Nassau65
CCCUK Member
Looks like a very nice collection, and they look good kept in their boxes.
What have you done today ?
- Thread starter Chuffer
- Start date
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
I have a modest collection of 1: 24 and 1:18 scale cars , mostly assorted models of the more `interesting ` cars I have owned over the years plus firm favourites that I have lusted after , some self built from kits . Some in display cabinets and some not . Then there is the not so modest collection of railway locomotives that are all in display cabinets . As you say , dust still creeps in . I use a soft bristled `puffer` brush that are used for cleaning camera lenses . Works a treat .
Mr. Cricket
Committee Member
The post race C5's detail is incredible
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
Had another good day in the BIG TOY BOX today working on Sir Lamiel . Finished off the final stages of linishing the running plate which provides a narrow walk way along each side of the boiler when installed for routine maintenance . Once down to bright metal a liberal coat of Alluminium Oxide primer was applied . All the internal and external faces of the chassis and internal components are in their finished condition of gloss chassis red on internal faces and gloss chassis black on external faces and all 6 driving wheels and the 4 leading pony truck wheels are in gloss black . All our efforts our now concentrated on this loco now and the similar overhaul work on our Stanier Black Five loco is 
on the back burning as we strive to get Sir Lamiel finished and back in action to celebrate it`s 100 birthday in 2025..
Also had a surprise when I turned up this morning to see this immaculate Ex National Coal Board 0-6-0 Saddle Tank Shunting Loco in the workshops . Clearly fresh out the box from overhaul . It has been hired in to take part in the Great Central Railways ( GCR) forthcoming Gala Weekend when it will perform duties up and down the Mountsorrel Quarry branch line of the GCR main line . Rarely did hard worked and thrashed industrial locomotives look so smart in the collieries and quarries across the UK where they toiled away .
on the back burning as we strive to get Sir Lamiel finished and back in action to celebrate it`s 100 birthday in 2025..Also had a surprise when I turned up this morning to see this immaculate Ex National Coal Board 0-6-0 Saddle Tank Shunting Loco in the workshops . Clearly fresh out the box from overhaul . It has been hired in to take part in the Great Central Railways ( GCR) forthcoming Gala Weekend when it will perform duties up and down the Mountsorrel Quarry branch line of the GCR main line . Rarely did hard worked and thrashed industrial locomotives look so smart in the collieries and quarries across the UK where they toiled away .
Mr. Cricket
Committee Member
Stunning Chuffers. Is this a job or a volunteer gig? Sorry if asked before and I missed it
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
Purely a volunteer gig . We are all members of the 5305 Locomotive Association which is a registered not for profit charity . The are approx 1000 members throughout the UK but 99.9 % are arm chair enthusiasts that never get hands on but at least their annual subscriptions help with funding . There are only about a dozen of us that actually do the hands on work and hardly ever all on site at the same time . Usually only two or four of us and sometimes me on my own like today . A few other regulars often man our sales shop ( converted goods van ) at Loughborough Station to raise money for the overhauls . I often get involved with that too . Whilst I was working on the loco today they ran the shop and raised £480 over the weekend which all helps . We sell 5305 Association merchandise but everything else is donated railway books , models , videos and general railwayana that we sell . We are custodians of the two steam locos 5305 & Sir Lamiel and two early 1960`s era diesel electric locos also . We also receive an income in the form of operating fees when the locos are used hauling trains on the Great Central Railway and are charged by the mile . Unfortunately both the steam locos had their 10 boiler certificates expire one after the other so hence the huge amount of work on our hands . One the diesels is out of action too requiring quite extensive body work repairs due to metal worm . That means just one diesel loco earning its keep at present !! We are overhauling Sir Lamiel and 5305 to comply with Network Rail operating standards to allow us operate them t hauling charter trains on the national railway network and that is were the the big money is made . Unfortunately we have spend a lot of money first to make the big money . Sir Lamiel and the diesels actually belong to the National Collection at York Railway Museum ( NRM) and we are custodians of them , for which we have the pleasure of all the hard work without any financial support from the NRM . Go figure !!! But then the NRM is government funded and run by bean counters and tick box experts that know jack shit about the mechanics of steam locomotive engineering . I wonder who are the mugs in all this ?
But us railway enthusiasts are a funny bunch who will work all the hours the gods send for free just for the love of it . I have been doing it more on than off since I was 17 years old , do I need therapy ???
Mr. Cricket
Committee Member
WOW good on you man, that is very cool!
Thanks
Thanks
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
These are our babies in their previous glory days in preservation service and they have all been overhauled many times over since British Railways withdrew them service , but at least they avoided the scrap man`s gas axe . D123 named `Leicestershire & Derbyshire Yeomanry ` is our only bread winner at the moment . Don`t be confused by the number 45305 on the Stanier Black 5 , that was the number it received in 1948 when the railways were nationalised to British Railways . We all refer to it as 5305 which was its original London Midland & Scottish Railway number when it was built in 1936 . It was designed by William Stanier who was Chief Mechanical Engineer for the LMS and were hugely successful locos with 842 built between 1934 and 1953 . Really good all rounders equally at ease hauling lumbering heavy freight trains or express passenger trains and well loved by railwaymen back in the day . I was fortunate enough to cover many hundreds of miles on the footplate on one of them as support crew on the 
national railway system. Had a personal best of 83 mph through Warrington Station on a dark October night whilst hauling the return working of a charter train that we worked from Shrewsbury to Blackpool for the illuminations and back to Shrewsbury . By ek !! Those t`were the days .
national railway system. Had a personal best of 83 mph through Warrington Station on a dark October night whilst hauling the return working of a charter train that we worked from Shrewsbury to Blackpool for the illuminations and back to Shrewsbury . By ek !! Those t`were the days . 
Roscobbc
Moderator
It seems that Airfix have hit in an upcoming trend for relatively expensive 'buildable' larger scale models with scale like structure, working parts and detailing. Their latest Spitfire model has taken a significant 'leap' forward in that respect. I remember the Pocher models of 30's classics, quite expensive had very intricate parts and materials.
teamzr1
Supporting vendor
So am I sitting on a gold mine ?
Are they worth a million bucks ?
These have been sitting on a shelf for like 30 years, cannot even recall how I got them
Box has never been opened
Box says cast iron, and about 4 inches long and 1 1/2 inches high
57 coupe, 57 ragtop and a '64
Are they worth a million bucks ?
These have been sitting on a shelf for like 30 years, cannot even recall how I got them
Box has never been opened
Box says cast iron, and about 4 inches long and 1 1/2 inches high
57 coupe, 57 ragtop and a '64
Nassau65
CCCUK Member
I loved the old Airfix plane kits in the 60’s. Learnt after many years, less is more when it come to glue. And the old style glue melted the plastic.
My uncle was a prolific semi professional model builder so over the years learnt a lot from him. He reviewed kits for various model magazines and got hundreds of kits for nothing. In fact my cousin still had god know how many unbuilt kits in his loft airfix, revell Aurora etc. £££ just sitting there. He has No interest in them but won’t get rid of them.
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
I guess many lads of our generation learned the hard way with Airfix construction kits , watching our latest birthday or Christmas present dissolve before our eyes .
The modern brush applied glues are so much better . My room was full of Airfix planes in the early 60`s much to my mums annoyance and a total ban on any more was imposed . I got round that problem at birthday and Christmas time as I had a favourite Great Aunt who had no children of her own and was real character and spoilt me rotten . She always bought me which ever larger scale airplane I wanted . Needles to say I also had a few of the steam loco kits that Airfix did . You can still find them occasionally at antique fairs and the like , unbuilt and still boxed . I have collected the whole range over again in later years and have so far built 5 of them which I `super detail `by carefully cutting of the more ugly out of scale moulded details such as hand rails and boiler fittings and fit correct scale brass and wire fittings that are available from the model railway specialists . Adding all the extra bits like brake shoes and brake rods etc makes a big difference . I still have 8 kits to build but they are worth more unbuilt and in original undamaged boxes than completed models . I also have a hard to find old Monogram 1 :20 scale 1981 Corvette C3 to build that a bought on Ebay from the States two years ago !! They will all keep me out of mischief on long winter days .
Chuffer
CCCUK Member
I aim to build them all as I get great enjoyment out of it . Only problem is I am running out of space to display them .