A big fan of the Sulzer Type 2s, George Dent has been tinkering with one of Model Rail’s latest exclusive offerings, stirring thoughts of years gone by.
Model Rail’s exclusive Heljan Class 26/1 depicts 26043, the last of the class to be outshopped in BR Rail blue following overhaul in the 1980s.
Model: Heljan 2647 BR Class 26/1 26043 in Rail blue with Scottish Region DCE stripes and Haymarket depot logos
Price: £210.00 (get 10% off full-price models as a subscriber to the magazine)
Although the queue of BR Rail blue and Sectorisation era locomotives and stock continues to grow, I am at least making small inroads into the weathering and customisation jobs allotted to each. The latest specimen to be shunted onto my workbench is a Heljan Class 26 – one of Model Rail’s exclusive renditions of 26043 in fact.
A holiday in Scotland motivated me to get on with this job, which is just one of a handful of Heljan’s latest raft of ‘26s’ that are earmarked for a lightly work-stained appearance. As much as I enjoyed riding on ScotRail’s Class 156s and various EMUs, I couldn’t help but dream of being in a Mk 1 behind a burbling Sulzer Type 2.
But time marches on and, as well as installing a Modelu footplate crew, most the supplied optional details need to be fitted, including the handsome three-piece miniature snowploughs, which are some of the more impressive plastic versions to be supplied with RTR diesels. Besides, I feel the ‘26s’ look somehow half-dressed without them.
As supplied, our exclusive ‘26’ has the ‘standard’ parallel cab footsteps installed, as was usual for locomotives in the ‘26/1’ sub-class. However, the real 26043, having gained a set of ‘26/0’ bogies during its later BR years, can be seen in period images with tapered footsteps. Accordingly, Heljan provided a choice of steps in the detail bag, so swapping them over is a simple task. Other pertinent additions are the small air horn grille covers, which come pre-painted in matching Rail blue.
With the detail installation work complete, weathering will soon commence. I envisage using a blend of techniques – enamel washes, a little airbrush work, and drybrushing – but nothing too intrusive. Hence why I’m comfortable adding the extra details now and keeping the model relatively intact.
That said, the body will have to come off. It’s a simple clip fit, so that’s no great drama. As I’ll be adding a driver, assistant and ephemera (bag, tea caddy, newspapers and so on) into the exquisitely detailed cabs, I may as well add a little everyday grime to the bulkhead, consoles and floor.
But more on the ‘dirty’ work in part two...
CONSORTING WITH A CLASSIC
Dave Lowery’s fleet of ‘O’ gauge Class 69s continues to grow, with 69009 Western Consort the latest to enter service on his extensive layout. The real 69009, converted from 56060, began work with GB Railfreight early last year, decked out in the classic British Railways maroon livery, in tribute to the original Western Consort, D1065.
Apparently, D1065 was GBRf CEO John Smith’s favourite ‘Western’ diesel hydraulic during his youthful trainspotting days. Like most of Dave’s previous ‘69’ models, it has been created by converting a Heljan Class 56 with the aid of 3D-printed components from Simon Brooking, the full process being described in MR289.
STEP BY STEP
1 First job was to remove the pattern footsteps that come pre-fitted to 26043. They should only be tacked in place and can be gently prised out of the frames – curved tweezers are ideal, as they offer extra leverage. The foam sheet from the box provides a safe surface to work on.
2 Most of the steps came away from the frames easily, but a couple of mounting pins broke off and had to be drilled out. I used a 0.6mm diameter twist drill bit in a pin vice, opening out the hole carefully, taking care not to let the drill wander off course.
3 The optional tapered footsteps need to be freed from the moulded sprue, with the aid of a sharp blade or, preferably, a good quality set of sprue cutters. These GodHand cutters are superb (www.airbrushes.com). Any ‘flash’ can be scraped away with the edge of a scalpel blade.
4 After a test fit of the tapered steps, ensuring the locating pins sit snugly into the holes in the frames, they can be fixed with adhesive. I opted for Roket Rapid fast-setting cyanoacrylate, because I’m impatient! Ensure the straight side of the steps faces towards the ends of the loco.
5 Our exclusive model also comes with pre-painted air horn grille covers, carried by the real 26043. These were affixed with Deluxe Materials’ Photo Etched Glue, which allows more time for adjustment. Any excess can be cleaned away with water.
6 A set of covers for the air horn compartments is also provided, although I’m not sure whether 26043 carried them during its later days in BR blue. Heljan, however, has given modellers the option. They’re a snug fit into the recesses and require a small blob of glue to the underside.
7 Class 26s don’t look right to me without a set of snowploughs, so the supplied parts were added, after unclipping the NEM coupler pockets. The two headstock mounting screws need to be removed and replaced with the longer set supplied with the snowploughs.
8 The snowploughs look great, although I’m tempted to try painting the mounting brackets black to render them less obtrusive. Installation of the ‘ploughs is simple and they’re just as easy to remove if desired – just be sure to keep the original headstock mounting screws safe.
MAGNIFYING THE ISSUE
It comes to us all eventually, but Peter Marriott has found that a magnifying tool has helped with more detailed work, particularly the painting of miniature figures.
Having admired them from afar for some time, Peter has taken his first steps with the Modelu range of 3D-printed figures. Before starting the painting process, however, he trialled two different magnifiers, one featuring a pair of moveable arms and a poseable magnifying glass, all connected to a heavy metal base. Often referred to as helping hands tools, they’re available from many different manufacturers.
The other device was a head-mounted magnifier, with built-in LED lights, from the Bachmann Modelmaker range. After experimenting, Peter found this latter option worked best for him, with the lighting being a real bonus.
Peter remarked “Both types of magnifying systems took a little bit of getting used to and I am not sure I could spend long periods of time working with them, but I know the quality of my painting of the figures improved by using them”.
As modellers, we’re lucky to have a large range of aids available to make our hobby that bit easier, even when our eyesight begins to degrade. A browse around your favourite model or craft store will likely present numerous options and it helps to try before you buy, if possible.
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