My loco collection

BR (ex GNR) Gresley class K2/1 2-6-0 no. 61742

Mick Bayliss Model for sale, My loco collection
BR (ex GNR) Gresley class K2/1 2-6-0 no. 61742
BR (ex GNR) Gresley class K2/1 2-6-0 no. 61742. This lovely model has been expertly built from scratch by Harold Humphries. In my early days of gauge O model building, a good friend of mine by the name of Graham Jaques used to tell me about “Harold”, an elderly gentleman who Graham looked upon as being his modelling mentor. Harold passed away and Graham, (who was a superb builder himself, good enough to win the Guildex Chairmans trophy with a scratchbuilt and painted GNR Atlantic) acquired this model. Now after Graham’s passing some years ago, I have acquired it and I must say that the old gent really could build a superb model loco. ABC gears, Slaters wheels and current collection by plunger pickups, this K2 runs very smoothly and powerfully.

BR (ex LNER) class K1/1 2-6-0 no. 61997 MacCailin Mor, Thompson rebuild of Gresley K4 class.

Mick Bayliss Model for sale, My loco collection
BR (ex LNER) class K1/1 2-6-0 no. 61997 MacCailin Mor, Thompson rebuild of Gresley K4 class. Edward Thompson’s rebuild of Nigel Gresley’s 3 cylinder K4 class no. 3445. Very nicely built by Jon Boot of the Denton Works, using the DMR kit as the basis of construction, but with many scratch details to portray accurately the rebuilt locomotive which was the prototype for the K1 class. With a Slaters GB30R-3M spur drive gearbox and motor unit and Slaters wheels he runs superbly. Very well painted indeed by John Cockcroft. In this condition a rare to see model of this unusual locomotive.

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

Mick Bayliss Model for sale, My loco collection
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.

Highland Railway Jones Tank class 2-4-0T no. 59 Highlander

Mick Bayliss Model for sale, My loco collection
Highland Railway Jones Tank class 2-4-0T no. 59 Highlander
Highland Railway Jones Tank class 2-4-0T no. 59 Highlander. Spotted in a recent provincial auction in a filthy and playworn condition, it’s potential wasn’t lost though in my eyes. This rarely modelled locomotive, part of a class of three, was built in 1879 at the HR’s Lochgorm works. In this wheel arrangement they were used on the Aberfeldy and Burghead branches without too much success and in 1887 Highlander was rebuilt with a front bogie. In 1900 it’s name was removed, and in LMS days it was repainted into crimson lake livery and renumbered 15010. I have had in my collection a model of the same loco, in that condition. Unfortunately now sold, but an image of it is included here to show it in the lovely crimson lake. Originally built from a Shedmaster kit, with Slaters wheels, plunger pickup power collection and a single gear driven by a Mashima motor. Now cleaned and stripped of paint by myself, the once very rough running has been considerably improved by some intricate surgery inside the body. The chassis now lubricated and with clean pickups, now runs smoothly and quietly. The superb new paintwork in the even more lovely original Jones livery is by Warren Haywood.

L&NER (ex GCR) Robinson B2 (later B19) class 4-6-0 no. 423 Sir Sam Fay

Mick Bayliss Model for sale, My loco collection
L&NER (ex GCR) Robinson B2 (later B19) class 4-6-0 no. 423 Sir Sam Fay
L&NER (ex GCR) Robinson B2 (later B19) class 4-6-0 no. 423 Sir Sam Fay. Very well built from scratch, my preference, and not from a kit as it was described on Ebay. So a very pleasant surprise for me when I opened the box. Good quality cast iron wheels and the loco initially worked well with a single gear JH type motor and gear unit. However, in the forward direction only it ran out of puff after only a few minutes. (it seemed OK in reverse??). The motor did have a long flywheel spindle protruding from the back, so I thought it must be rubbing on the front face of the spectacle plate, but on investigation, no witness marks. Tried on the rolling road chassis only, still the same? So out came the gears and in with an RG7. Problem solved. He runs as good as he looks now.
Well painted in the 1923 L&NER green, Gortons version, which if the truth was told was no more than the works old stocks of GCR green with a gallon or two of white added to make it a bit brighter, (note the ampersand and also the GCR cabside numberplates).

GWR Dean Bulldog class 4-4-0 no. 3453 Skylark

Mick Bayliss My loco collection

GWR Dean Bulldog class 4-4-0 no. 3453 Skylark. Built to a professional standard from the Martin Finney kit with much extra detailing including fully working inside motion. Plated on the underside “Built by R.J.Merry (Birmingham)” and “Painted by Alan Brackenborough”, giving cast iron provenance. Bob Merry I have known for almost as long as I have been modelling. He and Morgan Lewis took me under their wing, taught me about quality and we became friends. I have had one of Morgan’s models https://www.7mmloco.co.uk/?s=sherwood+forester&submit=Search for many years. Now I have one of Bob’s as well. Top quality paintwork. Top quality Alan Harris wheels, top quality ABC gear and motor unit, top quality plates by Severn Mill, and my preferred American method of current collection. Another stunning GWR model, one of many that are being sold by Footplate, from the collection of John Glaze.

GWR Collett King class 4-6-0 no. 6026 King John

Mick Bayliss My loco collection

GWR Collett King class 4-6-0 no. 6026 King John. I visited Richard at Footplate in Nantwich yesterday to collect a model of a Hall class, but came away with a King. I’m hoping that Rich doesn’t mind me using a couple of his images to create this posting. It will only be on a temporary basis until the weather improves and I can get some decent images myself to do justice to this stunning model. Undoubtedly built from scratch by Peter Roles in January 2007. The model collects current on the American principle. This is achieved by using insulated driving wheels on one side of the loco and insulated wheels on the opposite side of the tender. The locomotive and tender are coupled together by an insulated draw-bar. A fly-lead connected to the motor, plugs into a socket in the tender chassis. Plated on the underside “Built by R.J.Merry (Birmingham)” and also “Built by Peter Roles”. Cast iron provenance and two magical names of superb quality model makers. I am not sure why this model had to be finished by Peter Roles, but, far from it, the quality has not diminished. As always superbly painted by Alan Brackenborough in the unpopular, (why? It is part of the history of the GWR) shirtbutton livery. Top quality Alan Harris wheels, top quality ABC gear and motor unit, top quality plates by Severn Mill. One of many models of this quality that are being sold by Footplate, from the collection of John Glaze.

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

Mick Bayliss Model for sale, My loco collection

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.

Midland Railway Deeley class 4P 4-4-0 no. 1035

Mick Bayliss My loco collection

Midland Railway Deeley class 4P 4-4-0 no. 1035. A recent Ebay find. Built from scratch with superb fully working inside motion. No provenance as to the builder but he certainly knew how to make a good model. I had it running at the recent Poachers running session and it performed without fault with my rake of five of Bernard Miller’s Midland bogie coaches. However, the livery is not perfect. The lining on the wheels is worn in places, the cylinders have lost their lining transfers and the numbers on the tender are dull. The crimson lake of the livery is a lovely deep colour and is smooth with no imperfections, (again no provenance of the painter). With more TLC and as time permits this impressive model has the potential to rise to another level of quality.

Unusually, this is a model of one of the few Midland Compounds that were built with shallow frames. Henry Fowler didn’t like those and had them all rebuilt with the deeper frames of the LMS compounds. Most models of this class are built from kits, which as far as I know, all have the deeper frames.