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.
This model is by Masterpiece Models and was constructed and painted in South Korea with DCC control with sound. The build quality and paint finish is second to none and the model, although second hand, is still in absolutely mint condition.
LSWR Drummond M7 class 0-4-4T no. 125. A top quality model, recently bought from an on-line auction. Professionally built from a DJB kit, with a Portescap RG7 motor and gears unit and Slaters wheels. DJB kits were the top of the range kits of the time before the likes of Martin Finney, Malcolm Mitchell and MOK came onto the scene. With a little effort and skill they build into superb models that carry the looks of the prototype well. The lovely pre-grouping Drummond livery, by Brian Badger (his name is neatly painted under the chassis) is equal to the quality of the build. Although with no provenance as to the builder, this is an auction buy, bought from an image only, that has paid off for me.
GWR Churchward Saint class 4-6-0 no. 2923 Saint George. This is a special model for me. In 2008, at Mellors & Kirk auctioneers in Nottingham, it was sold with provenance, as part of the Simpson collection of 31 finescale model locomotives. All scratchbuilt, mostly by Peter Everton or Brian Broompton and painted by Alan Brackenborough. Three of them had been built by Stanley Beeson. I attended the auction, with little available cash, and was very disappointed to come away with nothing. Advance in time now to January 2024 and this model (with another, a King 6024 by Mr. Everton) is again in the same auction house, but this time in a damaged condition. Nameplates missing, two scratches to the green paintwork and a damaged (and very crudely glued back together) cab. The buyer in 2008 has clearly not looked after his purchases (the King was also in a play worn condition) and has probably now passed away. After careful viewing, I decided that if it could be obtained at the right price, restoration could be achieved, and here is the result. Mechanically it did still run quite well. Parts of the tender brake gear were missing and have had to be replaced. The cab has been completely broken down to it’s individual parts, thoroughly cleaned of all glue deposits and rebuilt as a soldered together unit. Fortunately, Mr Broompton built this model with the cab screwed to the running plate and fitting around the firebox and backhead (just like the real thing and unlike kit built models these days), making the repair of the cab considerably easier and also the painting and lining of the cab spectacle plate considerably easier also. John Cockcroft has made a superb job of repainting the cab and restoring the rest of the paintwork to match Mr. Brackenborough’s original finish. New plates by Severnmill complete the rebuild of this fine model. I now get to own and enjoy one of the models that I disappointingly missed out on 16 years previously. I may have missed out, but attendance to that auction in 2008, gave me the ambition to collect fine scratchbuilt models like this.
BR (ex LNER) Gresley A3 class Pacific no. 60093 Coronach. Very well built from the DJH kit, with Slaters wheels and a chain driven motor and gear unit, she runs as smooth as a Rolls Royce. A model bought recently from an auction in Cumbria. A chancy on-line buy. From the two photos on the auction web-site it looked to be fairly well built, but it’s original paintwork looked “play worn”. On collection (I was on holiday in Cumbria at the time) when I could hold it and feel the build quality, I was well pleased. When back home, I stripped the loco down and the paintwork was stripped. Now fully rebuilt and with superb quality paintwork by Warren Haywood, doesn’t she look good? A chance well worth taking.
L&YR Aspinal 7′-3″ 4-4-0 no. 1224 (nicknamed a “Flyer”). Expertly built from scratch by Peter Priestley, with fully working inside motion and Joy valve gear. Beautifully painted some years ago in the L&Y fully lined black livery, which is still in remarkably good condition, proving that this model has been well looked after throughout it’s life. Fitted with a powerful motor and gears, this 4-4-0 is a good performing example of a wheel arrangement that is notoriously difficult to get good adhesion to the track.
LSWR 380 class 4-4-0 no. 381. This class of 12 locomotives were the first tender locos designed by William Adams. They were built by Beyer Peacock & Co. at the Gorton Foundry, Manchester in 1879. Dubbed “Steamrollers” by reason of their disc bogie wheels and stovepipe chimneys. When built, Beatties’ umber passenger livery was used, with green and orange lining and with the London and South Western Railway Co. crest above the brass numbers on the cab side. From about 1885 they were repainted into the Adams mixed traffic loco livery of Holly green with black borders, edged by a fine bright green line. This old but accurate model was built in 1955 to a high standard, from scratch by the Rob Dettmar/John Hart (who also produced the RM and early JH motor/gears) partnership. She is still mechanically very good. The original RM 3 pole motor, no. 577, gears and flywheel are smooth and quiet and move the model swiftly and elegantly. The wheels are good quality cast iron, verging on the coarse side of finescale. Since originally listed, she has been stripped of her original paint, which had turned very dark and the finish had deteriorated with age. Now expertly re-painted in the mixed traffic livery described above by Warren Haywood. She was also renumbered from her original 382 at the same time. For a press cutting which shows a photo of this model look for R.G.Dettmar & Co. in the following link https://www.milbromodelrailways.co.uk/vintagelocos.html
Midland Railway class 4 Compound 4-4-0 no. 1009. Bought part built, basically from the well known and excellent Slaters kit, but with many additional features, for example the early type Deeley tender with straight edges to the base of the tank. Rarely modelled, but historically correct for the prototype. Only ten of these tenders were built and originally fitted to numbers 1005 to 1014. Now finished by myself and in full working order with wiper pick-ups and side springing to the bogie. The model is fitted with the excellent Ron Chaplin Gold gears and motor unit and has been superbly painted and lined with bow-pen by John Cockcroft.
LSWR Adams Radial 4-4-2T No. 492: Believed to have been built from the Shedmaster kit, but it could be scratch built and painted to top quality by persons unknown. This superb model has the original Adams design of chimney. For comparison with another Adams Radial that I have had in my collection, but with twin slidebars and Drummond chimney, follow this link. Adams Radial no. 125
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