HR 118 In action.

HR118A glides smoothly through the complex point-work on the CDOGG club layout. The wagon behind the engine is a HR fish truck, built from my own Sides and Ends resin castings and still available.

HR118A had its first outing on the club layout in Carlisle last week and performed well with a train of ten pre-grouping wagons and a guards van, which though less than it could have hauled, was a realistic load, as the prototype engine was not noted for its pulling-power. The engine is painted in Cumming's unlined moss green livery with vermillion buffer beams, the front one carrying the number 118A in the Highland's distinctive gold lettering edged with green and black. Cumming introduced this livery in 1923 and photographic evidence shows the engine in this livery during its later days of service on the Highland. There are currently no Highland Railway colours in production, so I was fortunate to acquire a practically unused tin of Phoenix moss green from an HRSoc member (P728 HR Dark Green 1912-1922) which saved me the problem of trying to mix this elusive colour myself. I used an old sheet of Guilplates Loco Insignia transfers which, being Methfix, have no hard to disguise carrier film and make for a neat job, particularly on the tank sides. The loco crew are my own recent sculpture, cast in white metal and designed to maximise the space available in the cab of a small locomotive. The loco lamps are also my own castings, they add a touch of colour, which together with the brightwork, the gold shaded insignia and vermillion buffer beams enliven the somber livery.

The driver is on the right, positioned in the doorway where he doesn't crowd the cab.

The fireman is on the left, he leans out, looking ahead and allows an unobstructed view of the busy cab interior. 

HR 8-Ton Double Deck Sheep Van in 7mm scale... Painted.

 

Built from one of Pete's recently released cast resin aids to wagon building, this example portrays a double-deck sheep van in Highland Railway rich red-oxide livery with the iron-work picked out in black. I've not come across any photos of these vans in HR days so the insignia is based on that of a cattle wagon on pg.164 of Peter Tatlow's "Highland Railway Carriages and Wagons". The wagon number, 1478, is taken from the tables in the book and is the best I can come up with. The 7"sole-bars are too narrow for the standard Highland wagon plate, so this feature has been dispensed with, identification is by means of the number painted on the lower plank.

I painted the wagon with Phoenix P436 Caledonian Wagon Oxide and picked out the iron-work with matt black, though this was brushed with a soft brush when dry to enable a slight sheen. The small number transfers are from HMRS sheet 20. The Society's own range of 7mm water-slide decals provided the 9" Highland insignia which adorn the top boards, ref: HRGS1. The roof, which can be removed for access to the interior, is painted off-white with talc added to the mix. Working screw-couplings are from CPL and have been chemically blackened.     

Photos of planked sheep vans in LMS days show that the ironwork was no longer painted black, the company's grey livery is applied all-over, including the buffer housings, though the brake gear and all below the sole bar is black.