Motive Power

Over the last couple of weeks I've been scouring eBay for second hand locomotives for my OO gauge shunting layout project. As I've already decided on the GWR, having bought the Bachmann Western Wanderer train set as a starting point, I have been adding to the 57XX class pannier that came bundled with the set. This is a really lovely model and runs like a dream, so in comparison with second hand models, I was expecting to see a really marked shortfall in detail and performance.

Thus far, I have acquired a Hornby open cab 2721 class pannier tank, one of the later models with greater detail than the older versions, which runs beautifully at slow speed and looks pretty good too. I am going to add some more details including a crew, etched brass number plates, three link couplings, bunker coal and lamps, but it's really not too bad as it is. There's a really good tutorial on detailing this model available, so I may well give it a go later.

I also have a Bachmann 57XX / 8750 class pannier, which is the later version with the enlarged cab and square windows. It's in need of a little repair, specifically the replacement of the tank vents, one of which has snapped off. It runs really well, though, and looks lovely too. I will eventually replade the NEM couplers with three link screw couplings and add etched brass numbers, a couple of crew and some coal to the bunker.

The final second hand model is an old Airfix Mainline 14XX 0-4-2 tank, which a previous owner has detailed with scale screw coulpings and etched brass number plates, presumably for push-pull work with a branch line autocoach. I had one of these neat little locos when I was a kid and really loved it at the time. This one, however, isn't a great runner being a bit sticky but it's no surprise as it dates from 1979! I'll see what I can do with it but it's really just an extra, so if the maintenance doesn't work I'm not too fussed.

One thing that's very noticeable, apart from the dust, is the variation in the shade of Great Western green between the different models. One day I'll have a go at re-painting some of them so that they match up to a greater degree but, as this will be a one engine at a time layout in terms of operation, they won't actually appear alongside each other most of the time, so there's no real problem. I still want to get my hands on a 45XX, a Dean Goods or a Collet Goods as well but these four will be more than sufficient for my late 1930's to early 1940's shunting layout.