The Railway Magazine Guide to Modelling - March 2019 - Preview

FREIGHTLINER FLATS FROM BACHMANN

MARCH 2019

page 14

A brilliant Hornby J36 PXX O-GAUGE ROLLING ROAD P10

REMEMBERING THE ORIGINAL 'PATRIOT' 4-6-0s

P30

AN IRISH 0-6-0 FROM OO WORKS  CAVALEX REDLAND PGA REVIEW  ST. ANN'S COVE CLEANING YOUR TRACKS  THINKING ABOUT '009'?  BLUEBELL RAILWAY VISITED

P20

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March 2019

March 2019

EDITORIAL | 3

From the editor

GUIDE TO

Modelling

T

Staff

Editor Pete Kelly RMModellingeditor@mortons.co.uk Contributors Nigel Burkin, Ian Lamb, Jon Longman Production editors Pauline Hawkins, Sarah Spencer Designer Holly Furness Picture desk Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield Group advertising manager Sue Keily Publisher Tim Hartley Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole Subscription manager Paul Deacon Circulation manager Steve O'Hara Marketing manager Charlotte Park

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April 2019 issue of RMM is out on Friday, March 22, 2019.

Pete Kelly Editor

he reasons why railway modellers choose the hobby they love are so many and varied that to try to describe them with broad brush strokes would be an impossible task.

Some might be interested only in the technical aspects of modelling, and certain technophobes would be quite happy to run their trains on bare baseboards. Others might choose to use their layouts as a kind of canvas on which to paint a complete picture of railways from the period of their choosing.

While these two extremes might appear poles apart, many modelling clubs embrace the individual talents of their members to produce superb layouts boasting technical, scenic and historical excellence.

Reflecting the times on which layouts are based requires much time and thought, for there is a chasm of difference between the railways of the pre-Beeching years and those of today – and I don’t just mean as far as the trains, track and signalling are concerned.

Ian Lamb’s article about train guards in this issue got me thinking about the sheer number of people who once worked on our railways, and if our own particular layouts are meant to reflect those times, they will appear unnaturally empty without them.

Stations were thronged with porters, postal workers, parcels office and cafeteria staff as well as the train guards, ticket-collectors and station masters that one might also have expected.

Articulated three-wheel Scammells

scurried to and fro around station forecourts collecting and delivering parcels, and the whole scene was one of hectic non-stop activity.

This wasn’t just the case at massive city terminals either, but also at medium-sized town stations all over the country. Even small country stations had small but omnipresent quotas of railway staff, because after all someone had to issue and collect the tickets, light the fires in the cosy waiting rooms, sweep the platforms clean and help the small numbers of passengers with all their inquiries.

There were goods yards and carriage sidings all over the place, each bustling with shunters, signalling staff and cleaners, and in engine sheds large and small throughout the country, workers toiled day and night in filthy conditions, maintaining and turning round their allocations of locomotives.

Without this busy human element, though, any layout from such an era, unless it’s simply running through open countryside, will appear cold, desolate and uninspiring – but even in the countryside there were farmhands with tractors or horse-drawn implements working the fields, sheep and cows grazing peacefully, milk churns waiting to be collected from farmhouses, potatoes being picked and corn being sown or harvested.

That might be the picture from the rose-tinted spectacles point of view, but what about those modellers who prefer the modern railway scene and fully understand and embrace the many recent technological advances

that model railways have enjoyed over recent years?

These have included DCC operation, sound systems, lighting for stations, streets and carriages, automatic signalling and much more besides, and those modellers who have shunned them and continue to do might be pleasantly surprised if they bothered to take a look.

Today’s model manufacturers go to endless pains to research, measure and produce locomotives, trains and items of rolling stock to a higher standard than ever before, treating railway subjects past and present with equal respect.

Railways never stand still, and neither does railway modelling, so why don’t we just start start considering and appreciating the layouts of those whose preferences might be diametrically opposite to our own – and remember, it’s a process that works both ways!

Some of you might now be bursting to give your own opinions on all this, and in some respects that’s the very reason why I have written it.

Our readers’ letters pages are always open to reflect your views, and how wonderful it would be to turn them into a proper debating chamber.

Just email RMMEditor@mortons. co.uk or write to RMM Editor, Mortons Media Group Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR.

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March 2019

News

Have you got a story for us? Email: RMModellingeditor@mortons.co.uk

Bachmann's £3709.90 'thank you' in memory of a much-loved colleague g Bachmann Europe presented a cheque for £3709.90 to the Leicestershire-based charity Loros at its Glenfield headquarters on Friday, January 25.

In 2018, a model of Class 37 diesel-electric locomotive Merl Evans 1947-2016, 947 , which fittingly gy

Merll Evans’’ wiidow Maureen and d Loros senior fundraiser Adrian Walker show off the big cheque that was presented

by Bachmann Europe on January 25 as Bachmann’s product researcher Steve Smith and communications manager Richard Proudman hold up a Merl Evans 1947-2016 nameplate like those attached to Colas Rail Class 37 No 37099.

carries the number 37099, was released as part of Bachmann’s Branchline range of OO-scale models, and it is sales of that model that have enabled Bachmann to make the donation.

In 2016, Colas Rail named the Class 37 in tribute to Merl, who had been Bachmann Europe’s head of research and development until his retirement in 2014. He was instrumental in the development of the company’s large portfolio of OOscale models for more than 20 years, and was an eloquent ambassador not only for Bachmann, but also the entire model railway industry.

Colas Rail is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of railway infrastructure services, constructing and renewing all forms of railways across Europe and the UK, and Bachmann is grateful to Colas for helping the firm create such a fitting tribute to a dear friend and colleague.

The real locomotive operates across the UK, often hauling trains for Network Rail, and ‘Merl’ is a must-see locomotive for many enthusiasts.

Loros, which is based some 12 miles away from Bachmann’s Barwell offices and provides hospice care in Leicester city and the surrounding county as well as Rutland, cared for Merl and offered support for his family.

Merl’s widow, Maureen Evans, was joined by Bachmann Europe’s communications manager Richard Proudman and product researcher Steve Smith when she presented the cheque to Loros senior fundraiser Adrian Walker.

Looking immaculate in its eye-catching livery is Colas Railfreight Class 37 No. 37099 Merl Evans 1947-2016…

…and it was Bachmann Branchline’s superb OO-scale models of the same locomotive that enabled the cheque to be presented.

Strictly-to-order OO-scale APT coming from DJ Models A super-detailed Advanced Passenger Train in the offing from DJ Models Ltd will be the longest OO-gauge set ever produced at 14 cars and 14ft 6in long – and the accompanying 3D CAD/CAM images capture the attention to detail that will even encompass the correct tartan pattern for the seats.

This will be a one-off model production, and DJ’s Dave Jones expects a finished six-car APT CAD/CAM by the end of March, followed by the tooling soon afterwards.

Pre-orders are now being taken, and except for a few replacement models, the sets will be made strictly to order as a definite one-off production. The projected prices and details of other DJ Models products can be found on the www.djmodels.co.uk website.

The APT will be only the second 100% crowdfunded OO-gauge mass-produced model train, and will give modellers the chance to get their hands on a really interesting piece of railway history.

The correct tilting shape of the APT on which so much hope was pinned is clearly evident in this 3D cad/cam image, along with precise cab, bogie and interior details.

The APT’s articulated bogie details are seen to good effect.

See the LNER in all its glory at Gainsborough MRS open days

90th anniversary attractions at Bekonscot Model Village In August, the Bekonscot Model Village in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, will be celebrating 90 years since Mr Roland Callingham welcomed the first visitors to the model village and railway that he built in his garden.

The model village opened its doors for the 2019 season on

February 16, and Beconscot New Town, with its funicular railway and Underground station, has become a popular new addition to the village.

This year, visitors should also look out for some other new buildings, based on local businesses as they would have looked in the 1930s.

This superb Art Deco Hanton Road Underground station can now be seen at the charming Bekonscot Model Village as it celebrates 90 years since it opened to the public.

TV's 'Ealing Road' in Herts exhibition Toy fairs cancelled The South West Herts Model Railway Society, based in Bushey, Hertfordshire, has 30 full and associate members, but many are retired, and the society is looking to inject some new blood into its membership.

Secretary Ken Halse says the society is hopeful that the recent exposure of the hobby on Channel 5 TV’s The Great Model Railway Challenge will boost the attendance of its annual exhibition in May – especially as one of its members belongs to the

Missenden Modeller team that appeared in the TV series, and one of the featured layouts, ‘Ealing Road’, will be on display.

The exhibition will feature more than 20 quality layouts from Z to O gauge, along with a good selection of trade stands.

The event will take place at Queens School, Aldenham Road, Bushey, Herts WD23 2TY on Saturday, May 11 from 10am until 4.30pm, and more details can be found on our ‘Diary Dates’ pages.

This side view of one end of the APT emphasises its clean, purposeful lines

SRP Toy Fairs have notified us that their fairs based at The Hawth Theatre in Crawley, West Sussex, have all been cancelled for this year.

SRP’s other fairs remain unaffected, and the details can be found at https://srptoyfairs1.co.uk/

New clubroom

Daventry Model Railway Club secretary Mike Enstone informs us that the club now has a new clubroom at Unit 1, Bridge Ground Workshop Premises, Staverton, NN11 6BG.

Open days by the Gainsborough Model Railway Society, a member of the Lincolnshire Heritage Forum and one of the largest O-gauge groups in the country, offer a great opportunity to see how the London & North Eastern Railway was actually run in the heyday of steam, with more than half a mile of track and dozens of trains formed from more than 180 locomotives and more than 400 items of rolling stock.

At Florence Terrace, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 1BE, this year’s open days will start over the Easter weekend of April 20-21 from 1.30 until 5.30pm, and on Monday, April 22 from 10.30am until 5.30pm.

The following dates will be Saturday, June 15 (1.30-5.30pm); Sunday, July 21 (1.30-5.30pm); Saturday and Sunday, August 24-25 (1.30-5.30pm) and Monday, August 26 (10.30am-5.30pm); Sunday, October 6 (1.30-5.30pm); Sunday, December 1 (1.30-5.30pm) and the weekend of December 28-29 (1.30-5.30pm).

Last admission on all dates is 4.30pm, and admission costs £4 adults, £3 senior citizens/children and £10 family (2+2).

Club nights take place on Mondays throughout the year from 7.30pm.

March 2019

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March 2019

in What's the shops

A wonderfull Holmes J36 from Hornby

Hornby’s brand new model of the LNER J36 is a welcome development for those who like Scottish locomotives. The Hornby model of No. 65311 Haig in unlined BR black is shown fitted with its snow plough.

Nigel Burkin is suitably impressed by a superbly well-detailed OO-scale model of a much-loved North British Railway locomotive design.

T

here is something very attractive about small tender engines to modellers, and Hornby’s new LNER J36 0-6-0 is already proving popular. Designed under the auspices of North British Railway locomotive superintendent Matthew Holmes, the J36s were among many small tender engines that played a vitally important role on the railways, particularly over lighter secondary routes on both goods and local passenger services.

Based at local sheds, such everyday locomotives did the really hard and unglamorous work, which makes the new model of the J36 particularly welcome for Scottish and North Eastern modellers alike.

It will appeal to those who prefer the slower pace of secondary lines, and need ‘typical’ or ‘signature’ locomotives to define the operations of a particular geographical area, or have space constraints preventing more than a compact layout to be built.

Construction of the J36s (NBR C Class), built to replace older Drummond designs, began in 1888 at Cowlairs works, with the first batch of six locomotives appearing in the same year. They were constructed in small batches almost continuously until 1900, and finally

reached a totaal of 168 locomotives.

Construction was completed at Cowlairs, aparrt from 30 that were assembleed by outside contractors.

Under the auspices of W P Reid, who succeedeed Holmes as locomotive superintendent, the class was rebu uilt extensively with larger boilers and modified d cabs between n 1913 and 19233. This process brougght other changes, including diff fferent chimneys, and ff it’s the locom motives in this rebuilt condition that are represented by the Hornby model.

Well worth mentioning, too, is the role of the J36 with the Railway Operating Division of the Royal Engineers (ROD) when 25 of the early rebuilds served on the Western front from 1917. When repatriated in 1919, their war service was recognised by them being bestowed with names relating to the war. The 2019 Hornby

Detaiiling off the cab b is to a high h sttand dard d, wiith regullattor, reversiing lever, brak ke and various other controls. A separate hinged drop plate is also fitted.

cat al og ue inc lude s a ne w mo del i n ROD livery as No. 5662 (R3735).

The J36 was a successful design that worked throughout the NBR network in Scotland, together with the Highland Railway, and from time to time the Great North of Scotland Railway. They also worked in the north east of England on the NER network. They were long-lived locomotives, with no fewer than 123 entering service with British Railways upon Nationalisation.

By 1966 there were still six survi vivors, and the last two were finally taken out of service in 1967, when all other Scottish steam had been withdrawn. One locomotive, No. 673 Maude, entered preservation and is based on the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway. It was one of the select band of steam locomotives to take part in the ‘Rocket 150’ celebrations in 1980 to mark 150 years since the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1830 – and it became a hero after

There is some very fine modelling on the tender, including the coal rails. Separate parts for the tool supports are supplied in the box for the modeller to add if desired.

FEATURES OF THE MODEL: ■ Die-cast metal engine body with individually applied fittings.

■ Motor and flywheel mounted on the engine chassis.

■ Eight-pin DCC interface located in the tender.

■ Current collection in the tender and locomotive with electrical linkage between the two.

■ NEM coupling pockets to tender and front frames.

■ Snow plough supplied in the box.

■ Prototypical gap between frames and boiler.

■ Screw couplings, cab tools and brake pipes supplied as add-on details.

■ Brake linkages supplied as separate details for the modeller to fit.

■ Separate whistle and safety valve detail.

■ Detailed cab and back head with fall plate and separate regulator detail.

■ Flush glazing applied to the cab front.

■ Adjustable tender draw bar.

■ Brake details fitted in line with the driving and tender wheels.

■ Length: 200mm over the buffers with tender draw bar at maximum extension.

■ Weight including tender: 245g.

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lever, and a representation of the inside motion is visible in the correctly modelled gap between the boiler and the chassis frame. It is a superbly detailed engine right down to the vacuum pipe that runs along the edge of the running plate, the drop plate in the cab and coal rails on the tender.

The model is finished in pristine BR black which is ready to be dulled down and weathered.

It is an easy model to renumber if required – just check to see that the specific details applied to it match those of your chosen locomotive.

making it under its own steam all the way from Scotland!

The review model is of BR No. 65311 (R3622), finished in unlined BR black with an early emblem and open back cab. Interestingly enough, BR No. 65311 was named Haig in 1953 to replace withdrawn BR No. 65226, placing the model very much in the post-1953 period. The model is supplied with a front snow plough which may be used to represent the winter months when J36 locomotives were commonly used for snow clearance duties.

Body and tender One of the first points one notices when first picking up the model is how heavy it feels for such a small locomotive. The engine, less tender, tips the scales at 185g, which is quite impressive.

Closer inspection reveals that the main superstructure, including the cab sides, boiler, firebox and smokebox, is composed of a single die-cast metal casting which has some crisp detail.

The front of the smokebox and door is a plastic moulding, as are many of the smaller fittings, including the cab roof, cab backhead, dome, chimney and

pipework. A small hole can be found in the left side of the smokebox wrapper that would have held a steam pipe exhaust for a pump – a locomotivespecific detail not present on No. 65311.

The use of a single die-cast body means that there is no alternative smokebox wrapper moulding for those without the exhaust.

The tender is constructed of plastic mouldings with a fixed load of coal.

Examination of period photographs indicate that it is the correct shape and, like the engine, the tender is adorned with numerous small fittings including a vacuum brake pipe, lamp irons and grab rails. The underframe of the tender has crisp tooling for the axle boxes, suspension springs and the bufferbeam.

Stand-alone details Small locomotives such as the J36 can be as demanding as larger locomotives when it comes to small fittings, and often more so. Metal-headed spring buffers, separate hand rails and hand rail knobs, safety valves and whistle are among the individual components fitted to the model.

The cab back head is equipped with separate regulator, brake and reversing

Wheels and couplings A two-position draw bar couples the tender to the engine, and can be adjusted to close-couple them together.

Front and rear couplings are fitted to NEM coupling pockets which can be removed from the front if the coupling and brake pipe detail is to be fitted.

The supplied snow plough has an NEM swallow tail fitting which can be plugged directly into the NEM pocket.

Wheels are well defined with neat spoke detail, allowing the frames to be seen behind them. Brake gear is assembled as separate fittings including brake shoes correctly aligned with the wheel tread, as are the sanding gear pipes.

Current is collected through wiper pick-ups acting on the rear of the wheel tyre on both the engine and tender, with a power linkage between the two. The wiring can be disconnected by pulling out the miniature plug from the socket located under the tender. An eight-pin DCC interface is located in the tender with sufficient room for a standard-sized or HO/OO decoder and speaker if sound is to be fitted.

Performance The 185g of weight in the engine gives the Hornby J36 model a surprising amount of haulage power for such a small locomotive – more than enough for local goods traffic and short coal trains. As we have come to expect from Hornby, the model runs smoothly with no noise from the pick-ups or clicking from the coupling rods. The wheels are concentric, resulting in a smooth-running model which worked through Peco turnouts and hand-built OO track without any difficulties. The mechanism built into

gine and tender tog gether which has two coup pling g positions,, one to allow close coup pling g.

A metal drawbar connects the eng

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the engine is quiet and smooth, with an excellent slow start and controllable characteristics, making the model ideal for slow operations and shunting.

Livery An even and dense coat of black has been applied to the model of BR No. 65311, which is smooth and with excellent coverage over raised detail, which is an important point for a model with the engine body composed primarily of die-cast metal. There are no signs of rubbing along any of the edges of the die-cast body, and the black finish is consistent on both the body and other plastic mouldings.

Small details are painted separately, and even the most cursory glance in the cab will reveal a lot of careful finishing of the back head details.

Lettering is sharp, of the correct size and colour, being very neatly printed, particularly the Haig lettering on the middle wheel splasher. Below it is a beautifully printed works plate, while the 64A shed plate for St Margaret’s (Edinburgh) is applied to the front of the locomotive.

The overall finish is pristine, with no weathering, which will allow modellers to renumber the model with ease provided the specific details applied to it match – there being many variations between J36 locomotives. For example, in its last years of operation, No. 65311 was fitted with a tender cab demonstrating that the Hornby J36 offers numerous opportunities for customisation.

Overall Hornby has produced a beautiful model of a workaday locomotive type which runs well, with a smooth action that will suit slow operations and shunting. It has a quality feel about it thanks to the metal buffers, fine detail and weight attributed to the finely die-cast superstructure.

The same attention to detail has been extended to the tender, with its fine coal rails and the stand-alone details which adorn the model from smokebox to the back of the tender. Small engines are a real treat, and often make the most compelling of models. The Hornby J36 certainly fits that category well.

This very attractive model is the result of careful design and use of materials to give it a fine appearance and excellent running qualities.

MODEL DETAILS:

NBR Class C, LNER J36 Class in rebuilt BR condition.

Manufacturer: Hornby Hobbies Ltd. Scale: 4mm (1:76) scale, OO gauge.

Era: 1948 to mid-1960s (BR condition rebuilt J36 locomotives).

Web: www.hornby.com Suggested retail price: £139.95.

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March 2019

in What's the shops

Triple-pack treats from Accurascale



Nigel Burkin reviews Accurascale’s triple-pack TOPS ‘HUO’ and NCB internal-user OO-scale HOP24 wagons.

N

ew packs of the widely acclaimed Accurascale BR HOP24 hopper wagons were released last November, providing 1970s and 1980s modellers with TOPS coded versions of the wagons. Each of the six packs has three individually numbered wagons in unfitted grey livery with TOPS markings and patched details.

The wagons featured in this review are from Set J (ACC1016-HUO-J) with individually finished HUO wagons numbered B334539, B334576 and B335532.

The second triple pack represents the wagons as NCB internal-users, with three wagons based on those at Onllwyn Colliery, where they survived until the mid-1990s. All three NCB models are finished in plain dark grey livery, including the hopper, underframes, NEM coupling pockets and slimline tension lock couplings. Each one is individually numbered, including 099, OE73069 and OE73081, and in common with previous releases, the models fit in the super-detailed category with fine but robust construction involving large numbers of individual components and a delicately tooled underframe.

All of the models are offered in pristine condition – perfect for some weathering fun with coal and rust colours. They would benefit from a load to add some weight to the models, too.

Each pack of three wagons is priced at £59.95 and they are available through the Accurascale website.

MODEL DETAILS:

1. The BR HOP24 24.5t hopper wagon is issued by Accurascale in the form of NCB internal-user wagons in dark grey livery and TOPS coded HUOs in unfitted grey dating from the 1970s and 1980s.

‘HUO’ and NCB 24.5t hopper wagons.

Manufacturer: Accurascale.

Scale: 1:76 scale, OO gauge.

Era: 1973 to mid-1980s (HUO).

Mid-1980s to mid-1990s (NCB).

2. Each pack consists of three individually numbered models in pristine condition and with specific livery markings and details.

Web: Accurascale.co.uk Suggested retail prices: £59.95.



Cavalex Models aims high with Redland land PGA wagon debut A well-detailed OO-gauge Redland PGA aggregate hopper wagon has given the brand new Cavalex Models range a flying start, writes Nigel Burkin.

C

avalex Models, a new name in diesel and electric modelling in OO and N gauges, has a number of wagon models in development that have never been produced in any scale as ready-to-run models – and the range promises to be an exciting one if its first release is anything to go by.

Not content to debut with a simple wagon design, it went for a complex four-wheel air-braked aggregate hopper wagon, the Standard Wagon PG012A design which was built in several batches for aggregate traffic from the large Mountsorrel quarry railhead located alongside the Midland main line south of Loughborough. 

The first operator was Redland Aggregates, followed by Lafarge Aggregates after its acquisition of the Redland group in 1997. The wagons were built between 1978 and 1980 and numbered 14750-80 and 14800-39. They remain in use after being sold to DB Schenker, sometimes being found in sand traffic originating from Cliffe in Kent to depots in the south-east.

The model is made up of two main assemblies – the hopper, composed of several plastic sections to make up its complex shape, and a die-cast underframe into which the hopper is fitted between the solebars in the same

manner as the full-sized wagons.

Use of die-cast metal for the main underframe unit provides a great deal of much-needed weight in a model with little space to accommodate separate ballast weights. The underframe is detailed, with small plastic mouldings for the Gloucester suspension units, air-brake equipment and the discharge chute door mechanisms including the air-operated rams.

The brake shoes are fitted in a position where they appear to be in line with the OO-gauge wheels, but will also help with fitting ‘EM’ and ‘P4’ wheel sets too. NEM coupling pockets are fitted neatly between the wheels, together with close-coupling cams.

Etched walkways and ladders are fitted to the ends of the hopper with plastic safety rails around the top of each. Inside the hopper are the internal strengthening ribs and chute dividing panel in the bottom which is cast from metal for added weight.

The first two models to be released

by Cavalex Models are neatly finished in Redland Aggregates green and the post-1997 Lafarge Aggregates white, both with neatly-printed logos and data panels.

Both models are finished in pristine condition, leaving it to the modeller to weather them with rusting, aggregate dust and slurry staining!

The high standard set by this first release bodes well for the forthcoming BBA air-braked steel carrier and ‘N’ gauge Standard Wagon PGA.



 3. REDA 14803 is finished in the Lafarge Aggregates white that was applied after 1997. Printed detail is very neatly done including the TOPS data panels and legends applied to the black solebars.

4. The Cavalex Models Standard Wagon PG012A PGAs are complex wagons with numerous small fittings such as inspection platforms, access ladders and underframe footsteps. Shown is No REDA 14784 in Redland green livery.

5. This view shows the end bracing that supports the sloped part of the hopper, together with the access platforms and ladders.

March 2019

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March 2019

Product Review

KPF Zellerr rolling road for O gauge How do we test large-scale locomotives submitted for review such as the Heljan 43XX Class locom motive?

With a workbench rolling road, of course!

L

arge-scale models are collected by a lot of modellers who don’t have a layout on which to operate them, and that sometimes applies to the compilation of reviews here in the studio.

This is where the rolling road plays an important role in the testing, checking and running-in of models such as the recently reviewed Heljan ‘Large Prairie’ and 43XX Class locomotives.

KPF Zeller offers a fixed-rail rolling road for O gauge which is easy to set up on the workbench and provides the perfect static testing bed for large-scale models.

The featured KPF Zeller rolling road consists of three parallel rods – two outer support rods and one smaller inner rod with spacers at the end and in the middle, keeping the rods parallel to each other. Roller units or brackets sit neatly between the rods, with the roller axles resting on the rod for electrical conductivity and to support the roller brackets.

Power is supplied to each rod through a simple plug-and-socket arrangement at the end of the rolling road. The middle rod is provided not only for stability of the unit, but to supply power for three-rail O-gauge models too.

When it comes to testing O-gauge locomotives for reviewing, a KPF Zeller rolling road has proved invaluable.

Power can be any convventional model railway supply, inccluding traditional analogue, DCC C and AC power.

Each roller bracket con nsists of an insulating block of hard and durable plastic fitted with two rolllers on each side which rotate on steel axles. Each one is positioned under a wheel of the locomotive, and power iss conducted from the side rails through to the wheels via the axles and the rollers themselves.

When a tender is fitted with pick-ups, that too must be in contact with track power through roller brackets to represent the full current collection arrangement the model would use when operated on a layoutt.

Care is taken to ensure that the model is seated firmly on the rollers before applying power, and this shou uld be done gradually from a slow crawll up to the desired testing speed (usuaally half-speed for running-in). During review testing (and running-in) on a rolling road, we check the model foor any signs of binding, smoothness of the motion and irregularities in the drivving wheels. Noises from the drive train and motor are also noted to see if anyth hing sounds out of place. Testing ceases immediately a problem is detected.

Power is distributed to the roller brackets, the devices the locomotive sits on, through side rails and a centre rail. The rolling road can be provided with any conventional model railway power supply, including DCC and conventional analogue.

he O-gauge and d OO/HO-gauge KPF Th Zeller rolling roads are seen side by side. Note that the roller brackets are easy to slide along its length in the simple but durable design.

g?

Why use a rolling road for testing While Wh h e a locomotive may be run round a layoutt for testing, it is not easy to observ rve ve it as itt runs through less accessible places..

Layou ut testing is important when it can be underrtaken to see how well a modell runs through turnouts and curves, but much can bee determined about the quality of a mechaanism by watching a model take a turn on a rolling road on the workbench. You can watch every move and study the motion and mechanism at all times, and from close range too, and corrective action can be taken quickkly l if the model looks as if it is likely to bin nd.

Thee KPF Zeller rolling road is different from the saddle type in being a self-contained unit, and is one of several types used in the studioo for locomotive testing. The roller brackeets are well engineered, and the overall qual alit l ty is excellent and durable – it will last manyy years with careful use and storage betw twe ween testing sessions. However, with the increaasing popularity of O gauge, and the propoosed range of new models by Heljan and Dapool, I think the KPF Zeller unit will see a great deal of use in the next few years.

KPPF Zeller O-gauge rolling roads are disstributed in the UK through Ten Commandments Models (tencoommandmentsmodels.co.uk) and are availabble in three lengths including a short one su uitable for tank engines and shunting locom motives – not everyone has main line 4-6-0 0s to test! Spare roller brackets are also available to add to an existing rolling road.

March 2019

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WHAT'S IN THE SHOPS | 11

 1. The roller brackets are moved along the side rails to match up with the wheel positions of the model being tested.

PRODUCT DETAILS:

O-gauge rolling road PRICES: Extra long: £110.

Standard: £99.

Small: £70.

2. When the tender is fitted with pick-ups, it is useful to place that on roller brackets too to ensure power is collected along the length of the locomotive as if it was being run on a layout.

3. Care is taken to seat the driving wheels on the roller brackets before power is gently applied to get the test under way. The model may then be observed at leisure at the comfort of the work bench.

Manufactured by KPF Zeller.



Distributed by Ten Commandments Models. tencommandmentsmodels.co.uk

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Letters✉

March 2019

Brrr! It’s cold out there!

During the recent cold snap, reader Yan Leach sent us these photos of his fictional Scottish wintry model railway layout, ‘Kilbreck/Inverdun’ which he built using Scenic Snowflakes and Shovelled Snow products from Deluxe Materials.

After first applying the same company’s Scenic Spray Glue, he scattered the Scenic Snowflakes over the scene before re-covering it with the glue and adding the Shovelled Snow to form drifts and ploughs. After a final spraying with the glue, some Icy Sparkles completed the picture.

A Land Rover comes up to the railway crossing barriers in a convincing wintry scene on Yan’s layout.

Crowded model railway exhibitions are not for me

This bird’s eye view of part of the London Model Engineering Exhibition in the magnificent Alexandra Palace, which took place from January 18-20, gives a good idea of its wide scope.

Model engineering excellence at big Alexandra Palace exhibition Visitors from far and wide flocked to Alexandra Palace from January 18-20 to attend the 23rd annual London Model Engineering Exhibition.

With more than 2000 models on show, the whole spectrum of model engineering was covered, from steam locomotives, traction engines and ships to modern remote-controlled models including trucks and aircraft.

Showgoers could travel between the different zones, trying out various ‘hands-on’ activities and watching absorbing technical demonstrations.

Almost 50 clubs and societies competed for the prestigious Society Shield, voted for by the clubs and societies themselves, and this year’s winner was the Chelmsford Society of Model Engineers, followed by the West London Meccano Society and Maidstone Model Engineering Society.

Next year’s Ally Pally event will take place from January 17-19, and the next big model engineering

show to be presented by Meridienne Exhibitions Ltd will be the Midlands Model Engineering Exhibition at the Warwickshire

Event Centre in Leamington Spa from October 17-20.

For more details, visit www. midlandsmodelengineering.co.uk .

I have to agree with Simon James regarding visiting the Warley show last November.

I stopped going for similar reasons even though I’m only a 90-minute rail journey away.

It was/is not possible for me to get there for the early let-in, and the sheer problem of actually getting to see layouts is becoming very difficult.

However I feel that Warley is not alone in this problem, and do wonder whether some

of the modelling clubs are taking on venues that are too large.

I did visit the Manchester show, but was able to get there just as it opened, although it also suffers from the ‘backpack brigade’.

I’m not sure what the answer is, but I’m now giving the big exhibitions a miss while supporting some smaller clubs’ shows, where I can at least see the layouts.

Clive Taylor, Crewe

What a truly amazing cityscape layout!

Superb! Superb! Superb! How else can one describe Roy James’s O-scale layout (RMM February)? I found five videos on YouTube all showing his amazing creation, and how he ever managed to do all that in 20 years I don’t know, because I’m sure it would have taken me 10 times as long!

I particularly liked the video scene of Victoria Street station, where one could not only see, but also hear, the trains coming and going, accompanied by announcements, the occasional blue flash of the pickups on the rail, and at the end

of the platforms and further along the track the colour light signals all working in unison with the train movements.

A combination of eight- and nine-coach trains passing through the lifelike cityscape, the very realistic fairground and other cameo scenes left me wanting more. What a shame (but understandably so) this is not open to the public, who in my opinion would find it better than some of the exhibitions we can attend.

Eddie Lund, Dumfries

Completing the ‘Devon Belle’ Pullman

This large continental railway layout with an electric theme drew large crowds of admirers.

In last month’s issue of RMM was a feature about Hornby’s ‘Devon Belle’ observation coach with the heading ‘A complete Devon Belle model at last!’

I feel the headline is misleading as I have one of the cars that was purchased at the same time as the train and coach packs, and I have been able to run a

good-length train on the club layout.

Mike Hillman, Email I’ve looked into this, Mike, and can confirm that the writer was referring only to the completion of his own ‘Devon Belle’ train. – Editor.

March 2019

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VISIT - www.classicmagazines.co.uk /rmm4 CALL - 01507 529529 QUOTE: RMM4 EXPIRES: 31/03/19 * FOLLOWED BY £15 EVERY 12 MONTHS BY CONTINUOUS DIRECT DEBIT

March 2019

NEWS

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Darstaed Finescale BR Mk 1 suburbans from Ellis Clark One of the recently announced Set A packs of Darstaed Finescale O-gauge BR 57ft suburban coaches comprising two brake seconds (BS), a single second (S) class and a composite with lavatory (CL) is expected during the first quarter of this year, and is available to preorder at £665 from Ellis Clark Trains of Skipton, North Yorkshire.

This pack of coaches is based on a prototypical set-up seen regularly during the British Railways era, and makes a perfect starting base for adding more single coaches at a later date.

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Single coaches also ready to order are a composite first/third with corridor; a first/third composite with corridor and lavatory (CL); a brake second with secondclass compartments and a brake end (BS); an open second (SO); an open second with lavatory (SLO); and a second with compartments (S). Each will be available at £169.

The coaches will be available in maroon (lined and unlined), crimson and blue.

To pre-order or find out more, please contact Ellis Clark Trains, Unit 1, Toller Court, Shortbank Road, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 2HG.

This is a T1 sample of the Darstaed BR 57ft brake second in lined maroon.

For th hose who prefer blue, this is what the secon nd class op pen coach looks like e in that livery.

Tappers Gauge O group celebrates first 10 years

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the Tappers model railway group that operates mainly vintage Gauge O trains in Bromley, Kent utilising a wide selection of makes including Bassett-Lowke, Hornby, Leeds and Bing, has produced a full-colour 44-page booklet. It costs £4.40 including postage and looks back over the decade and the societies that have been associated with the group, along with its ‘Out and About’ days and some charity fundraising at the Brighton Toy & Train Museum.

While most of the trains exhibited and run are vintage Gauge O, modern tinplate is also run, and recently a vintage Gauge-1 railway was exhibited.

Compiled by Graham Lock, Gerry Tryhorn and Steve Webb, with help from other Tappers, the booklet can be bought at the forthcoming Sandown Park, Orpington Toy Fair and South East Gauge O Group events or you can email grhmlock@yahoo.co.uk to receive a copy by post.

Mini dioramas from Peedie Models Just right for those hard-to-fill corners on any model railway layout are N-scale mini dioramas of palisade fencing with a selection of items including oil drums, marker cones and pallets, and a charming almshouse scene from Peedie Modelss.

They can be ordered through sales@peediemodels.com, and more information about these and other products can bee found at www.peediemodels.com.

The Orkney-based company is also the UK distributor for Fun To Do 3D printer resins.

Open day at Leamington & Warwick Model Railway Society’s Clubhouse The Leamington & Warwick Model Railway Society’s annual Clubhouse Open Day at New House Farm, Knightcote, Southam, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV47 2EQ, will take place on Saturday, March 16 from 11am until 4pm.

Going for 44 years with almost 100 members from Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Coventry and much further afield, the club has seven layouts in N, OO, EM, P4 and O gauges which appear regularly on the exhibition circuit and among the pages of the model railway press.

Visitors are welcome to go along to the Thursday

evening club nights from 7.30pm, and can be assured of a warm welcome, with plenty of interest for all levels of modelling skill or just an opportunity to chat with members or browse through the extensive club library.

The spacious clubroom facilities allow groups to model in most scales including Finescale, and there’s plenty of room to allow all group layouts to be operational, and for members to work on development projects as well.

The clubrooms are situated on the outskirts of Leamington Spa, close to junction 12 of the M40.

These tiny N-scale almshouse cottages, complete wiith gates, stone walls and small garden areas, are now availa able from Peedie e Models.

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March 2019

Model Review

An all-metal Irrish masterpiece A fine model of the once-numerous Great Southern & Weste ern Railway of Ireland Class 101 0-6-0 steam locomotives has been released by OO Works – and it has all the feel of a quality hand-built product, writes Nigel Burkin.

T

he most numerous steam locomotive class to run in Ireland was the Class 101 0-6-0 tender goods engine designed by Alexander McDonnell for the Great Southern & Western Railway (GS&WR) and constructed between 1866 and 1903.

Records indicate that the first locomotive was a rebuild of an earlier 0-4-2 locomotive which eventually became a member of the class. The first new build locomotive was started in 1867, and the end total was 119 locomotives, including rebuilds. Some records indicate that the fleet total was 111, but other records suggest that this was because there was never more than that in service at any one time during their long working lives.

Most of the locomotives were built at the GS&WR’s works at Inchicore, the rest being constructed by outside contractors such as Beyer Peacock. As is usual with large fleets of long-lived locomotives, the Class 101 received numerous changes over the years, including rebuilding with new boilers and the fitting of Belpaire fireboxes and superheating. Tenders also varied, with both the superheated locomotives and those with round-top fireboxes receiving larger tenders with more modern underframes and springing fitted to the side of the frames.

Many round-top boiler engines retained the original small tender with outside springing on the side of the tender above the frames.

Such was the success of the locomotives that they passed into CIÉ (Córas Iompair Éireann) ownership in 1945, and almost half the fleet remained in service when CIÉ completed its dieselisation programme in 1964.

Two locomotives have been preserved, one of each type. These are No 184, a round-top firebox locomotive that was once paired with a larger 3345-gallon tender, and No 186, a superheated, Belpaire firebox version that is also matched to a large tender.

No 184 starred in the 1978 British film The First Great Train Robbery, distributed by United Artists and starring

Sean Connery, Donald Sutherland and Leslie-Anne Down.

Liveries are an interesting subject, because the class spent most of its life in unadorned mid-grey livery with red buffer beams, as represented by the review model. Grey became standard after 1910, replacing lined black and, before that, the original GS&WR dark olive green.

The plain grey livery survived into CIÉ ownership until the withdrawal of the class, with the colour being applied over the whole locomotive, including the frames and tender chassis. CIÉ introduced light yellow numerals that were applied to the cab sides and the front buffer beam, with a pale green ‘flying snail’ logo applied to the tender sides.

Records indicate that a couple of locomotives were finished in plain black

by CIÉ with the same ‘flying snail’ logo and numerals.

The model OO Works offers the Class 101 in two liveries: CIÉ grey and black, the latter in response to customer requests. It represents the round-top firebox variant with a small tender with the external springing on the tender sides. Transfers are supplied allowing the customer to choose from locomotive numbers 109, 131, 162 and 195.

Body and tender The model is of metal construction throughout, including the engine and tender. Small parts and components are also of metal, including the hand rails, knobs, pipework, chimney, dome and cab detailing. The engine itself has the characteristic gap below the wheel splashers and at the front of the engine behind buffer beams where the end of the inside cylinders are located. A small gap is also present between the boiler and locomotive frames.

It has the feel of a hand-built model, which is close to the mark when assembly pictures on the OO Works website are studied. Detail in the cast body sections is well defined, including boiler bands and areas such as the wheel splashers.

The model is supplied with transfers that allow the modeller to choose from four different numbers.

The tender shares the same properties, with the chassis details being nicely cast, together with the coal, load and tool box detail. Like the engine, the tender has wire hand rails, separate lamp irons and vacuum pipe. Overall, the assembly of the body sections is neatly done, resulting in a heavy and durable model where the engine itself tips the scales at 215g, giving it good haulage power.

Wheels, electrics and couplings Romford wheels are fitted, with live wheels on one side and insulated on the opposite side with current transmitted to the chassis through the axle and bushes, avoiding the need for unsightly current collection pick-up strip. It is a tried and trusted conventional analogue system of collecting current from one side in the engine and from the opposite side in the tender.

A wire linking the tender chassis to the motor in the engine completes the circuit, and a plastic drawbar prevents a short circuit between the two underframe assemblies which have opposing power polarity. DCC installation would require some care with the metal body and manner in which the wiring is set up.

While on the subject of wheels, there is no room behind the wheel splashers or running plate to accommodate 21mm gauge wheels (5ft 3in gauge) unless some surgery is undertaken to this area of the model.

Couplings are of the standard OO-gauge tension lock type, screwed directly to the locomotive and tender frames. Should screw link couplings be desired, the couplings are easily unscrewed from the model. For those who like alternative NEM compatible couplings, it should be noted that NEM coupling pockets are not fitted.

FEATURES OF THE MODEL: ■ All-metal construction including the tender.

■ Coreless motor fitted to the engine.

■ Eight-pin DCC interface located in the tender.

■ Current collection in the tender and locomotive with electrical linkage between the two.

■ Tension lock couplings screwed to the frames.

■ Prototypical gap between frames and boiler.

■ Sprung buffers.

■ Separate whistle and safety-valve detail.

■ Detailed cab and back head.

■ Flush glazing applied to the cab front.

■ Brake details fitted in line with the driving wheels.

■ Length: 178mm over the buffers.

■ Weight including tender: 300g.

MODEL DETAILS: Great Southern and Western Railway Class 101 (CIÉ J15) 0-6-0 goods locomotive.

Manufacturer: OO Works.

Scale: 4mm (1:76) scale, OO gauge.

The e open-b back cab is s seen witth itts backhead detailing.

Era: Built 1876-1903.

Rebuilt locomotives survived until 1963/4.

Web: www.ooworks.co.uk Suggested retail price: £295.00

Two liveries are available -- CIÉ black and the common all-over grey with yellow markings and pale green ‘flying snail’ logo as shown in this picture.