Langley White Metal Kits

[LostinThreeBridges]

Back in the day-circa 1979 - when i first made tentative progress in n gauge, i had a go at the range of white metal kits marketed by Langley Minature Models, based in Three Bridges, West Sussex (only 10 mins by bus from where I lived then). I used to pop in the shop mainly to look at the completed examples they had on display.

Compared with the range off the shelf models available now, unless you could scratchbuild, you had limited options to aquire a range of locomotive classes.
The kits also included extra parts, ie double chimneys etc., which made it possible to models such as the A1/A3 variants.

Using a Farish 0-6-0, black 5 or a Minitrix 4-6-2 chassis I had a go at the Standard 4, A3 and a Bullied austerity 0-6-0. I managed to complete them ok as regards running etc., but it was the painting and lining where I came unstuck. My favourite loco was a rebuit Merchant Navy, which I spent a lot of time on, including etched brass nameplates, but I just coulld not achieve a finish which pleased me.

Other people were more sucessful, as I could see from the magazines.

Did or does anyone else still have their Langley Kits- are they still going? I still see the pink boxes at toyfairs - wondering if I should have another try?

Kindest regards,
Christopher

[guest311]

don't know if they still have the shop, but this shows on't net

http://www.langleymodels.co.uk/index.html

[AndyRA]

Still have a couple of the Standard 4s which run okay, although not in every day use now, will have to have a look at the Q1 I did, as it is boxed away somewhere.

[Michael Shillabeer]

I remember receiving the 14xx and Autocoach kit as a Christmas present when I was about 14.

I built the loco ok (etched chassis and ABS Beaver wheels) but the coach was not so good.... The tumbleholmes didn't roll and the motorised chassis once hacked didn't run well!

[Upperton]

One of our club members has Loco 18000, though it's not a good runner now, and probably needs a replacement chassis. Not a particular looker either next to modern rtr locos. He also has a Class 16 but I think that's a Parkfield/Parkwood? kit rather than a Lanley.

[ijmsmith]

Langley are still going - they advertise every month in the Railway Modeller (and probably other mags as well).

[martyn]

They also have their range weekly on Ebay, but the seller, though local to the firm, is seemingly third party. Sorry, I've forgotten the seller's name; but Langley have their own active website anyway.

Class 16-Parkwood resin body.

I built, amongst others, 2 x B1s, N2, N7, and when I first started in N in 1977, a class 37 which fitted a hacked Rivarossi (?) chassis. I still use the N2 and N7, and very rarely the B1s, but none of these compare in quality to modern RTR or the 3D printed versions available.

I also have their B2 (Thompson) which one day I really must finish...........about 70% done for ten years or so, but never completed.

I've also built their Ruston bucket crane and 250hp bulldozer; and, within the last week, the Artitec kit of a Dutch 'tjalk' barge offered by Langley, and which is one of the very best kits I've ever built.

Dr Al of this parish has built some beautiful examples of Langley kits if you care to see his thread.

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=27336.615

Martyn

[LostinThreeBridges]

thankyou for your replies. I like the look of the Brown Boveri Gas Turbine - do not think there is an off the shelf model, so will consider giving it a go - don't think it will tax my limited skills overmuch!???

[Dorsetmike]

I have one of their S15 4-6-0s with Fleischmann chassis it's getting near 45 years old, had a new motor a couple of years ago, I've since built a few more with various chassis to produce other Urie and Maunsell 4-6-0s, some using parts from the BHE N15. I've also built the MN, E2, E4 (the latter no longer made) Q1, among others.

I always use solder to build them, low melt solder and temperature controlled iron.

[ntpntpntp]

The only Langley kit I ever did was the twin GWR Flying Banana back in the 70s, though I powered it with a hacked and lengthened Minitrix Warship chassis rather than the horrible cheapo Model Power chassis suggested for it.   I was only a teenager in those days, I was quite pleased with the result and it ran well enough.  I've just found a photo of it on the Folkestone club's layout Broomfield (in the early days when the layout was end-to-end not the large roundy-roundy it mutated into later  )






Generally though I think "white-metal-lump" loco kits are well past their prime nowadays, there are better methods such as etched kits and 3D printing.  The last time I saw the Langley show stand with the same old made-up examples I thought they looked poor to be honest.

[NeMo]

Generally though I think "white-metal-lump" loco kits are well past their prime nowadays, there are better methods such as etched kits and 3D printing.

I'm sympathetic to this point of view, but would opine the following:

• Lump-of-whitemetal modelling remains modelling, and quite demanding modelling at that. Making something, whether a wagon or a working loco, sets a modeller apart from those modellers who simply buys things off the shelf. Just because a kit (or repaint/hack of an RTR model) isn't the same quality as a factory-produced model doesn't matter to me -- what's important is the modeller stretched themselves and tried to create something unique.
• Furthermore, the skills required to assemble these kits, paint them, and add decals are all fundamental skills necessary for the more expensive (and often better) etched brass or 3d printed models out there. So these old fashioned kits can still be worthwhile starting points, given their relatively low cost.
• The fact these kits rely on old (and sometimes difficult to obtain) chassis is a frustration to me. Given the quality of Union Mills chassis, for example, a new generation of whitemetal kits designed for these would seem a logical and welcome next step.
• As good as 3d printing has become, it still relies on a brittle plastic that's the complete opposite of the durability typical of whitemetal kits.

Cheers, NeMo

[Bob G]

Generally though I think "white-metal-lump" loco kits are well past their prime nowadays, there are better methods such as etched kits and 3D printing.

I'm sympathetic to this point of view, but would opine the following:

• Lump-of-whitemetal modelling remains modelling, and quite demanding modelling at that. Making something, whether a wagon or a working loco, sets a modeller apart from those modellers who simply buys things off the shelf. Just because a kit (or repaint/hack of an RTR model) isn't the same quality as a factory-produced model doesn't matter to me -- what's important is the modeller stretched themselves and tried to create something unique.
• Furthermore, the skills required to assemble these kits, paint them, and add decals are all fundamental skills necessary for the more expensive (and often better) etched brass or 3d printed models out there. So these old fashioned kits can still be worthwhile starting points, given their relatively low cost.
• The fact these kits rely on old (and sometimes difficult to obtain) chassis is a frustration to me. Given the quality of Union Mills chassis, for example, a new generation of whitemetal kits designed for these would seem a logical and welcome next step.
• As good as 3d printing has become, it still relies on a brittle plastic that's the complete opposite of the durability typical of whitemetal kits.

Cheers, NeMo

I'm saddened to say they are not cheap any more either, but I do believe every medium has its place.
I actually like resin kits and whitemetal kits over 3D printed as they dont suffer the tram lines of layering, and 3D kits are brutal to modify, if you have bought a scratch aid rather than one designed to fit a particular chassis. They have a huge tendency to shatter!

Bob

[Dorsetmike]

Some kits can be fairly easily modified to take a different chassis, often looking better than when using an old Poole Farish chassis, their main shortcoming was all had the same wheel base spacing which usually wasn't even correct for the Farish model.

Chassis I've used for various SR 4-6-0s have included Fleischmann, Minitrix, Peco Jubilee, as well as Farish, Union Mills tender drives have also been used. If you want Southern 4-6-0s it's about the only way to get them, the exception is the Lord Nelson the loco bodies for which have been a Farish Scots somewhat hacked and with a BHE N15 tender which is correct for most of the 1930s.

As for detailing that is something the modeller can easily do, many bits are available as cast metal or plastic or etched brass, things like vac pipes, handrail knobs and wire and many other bits are plentiful from suppliers like BHE and N brass.

For me it almost boils down to "are you a modeller or do you just play trains?"

[martyn]

One major advantage of whitemetal over 3D or plastic bodies (or even etched brass) is.......weight!

It can be a major help with pulling power, but, especially as Langley has so much detail cast into the body (eg handrails, safety valves) and not built up from components (eg Foxhunter) then they need more work to bring them 'up to scratch'.

But as. amongst others, Dr Al has proved, it can be done, and as NeMo says, they are a good basis for gaining skills before moving on to etched or 3D kits.

Martyn

[Dr Al]

The Langley 4MT (and others) are ideal starting kits.

They can be made to any standard you wish - from basic as they come, to full superdetail to approach modern standards of detail. The latter of course needs additional parts purchased from detail suppliers, but all eminently achievable.

"Generally though I think "white-metal-lump" loco kits are well past their prime nowadays"

- sorry but this is just absolutely wrong IMHO. A whitemetal model is what one makes of it. They can make exceptionally nice models, satisfying to build, solid and weighty, and of prototypes you can't get elsewhere.

Some 4MTs of mine:

Superdetailed:



Simple as they come build (currently for sale on the for-sale section):



In terms of cost - look out for old ones that have already been built and come on their chassis. Whitemetal can be stripped down, and usually they are glued together, so will come right apart again when soaking in acetone (which will strip the paint too). You'll then basically have a new kit, with chassis too!

Cheers,
Alan