Saturday Film Club: Buying second-hand railway models

My most recent video for World of Railways, covering a few things to look for when buying second-hand locomotives. 

Beatties track and rolling stock

 

The Beatties collection continues to grow, more by accident than design. A couple more vans joined the pile from eBay, where it seemed no one else wanted them. Odd that the yellow Tri-ang open wagons still go for proper(ish) money, but the OO gauge Graham Farish vans don't attract the same attention. I've enough for a modest train now. 

They are sitting on genuine Beatties track. 

This arrived in a box of other stuff from work, with a note "To Phil from Nick Smith for the Beatties Collection" - thanks Nick, it's much appreciated. Mind you, the people I work with don't quite understand!

From Railex, a proper find, more Grafar wagons, with Beatties price tags on them. 

This pack cost a miserable 75p! I'm guessing this was in the 1970s, so inflation has taken hold, I paid £9.

As well as being a valuable addition to the collection, these wagons mean something to me. My first electric trainset was a Tri-ang 3F and a mixed bag of wagons, one of which was a SC Pritchard Grafar vehicle.

An odd find at a finescale show. All the wagons have been relieved of their couplings with a saw. Why? Unless there is a wagon diagram I'm not familiar with (feel free to educate me), they aren't particularly accurate. Something from the Airfix range would have been a better starting point, even if you didn't want to have a go at a kit. 

I've been pondering how to make best use of the collection. An online museum seems like a good idea, and I've been playing around with an AI-based website design tool from Ionos, my ISP. I have a pretty good idea how I'd like it set up. A database with an entry for each "exhibit", and a searchable front end. It's well over 20 years since I've done any development work, but in the old days I wouldn't have found it too much of a streatch. 

Sadly, AI turned out to be rubbish. Or at least the early results are. I'm using this as a learning exercise, and maybe it will continue to be rubbish, and I'll have to relearn some proper developer skills, or persuade a mate to have a go for me. Another "one day" project. 

 

Cooper Craft wagon repair

 

This pile of bits has been kicking around in the pile for months. On bank holiday Monday, I decided that I'd take half an hour to stick them back together, a job that took me all morning...

What you are looking at is a Cooper Craft LNWR coal wagon that I must have built around 40 years ago. I carefully painted my name on the sides, and it's hovered around any 32mm gauge layout I've built since. At some point, I must have dropped it, reducing the model to the pile you see. 

Sticking the main pieces together was quick enough using a mix of Contacta cement and MekPak solvent. Lashings of the latter, and I'd like this to stay in one piece for a while. 

 

Annoyingly, one of the axleboxes had vanished, and while I know there are spares somewhere, I couldn't lay my hand on them. What I did find, was a nice whitemetal set. Really nice. It took a long talk with myself to decide this was their time, and I shouldn't keep them on the drawer for a more suitable project. 

Does anyone else do this? Save things, clothes being a good example, for "best" and never actually using them? 

Anyway, with a little detail removal on the solebar, and plenty of superglue, the new axleboxes fitted the model, and the plastic versions are in the drawer. 

There was an issue - the extra depth of the axle holes meant the axles slopped from side to side by around 4mm. More talking to myself, that this wasn't acceptable, and I solved the problem with some slices of plastic tube. 

Extra weight from the whitemetal parts made the wagon run really nicely too. 

One end was missing its coupling, so I bent a replacement up out of brass, fitting a hook compatible with my bathplug chain couplings. You'll notice the axleboxes have gained an extra rivet - that's a track pin drilled through the box and solebar, as I don't trust superglue to do the job on its own. I also pinned the coupling for the same reason.

A bit of paint, and the job is done. I have a freewheeling wagon, and an old friend is out of the hospital pile. 

Death of a track rubber

 

I've always been a big fan of the Double O Gauge Association track rubbers. For decades, they have been my favoured way of keeping the railhead clean, and trains running. Unlike the otherwise perfectly good Peco version, they don't drop "bits" on the track. A few years of cleaning with the Devon products, and you can see sparkles in your tracks!

I'm not a fan of this one though. Somehow, I have cleaned up something greasy, and now all it does is smear grease on the rails. 

Doubting that there is a way to clean it up, this one has gone in the bin. I can't understand why I've kept it around so long, and more than once I've picked it up and realised my mistake!

Fortunately, I have a couple of non-greasy rubbers, so my track is clean! 

Battery management

 

Preparing Dad's boats for use has made me face up to the state of the batteries we own. It's very frustrating to try charging one up, only for it not to take a charge, because of years uncharged. 

So, I've ordered some, and now write the date they were bought on the side. At least this way I can work out how old the things are, and make a guess at the chances they will actually work.. 

Now, I just need to get rid of the old ones, which aren't as easy to recycle as you'd think. I can't, as far as I can tell, just drop them off in a recycling point in a shop. Is there a space at the tip? Maybe, but I've got to remember to take them next time I visit.  

Railex haul

 

Combine me feeling reasonably flush (not loco buying flush, but not bad) and an excellent second-hand stall, and you won't be surprised that my rucksack was pretty full. 

Like any proper modeller, my first stop was the stand, and I pretty quickly worked out that stuff was priced to sell. A Bachrus rolling road for a fiver? That has got to be the bargain of the year. I already have one, but it only has three supports. Add these three, and I can test bogie locos properly. 

An 80s Hornby Post Office kit - you'll see that one in The Collector at some point. Kenline chassis? Cheap, and a little nostalgic. There is also the possibility of a project that might make use of it...

Grass and flower tufts are handy scenic standbys, a 7mm scale whitemetal fitter kit likewise. 

Grafar wagons can wait for another post, there is a bit of a Beatties backlog to get through. 

Petite Properties barge kit? I wanted one as soon as they announced it, but they don't normally take dolls house stuff to toy train shows. Unless you ask nicely, which I did. 

Rolls of silicone-covered tool wire at a fiver a pop save me buying the stuff elsewhere, as I've nearly run out. Mind you, they certainly weighed my bag down for the rest of the day!

And then, possibly the most Phil thing I could buy. 

Yes. It is an S gauge wooden kit for an American "reefer" to carry watermelons. Someone was selling a collection, and I decided, for a tenner, I wanted to know more. My colleague Steven thought I'd lost my mind. He may be right. 

I've had a look and still can't work out if I've just bought a box of random wooden bits, or a proper kit. As far as I can tell, the complicated bits for the chassis are there, as is the roof. All the metal bits (trucks, wheels etc.) are present, but I can't see all of the sides. Maybe they only paint the ends, and the rest is left to the modeller. Not to worry, I think there will be enough material there to build a wagon. One day. 

Railex 2026

 

Phew, what a scorcher!

On the hottest weekend of the year so far, I jumped on a train to enjoy a proper finescale model railway exhibition. And boy, it was warm in the hall! I felt for the exhibitors as I felt under the weather the following morning, even though I'd made an effort to take plenty of liquid on board. There's nothing the organisers could do either - that's the weather for you.

The show itself was as good as ever. High-quality layouts, and trade you don't find at other events. As I write, it's too hot to knock out a detailed review, so this is going to be a photo dump. I forgot to buy a programme too, which makes things even tricker.

Looking back through my photos, I don't seem to have taken much of the S gauge island. Some cracking layouts, but I've photographed most of them for work. One of the picture even made it's way into MRJ as part of the show advert. I had to buy a copy because of this. Finescale fame at last! 

The trade here is interesting. Lots of bits for making things, much like you would have found at a show 30 years ago, when kitbuilding in 4mm scale was more popular. I'm pleased to see this, but wonder how much gets sold. Sadly, most of these guys wouldn't be able to justify financially, appearing at a general show, but then that's what makes this event worth the trip. My colleague Steven drove four hours to visit, and it's not the first time!

I wish I had more time available for loco building, this new model from Judith Edge really appeals, but I don't need another kit sat on the shelf. And with the death of Romford wheels, combined with my inability to build a chassis without taking it apart several times, I'm not sure what I'd sit it on. 

There was spending of course, but I'll cover this tomorrow. You have been warned, some very Phil items came home with me.  

Catering isn't bad here. Lunch was a nice tuna sandwich, and morning tea came with cake. 

Of course, on a hot day, the walk back to the bus stop needed an ice cream. 

Talking of the bus, this is my only complaint. We were told to look out for a vintage bus for the ride from station to show. This is what we found. 

According to a poster on board, this vehicle was built in 1995. OK, it's now out of service and preserved, but 1995 isn't really old, never mind vintage! I mean, you'll be telling me the 1980s was more than a couple of years ago next...

 

Saturday Film Club: This is Japan's UNIQUE Monorail Built By a Hospital!

This is a terrible video. I recommend skipping the first minute and a half, but the subject is interesting, a monorail in the grounds of a hospital. A bit like Hellingly Hospital, but not for carrying coal. And with one fewer rail. 

There's a cracking view of the thing on Google Streetview too. 

 

L&WMRS open weekend ahead

OK, after me banging on about it for ages, the L&WMRS Open Weekend is upon us. 

On both Saturday and Sunday, the clubrooms in Knightcote (near Leamington Spa) - you can find us on Google Streetview.  

All the club layouts will be set up and working, as will the outdoor track. Plus a rare appearance by Melbridge Dock!

More details on the club website. 

Obviously, on Sunday, we will be celebrating the life of my Dad, Brian. This isn't going to be solem. The plan is a slideshow of photos on a screen and the Dock on display. We'll unveil a bench by the boat club, and sail a couple of models he built. I'll also give the 16mm scale coaches he built, a spin on the outdoor track. No fuss, it's what he would have wanted. 

As part of this, we'll be laying on a free barbecue so you can watch trains, and munch burgers (and salad) and of course, there will be cake.  

So, if you can be in the area, please drop in, even if you didn't know Brian. We'll be pleased to see you. 

 

Will the trains run?

 

The layout has sat idle for a decade, and so the locos have done the same, so the first job was to set up the wheel cleaning station, and give them all a good polish. While I was at it, all the bearings received a drop of Loco-motion, as I think this does what it says on the bottle. 

First impressions were good. OK, a couple of models took a little while to wake up, but that's to be expected. Given a dose of God's own 12v DC, they were soon turning over. 

Tradition demands that the first loco of the day is my Mailine 03 diesel. And so it was on this occasion. 

It trundled around nicely, and revealed the electrical gods weren't completely on my side, as I found a couple of dry joints in the track. Soldering iron out, these were quickly dealt with (I found another a couple of days later) and we were running. 

This was all good fun, so each loco in turn, was driven around the runround loop. And to varying degrees, they all seemed to behave. 

Of course, even though the light was rubbish, I took photos on my phone, and shared them on social media. 

 

The only loco that wasn't playing was the Portescap-equipped 07 diesel. This needed the body lifted off, and a bit of poking around to turn the gears over. Back on the track, it lumbered into life, but quickly improved as the lubrication of the metal gears and bearings took effect. 

 

Point power ON!

 

OK, first an admission. I hadn't squeezed all the layout bits into the Berlingo. Once I got home and unloaded, I found that the essential little box of bolts wasn't with me. Good job the storage is only 5 minutes drive away!

Back home, I was amazed to be able to remember how to set the model up. OK, years ago I'd had a lot of practise, and it's not difficult, but half an hour saw everything erected, and ready for a test. 

Prepare yourself reader, for a very smug Phil.

Every single point worked. All of them. Maybe a little lazy in a couple of cases, but I pressed the buttons and they worked. 

The fiddle yard was a little different, but after reseating (plugging it and unplugging it) the power lead from layout to fiddleyard a couple of time, it leapt into life. 

Basically, I dun a good job with the wiring all those years ago. Phew!

There were a few issues. The minic panel seemed a bit scruffy, and one of the buttons had lost its top. 

Scencily, the water looked a bit scummy. 

My mum diagnosed a bit of mould, and a light wipe of anti-mould stuff cleaned it up perfectly, followed by some furniture polish for a bit of a shine. While I was at it, the panel cleaned up using the same techniques. 

As you can imagine, I was pretty pleased with myself at this point, but would the trains run?  

Melbridge Dock emerges from storage...

 

Doncaster 2016. Melbridge Dock and Ruston Quays set up next to each other to celebrate 25 years (I think) of the show. The Dock had appeared at the very first one, and here it's displayed with my (then) latest layout, serialised in BRM. 

After that, the layout went into store, and was never seen again. 

But, for my Dad's celebration day on Sunday 31st May (all welcome), I really wanted to bring the layout that we built and exhibited for many years, out of retirement. There is a lot of him and me in this model. Arguably, without it, I wouldn't be doing what I do now for a job. 

Best guess is that Melbridge Dock appeared at over 100 shows, from small local one-day events to the biggest in the country. It even managed a trip abroad once. This layout has always meant a huge amount to me, and my Dad, which is why it deserves to be at the day to celebrate him. 

Of course, a layout that has been stored in an unheated shipping container for a decade stands a good chance of having some issues, which is why it came out a couple of weeks early for a check over. 

First question: Will it fit in the car? The chances of getting it on my Peugeot 2008 looked slim, but the Berlingo, no problem. 

I'll be honest, this isn't the best layout packing I've ever done. I haven't had a chance to practice. Each time I loaded the model in the past, the space required reduced as I worked out the best way to assemble the 3D jigsaw. Still, it's all in there, time to take it back home. 

G3 haul

 

The trouble with the rule that you can't go to a show without buying at least something, is that the purchases can be a little random. Good job I like random!

A nice kit for a Southern Railway concrete hut from Mels models. I've seen some concrete paint around, and want to try it out on this. The build might eventually become a Garden Rail feature. Just the sort of job that isn't too taxing, so could appeal to readers nervous of making models. It would also make a nice standalone build for someone wanting to dabble in a larger scale. 

Five velcro pads from RC Trains. Becuase I was looking for some of these in the boat bits stash, and can't find them. I can never find them. I swear one day I'm going to open a cupboard and there will be an avalanche of the things. I've bought loads over the years!

Finally, from the bring'n'buy, an interesting, and very cheap, cast plate that says "Tare 12 Tons". The label said wagon plate, but I'm not sure. Any suggestions? 

Talking of that stall, I felt I ought to own a length of G3 track. 

 £15 seemed like a good deal. Maybe when I get around to building some wagons to go with the loco...

Gauge 3 show 2026

 

A bit of a result this. The G3 AGM and show used to be in Flitwick, an hour's drive away. This year, it was at the motor museum in Gaydon, ten minutes travelling!

The other benefit is that the whole event is indoors, including the test track. This allowed them to put on a full programme of models running, so there was entertainment all day. Add to this a scenic G3 model, the G1 track, and an O gauge layout, and you have quite a bit to look at. 

In my bag, I'd brought my G3 model of the Hellingly Hospital Railway locomotive, hoping to have the chance to sneak it onto some track. As it was, I bagged a few minutes on the test track, borrowed a couple of wagons from the very accommodating John Tuckett, and enjoyed it trundling around. Two wagons looked just superb behind the model. 

 I could be really tempted to build myself a train like this, but with wagons at approaching £150 a pop, not an unreasonable price, and more projects than I can shake a stick at, that dream will have to wait for a while. Besides, for the loco in green the wagons should be 16 ton minerals, not attractive wooden ones. Then I start thinking about making Hellingly in G3, egged on by Simon Castens who is republishing the Iain Rice Cameo Layout book later this year. 

 Having the track indoors was nice as the weather wasn't conducive to standing around outside anyway. 

The Society had put a board up along the lines of the G1 version with booked slots so we all knew what would be running at any time. 

Elsewhere, there were many fine models, including some from John Tuckett's next project, a stunning slice of London. 

I'm really looking forward to seeing this, as Littlecliff blew me away. I'm processing the photos for this as it's appearing in BRM in a couple of months. 

Catering is provided by the museum cafe, and a very nice bacon and brie panini was enjoyed, along with some lemon meringue cake. 

I'd thought a couple of hours would be enough, but there was so much to see, and loads of chat, that I arrived shortly after 10:30 opening, and left just after 4. That counts as a good day!