Helo Ivor bach!

[SGP]

Had a heart stopping moment a few days ago ..... the bunker mounted switch had been blocked in with plasticard to prevent PVA glue and black paint seeping from the "coal" into the switch. After finishing the "coal" (which is only about 1mm deep on a false plasticard baffle plate), I found that the paint had seeped in somewhere and the switch refused to work. Luckily, some coaxing with a little WD40 got the job on track again.

[SGP]

Jones the Steam (by Busy-Bodies) comes with the Locolines card kit and is not available to purchase separately. However Idris the Dragon and Dai Station can be purchased separately without buying the kit.

The only parts used from the Ivor kit are the chimney and dome ... the 4x yellow push pins (buffer shanks) ... the coupling hooks ... motor & gearbox ... battery holder & switch ... and the lamps. Due to my computer having to go away I couldn't make a transfer for the banner on smokebox door, so it was cut from the original card facing. Brushing on acrylic clear coat started to lift the ink from the printed banner but I got away with it dabbing a bit at a time.

[SGP]

Had a bit of time to spare, so I made an attachment to fit a standard LGB loop coupling ..... (visible in above and previous pic).

[SGP]

Couple of pics now of Ivor re-enacting a scene from the series. We've decided that Idris looks more comfortable perched on the dome rather than the chimney ...

[SGP]

The original resin cast organ pipe whistles were thrown away and a new set were made from brass tube, brass strip and ball headed pins ....

[Crackingjob]

Delightful...and very very well built...THATS THE WAY TO DO IT FOLKS......spurs me on to finish the Hunslet

Crackingjob

[taliesin001]

Very nice Can I ask what railway this is please?

[SGP]

Thanks. If I did it again I would change the way I attached the cab steps ... They are separate assemblies attached to the body in two tight fit holes under the cab each side (4mm deep). I should have made the metal rod part of the steps as one long piece bent twice at 90 degrees joining both steps as one.

[SGP]

Can I ask what railway this is please?

It is the Charnwood Forest Railway which is at Rothley on the Great Central. It is Ivor weekend 27th / 28th February 2010 but the full sized Ivor (being brought by road from Llangollen) is rumoured only to be doing station limits trips at Loughborough whilst larger mainline steam locomotives run the main Loughborough - Leicester services. This has peeved us a bit because those coming to see Ivor may not travel to see the model on the layout.

[taliesin001]

I thought so! I usually stop off at Rothley and spend some time watching this. last time was the winter steam gala and you had a few live steam engines running. It was also the only warm place at the station as it was in the sun!

[SGP]

It's in need of a bit of repair this summer because the winter has cracked and rotted a lot of the concrete work. The LGB overhead catenary hasn't faired too well either but that looks a mess anyway and we have got rid of most of the overhead electric locos.

Scott is setting up a bit of a website hopefully to keep events up to date ....

http://www.charnwoodforestrailway.webs.com/

[taliesin001]

Thanks for the link. A very good website with lots of pictures, some of which I think were taken when I was there

[SGP]

The CFR is now mainly live steam and I don't help out there anymore, but the Ivor loco still sees service on special event days. The catenary has also been completely removed and looks all the better for it. Live steam under the wires never looked comfortable.