To good not to share...

Mike McCormac came over a couple of days ago with an (almost ;o) completed sample of one of the variations of his HO scale NSWGR LFX 'dogbox' kits for photographing for the 'Recent Releases' section of the December issue of AMRM.

It really is a mouthwateringly good model and I could not resist posting one of the photos that didn't get used in AMRM!

This is one of the first batch of high elliptical roofed cars which were fitted with the 'old' type underframe and short wheelbase bogies. Later batches had a redesigned underframe with longer wheelbase bogies in an attempt to improve the ride. Click on the image to see a much bigger image to truely appreciate the detail, which includes compartment interiors.

Models don't come much better than this!

She's baaacckkk...

After some 15 years 'out of service' with a crook chassis, 5303 re-entered service on Lambing Flat this evening, after I finished fitting a Tsunami DCC chip. She runs like a dream, thanks to the excellent chassis constructed for me by Hollywood Foundry.

Here she is entering the loop with a wheat train.

A closer look at the Wampu tender and the cab detail.

I still have a few things to repair and refit (like employing another fireman, her old fireman appears to left the service sometime in the last 15 years!), plus a little 'touching up' to the paint and weathering. However, Lambing Flat is once more host to a 53 class Standard Goods, a very appropriate locomotive type for the setting.

Btw, you can click on the images to see it at a much larger size.

The (almost) return of 5303

Some months ago I finally got tired of having my favourite locomotive not working, (see previous post (5303, a frail favourite... ) and sent it off the Geoff Baxter at Hollywood Foundry for a new chassis. His custom mechanisms have a justifiable reputation for excellence, and though he doesn't normally do steam locomotives, he made an exception in this case!

This morning a very welcome package arrived and as soon as I finished work for the day I fitted the new chassis to 5303.

This is the magnificently designed and built chassis that arrived in the mail. It runs very smoothly and I am looking forward to having the loco back in service.

(Photo by Geoff Baxter)

She is running under DC control, but there are a few things that need attention before she will be back in service, such as fitting a DCC sound chip and speaker, repairing the cosmetic damage that has occurred during her long period out of service and painting the chassis and 'touching up' the rest of the loco.

Hopefully it won't be too long before a 53 class Standard Goods is once more treading the rails at Lambing Flat.