I bought a MasterChassis (the bits come with it) and they are handy. Not sure I'd rush out and buy one in its own right, but it's a nice to have. Beats 'upside down across a margarine tub'.