So I was wondering to myself if the Union Mills 'Dukedog' couldn't be backdated into something approximating a parallel-boilered 'Atbara' class. Basically, I'd remove the boiler dome and maybe tweak the tender a bit. So not a very good 'Atbara', but at least something suggestive of one!

Then I looked at the @EtchedPixels catalogue, and thought maybe one or two of their coach kits might do the trick. But for the most part these seem to be post-1920s rather than Edwardian. But would the 'toplight' coaches do the trick, in essence if not in detail?

I've no real idea whether any of this practical. But does anyone have any insight into modelling railways of this era? Any resources or kit manufacturers I ought to be aware of?

Cheers, NeMo

http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=14258.msg142300#msg142300

This is a link to a book review of the late PD Hancocks work. Ok, 4mm scale, but very, very Edwardian. Interesting snippets about how he made his figures into Edwardian costumes, buildings, stuff like that.

Isn't forum member Moogle building an Edwardian seaside layout?

I don't think your idea is mad at all, NeMo - in fact it sounds very interesting. 

Worsely Works are good for this sort of stuff -

http://www.worsleyworks.co.uk/Image-Pages/Image_2mm_GWR_4w.htm

They will produce most things you ask for

http://www.worsleyworks.co.uk/WW/GWR_Index.htm

There's also the following which may be of help

http://www.gwr.org.uk/kits.html

----------------------------

When you say 'Edwardian' the question of course is whether you are thinking of the latest mainline stock of the period, or stock that ran on secondary services, which may have been of much earlier origin.

Either way, I find the pre-grouping period quite fascinating and wish you luck if you go this road

There are some nice cast metal Edwardian figurines available to populate your platforms.

Let me know if you want details of the supplier.

Best regards,


Joe

Quote from: joe cassidy on January 01, 2017, 01:03:29 PM
There are some nice cast metal Edwardian figurines available to populate your platforms.

Let me know if you want details of the supplier.

Thank you! PM sent!

Cheers, NeMo

No, you're not mad @NeMo . But it sounds like you've picked a challenging subject.  I think this thread will be one to watch. 

Quote from: RailGooner on January 01, 2017, 01:38:10 PM
No, you're not mad @NeMo . But it sounds like you've picked a challenging subject.  I think this thread will be one to watch. 

Well, I'm still thinking about how to do this. Might start off making a carriage or wagon kit first. GWR liveries of the time seem pretty complex!

But I've been listening to some Old Time Radio 'Sherlock Holmes' episodes which were often set around 1900-1910, I guess to make the Watson as narrator in the 1940s more plausible. One involved Moriarty shipping drugs into London inside crates of cabbages, no less! The idea of modelling a country station that Holmes and Watson might have recognised seemed like a good idea at the time.

Cheers, NeMo

Quote from: NeMo on December 31, 2016, 09:30:10 PM
So I was wondering to myself if the Union Mills 'Dukedog' couldn't be backdated into something approximating a parallel-boilered 'Atbara' class. Basically, I'd remove the boiler dome and maybe tweak the tender a bit. So not a very good 'Atbara', but at least something suggestive of one!

I would have to get the books out but I think you might be looking more at old four and six wheel GWR coaches for that period, especially on branch lines. Anything bogie would probably have been a hand me down so with the exception of some kind of through coach perhaps would be older.

The liveries are also a challenge. The GWR liveries of the late 1800s and early 1900s are not exactly easy unless you like lining. Another thing to watch is that the classic GWR chocolate and gream was replaced with all brown from 1908-1912, then a rather beautiful crimson lake with gold lining until grouping. At grouping they went back to the GWR chocolate and cream but with slightly less fancy lining, and it is this period the toplight kits represent. Fortunately for branch lines you can probably get away with less lining and more dirt

Worsley Works does the classic four wheel coach bodes, and Scalelink do a beautiful but not easy to build set of etched GWR four wheelers with chassis.

Ian Smith has some examples of Worsley ones photographed here

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1009/entry-13801-2fs-gwr-4-6-wheel-coaches-u4-t38-continued/

Alan

And as a PS in terms of locomotives

You can make a reasonable 517 class with a Dapol 14xx and a hacksaw. In early 1900s condition there would have been no full cab roof, toolboxes on the tanks and a flat coal bunker. Most of the rest is small detail that can be done with spots of plasticard or turned brass bits (eg to move the whistles). No chassis mods needed!

Likewise it's possible to make some pretty good takes on the earlier 2721 pannier tanks by opening the cab area out on the old metal Farish panniers, filing off the toolbox and hiding the motor with a crew and plenty of black paint/marker. Strictly speaking you need to slightly shorten the front buffer beam but that's a pain.

(See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWR_517_Class for the 517 class and a nice picture of the kind of train you might want to be modelling)

Quote from: EtchedPixels on January 01, 2017, 02:44:26 PM
You can make a reasonable 517 class with a Dapol 14xx and a hacksaw. In early 1900s condition there would have been no full cab roof, toolboxes on the tanks and a flat coal bunker. Most of the rest is small detail that can be done with spots of plasticard or turned brass bits (eg to move the whistles). No chassis mods needed!

Thanks for this. I'd toyed with the idea of a 'Metro' tank ever since picking up a Dapol 14xx, but it might well be that the 517 class is more realistic. Will definitely look into your idea here!

Cheers, NeMo

Quote from: EtchedPixels on January 01, 2017, 02:29:09 PM
Worsley Works does the classic four wheel coach bodes, and Scalelink do a beautiful but not easy to build set of etched GWR four wheelers with chassis.

These look very nice indeed...

http://www.worsleyworks.co.uk/Image-Pages/Image_2mm_GWR_4w.htm

Curious though about chassis options. Is there anything like a Peco wagon or brake van chassis they could be plonked on? The bodywork itself doesn't look impossibly difficult, but chassis building is not something I'm ready for just yet!

Cheers, NeMo

Quote from: NeMo on January 01, 2017, 01:42:08 PM
.. The idea of modelling a country station that Holmes and Watson might have recognised seemed like a good idea at the time. ...

Layout-wise do you intend a small cameo, similar to your excellent 'A Quantocks Cutting', or something larger? Perhaps a fog bound moor complete with howling hounds as a back-scene?

Quote from: RailGooner on January 01, 2017, 03:53:19 PM
Layout-wise do you intend a small cameo, similar to your excellent 'A Quantocks Cutting', or something larger? Perhaps a fog bound moor complete with howling hounds as a back-scene?

Certainly sounds like a good idea! Though 'Hounds' was never a favourite. Much preferred 'Silver Blaze' when it comes to Dartmoor settings. So maybe a horse box or two, Colonel Ross of King's Pyland, would be appropriate?

Cheers, NeMo

Quote from: NeMo on January 01, 2017, 04:18:00 PM
.. Much preferred 'Silver Blaze' when it comes to Dartmoor settings. ...

MBH is a massive Holmes fan - accounts for over half of our Tivo recordings - so if I haven't seen that episode, I'm sure I will.  Nah, I admit I've come around to enjoy watching them too, not least because there's a railway scene in nearly every episode. 

Quote from: RailGooner on January 01, 2017, 04:33:10 PM
MBH is a massive Holmes fan - accounts for over half of our Tivo recordings - so if I haven't seen that episode, I'm sure I will.  Nah, I admit I've come around to enjoy watching them too, not least because there's a railway scene in nearly every episode. 

'Silver Blaze' is a short story and an easy read, so I'd recommend it! It's full of clues, which unlike some Holmes stories, actually make sense when strung together. On reflection, it's obvious what happened. Also got some great scenes and dialogue, including the famous 'incident of the dog in the night-time'...

Cheers, NeMo