TYNE DOCK 9F FINISHED

A few previous posts have described my quest to realise a model of the iconic Tyne Dock-allocated BR 9Fs. After some touch-up painting and a few hours' worth of weathering, the model is now complete. The extra plumbing and twin air pumps blend in to the rest of the structure now, which was the intention. Indeed, the overall effect is not bad for a budget model and, at first glance, the Hornby Railroad 9F doesn't look too far off the superior Bachmann version. Look closer, however, and you realise there's no brake gear and a few bits and pieces are a bit crude by today's standards. But then, this model is almost half the price.

It's nice to see the loco hooked up to an appropriate wagon - a Dave Bradwell metal kit that I built a few years back. Not the easiest thing to build, but it makes a great model of the unique hopper wagons. A little bird tells me that a new, easier kit for these wagons should be available next year - see Model Rail 177 for more info (on sale Nov 29), along with the full demo on how I converted my Hornby 9F.