Mike 84C

I like the innovative engineering. Why not put a catwalk across the chassis rails? Thenthe motor is pretty much hidden.

Hi btb, Eileen emporium do range of plastic compatible grease and oils, I would rather use the word lubricants.I used them on a Bachmann 2-6-0 cleaned the gearbox and replaced the grease and used a needle to put a couple of drops of oil on the axle then a drop on the needle point to lube the valve gear and rods.I think it now runs better, quite. My only interest in E

Brilliant! Nelson.

Very nice Nelson, I do like the outside axle guards. Must have a go at an NCC van with the the dreaded axle guards myself.

Sorry guys by support I did mean spares I just used the same words that he did. And the info did come from Bachmann at Barwell in Leicestershire. But I do go to swopmeets in England and traders have shed loads of split frame chassis locos in £35/40 upwards price bracket. Hence my comments, because I did not realize the situation, although I am not I am not surprized.

Was in one of my local hobby shops to pick up some spares for a Bachmann loco. Got the parts I had ordered and the guy mentioned that there will be no more support for locos with split frame chassis. Might be something to bear in mind when bidding on ebay for that must have!!

Thanks for the hints and inspiration guys. Mayner: that looks like a good idea with the steam navvy. And a good price too.

Well done Nelson your PG class looks rather good. Blimey 10 weeks of exams, take a bow for doing that lot. Enjoy some summer modeling and a bit of sun Mike

I would think that a major problem will be to source spare parts for 20-40yr old prime movers. Although a two stroke is by design a relatively simple machine it does suffer from unburnt fuel being expelled with exhaust gas. On a smaller scale our company has for years used Deutz aircooled diesels to power bulk discharge on feed trailers. Not any more! emmisions cannot be brought down to acceptable levels and not as fuel efficient as a water cooled engine. Also think HST, Paxman Ventura replaced by MTU diesels. Interestingly one of the most economic diesels I ever came across in HGV"s was the Commer TS3 10/15mpg being quite easy to get. I"m a bit of a stroker fan no wonder my hearings naff

Jim, thats a nice shot, looks like bus mayhem another couple of busses and it starts to look like a chess problem:confused:

StevieB;you just have to be very gentle, I marked where I wanted the cut out, drilled the corners, then chain drilled along my marks and in the centre. Then a jewelers file to get back to the line. Admission; I broke one side and had to reinforce with micro-strip. But the tender cut out is such a K class feature. Now I need the tablet snatcher.

Sorry JHB my faux pau is so obvious as is probably my spelling. How to correct it? maybe not posting any more photos! Cie loco liveries do seem to be littered with banana skins.

I have looked in vain for pictures of coaling facilities at medium sized CIE loco sheds.Was coal shovelled straight out of wagons into tenders at Depots like Wexford, Limerick, Tralee? If so it may explain why CIE tenders were rarely coaled to excess. Having worked on BR they never seem to carry enough coal but BR locos were often coaled to excess. Does anyone make an etching for the tablet catcher carried on the K class? Thanks Mike

I will try again!

I blew a couple or three light coats of Tamiya clear with a couple of drops of white then a couple of drops of black over loco& tender last night. Checked it this am and am much happier, grubby with a bit of sheen. So I tortured a couple of Bachmann loco crew and am quite pleased with the result. Hope you guys agree. I think my camera has a fault with focus on close up stuff as the point of focus seems to be on the right of any picture. Will get it checked tomorrow.

Hi Rialto, Weshty is the man for the decals. As Georgeconna says "its knowing when to stop" with weathering and everyone sees colour differently but the loco and tender do look very decrepit in the flesh! I need to source some snifting valves to go on the smokebox & running plate and I would like to fit a GSR/CIE smokebox door but I know of no source, maybe one day! Parkside; BR 12t van Plywood sides stock code PC 08A £9 BR 12t Palvan stock code PC 65 £9 BRM has one of there annual compendium mags out at the moment and I picked up the George Dent techniqe from there. The mag is a good buy as there are a number of articles about airbrushing, which one is for you, maintenance etc .

Excellent modeling Kieran. Thanks for posting.

Brilliant I love looking at others work so please keep them coming!

Danny, I use eze mates with Kaydees with no problems, some people say they do not mate well but that is not my experience. I use a pointed stick, like a long toothpick to uncouple. Just push up the loco against the train to get some slack, put the stick between the coupler faces to open the jaw and drive away. Coupling is just a gentle buffering up. The only long term problem may be that the eze-mate is a delrin type plastic that may fatigue over time. I shall just substitute a Kaydee. Mike

Wow! and I thought I was long on models! Next time Mrs 84c tells me I have too much stuff I"ll show your collection:tumbsup: but please keep building your railway thats what its all about!

Thanks for your comments guys feedback is always good. Mayner, it was a bit of a lightbulb moment, the realization with the crosskiting! Popeye, I usually realize I have overdone the weathering far to late! Jim, where do you find these priceless gems!!! Its a very damp day so no airbrushing but that gives one time to ponder the finish even more. I did base the loco on a couple of pictues in Irish Railways in colour 1947-1970 No 378 features twice but I think the dirty patches look black &light grey on the boiler&cab with brown below the running plate. A pal thinks its brown! colour is in the eye of the beholder!!!

Thoughts and comments on my weathered Bachmann Woolies. This is the one that started as a Southern liveried loco and got heat distortion under my magnifying glass/lamp in the conservatory. The vans were built from Parkside kits but built as a pair so I could cross parts from one to the other! All are painted with acrylics the vans need a coat of flat varnish, the loco I am not sure wether to blow a couple of light coats of light grey or brown over it before the flat finish. It was painted with the George Dent method of put the paint on then remove with a cotton bud soaked in acrylic thinners. Please feel free to comment

So cool under pressure and so many just in their early twenties. Thanks for posting. My respect for a certain 90yr old in our family only grows when I hear this sort of thing.

Brilliant work Nelson, congratulations to you and your Dad.

John, I remember those wagons being regauged, didnt some of the axles get altered at Boston Lodge? During my employment at BL there was considerable inter departmental politics which caused the track greasers to fall out of use. This caused massive increase in flange wear and a major part of my job became welding up and reprofileing carriage wheels. FR also aquired some bogie exMinistry but they were 2ft gauge and the back to back was narrowed by welding steel rings on the flange back. The sliding roof"s on the vans got them the nickname giraffe vans, at Boston Lodge, after the old Tri-ang action van!