Table of contents for February 2025 in Model Rail

Engineman Willy and his cat Bob love to take their vintage ‘Locomotion’ out for a spin from time to time, while singing The Loco-Motion by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, later covered by Kylie Minogue. Bob’s rendition of the song is more of a series of ‘meows’, but he keeps perfect timing with the locomotive beat while Willy sings the lyrics. The 200-year-old locomotive is quite high maintenance, so Gary the Greaser is ready with a brush and bucket full of ‘gunk’ which he has to apply every seven minutes to all moving parts. And that’s before he starts on the locomotive……

The word ‘iconic’ is used far too much these days, often for things which really were not icons. I first took an interest in GWR branch lines back around 1963 when, on a family outing by car, we stopped in an abandoned gateway to have a picnic lunch. The gateway was the entrance to Fairford station, which was closed, trackless and derelict. My brother and I, mere trainspotters at the time, went walkabout and examined the wrecked stone station building, the signal box and even a turntable, its pit full of water and the floating corpses of several animals which had fallen in and been unable to get out. The station was still in GWR light and dark stone paintwork, only the signal box having been repainted into BR Western…

Track-cleaning is a necessary chore for any model railway, even if your layout is kept under dust covers when out of use. Whether it’s generic dust from the railway room or exhibition hall, stray paint deposits, or oil and grease dropped by passing locomotives, our track is inevitably prone to the build-up of unwanted contaminants. Most track features nickel silver rail, which is naturally prone to tarnishing, while steel rail can corrode if employed in damp locations. The cleanliness (or otherwise) of locomotive and rolling stock wheels can also have a profound effect on the rails. There’s an argument that plastic wheels can lead to dirtier rails, although how true that is, I’m unsure. I do find metal wheels easier to keep clean, however. Areas of poor contact between the…

◆ GAUGE ‘O’ ◆ MODEL Lionheart Trains LHT-S-8201 BR ‘3MT’ 2-6-2T No. 82010, BR lined black, late crest ◆ PRICE £621.00-£739.80 ◆ AVAILABILITY Dapol stockists Web www.dapol.co.uk With a number of impressive ‘O’ gauge steam locomotives already under its belt, the latest addition to the Dapol/Lionheart Trains range is the BR Standard Class 3MT 2-6-2T. It has been a few years in the making, with many of us having followed this project closely, due to the enduring popularity of the prototype. With the first decorated samples revealed at the 2022 Warley show, it’s great to now have one of these lovely models in my hands. Several versions are now available, in a choice of lined BR black or green liveries, plus plain green options, with each livery being offered with…

Famed for producing the first 4-6-0 steam locomotive to appear on Britain’s railways, the Highland Railway ‘Jones Goods’ gained their nickname as a tribute to Chief Engineer David Jones, although it was Chief Draughtsman David Anderson Hendrie who had suggested adopting this wheel arrangement. The small fleet, numbered 103-117, was built by Sharp, Stewart of Glasgow in 1894, with all 15 completed in the same year. The 4-6-0s were intended to haul goods services between Perth and Inverness, proving a resounding success, especially after a few tweaks were made to the draughting arrangement. As well as working the Highland main line, the 4-6-0s also ventured further afield, including to Kyle of Lochalsh. The full fleet of ‘Jones Goods’ 4-6-0s was taken into LMS stock at the Grouping of 1923, although…

◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Hornby R40227 LNER ‘Coronation’ observation car No. 1719 ◆ PRICE £81.99 ◆ AVAILABILITY Hornby stockists Web www.hornby.com Hot on the heels of the articulated twinset ‘Coronation’ carriage packs, as reviewed in last month’s issue, comes the famous ‘beaver tail’ observation car, in matching two-tone blue livery. Like the twinset coaches, the stylish livery is adorned with polished foil lettering, numbers and decorative beading. With a full-size version now residing in the One:One Collection in Margate – the restored No. 1729 – Hornby’s designers didn’t have to go far for a look at the prototype, and they’ve done a cracking job in capturing the sleek, Art Deco-inspired looks. Scale proportions are spot-on too. In terms of overall specification, the observation car is on a par with…

◆ GAUGE ‘OO9’ ◆ MODEL Bachmann Narrow Gauge 394-085 Ffestiniog Railway Passenger Brake Third, crimson and cream ◆ PRICE £59.95 ◆ AVAILABILITY Bachmann stockists Web www.bachmann.co.uk In Model Rail 334 I reviewed Bachmann’s Ffestiniog Railway ‘tin car’ saloon coach, modelled on one of the FR’s ‘modern’ coaches of the 1980s. Now we have a model of a much smaller and older vehicle, a wooden-bodied Brake Third, finished in the same crimson and cream livery as No. 8. It is also offered by Bachmann in green with red ends as No. 10 and in yellow, panelled out with crimson as No. 2. Built originally in the 1870s as luggage vans, with a distinctively shaped roof (leading to the ‘curly roof’ nickname), the vans were eventually rebuilt as passenger brake vans, with…

The Big Picture For a lot of people, an impending house move would result in the dismantling of their precious model railway, perhaps to be rebuilt, perhaps never to have a locomotive run across it again. This is particularly the case when layouts are built permanently into a room and cutting up the baseboards would result in an irrecoverable mess. However, life finds a way, and Phil Mason’s ‘Ebridge’ has moved with him from one house to the next. Read more about how he has transferred the layout successfully and its subsequent expansion in an upcoming issue of Model Rail.…

In tandem with the arrival of the production batch of Rapido Trains’ Highland Railway ‘Jones Goods’ (read our full review on page 80), comes a special version produced under the Railway Icons brand. Depicting No. 109 in Drummond’s later HR plain green livery, suiting the 1916-1923 era, the locomotive features several period-specific fittings, including tablet catcher equipment, wooden tender doors and a lack of a toolbox on the rear of the tender. Available exclusively from Locomotion Models or Rails of Sheffield, No. 109 is presented in special packaging and is offered in DCC-ready or DCC sound-fitted format. Model: Railway Icons/Rapido Trains UK 914008 ‘Jones Goods’ 4-6-0 No. 109 HR green (late) Prices: £219.95 (DCC-ready), £319.95 (DCC sound) Availability: Rails of Sheffield or Locomotion Models Web: www.railsofsheffield.com www.locomotionmodels.com MORE 'TT: 120'…

What makes this layout great? We often talk about compression with a model railway, but with ‘Lostwithiel’ being an ‘N’ gauge layout, Rob has been able to get a realistic depth to his station area without having to cram everything in. It makes for a far more pleasing result. Think back to the last time you bought a house. Whether it was six months ago or 60 years ago, you almost certainly had a list of requirements. A lovely garden, side-by-side parking, perhaps a good-sized kitchen. A model room? Some of us could only dream of such a designated space, but when Rob Elliott and his wife moved house in 2015, a room dedicated to an ‘N’ gauge layout was high on the list of priorities. In the interest of…

The arrival of Lionheart Trains’ Lynton & Barnstaple locomotives and carriages in 2023 was the first time that 7mm scale narrow gauge piqued my interest, although it was Bachmann’s more recent foray into what has been coined ‘NG7’ that really grabbed my attention. Bachmann’s 7mm scale ‘Quarry Hunslet’ 0-4-0ST, released last summer, immediately got me thinking of ideas for a micro layout in this enchanting scale. As with any new project, access to a decent amount of rolling stock is essential to maintain one’s interest, especially during the winter months when spending time building baseboards in a cold workshop is less appealing. The prospect of assembling wagon kits, in the warmth of a kitchen, on the other hand, is much more welcome. Therefore, I was excited to receive a box…

Scotland’s West Highland Railway is a line that offers excellent modelling potential, especially for those lucky enough to have plenty of room in which to model the spectacular scenery and distinctive lineside structures. However, it’s also a suitable subject for modellers with precious little space. Opening in 1894, the West Highland line was built to link Glasgow with the busy ports of Oban and Mallaig. Leaving the North Clyde route at Craigendoran, near Helensburgh, the route heads into the Western Highlands, alongside Gare Loch and Loch Lomond before the line diverges at the famous junction at Crianlarich, where the line crosses the erstwhile Callander-Oban line. Oban trains turn west and head via Loch Awe and Connel Ferry, while Mallaig trains head north across the wilds of Rannoch Moor before turning…

Building on the experience gained from Ivatt’s Class 4 2-6-2Ts, designed originally by the LMS and built largely by British Railways from the late 1940s, the BR Standard Class 3MT tanks were created under the auspices of Robert Riddles. Constructed at BR’s Swindon Works, and featuring a GWR-style boiler, the locomotives still retained many LMS features, especially in terms of chassis fittings. A total of 45 examples were built between 1952-1955, with assembly running concurrently with the similar 2-6-0 tender locomotives. The resulting engines were lightweight and extremely versatile, with examples being allocated to the London Midland, North Eastern, Western and Southern regions for all manner of lightweight passenger and freight duties. With a design optimised for branch line operation, the ‘3MTs’ operated over many well-known routes, including various branches…

◆ GAUGE ‘N’ ◆ MODEL EFE Rail E84524 Class 41 ‘Warship’ D602 Bulldog, BR blue ◆ PRICE £174.95 ◆ AVAILABILITY Bachmann stockists Web www.bachmann.co.uk The D600 ‘Warships’ have long enjoyed a level of popularity out of proportion to their contribution to the story of UK diesel traction. Perhaps the same is true of any small, short-lived class. Certainly, justice had never been done to the class in model form until, in 2010, Kernow MRC announced that it had commissioned an exclusive ‘OO’ ready-to-run model. Through the Kernow/ Bachmann tie-up under the EFE Rail label, an ‘N’ gauge model of the D600-series NBL ‘Warship’ is now available, doubtless making good use of all the research involved in the original ‘OO model. Model Rail received a sample of the version in Swindon’s…

◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Bachmann Branchline BR Mk 1s • 39-825 First open crimson and cream • 39-801A Brake standard open maroon • 39-851 RB restaurant buffet BR chocolate and cream ◆ PRICE £67.95 each ◆ AVAILABILITY Bachmann stockists Web www.bachmann.co.uk Since the dawn of ‘OO’ ready-to-run it seems that the standard basic range of coach types was a corridor composite and a brake second, to which, in due course might be added a full brake and a refreshment vehicle and, perhaps even a sleeping car. Some vehicle types were, however, frequently neglected, making full prototypical formations nigh-on impossible in model form. Bachmann has given its range of BR Mk 1 coaches a major uplift with the introduction of some ‘open’ vehicles which are completely new toolings but a…

◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Hornby R30346 Locomotion No. 1 (as preserved) • PRICE £184.99 ◆ AVAILABILITY Hornby stockists Web www.hornby.com With 2025 marking 200 years since the world’s first public railway – the Stockton & Darlington – began operation, the year has got off to the perfect start with the arrival of Hornby’s eagerly awaited Locomotion No. 1. Built by the father of railways, George Stephenson, the 0-4-0 is depicted in its current preserved guise, and thus billed as suitable for ‘Era 11’ (2014-present day). Just the one version has been produced thus far but, with sales reported to have been extremely healthy, one imagines that more will follow. Many modellers have been watching the progress of this model with interest, due partly to the historical significance of the…

Web: www.hornby.com LATEST HORNBY ARRIVALS CLASS 08s AT THE DOUBLE There has been a flurry of new Hornby models arriving with retailers in early January, with a striking pair of BR Class 08 shunters standing out. Carrying the prestigious ‘Swallow’ version of BR InterCity livery, 08570 is also adorned with Haymarket depot logos. The model depicts the prototype during its time as Edinburgh Waverley’s station pilot in the late 1980s, when it could be seen marshalling Sleeper and Motorail vehicles. For the BR transition era, green D3069 sports ‘wasp’ ends and is based on a real ‘08’ that spent the 1960s based in the Northamptonshire and London areas. Interestingly, D3069 never gained a Class 08 identity during the TOPS era, instead entering Departmental service as ADB966509 and being withdrawn in…

A HAUNTED TYPE 2? This scrap Class 31 cab may have been cut off from the rest of the body, but the two marker lights are strangely lit, as if ready for its next turn of duty… is it haunted?! I crafted this scene using a Hornby ‘31’ cab, cut off just behind the doors from a damaged body. It sits on the bufferbeam at the front and real wood blocks at the back that were made to look like old wooden sleepers. It still has a full interior with control desk and seating. There is a 3 volt flat battery underneath the cab. Kevin Millar PUZZLING IT OUT This is my latest project, a shunting puzzle based (very loosely) on the former Crossley Evans Scrap Metal Processors’ yard in…

Regular readers of Model Rail will be familiar with my layout builds of Hemyock (MR309-312) and, more recently, Culmstock (MR327-329). ‘Whitehall Halt’ fills in the missing gap. In real life it was midway between Hemyock and Culmstock. These two layouts were inspired by their prototypes and are not strict copies, owing to the addition of extra sidings and buildings to increase operational and visual interest, while also working within the space limitations set out by my customer. However, to anyone familiar with the real railway, I hope the locations are recognisable. Whitehall is far more fictitious, again for operational reasons, and also due to a collection of wonderful second-hand buildings by Ian Robertson, which desperately needed a new home to showcase them in a suitable environment. Sadly, with the passing…

Despite the bulk of the general goods market moving from rail to road transport since the 1960s, recent years have seen a modest resurgence of rail-borne freight in certain sectors, encouraged by government incentives and a wish to help reduce emissions from heavy goods vehicles. Therefore, adding a rail-served goods transshipment shed or warehouse to a contemporary-themed layout is an increasingly viable option, especially as there have been some wonderful wagons released in the past few years. Revolution Trains’ IZA Cargowaggon twinsets are a prime example (offered in ‘N’ and ‘OO’, along with Heljan’s ‘OO’ IWB bogie vans. Both wagon types have been around since the late 1980s, employed to carry a wide range of goods between the UK and Europe, initially via train ferry services and, latterly, through the…

What makes this layout great? With such a small space to work with, Dave could really pin down every small detail to create an overall scene which looks superb. Two three-way points provide plenty of operational interest, despite the lack of physical size. If there’s one thing model railway builders are good at it’s accumulating lots of stuff. We are gifted with packs upon packs of figures and scenic details for our birthdays and Christmases, we rummage in the bargain bins at exhibitions and we never, ever throw anything away. We kid ourselves that those old kit sprues may be useful in the future. In practice, much of this stuff gets put in a box of bits, never to be seen or touched again until eventually the pile gets so…

◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Rapido Trains UK 914001 HR ‘Jones Goods’ 4-6-0 No. 103 HR lined yellow (1960s condition) ◆ PRICE £219.95 ◆ AVAILABILITY Rapido stockists Web www.rapidotrains.co.uk Sometimes a modeller has an affinity with a particular prototype thanks to personal memories or a family connection, or its relevance to a period or place that may have inspired layout projects. While I’d been aware of the ‘Jones Goods’ 4-6-0 for many years, it wasn’t until I was tasked with building a DJH metal kit over a decade ago that No. 103 won my heart. Perhaps it was due to the kit being challenging to build and, especially, to paint, but I spent a lot of time searching out information and images of the real thing, along with a few…

Despite the popular myth that the Western Region just wanted to be different, its choice of diesel-hydraulic traction rather than diesel-electric was both carefully considered and far-thinking. Under pressure to modernise and to increase speed and efficiency, the WR believed that the fitting of automatic continuous brakes to wagons was the single most significant measure towards speeding up and rejuvenating the railway. Also, a higher power-to-weight ratio in locomotives would enable trains to be accelerated more quickly, while excessive weight in locomotives would no longer be needed to stop loose-coupled freights. The WR recognised that the diesel-hydraulic locomotive fitted perfectly with that scheme. However, the British Transport Commission only had limited experience of diesel-electrics with heavy, slow-running engines and no experience at all of diesel-hydraulics. As the Western Region insisted…

◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Bachmann Branchline 38-954A BR ‘Palvan’, Johnnie Walker green ◆ PRICE £34.95 ◆ AVAILABILITY Bachmann stockists Web www.bachmann.co.uk In the post-war years, as palletisation spread across the freight transportation industry, British Railways tried to play catch-up by introducing a purpose-built wagon to cater for loading by forklift truck. The Diagram 1/211 ‘Palvan’ was the result, with over 2,300 examples being built between 1953-1961. Built on a standard 10ft wheelbase steel chassis, the 12ton van featured plywood body panels and twin hinged doors ranged on the left-hand of each side. The large doors created an aperture 8ft 5in wide, offering a big improvement over existing general-purpose vans, although the slightly oddball design resulted in uneven loading and premature wear on the suspension, resulting in a propensity for…

George Stephenson was commissioned to build a fleet of four 0-4-0 steam locomotives for the Stockton & Darlington Railway (S&DR), one of which hauled the inaugural train on the world’s first public railway in September 1825. The locomotive, originally christened Active, was driven on the opening day by Stephenson himself and was designed primarily for hauling coal trains. Subsequently gaining the identity of No. 1, the 0-4-0 was rebuilt several times during its career on the S&DR, with the original spoked wheels being replaced by Hackworth pattern ‘plug’ wheels, plus a revised boiler. After being taken out of service, it was loaned to a colliery in nearby Crook and briefly converted into a stationary engine. However, owing to its historic status, the locomotive was preserved in the 1850s and rebuilt…