Inhaltsverzeichnis für February 2017 in Model Rail

PRODUCT Hornby R6737A Maunsell Cattle Wagon PERIOD Early 1930s to 1960s REGION Southern AVAILABILITY Hornby stockists PRICE rrp £21.99 The Southern Railway was quite slow to introduce its own rolling stock, and continued to build to inherited designs, particularly from the SECR, as that’s where Chief Mechanical Engineer Richard Maunsell had come from. However, new designs gradually appeared and the first Maunselldesigned SR cattle wagon appeared in 1930. The most significant development in Diagram 1529 was the use of a 10ft 6in all-steel underframe in place of timber. They were vacuum-braked and fitted with Maunsell brake gear, having a short handbrake lever positioned inboard of the wheels. In 1947, Bulleid updated the design (Diagram 1530) with plywood ends, internally reinforced with metal, and sheet aluminium roofs. Bulleid also repositioned the…

PRODUCT ‘OO’: Bachmann Branchline 38-602A 21t Grain Hopper, BR bauxite (late); 38-501A ‘Covhop’ BR grey; 37-209 eight-plank open with coke rail. ‘N’: 377-766A ‘Covhop’ BR open grey; 377-207 eight-plank wagon with coke rail. AVAILABILITY Bachmann stockists PRICE 377-207 £16.50 377-766A £23.95 38-602A £27.95 38-501A £27.95 37-209 £15.95 Factory-applied weathering is very much in vogue at the moment and we’ve received a bumper crop of weathered wagons from Bachmann: ex-private owner eight-plank open No. P63984 and ‘Covhop’ No. B886096, both in the Branchline ‘OO’ and Graham Farish ‘N’ gauge ranges. In addition to those is ‘OO’ gauge 21-ton grain hopper No. B885659 in late BR bauxite. First up is the ‘Covhop’, which is highly regarded in both Branchline and Farish ranges. Both our ‘OO’ and ‘N’ gauge samples carry BR freight…

FEED YOUR LAYOUT! The latest release in Bachmann’s ‘year of Network SouthEast’ (MR221) is Mk 1 Restaurant Miniature Buffet 1865 in NSE red, white and blue colours. Product code: 39-265 Price: £39.95 Availability: Bachmann stockists. LADY IN MAROON Bachmann’s ‘Queen Mary’ bogie brake van makes a welcome return in EWS maroon as YTX KDS56305. Product code: 33-832 Price: £23.95 Availability: Bachmann stockists. D838 BACK IN ACTION Bachmann’s new Class 43 ‘Warship’ C-C returns as D838 Rapid in BR maroon with full yellow ends. Product code: 32-068 Price: £149.95 Availability: Bachmann stockists. A COLOURFUL TRIO Bachmann has released a trio of new Hawksworth autocoaches. No. W236W, illustrated here, shows off plain BR maroon, while the other two are in ‘blood and custard’ and ‘chocolate and cream’ respectively. Product code: 39-579…

I met my love by the gasworks croft. Dreamed a dream by the old canal. Kissed my girl by the factory wall. Dirty old town, dirty old town… Folk singer Ewan MacColl wrote Dirty Old Town about his hometown of Salford in 1949, but the industrial landscape he describes could be equally applicable to the towns of Yorkshire’s West Riding. This was wool manufacturing country. Huddersfield was pre-eminent for fine worsteds and dye products, Halifax for worsted yarn and carpets, while the twin towns of Dewsbury and Batley, together with Spen Valley, constituted the Heavy Woollen District, so dubbed because of its heavyweight cloth. These towns and villages formed a backdrop for many a northern lad, me included. I was born in Dewsbury, educated between Tingley and Morley,…

Good planning is key to all model railway projects, so the first step is to draw up a list of what you want from a first layout, such as: • A continuous run • Potential for running two trains by either DC or DCC operation • To fit onto a single baseboard that’s portable enough to be moved by one person and fit into a medium-sized car • To disguise the oval track plan with a large hill, allowing only one side of the layout to be seen at once • Include a small station, a passing loop and a siding • Allow space for the trains to run through the countryside • To feature pleasant scenery, using products and techniques that give realistic results in the shortest possible time…

“PEOPLE WHO HAVE BUILT LASER-CUT KITS OFTEN COMMENT ON HOW ROBUST THE MODELS ARE” Over the course of the last decade, laser-cut kits have become increasingly popular in the UK. These kits use cardboard and/or plywood cut with computer precision and are available in a number of scales. People who have built laser-cut card and plywood kits often comment on how robust the completed models are, particularly when it comes to delicate details. Working with laser-cut card or plywood is different to working with plastic, so it’s a good idea to try a small kit first to learn this new way of working. Gaugemaster offers a range of small building kits, including a garden shed, and Metcalfe Models’ range includes platform seats, park benches, stable blocks and more in both…

Richard Foster Editor I’d finished my GCSEs, started my A-Levels… and I began learning to drive a car! George Dent Deputy Editor I started work in the arts library at Liverpool University - which is where I met my wife! Chris Leigh Consultant Editor Editing Steam World, as well as putting together a certain new model railway magazine… Mike Harris Staff Writer I was six. But my life had little meaning because I’d yet to discover Star Wars… that came in 1999! Regular Contributors Peter Marriott Scenics Specialist Chris Nevard Photographer Dave Lowery Modelling Consultant Ben Ando Modern image ‘N’ gauge Paul A. Lunn Layout design Consultant E-mail: modelrail@bauermedia.co.uk www.facebook.com/modelrail www.twitter.com/modelrailuk…

PRODUCT Minerva Model Railways Kerr Stuart ‘Victory’ 0-6-0T, lined green PERIOD 1917-1969 REGION See text AVAILABILITY Minerva Model Railways. Tel: 02920 531246. Web: www.minervamodelrailways.co.uk PRICE rrp £282.50 The philosophy that ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ certainly applies to model manufacturer Minerva Model Railways. In case you’ve forgotten, Minerva was formed by Chris Klein, the British director of Anglo-Australian outfit Ixion, who joined forces with Dragon Models Wales’ proprietor Chris Basten. The ‘Victory’ follows the standards set by Minerva’s Peckett ‘E’ 0-4-0ST (MR219), which combined good looks and a smooth mechanism with a reasonable price to provide the ideal ‘O’ gauge starter locomotive. You can see the same philosophy stamped all over its latest offering. The ‘Victory’ is just a bit bigger. These ten chunky Kerr Stuart six-coupled tanks…

PRODUCT Bachmann 32-756 Class 57/6 57603 Tintagel Castle, GWR green PERIOD 2015 onwards REGION GWR AVAILABILITY Bachmann stockists USE WITH GWR Mk 3 Sleeping cars PRICE rrp £149.95 Train operator First Great Western celebrated a four year extension to its franchise in 2015 by rebranding itself Great Western Railway. The new name came with a new look and the dark green with huge polished metal lettering that overtly harks back to the style and glamour of the pre-war GWR and its ‘shirtbutton’ roundel. The shade that Great Western Railway has chosen may split GWR purists but few will disagree that green is the only colour suitable for this piece of the railway network; First Group purple didn’t seem to sit right under the great trainsheds at Paddington and Temple Meads!…

PRODUCTS Glenfinnan Station 7mm Pre-built (RTP); Glenfinnan Signal Box 7mm Pre-built (RTP). AVAILABILITY Dawson Hall. Web: www.dawson-hall.com PRICE rrp £285 (station building) rrp £125 (signal box) The huge concrete viaduct on the West Highland Railway Extension at Glenfinnan has always been a famous structure, but since its starring role in the Harry Potter films, it’s become a true icon. The continued focus on the viaduct has meant that Glenfinnan’s delightful station has always lived in its shadows. But while you can’t compare the two when it comes to scenic grandeur, the station arguably trumps the viaduct when it comes to character. It opened in April 1901 and still performs its duties, particularly as a passing place, but the distinctive single storey station building now houses the Glenfinnan Station Museum. The…

Baseboards provide a solid foundation on to which we can lay our track and run our trains reliably and safely. The boards need to be resilient enough to stay flat and true, without warping or sagging, yet be light enough to be moved around if necessary. A set of legs will hold the layout at a comfortable level, or the boards can be fixed to a wall for a more permanent installation. Typically, softwood is employed for the frame members, using 2in by 1in (18mm by 33mm) planed square edge (PSE) pine, readily available from DIY stores. This creates a strong but lightweight framework onto which the baseboard top is secured. Plywood, MDF or Sundeala board is suitable, although ply is the strongest material and is more resistant to fluctuations…

To get the electric power to the trains, the controller must be connected to the rails by a pair of wires. Power feed clips are likely to be provided in a trainset package, allowing for instant, solder-free connections. However, they can look unsightly on a scenic layout and performance can be unreliable over time. The most reliable method is to fix the wires to the rails directly, using solder. Installing power feeds before the track has been laid allows easier access to the rails with the soldering iron. Fix the wires to the outside face of the rail or, for a less obtrusive bond, to the underneath, having temporarily slid the sleepers out of the way. The Bachmann train set provided a simple analogue controller, connected to the track with…

Sheer hillsides are rare and unstable, making them an unlikely feature near a railway line, unless the alignment has been cut through solid rock. In which case there’s bound to be outcrops of rock showing through the vegetation. You can create your own chunks of ‘rock’ using a set of moulds and casting plaster, such as the Woodland Scenics’ Lightweight Hydrocal system. The flexible rubber moulds offer random patterns and a variety of sizes. HOW TO DO IT: MAKE ROCKS 1 Wet the inside of the rubber mould with water and a few drops of was shing-up liq to stop the mixture sticking to t he mo 2 Mix 1¼ cups of Hydrocal to ½ cup of water in a bowl - stir well until the powder has dissolved. Pour…

Some modellers re-write history a little to give a ‘reason’ for their dream layout. I’ve taken that to extremes, and have moved continents and land masses to achieve mine. I’m American and I grew up with North American trains, but I spent a few years living in Ely, in Cambridgeshire. During my time in the UK, I bought a basic Flying Scotsman ‘OO’ gauge train set and became hooked on model trains again. I also developed a fondness for British trains, but since I’ve been to Germany countless times, either with the Navy, on business or simply as a tourist, I am interested in German trains as well. I decided to develop a layout plan for three separate, but inter-connected layouts. None of these would really be prototypical, but they…

SEE IT YOURSELF! You can see ‘Amalgamated Wagon Works’ at the Rochdale Model Railway Group Model Railway Exhibition on April 8/9 2017 at Littleborough Coach House, Lodge Street, Littleborough OL15 9AE. Gauge & scale: 7mm:1ft scale, 32mm gauge ‘O’ Time to build: 18 months (one year to renovate) Period: 1932 Prototype: Wakefield Size: 12ft by 2ft (including fiddleyard) Track: C&L components Locomotives: Kit-built Rolling stock: Kit-built Buildings: Scratchbuilt Power & control: 12V DC Things you might have missed…

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Shaun would like to acknowledge the support of Great Eastern Models and Bure Valley Models (Norwich), his modelling friend Chris Eve, and his “long-suffering” wife, Julia. Gauge & scale: 2mm:1ft scale, 9mm gauge ‘N’ Time to build: 2½ years Period: Mid-1970s to early 80s Prototype: Freelance Size: 16ft by 2ft Track: Peco Code 80 Locomotives: Ready-to-run (see panel, page 95) Rolling stock: Ready-to-run Signals: Dapol RTP Power & control: DCC Dynamis Buildings: Kit-built and proprietary resin Things you might have missed…

Jan 14 BRIDPORT, DORSET. Bridport & District MRC MRE. Beaminster Public Hall, Fleet Street, Beaminster DT8 3EF. Time: 1000-1600. Admission: Adult £3, Child £1. Tel: 01308 861754. E-mail: robert@rahrens.wanadoo.co.uk HEYWOOD, LANCS. Heywood MRG MRE. Club Rooms, Unit 3, Park Works, River St, Heywood OL10 4AB. Time: 1000-1600. Web: www.hmrg.co.uk Jan 14-15 BOGNOR REGIS. Bognor Regis MRC MRE. Felpham Community College PO22 8EL. Time: Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1000-1600. Admission: Adult £5, Child £3. PRATTS BOTTOM, ORPINGTON.Orpington & District MRS. Pratts Bottom Village Hall, Norsted Lane, Rushmore Hill, Pratts Bottom BR6 7PQ. Time:1000-1700. Admission: Adult £3.50, Child £1.50. Tel:07885 270437. Web:www.orpingtonmodelrail.org.uk STEVENAGE, HERTS. Chiltern MRA MRE. Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre, Lytton Way, Stevenage SG1 1LZ. Time: Sat 1000 1730, Sun 1000-1630. Admission: Adult £8, Child £4. Tel: 01438 715580. Web: www.cmra.org.uk…

TOOLING STARTS ON CLASS 41 ‘WARSHIP’ Kernow Model Rail Centre’s Class 41 ‘Warship’ passed a huge milestone in early December when the computer design work was completed and aut‘HO’risation given to DJ Models to start work on the tooling. Design work on the North British Locomotive ‘Warship’ diesel-hydraulic has taken several years as the last of the five-strong class was scrapped in 1980, all five having been withdrawn in 1967. With no real locomotive to scan or measure, research has been painstaking and a large-scale hand-built model made to ensure accuracy. FIRST LOOK AT NGS ‘CARFLAT’ The N Gauge Society has received early CAD drawings of its forthcoming ‘Carflat’ from Bachmann. The model will feature a highly detailed underframe, NEM couplers in pivoting pockets and various detail options, including BR1…

PRODUCT Precision Decals Faded Load Haul and EWS Class 60 numbers and names (various), waterslide transfers. Faded EWS lettering/numbers, £9.99 per pack or £14.99 including nameplate transfers; Faded Load Haul logos, £9.00 per pack, plus p&p. PERIOD 2005-present REGION GWR AVAILABILITY Precision Labels Tel: 07800 744170 Web: www.precisionlabels.com PRICE rrp £149.95 Prior to refurbishment and a fresh coat of DB Schenker (DBS) red paint, a number of operational Class 60s have appeared shabby and faded in recent years. Most notably, the numerals and lettering on former EWS liveried ‘60s’ has taken on a patchy, faded outlook. To help recreate this in miniature, Precision Decals has produced a range of waterslide transfer packs, accurately modelled on individual prototypes. As well as pairs of bodyside numbers and EWS (or EW&S) letters, similarly…

PRODUCT Heljan Class B tank wagon PERIOD 1957-1980s REGION Any AVAILABILITY Heljan stockists USE WITH General freight stock, steam or diesel traction PRICE rrp £20.99 each Tank wagon design changed very little during the first half of the 20th century. However, in 1957, wagon builder Charles Roberts worked with the British Transport Commission to produce a four-wheel tank vehicle with a longer wheelbase and an increased payload. With vacuum-operated clasp brakes, pneumatic buffers and roller bearings, the new wagons could run at faster speeds. Two sizes of welded steel barrel were on offer, each mounted on four saddle brackets. Both variants boasted a 22-ton payload capacity and a gross weight of 35 tons but the barrels of the Class A tanks were slightly larger to accommodate lighter, oil-based liquids. A…

It was 33 years ago that I first became a magazine editor, when I took over Model Railway Constructor from ‘Steve’ Stevens-Stratten (who died in 2015). In those days there were just three model railway magazines, only one of which (Railway Modeller, then edited by Cyril Freezer) is still published today. The third of the trio was Model Railway News, and its editor was Roy Dock. At that point, little had changed in the hobby for a long time, and magazine circulations had been in the doldrums since the late 1960s. My arrival seemed to herald a period of upheaval, at least for both MRC and MRN. Model Railway News had long been aimed more at the lathe-owning model engineering segment of the hobby, perhaps because it came from the…

It took about 140 hours, spread over five months, to build the featured layout. The track laying and wiring were kept as simple as possible, using sectional track and points. That allowed more time and effort to go into building the landscape and scenery. By elevating the track bed and creating plenty of landscape contours, the layout has more of a three-dimensional appearance. Over 100 trees bring lots of life and visual interest, with ready-made products employed from Anita Decor, Bachmann, Busch, Faller, Gaugemaster, Heki, Noch and Woodland Scenics. Of the three buildings, two were off-the-shelf products from Hornby and Rivarossi, while the station building was a simple kit from Gaugemaster. The other main focus of the layout is the plate girder bridge across the river, which is a laser-cut…

The Black Country was once described as “red by night and black by day”. Furnaces lit the night sky and smoke hid the sun during the daylight hours. My portable layout ‘Wellington Street’ depicts part of the Earl of Dudley’s railway, which played a key role in the development of the Black Country. The first line was built across the Dudley Estate in 1829 to link Shutt End Colliery to the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, and it would grow to become a 40-mile rail network. The layout is a snapshot of the Earl of Dudley’s Railway but, while not area specific, it incorporates a number of key features from all over the system. The name comes from Wellington Road, which was at the eastern extremity, although this stretch was out…