LSWR wagon kit

Some months ago at an exhibition i picked up a very old Lswr wagon kit. A bargain at 3 Quid.

The body was already made up although i had to unglue one end as it rocked a bit on the four corners. The body was constructed from 1mm plywood.

It appeared that all parts were present.

Trying to work out what type of wagon it was became a topic in its own right.

The Lswr built a number of Bar/open wagons but after consulting the bible, a came to the conclusion that it is one built from around 1901 to Dia 1309/1310 mainly because of the resemblance to the fox chassis.

The phot below shows all the parts in the kit.

What did intrigue me was the thin plastic strips with rivet detail punched into them, what a good idea. i had to be very careful with these as they had become very brittle.

It went together very well. I had to supply the sheet bar made from 1mm round bar and the half moon pieces at each end made from brass strip also the door stop on the chassis beam made from the same brass strip. 

The only thing missing is the draw hook on the buffer beam, i had runout so when they arrive they will be fitted.

The finished wagon. the scrawl in the bottom left hand corner does say 'Exeter' made to look like it has been rubbed off ready for its next destination to be chalked on the side.

Another note with these wagons was that the number was placed one plank lower than the lettering.

What more could you ask for, for just 3 quid.

Chuffed to bits with this little kit, just some 'Sprat & Winkles' to fit and she will be ready for service  

Sunday on Shed

I am running a series of photos every Sunday that were taken

in my trainspotting days.

The Ian Allan spotting books are dated

1979-1983

All the photos were taken during these dates.

I reckon i have something close to 200 photos here, all taken in the Corporate blue period from all over the country. The idea is to post One, maybe Two photos depending on what mood i am in. 

There is allsorts, some with trains, some just looking down the line, some out of focus, some to dark, some to light, some you may ask yourself, 'what the hell' Some i don't know exact dates, some i don't know numbers but they are all going to get posted.

I ASK ONE THING

   You are welcome to use the photos but it would be nice if you would copy the link or give some credit to the guy that took em. ie ME Colin Lockyer and/or THIS BLOG.

Pine Road. What to do?

It's been a while since i posted anything on Pine Road. After a long hard thought about this, i have decided to part with the layout. The only reason being is to make room for a new project. I have found this a rather hard decision to make. Being the first 'real' layout i have built. 

I just couldn't bring myself to break up the layout it deserves better, and would rather it go to a good home and someone else can perhaps take it further. It would not take much to turn it in to a roundy roundy or add a fiddle yard to one end, i have used its fiddle yard for something else.

Getting sentimental here. Perhaps i am trying to reach to a certain modeller that can take care of it and really wants Pine Road and can take it into the future. wouldn't it be nice to see it at future exhibition. Someone that has more time than me, that can expand on it.

Yes.  i have already edited it twice now.

Pine Road is coming up for its 12th Birthday. It has been to a few local exhibitions and has featured in Railway Modeller April 2016. The layout is in good working order but the backscene could perhaps do with replacing. It is "L" shaped 9ft long and 4ft wide up to the thatch cottage on the left in one of the photos.

You will find loads of information about the layout on this blog and on

 Rmweb here .

No stock will be included. The curtain and shelving that goes below the layout will be included. The next owner would have to arrange a van or have a big estate car to collect, as a guide it will fit in a Ford Galaxy, just. 

Payment, well, this is a difficult one, Whats it worth ????. i would like something for it to fund the future project but i am not asking thousands of pounds like i have seen some up for. we are in the hundreds as long as someone has the room and is willing to give it a good home, i am flexible. bare in mind, it is not a 'Childs' train set  

If you should be interested then PM me and we can discuss its future.

Sunday on Shed

I am running a series of photos every Sunday that were taken

in my trainspotting days.

The Ian Allan spotting books are dated

1979-1983

All the photos were taken during these dates.

I reckon i have something close to 200 photos here, all taken in the Corporate blue period from all over the country. The idea is to post One, maybe Two photos depending on what mood i am in. 

There is allsorts, some with trains, some just looking down the line, some out of focus, some to dark, some to light, some you may ask yourself, 'what the hell' Some i don't know exact dates, some i don't know numbers but they are all going to get posted.

I ASK ONE THING

   You are welcome to use the photos but it would be nice if you would copy the link or give some credit to the guy that took em. ie ME Colin Lockyer and/or THIS BLOG.

0 Gauge Terriers

What's this all about then, you may ask!

I,ve been rather busy lately, what with exhibitions etc, the blog has been somewhat neglected lately but anyhow a little story to tell.

Some months ago after an evening searching around on eBay, (always a bad idea after a couple of beers) i came across an 0 gauge Terrier that was selling at a very reasonable price. what is one to do, putting in a silly bid thinking that's the end of that. A few days later, you have one this item. Oh heck. Well, it was cheap.

I know nothing about 0 gauge so why would i need a terrier and more importantly, what's all this going to lead to? I later learnt that its actually made from brass and one that was produced by Finescale Brass 

It was a bit battered with wheels not fitted although they were in the box. After a bit of a clean up, it ran faultlessly. 

It needs painting. After a chat with Finescale Brass he put me in touch with a guy. Warren Haywood his site is worth a look. I duly sent the model off to him explaining my requirements.

Now, you all know my love of anything LSWR and knowing that Two Terriers were purchased in 1903 by the LSWR for the Lyme Regis branch, Nos 668 Clapham  becoming LSWR 735 and 646 Newington becoming LSWR 734. They were both different in many ways. After all this they weren't particularly successful on the branch. 

I am aware that the model is not strictly accurate for No 735 its actually more an Isle of Wight version but in Lswr livery, i couldn't resist the temptation.

Finescale Brass 0 Gauge Terrier LSWR No 735

 Warren has done a superb job on the livery. It's not the easiest.

Finescale Brass 0 Gauge Terrier LSWR No 735

Finescale Brass 0 Gauge Terrier LSWR No 735

Finescale Brass 0 Gauge Terrier LSWR No 735

Finescale Brass 0 Gauge Terrier LSWR No 735

 Lets fast forward to the Taunton Exhibition.

I was aware that Dapol had brought out an Lswr version of there Terrier. Cheltenham models was opposite our stand and i spent the weekend looking at No 734. I succumbed on the Sunday and bought one. Now we have one, DC and one DCC with sound.

Can this hobby of become an addiction? well, it would appear so.

Dapol 0 Gauge Terrier LSWR No 734

Dapol 0 Gauge Terrier LSWR No 734

Dapol 0 Gauge Terrier LSWR No 734

Dapol 0 Gauge Terrier LSWR No 734

 The Two of them back to back

Dapol/Finescale Brass 0 Gauge Terrier LSWR No 734/735

 Front to front

Dapol/Finescale Brass 0 Gauge Terrier LSWR No 734/735

Dapol/Finescale Brass 0 Gauge Terrier LSWR No 734/735

 Oh boy, do they look good together. A marriage made in heaven.

I have since bought crews for them, They will have real coal added and some weathering. They look so good i am somewhat reluctant to go much further than that.

They are a slightly different green but then Sun, Sea and sand can cause havoc with paint.  

Dapol/Finescale Brass 0 Gauge Terrier LSWR No 734/735

 Is this going to be the start of an 0 Gauge layout, probably not but there is something ticking away in the back of my head, perhaps one day as ones sight begins to fail.

I have got my beady eye on some of these though

http://www.ragstonemodels.co.uk/london--south-western-railway.html

Exton Quay and its rolling stock

I thought i would share some of the rolling stock used on Exton Quay.
I am trying to keep to kit or scratch built but some wagons are from the RTR box
Adams Class 02 No 224 turned up at Exmouth shed from 1932 for shunting the Exmouth branch and Topsham Quay.
Built from a South Eastern Finecast kit. All engines are fitted with one of Chris's High level gearboxes and mashima motor. This one has one of his new 120-1 gearboxes fitted, it crawls. Still have brake gear to fit and searching through the bible to check on Pushpull gear. The 02s are a minefield.

Adams class 02 No 224

Adams Radial 3125 we all know about these. the first kit i ever built way before Hornby or Oxford rail got there mits on the idea. Built from a PDK kit. 

Adams Radial Class 0145 No 3124

 And another 02, again a South Eastern Finecast kit.

Adams Class 02 No 199

 A smallbrook studios kit. 20T ex Lswr goods brake van

Ex Lswr 20t Brake Goods van

Yes, another SEF kit, again built before Dapol got there mits on the idea. 

Adams Class B4 No 94

 Just have to have one of these on a Southern Layout.Lswr goods Brake van Dia 1541 otherwise known as a Road van.

Ex Lswr 10t (Road Van)

 Not sure who's kit this was but there is a drawing of this gas wagon in LSWR miscellaneous wagons book and a cracking photograph of it at Exeter

SR Gas tank wagon

 I believe this is from a Falcon Brassmasters kit. i bought the kit a long time ago. it was a pig to build, the days before fold lines or tags and no instruction.

In real life only one was ever built by the Lswr mainly for use on the Seaton branch. It survived into BR days. Can you imagine the amount of Cider drunk by the drovers on market day.

Ex Lswr Drovers Brake van

 This started life as the Hornby BR model before they bought the SR version out so, it has been repainted and renumbered plus a touch of weathering.

Maunsell Cattle wagon SR

 Thought i would have a go at sheeting a wagon in 4mm scale, its far easier on the real thing.

7 Plank wagon sheeted

 Was this a Wessex Wagons production?

Tar wagon

 A Roxey Mouldings Ex Lswr 48ft Tri-composite lav. One of the type that was eventually rebuilt on 58ft frames as Hornby have got there mits on. Seats still to fit. Wonder if anyone does a transfer or similar for the motif that was on the Lav window ? I have another of these to build.

48ft Tri-composite Brake lav

Sunday on Shed

I am running a series of photos every Sunday that were taken

in my trainspotting days.

The Ian Allan spotting books are dated

1979-1983

All the photos were taken during these dates.

I reckon i have something close to 200 photos here, all taken in the Corporate blue period from all over the country. The idea is to post One, maybe Two photos depending on what mood i am in. 

There is allsorts, some with trains, some just looking down the line, some out of focus, some to dark, some to light, some you may ask yourself, 'what the hell' Some i don't know exact dates, some i don't know numbers but they are all going to get posted.

I ASK ONE THING

   You are welcome to use the photos but it would be nice if you would copy the link or give some credit to the guy that took em. ie ME Colin Lockyer and/or THIS BLOG.

Exhibition observations Exton Quay

Exton Quay went on its first exhibition at the weekend. courtesy of Poole Model railway Exhibition.

Have you noticed that i have decided to drop the 'S' on 'Quays'..

This was a major decision, many people have had banter about there only being one Exton Quay and not Two, feeling that this would become an ongoing argument, the decision was made to drop the 'S'.

   

Exton Quay was received very well and has since been invited to appear elsewhere ( im guessing this is allowed as its part of the 'Cameo Competition'). The Layout behaved itself well, considering this was the first time i had properly sat down and operated Exton Quay. A good day was had by all, although my kit built Adams Radial failed but happily has since returned to service.

Exton Quay came second according to James who organised a very good exhibition. Lets be honest, Bournemouth West was going to take some beating. In my defence however, we have to consider im not part of a club and have built everything myself.

As this is the first 'Cameo Layout' i have built and the first layout that is operated from the front, a few observations were made during the day.

A number of people commented on having someone at the front to talk about the layout, rather than talking over or through a layout or some lighting rig. I personally found this more entertaining and felt more involved in the whole experience. The only downside to this is that it was hard to concentrate on running trains at the same time. I'm a guy and not good at multi-tasking.

The female entity of the hobby were certainly more interested and intrigued by the scenery and detail than the actual running of trains, i was wondering, How long can you go without running a train, before the viewing public walk away, according to the stopwatch it's around 6 minutes.

I was asked on a number of occasions as to how the water effects were produced on the river and dock area. I think this was due to the results achieved on a certain programme that was aired on the previous Friday night. I once experimented with a resin that was unbranded bought from a certain hobby shop, the result was a riverbed of resin full of millions of tiny bubbles. I have stuck with Deluxe Materials Liquid water,

 IT WORKS

A fellow modeller, introduced himself as a tree surgeon and commented on how impressed he was with my Weeping Willow. Happy Days!

I noticed a gentleman looking at the layout for quite some considerable amount of time, he then approached me and informed me that the ' AA' sign on the front of the Railway Hotel was not the right one for the era. After some research, he's right. I will take it as a compliment.

How the mind works? One gentleman commented on remembering Exton Quay and seemed to remember having days out there. umm err.

The viewing section of the layout is around 5 Feet long, so more than 6 or 7 people crowded around the front of the layout can become a problem. You can't see what you are doing, its difficult to see whether your couplings are above your magnets for uncoupling purposes, especially when looking at an acute angle, even with markers for there location, and, boy am i glad i added point routing LEDs to the control panel.

All this may become easier the more i operate the layout.

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of a "Cameo Layout" at an exhibition (i had my doubts, i will admit) I have heard this said and discussed many times before 'There should be someone at the front of any layout to talk to'. If there is anything that i can take from this project this has taught me that this should be Mandatory Someone to discuss methods, ideas, reasons for layout existence and leave the operators to get on with the business of running trains.

Sunday on Shed

I am running a series of photos every Sunday that were taken

in my trainspotting days.

The Ian Allan spotting books are dated

1979-1983

All the photos were taken during these dates.

I reckon i have something close to 200 photos here, all taken in the Corporate blue period from all over the country. The idea is to post One, maybe Two photos depending on what mood i am in. 

There is allsorts, some with trains, some just looking down the line, some out of focus, some to dark, some to light, some you may ask yourself, 'what the hell' Some i don't know exact dates, some i don't know numbers but they are all going to get posted.

I ASK ONE THING

   You are welcome to use the photos but it would be nice if you would copy the link or give some credit to the guy that took em. ie ME Colin Lockyer and/or THIS BLOG.