GCR Robinson class 8K 2-8-0 no. 1185. Built from scratch by Walter (Wally) West circa 1972. This model has a wire drive at drawbar level, from the motor and gears in the loco through to a very heavy flywheel unit mounted in the tender, producing a powerful locomotive with very good slow running qualities. Superbly painted by Bernard Miller with hand painted lettering and crests, in the lined GCR mixed traffic livery. A twin of this model, no. 376 was built by Wally at the same time. That model has since had water scoop apparatus fitted to the tender by Geoff Holt and has also been repainted by Alan Brackenborough.
North Eastern Railway Worsdell class A 2-4-2T no. 187. Built circa 2000, from scratch by Walter (Wally) West using wheels turned from castings by Alan Harris (AGH). The split axles and insulated spacers between the frames allow power to be collected through the wheels. All brake blocks are made from non conductive material to eliminate shorting across the brake rigging. All loco axles have sprung hornblocks. Superbly painted in fully lined North Eastern Railway passenger livery by Alan Brackenborough, (The invoice from Alan to Wally in the sum of £200 plus £21.45 postage, dated 2/2/04 has been found). A superbly built and painted model in every respect, with full provenance.
NER class M1 4-4-0 no. 1620. Built from scratch by Walter (Wally) West. Signed on the underside “West 1971”. Superbly painted by Bernard Miller with hand painted lettering and crests in the fully lined NER passenger green livery.
Great Central Railway class 8 4-6-0 (Fish engine) no.1068. Built circa 1990 from scratch with fully working inside motion by Walter (Wally) West. Wheels turned from castings by Alan Harris (AGH). The split axles and insulated spacers between the frames allow power to be collected through the wheels. All brake blocks are made from non conductive material to eliminate shorting across the brake rigging. All loco axles have sprung hornblocks. This model also features fine cab interior detail, is powered by a Portescap motor/gear unit and is in virtually unused working condition. Superbly painted by Alan Brackenborough in the fully lined GCR mixed traffic livery.
Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Aspinal Highflyer 4-4-2 no. 1405. Built in 1986, from scratch with fully working Joy inside motion by Walter (Wally) West, using wheels turned from castings by Alan Harris (Sales invoices from AGH in the sum of £44.92, dated 24th January 1986 have been found). The split axles and insulated spacers between the frames allow power to be collected from the tender wheels, via sprung plungers mounted on the front face of the tender, connecting with contact faces on the back of the loco. A system that I have never seen the like of before. All brake blocks are made from non conductive material to eliminate shorting across the brake rigging. All loco driving and tender axles have sprung hornblocks.. Superbly painted by as yet a person unknown, with hand painted lettering and crests in the fully lined L&YR passenger livery. This model also features very fine cab interior detail and is in superb working condition.
GWR Saint class 4-6-0 no. 2932 Ashton Court. This brand new model loco, just completed by myself and painted by John Cockcroft, has used in the main the “Just Like the Real Thing” kit, Slaters wheels and Portescap motor and gear unit. Power pick up is via the American method.
LNER Gresley K3 class no.1816. Built from scratch by D. Miller and expertly painted by the late Robin Bell. Signed on the underside of the running plate “Built D. Miller 5/93” and “Painted R. Bell 5/93” giving provenance. The wheels are of the Slaters type and the motor and gears are of the MSC JH type. The bogie and drawbar are both sprung to the centre to guide the model around curves.
GWR Castle class 4-6-0 no. 5053 Bishop’s Castle. A Masterpiece Model, bought from auction, lacking it’s original nameplates. As the full size 5053 carried two names in this livery, firstly as built Bishop’s Castle, renamed Earl Cairns after 15 months of service, I could make the choice. The former was chosen as I have a lovely photo of it with that name. The model has DCC control, performance and sound both in perfect working order.
Southern Railway N15 class 4-6-0 no. E736 Excalibur. This model has been expertly built from scratch in brass by a person unknown. It has a Leakey motor and gears and uses the American method of power collection. Purchased from a Vectis auction in an unfinished and unpainted (tender primed) condition. After building, the model had been left to gather dust for many years. I have now stripped the tender of primer, replaced a Maunsell type chimney with this Urie type, coarse scale handrail knobs and handrail, rebuilt the cab and tender floors and generally completely overhauled the body and the motion to give a sound and powerful working model. Now painted in Robert Uries London & South Western Railway olive green by John Cockcroft. In my opinion he has the shade of green spot on. I asked him to match the colour of the jacket of D.L.Bradley’s book “LSWR Locomotives The Urie Classes” and he has done exactly what I asked.
LNER (ex NER) Y7 class 0-4-0T no. 982. Scratch built by Ron C. Pearsall Models, a diamond makers plate on the underside “RCPM”. Expertly painted by Larry Goddard and signed on the underside “Paintwork L.W.Goddard ’82” all giving provenance. Until I acquired this model it had not turned a wheel in 37 years since painting. Just needing a little light oil on the bearings and worm drive, TLC and a minor adjustment and it is as good as new again. It has been built using the split axle system, power collection to the motor being through un-insulated wheels and the main frames. A system rarely used since the introduction of Slaters type insulated wheels. It runs superbly.
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