Table of contents for March 2024 in Model Rail

Being away from home for much of the past month has meant that my practical output has been minimal. However, an impromptu stay in the Peak District meant that I had plenty of inspiration to keep me motivated. A ride south over the Settle-Carlisle line on a snowy January morning is always a treat, but so too was the run from Sheffield to Chinley. Since I moved away from the Hope Valley in 2019, CAF-built Class 195s have replaced Northern’s ‘Pacers’ and Class 150s on Sheffield-Manchester stopping services. As fond as I am of those old BR DMUs, the rapid acceleration and quieter ride of the ‘195s’ is impressive. My trek wasn’t over, though, as i faced a six-mile hike into the hills. While taking a breather at Chinley East…

War heroes, film stars, globetrotters, pioneers of diesel traction, direct ancestor of Britain’s most numerous diesel type: the LMS-designed 350hp diesel shunters which later became Class 11 can justifiably lay claim to all these titles. Not bad for a class of humble diesels that lived most of its life out of the public gaze. As internal combustion engine technology developed in the first three decades of the 20th Century, the potential for larger and more powerful machines grew and they gradually attracted the attention of railway operators all over the world. Events such as the global economic depression of the 1930s and the steady growth of competition from road transport, which ate into the dominance of railway companies, forced the latter to find ways to cut costs and find more…

Southern Railway Chief Mechanical Engineer O.V.S. Bulleid was keen to modernise many aspects of the company’s operations and built 25 close relatives of the LMS 0-6-0 diesel-electrics at Ashford Works in 1949-52. Mechanically and electrically, 15211-236 shared many standard components with the Class 11s but had larger, 4ft 6in diameter cast wheels to the Bulleid-Firth Brown ‘Boxpok’ design. Originally delivered without train vacuum brakes or external lighting, they were later fitted with electric marker lights and three (15230-232) received Westinghouse air brake equipment for shunting ferry wagons in Dover. However, their main duties were shunting the large goods yards at Norwood Junction and Hither Green in south London, where they spent much of their working lives. They were also used as works pilots at Eastleigh, Ashford and Brighton. In common…

Workbench EXPERT MODELLERS SHOW YOU HOW Out in the countryside, footpaths are a common feature of the landscape and, in areas of outstanding natural beauty, such as the Scottish Highlands, large numbers of visitors lead to paths being much more distinct than simply well-trodden ways through grass fields. Heavy levels of human traffic results in ground erosion, leading landowners and national park authorities to lay stone trails, especially in areas likely to become boggy in wet weather, such as woodland or riverbanks. In modelling terms, the easiest way to mimic a footpath is to lay a trail of brown scatter material through planted grass fibres and bushes. However, on this project, I am trying to elevate my modelling to create something much more authentic and visually interesting. The foundation for…

◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Kernow MRC K2305 GWR Steam Railmotor Diagram ‘O’, No. 61, GWR Chocolate/Cream ◆ PRICE £189.99 ◆ AVAILABILITY Kernow Model Rail Centre Web www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com The 70ft steam railmotor from Kernow Model Rail Centre has probably been longer in development than almost any other ‘OO’ gauge model, having first been mooted nearly ten years ago, in autumn 2014. Kernow rescued it from the hiatus surrounding DJ Models and took the development under the control of the Camborne organisation. The project was, it seems, never a high priority, which is hardly surprising, there being a limited market for a vehicle that enjoyed its heyday before the First World War. I had been fascinated by the GWR steam railmotors ever since I first encountered them through their role on…

Designed by Nigel Gresley, No. 10000 was an experimental steam locomotive featuring a high-pressure, marine-style water tube boiler. Encased in a radical, streamlined casing, the locomotive employed the 4-6-4 wheel arrangement (unique for a UK tender locomotive) in order to accommodate the long boiler. Emerging from Darlington Works in 1929, it had been built to determine whether greater efficiencies could be achieved with this type of boiler. The pressure vessel had been fabricated by a private contractor in Glasgow, which fed a compound four-cylinder arrangement (two high, two low pressure cylinders). Nick-named the ‘Hush-Hush’ locomotive, apparently owing to the secrecy surrounding its development, the 4-6-4 was tested on the East Coast route, eventually entering passenger service, and entrusted with prestige Anglo-Scottish expresses. Performance figures were somewhat mixed, leading to the…

◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Hornby • R30153 Class 50 50044 Exeter, Network SouthEast • R30158 Class 31 31139, BR Rail blue ◆ PRICE £223.99 each ◆ AVAILABILITY Hornby stockists Web www.hornby.com Hornby’s upgrading of its existing locomotive tooling continues, with modifications rolled out to the internal circuitry of the Class 31 and Class 50 to provide greater DCC functionality, with 21pin decoder interfaces replacing the 8pin sockets of older releases. Hornby has also tweaked other elements, such as the lighting circuits, with plug-in connectors linking the LED units fixed to the bodyshell and the main circuit board atop the chassis. This replaces the sprung copper contacts, which could be prone to damage when opening up and reassembling models, providing a welcome improvement. Received for review is Class 31 31139…

◆ GAUGE ‘OO9’ ◆ MODEL Bachmann Narrow Gauge 394-026 Gloucester Bogie Coach, Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway blue/cream ◆ PRICE £59.99 ◆ AVAILABILITY Bachmann stockists Web www.bachmann.co.uk Narrow gauge modellers will be pleased to see that Bachmann’s Gloucester bogie coach has now arrived, having been in the pipeline since 2018. Built for the Ashover Light Railway (ALR) by the Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Co. Ltd in the 1920s, two examples were later sold to the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway (LCLR). Bachmann’s model is offered in ALR and LCLR liveries, with the handsome LCLR blue and cream version received for review. Consisting of a heavy die-cast metal chassis and plastic bodyshell, the model has the feel of a quality product, weighing in at over 50g. The boxy body resembles a tramcar…

◆ GAUGE ‘O’ ◆ MODEL Peco SL-702FB concrete sleeper, flat-bottom rail flexible track ◆ PRICE £12.50 per yard ◆ AVAILABILITY Peco stockists Web www.peco-uk.com By popular demand, Peco has released lengths of flexible track featuring flat-bottom rail and concrete sleepers, catering for the recent upsurge in modern image ‘O’ gauge modelling. Produced in standard yard lengths (914mm) and featuring Code 143 nickel silver rail, the track is fully compatible with Peco’s existing flat-bottom rail flexible track with wooden sleepers. Produced to the usual high standards, the moulded detail of the Pandrol rail clips and DOW-MAC lettering cast into the top of the sleepers add extra realism. To allow flat-bottom rail to marry up with Peco’s bullhead rail track and turnouts, a pack of Transition Tracks is available (SL-713, £24.95). The…

The Big Picture A model railway may go through many iterations in its lifetime, with trackplan alterations or a change of era. When you’ve had a layout for 20 years, it’s natural to make changes as the years go by, and that is precisely what Colin Chisem has done with his delightful layout, ‘Laughton’. With the idyllic rural scenery taking centre stage, Colin’s inspiration has come from studying other layouts, including those by Barry Norman. You can read more about how Colin built ‘Laughton’ in an upcoming issue of Model Rail.…

Unusual scenes captured by the lens of Chris Nevard One hundred years ago today, the final construction train departed from Glastonbury Tor, with the contractor’s narrow gauge train being saluted by the little people on its final run after dropping off the last load of spoil. Sadly, all trace of the railway has now gone, including the spiralling circular route up to the top of the tor. This is a shame, because it would be a popular way for elderly sightseers, goddesses and wizards to avoid what is rather a steep walk.…

Q Having returned to the hobby after several decades, my grandchildren and I have enjoyed building a few train sets. But I want to take the leap and build a more permanent layout. As the kids are getting older, they’ve expressed an interest in making things look more realistic. Is it possible to achieve good results using the track we’ve amassed from our Hornby and Bachmann train sets? Marge Whittaker Peter says: The simple answer is yes! All ‘OO’ gauge track employed in train sets from Hornby and Bachmann is compatible with Peco Set Track, as it all features Code 100 rail. This is a little over-scale, especially for steam-era modelling, but the taller rails reduce the risk of derailments, especially on curves and points. Code 75 rail is also…

Towards the end of the Victorian era main line railway companies had been seeking cheaper methods of operating lightly used branch lines and local passenger services. In particular, it was felt that a frequent service provided by a more economical vehicle might be more beneficial than an infrequent service offered by a normal locomotive and coaches. By the turn of the 19th Century various methods of providing such a vehicle had been tried, including internal combustion-engined rail cars such as the North Eastern Railway’s diesel-electric Autocar (as modelled by Heljan for Rails of Sheffield) and even a battery vehicle. The Great Western had limited experience of a steam railmotor owned by the Port Talbot Railway, which the GWR operated. The GWR sought a suitable site for trials and it was…

Reviews ◆ GAUGE ‘O’ ◆ MODEL Dapol 7F-026-002 Freightliner Heavy Haul HIA hopper ◆ PRICE £80.00 each ◆ AVAILABILITY Dapol stockists Web www.dapol.co.uk Introduced by Freightliner in 2005, 122 HIA hoppers were constructed by the Polish wagon builder Wagony Swidnica, designed specifically for aggregate traffic. Each is capable of carrying almost 67 tons of material (creating a gross weight of 90t per wagon), with three discharge chutes provided below the hopper. The wagons are a regular sight around the current rail network, most notably carrying limestone from the Peak District to terminals across northern and southern England. Most were painted in Freightliner’s former house colours of green with yellow lettering, although some were also finished in white. Out in the real world, the majority now seem to be covered in…

◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Hornby R40213 Mk 1 BSK staff coach, BDC977165 ◆ PRICE £44.99 ◆ AVAILABILITY Hornby stockists Web www.hornby.com The joy of having the BR Mk 1 coach in a manufacturer’s arsenal is the seemingly infinite number of livery options available, along with a multitude of vehicle types. Departmental schemes have proven popular with Hornby recently, with several BR and privatisation era examples depicted. Coaching stock cascaded into Departmental use underwent all manner of modifications to suit the needs of the operator. Windows may be panelled over, seating accommodation replaced with test equipment or machinery, and underframes may carry fuel tanks, gas bottles or extra battery boxes. Understandably, it would be expensive to create exact replicas of these one-off conversions, so Hornby has been recreating them as…

◆ GAUGE ‘O’ ◆ MODEL Dapol 7F-064-005 TTA 45ton Class A tank wagon, Shell grey ◆ PRICE £91.80 each ◆ AVAILABILITY Dapol stockists Web www.dapol.co.uk While we reviewed an advance sample of Dapol’s TTA in MR320, I couldn’t resist taking a close look at another version of the popular tank wagon, now that the first batch of models have landed with retailers. I ordered myself a Shell grey version, with vibrant red/yellow horizontal stripes, to suit the late 1980s/early 1990s period, complete with Railfreight Petroleum sub-sector logos. With modern image modelling especially popular in ‘O’ gauge, Dapol has chosen a suitable range of prototypes, although several late 1960s and 1970s-era options are also on offer. In all, 11 different versions have been produced, encompassing Esso, Gulf, BP, Shell, Regent, and…

◆ GAUGE ‘N’ ◆ MODEL • Peco NR100B BR 16t MCO mineral wagon, unfitted grey • NR-7010P RCH 7-plank open wagon, Huntley & Palmers red ◆ PRICE £17.50 each ◆ AVAILABILITY Peco stockists Web www.peco-uk.com Another new ‘N’ gauge wagon has been added to the Peco range, in the form of the once-ubiquitous BR 16ton steel-bodied mineral. The model utilises the new 9ft wheelbase underframe created for the fleet of sevenplank open wagons released last year – and employed on the BR 27t iron ore tippler – as reviewed in MR314/321. The all-new injection-moulded plastic body depicts one of the countless variations of the 16t mineral family, without top flap doors on each side. Wearing TOPS-era panels and branded MCO, the unfitted wagon is ideal for the 1970s and 1980s…

Opening the box News One of the undoubted highlights of the exhibition calendar, Model Rail Scotland will take place from February 23-25 at Glasgow’s Scottish Event Campus (SEC). Organised by the Association of Model Railway Societies of Scotland, the show is supported by Accurascale, Bachmann Europe, Hornby and Peco. Over 50 layouts will be on show, featuring all scales from ‘N’ to ‘G’, including some that have appeared (or will soon appear) in Model Rail. The late Iain Rice’s ‘P4’ masterpiece ‘Trerice’ will also be operational. A host of leading manufacturers will be in attendance, along with plenty of retailers, prototype societies and heritage associations, while visitors can also watch practical modelling demonstrations and gain free expert advice. The SEC is easy to access by road and public transport, with…

‘O’ GAUGE LAYOUT CRIPPLE CORNER I will not buy any ‘O’ gauge models. I will not buy any ‘O’ gauge models! Ooh that Dapol Class 08 looks really nice though. Darn it, the money seems to have left my account!’ Many of us will be able to recall a story of how a single model inspired the construction of a new layout, and this isn’t the first time that the Model Rail team have heard of the Dapol Class 08 triggering a switch in scale. Nick Gurney had been modelling in ‘OO’ gauge for more than three decades before his eye was caught by Dapol’s ‘Gronk’ and he’s never looked back. “There was a lot of resistance, but after buying the locomotive and a couple of wagons on the second-hand…

WD locomotives were delivered in olive drab with white identification markings, while those allocated to the Longmoor Military Railway gained the railway’s famous blue/red livery and nameplates. After 877 Bari was written off, its nameplates were transferred to 876, while 878 was originally named Chittagong (later Basra). Nos. 7120-25 were delivered in plain LMS black with vermilion bufferbeams, cranks and coupling rods and yellow serif ‘LMS’ letters and numbers shaded in vermilion. By the time Nos. 7126-29 were delivered, the standard had changed to the simpler 1946 style sans serif lettering/numbers in pale straw with inset maroon lining. M7130/31 and at least 12045-053 were delivered with sans serif ‘BRITISH RAILWAYS’ on the upper bonnet. The next ten or so locomotives were delivered with no indication of ownership but 12065 is…

CUSTOMISE A CLASS 11 Masterclass No matter how good a new model locomotive looks straight out of the box, seeing it ‘in the wild’ of a scenic model railway, preferably with a bespoke weathered finish, can offer a more thorough test of its appearance. Having put Model Rail’s most recent releases (Ruston & Hornsby ‘PWM’ and Hawksworth ‘16XX’) to this test over the past couple of years, the same treatment has been handed out to a couple of our new Class 11s. The development of these exclusive models has been a fascinating journey, seeing them progress from CAD artwork, through various engineering prototypes and decorated samples. Now that the production models are here, it’s a thrill to see them running on a layout. And even more exciting to get my hands…

Workbench EXPERT MODELLERS SHOW YOU HOW Coal really did make the steam world go round. Until the 1960s, it provided the main fuel source for the railways, allowing it to transport even more coal across the entire UK network. Consumed in vast quantities by industrial and domestic customers, British coal also powered the National Grid and was exported to all corners of the world. Coal traffic went into a steep decline from the 1980s, but movements could still be seen until relatively recently, as power generators, steelworks and remaining industrial customers began seeking alternative energy sources. For many modellers, therefore, coal is likely to appear in some form on most layouts, whether it be in loaded wagons or locomotive tenders. Steam-era layouts will obviously need coal by the barrowful, but…

Workbench EXPERT MODELLERS SHOW YOU HOW Figure painting is a job I really enjoy, as it offers an absorbing process and allows one to be imaginative when deciding what colours and styles of clothing to portray. That said, I do have to be in the right frame of mind, so it’s a job that’s often undertaken in fits and starts. In fact, it’s been a while since I’ve had the need to paint more than a handful of figures at a time. But with several upcoming projects requiring footplate crews, a host of seated passengers and a couple of livestock herds, I had to get myself ‘into the zone’ and set aside some time to tackle the job. For the most part, I use 3D-printed figures these days, due to…

KNOW YOUR STUFF PART 27: Ex-LNER steam traction The later style of British Railways emblem, nicknamed the ‘ferret and dartboard’, emerged initially at a launch event in 1956. Application began in earnest the following year, with the new logos appearing on locomotives as they emerged from works visits. Former LNER locomotives were generally overhauled at three main BR works: Doncaster, Darlington and Glasgow. Application of BR’s various liveries appears to have been relatively consistent with the British Railways Board instructions, in contrast to some of the deviations witnessed elsewhere. Not all locomotives received the new BR emblems, however – even those that survived long after its introduction. Unless scheduled for repairs and a repaint, many steam locomotives soldiered on until withdrawal carrying the early ‘cycling lion’ logos. That’s quite a…

‘OO’ GAUGE LAYOUT EARDLEY MOR HALT "What makes this layout great? You wouldn’t be able to tell from looking at Mark’s creation that this is the first layout he’s built. The scenery blends nicely with the backscene, he hasn’t overcrowded the layout and the overall view is very believable." Building a model railway is arguably one of the widest ranging hobbies, with so many different scales and eras from which to choose. It also demands a wide range of skills, from woodworking and electronics to using delicate building materials. For somebody new to the hobby all of this can seem daunting and, as a result, a layout may never really get off the ground. Diving right in with something small can be a great way to start, and if you…

Reviews ◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Hornby R30126 LNER Class W1 ‘Hush-Hush’ 4-6-4 (with smoke lifting cowl), LNER grey/silver ◆ PRICE £254.49 ◆ AVAILABILITY Hornby stockists Web www.hornby.com Nigel Gresley’s ‘Hush-Hush’ Class W1 was added to Hornby’s range in 2022, with several renditions of the unique 4-6-4 appearing in original and rebuilt guise. Built as an experimental locomotive, originally with a marine-style water tube boiler and compound cylinders, the prototype received various alterations during its short operating life, prior to being rebuilt as a conventional steam locomotive. To gain maximum potential from its tooling suite, the Hornby design team has done a great job of facilitating these modifications and this latest release depicts No. 10000 after the fitting of a smoke lifting cowl. Installed during 1935, the cowl was needed…

British Rail’s mission to revolutionise express passenger services on non-electrified routes led to the development of the diesel-powered High Speed Train concept. Initially, a prototype set was created, featuring streamlined power cars at each end of a rake of Mk 3 coaches. The concept eventually gained approval, but not before the prototype (Class 41) power cars underwent a makeover, with renowned product designer Sir Kenneth Grainger creating a more dynamic, attractive profile. A total of 197 Class 43 power cars were assembled at Crewe between 1975-82, destined for East Coast and Great Western main lines, as well as cross-country services from the North East to the South West, replacing many traditional locomotive-hauled services. BR bestowed the new trains with ‘InterCity 125’ branding, as part of an aggressive marketing drive aimed…

◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Hornby RailRoad Plus R30170 Class 110 three-car DMU, BR lined green ◆ PRICE £179.99 ◆ AVAILABILITY Hornby stockists Web www.hornby.com Featuring in last month’s reviews was the RailRoad Plus Class 110 diesel multiple unit (DMU) in two-car formation, with a three-car version now also available. Again, the model is based on Hornby’s 1982 release, with an upgraded power unit providing smoother, more reliable performance and superior wheels. The three-car unit is offered in original lined green livery, complete with speed ‘whiskers’, and off-white cab roofs. The shade of green looks to be accurate, but the lining is perhaps veering towards yellow rather than the cream employed on the real thing. The four-character headcode boxes are adorned with alphanumerical displays, one of which – 2B98 –…

Locomotive: CIÉ C Class (later B/201 Class) Bo-Bo diesel locomotives Gauge: ‘OO’ Proposed by: Charlie Buckler What is it? Built by Metropolitan-Vickers and exported from Manchester to the Republic of Ireland in the mid-1950s, the C Class Bo-Bo provided Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) with a fleet of small, lightweight mixed traffic locomotives. A total of 34 examples had entered service by 1957 and remained a key element of CIÉ’s traction fleet well into the 1980s, despite many of the branch lines for which the locomotives were designed having closed during that time. The original V8 Crossley power units were found to be unreliable, and the entire fleet was re-engineered with General Motors diesel engines from 1969, although the original generators and traction motors were retained. When the re-engineering programme was…