Semi-scale BR: The Modernisation Plan

[ge_rik]

It's going to look amazing. And will undoubtedly be up to your usual high standard.

Rik

[Andrew]

It regularly makes those ‘Most Ugly Locomotive’ lists but I think the 1949 original looks great.

But can you trust the judgement of a man who doesn't appreciate the aesthetics of a Class 33???

It's a fantastic model, and I agree with Peter that your fresh approach is inspiring - I think it's rubbed off on me too, I'm turning into a strange hybrid smei-scaler/rivel counter!

Love the diesel line up too, just like the convoys you see heading to galas...

[BertieB]

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‘Like a tube train on steroids’, I’ve read

The fun-scale Leader overhaul is most of the way there, with my ‘untrustworthy aesthetic judgment’ (see above) leading to this challenging variant of the ‘cycling lion’ era livery, which I’m pretending was developed specifically for it.

It’s turned out to be hard work. Getting a decent colour match to the dark grey (even from scans) and consistency from DIY inkjet decals proved annoyingly difficult, requiring loads of touching up, resulting in a fairly scabby finish in places. Despite the odd dodgy bit though, the lengthened loco’s still emerged from the works looking much better than it did, I reckon.

In this 3’11” gauge, alternative reality, of course, a fully developed Leader was wonderfully successful, prolonging the life of steam and thereby enabling, ultimately, a massive programme of mainline electrification — but not all those rubbish, first generation diesels. Or even Class 33s.

Wiring, crew and some dodgy bits to tidy up and I'm done.

[philipy]

That looks simply amazing!

[BertieB]

Thank you very much!

[FWLR]

Truly brilliant re-model Bertie.

[Peter Butler]

A true Ugly Duckling, but I love it!

[BertieB]

But it’s not ugly I tell you!

It’s subtle, elegant, refined…

Thank you both.

[Old Man Aaron]

Hell of a job, it's come out well.

[ge_rik]

Corrrrrr .... that's nice.
Where did you find such a large BR crest?

Rik

[BertieB]

Thanks again, Rik. Sized the emblems in Photoshop and, along with the lining panels and numbers, printed it on to white, inkjet decal paper (artwork below), which can be cut as appropriate. Getting a decent result (matching the printed decal’s grey background to the grey paintwork), I have to say, was a bit of a struggle — required a lot of fiddling about and touching up after application.

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Original was A4

[Andrew]

Very nice indeed - love the livery!

[ge_rik]

Thanks again, Rik. Sized the emblems in Photoshop and, along with the lining panels and numbers, printed it on to white, inkjet decal paper (artwork below), which can be cut as appropriate. Getting a decent result (matching the printed decal’s grey background to the grey paintwork), I have to say, was a bit of a struggle — required a lot of fiddling about and touching up after application.

DIY_decals_small_4.jpg
Original was A4

Very clever! I'd never have guessed it was decal paper

Rik

[BertieB]

Here’s its first go outside. This is more-or-less all I shot before it started raining again.
It does look a bit long for the garden’s curves but it will get round, slowly. You just have to be careful.

[philipy]

Lovely modelling as always, but that is one weird looking beastie!

[ge_rik]

Wot, no cat? Certainly an unusual and slightly scary wee beastie. Perfect for Halloween.

Rik[*]

[Andrew]

Wot, no cat? Certainly an unusual and slightly scary wee beastie. Perfect for Halloween.

That's what I thought, especially with the music!

It's looking splendid, I'm looking forward to seeing it with a train in tow...

[BertieB]

Not even semi-scale BR: the inevitable Garratt
At the fantasy, narrower gauge, British Railways there’s going to be an alarmingly freelance, Light Garratt(!) intended, I’m pretending, for those twisty, hilly, secondary routes — in the Highlands, Devon and Cornwall and the like.

It’s been on the back burner, making very slow, stuttering progress for ages and seeing them in primer is always some sort of milestone, I think. I’m not sure this example is going to be entirely plausible but… every home should have one.

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Length 820mm. This’ll give the cat something to think about

[-steves-]

Well that's a big one you have there.......

[Peter Butler]

It must be Garratt season...

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