Indice dei contenuti per June 2023 in Model Rail

In this month's 'Backscene' (see page 138), I refer to my desire to get on with building some kits that I've had for a long time, Robert Kosmider's letter, which is still with the Lambourn Valley coach kits, is dated 2006, so I've had them for 17 years! The purchase of a soldering station was the catalyst for opening the boxes and reminding myself that I had started building one of the pair. I had got no further than some preliminary work assembling the floor and solebars. I've never owned a soldering station before and I had very little idea what I was buying. To avoid investing a fortune in something unsuitable, I bought from Amazon, the main criterion being price. I did not want to risk wasting much more…

Tucked away at the back of your Ian Allan Abc, the Western Region's fleet of five Ruston & Hornsby Permanent Way Machines (PWMs) were a rare anomaly in the British Railways locomotive fleet. PWM650-654 were never allocated to the revenue-earning fleet, instead they were acquired to work in civil engineering possessions, moving track panels and bridge girders or shunting at engineers' depots. Although they were allocated to only a small number of PW depots across the Western Region and allocations were relatively stable, they were often difficult to spot from passing trains, making them a rare catch for many spotters, especially those of us visiting from further afield. Spotting a 'PWM' and underlining it in your book could be a significant 'cop' For many, they became even more 'rateable' when…

Reviews They've taken a couple of years to arrive, but Ellis Clark Trains' Wickham Trollies are now here and will, no doubt, be adding charm to many a 7mm scale layout in the coming months. The model's handbook suggests that these may be the smallest self-propelled ready-to-run models in ‘O' gauge, and I'm not one to argue. They're certainly tiny, and the models are completely dwarfed when sat beside a Type 3 or Type 4 main line diesel! Emerging in the late 1940s, Wickham's motorised trolleys helped to mobilise track gangs, offering great savings and convenience to railway operators. Hundreds were built and operated in Britain and abroad, with examples remaining on BR's books into the 1990s. Powered by Ford car engines, which were cheap to maintain, they allowed permanent…

Reviews The first MXA ‘Lobster' wagon appeared in January 2016, as the pioneer of a sizeable fleet of ballast and spoil carrying vehicles. Rebuilt from redundant BDA/BEA ‘Bogie Bolster D' wagons, the MXAs featured open box bodies bolted to open-framed chassis. Conversions took place at Axiom Rail's works near Stoke-onTrent, on behalf of DB Schenker (now DB Cargo) and the prototypes can be seen at work across the country on DB's various Network Rail infrastructure contracts. Bachmann announced its ‘OO' version of the MXA earlier this year and two versions are now available, both in the bright red DB livery and sporting individual numbers. With the BDA bogie wagons added to the Bachmann range in 2008,1 wondered if this new model would make use of part of the original tooling,…

The French-built ‘Polybulk' hopper wagons began entering traffic in the mid-1970s, with examples built into the following decade. Designed for cross-Channel and domestic cargo flows, such as grain, china clay pellets, urea and various other loose materials, the wagons offered an impressive 58-ton payload and a covered hopper to keep the contents dry and secure. Bachmann Branchline's rendition of the ‘Polybulk' scooped the ‘OO' Rolling Stock prize in Model Rail's Model of the Year awards of 2013, yet the model has been out of production for several years. Happily, Rails of Sheffield has commissioned an exclusive production run of the ‘Polybulk', in two different liveries, and we have the green/ grey Tiger/Nacco version under review here. Despite being a decade old, Bachmann's tooling remains impressive. Indeed, it still deserves a…

One of the great success stories of the modern railway has been the revival and uplift in passenger numbers of those West Country branch lines that escaped the Beeching closures. In particular the Cornish branches to Newquay, Looe, St Ives and Falmouth and the (mainly) Devon branch to Gunnislake are attracting record passenger numbers. That success has been due, at least in part, to some upgrades which have reversed the run-down and neglect of the Beeching era. One of those improvements, under the auspices of Network Rail, has been the construction of attractive, modern brick-built waiting shelters to replace life-expired halt shelters and the austere glass bus shelters erected by post-Beeching BR. Camborne-based Kernow Model Rail Centre has commissioned Bachmann Scenecraft to produce a 'OO' model of one of these…

The Big Picture There are many positive aspects of building micro layouts, cost being a major advantage. However, they can also be created quickly (before you lose interest!) and they let you try every aspect of the hobby in a relatively short space of time. Wayne Sharrocks was able to get his 'Wheal Penbasset' layout built in just six months, despite the size constraints forcing him to scratchbuild a lot of the project just to get it all to fit in. You'll be able to read about how he made such a realistic looking 'OO' gauge layout - that is just nine inches wide - in an upcoming issue of Model Rail.…

Merci, Model Rail!. I'm 18 years old, live in France and I have loved trains since I was very small. I used to shout as soon as I saw one, and it became an obsession. I'm not as crazy these days, but I still adore trains. My grandfather used to have a train set in a special room and I used to sneak in and play with it when I was about ten years old. But he never really finished what he wanted to achieve, and wasn't into making realistic train scenery. I always wanted a train set like his, but convincing my parents to give me the space for this was very difficult. Finally, on my 13th birthday, My parents and grandparents gave me a baseboard. I was so…

RUSTON & HORNSBY CLASS 97/6 Masterclass As Ben states on the preceding pages, the Class 97/6 'PWMs' were no easy ‘cop' and they proved elusive during my trainspotting days. However, they've intrigued me for a long time and, when previous MR editor Richard Foster asked if I thought they'd make a viable model, I agreed wholeheartedly. Our exclusive models have taken a while to finally arrive, thanks mostly to the global pandemic and its lingering after effects, but it's exciting to see them in the flesh. And even more thrilling to have one to customise and treat to a typically weathered finish. If you fancy getting inside your model to fit a decoder or populate the cab with a crew - or add a few extra detail embellishments - then read…

Workbench EXPERT MODELLERS SHOW YOU HOW FROM THE CARRIAGE SHED-1 I've been working on a 'Masterclass' looking at the varied rolling stock which formed the typical 1960s passenger train in many areas and suggesting that modellers might wish to add variety by breaking up their matching rakes of Mk 1s with something different, as BR often did. One of my references is a picture of me, taken at Savernake as an Up express approaches behind a 'Western' class diesel-hydraulic. The train is made up of maroon BR Mk 1 coaches, except for the second vehicle, which is a GWR special saloon dating from the 1930s and repainted into chocolate and cream by Swindon works in the mid-1950s. The special saloons were the Great Western's equivalent of a Pullman car, with…

KNOW YOUR STUFF During the locomotive livery experiments undertaken during the early years of nationalisation, BRITISH RAILWAYS lettering initially adorned locomotive tenders or side tanks, pending the creation of a distinctive logo. By 1949, however, a nominally 'standard' set of liveries was announced that would be applied across each of BR's regions. This was to be lined blue for prestige Class 8 locomotive types, lined green for Class 6 and 7 passenger locomotives, and lined black for all other passenger or mixed traffic types, while all freight traction would receive a plain black scheme. The new logo consisted of a lion standing astride a large wheel, with BRITISH RAILWAYS lettering within a horizontal bar. The lion was rendered in a semi-Modernist style, with the spoked wheel signposting the industrial might…

Masterplan Reading Signal Works Track plans to get you thinking in three dimensions Growing up in a railway family, surrounded by railway staff and railway modellers, means I've experienced many things first hand, relevant to what I do in Model Rail. Over the years I've built up a resource that in one sense is great - it reflects all my preferences - and in another, my shortcomings. There's such a lot I know nothing or very little about! Normally, creating layout plans can be relatively easy, usually because it has been me who has chosen the theme and I often play to my strengths. However, there's a part of me that really enjoys being given something, completely off my radar, because I know it will stretch my skill and imagination…

Reviews Wickham's motorised inspection trolleys were built in their hundreds, for a wide range of worldwide customers, with the Type 27 first appearing in 1948 as part of an order for Nigerian Railways. A year later, the Western Region of British Railways began acquiring a fleet of Type 27A trolleys, equipped with a 10hp Ford petrol engine and constructed at Wickham's Hertfordshire works. The trolleys were subsequently moved to other BR regions over the years, with examples continuing in service well into the 1990s, albeit in modified form. Various private owners, the British Ministry of Supply and even the Royal Engineers also purchased Type 27 trolleys, many of which also ended up on Britain's railways over the years. One set of controls were installed, with a synchromesh gearbox providing smooth…

Reviews Hornby's range of air-conditioned BR Mk 2 vehicles offer a great balance between realism and affordability. At just over £40 each, they're perfect for budget-conscious modellers. Sure, it would be nice to have sprung, close-coupler units rather than bogie-mounted NEM pockets, along with a few extra fiddly bits on the underframe and wire handrails. In the main, though the overall level of detail is pretty good. Some of the latest releases in the Mk 2 family consist of a handful of coaches in the fetching livery of Direct Rail Services. The Mk 2e and Mk 2fs have been a staple of locomotivehauled passenger services over the past couple of decades, covering for shortages of diesel multiple units with franchisees such as Northern Rail and Greater Anglia. Anyone who enjoyed…

'Castle' trawls A lot of attention is currently focused on the 100th anniversary of famed Gresley 'Pacific' Flying Scotsman, but there is also the centenary of the GWR 'Castle' class to celebrate. David Maidment's new book is a timely one then. Plenty has been written about these superb locomotives in countless books, but seldom in such detail about their final years. Indeed, as a former Western Region employee (and later senior manager), the author is a veritable authority on the subject, having travelled behind all but 15 of the 171 'Castles'. For a time, he maintained their record cards at Old Oak Common, and even recommended which should be sent to Swindon Works for overhaul. A traffic apprentice, he would ride on 28 of the class, and this alone provides…

Kernow Model Rail Centre (KMRC), Model Rail and Heljan paid thanks to Peter Martin and his sons Paul and Richard, who had kindly helped us during the research stage of our joint ‘PWM' 165DE project. On a recent visit to the Swindon and Crickiade railway, where 97651 is currently preserved, KMRC's Graham Muspratt presented the Martin family with a trio of ‘PWM' models. As well as Model Rail's range of 'PWMs' (see page 103), KMRC also has a handful of exclusive weathered versions on offer, while Heljan has produced two versions of the Ruston & Hornsby 0-6-0 under its own banner, depicting generic industrial liveries. Web: www.modelrailoffers.co.uk www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com www.heljan.co.uk EXCLUSIVE 'SLIM JIM' FOR KMRC Kernow Model Rail Centre's latest exclusive locomotive commission is now in stock, depicting Class 33/2 D6593…

Back in the February issue (MR309), I explained how I'd been persuaded to modify a basic ‘009' gauge photographic backdrop into something more interesting. Having enjoyed building a laser-cut kit of Chelfham station, it seemed a shame to consign the building to storage, so I set about recreating a scenic diorama with Chelfham as the focal point. After hacking out a chunk of the landform to house a modest platform (formed from 5mm thick foamboard), plaster blended everything together and a layer of DAS clay gave the platform surface a suitable texture. When everything had dried out, the painting could begin before the ‘green stuff' was planted. The idyllic beauty of the Devon countryside, through which the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway ran, always conjures up memories of balmy summer holidays.…

What makes this layout great? “There's a lot to like about ‘Wimhill', particularly the level of effort that has gone into scratchbuilding the vast majority of models on the layout. Nick, Brian and Graham haven't tied themselves to a particular location, and that has given them the creative freedom to create superb structures that best work for them”. Adding an extension to your layout is something the majority of modellers would love to do, if only we had the space. Even the owners of the largest layouts wish they had a few extra feet but, for Nick Mould and his friends Brian and Graham, building an extension to their layout 'Colebourne Junction' was always on the cards. “The layout is looped through the fiddleyard, and when we built 'Colebourne Junction'…

Most model railways feature at least one section of road, whether it be a single-lane track or a dual carriageway. There are various methods to make road surfaces; the simplest method is to use grey acrylic paint, but on its own it does not look especially realistic. Step outside your front door and you will see that roads are seldom flat or consistent in appearance. Even motorways are cambered and covered in a litany of repair patches while, at the other end of the spectrum, the humble country lane is anything but smooth. As well as careful observation of prototypes, there is a wide range of products that will help you on the way… TOP TIP 1 Careful observation The markings indicating a patched-up utilities trench on this scene were…

Workbench EXPERT MODELLERS SHOWYOU HOW In MR309, I explained how I created wagon loads for my Accurascale MHA wagons, in the form of bulk bags of fresh ballast. This was just the beginning of my mission to enhance my large fleet of post-privatisation-era engineers' wagons and, boosted by lots of positive feedback from readers, here's the next instalment… As mentioned in this month's Welcome page, my workshop has recently been tidied and reorganised, creating a much more pleasant working environment. As a result of this spring clean, I found a stack of plastic sleepers recovered from a length of Peco flexible track. I forget why they'd been stripped from the rails, but the ‘steel' sleepers gave me the idea of creating further wagon loads. Steel sleepers offer many benefits, with…

ALIGNING THE GAP As anyone who has ever built an exhibition layout will know, the number one challenge is creating a reliable joint between the baseboards, ensuring correct alignment of the tracks every time you put the boards together. You can imagine my concern, therefore, when my good friend Dennis Lovett asked me to build his retirement layout, so he can exhibit his life-long collection of historic Hornby, Wren and Tri-ang models. The project seemed straightforward, until I heard the size of layout he wanted, which would have to fit in a fairly small car, leading to a maximum board size of 5ft by 3ft. However, Dennis wanted a 12ft by 5ft layout! That would require three main baseboard joints, and the horror increased when I realised that this would…

What makes this layout great? “Deffro Dawel' is one of those layouts that makes you pause fr a moment when you first see it. There's lot to take in despite its size but it doesn't look overcrowded, and the scenery is simply stunning.” They say that one man's trash is another man's treasure. When Ian Arkley's friend decided to change his mind about the layout he was going to build, Ian gained possession of a very small cast-off baseboard and proved the theory. But could he achieve his desired looped running in a space just a fraction over 3ft by 18in? Well, in a decision that involved turning back the clock to his youth, Ian decided to revisit '009' as a change from his usual 'N' gauge layouts. “I was…

Eager to retain traffic in new bricks, particularly the pallet traffic in furnace bricks for industry, BR set about producing a fleet of 1,420 specialised wagons for easy loading and unloading of palletised bricks. There were a number of versions of the wagon, code-named 'Palbrick', to suit the various sizes of pallets employed. Later examples had clasp brakes and roller-bearing axleboxes and were classified 'Palbrick B'. Received for review from Edmonton, Alberta-based KR Models is a pack of three ‘Palbrick B' wagons. Being unfamiliar with the prototype, I consulted Paul Bartlett's website (paulbartlett.zenfolio.com). This is a vital resource for rolling stock information and photographs, but you do need to understand what you are looking at. It appears that the body of the model is probably based on Paul's photograph of…

Locomotive: Midland Railway Deeley 1528 Class/BR Class OF 0-4-0T distinctive appearance and examples could be seen working at a variety of locations, such as Staveley, Gloucester Docks and Neath. All ten examples were taken into British Railways stock and given the numbers 41528-37. Gauge: '0' Proposed by: Barry Burns, by email What is it? They operated successfully until the first withdrawals commenced in the late 1950s, with the final examples continuing until December 1966. Built at the Midland Railway's Derby Works under the auspices of Richard Deeley, a fleet of five powerful outside cylinder O-4-OTs appeared in 1907. The Midland 1528 Class was designed primarily for working within the confines of dockyards and other industrial locations with tightly curved track. The design proved successful enough to warrant a further batch…