4mm Llanfair ....

[LarryG]

I will miss the 0 gauge locos and track, but not the prospect of building coaches and erecting a return loop outside the shed. After loads of planning since 11th August, the loose bits of 00 gauge track now form a permanent way! It's a start...



Except for the mountainous backscene, It bears an uncanny resemblance to the Llanfair of two years ago haha ...


Scenery at Llanfyllin...

 

[LarryG]

Rain stopped play so I got on with building a new signalbox that more closely resembles the one at Llanfyllin. The kit is by Rail Model for Llansantfriad just two stations down the line from Llanfyllin. I've raised its height by several brick courses and have built it as intended with steps at the LH end. It is a very small model and conversion to RH steps is beyond my patience even though I did it in 7mm....


This afternoons work.....Track weathered down using a spraygun and rails painted with Phoenix P977 'rusty rails'.....

 

[LarryG]

This latest signal box might not even be used, but was built because I enjoy building 'em. It is probably the smallest box on offer in the model scales and is shown against the Intentio Barmouth box, which itself is very small. Currently being sprayed.....

 

[Phil O]

Hi Larry,

That sweeping curve improves the whole look of the layout, compared to the original straight lines.

 

[LarryG]

The 4mm Llansantfraid signalbox was finished today. As I mentioned earlier, it was built several bricks higher than designed. The building itself minus steps is only 1½ inches wide...



The fine decorative Cambrian bargeboard trim is courtesy Phil at Intentio, although there is some on thicker material in the kit...


The roof drops on over the chimney stack and has been left removable...

 

[Captain Kernow]

Lovely work, Larry. That signal box really does say 'Llanfyllin branch'.

 

[LarryG]

In case it's planted on the platform, I didn't want the Bobby falling headlong onto the track, so a new staircase was fitted.

EDIT 1st October 2023 : : Decided to use this model at ground level. Methinks it needs a locking room door...!

 

[paulc]

In case it's planted on the platform, I didn't want the Bobby falling headlong onto the track, so a new staircase was fitted.

EDIT 1st October 2023 : : Decided to use this model at ground level. Methinks it needs a locking room door...!

View attachment 196985

Nice work Larry , oh and the door is at the rear , maybe?

 

[MoatLane]

I had the same thought about the locking room door (often not modelled). Then I wondered if access to the locking room was through a trap-door in the floor above?

 

[LarryG]

The new Hornby BR Standard Cl.2 2-6-0. A very good friend of mine diverted his pre-order to my collection (again ~ lucky me) and it arrived today.

On test, it runs very smoothly with no waddle and is a smooth-slow runner on DC. I have left the vac & steam pipes off seeing as they would foul the couplings. The downside is Hornby has barely reproduced the bevel rim wheels.

All-in-all though, a very pleasing model for which I am truly grateful. The earliest batches went straight to the Cambrian...

 

[Captain Kernow]

Looks extremely fine. I'm also very much tempted by one of these, Larry, but I may wait for the lined green one.

But were all the ones used in Mid Wales actually in the black livery as per yours, does anyone know? Thanks.

 

[LarryG]

I seem to remember some were green on the Cambs. This colour would have been applied after 1956.

 

[NHY 581]

They really are stunning. I've had a good look over one and it looks to be one of Hornby’s best ever, if not the best loco of there's to date.

Looks like 78000-78009 were allocated to Oswestry, spending differing lengths of time there or there abouts with most transferred away from 1953 onwards.

78010 went to West Auckland from new and stayed away from Wales throughout.

Rob.

 

[oldravendale]

I wish this one was in colour! It was taken on a glorious day on my box-type camera, a Kodak Duaflex II.

I took this at Swindon in May 1959 on my first ever railway trip. I'm pretty certain the loco was in green and clearly just ex-works and probably on a running in turn - I remember it making an impression on me because I'd never seen any locos of this class previously. They later became quite common at Willesden. This one is 78007, shed code 89C, Machynlleth.



Brian

 

[LarryG]

Thanks for the photo Brian. Green yes.

 

[Captain Kernow]

I know that 78006 was used by Gloucester shed for a Forest of Dean trip on one occasion, but couldn't cope with the ballast load on the Coleford branch gradients and had to be rescued by a pannier on the adjacent Cinderford goods working!

 

[tanatvalley]

According to RCTS Standards book:
On delivery 78000-78009 for WR all lined black, 12/52 to 3/53. Also 10 in. numerals compared to 8 in. From early 1957 WR applied Brunswick Green livery as they went through works for overhaul. So 78000 unlined green as well as 1/3/4/7, lined were 78005/6/8/9.

Alan

 

[Captain Kernow]

So 78000 unlined green as well as 1/3/4/7, lined were 78005/6/8/9.

Thanks, that's interesting.
So Hornby have got the livery of 78006 right, by the looks of it (lined green).

 

[NHY 581]

This is from that most excellent site, BR Database.

BRDatabase, locomotive allocations, withdrawals and scrapping details in the UK

Locomotive history, railway statistics, steam, diesel and electric locomotives UK

www.brdatabase.info

Rob

 

[PaulM]

Thanks, that's interesting.
So Hornby have got the livery of 78006 right, by the looks of it (lined green).

At the end of its life, in 1965, 78006 seems to have been either in black or *very* grimy and faded green (cf Neil Parkhouse's West Gloucester & Wye Valley Lines Vol 1). There's also a photo of 78004 in nicely clean, unlined green, in 1962, in the same volume; but by 1965 photos of it on the Nailsworth branch show it to be in the same grimy state as 78006. Were they reliveried in black in their last years, or just allowed to get ever filthier?