My loco collection

Midland Railway class 4 Compound 4-4-0 no. 1009

Mick Bayliss Model for sale, My loco collection
Midland Railway class 4 Compound 4-4-0 no. 1009
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.

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

Mick Bayliss My loco collection
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.

GWR Star class no. 4026 King Richard

Mick Bayliss My loco collection
King Richard
King Richard
GWR Star class no. 4026 King Richard. Built from scratch to an exceptional standard with fully working inside motion by a person unknown. Painted, (also exceptionally, as always?) by Alan Brackenborough.

I was lucky enough, to firstly find and again to be able to buy, this very fine model at a Special Auction Services auction in Newbury. It’s condition was not great, with minor rusting to all of the wheels and other bright-work a little tarnished. Additionally two small repairs have needed to be made to the working of the inside motion. All’s well now though. Of more importance to me was that there was no damage to the paintwork.

These are typical of the risks needed to be taken when buying in auction. It goes without saying that you do not get a chance to test the working of models before bidding. You are lucky if you get a box to carry it home in. Therefore confidence in your own ability to be able to repair any faults is obviously a necessity.

In the same auction there were many more fine models, including my Experiment and Precursor class models. There were also two other Stars which I didn’t buy – Dog Star and Princess Helena. Both of the same original build and paint quality as King Richard, although Dog Star looked to have had a slightly tougher working life. I wonder if the buyer of those models is as pleased as I am with this? I wonder if he had any surprises when he got them home and placed them on the track? Has he had to make any repairs? More interestingly for me, does he know who the builder is? The previous owner, now deceased, was a man by the name of Peter Tray, who apparently lived in Ireland. If anyone reading this has any further knowledge of this model, eg. who the builder is, please let me know.

Princess Helena was missing a nameplate. That doesn’t sound a great issue as a replacement can easily be acquired and stuck on with superglue. But the nameplates on these models were cleverly designed and mounted to the splasher with a slot and tab fixing of great craftsmanship. A real shame to have lost one and that was the only reason that I chose to go for King Richard instead.

These models, clearly came from a true connoisseur of model trains and an avid enthusiast of the GWR and L&NWR.

LNWR Whale Precursor class 4-4-0 no. 1430 Victor

Mick Bayliss My loco collection
Precursor Victor

 

 

Precursor no.1430 Victor
LNWR Precursor class no. 1430 Victor. Built from the Javelin Models kit by Michael Edge of Carlton in 2003 and painted by Ian Rathbone. The wheels used in the build are finely cast, possibly by Alan Harris. The drivers having telescopic axles with a tapered pin to fix the quartering. Additionally, the model carries small nameplates of both the builder and the painter on the underside to give that provenance. George Whale followed F.W.Webb as Locomotive Superintendent of the London and North Western Railway in 1903. His first loco design was the Precursor class, basically an enlarged version of Webb’s Precedent class. Built at Crewe in 1905 as a two cylinder saturated steam 4-4-0 with slide valves, Victor has here been modelled in that condition. Many of the class were later rebuilt by Charles Bowen Cooke who replaced Whale in 1909. He incorporated superheated boilers and piston valves to bring them into line with his more powerful George the Fifth class. A longer smokebox and smaller bogie wheels identify these locos from the unrebuilt members of the class. I have built a model of one of the rebuilds, Velocipede. For a description and images of this loco follow this link. I was lucky enough, to firstly find and again to be able to buy, this very fine model at auction. But it was in less than good condition as it had rusting to all of the wheels. On the positive side however and very importantly, the paintwork was still in very good condition. After cleaning and lubrication, placing the model on the track and he was away. Non the worse for his spell in a location of damp atmosphere and change of ownership. It is now perfect motive power to my rake of Peter Cowling built London & North Western Railway and West Coast Joint Stock coaches.

For a further image of this loco follow this link

 

LMS 5P/4F class no. 2876

Mick Bayliss My loco collection
LMS Crab 2876
LMS 2876
LMS 5P/4F class (Crab) no. 2876.

 

Built and painted, using PC lining transfers, by myself. When I started O gauge modelling I soon set myself a target to build a Crab, one of my favourite locos. As soon as I heard of the Chowbent kit I had to have one. Over 20 years later and I have not been disappointed. Lots of people complain about the narrow tender, but I think it adds to the character. As does the high running plate over the inclined cylinders. The paint is starting to look a bit worn, but it is still a great livery and she looks a treat hauling my train of of six Peter Cowling LMS series one coaches. Portescap motor and gears, with fused protection. Current collection is by the American method, where the loco collects from one rail and the tender from the other. The insulated Slaters wheels have been shorted by thin wire behind a spoke on one or other side of the loco and tender. An insulated drawbar and fallplate is needed with this system and in my experience, with care, it works very well.

These very useful locos were designed by George Hughes, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London Midland & Scottish Railway. His background was with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway and they were developed using L&YR practice. In 1925 Henry Fowler, previously of the Midland Railway at Derby, succeeded Hughes as CME and he tried to have the design changed to use Derby standard parts, but because the build process was so advanced, only the tender and some boiler fittings became the only obvious changes. Production commenced at the L&YR Horwich works and L&NWR Crewe works in 1926. A total of 245 engines were built, five of which were experimentally fitted with Lentz valve gear in 1931. In 1953 that was replaced with Reidinger valve gear. Otherwise the class remained virtually as designed throughout their thirty plus year life. No. 2876 was built at Crewe in 1930 and withdrawn from service in 1962.

GWR Grange class no. 6869 Resolven Grange

Mick Bayliss My loco collection
Resolven Grange
This unusual model has been built from scratch by Peter Everton, as a convertible 2 or 3 rail pickup, with third rail skate. By removing the skate and moving a small plug from one socket to another we have a two rail loco. Reverse that procedure and it’s back to three rail. Very clever and I have never seen this feature before. The loco is fitted with a set of chunky gears and a large motor. Driving wheels are of cast iron construction, with fine spokes and very slightly thicker than Slaters. They give a back to back of 28.25mm and negotiate Peco fine scale track and points with no problems. Slaters wheels (with 29.25mm back to back) are fitted to the bogie and tender. The Poachers test track at Lincoln,  https://www.7mmloco.co.uk/poachers/  was built using Peco track and this loco can fly around there with my eight chocolate and creams in tow, no problem. In fact I’m sure it would pull double that length of train. This well detailed and very heavy model, with a working representation of the valve gear, is of extremely robust construction and would be well suited to either an indoor layout or an outdoor track. It was bought privately in an unpainted and unused condition. It has now been painted by myself in unlined GWR green and lightly weathered by Warren Hayward. In addition, the model carries the small nameplate of the builder on the underside of the running plate to give that provenance.

The Grange class locomotives were designed by Charles Collett and built at Swindon between 1936 and 1939 as replacements for 43xx class Moguls. For comparison with one of these locos, no. 4302, follow this link.. In fact many Granges were built using a pool of reconditioned parts from withdrawn 43xx locomotives. They are effectively a smaller wheeled version of the Collett Hall class. For a description and images of one of these locos, Aldenham Hall, follow this link.

BR(ER) B1 class no. 61199

Mick Bayliss Loco commissions, My loco collection
BR(ER) Thompson B1 class 4-6-0 no. 61199. Built and painted by myself on commission from the late Stuart Tebbett, who was at the time a regular client and later became a very good friend. Built from the Piercy kit, with Portescap motor and gear unit and Slaters wheels, recently converted to DCC with sound and performing very well. Thanks to the good offices of Mike Able, who acquired the model from Terry Smith, it is now back where it belongs and I am very happy that it is now part of the 7mmloco.co.uk model collection.

BR Standard 9F class 2-10-0 no. 92018

Mick Bayliss My loco collection
92018
92018
BR 9F class 2-10-0 no. 92018. Built and painted from the DJH kit by the late Graham Jaques and weathered by Pete Brinded. The full size locos of this class, designed by Robert Riddles, were the final standard steam locomotives built for British Railways. Knicknamed “spaceships” because of the daylight visible above the wheels and below the boiler, these very impressive locos were regarded by many as the best steam locos ever built. Some of which only had an operational life of less than five years.