Focalplane
Western Thunderer
I have to admit some trepidation at taking on this kit, but having built two MOK kits I felt reasonably qualified. The good news is that Tony Geary and others have tackled the kit and they all say the parts fit. That in itself is a major advantage!
I have nearly finished the Type 1 (de-streamlined) tender but ran out of beading (by 1 centimeter) but now I have the necessary beading inside the box containing the kit for the locomotive so the tender should be completed and primed within 2 weeks. I plan to start the loco soon but first there will be a visit to the Birmingham Science Museum (Thinktank) next Tuesday morning to see my prototype!
Heck, I'm a Brummie who grew up in the Jewellery Quarter so there is only one Big Lizzie or Semi I could possibly model. 46235 City of Birmingham. I first copped it while trespassing inside Crewe North Shed, but my real love affair started when it arrived at the Science Museum on Newhall Street and as that was on the way from the centre of Town to the family business on Legge Lane, and the entrance was free, well, who could possibly resist.
Over on the Gauge O Guild forum there has been a slight remark that 46235 should not have been preserved when 46245 was destined to the scrap merchant. Londoners needed to try harder says the Brummie in me, and I am married to a Londoner! All the photos I have found of 46235 during the BR years show that is was well looked after at Crewe and there must be a good reason why BR offered this loco to its home city rather than others to theirs. Though I have no idea quite why this did happen. There were plenty of other Cities that could have petitioned to have the one City to be preserved, but they didn't.
I am slowly accumulating a rake of 8 ex-LMS Sidelines coaches to form a train behind 46235 that would emulate the "unofficial" Birmingham Scot. I have 5 so far in various degrees of build and these will be described on a separate workbench thread.
Don't expect a blow by blow account - I will show results rather than procedures unless asked - as I have found that sitting at the computer slows down my productivity - but isn't that happening the world over?
Best regards, Paul
I have nearly finished the Type 1 (de-streamlined) tender but ran out of beading (by 1 centimeter) but now I have the necessary beading inside the box containing the kit for the locomotive so the tender should be completed and primed within 2 weeks. I plan to start the loco soon but first there will be a visit to the Birmingham Science Museum (Thinktank) next Tuesday morning to see my prototype!
Heck, I'm a Brummie who grew up in the Jewellery Quarter so there is only one Big Lizzie or Semi I could possibly model. 46235 City of Birmingham. I first copped it while trespassing inside Crewe North Shed, but my real love affair started when it arrived at the Science Museum on Newhall Street and as that was on the way from the centre of Town to the family business on Legge Lane, and the entrance was free, well, who could possibly resist.
Over on the Gauge O Guild forum there has been a slight remark that 46235 should not have been preserved when 46245 was destined to the scrap merchant. Londoners needed to try harder says the Brummie in me, and I am married to a Londoner! All the photos I have found of 46235 during the BR years show that is was well looked after at Crewe and there must be a good reason why BR offered this loco to its home city rather than others to theirs. Though I have no idea quite why this did happen. There were plenty of other Cities that could have petitioned to have the one City to be preserved, but they didn't.
I am slowly accumulating a rake of 8 ex-LMS Sidelines coaches to form a train behind 46235 that would emulate the "unofficial" Birmingham Scot. I have 5 so far in various degrees of build and these will be described on a separate workbench thread.
Don't expect a blow by blow account - I will show results rather than procedures unless asked - as I have found that sitting at the computer slows down my productivity - but isn't that happening the world over?
Best regards, Paul