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Travancore on Shed

With locos back on the layout, I decided to take some photos of 45590 on Leaman Road.

I have guests coming over tomorrow and have been tidying the layout up a bit. I’m not sure anything will be running as I’m still in the process of ballasting and the track isn’t as bad as it was but still isn’t clean enough for smooth DCC operation.

Here 45590 poses alongside her sister 45561’Saskatchewan’.

The lovely feature of Bachmann’s Jubilee is the opening smokebox door. It giives us a glimmer of that job fireman had to do (I have also done it when I worked up at the NYMR).

Finally she moves of Shed to head back to Sheffield Millhouses.

Cumbria Area Meeting of the Scale Four Society

Back in the summer, I had the chance meeting with P4 modeller Ian Everett. Ian lives only a few miles from myself and he invited me along to the Cumbria Area Group meetings of the Scalefour Society which are usually hosted at Ian’s home. I was able to go in the summer and thoroughly enjoyed operating Clecklewyke and Bradford North Western. Due to my work though I can rarely make the meetings (as they usually are in the week). As it happened though this months meeting was today, a Saturday. Stephen Paulin was our host where we chattered and played with Ian’s P4 test track not before a trip for a pub lunch first mind! Very nice it was too;)

Ian did ask if I could bring along some recent projects to show, so in this case I brought along three of my most recent weathered locomotives, a B1, O1 and the Jubilee.

Here Stephen’s P4 converted Bachmann 08 trundled very smoothly along Ian’s track.

Stephen lives in close proximity to the S&C at Kirkby Stephen, and we were lucky to see the 60009 on the Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express power through heading south.

All in all, a very enjoyable day, thank you Stephen and Ian.

Travancore ready for duty!

Hello all.

With an early finish and beautiful sunshine in Harrogate I thought it would give me ample opportunity to photograph my recent weathering project outside. Sadly the clouds came across by the time we had got home but I still decided to photograph outside in the natural light….and at least it is dry.

After discussions with friends off the forum who are far more London Midland Region savvy than myself, it became clear there are a number of sheds which would have dispatched Black 5s/Jubilees on cross country services, which would either have terminated at York or would find the the LMR loco coming off at 50A.

The second of the Jubilees for Leaman Road is now finished (for those who have followed my layout on RMweb may remember 45561 Saskatchewen of Bristol Barrow Road also in BR Green currently on shed.) I recently got my hands on the RCTS book on Jubilees. It really is a godsend, with information on all livery changes that took place on each member of the class and in which year it took place.

Below is 45590 ‘Travancore’ of 19B Sheffield Millhouses. She went BR Green in February 1950 so I’ve depicted her in a clean, but working condition. Nameplates from 247 Developments.

I used Klear to depict water that has spilled down the tender side when being watered.

An attempt to get a close up of the valve gear, I used Humbrol 10 thinned then gave a thin wash of Klear to give an oily sheen.

I’m now well on with planning my next Jubilee. This will be a little more challenging as it is a long firebox version (which Bachmann currently do not make apart from the old Mainline model.) I have a plan for producing the long firebox and boiler, but also requires a different livery and tender. It should prove an interesting project.

For those wishing to have guess it’s from a shed far further west than Sheffield….as far west as you can go in the North West.

Travancore takes shape

Due to bad weather I headed home from work early. This did give me the opportunity to weather 45590. She has been weathered with enamels, and powders and all is left is the odd bit of tweaking to be done.

Jubilation for a Jubilee

Thanks to Dave (Max Stafford) I have acquired another Jubilee for Leaman Road. It was over the last month that I realised I could utilise a number of these 4-6-0s from several sheds London Midland Sheds. Below is 45590 ‘TRAVANCORE’ of Sheffield Millhouses. All detailing has been added and a coat of Klear and only requires weathering.

Bachmann have only produced the ‘short firebox version’ but I have plans to make a ‘long firebox’ version while retaining the Bachmann running plate and cab. The result will hopefully produce 45717 ‘DAUNTLESS’ of Bank Hall to haul the Liverpool Exchange service to York.

A4 60009 comes to a halt at Ais Gill on the S&C

Yesterday I headed up to Ais Gill on the Settle and Carlisle Railway to see the southbound Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express.

She was around 20 minutes late but finally we saw a magnificent sight as 60009 could be seen powering along the fell side.

As she came close into view it became obvious she was slowing down and came to a halt literally opposite me. She was here around 3 minutes before slowly she began to move the whole train. After a few yards she had cleared the summit and was dropping down the gradient for the next 30 miles.

The reason for the stop is unknown but was lovely to see 60009 up close….it could have almost been the Waverley Route!

Making an O1 more like….an O1

Hornby’s new LNER O1 is really a stunning piece of kit. Sadly it is let down in one main area, the smoke box door. Hornby have produced all the O1 models with a B1 type smokebox door. Sadly only a small number recieved this door with the majority having the smaller North Eastern type door. I wanted my O1 to recreate 63755 which is shown very clearly in 1950 with the smaller type North Eastern (Yeadon Register). To do this I used the old Hornby D49 door, removed the moulded smokebox door dart, added an Alan Gibson turned brass dart and finally added a plasticard smoke box number bracket.

She was then weathered heavily with a mix of enamel paints and powders. I think you will agree she looks every part the North Eastern Work Horse.

A Blog at last.

Hello!

I say a ‘Blog at last’ but actually had one a couple of years ago called ‘Darlington Works’. It is still there if you google it.

I currently have a thread on the RMweb modelling forum which can be found here – 50A York ‘Leaman Road’ MPD.

I intend to be able to show on this blog, my current projects, aims and other musings.

Cheers

Tom