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SEPTEMBER 2015 UPDATE
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PETE JOHNSON *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
KIER HARDY *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
OCTOBER 2015 UPDATE
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PETE JOHNSON *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
KEITH TRUEMAN *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
HYWEL THOMAS *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
KIER HARDY *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
NOVEMBER 2015 UPDATE
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KIER HARDY *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
PETE JOHNSON *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
DECEMBER 2015 UPDATE
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GREG BROOKES *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
PETE JOHNSON *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
PAUL JAMES *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
HYWEL THOMAS *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
KIER HARDY *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
The LMS 12T Van, M509745, has now been completed with an early BR livery and overall weathering.
BR Dia 1/219 Shocvan-Palvan B854518 is shown in a condition based on
Paul Bartlett photographs of the type from the 1970s.
The Open AB has been finished as 100047, with typical original works-applied markings and light weathering.
Reworked Dia 1/002 Lowfit wagon B452181 has had an Army Sankey one ton trailer added as a load. The parts
for this model came in the Airfix kit which also provided the basis of the Mk2 short wheelbase Landrover on the layout.
A couple of old Canada Road locos from the 1980s have undergone a little improvement recently. GWR
Pannier Tank ‘8779’ has had a chassis rebuild, with new Gibson wheelsets, to improve it’s running.
….And scratchbuilt Barclay 06 002 has had the bonnet-top fuel tank better blended to the rest of the bonnet,
and a fresh arrows badge. Extra fuel-spill grime as also been added, based on ‘Rail Online’ photos showing ‘002 in the mid-70s.
One aspect of the Hornby 08 improvements which I overlooked last month is the wheel balance weights.
These were cut from 0,1mm plastic sheet and fixed with superglue.
08 918 was a little unusual for undergoing dual brake conversion in 1972, but missing out on a re-paint
into rail blue, and so remaining in green livery into the mid-70s.
The other 08 awaiting weathering is 3298. This model is for the late 60s – early 70s period, with
ladders removed and datapanels applied. The real loco went on to become TOPS 08 228, still in a tired green livery.
The bodyshell of Class 73 number 73 122 is pictured ready to be reunited with the mechanism.
Finally, the doing-it-the-hard-way Class 15 ‘D8239’ is also now ready for underframe grime and weathering.
Hornsey Broadway made its debut appearance at Shipley on the 19th & 20th of September 2015.
Still a 'work in progress' with the main lines operational, it was an opportunity to show certain areas
awaiting attention, through to other areas of finished detail.
Brush type 4 number 1932 storms through the station with a Pullman service on the last leg of its journey
to Kings Cross. Also visible is a Met-Cam class 111 DMU ready to depart on a suburban service to Upminster.
BR type 2 number 7660 hauls condemned '38 tube stock en-route for scrapping, with Peak D166 in the background.
A Cravens DMU heads away on the Up Slow line, passing BTH class 15 number D8242 on ballast duties.
A Western Region NBL loco D6326 fresh from the depot and ready to head back home.
A service to Welwyn Garden City enters the station in the capable hands of a 4-car Cravens unit, whilst
class 501 units provide a frequent service between Watford and Broad Street.
Another Cravens unit heads along the Down Fast line on its way to 'The Cross', and passes Hawker Siddeley's
Kestrel hauling empty MGR wagons - during the early 1970s it was either coal or freightliner duties for this 4000hp locomotive
before it was sold to the USSR.
A BR Derby DMU disappears into Hornsey Tunnel as a green Brush type 4 emerges on the fast lines. A
rake of mark 1 sleeping cars can be seen on the Down Slow line, heading ECS to the carriage sidings.
A view looking north from Hornsey Road where Kafe is doing a roaring trade next to the milk depot. EE type 2
'Baby Deltic' D5909 can be seen trundling along the old branch with a rake of wagons collected from local industries.
Another view of D5909 on the viaduct after depositing its wagons.
Just smell those diesel fumes! A busy weekday scene at the depot with a selection of Eastern Region motive
power undergoing maintenance.
A rare sight to see two Western Region locos at once on Hornsey Road Depot - D1033 Western Trooper and D826 Jupiter.
For those able to get along to the Wigan show on the 3rd & 4th of October,
here is a taster of the layout – a view looking towards the engineman’s cabin across the yard.
It looks like the Newsagent has been tipping his ash over the back wall again!
Another Class 03 for the Canada Street roster has made rapid progress this
month. Based around the re-tooled Bachmann shell - which is excellent - the all-green loco
in as-delivered condition is for the early 1960s sequences on the layout.
The buffer beam cut-outs in the metal footplate casting have been filled with carefully
sized 2mm plastic glued with epoxy.
The model has been renumbered as D.2019, but otherwise there has been very
little work to do on the shell.
For the mechanism I’ve used the Branchlines kit again, with compensation
added to the undriven axles.
The finished model has been lightly weathered and will appear in the opening
sequence on Canada Street at the Wigan show.
The new Class 15 for the same sequence, D8202, has also received only a light dusting of grime.
The recent Shipley show gave an excuse for Diesel Brake Tender B964050 to
get a run out on Hornsey Broadway.
The model was made some years ago using the whitemetal kit of the type.
Recently finished Class 08 ‘3298’ also featured on the layout in a filthy
and faded condition typical of the type at the beginning of the rail blue era.
The other 08 OMWB has also been finished, 08 918 being in a similar neglected
state, but with a fresh stripe of green for the TOPS number vinyls.
By way of contrast Class 73 73 122 is closer to an ex-works condition, and
should be making a first appearance at the Tonbridge show next February.
Another new item for Wigan is an HGV for the early 1970s. This BRS Scania
110 is the Oxford Diecast model, with a little work on the glazing and rear lights.
The long crate load was put together from Slaters planked sheet
Grassed areas are now starting to be added on the layout with the age
old method of using the remaining stock of old fluffy carpet underlay. It has been bleached,
washed, and after drying out, glued down with PVA, then tinted with the passing of an airbrush.
This is the boiler house for the furniture factory, a simple building
built from 060” Styrene sheet, and overlayed with embossed plastic from South Eastern Finecast.
The roof is a Kibri product, whilst the single window is from the scraps box. The
chimney is still to be colour toned.
Peco rail built buffer stops, have been used for the the end of track sections,
these are adjusted to EM gauge after some minor surgery with a craft knife.
The cobbles are getting there! The foam board has been cut out for the
opposite bank of the canal so more cobbles to come… along with some lock gates,
stop boards and a sluice. Lots to be getting on with…!
Another view of the quayside, with the Michigan 125 wheel loader ready for its next duty.
With the arrival of the new Colin Craig freightliner flats at Shenston Road, these
older but heavily modified and detailed Hornby versions have now been transferred to the Hornsey fleet.
Built by Greg Brookes, these wagons were completely reconstructed underneath with brass trussing
and other section detail. Cast whitemetal bogies add weight and provide smooth running.
Now host to some modified & detailed containers, with this pairing sitting well on
the back of Pete Johnson's rake of 10 wagons. The boxes are modified from old Hornby 20' containers
with the smooth sides and ends printed on photograph paper, and framed with sections of plastic strip.
To finish off this month's early update, here's a few snaps taken at the Shipley
exhibition by Pete Johnson.
5595 & D5641.
Hornsey Road depot.
Hornsey Tunnel.
Deltic 9012 Crepello.
Baby Deltic D5909.
Long Row.... This picture and the following by Steve Jordan.
Lonely van.
D6326 with inter-regional traffic.
BTH type 1 with departmental wagons.
Resting between duties.
HS4000 Kestrel.
It's no surprise to see a large proportion of type 1 motive power on shed, as the
work they were intended for fell away sharply in the late 1960s, resulting in the eventual and shameful scrapping
of many locomotives in full working condition. Frank Agile the depot foreman has enough problems to sort out, not
helped by the poor availability of spare parts such as traction motors for the class 15 fleet. 8224 seen in the
centre of this picture has just been allocated to Hornsey Road, spuced up and given a full service, but is now
sidelined awaiting a new motor - let's hope the supplier in Oxford can come up with the goods so it can see some
service at least!
We've experienced a few problems with these Chinese built motors as fitted to the Heljan class
15 & 16 locomotives, with the commutator suffering a complete meltdown after only a few minutes running time from
new. This view shows the novel method of brush pressure provided in the form of a strip of brass rivetted
to the motor end cap, instead of the usual coiled spring. Having said that, there are several members of
the class which have run for many hours without any issues.
A series of images showing a set of wheels being reprofiled on the lathe. This process involves
facing the inside of the wheel to reduce flange thickness without having to remove the wheels from the axles, and
reduces the amount of movement required when regauging to EM by drifting. This method is also regularly used on
coupled wheelsets (shunting and steam locomotives) without disturbing the quartering.
A set of class 15 wheels, along with another set of wheels recently reprofiled for a Baby Deltic.
Showing the webbing being removed from the inside of a bogie frame, to allow clearance when being
regauged to 4ft 4-1/2".
Finishing off this month's report is a view of The Works showing various rolling stock projects
underway. Baby Deltic D5903 has just received a fresh coat of yellow paint on its nose ends, and the chassis is
finished, converted and ready for service. A small number of 21ton hopper wagons have been transferred to the Hornsey
fleet after serving well on Oldshaw for a number of years, with some requiring removal of their quaint hands-free
couplings in favour of 3-links. D7098 sits on the back road after having been re-data panelled - the set it had been
carrying recently was of the later mid-'70s style, putting it out of period for a 1970 guise! My thanks go to Mr
Johnson for pointing this out at the recent Shipley exhibition!
Wigan 2015 was the second show appearance for ‘Canada Street’, the layout is pictured
ready to go early on the Saturday morning. The following are a few other views taken at the show…..
One for grounded van fans…..the old LNER van by the engineman’s cabin.
A view looking down the back of the yard beyond the cabin.
New loco D.2019 rests amongst some mineral wagons during the opening 1961 sequence on the Saturday.
During the same sequence, all-green Class 15 D8202 was stabled in the yard. This, and just a
handful of other examples, carried unusual nose-end numbers in the early 60s.
In a later sequence Class 08 D3988 lifts a few steel carriers out of the yard
And Drewry tram D2212 runs along the quayside with a string of grain hoppers
Moving north to Scotland in the mid-1970s, Barclay 06 002 bumbles through the docks with just a couple of wagons.
Back on the hobby bench, work on the two North British 0-4-0 kits has resumed.
The wheels (Gibson) are pictured after fitting of the balance weights.
English Electric type 1 locomotives 8074 & 8078 head along the steelworks branch, passing the
gasworks on their way back towards the main line with a rake of 24 ton mineral and hopper wagons.
BR Derby Sulzer type 2 number 5233 hauls 3 withdrawn locos, class 43 number 863 (Warrior)
& 840 (Resistance), and class 42 number 830 (Majestic) on their way to Swindon Works for dismantling.
Now shorn of their nameplates, this view of 863 shows signs of a sideswipe, and more
than likely the reason for its demise.
A sad sight indeed, but justifiable in modelling terms since Bachmann recently introduced
the all-new class 43 to their range. These 3 Warships all started life as Mainline products and had been
extensively modified and detailed to represent different members of the class, but let down by a poor motor
and 2 axle drive. Now de-meshed and free to roll along unpowered, the old girls have at least been able to
put in an appearance on the main line once again, rather than be consigned to the bin or display shelf!
On a happier note, there are still a few Warships still in active service. Here is class 42 number
814 Dragon standing light engine on the centre road, whilst class 43 number 841 Roebuck gets ready to depart
with a service to Paddington.
At the north end of the station another class 43 number 853 Thruster hauls a short train of
HOP21 wagons and a brake van, with 814 visible in the distance.
The mechanisms for the two North British 0-4-0s are now nearing completion. These are built
around a couple of Portescap 1219s, with compensation via a rocking front axle.
The bodyshells are also making steady progress, with cab roof and glazing now fitted -
the shell of D2774 is pictured.
A new wagon project is this LNER Diagram 123 riveted plate wagon, modelled to a David Larkin
picture taken in 1970 at Liverpool Docks.
The hundreds of rivets required by the type have been added to the Parkside kit parts using
Archer resin transfers laid onto wet matt varnish. These make the conversion so much more possible than gluing
individual plastic rivet heads one-by-one!
An oil storage tank wagon load has been made by adapting parts from the Airfix Esso tank
wagon kit. Scalelink etched mesh has been used for the walkways, and the tank is set on a slight angle to
stay within the loading gauge.
The five Coil-J steel carriers have now been weathered and are ready for loads to be added.
The type were a little unusual for carrying fleet numbers during their early years in South Wales. B747532
was converted from a chalk tippler with early RCH style brakes.
B386077 had been an iron ore tippler with the later clasp brakes. The programme to cut them
down into coil carriers was either done in a big hurry, or on a tight budget, as they were never fully
re-painted, just patched over the worst rust spots and weld repairs. The superb markings are from the
Railtec sheet, and reference photographs for the early 70s were from Paul Bartlett’s excellent website.
A few months back this Heljan class 47 was on the work bench having been fitted with
a Spanner boiler port from a donor bodyshell, making it more suitable for an ECML allocated loco.
Now providing top link service, Brush 4 number 1516 is seen at Hornsey. The EM conversion
follows the usual method of utilising the original 14.80mm diameter wheels by reprofiling the flanges to
something less chunky. We have found that using replacement 14.00mm wheels can result in the underslung tanks grounding.
This class 15 was acquired minus traction motor (presumably removed to get another
member of the class working), and has been fitted with a replacement Mitsumi motor supplied by Cambridge
Custom Transfers. It is seen here on test as part of a trial for alternative motors.
We've experienced a few failures of the Heljan class 15 & 16 motors, as reported on the
November update page, with little prospect of any new ones arriving from China in the near future.
This shows the replacement motor which fits into the chassis with little in the way of
modification being required - the only difficult bit being the removal of the flywheel couplings.
Showing the motor fitted into its rubber cradle, and a modified means of securing the
motor using strapping screwed to the existing threaded holes. The keep plate is put to one side for
possible future use, as it can't be fitted easily due to the different profile of the motor casing.
Showing the chassis being tested on the rolling road. The maximum RPM isn't as fast as
the Heljan motor, but tests so far have proved reliable, and the locomotive is capable of pulling a
reasonable load with over 2 hours continuous running on the Hornsey circuit.
As reported before in these pages, Morfa Bank Sidings has been going through some changes
since it moved house. The old section of board used to come out by the freshly cut wood between the quay wall
and the rear of the old trawler and the bit just in front of the trawler was once the two struts that formed
the scrap yard section. The curved bit of quay wall in the centre was where the corner shop used to sit on
the former street scene. It’s changed a bit!
The higher view also shows the new triangular bit at the rear of that board and that’s where
the re-sited foundry will live. Between that and the lock is where the scrap yard will be. The front section
is all river (the black lines show where the tide line will be, the rest is mud, glorious mud!). The trawler
is being broken up at another bit of scrap yard on the other side of the tramway line that cuts through the
middle of the scene to a fiddle yard off to the right.
Starting off this section with a few snaps featuring some of the recent Eastwell fleet by
Paul James to to enter service. A glimpse of Brush 4 number 1516 stabled at Hornsey Road depot.
Another snap showing the loco passing the front of the depot.
Somewhat a long way from home, Landore's 6607 takes a rest before heading back west. This Lima
model started life at Shenston Road, and was then transferred to the Eastwell fleet a few years later. It has recently
been double-motored and detailed to include sandpipes and other chassis enhancements.
6802 & 6831 (Lima) now back in service with the same level of equipment and detail as 6607.
A real treat for Western fans - D1022 Western Sentinel hauls a rake of empty 21 ton hopper
wagons, whilst D1033 Western Trooper is seen on the branch line beyond with a rake of vans, both carrying out
inter-regional duties in the North London area. D1022 is the latest Dapol Western to hit the rails as one of the
Shenston Road fleet by Greg Brookes, which includes the change of profile to the front end (ignore the cobweb!).
As well as taking a few pictures, there's been some activity on the work bench too. The ex-Oldshaw
21 ton hoppers have had a makeover, backdating them to an early '70s appearance. Some of the wagons had suffered
bowing of the torsion bars between the axleguards, and these have been replaced and await painting.
The loaded hoppers are now in service, and were spotted from the footbridge heading towards Temple Mills....
..... with a re-bodied unfitted hopper at the back. The load is made from real coal glued onto
a former, and was expertly carried out by Andy Bartlett.
A class 501 EMU crosses the fly-over on the approaches to Hornsey Broadway station, where it will
terminate before heading back to Broad Street, with the driver having taken the initiative to change the blinds ready
for its return journey. The Down Slow line is occupied by a 6-car Cravens heading for Welwyn Garden City I think.....
its real destination would no doubt be clarified had the unit been somewhat less grubby! This image shows some maintenance
is required on the second compartment of the centre coach on the class 501, to replace a missing window bar, and for
someone attend to the bufferbeam anomalies on the Cravens when it gets back to the depot.
