BR (ex LMS) Rebuilt Jubilee Class no. 45735 Comet

Mick Bayliss Locos now sold
BR (ex LMS) Rebuilt Jubilee Class no. 45735 Comet
45735 Comet
BR (ex LMS) Rebuilt Jubilee Class no. 45735 Comet. I bought the kit that this fine model was built, from David Andrews, donkeys years ago. The intention was to construct it for myself, as I clearly remember seeing 45735 (unnamed by then and in a poor state) many times whilst it was allocated to Annesley in the mid-sixties. As now, my own work takes the back burner to other peoples work and the box remained unopened for years. Then on a return from a Poachers running session one Sunday, my old mate George Dawson (Majestic George as many people remember him) commented that he fancied adding a rebuilt Jubilee to his collection and he bought the kit from me. He had another old mate of mine, Derek Pike build it for him, but poor Derek passed away before it could be painted. It then remained unpainted for years more until George passed away. George’s daughter Gaynor then sold it back to me. I made some improvements, such as fitting side springs to the bogie, before asking John Cockcroft to give it a well deserved coat of paint. It now runs superbly, even on my own restricted curves test track in my loft.

BR Peak class no. D7 Ingleborough

Mick Bayliss Locos now sold
D7 Ingleborough
BR Peak class Derby built 1CO-CO1 diesel electric loco no. D7 Ingleborough. (Became no. 44007 under the British Rail TOPS numbering scheme). This model has been built and painted by persons unknown from the Just Like the Real Thing kit. It has an ABC gears power bogie. Since purchase, as a running model, Ingleborough has needed very little work. It ran very well as soon as I opened the box and placed it on the track. Visually though, it needed work to get it to my liking, as I remember them in the late sixties, working coal trains out of Toton depot, on the old Midland route through Leicestershire. The paint wasn’t bad, but the detailing left something to be desired. I have replaced the nameplates and builders plates (it originally had representations of English Electric builders plates, believe it or not), added the yellow warning panels and overhead warning labels and replaced the “D7” numbers with transfers that are the correct size. Then to blend these changes together it has been expertly weathered by Richard Pogson, as well as being converted to switchable DCC/DC operation, with a Zimo MX699KS sound decoder. Using DCC address 7, she now sounds, as well as looks fabulous.

LMS Royal Scot class 4-6-0 no. 6102 Black Watch

Mick Bayliss My loco collection
LMS Royal Scot class 4-6-0 no. 6102 Black Watch
Black Watch
A very famous model with cast iron provenance, the LMS Royal Scot class no. 6102 Black Watch. This very fine model was built by the late Geoff Holt in 1993. Featured in the late lamented Modellers Back Track magazines of April-May and June-July 1993, edited by David Jenkinson. (Volume 3 numbers 1 & 2). In the article, called “The Red Scots”, Geoff builds three at the same time, 6148 The Manchester Regiment, for himself, 6170 British Legion, for David Jenkinson and my loco, 6102 Black Watch. Quality large images in colour by Tony Wright, of all three models, both in their nickel silver unpainted and painted states are featured. The beautiful LMS Crimson Lake and straw lining was expertly applied by Larry Goddard and the model has been signed “G.Holt L.Goddard ’93 6102” under the cab. Both the loco and tender carry nameplates on the underside “Built by Geoff Holt”. The wheels are of Alan Harris manufacture and have been expertly machined by Steve Ross with solid stepped axles to give a back to back of 29mm, with a tight fit to the wheels on the insulated side and a push fit on the non-insulated side. This information, obtained from the magazine article which was written by Geoff himself, became very useful to me only the day after taking delivery of the model. The motor and gears that the model was using, which I have no reason to doubt were the original fitment, were not to my standard. As I had a spare ABC gear unit with a Maxon motor, it was not a difficult decision to make the replacement. The new unit fitted like a glove and as the axles are not of the telescopic type, the fitting of the new unit was not difficult either. Black Watch now runs as good as it looks.

BR(SR) Maunsell Schools class 4-4-0 no. 30925 Cheltenham

Mick Bayliss Loco commissions, Locos now sold
BR(SR) Maunsell Schools class 4-4-0 no. 30925 Cheltenham
Cheltenham
BR(SR) Maunsell Schools class 4-4-0 no. 30925 Cheltenham, This model has just been built by myself on commission from the excellent David Andrews kit. The build was started on the 10th April 2018 and finished on the 13th August. Just over four months and around 145 build hours. No major problems were encountered with building this kit, although being a very comprehensive kit of a complicated prototype, tackling one of these as a build project should not be for the beginner or the fainthearted. It presently has a Portescap motor and gears, but as it is proving a little slow, the client has ordered an ABC unit as a replacement and I will be upgrading the model when that is to hand. Final testing will be taking place at the Poachers test track on Sunday 19th August and all being well it will be handed to Warren Haywood for painting at Telford into BR lined green livery.

Metropolitan Railway H class 4-4-4T no. 103

Mick Bayliss Locos now sold
Metropolitan Railway H class 4-4-4T no. 103
Metropolitan 103
Metropolitan Railway H class 4-4-4T no. 103. This very unusual prototype, designed by Charles Jones for working the longer distance passenger trains from Harrow-on-the-Hill to Aylesbury and Verney Junction. The class of eight engines were built by Kerr, Stuart & Co. in 1920. This rare model is of excellent quality, probably built from the Quainton Road Models kit, with a Portescap RG7 motor and gears. Superbly painted in the later style Metropolitan Railway livery by Simon Greenwood and the model carries his signature as provenance on the underside of the running plate. These locos carried extremely large Kerr Stuart builders plates on each side of the smokebox saddle and the model carries replica plates of exceptional quality.

Midland Railway “6” class 0-4-4T no. 143 as loaned to the M&GN

Mick Bayliss Locos now sold
M&GN 143
Midland Railway “6” class 0-4-4T no. 143 as loaned to the M&GN. A scratch built model by Derek Lawrence. A plate on the underside reads “Derek Lawrence of Lawrence Scale Quality models”. Powered by a quiet Portescap motor and gears, this very old model is still in remarkably good working condition. No provenance is known as to the painter of this very unusual loco, but Dave Studley is known to have painted many of Derek Lawrence’s builds. The livery is basically Midland Railway crimson lake, but the tank sides are unusually decorated with M&GN. The Midland and Great Northern Railway took on loan three of this class of loco from the Midland Railway and this model is depicted as one of those.

LNER K4 class no. 3442 The Great Marquess

Mick Bayliss Locos now sold
LNER K4 class no. 3442 The Great Marquess
The Great Marquess
LNER K4 class no. 3442 The Great Marquess. Expertly built from scratch in tinplate and well painted by persons unknown. This model was bought on-line from an Eldreds of Plymouth auction via the-saleroom.com. Normally I prefer to handle and be able to closely inspect models before purchase at auction. But this day I must have been up for taking chances, buying Ingleborough, 75069 and The Great Marquess on the same day. As a working model, this loco has needed very little work. It ran very well as soon as I opened the box and placed it on the track. It had however lost one of it’s front footsteps. Not too difficult to make a new one from scratch and no-one would know now. I bought it with a client in mind and as soon as he clapped eyes on it he had no hesitation in buying. He has now had it converted to DCC by Richard Pogson and it runs very smoothly in both DC and DCC, without the need for it to be switchable. A risky purchase that I do not regret in the slightest.