OO gauge layout - 1930's LMS based in North West England

Thank you Kevin. Much appreciated! Ian

I am now on Ratio coach #3 of 4 and just finished lining. This time I have used Tamiya Lemon Yellow and Tamiya black as an alternative paint from my previous attempts using Phoenix LMS lining yellow and Humbrol black gloss.
Using the bow pen, it did seem to flow better and the results are a little better. Still lots more practice required though.

Assembly will be carried out over the weekend or later this week if I get permission to enter the train room from SWMBO.

3rd Ratio coach now complete (7 Compartment - composite), except for decals and vacuum pipes. This one was lined using Tamiya Lemon Yellow and a bow pen. The Tamiya paint flowed much better than the Phoenix and isnt too far off the colour it should be. A slight hint of lemon can be seen when next to the other coaches and a bit of weathering will take care of that.
Now working on the 4th coach, the other 4 Compartment Brake. This should then complete my Sheffield Suburban Set. Motive power will either be a Craftsman Johnson Belpaire boilered 0-4-4T I have already built, or a Wills Finecast Stanier 2-6-4T I have yet to build - I haven't decided yet but both types were on shed in Millhouses in 1939. 
In between while the coats or paint were drying I have been making a start on a part built BSL Stanier Period 3 65ft Vestibule RUO 1st Class dining car kindly donated by a good chap on another forum. Sides and roof were assembled, just needed a bit more detail and I constructed a comet underframe to fit underneath it. Now working on the interior.

Here is a pic of Ratio coach No 3 (note: was advised after that full livery requires red ends, so have now repainted the coaches with red ends!)

I must say your coaches are bloody amazing

Thank you Jimmy,the lining is proving harder than I expected but i am getting there. The BSL coach i'm building will be lined with transfers so much easier!

Thanks
Ian

The lining looks wonderful Ian - you obviously have a very steady hand and oodles of patience …………..

I'm sorry to hear you're resorting to transfers - just not the same ……………..

The BSL coaches are Stanier Period 3 so use simple lining. Easier using the transfers! There was now way i could use transfers on the Ratio coaches though.

4th coach complete with decals and the BSL dining car interior and body shell painted.

Wow - fabulous on all counts !!

The coach looks like a museum piece Ian - perfect and the dining car looks very smart - "First Class" linen table cloths, lamps and comfortable looking chairs - they seem to be benches with arms down one side and arm chairs down the other.  Tables for 2 and 4 maybe ?

Very, very impressive modelling again Sir !!!

Thanks Peter. I followed the seating plan in the LMS coach book i have for the dining car. Seats arent quite right but you have to draw the line somewhere!!

Here is the completed BSL 65ft vestibule. I decided in the end to line it using the bow pen and i am quite pleased with the result. I used microscope slides for the glass. 


I have also finished my BEF mobilization train of Vickers Mk4 light tanks, quads and 25lb field guns complete with gunpowder van and empty wagons as buffers. Not sure if a train ever existed like this but i like it amd enjoyed putting it together.

. Not sure if a train ever existed like this but i like it amd enjoyed putting it together.

Remember rule No. 1….. It's your model railway (and a thing of beauty)

D

It doesn't matter…it looks good  ;-)

Excellent modelling!

Terry

Thank you all again for the kind comments and reassurance. Currently finishing off another BSL 57ft Brake for my rake. Next is a comet 50ft kitchen car amand then i think one more coach will finish this set up. Once that is done, i have 2 Palethorpes sausage van kits to build. Should keep me busy for a few more weeks!!!

Hi Ian.   I do like your  Railway, but I also like your ability and confidence in kit building. An associate of mine recommended kit built “ Presflo wagons “, what a joke for me that is I phoned up placed my order,  when the order arrived I set about my first kit and up until today, that is as far as I got. Happy Modelling Kev 

It has taken a lot of practice and mistakes but i am always willing to have a go at a kit if i can. I prefer building to just opening a box. My biggest issue is getting a smooth running chassis and even after 10 or 12 loco kits i still cant get it right. I have expensive jigs etc and still struggle lol!! 

Hi Ian,

I very much admire your carriage and loco stock and your practice looks to be paying off rather well.

I too share your interest in loco kit building and now have a small stock of useful tank locos to suit my era and I'd even enrolled on a loco chassis building course at Pendon this year, having assembled the necessary tools and read Iain Rice's chassis building book. Then after making a right horlicks of assembling etched hornblocks, put a hold on kit building until after the course, which was then cancelled due to the pandemic!

I've re-booked for July 2021, which is such a long way off that I must attempt the hornblocks again. Once over this hurdle, it should be plain sailing. How difficult can it be eh? I will not give up without one heck of a battle!

Anyway, bon courage with your next loco build and I'm sure that your mounting experience will banish any issues still lingering in the background.

Best,

Bill

Thank you Bill. That Pendon course seems the exact sort of thing i need to get on. Will look into that. Good luck with your builds. I tried hornblocks once and made a complete mess of it. I have a couple more kits to do so might try again now i have an avonside jig and a you tube video giving pointers.

AS a definite "out of the box" modeller, when it comes to rolling stock, I can only applaud the skill involved in your finished models, and the beautiful snippets of the layout we see.  I'm pretty sure you will master any chassis problems you may have!
Michael