Derby Sulzer pair in N...

The 'Derby Sulzers', Type 2s known as Class 24 and 25 under TOPS were mixed traffic machines that could be found anywhere on our railway. With their modest power and high route availability they were the stalwarts of many cross country routes and the back bone of many wagon load services...

As with most places, there was a period when they ruled the Cambrian Coast - and that meant I'd need an example of each to 'ring the changes' on my planned exhibition layout. The 24s came first, in the late 1960s through to TOPS. Upon their retirement the 25s took over, until they two saw retirement although the Barmouth bridge and it's marine worms did mean their replacements, the 37s didn't see service to Pwllheli until the mid 1980s. 

The Farish model(s) are quite old examples in their range but to me still capture the character of the prototypes well. The bodywork mouldings are clean and crisp although the nose doors (as with the doors on the 37, of similar vintage) are perhaps too deep. The body side is a delight though, especially the radiator grilles on the 24. Underneath the trucks are wonderfully captured but the cut away skirts and visible frames are an understandable compromise as is the fuel tank area on the 25. Looking at the latter first, a few small changes were made to improve matters. I thinned the edge of the buffer beams with a blade, and tapered the edge of the frame under the cabs to reduce it's visual 'weight'. The rest of the work is done in paints with shades and shadow created using darker paints. The results, whilst no short cut to cutting and filing have improved matters immensely. This is a layout model, one that will be a work horse so rather than ultimate fidelity there is some balance and restraint in detail. However, the character of these locomotives is not just their physical form but the weathering patterns to and here I carefully observed photos of the prototype to include the build up around the horns on the roof as well as a very feint rust line on the nose. Washes applied and removed built up the grub, and the airbrush added just a hint of road dirt on the lower body.

The 24 is 'cleaner' and the Farish base model is also brighter blue and yellow. I renumbered the latest release with Fox decals, also replacing the over sized and poorly placed double arrow. Work here was easier, just the weathering really to bring this one to life, the pattens of grime around the panel lines on the roof are copied from photos - here the shadows painted on to the chassis are particularly effective. 

These models, although destined for the Cambrian layout are useful to have in the collection as they can stand in on a Scottish layout, or even a Devon or Cornwall layout (the 25 at least). This also makes them great models to appear on Paxton Road, with it's location agnostic setting. I hope my subtle hand in their finish has resulted in a much improved finish, these photos act as cruel closeups many many times larger than the models appear in reality. 

Until next time, more soon...

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