BR (ex LMS) Fowler Patriot 6P class 4-6-0 no. 45504 Royal Signals

BR (ex LMS) Fowler Patriot 6P class 4-6-0 no. 45504 Royal Signals
BR (exLMS) Fowler Patriot 6P class 4-6-0 no. 45504 Royal Signals. The third Patriot that has been added to these pages recently and another recent auction purchase. This model like the other two has been very well built from the superb David Andrews kit. It is powered by the Portescap RG7 multi-stage gear and motor unit, collecting power from the Slaters wheels and plunger pick-ups. Bought unpainted. Very little work, in the way of repairs or restoration has been needed, other than a visit to Warren Haywood’s for one of his magnificent paint and light weathering jobs. Jon Boot takes the credit for the build quality.

BR (ex LNER) Gresley rebuild of the Holden B12 class no. 61554

BR (ex LNER) Gresley rebuild of the Holden B12 class no. 61554
BR (ex LNER) Gresley rebuild of the Holden B12 class no. 61554. This refurbished model was originally very well built from the superb Connoisseur Models kit, with a robust and powerful motor and gear unit, probably a Crailcrest, Slaters wheels and power collection by plunger pickups on loco. This model was a recent and risky on-line auction buy, and it’s quality of build has proved to be very good value for the risk. Now stripped of original paint, refurbished where necessary, a top quality repaint with light weathering by Warren Haywood, she looks as good as she performs on the track.
On the 8th May 1955, 61554 took the nine coach East Midlander rail tour from Nottingham Midland to Crewe Basford Hall sidings, North Stafford sidings, Crewe Works and terminating at the Stone Yard Bank.

LNWR Bowen Cooke George V class 4-4-0 no. 1360 Fire Queen

LNWR Bowen Cooke George V class 4-4-0 no. 1360 Fire Queen
LNWR Bowen Cooke George V class 4-4-0 no. 1360 Fire Queen

A well built model from the David Andrews kit, with an MSC JH type motor and gear unit powered by plunger pickups and Slaters wheels, it runs as smoothly and powerfully as it did the day that I bought it from Rich at Footplate in Nantwich. However at that time number 5000 Coronation had been in the wars somewhat, losing one of its nameplates and taking with it a good size lump of paint. Now, after disassembly, paint stripping, the addition of lamp sockets, new handrails, and name and number plates giving a new identity. A superb new coat of blackberry black with hand/bowpen lining by Warren Haywood, doesn’t she just look the part? He’s done a lovely job with the differing textures of paint finish between smokebox and boiler. Just like the shiny LNWR locos that we can still see in pre-grouping period photos.

BR (MR) Ivatt Princess Coronation class Pacific no. 46257 City of Salford

BR (MR) Ivatt Princess Coronation class Pacific no. 46257 City of Salford
BR (MR) Ivatt Princess Coronation class Pacific no. 46257 City of Salford. Rare to see a model of this particular loco. In the past I have had in my collection models of Duchesses, but all built from kits, Martin Finney and David Andrews, or imported from Korea Sangcheng and Masterpiece. But I have never had one that has been built from scratch before, and 46257 is up there with any the others for value for money. Substantially built to last, many years ago, in nickel silver, by Graham (tinsnips) Powell, with good quality cast metal wheels with fine spokes without webs, and with telescopic axles. The front two with a small amount of compensation with each other, the third fixed and driven by a chunky gear and powerful motor unit, an MSC Crailcrest I believe. Power collection is by plunger pickups. Bought by myself from a recent on-line auction, as 46256 Sir William A Stanier FRS, with a nameplate missing, and damaged red paint. He has now been stripped of his coat, rebranded to the much rarer City of Salford, and superbly repainted in dark green with light weathering by Warren Haywood. I will concede that some of the detail of build of this model does not have the perfection of a Korean import, but doesn’t that add to it’s character? I am delighted with the result of this risky purchase and wish that I had the model building skills of Graham.

GWR Churchward Saint class 4-6-0 no. 2908 Lady of Quality

GWR Churchward Saint class 4-6-0 no. 2908 Lady of Quality. Built from the DJH Piercy kit, with a chain drive gear unit, Slaters wheels and plunger pickups to the driving wheels and (belt and braces) wiper pickups to the tender wheels. Since the kit was released some years ago I had admired the good looks of the loco and quality of the kit, so when a part built kit appeared on Ebay at a reasonable price I bought it, tender ready built, Severnmill “Lady of Quality” nameplates included. I have now recently had Bob Walker, of the Poachers group, to complete the build for me, and what a good job he has made of it. Superb painting by Warren Haywood adds the finishing touch. The full size Lady of Quality circa 1935, was one of the early Saints with lever reverse and stepped frames at the cab end. Bob has modified the standard kit to incorporate these unusual features superbly.

BR Standard class 2 2-6-0 no. 78013

BR Standard class 2 2-6-0 no. 78013
BR Standard class 2 2-6-0 no. 78013. Built from the DJH kit, Slaters wheels and a Portescap RG7 motor and gear unit, with power collection by plunger pickups. I have to be honest my ignorance tripped myself up with this recent auction buy. I have a commission for the similar Ivatt class 2 and without being aware of the differences I bought this Standard class 2 with the intention of modifying it into the Ivatt. Foolish boy. I now know the differences and realise that I made a big mistake. If there is one thing that I have learned in life, it is if you make a mistake, get yourself out of it again. I think my photos of this model prove that it is not a mistake anymore. It is common knowledge that this DJH kit, if built out of the box, is not accurate in that the cylinders stick out too far. I have modified the cylinder mountings on my model to overcome this inaccuracy. Painted by myself and numbered to be one of the Leicester (15A) based class 2’s of the early 1960’s.

Highland Railway Drummond A class 4-6-0 no. 146 Skibo Castle

Highland Railway Drummond A class 4-6-0 no. 146 Skibo Castle
Highland Railway Peter Drummond A class 4-6-0 no. 146 Skibo Castle. Well built using the Lochgorm kit as a basis of construction. Beautifully painted in the Highland Railway Drummond I fully lined livery by Ian Rathbone and featured on his superb website. The tender lettering “there are 54 letters, 6 digits and 3 full stops, all hand painted in five colours plus undercoat”. Pick-ups and single stage gears power the model quietly and efficiently. The centre driving wheels are flangeless.

LNER Gresley V2 class 2-6-2 no. 4791

LNER Gresley V2 class 2-6-2 no. 4791
LNER Gresley V2 class 2-6-2 no. 4791. A DJH factory built and painted ready to run model in mint “plus” condition. This superb example features additional chassis details, eg a heavy machined brass frame spacer above the leading drivers, another machined brass spacer above the pony truck and tender wheel wiper current collection to supplement the usual plunger pickups on the loco driving wheels, all added by model engineer Colin Garton. The top quality motor and gear unit assembly is by Ron Chaplin.

BR (ex GER) Holden class F5 2-4-2T no. 67216

BR (ex GER) Holden class F5 2-4-2T no. 67216. Well built from one of my old friend Jim McGeown’s very good Connoisseur Models kits, this tank engine was built, but poorly finish painted by a person, now deceased. It was offered to me when I visited Shirebrook a year ago to collect a B12 (an Ebay purchase). I didn’t really want it, but under pressure, decided to take it with the intention to strip it and have it repainted into GER fully lined livery. Before I got around to doing that, the (scratchbuilt by Wally Mayhew) GER M15 class no. 650 came along, which deemed my intentions unnecessary. An image of that model is included here for comparison purposes. Now the once poorly painted model has been repainted by myself in the loco’s final livery. It runs very well with single stage gears and a Mashima motor as Jim recommends, with wiper pickups. Interesting in that no. 650 (of 1884) was the first built M15, and no. 67216 (of 1908) was the penultimate of 150 locomotives in the F4 (M15)/F5 (M15 rebuilt) class. Check out the accuracy of my model against the photo of 67216 on page 101 of Yeadons Register volume 39.