Semi-scale BR: The Modernisation Plan

[Andrew]

However, I’m afraid I can’t agree that “the Bulleid ‘Spam Can’ would look rather nice in ‘large logo’ blue livery” — not to mention, in the hopelessly naff “Network South East, with the swooping stripes at each end” scheme.

I remember being extremely disappointed when the then fairly new and sensible, Class 455 EMUs (let alone elderly slam-door stock) started to appear in the ghastly NSE livery, rather than BR blue and grey. Late 80s, I suppose. It turned me into the cynical, table-thumping critic of crap corporate identity I am today.

Well, I guess those suggestions were a little tongue in cheek...

But... I do recall being quite excited by the launch of NSE - I remember the the press launch (presumably from the evening news?), featuring a newly re-liveried 455 and a loco-hauled set gliding into Waterloo in parallel, and thinking that was pretty cool. After a lifetime of blue and grey (or just plain blue, ugh!) EPBs, I was ready for a change, and NSE livery certainly made them easier to spot in the distance from the D floor classrooms art school, but I will concede that, in retrospect, it wasn't a great look for the older units. If I had insane amounts of money, enough to buy and restore an EPB (probably in the top 20, maybe top 10, of my unwritten fantasy restoration list), I'd paint it blue and grey...

If I had enough change to own and restore a Spam Can (top 100 on the list, maybe, there are a lot of 'em already), I think I'd go for malachite green...

[Sylvian Tennant]

I love it.

[BertieB]

"... those suggestions were a little tongue in cheek..."

Me too. Well, a bit.

The Lymington branch (for a ferry to the Isle of Wight), continued using two mid-60s, 3CIG, slam-door EMUs, as a kind of ‘official’ heritage railway, long after they had disappeared elsewhere — one in green and the other in blue and grey — neither in NSE (or SWT) livery you’ll note. Both looked great, in my view. Here’s some pictures (not mine):

https://bobfostersrailgallery.weebly.co ... ranch.html

[Tropic Blunder]

Fantastic work Bertie. It really does make you wonder though why Bachmann couldn't release theirs looking like yours to begin with! The "as delivered" model is so out of proportion its not even funny which is a bit disappointing because I was contemplating buying one at least to make a "near enough" Victorian Railways F class. At least you've proved with some careful cutting it is at least feasible

[BertieB]

“The ‘as delivered’ model is so out of proportion it’s not even funny…”

Thanks. Bachmann, presumably deliberately, chose not to follow the proportions of the original. It seems perverse. They don’t appear to have been limited by any obvious practical or manufacturing issues. But I suppose their intended customers aren’t you or me or members of this forum.

The same applies, of course, to the other locos in their Thomas range, usually to an even greater extent. Makes an interesting comparison with the Hornby approach, where they stuck faces on generally recognisable or plausible locomotives. Weird.

[BertieB]

I was told recently, by someone engaged in magnificent, main line, steam loco restoration how, for a full-size replica of ‘Percy’ from the Thomas stories, rather than recreating the GWR original on which the character is allegedly based, in the US they referenced the Bachmann version. It’s true! Here’s a picture:

https://www.strasburgrailroad.com/blog/ ... th-thomas/

I thought this was really funny — but then, from what I can find online, the original book illustrations of Percy (and the TV models that followed) don’t look much like any real locomotive I’ve stumbled across (and they’re not unlike the Bachmann one) so perhaps it’s not so silly after all…

I don’t know if it actually steams or not. I don’t suppose so.

[Old Man Aaron]

the cynical, table-thumping critic of crap corporate identity I am today.

Not alone there. Great work as always, you're braver than I would be to rebuild that shunter. To my unfamiliar-with-BR-diesels eye, I wouldn't have known it started out a Thomas toy. It looks perfect.

Edit: I have a gut feeling the design changes were some marketing department gibberish, maybe to make it more in keeping with the "friendlier" looking Thomas, Percy, etc. engines.

[BertieB]

Thanks, Aaron.

The shunter could never have been a ‘scale model’ (obviously) but now, several weeks later, I’m inclined to think that I ought to have taken the surgery a little further.

Reduce the height of that bit with the angled top, immediately in front of the cab — and the cab front windows and, possibly, the pitch of the cab roof sides could have been ‘more prototypical’ and a more persuasive illusion maintained. Perhaps. But I’ll have to leave that to others.

[invicta280]

I'm with you on the southern liveries Bertie. I think nothing matches the green. I always thought the NSE 'toothpaste livery' was hideous.

p.s, Some locos look great in any livery. A class 73 would look great in a pink frock.

[Johnnie1000]

Nice. In no way meaning to hijack the thread, I got my hands on a Devious Diesel last Christmas. Still plenty to attend to, but its a working loco.

[angr607]

1_33_1425B.jpg
2_33_1368B.jpg
3_33_1388B.jpg
4_33_1455B.jpg
10_33_14518.jpg
G-scale Class 33. I’ve boosted the colour a little, it was all looking a bit dull and gloomy

Well, it’s certainly bright and cheerful now. I’ve not stumbled across any evidence of Class 33s actually in a ‘large logo’ livery, let alone this one. And I’ve decided it must be from the 33/3 series as the bogies, among other things are, erm, different...

Some months ago (the previous page of this thread), I pompously declared that Class 33 cab window surrounds have to be black, ‘to disguise the loco’s dodgy aesthetics’. Complete cobblers, of course, as I have now demonstrated.

In poor light (like today, on the way to getting dark at 3pm) the cabs on this one can look like they’re wearing those airline sleep masks — difficult to make out the windows within the black surround. This kind of thing wouldn’t have happened with any of the original 1960s liveries that I rudely dismissed — but I’ve always fancied a loco in this scheme, although I never thought it would be a 33 (and, needless to say, really it shouldn’t be).

It’s not quite done: lights, wiring, blokes in driver’s seats, cab floors, etc, still to do (and as I was taking these snaps some of the cabside windows fell out). I hope to be be trying it outside, incongruously coupled to (what purport to be) much older rolling stock, when the weather’s improved and the garden’s not so muddy. Looking forward to it. April?

HNY!

You can tell I don't visit the forum often these days. That looks absolutely incredible. Is it possible I can share that onto the Bowaters Page in the customer gallery? There is £10 in it off a future purchase if you do.

Jon

[BertieB]

John — Quite right too, that’s not hijacking the thread at all (and I’ve just got another one of those cheapo tank wagons, as well). You going to cut out the windows?

[BertieB]

Jon — Of course. Thank you very much. I’ll get in touch

[Johnnie1000]

John — Quite right too, that’s not hijacking the thread at all (and I’ve just got another one of those cheapo tank wagons, as well). You going to cut out the windows?

Well, I have yet to get up the courage to start hacking the body about. It would be OK if I could find a replacement body in the UK so I had a back up. But there are a number of bits and bobs I have yet to 3D print such as sandboxes, air receivers, springs, shunters front end standing position etc..

Love these tanks, cheap as chips with a couple of sets of metal wheels.

[BertieB]

“…the courage to start hacking the body about”

The cab is moulded (and attached to the chassis) separately from the rest of the bodywork, so it could be used as a risk-free template for making a plasticard duplicate, with amendments as required…

A bit scruffy now — but it’ll look OK when it’s wiped down, touched up and varnished (and viewed from a distance)

[Johnnie1000]

...

A bit scruffy now — but it’ll look OK when it’s wiped down, touched up and varnished (and viewed from a distance)[/size][/b]

As are we all. They look excellent.

[BertieB]

It's a bit silly. More to come...

I spent a couple of days digging the weeds and tidying up the permanent way, while the shunter trundled round (for the first time) at very slow, scale speeds —without incident, until I decided I should film it for a few minutes.

Of course, this has been grossly exaggerated in the resulting video, which has become a brief taster for the forthcoming epic (which I haven’t done anything about so far).

[Lonsdaler]

Most amusing! I hope nothing was damaged

[FWLR]

Brilliant, laugh first thing in the morning is what the doctor ordered..


Love the colours and finish on the loco too.

[Phil.P]

In the garden, something stirred..

I watched this, as the latest 'use the train' ad was playing on the TV...
The music was quite appropriate!


Phil.P