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Hornby Dublo restoration project

Thread owner
Hi James lovely work. Just love restoration work.

Last boat I had I restored top to bottom. . Hard work frustrating but worth it all
as you see it all coming together.

My eldest son is the same lathes this that all over the place.

Laurie
Thanks Laurie,

I am currently using this when I need a mental break from the Honda I am now restoring as it mentally exhausts me!
 
Yeah seems very mixed what they go for though. Some quite simple designs seem to fetch far more.

Issue I have is sourcing tenders for a realistic price. Duchess class bodies are easy to come by and I enjoy doing them but the tenders are now at least the lion's share of 20 quid each including postage unless you get a lucky break.

Got a batch of 9 N2s being blasted currently and at least these don't need the tenders.
Cost comes down to rarity I suspect. It’s a collectors market after all, and the N2 was a standard starter train set engine. Tenders probably got lost more easily as well. Are you just going for Dublo, or are you searching on Wrenn/Triang As well? They used the same body castings as they were the subsequent owners as Hornby went under.
 
Thread owner
Cost comes down to rarity I suspect. It’s a collectors market after all, and the N2 was a standard starter train set engine. Tenders probably got lost more easily as well. Are you just going for Dublo, or are you searching on Wrenn/Triang As well? They used the same body castings as they were the subsequent owners as Hornby went under.

I just like anything I can give a new lease of life to and gain some skill along the way.
I have a Wren N2 by that's it. Basically has to be metal so I can vapour blast them.

I thubk after the batch of 9 N2s I have 2 castle tenders which I will do bodies for and that will be no done unless a bargain box comes my way.
 
Thread owner
So this is the Wren body I have almost completed, just needs couplings. I know it's not accurate but I thought it looks good in this scheme.

The two Duchesses and a 4MT also shown. As they are all in black I have highlighted some brass and copper piping and fittings just to add a bit of contrast.
The 4MT will be orange and black lined as I have a set of decals for it and the City of Birmingham needs a number.
I have a 2 rail Dublo tender but am not sure if to just continue this as a separate sale as I've started it in green. Also I don't have wheels for it.
So scouting for tenders currently so I can get these off to new homes.

2 castle tenders and an N2 also ready to be blasted along with 9 other N2 bodies and 2 motorbike wheels. Will be a good few hours work in the cabinet but I will be doing it myself as I think my friend must be getting sick of me sending models, engine blocks and wheels to be done.

IMG_20210730_231005.jpgIMG_20210730_230925.jpgIMG_20210730_230855.jpgIMG_20210730_230721.jpgIMG_20210730_230709.jpg
 
Thread owner
The bench currently.

The 4MT I would say is by far the best I have managed so far and I couldn't be happier with it.

The N2 just needs the couplings need gluing on and then it's done.

Both of these locos I did I have out the larger BR decals on but I think they are ok.

I have sourced one tender for the coronation class locos which I plan to do in plain black with an early BR crest.
Hopefully one more tender and I am done with the tender locos (that I don't have tenders for already) for a while.

IMG_20210802_233033.jpgIMG_20210802_232811.jpgIMG_20210802_232754.jpg
 
Thread owner
Excellent stuff. The 4MT looks superb in mixed traffic lined black doesn’t it!

Yeah I don't think it's a scheme that existed and I think the black was always with grey and red lining?

I did this one differently, I had a proper set for a 4MT and the small side panels cut and applied in 4 pieces and the large side panels are cut I to 8 or 10 pieces and applied bit by bit.

I am semi tempted to do one of the duchess bodies line with orange and black now for something different.
I shall however be removing the numbers from the duchess which is numbered as these are not Fox decals and came with the name plates I use and I don't like the fact you can see the back ground of the decals even when softened and pressed down and varnished.

Also the hand rails on the 4MT are far better than the last one I did, more time taken and patience applied.

Also the hand rails
 
Just caught up to your re-build, and the years just dropped away.
Could I reccomend a book to you, 'Aspects of Modelling - Weathering Locomotives'. Even as a tank builder I found this book informative.
Looking forward to more.
Cheers,
Mike.
 
Thread owner
Just caught up to your re-build, and the years just dropped away.
Could I reccomend a book to you, 'Aspects of Modelling - Weathering Locomotives'. Even as a tank builder I found this book informative.
Looking forward to more.
Cheers,
Mike.
Hi Mike,

Thanks for that I shall try and source a copy and have a read.

I don't weather as I sell the bodies alone they wouldn't match the wheel sets and the people who re-home these seem to prefer unweathered. I don't know why, maybe as it's more like how Hornby had them?

However, weathering is something even with my aircraft I have stayed away from so I will be having a god at some of the techniques in there on some of my spare 1/72 kits in the near future :thumb2:
 
Man, you must have painted more of these than the LNER by now….great stuff.
With regard to books on weathering locos, look out “The art of weathering” by Martin Welch. It is the gold standard for railway modelling. His web page,
https://www.martynwelch.com/
is worth a look as well….
 
Thread owner
So have taken on a more industrial approach. Had to write on the board what's going to be what colour as otherwise I will forget which green is which etc!

IMG_20210812_213557.jpg
 
By “shop grey” do you mean photographic grey? If so, fantastic. Haven’t seen a loco done in that before.
 
Thread owner
Indeed I do Tim, apparently the first of each class was done like this I think?
I think it will look quite nice.
 
Lovely delicate work My Ancient Mariner alias James.

A question James. As a boy I was fascinated by the ears, the covers either side on the front of the 46240.

What did they do ?

Laurie
 
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