There is nothing I like more than using photos of full-size locos and creating a model representation from them. Such was the case with this one but in this case an extremely unusual prototype was chosen: Darjeeling & Himalayan Railway B-Class No. 1001.

1001? But surely the highest numbered B-Class is 806, isn't it? Well, yes, that is correct. The original batch ended with a former Raipur Forest Tramway loco which was numbered 806 when transferred to the DHR in 1943. I knew of 1001's existence but information about it is scant, to say the least. I have yet to find a picture of it on the internet. Fortunately I have David Churchill's excellent book The Incredible Darjeeling 'B' Class to hand and there is a picture of 1001 on page 18. In addition, the owner very kindly lent me his treasured copies of Terry Martin's Iron Sherpa books and the ultra-rare Volume 2 contains much useful information.

1001, and sister 1002, was assembled (I am reluctant to use the word "built") at the Golden Rock Works (GOC) in Tiruchchirappalli in 2004. That it was built on new frames with a new boiler, tank and body is not in doubt, but opinion seems to be that the rest of the working parts were sourced from the stores and wrecks at Tindharia Works. It was oil-fired from new using the tried and tested system used by the Festiniog Railway but GOC managed to not make it work. David Charlesworth of the DHRS tells me "As far as we know 1001 never made it beyond Sukna or even New Jalpaiguri, and 1002 did not even manage that. 1002 disappeared very quickly, never to be seen again - we think it was eventually used to create a new plinthed model.". This and the various other incantations of oil-firing all failed and the project was abandoned. 1001 was converted to coal and renumbered 01. In this form it seems to have at least worked: there is video of it working on YouTube!

The owner of this model wanted something different from a normal B-Class and chose 1001 as it does look quite different from the earlier locos. The basis was, of course, a Roundhouse Engineering model and the modifications included:
 - Piston rod tail pipes (thanks Adrian!)
 - Larger steps by front handrails
 - Smokebox door dog catches instead of dart
 - Smokebox door handle
 - Smokebox steam pipe covers
 - Balance pipes in smaller size
 - Larger and taller saddle tank
 - Main body with smooth sides (no ribbing, few rivets)
 - Wider spectacle rings
 - Smaller cab roof
 - Reprofiled dome
 - Replacement headlights
 - Replacement dummy Whistle
 - Oil tank in bunker with lifting eyes
 - Oil gauge on tank front
 - New handrails
 - Cab coal retainer removed

It was also converted from manual to radio control.

The dome on the full-size loco is an interesting thing. Rather than being spun and formed as is the usual practice, this one appears to have been made from a cone with the point removed for the top and a cylinder for the main section with a strip welded around its base.

The plain welded main body does not do much for the loco's looks and it is sad to see that some of the older locos are now receiving bodywork of this type.

Paintwork and lining is as per the full-size loco with, of course, a black boiler.

This was an interesting project and I am grateful for the opportunity the owner gave me to do it. There is every chance that his model will, in time, cover more real miles than the full-size loco ever did!

The body of this lovely vintage meths-fired Lady Anne came here for a couple of minor repairs and a repaint in to plain satin black. The owner reassembled the loco and the finished result is seen here.

It was also missing a spectacle ring or two. These are of the smaller size that Roundhouse used on their locos 30-odd years ago so I had a small batch of them made and I have a few left for sale. (Photo by Jeremy Mayo)

The Roundhouse Engineering model of the Darjeeling B-Class is a fine representation of an iconic prototype. For good reason though the paintwork is a bit plain on an out-of-the-box model but a few apocryphal flicks of the proverbial paint brush coupled with some etched brass plates can turn them in to something quite special.

Both of these loco had been in store for some time and so they came here for a check of their mechanical parts, boiler and gauge glass cleaning, fitting of upgraded radio control and some paintwork attention. For the latter, the main task was to dismantle both locos sufficiently to have their boilers resprayed from incorrect blue to correct black. As far as I can determine, no blue DHR B-Class in India has ever had a blue boiler. Why the myth that they do continues in model form is a mystery to me. The black boiler was then followed with the usual red, silver and white detailing, grey cab roof, copper balance pipes and an all-over satin finish. DHR locos are not shiny! Both received a brass band around the smokebox and 804 also gained a cab back sheet, courtesy of my mother-in-law.

This Roundhouse Bertie came here for fitting of a number of Roundhouse (crossheads, water top-up system, pressure gauge, buffer beam overlays) and Locoworks (lubricators, sand boxes, rear cab door) detail upgrades, followed by stripping of its horrible "rattle can" paintwork and repainting in to satin black with red lining.

Morgan Locomotive Works Garratt No. 15 had a more substantial cab fitted before being repainted in to green with white lining and black edging.

About 30 years ago, on a Friday evening during the summer you would invariably find me playing trains at my good friend Edward Hodson's line in Staffordshire. On occasions we would also be joined by the late John Prescott, and John would usually bring his latest creation for a run. I remember when he brought early builds of his Robin 0-4-0 side tanks and saddle tanks along, which I admired greatly, and especially the way he had managed to cram clunky 1980s radio control in to such a small loco. Sadly, a Robin of either kind has never come my way but it was still nice to have one here for a short period for some work. This one came here for conversion from radio to manual control and a full repaint. Absolutely delightful!

The Festiniog Railway's Single Fairlie TALIESIN is seldom modelled in other than its current form, but this one bucks that trend with the loco seen in its earlier form with lower tanks, tapered chimney and open cab. It was built by Stewart Browne of Archangel Loco Works and arrived here with only the frames painted and the rest in either bare brass or primer. It was painted and lined to the owner's specification with name and works plates supplied by MDC.

This Accucraft Ragleth came here very much as a kit of parts, along with the coal-firing conversion kit made by DJB Model Engineering Ltd. The kit includes a replacement boiler, water pump, boiler filling system, water tanks, smokebox and all of the other components needed. The job was completed with a repaint from dark green in to satin black with simple red lining to avoid it looking too much like a black blob.

My sincere thanks go to Mike Darby at Chuffed2Bits for the repair work needed on the chassis.

The proverbial Box Of Bits can always be a challenge, especially when there are no instructions, few others around of the same type to copy and the box contains bits from more than one kit. Such was the case with this one, which eventually turned in to a model of Penrhyn Quarry's Avonside 0-4-0T MARCHLYN.

I've had a couple of the similar Maxwell Hemmens Ogwen/Marchlyn locos here, but this one was made by Roger Marsh so there are a few differences. I started by finishing assembly of the chassis and running it on compressed air. I then put enough bits on to get it running on steam. The chassis ran nicely but the boiler was not so good. The pressure gauge pipe was fractured where it was soldered directly in to the boiler, and the backhead water gauge glass was also leaking. Not something I can fix, so the boiler went off to Shawe Steam Services for repair. The pressure gauge pipe can now be easily removed from the boiler should the need arise, and a different and better method of retaining the backhead in place has also been used.

Meanwhile, I removed the poorly applied paint and applied etch primer, black with Penrhyn lining and red detailing, all followed by reassembly to give the result shown.

A Roundhouse Double Fairlie carrying a lining scheme based on that carried by the old (proper!) Earl of Merioneth prior to its withdrawal from traffic in 1971. Name and patent plates were supplied by MDC.