Great Central Railway Robinson 8B class 4-4-2 (Jersey Lily) no. 358

Great Central Railway Robinson 8B class 4-4-2 (Jersey Lily) no. 358. My latest purchase, from the collection of a good friend and client, now sadly deceased. What a beauty? Specification, built by Dave Murdoch, painted by Alan Brackenborough, Alan Harris wheels, ABC gears, American current collection…….for a kit built model, you don’t get much better than that!!

BR (exLNER) Thompson B1 class 4-6-0 no. 61033 Dibatag

BR (exLNER) Thompson B1 class 4-6-0 no. 61033 Dibatag
BR (exLNER) Thompson B1 class 4-6-0 no. 61033 Dibatag. By Finescalebrass. A recent auction purchase, unusually not an on-line purchase, but as a room bidder. If possible, it is good to travel to the auction to view the items first before making bids. With models such as this you cannot beat actually being able to handle the goods. Added bonuses are that you do not get charged extra for on-line bids and that after paying you can take your models home with you, rather than having to pay for it to be shipped or collected. However unfortunately as in the case of this lovely B1, you still cannot ensure that the bloomin’ thing actually works! Which it didn’t. At home, after a light lubrication and on the rolling road, just noises like gears slipping. To cut a long story short, this B1 now has an ABC motor and gear unit fitted, with a new 3/16″ diameter drive axle, hand made by a good friend and fitted by myself. Dibatag now performs as good as he looks.

Named B1’s were rare for me when I was a kid. I remember seeing Umseke, Gnu and Dibatag. All strange names that, bearing in mind these were the days before the Flanders and Swann song, I had not a clue.

BR (ex LNER) Gresley A3 class Pacific no. 60084 Trigo

BR (ex LNER) Gresley A3 class Pacific no. 60084 Trigo
BR (ex LNER) Gresley A3 class Pacific no. 60084 Trigo (Graham Jaques). This is a fabulous model. It was built and painted by the late Graham Jaques from the DJH kit. Graham was a good friend. He taught me a lot and I greatly miss him. This model was bought by a friend from his widow Margaret, after his untimely passing. A lasting tribute to his skilful modelling. Slaters wheels and an ABC gear and motor unit, Graham always used top quality components. Current collection is by the American method, where the loco collects from one rail and the tender from the other. The insulated wheels have been shorted by thin wire behind a spoke on one or other side of the loco and tender. An insulated drawbar and fall-plate is usually needed with this system, but in this case Graham has skill-fully insulated the tender chassis from the tank, it goes without question that it works very well.

LMS (ex LNWR) Webb Coal Tank 0-6-2T no. 7763

LMS (ex LNWR) Webb Coal Tank 0-6-2T no. 7763
LMS (ex LNWR) Webb Coal Tank 0-6-2T no. 7763. A kit built model, not sure which kit. But that’s not important. What is important is the fabulous quality of build, by Martin Wyatt, his nameplate is on the underside as provenance. Slaters wheels and plunger pickups and powered by a Chaplin top quality gear and motor unit. I bought this model from Footplate in BR plain black, but although I’m a massive fan of the LNWR and Coal Tanks especially, I do think that they look tired in BR livery, as I’m sure they really were. So a new paint job my myself (the original paint didn’t need stripping)  and weathering by Warren Haywood. I am so pleased with it, but she tells me that I can’t keep them all.

North Eastern Railway Wilson Worsdell class R 4-4-0 no. 2027

North Eastern Railway Wilson Worsdell class R 4-4-0 no. 2027. Built by myself, on commission, for one of my regular clients, who has recently and sadly passed away. When this happens and for special models as this is, I will attempt to buy the model for my collection, from the family. Built from the superb DJH kit, using a Slaters top quality motor and gear unit, Staters wheels and plunger pickups. The fabulous fully lined livery (by bowpen, not transfers) is by, who else, Warren Haywood.

LNER Ivatt C2 class 4-4-2 (Klondyke) no. 3260

LNER Ivatt C2 class 4-4-2 (Klondyke) no. 3260
LNER Ivatt C2 class 4-4-2 (Klondyke) no. 3260. A famous model that I am privileged to add to my collection. Built from scratch and painted by my old mate Graham Jaques. RG7 Portescap motor and gear unit, cast wheels, probably Walsall, with the webs between the spokes skilfully removed by file, plunger pickups collecting current from one side of the loco and tender, the other side collects current via the non-insulated cast wheels. I’m lucky enough to own a few of Grahams models, but this is special because it is a past winner of the Gauge O guild Chairmans cup.

LNWR Whale Precursor Tank 4-4-2T no. 1219.

LNWR Whale Precursor Tank 4-4-2T no. 1219.
LNWR Whale Precursor Tank 4-4-2T no. 1219. This model has been very well built from the Gladiator kit. Originally painted in LMS plain black and purchased from Ebay. It ran quite well, with Slaters wheels and plunger pickups, but how much better it would be in fully lined LNWR black and to have a better motor and gear unit. So that’s exactly what I have done. Stripped the original paint and fitted a new Slaters GB30R-3M. I collected it from Warren Haywood last week and hasn’t he made a grand job of the repaint?

BR(E) Gresley A4 class 4-6-2 no. 60033 Seagull

BR(E) Gresley A4 class 4-6-2 no. 60033 Seagull
BR(E) Gresley A4 class 4-6-2 no. 60033 Seagull

This is I believe, a pre-production sample of a Loveless A4. No opening smokebox door (in my opinion a gimmick which required over-scale hinges, so no loss there) and no DCC. It still has its original inner and outer cardboard boxes. But when taken in part exchange it had damage and missing parts. Fortunately the baked-on cellulose paint is still in good condition. Damage consisted of the tender being dropped to bend a couple of rear steps (easily reshaped) and damage to the corridor connection (well repaired now, but not so easily). The join between the green streamlined casing and the black running plate over the driving wheels had broken on one side (now repaired with epoxy resin, clamped together for 24 hours and any excess glue on the top face cleaned away). Missing parts were a couple of cab handrails (easily replaced) and a tender brake pull rod. I have also added cylinder blow down pipework and the cab window cinder guards. On the track she runs just like any other Loveless A4…..superbly.

A risky acquisition that has paid off handsomely. Isn’t see a beauty? A good friend, who already owns two other bird A4’s had no hesitation in making an offer (a Klondyke that will be gracing these pages soon) that I couldn’t refuse.

GWR Churchward Saint class 4-6-0 no. 2912 Saint Ambrose

GWR Churchward Saint class 4-6-0 no. 2912 Saint Ambrose

GWR Churchward Saint class 4-6-0 no. 2912 Saint Ambrose. Extremely well built from scratch by Philip Preston (of Guilplates fame), his builders nameplate is affixed to the underside of the model as provenance. With fully working inside valve gear, Alan Harris cast and turned wheels and a robust single stage motor and gear unit which collects current using the tender by the American method (my preference), Saint Ambrose runs smoothly and hauls very powerfully indeed. No provenance as to who should take credit for the lovely paintwork, but my guess is that it is Philip’s work. A very capable modeller who should be credited with helping us all immensely.

LSWR Drummond T9 class Greyhound 4-4-0 no. 117

LSWR Drummond T9 class 4-4-0 no. 117. Built from the superb Martin Finney kit by Chris Wesson and the superb finish of the painting is by Chris also. Alan Harris wheels, an RG7 Portescap motor and gear unit. Fully working inside motion. A truly superb model in every respect of this lovely prototype. This model has the Drummond water cart 8 wheeled tender attached. Comparison could be made to my model of Greyhound no. 113 LSWR Drummond T9 class Greyhound no. 113 that has a six wheeled tender.