ATD card-building kits are fairly new and this article uses two of them to build an attractive diorama in TT:120 scale. The kits used are the ATD13014 1970s office block and the ATD13023 Mess hut and store.

The ATD 1970s office block kit

The office block kit comes on several thin card sheets that are pre-cut. there is also a sheet of printed windows. Construction is fairly simple and begins with separating the walls from the sheets. The cut line is not very distinct and a metal ruler and knife are recommended for this. The two main walls overlap each other to add depth.

Main building assembly

Once the windows are fitted and the main walls are together the first floor is added. Tabs locate into cutouts in the walls to position the floor. At this point, it is a good idea to add corner brackets, as the walls tend to splay out. Keep the brackets low enough to allow for the roof rebate which drops inside the walls.

The roof assembly

The roof assembly is fiddly, please make sure that all the components align properly. I left the windows out and sprayed the roof with matt black paint. This covered all the white edges including the insides of the window openings. Lastly add the windows.

The cladding

lastly, the cladding was added, this added another layer and more depth. The main building was then complete.

TT:120 scale, Garage Petrol Station With Pumps, ** ready made **

Made of 1 mm card.

£25.00

Shop now

The diorama

The diorama base is made from an A4 canvas intended for paintings. These have a simple wooden frame with a canvas stretched over it. They make good diorama bases when used with a card top. The top was sprayed with grey primer to represent the tarmac. additionally, some pavement was added. 00 pavement can be used, printed at about 60% size.

The construction of the other buildings is the same as for the office block. The vehicles used are from the Oxford TT range.

TT:120 Corner Shop Model building.

Made of 1 mm card.

£25.00

Shop now

This article and series features exclusive video content. The videos can be downloaded for free, click on the three dots on the right, when hovering over the video.

• Baseboard, Free
• PVA Glue- large bottle, £2 – Poundland
• 1/8″ Cork sheet- Javis
• Peco track pack, £62.00 – Jacksons Models
• Dapol class 27, £120 – Hattons.

Nowadays, building a model railway can be an expensive business. Therefore, how do you create a layout for less than £300?

The answer is n gauge, as a rule n locomotives are cheaper, and you use less materials to make the baseboard and scenery. A basic oval with two sidings, can be had for around £60 and locomotives are generally cheaper than their 00 equivalents. For example a Dapol 9F, can be had for £120. While the 00 equivalent would be well over £200.

The video below shows some early running tests of the prototype layout. The locomotive should run at normal speed with no stalling or stuttering. It should also pass over points smoothly.

Track can be cleaned with a spray of WD40, on a cloth, or lighter fluid.

You also need much less space than with the larger scales.

Baseboards on a budget

The baseboard used for this project was made from three old chipboard shelves. They were screwed together using scrap plywood battens. Check that they are perfectly flat.

Priority number one is getting the track laid flat, and reliable. N gauge can be very finicky, with wheel flanges being fractions of a millimetre deep, there is no room for error. Consequently, cork sheet was used as an underlay.

Another issue is unreliable joints, especially with sectional track. Sometimes you just have to solder a recalcitrant joint, take care not to get solder on the rail head. N gauge track is usually nickel silver and takes solder well.

Power connecting clips are also a source of problems. I usually solder these to the outside of the rails. Use a very fine tip, not a braising iron!

Once the track is good we start work on the backdrop. This splits the layout into two scenic sections….

Part two looks at making the backdrop. We also investigate what is available on the second hand market, in n gauge.

The prototype

The Burago Mini Cooper is a budget model with operating features. The original Mini was in production for an incredible 40 years. Notably, the first model came out in 1959, it was designed by the famous Sir Alec Issigonis.

The car had a two-door design with a transverse engine and front-wheel drive, indeed, this allowed for more passenger room in the cab. Additionally, the car was manufactured in Britain and at sites around the world. There was also a pickup, estate and van version.

Finally, this popular car became a cultural icon in the 1960’s and was featured in the 1969 film The Italian Job.

The Mini Cooper was a rally car variant of the original Mini that had appeared in 1959. The main differences of the Cooper, from the production Mini were a larger capacity engine, up from 848 cc to 997 cc and twin SU carburettors. The Mini Cooper first raced in 1961.

The Burago Mini Cooper model

Burago is an Italian manufacturer of die-cast models. Admittedly, 1:24 scale is quite large for car models, but not too large to accumulate a good collection in a small space. While not top end, they are good value and have operating features. The Mini reviewed here has an opening bonnet and doors. They are cheap and robust enough to give to children, this Mini is about 5″ long.

The packaging is reasonably robust for the price.

Engine detail is rudimentary, but at least there is one! Additionally, the headlight lenses are nicely done, although the indicators are just painted on. One bugbear for UK collectors is the foreign plates, However, the year is present on the plate, a nice touch.

Next, there is no indication of windscreen rubbers, but the wipers are fine.

The rear aspect is pleasing with moulded rear light clusters, although the indicators are the wrong colour. The Mini badge is included, as is the fog lamp and filler cap.

Conclusions

There are many Mini models at various price points and the Burrago version is good for the money.

I have one available to buy at the time of writing. This is discounted as the box is damaged.

The mini Cooper on Wiki

Horse trams

Manchester trams then and now, looks at the development of trams in Manchester. For example horse trams began in 1877 and Manchester now has the largest tram network in the UK

Horse-drawn buses had been operating in Manchester since the 1860’s. Consequently, heavy traffic congestion lead to the formation of the Manchester Suburban Tramways Company in 1877. Local councils were allowed to build and lease the lines but not operate them. Thus Salford and Manchester councils began to build an integrated horse-drawn system that grew rapidly.

By the 1890s, the Manchester Tram Company had 515 tram cars pulled by thousands of horses, they plied the city and outlining areas. In the 1880s some local towns began to use steam trams.

Electrification

The original lease for the tram lines was due to expire in 1898 therefore Manchester Corporation began to take over running and rebuilding the network for electric traction. Many methods of powering the system were looked at, including steam. However, by this time steam tram engines were becoming obsolete.

Electrification using overhead power was chosen. Consequently, a new electrically equipped depot had to be built and land off Queens road in Chetham hill was purchased. the depot and first electrical operated line opened in 1901. It took two years to rebuild the rest of the network, at a cost of £1,500,000.

The old routes were much more extensive than the modern Metro system

By 1949 the system was worn out and would have cost too much to replace. It had already been decided to scrap the trams in 1937, but the war intervened. Consequently, disused routes provide thousands of tons of steel for the war effort.

The new trams

The new Manchester tramway system began to be constructed in 1992. The network has 99 stops and over 64 miles of track. Additionally, the system is owned by Transport For Greater Manchester, which is a public body similar to the old Corporations. However, the trams are operated and maintained by two private companies

Construction

The first line to open ran on existing heavy rail lines. That is from Bury to Victoria station and from Deansgate to Altringham in the South. Furthermore, a street-level line was constructed to link Victoria station with Picadilli and Deansgate/ Castlefield.

The line gradually expanded until the newest line opened in 2020, to the Trafford centre.

Tram video, Manchester trams to the city, what to see and do

I am producing a new article and history/transport documentary each week. These are 30-minute programmes.

The video features:

• The Metro at St Peter’s square
• The art gallery
• History of Manchesters’ trams
• Exchange Quay
• Ordsall Hall
• Harbour City
• Media city
• The Lowry art gallery
• MOSi
• Manchester Cathedral
• Victoria Station

Subscribe to my youtube channel History with a twist

Article writing

I also write for Preston Blog and World History Online. An article like this is normally £40. If you would like something similar for your website contact me below.

geoff@electronincantation.co.uk

The Metcalfe Terraced house kit can be improved with a few extra parts from Wills and lit with some 12v grain of wheat bulbs.

You will need:

• Wills guttering & drainpipes
• Scalescenes curtains and wall pictures
• Scalescenes roads download.
• 12v grain of wheat bulbs
• Copper tape
• Metcalfe cobbled sheet
• 2mm card
• Brick colured chalk pastel
• Grey chalk pastel
• Red and black wire 7/0.2 stranded.
• Dapol station accessories

Make the main walls as per the instructions. the kit comes with extra laser-cut window sills and lintels. use these to add some depth. Finally use the brick coloured chalk pastel to colour the edges. The square corner of the pastel just fits in the groove. Grey chalk pastel can be used to colour the roof edges.

Extra walls

The kit does not have walls between the houses. Therefore you need to make some from 2mm card, to block the light from next door. Also cut a couple of holes in the downstairs room corners for the wires to pass through. Curtains come from a scalescenes house kit download. Use some scrap card to space them away from the windows slightly.

The first floor then has a 12v bulb fitted, you can hold the wire in place with a piece of masking tape. Additionally. cut the corners off the floor so that the upstairs wires can pass through.

Lighting

Guttering

Make up the Wills drainpipes and paint them. The guttering is about the correct depth to fit directly to the wall under the roof edge.

The base

The base is made from 2mm card with the lampost from a Dapol station accessories set.

Powering the lights

12V bulbs can be powered by a 12V battery pack. These hold eight AA batteries and are readily available. Alternatively, you can use an old model railway controller. Lastly, 12V “wall wart” type power supplies are also cheaply available.

Construction tips

Bare card edges can be coloured by using brick coloured chalk pastels. This is easier to do before the walls are assembled. Metcalfe also provides cobbled sheets to create back streets. Various roads can be downloaded from Scalescenes.

Conclusion

You can use copper tape on the base to solder the bulb wires to.

Introduction – the death of Hornby?

Early models of the class 81 included a rare 1964 Hornby Dublo version. The first class 86 electrics to run on the West Coast main line were derivations of the prototype class 81. Consequently, the class 81 (AL1) was first made in model form by Hornby Dublo, in 1964, Cat. No. 2245. This was just before Hornby were bought out by the Lines Brothers (Tri-ang).

Meanwhile, after the amalgamation In 1966 Tri-ang-Hornby brought out their own version, R.753. This used the ubiquitous motor unit from the dock shunter and class 101. Moreover, the Dublo version used an entirely different chassis and is now one of the rarer Dublo models, costing close to £1000!

The Dublo E3002 was a crude model by modern standards and pretty bad by the standards of 1964! As a result, Hornby were in trouble, with lots of unsold stock. The worst culprit being the ugly co-bo Diesel electric locomotives that stuck to the shelves like glue. The model railway press were scathing in their verdict on build quality. Consequently, when Tri-ang took over there were literally hundreds of these models in stock.

The Prototype

Under the 1955 modernization program for British Railways the West coast main line was to be electrified. As a result, 100 AC electric locomotives were ordered from five manufacturers. The first to be delivered was E3001 built in 1959. Associated electrical industries built 25 examples with two being geared to 80mph for freight duties.

The locomotives operated on 25Kv AC and were only used on the West Coast main line. Finally, The last class 81 was built in 1964.

By 1965 electrification was pushing north. As a result 100 more locomotives were ordered. English Electric and British Rail made them in Newton Le Willows and Doncaster. E3101- E3200 became the numbering. The class 86 was based on the earlier class 81. However, there were differences. The noses were square and not sloped back. Also the second pantograph disappeared.

The class 86’s saw long service and many liveries. By 2002 the last were out of service on the West Coast line. However, Freightliner still operate a fleet of 86’s on intermodal work. While West Coast railways use them on charters.

The Tri-ang Hornby Class 81-86, early models

The Triang-Hornby version of the class 81 came out in 1966, R.753. This model is hard to find, costing £100+ for one in good condition. The class 81 also appeared in a train pack, R.644. The train pack was released in 1969. The first model had two pantographs as had the Dublo version.

E3001 was the prototype electric loco delivered in 1959.

The Class 81 in the 1968 Hornby catalogue.

The Hornby Class 81-86, Later models.

In 1981 Hornby produced a new model with a Ringfield motor. Firstly, R360 number 86210 “Phoenix” was issued. Subsequently, a plethora of models followed. These featured many liveries. Named locomotives also proliferated.

Modern releases of the class 86

More recent models include versions by Heljan. Bachmann also produce a class 85 in BR Blue. At the time of writing (April 2021) Heljan has just released a new class 86 model in 00. This is in the early BR Blue livery, pre and post TOPS.

British Rail standard classes

After WW II British Railways had inherited a multitude of different locomotive types. Therefore, in 1951, an attempt was made to Create a range of Standard steam locomotives that could run anywhere on the network. However by 1955 it had been decided that steam would be phased out resulting in a short life of between seven and seventeen years for most of the standards.

The prototype.

The standard class 3, 2-6-2 design was built at the ex GWR works in Swindon. Consequently, Forty-seven were built between 1952 and 1955. The designer was Robert Riddles. It was a hybrid design using LMS and GWR parts. Additionally, there was a 2-6-0 tender version of the class 3.

The model.

The Tri-ang class 3 standard tank locomotive first appeared in 1956. The livery was BR black with the early crest. The wheels were solid, however, it had brass buffers and safety valves. The body molding was quite crude with “soft” detail. Compared to the real thing the pony truck wheels are under scale.

Consequently, By 1961 it had gained see through wheels and a green lined livery. The model continued in various guises until 1972. The featured image is the original 1960 version with sold wheels, compare it to the image below. Finally, it is common to have decal damage as that is where the model is usually held when lifting.

Five versions of the Tri-ang 2 – 6 – 2 were produced between 1956 and 1972. The later model has nickel tyres but maintained the same running number. The 1960 green version with solid wheels was only produced in that year. However, the 1972 version is the least common variant.

The centre wheels had no flange and the motor used a brass gear. Both pony trucks pivot at the ends unlike modern designs. Finally, the one I have is a sweet runner, even after 60 years! Will the current crop of models still be running in 2081?

Film and media

Film of the standard class 3 is fairly rare as none were preserved. However, the standard class 3’s used the boiler from GWR Prairie tanks and they look very similar. The differences being a smaller tank and no Walschaerts valve gear.