Table of contents for July 2023 in Model Rail

Three new models have been added to the Accurascale Exclusives range, available only from the manufacturer's website. First up is an eye-catching Class 37/4 in Harry Needle RailRoad Company's orange/black livery. Purchased from Direct Rail Services last year, 37405 is currently on hire to Colas Rail for main line infrastructure duties. The `37/4' shares the same specification (and price) as Accurascale's other refurbished Class 37s, the first examples of which have just arrived (see review on page 86). Delivery of ‘Tango' 37405 is expected early in 2024. Based on its forthcoming range of BR Mk 1 non-gangway coaching stock is BTU Tool Van ADB963952, based on a prototype converted in 1980. Presented in BR Departmental yellow, with a distressed roof finish, the model is due later this year and priced…

Unusual scenes captured by the lens of Chris Nevard Down at the canal wharf, the nearby colliery is disposing of all sorts of junk, including Beryl's old Austin Seven, which was condemned by the local mechanic years ago. Back in the day, she used to race cars at Brooklands, so she's quite used to the dangers of the roads and the perils of the racetrack. Today, she's just taken delivery of an all-new three-wheeled Heinkel Trojan with the door on the front. It's doubtful it will be any safer than the old Austin, but at least in the event of a crunch she'll be able to climb through the canvas sunroof. Or in her case, be craned out.…

Back in 2005, Model Rail commissioned Bachmann Branchline to produce an exclusive run of 500 twin-packs of its then-new Class 20. The models depicted 20030/064 in their customised version of BR green livery, as applied at Tinsley shed in 1987. Named River Rother and River Sheaf, respectively, the ‘Tinsley Twins’ gained celebrity status among enthusiasts at the time. Chris Leigh was editor at the time of the Bachmann models’ arrival, and he gave me a damaged pair to tinker with. As I recall, a pallet of the ‘20s’ had an unfortunate encounter with a forklift truck and, while the models’ boxes and polystyrene foam packaging absorbed much of the blow, the locomotives were not wholly unscathed. Being nearly 20 years ago, my memory is a little hazy, but I do…

Workbench EXPERT MODELLERS SHOW YOU HOW As someone who grew up with Lima ‘00’ models, rather than the ubiquitous Hornby train sets of my peers, I can't help but feel nostalgic when thinking about products from the Italian manufacturer. I've stated it numerous times before, but it says much for Lima's tooling expertise that many of its models still look good several decades later. Hornby's resurrection of the ex-Lima BR Mk 1 General Utility Van (GUV) was a welcome addition to the Margate range, and last year's release of a Rail blue version with Newspapers branding provided an added bonus. The GUV was one of Lima's best coaching stock models, with a realistic profile and plenty of finely moulded detail on the sides and – especially – the ends. Hornby's…

KNOW YOUR STUFF When it comes to published studies of railway liveries, most authors tend to concentrate on locomotives, with the humble multiple unit coming a poor second. Further down the pecking order is non-passenger carrying units, but they can provide an interesting addition to most layouts. There have been many different liveries carried on such single-car units across the British Railways era, and here, we'll concentrate on those vehicles built for and by BR, specifically for the carriage of parcels or luggage, as opposed to later DMU conversions. Gloucester RC&W built six units (55991-6) which were allocated to the Western Region, although most soon became London Midland Region property following the 1963 boundary changes. All were designated as Class 128 under the TOPS scheme. Ready-to-run models of the Gloucester-built…

‘N’ GAUGE LAYOUT DAWLISH WARREN What makes this layout great? “This is a great example of the benefits of ‘N’ gauge, with the railway blending into the scenery. You don't need endless metres of track for a superb layout, and when the scenery is the focal point rather than the railway, it makes the scene that much more believable.” We are forever endorsing the advantages of ‘N’ gauge in model railways, primarily around the ability to fit much more into a scene than ‘OO’ gauge allows. This is often thought of in a horizontal sense, fitting more of the surrounding landscape into an area, but in the case of Chris Morris’ ‘Dawlish Warren’ there's a significant vertical advantage to ‘N’ gauge. The stunning sandstone cliffs of the Devon coastline shoot…

Reviews As announced back in 2018, The Model Centre (TMC) joined forces with Bachmann Branchline to replicate the North Eastern Railway's Class O 0-4-4T, more commonly known as the LNER ‘G5’. Finally, the project has come to fruition, with the first models due into stock as this issue hits the shelves. The ‘G5’ fills quite a gap for modellers of northern branch lines, especially those with an interest in the North East and Yorkshire. Working local and suburban passenger services on famous routes, such as the Garsdale-Hawes-Northallerton line and routes to Whitby and Scarborough, a few examples also moved ‘down south’ and up to Scotland during BR days. Sounds like a perfect subject for a RTR model! However, with no surviving examples and with many modifications made throughout their long…

Hornby's four and six-wheel coaches first appeared in 2021 (MR283/284) and the range of liveries has increased significantly since then, with countless pre-Grouping, ‘Big Four’ and British Railways schemes being offered. Among the latest iterations is a trio of BR Departmental vehicles, which will appeal to those modelling the ‘Transition’ era. Wearing a vibrant coat of crimson livery is a Mess coach and Tool van, each allocated to the Signal Works Engineer at Colchester, on the Eastern Region. The Tool van is based on a three-compartment Brake Third, while the Mess coach is a former First Class coach with four compartments. Typical of many aged, fixed axle passenger carriages that enjoyed extended careers in Departmental use, each of these models will look at home in a depot siding, or hauled…

In early May Bachmann Europe revealed a substantial list of new models - over 170 in fact which will be arriving over the coming months. Many will already be in stock at your local dealer and there's plenty to interest modellers in ‘OO' and ‘N' gauge - plus a welcome surprise for those who prefer 7mm scale. In ‘OO', it's an all-diesel affair with classic BR traction to the fore, plus a single Class 70 and a few more second-generation diesel multiple units added to the EFE Rail brand. There's much more variety in ‘N' gauge, with revamped LMS and BR steam locomotives, plus a vast array of coaches and freight wagons offered in popular liveries. Furthermore, an eye-catching pair of Farish Class 20s is now available exclusively to Collectors…

Several years ago, I took an hour-long cruise up the River Fowey estuary in Cornwall, in the hope that I might see the China clay loading wharf. Lying at the end of the single-line route through idyllic Golant, only a mile or so further up the river, the Fowey wharf had intrigued me, but it's a difficult location to access. There was no ship berthed at the quay, but I did see various CDA China clay hopper wagons dotted along the railway line towards the terminal. Therein lay the seeds of my new project, but I would have to think about how I could feature a suitable ship in the space available. The year following my cruise up the River Fowey I was in the Netherlands to visit the splendid…

‘OO'OO GAUGE LAYOUT WHEAL PENBASSET What makes this layout great? “Sometimes the best way to make a convincing model is to focus on getting a small area to look right rather than making a large layout that look OK. Wayne's restricted space has forced him to build a small layout, but the detail he's managed to include is duperb.” It seems that nowadays everything is getting smaller, and the same can be said for our model railways. Micro layouts have always been on the scene but it appears that now more than ever, they are one of the most popular forms of layout building. There are many positive aspects of building micro layouts, primarily the cost, but they also allow you to finish them faster without losing interest and try…

Workbench EXPERT MODELLERS SHOW YOU HOW I was recently asked about the possibility of using the filter material from a fish tank pump for building scenery. My answer was a resounding ‘yes’! Many of us are familiar with Poly Fibre by Micromark or Woodland Scenics, which are great materials for adding vegetation to the landscape. But your local aquarium centre may also have suitable material in stock, aimed for aquarium filters. The (generally white) dense filter material will need to be teased apart with your fingers, creating a surprising quantity of fine fibres. Once separated into diffuse, randomly shaped bundles, they can then be sprayed any colour you want for your layout. For example, I used a dark brown acrylic aerosol paint to lightly spray my filter material, working outside…

Workbench EXPERT MODELLERS SHOW YOU HOW Having assembled a couple of new laser-cut kits from Scale Model Scenery, I was particularly taken with a small machine shop/ workshop structure. Thinking it would fit nicely on one of my ongoing layout projects, I determined to see if the kit could be customised and improved to match the neighbouring buildings. Consisting of a sturdy main structure formed from fibreboard, the kit features a choice of brick or random stone overlays for the exterior and interior walls. Brick would suit my proposed location, but the colouring of the masonry wasn't a good enough match with my other brick-built structures. Furthermore, the inherent ‘flatness’ of the printed brickwork – despite being rendered to a high quality – meant that the workshop looked a little…

Reviews Built primarily to carry coal between collieries or ports and power stations, the HAA family of hopper wagons is one of the most important rolling stock designs of the late 20th Century, helping to transform rail freight operations during British Rail's push for modernisation. Unsurprisingly, this makes it a prime subject for a ready-to-run model and Dapol first released its ‘O' gauge version in 2015. Despite being out of production for a few years, Dapol's HAA has recently re-emerged, in a range of new livery options. Additionally, versions with hopper canopies are on offer for the first time. Despite the tooling being nearly a decade old, the HAA still makes for an impressive model. Tipping the scales at around 400g each, they're certainly hefty, thanks to the die-cast metal…

Reviews A welcome addition to Peco's nascent range of ‘TT:120’ lineside structure kits is a modest platform shelter and a useful pair of permanent way huts. Both kits are rendered largely in laser-cut wood, with the huts also featuring a sprue of injection-moulded plastic chimney pots, plus sheets of clear acetate glazing material. Both huts are identical and represent a ubiquitous style of timber-built structures, once such a common sight beside the tracks, on main lines and branches. Vertical plank detail adorns the main walls, suggesting the use of sleeper timbers, with a single door and a pair of small windows provided. The corrugated roof and brick chimney breast add extra interest and assembly is a straightforward affair. Each hut requires a footprint of just 36mm by 24mm, so they…

The Caledonian Sleeper services were taken out of the main ScotRail operation in 2015 and awarded as a separate, 15-year franchise to Serco. Ironically, that deal is now due to be terminated by the Scottish Government this month. When Serco won the contract, it promised to replace the 1970s-built BR Mk 2 and Mk 3 rolling stock, with CAF Mk 5 vehicles that eventually entered service in 2019. With their days numbered, it's unsurprising that only a limited number of Mk 2 coaches were painted in the post-2015 Caledonian Sleeper teal livery, with many vehicles remaining in the former First/ScotRail livery until withdrawal. However, those carriages that did gain the new colour scheme looked splendid, and have been much in demand by modellers. Hornby's latest teal offerings is a pair…

Opening the box News Like the Ivatt ‘2MT', the Farish team has also been busy upgrading the existing tooling of the BR Standard Class 5MT. A Next18 DCC interface and the provision of digital sound options enhances an already impressive model. Four versions are available, including two that were announced previously, although they too now boast the option of DCC sound. Three different BR tender types are included across the quartet of ‘5MTs'. What's available? ♦ 372-727A BR Standard ‘5MT' with BR1B tender, No. 73109, BR lined black, early emblem ♦ 372-729 BR Standard ‘5MT' with BR1 tender, No. 73050, BR lined black, late emblem ♦ 372-729A BR Standard ‘5MT' with BR1 tender, No. 73006, BR lined black, late emblem ♦ 372-730 BR Standard ‘5MT' with BR1C tender, No. 73065,…

Having built this laser-cut signal box kit last year (see MR304), it was high time I painted it. I was impressed by the level of detail engraved into the wood components, but the model really comes alive after painting. All it lacks now is a detailed interior, so hopefully someone will offer a suitable lever frame and equipment at some point. Oh, and it needs a name board, but I haven't decided on a name for the station yet. I can never resist a pun, so it'll have to have ‘TT’ in it somewhere. Any ideas…?…

Workbench EXPERT MODELLERS SHOW YOU HOW A few months back, in the March 2023 issue, I mentioned how much I had enjoyed a trip down memory lane by building a former Airfix wagon kit. The great thing about those 1960s Airfix wagon kits is that they were inexpensive. That's still the case today, with the tooling having been recently updated by Dapol. At less than a tenner, they remain inexpensive, especially when compared to most new ready-to-run wagons. Nevertheless, despite now including good quality pin-point metal wheelsets and tension-lock couplers, the kits do still require a few ‘tweaks’ to get the best from them. They are, however, an easy kitchen table build and the couple of extras you'll need to buy won't break the bank. I found that all I…

KNOW YOUR STUFF Q I've enjoyed George's recent weathering articles. Can he explain in greater detail how he cleans the locomotive wheels after the weathering has been applied? P. Yates, by email George says: Clean locomotive wheels are vital for smooth operation. Applying paints and dry pigments during the weathering process inevitably leads to deposits on the wheels and power contacts, which must be removed before the model can be run on the tracks. Holding the model securely, without damaging your freshly applied weathering, is the first challenge and a foam cradle is a great help. I use a cradle from the DCCconcepts range, which offers great stability. All types of paint and dry pigment, as well as oil and grease, can be removed from the wheel treads using various…

Reviews I've had my eye on acquiring an ‘A5’ 4-6-2T for some time, after refinishing a kit-built ‘00’ model for a colleague some years ago. Not only did they sport an unusual wheel arrangement for a tank locomotive but, having spent several years living next to the former Marple-Macclesfield line in East Cheshire, I'd seen archive images of the ‘A5s’ working local passenger services on this route in the mid-1950s. Unsurprisingly, I was chuffed when Sonic Models announced a RTR ‘A5’ in ‘00’ a couple of years ago and, now I've finally got my hands on one, I haven't been disappointed. Robinson's elegant 4-6-2T marks Sonic's first offering in 4mm scale, with models being sold exclusively via Rails of Sheffield. The tooling has been designed to allow for numerous detail…

Reviews This is a slightly unusual review, in that it features a model that has been available for a while. However, after recently treating myself to this Class 58 in original Railfreight livery, it afforded the first chance to get my hands on an EFE Rail version of BR's heavy freight ‘Type 5’. Produced initially by Heljan and released in 2008, the Class 58 was cascaded into the EFE Rail range in 2021. A good variety of livery options was produced, taking in the various BR, Mainline and EWS schemes, as carried by the prototype fleet. Weathered options were also offered and, while the model's technical specification reveals the age of the Heljan tooling, it stands up well enough against today's expectations. Directional lighting, an 8pin DCC interface and etched…

Locomotive: LNER Class A8 4-6-2T Gauge: ‘00’ Proposed by: Henry Martin, by email What is it? Designed originally by Vincent Raven as 4-4-4 tank locomotives, an initial fleet was built by the North Eastern Railway at Darlington in 1913-14, followed by a second batch just prior to the Grouping, creating a total of 45 examples. The LN ER Class H1 4-4-4TS were fast, but the twin bogie arrangement led to ‘lively’ riding. Under Gresley, the entire class was rebuilt between 1931-36 as a fleet of three-cylinder 4-6-2TS, classified as ‘A8’. Featuring piston valves and Stephenson valve gear, the 5ft 9in driving wheels and outside cylinders combined to create a very handsome design. The rebuilt locomotives boasted far superior running characteristics and were employed - with great success - on fast,…