Semi-scale BR: The Modernisation Plan

[Andrew]

Wonderful stuff, as ever!

Am I allowed favourites? I particularly like the Thumper, the Q1 tank and the little 2MT...

[BertieB]

“Am I allowed favourites?”

Of course. Thank you. I’ll admit to being pleased with the Thumper and the coaches. I’m particularly well disposed towards the Pannier tank too: cute, totally reliable — the one to grab if a loco’s required quickly. It’s done more track time than anything else.

[Andrew]

The pannier is lovely.

Sounds like the equivalent of my Regnner "Konrad", my "go to" loco...

[BertieB]

Spray day. Keen-eyed viewers will identify the newspaper to be The Yorkshire Post (!)

Between being very busy (though with intermittent spells of extreme laziness) and many, miserably rainy days, I’ve made a little progress.

I have to say the more reasonably priced brands of ‘authentic’ rail colour don’t cover anything like as well as the very expensive one. They (and you) know who they are. It’ll be the challenging, colour-match, DIY, ink-jet decal stage next.

Cheers.

[Andrew]

Ooh, is that a BR brake van being sprayed too?

[BertieB]

It is, it is! The ‘Thomas’ one, of course.

Fingers crossed it won’t look too small — I may have to organise the sequence of wagons specifically to disguise that, or attempt to.

[BertieB]

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!

[Peter Butler]

I do like colour, and that has loads of it! What it lacks in authentic detail (I wouldn't know anyway!) is made up in skilful modelling.... Love it.

[ge_rik]

That does look good. Another excellent piece of modelling.

Rik

[BertieB]

Thanks for the kind remarks. The pictures are a bit naughty really. It is in ‘authentic’ Rail Blue and in most circumstances (certainly at this time of year) doesn’t look as bright as that. I could attempt to modify the dodgy bogies later on — but I want to finish the rest of it first.

[Andrew]

Very nice!

I thought I'd seen something similar before, then remembered that Lima created a 33 along similar lines back in the 80s:



I much prefer your version though - the large double arrow logo looks great...

[BertieB]

“Lima created a 33 along similar lines back in the 80s”

What a clot! I’ve only just noticed, prompted by your Lima picture — Thank you — that I’ve put the lift-off roof on the wrong way round in all my snaps. This is despite spending ages on a wire mesh grill and red cooling fan (that you can’t really see) under the hole in the roof that aligns with the big side grills… Deary me.

[BertieB]

Probably the most flattering angle. Grill held on with sellotape

Chopped and modified to fit. A few bits to glue on after painting

Bachmann Large Scale ‘Thomas’ range Devious Diesel makeover
I bought this online, assuming that I’d replace the sour face on the front with a niftily knocked up grill and — Hey Presto! — it would become the familiar BR shunter. Opening the box though, it was obvious that (in relation to my other stuff) it was way too big — and peculiarly proportioned, with tiny wheels.

Drastic surgery has dragged it back to within the loading gauge but the wheels are still only slightly less, too small. And it’s still oddly proportioned, but differently; scale has clearly left the building.

It’ll be finished in another ‘developed’ Rail Blue livery, with ‘wasp stripes’ — which is the whole point really — and battery-powered with Micron R/C.

[Andrew]

Very nice! Despite surgery, it's still instantly recognisable. I thought it had "08/9" (I had to look that up) vibes, the ones that were cut down to work the old Burry Port and Gwendraeth line.

They've appeared in so many liveries over the years that I reckon you could get away with pretty much anything, but yes, I love applying wasp stripes too - not that there's much call for them in 1920s Snowdonia. I also like the 08s in original green, with the doors in varnished wood...

[Peter Butler]

Whatever the surgery, the result is most satisfying. I have always liked the appearance of these sturdy little shunters, like little Bulldogs going about their allotted task.