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All contents (including photos and drawings) - © 2011  Derek Mackenzie
Listowel & Ballybunion loco replica
December 2009
 Coaches - the first 2 of the 5 LSWR 6-wheel coach kits are almost ready - the remaining 3 will follow shortly.
  Locos - the GWR 56XX is now available in ready-to-run form only.

April  2011

        The Q1 prototype is nearly complete - it still requires some of the turned, cast and mechanical bits. The nearly complete bodywork appeared on the Just The Ticket (JTT) stand at the 16mm show (Stoneleigh) on the 2nd April and will make its next appearance at the G1MRA Spring show on the 16th April. See here for some photos. I have started design work on an LMS Jocko (Jinty) 0-6-0T - also for JTT. I hope to do a photo survey of the LNER N2 whilst at Loughborough for G1MRA meeting.

February 2010
  The 56XX  instructions are nearly done, but yet again the house has got in the way (Grrrr.)
          Tiling the bathroom this time.
    LSWR coaches - I have the initial etch for the first two coaches, but not yet had a chance to put them together. Or write the instructions. Or take the photos.

June 2010


  The 56XX instructions were completed some time ago.

   I now have available a very limited number of DEE kits (and possibly RtR) - see the Offers page - click here

July 2010


   Beat the VAT increase - there is no VAT payable on any of our models


   I am  going to the NRM in mid August to get photos of the interior of the LSWR tri-compo coach - once I know the exact shades of colours used for the interior I will be able to paint my LSWR coach models, put them together and post photos.

    DEE kits still available.

Late August 2010


     Just back from the NRM - unfortunately their LSWR tri-compo is done in SR colours internally, despite the LSWR exterior, so I will have to go to the Bluebell so I can photograph the interior of their newly restored LSWR coach. Again unfortunately their LSWR 1520 Lavatory Third Brake (built 1910) is just a third so I am still left guessing as to exactly what shade of blue the LSWR first class interior was - ditto the Second class interior (golden brown? - but what shade exactly). Unfortunately Len Tavender’s otherwise excellent HMRS livery register for the LSWR is a little skimpy on interior colour shades. If anyone knows, please email me here.

     Better news on the loco etches for the JTT loco kits, I have now measured up the SR Q1 - this will probably be the first accurate detailed drawing published of the Q1. All others I have seen fail to match photos of the real thing.

    On the way back from the NRM I stopped off at the Midland Railway Centre to do a full photo survey of the two LMS Pacifics - both Princess Royal Class and Princess Coronation (Duchess) Class. These will also be turned into etches for JTT loco kits.

    I then stopped off at the GCR (Loughborough) to attempt to do a photo survey of the SR King Arthur Class loco Sir Lamiel only to find that it was away on tour at Swanage.

Photography there might have been a problem anyway as the management had decided at the end of July to deny visitors access to the loco sheds due to continuing theft problems.


November 2010


     The Q1 etch went off to the etchers in mid October. Still no news so it looks unlikely to be ready for the G1MRA AGM at the end of this month. Hopefully it will arrive soon so that I can do the trial assembly and instructions.

     The LSWR coach etches (6 wheelers - 1888 First and 1878 Compo) have now been painted prior to assembly. This is an experiment to see if it is easier to paint them first - assembly will be mostly with tabs, bolts and superglue. So far, so good. Assembly order determined, assembly started - I will be writing illustrated instructions as I go. I had to guess the exact shades for the interior.

     Once this and the Q1 are assembled I can get back to the design for the LSWR T9 - this is being redesigned for 1:32 scale.

DEE kits are still available - I will be taking some to the AGM.


February 2011


        The Q1 etch has finally arrived, but after getting lost for 6 weeks it is horribly tarnished. I am now soaking it in citric acid to clean it up.

         This enforced delay has enabled me to do design work on both the Adams Radial Tank (GA drawing now complete) and the T9 (the 1/32 version design is now nearly complete). The T9 will be offered in both 10mm scale and 1/32 as I already have orders for both scales. All future Orion Models locos and coaches will be to 1/32 scale. All future production will be kits only - except for existing orders.

May  2011

        The photo survey for the LNER N2 was completed satisfactorily. My thanks go to the staff and volunteers at the GCR who were very helpful.

I have just completed the etch design for an SECR H class to go with the ARM1G components. This is optimised to fit - so no hacking required. A matching full transfer set will be available. See here for details.

June 2011
        The Orion Models range is expanding to include low cost kits for coaches to match each locomotive kit as it becomes available. As with the low cost loco
kits they will be sold through Just The Ticket Engineering Supplies. An SECR trio birdcage set is being developed now and should be available soon after the
 SECR H class loco.
July 2011
        The remotely reversible valvegear  for the Q1 (and all ARM1G variants) was to have been Marshalls, but this proved to be both too tall for locos with
 lower boilers (such as the SECR H class and the LSWR O2 class) and too wide for the space available. It has now been redesigned as Southern valvegear and
 is working well on the software simulator. It is awaiting delivery of a revised crank axle to enable actual testing.
           The LMS 3F general arrangement drawing is now complete. Model design is about to begin. It will follow the SECR H class into production.
 LNER Thompson suburban coaches have been designed. It is hoped these will be available by early December.
            The LSWR O2 was taken out of service for overhaul so my photo trip to the Isle of Wight has been postponed. I managed to do a full photo survey of
 the LSWR M7 at Swanage and a GWR 4575 (small prairie tank) and auto trailer at the South Devon Railway.
August 2011
        The revised crank axle for the Southern valvegear has arrived and assembly (and testing) of the valvegear commenced.
September 2011
        The  the Southern valvegear has now been tested successfully on air in the Q1. The etches have been revised and the artwork for the Q1 and the
 SECR H class have gone off to the etchers
October 2011
        My first photo trip of the month to the Bluebell Railway enabled me to do a full photo survey of the newly restored SECR Birdcage coach 3363.
 My thanks go to Trevor Rapley and Richard Salmon for making this possible. I also did a full photo survey of the Metropolitan coach set.
           The following weekend I was back to photograph the SECR H class loco. This is still being rebuilt, but the photos enabled me to correct some errors
 on the etch. My thanks to Chris Shepherd for this.
           Next weekend off to the Spa Valley Railway for their Autumn Steam Gala where I hope to photograph the LMS Jinty and maybe get some high level
 shots of the M7.
           Then back to the Bluebell for the Vintage Weekend where I hope to photograph more old carriages.
             
November 2011
        Just returned from the photo trip to the Bluebell Vintage Weekend. I have now corrected the Birdcage drawings in light of the photos and measurements
 taken. The etch artwork is nearly complete and will go off to the etchers soon. The Thompson suburban coaches went off to the etchers on 26/10/11.
 The Q1 changes and H class etches have been approved and actual etching should be underway - hopefully they will arrive in time for the G1 AGM.

December 2011

      The Q1 changes and H class etches have now returned from the etchers. The Q1 still needs reassembling and checking. The first H class has been put together. It needs a few changes, so the opportunity has been taken to improve the design at the same time. Currently both are delayed while I build a new PC (the old one controlling the lathe and mill failed) and build two new CNC controllers for the lathe and mill.

The SECR Birdcage trio set etch masks have been approved, so I hope to get the etches back soon.


January 2012

      The new PC  has finally gone together - when will Microsoft learn to provide migration tools?  The move to Windows 7 was quite painful and very time consuming.

The CNC controllers are almost finished, so I hope to be cutting metal again within a week. The etches have arrived, but the combination of the above plus Xmas has prevented any progress in assembling the trial etches. Again I hope to start within a few days.