I had an enjoyable day yesterday at the 2015 York Model Railway Show. I often find it’s the social side that I enjoy most at shows, chatting amongst like minded friends and discussing current projects. York always has excellent trade in the form of the cottage industries. I will admit I didn’t utilise that yesterday, as most of the said traders will be at Scale Four North in two weeks, so I will pick up my bits and pieces there (as I’m demoing I’ll have more time over the two days).
What I did pick up was a Hornby BR Brake Van in Bauxite (£13.50 is excellent value, when the competitors Brake Van is around £24). I was intending to hold off on a 64XX, but temptation got the better of me.
This will not be staying as a 64XX for long. I’ll be doing the cab alterations in the coming months (plus removal of the auto gear) to represent the larger class of 74XX, which were utilised heavily on the Bala-Blaenau Branch.
I was asked at the weekend about the visual difference between the 57XX/8750 and 64/74XX. If I’m correct the 57XX owes it’s heritage to the Swindon design of 0-6-0 Pannier tank, while the 54/64/74 goes back to the Wolverhampton design of tank engines. To show the visual difference, below is the new Pannier alongside 5742.
