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FEBRUARY 2020 UPDATE
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HYWEL THOMAS *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
KIER HARDY
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PETE JOHNSON *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
KARL CROWTHER *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
STEVE HARROD *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Having recently discovered an unloved Dapol 5-plank in a drawer I thought I’d see if it
could be made into something passable for the spoil fleet as the steel chassis it comes
with is an easy convert to EM. That was the only good news about it! So off we went -
first up was a carved strip of Evergreen styrene that fitted within the original steel channel.
With the strip secured next up was a sack-truck door. The original hinge detail was carefully
lifted with a sharp scalpel and gently bent forwards. A piece of 10-thou strip of a suitable
width was fitted behind with a thinner strip to kick out the bottom of the plank. The hinge
and strapping was then stuck back down. The two door banger strips were also removed and one
re-affixed centrally.
Here we see the results of that work and also the start of the detailing of the new ‘wood’
under frame using bits of strip and rod as appropriate.
With most of the detailing complete a waft of primer showed up the relative crudity of the work
but already it’s making a difference to the original. Some carving of the brake gear has also
taken place. I also discovered that the bizarrely extra thick top plank needed remedial work.
With the top plank reduced to get the overall height correct and a suitable LMS number chosen
it was time for some well weathered paint. The lettering has since been toned down, in
particular the Loco Coal brand, now virtually invisible as intended. It’s not immediately
obvious that it started life with a steel under frame so the experiment was a success, if not
one I’ll be repeating!
And here it is on it’s first trip out, heading back from the spoil trip on a trial run.
Something a bit different and a reasonable use for any of those Dapol five-planks
lurking forgotten out there.
This unusual beast was built out of necessity. The curve from the exchange sidings to the
tramway line was always very tight. It was fine with short wheelbase wagons but with some of
the longer wagons used on the steel export traffic and the vans that occasionally appear it
was found that buffer locking was an issue. This is the solution - fitted with dumb buffers
at one end and a wheel-operated brake inside for the shunter, the wagon is used between the
long wagons and the engine, solving the problem.
The wagon started life in the Ratio Permanent Way set (LNWR I think) and has been out of use
for probably 25 years. Conversion was simple - a Ratio level crossing operating wheel from the
signal box interior set; a Wills equipment cabinet cut down as a store cupboard; a few steps
and a carved new access door; dumb buffers and an extended three-link coupling. And that was
that apart from a suitable paint job.
When looking for the Ratio wagon above I found an old ABS metal kit for an early LMS van. A
very well designed kit with some lovely fine detail so built exactly as intended and now in
use as a sheet van, taking the sheets used on the export coils back to the steelworks as required.
After the wagon interlude it was time to get back to the scenic work. So, out came the DAS and
after some carving this is the result - the section on the far side of the canal near the bridge,
the cut-out fits around the inlaid track that comes to the basin from the scrap yard. I must
push on with this piece and not get distracted by more wagonry!
This is the Bachmann Ransomes & Rapier 45 ton steam crane after the application of some subtle
weathering / fading of the red and black paintwork using thin light coloured washes, with the
addition of oil and grease deposits around the turret area. There's a siding just made for it
at the back of Hornsey Road depot, keeping a couple of support vehicles company. Don't be misled
by the vertical red object which appears above the buffers on the weight relieving bogie,
it's the mast of a Lansing Bagnall fork lift truck in the background.
Flickr link shows the crane at Willesden C1977.
This particular crane was delivered to the GWR at Stafford Road Works, Wolverhampton in 1940. In
the late 1960s it was allocated to BR(M) spending time at Tyseley and Saltley, then spells at
Willesden & Crewe during the 1970s. It wouldn't be too difficult to modify this crane to the later
mid-war LNER deliveries, which would involve making new cylinders and steam chests. As it spent
some time in North London, the easiest option for now is to leave it as it is..... at least it's
received some customisation!
Taking a spin out on the main line behind BR Derby type 2 number 7593, with support vehicles, a
steel High wagon and brake van. The conversion to EM gauge is very straightforward utilising the
existing wheels with the flanges reprofiled. It's apparent in this view that some adjustment to the
tool van ride height is required. In the background is D8135 in green with small yellow panel, the
latest Class 20 by Greg to emerge from the Shenston Road workshops.
A view of the ex-LMS CK staff van (DM395476), a modified Mainline model by Paul James.
Also modified and built by Paul is this tool van made from a MAJ kit (DM395924).
Whilst on the subject of breakdown cranes and tool vans, here's a heavily modified Lima BSK built
many years ago by Greg Brookes into a re-railing tool van, captured at Wibdenshaw.
Just for the album, here's another pair of support vehicles at the Eastwell Ironstone Company's
exchange sidings, both converted and finished by Greg.
The old Triang Hornby Cowans Sheldon hand crane is a fairly accurate model, this example with
some additional detail and a repaint. This model dates back to my Holmeworth days (it still isn't
finished), paired up with a ZSV 3 plank open wagon DM475530 used as a runner. This type of crane
was usually confined to yards and not very often found out on the main line. Used for lifting
general merchandise, or the end of a wagon for replacing wheelsets.
Next up from the Permanent Way Department is a 15 ton diesel hydraulic crane constructed from the
Airfix / Dapol plastic kit, paired with a modified Airfix bogie bolster 'A'. This model utilises a
steam tender chassis instead of the kit bogie arrangement. The bogie versions were only sold
to private industry.
It's put in many appearances over the years at Eastwell Ironstone, Shenston Road, Wibdenshaw and
Hornsey Broadway. Based loosely on a Booth Rodley crane of 1958 as supplied to BR(W). There are
plans to bring it into the workshops for corrective surgery, which will involve rebuilding the 8
wheeled truck and moving the turret further along the chassis. Once the conversion work has been
carried out to make it more like the prototype, it will receive a coat of grey paint to backdate
it, not unlike the example shown below.
Another model built and modified by Greg Brookes for Shenston Road using the Airfix / Dapol kit
in a more accurate form, utilising a modified steam tender chassis. A bogie bolster is used as
a runner for the crane, with the tool boxes built from plasticard.
Long on the shelf JB Models GS trailer kits have made it to the work bench. The trailers
have now been constructed and painted ready for use as wagon loads.
A trio of Red Panda Lowfits are shown here under construction, along with the 2 completed
GS trailers. To give the wagon some weight, lead flashing has been cut, fitted and glued
before continuing with the brake gear.
Almost there... just requiring some chain pockets on the deck and the trailers tied down with
rope, with chocks against the wheels to stop them moving. Once the brake handles are painted
white, it'll be a quick visit to the weathering station before entering service.
Now for a couple of snaps captured at the lineside - Peak D1 heads south with a loaded coal
working from the Midlands. This and the following image feature locomotives from the Shenston
Road fleet, finished and weathered by Greg.
NBL Warship D600 Active in blue livery is held at signals, whilst D601 Ark Royal in
green livery passes by with an unfitted freight.
Hornsey Broadway will be appearing at Model Rail Scotland on the 21st, 22nd & 23rd of February
in Glasgow at the SEC, G3 8YW.
Model Rail Scotland link for further details.
Continuing with the crane theme, here's a couple of images of the Canada Street's Cowans
Sheldon 6 ton hand crane, modified from the Hornby model and seen here at Easington Lane.
Additional views of the crane... back in the day fresh from the work bench, and later
spotted at Wibdenshaw goods yard.
The Drewry ‘Class 04’ 0-6-0 shunter went through numerous detail upgrades as the build
of 142 examples progressed from 1952 to 1962. D2205 was one of the earlier variants with
3’3” wheels, stovepipe chimney and small cabside windows. The loco was to spend its entire
working life in the North East – 16 years with BR, shedded at West Hartlepool until depot
closure brought a transfer to Thornaby, and then sold into industry spending over 10 years
working at Middlesbrough Docks. Preservation took the loco south, saved by a member of the
West Somerset Railway, before a return north to the Heritage Shunter Trust in 2012, was to
bring a superb restoration to working condition.
The model, based on modifications of the Dapol and Branchlines kits, has been finished to
the loco’s September 1967 appearance, wearing freshly applied green and yellow, but with
rail-blue style markings – a combination that was something of an Eastern Region speciality.
The baseboards are at last finished – constructed from 9mm birch ply. This first view shows
the triangular well that will be home to the Kendal signaller – Kendal station itself will
be on the boards running diagonally across the room. The curve in the foreground forms part
of a continuous circuit linking the Arnside end of the fiddle yard (on the left) with Kentside station.
In this view, we’re looking across a lifting section that allows access into the main, central
operating area. The boards forming Kendal station are to the left, with Kentside to the right.
The curving tracks in the foreground will be non-scenic and will lie behind the Kendal backscene.
Site of Kentside station with the lever frame taking shape. The latter is intended to be an
interim fitting, to be replaced later with a true mechanical frame from Scalefour Stores. The
wiring connections to both assemblies will be identical so as to make the two units interchangeable.
The plan is the same for Kendal – it’s just a lot quicker at this stage to use the simple DPDT
switches, freeing up time to work on other aspects of the layout. The lever frame proper will be
fully interlocked, whereas this switch-based version will have limited interlocking – e.g. to
prevent a signal being cleared if a point is set incorrectly.
One important task is to get the original Kentside motive power converted over to DCC – with
both these two now being sound-equipped. On the 108 DMU (Craftsman etched sides on a much
butchered Lima model – originally done 30 years ago!), forward marker lights and interior
lighting have also been installed, with the 40 having rear marker lights. In fact the 40 has
been swapped onto the Bachmann mechanism that was originally under 40195 on Hebble Vale (so I
had to scratchbuild a water tank). While at it, I also re-modelled the 40’s cab-side windows
(i.e. made them deeper by around 1mm) - something not done originally. The nose is still a bit
too deep and the cab front windows at too steep an angle, but performing any further surgery
could ruin what’s been achieved already, so I think I’ll call it a day on this one.
Also a bit of progress on the rolling stock front. This ex-LMS 42’ parcels van started life as
a Lima model. The basic measurements seemed to be correct, so all I did to the body was to add
the missing ribbing, replace the handrails/door handles, add the window bars and flush glaze.
The underframe too seemed to be a fairly good representation, so the main work here was to
replace the bogies and buffers (Comet), also the brake wheel (Colin Craig) and add label clips
and other small details. On the original model, the roof and the glazing were a single unit of
clear plastic, so having cut away the glazing, the vents were replaced with cast ones and the
transverse ‘ribs’ filed back to be less pronounced. The paint job was Lifecolor BR maroon
(acrylic), plus HMRS lettering. On the layout it will form part of the weekday K’s Shoes
parcels working to Bradfield Gloucester Square.
I have spent some time completing both D838 Rapid and D859 Vanquisher to the condition
they both appeared when stored on the works dump back in 1971. Both also have dual guises,
on one side they have nameplates on the other side the nameplates have been removed showing
the remaining bolt holes. This at least gives me options of showing them still running
(just) or stored withdrawn. D838 had a rather large quantity of oil running down from the
roof hatches at one end, this was represented by first using black metalcote, then some
black gloss. Also modelled is the repair to the front end with the riveted plate, which
really was a cheap repair.
D838 and D859 both suffered from having prestolith dropping off the bodysides, this was
represented by a small pointed chisel that I use to to disturbed the surface and to remove
a layer leaving it slightly rough, this is then painted giving hopefully a 3D effect of the
Prestolith missing and that a fitter has had the task of protecting the bodyside with the
appropriate colour paint.
D859 was a great challenge to get the weathering correct and this consisted of many different
colours to give me the desired effect, this started with a cream white base which was left to
dry, then a pink sub base again mixed with cream to tone it down, followed by various shades
of blue with a final weathering of roof dirt.
Next up will be D1047 Western Lord in blue small yellow ends along with D861 Vigilant in
maroon small yellow ends, which should complete the 83A fleet for now.
Kier has kindly forwarded me an email from Bob Trevelyan - an ex Newton Abbot fitter back in
1971, who along with his friend John kindly offered me some fantastic information about their
old workplace. I have now discovered that the Braithwaite tanks on the works dump were used
for the Works heating boilers, one was for thick oil, that had to be heated and the other 2
tanks were for residual oil from the effluent plant which separated the oil form the water.
Also the red brick built building on the other side of the dump was an electrical sub station
for the main off loading points for the fuel tanks, which were located over the other side of
the road and the main depot tank located near the fuel distribution firm, which had 2 tanks
which the railway did not use. Further correspondence with Bob has revealed that Newton Abbot
was tasked with refurbishing the Peaks which were transferred to the WR in 1971, so I now
have an excuse for a Peak in the works dump.
