7mm Pencarrow - Cornish BR(S)

Reader mode
Pencarrow

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
Dave Holt said:
And very nice it is, too. All that time and effort is definitely worth while. It'll almost be a shame to paint it and cover all the different materials and mods to the moulded stonework.
I noticed that the prototype bridge you illustrated some while back (post 3246) had some red brick repairs to the stonework, which i thought added and interesting variation. Probably a bit too recent for your chosen period?
Dave.
Click to expand...

Funnily enough, I was just pondering that very conundrum. The repairs do look like relatively new brick and I can't see evidence of it to that extent in period photos. I may however sneak a little bit in just for giggles.

The arch bridge does have some brick repairs but that's an older structure and there did seem to be some evidence of repairs in period photos. Including some should help show the difference ages of the two bridges.
 
Pencarrow

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
Well the sale of all my BR(S) 00 stuff is continuing and, from some of the funds, I've made a purchase that I was toying with for some time. A BR 3MT tank in green. 82030 was seen on the North Cornwall Railway and in Wadebridge and Padstow, so it's not too big a leap for it to have got to my imaginary Pencarrow.

Straight out of the box and it looks lovely.

PXL_20250226_085410265.jpgPXL_20250226_085429251.jpgPXL_20250226_085522802.jpgPXL_20250226_085623133.jpg
 
LarryG

LarryG

Western Thunderer
The new BR Cl.3 tank does look rather nice. The model looked to me a rather odd choice until I considered it was following on from a number of GWR locos and so was entering a very receptive market.

I have memories of them arriving on the Cambrian Coast looking clean and shiny, which kind of helped counter the irritation that they were replacing GWR locos. But within a few short years, they were on carriage shunting duties around Manchester and looking decidedly weathered, a condition that never sat well on this class.
 
Pencarrow

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
LarryG said:
The new BR Cl.3 tank does look rather nice. The model looked to me a rather odd choice until I considered it was following on from a number of GWR locos and so was entering a very receptive market.

I have memories of them arriving on the Cambrian Coast looking clean and shiny, which kind of helped counter the irritation that they were replacing GWR locos. But within a few short years, they were on carriage shunting duties around Manchester and looking decidedly weathered, a condition that never sat well on this class.
Click to expand...

Good morning Larry,

I think the 3MT, and the 45xx and Ivatt 2MT, are a sound choice from Dapol and there are plenty of 7mm layouts that a small 2-6-2 tank will suit. Just a putty that the SR had nothing really in this category to slot into the Dapol programme. Probably the closest equivalent would be the O2 or M7 tanks, but they are both 0-4-4s.

The benefit of the 3MT is that they were seen all over the place, so a reasonably wide market of modellers. The 45xx sits nicely in the historically large GWR branch line market but has limited potential outside that. The Ivatt is another good looking loco, and one I have my eye on as they were seen down along the Wadebridge to Bodmin North line.

My 3MT will be seeing some grime, suitable for the early 60s, but not as horrifically unkempt as some of the class.
 
simond

simond

Western Thunderer
Pencarrow said:
Fingers crossed I'm on my way across to Kettering G0G do tomorrow. Hopefully will see a few folk there.
Click to expand...
Chris,

I hope it’s a great show and you and all our pals have a great time.

Rather than face a seventy quid return four hour each way train & bus ride, I’ve elected for a lie-in, and a bit of modelling.

i can’t help thinking that all the things I’d like to buy will be unbelievable bargains on the BnB…

atb
Simon

ps, I’ve printed your pickups, I’ll pop them in the post.
 
Pencarrow

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
simond said:
Chris,

I hope it’s a great show and you and all our pals have a great time.

Rather than face a seventy quid return four hour each way train & bus ride, I’ve elected for a lie-in, and a bit of modelling.

i can’t help thinking that all the things I’d like to buy will be unbelievable bargains on the BnB…

atb
Simon

ps, I’ve printed your pickups, I’ll pop them in the post.
Click to expand...

Given the transport issues and time I don't blame you for not coming but I'll miss our planned chat. Thank you for printing the pickups, much appreciated Simon. :thumbs:

I'll probably spend the day walking past people I know from here and having no idea. I need a set of special AI glasses that identifies people and displays there name. Would be very useful at work too. :))
 
Yorkshire Dave

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
Pencarrow said:
I think the 3MT, and the 45xx and Ivatt 2MT, are a sound choice from Dapol and there are plenty of 7mm layouts that a small 2-6-2 tank will suit. Just a putty that the SR had nothing really in this category to slot into the Dapol programme. Probably the closest equivalent would be the O2 or M7 tanks, but they are both 0-4-4s.
Click to expand...

If Dapol were to add a SR equivalent to the 3MT, 45xx and Ivatt 2MT stable they would have to produce one from each of the SR constituents as they remained fairly partisan. In general M7's remained on the ex-LSWR lines, H's on the ex-SECR lines with both of these appearing on ex-LBSCR lines. The ideal stable companion would be a N as these became widely used on BR(S) west country and other western section local services. Central and Eastern sections were mainly electrified and outlying local services, before closure, plodded on with the older steam locos or succumbing to diesels.

I suspect in reality the SR didn't need to design a 2-6-2T or similar as they had plenty of small tank engines (e.g. LSWR M7, SECR H, LBSCR E tanks) displaced by electrification.

I have read if WWII hadn't intervened the SR plans were to continue mainline and suburban electrification; and under Bulleid, reduce their steam classes to around four standard types to cover the remaining goods and (mainly the outlying west country) passenger services.
 
Pencarrow

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
simond said:
Buy it on eBay. I have most of a litre in the garage, cost about £15.

this seems the chespest today

www.ebay.co.uk

SHL 500ml pure Methyl Ethyl Ketone MEK Butanone | eBay

For full item description.
www.ebay.co.uk
Click to expand...

Thanks Simon, I might try that. I don't know why though, but there appears to be MEK and MEK. It's either different chemically or certain retailers are adding other stuff to the mix, but different brands do seem to have different speeds and attack. That's why I've avoided buying big bottles, that and because the last big tin I bought evaporated away...

I have however in the meantime stocked up with many sheets of 1mm plasticard and solvent from Squires.
 
Pencarrow

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
Another purchase was a Dapol SR lattice signal from Tower Models. The lattice is perhaps a little bit on the coarse side but it is a good match for the signals at Bodmin North and at the very least will be a good placeholder.

There's two signals needed on the main scenic boards, one near the bridge and one at the platform end.

The one near the bridge will go somewhere around here. A white panel to be painted on the bridge??

PXL_20250302_114733835.MP.jpg

PXL_20250302_114803020.jpg

And the one at the end of the platform somewhere near here.

PXL_20250302_115637851.jpg

PXL_20250302_115626816.jpg
 
Pencarrow

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
gwrrob said:
Great to catch up with your progress chum, excellent , inspiring work as always. What are your thoughts on 82030 ?
Click to expand...

Well... It was in the house for less than a week and is now elsewhere. It shall, however, return!

In the brief period it was here I thought it looked great. Unbelievable that there's so much detail on a RTR model. A quick comparison against photos and I didn't spot anything that looked obviously wrong or out of place.
 
Pencarrow

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
After a fair bit of contemplation I've now worked out how I was going to do the pilasters on the girder bridge.

PXL_20250302_183536949.jpg

Looks a bit like this at the moment. More blending in of corner stonework around the abutment has also been done.

PXL_20250302_183601626.jpg

The recess for the girder has also been included. The girder will sit 2' into the abutment. This recess is seldom modelled.

A big thank you goes to @AndyH for supplying me with a load of photos and measurements of the remaining bridge at Bodmin. A very useful addition for the bits I missed when down there over 5 years ago.

image00006.jpeg

Lovely!
 
Last edited:
Reader mode
You must log in or register to reply here.
What's New?
Top