Wake Model Railway Services - WMRS

Wake Model Railway Services - WMRS Model railway repairs, servicing, and more

197s 109 and 007 working 1V96, crossing paths with 158s 821 and 829 working 1D14, at Chirk this afternoon.I visited the ...
16/06/2026

197s 109 and 007 working 1V96, crossing paths with 158s 821 and 829 working 1D14, at Chirk this afternoon.

I visited the site of the Glyn Valley Tramway Trust today to take many reference photos and measure various things including Hand Lane Bridge and the waiting rooms.
I took a total of 196 photos of the 2 stations including bridges and surrounding bits, and made 2 pages of notes with measurements.

I will be turning these measurements into 3D models for the Chirk layout I'm making for the Trust, although I don't know how many will be made before the Twickenham & District Model Railway Club open day at the end of july, where it is making its show debut.

13/06/2026

Running at Twickenham & District Model Railway Club last night.

Rapido Trains UK Manning Wardle "Hawthorn", after half an hour in either direction at 50% speed without a load, this is her first train. The Hornby LNWR 6-wheelers have a lot of drag, so this was about as much as she could handle on the slightly uneven MGRT.

Still, I have nicknamed her 'The Bee' because of the noise she emits.
She's more noisy than the Lima 121 and the Triang Lord of the Isles that also got run on the layout at the same time...

12/06/2026

A video of my Rapido Trains UK Manning Wardle "Hawthorn" being noisy.

I will run it in this evening, although I am pretty confident it won't fix the issue.

The second of 2 additions today, again a preorder I've had for quite a while.Rapido Trains UK Manning Wardle L class "Ha...
12/06/2026

The second of 2 additions today, again a preorder I've had for quite a while.
Rapido Trains UK Manning Wardle L class "Hawthorn" in Bluebell-inspired blue.

A nice looking loco, however there were 2 spots of glue on the model as it came from the factory (one on one corner of the tank, one on the rear at the top of the coal bunker), and she is a very noisy runner.

I tried taking her apart to find the issue, and it seems it is just a noisy motor (or possibly an imbalanced flywheel). However, it was a nightmare to put back together, thanks to several parts coming away where they shouldn't have. My model now has several more glue marks and paint chips from refitting these parts, plus a missing k**b in the cab.
Seriously, I don't recommend anyone take these models apart any further than taking the tank and smokebox off for DCC fitting...

Also of note, the manual says for taking the tank and smokebox off, "unplug the injector pipework assembly on both aides of the tank sides." But when I went to unplug one side from the cab, it snapped because it was glued in on the upper pipe...
Also, the sanding lever comes in half when you take the tank off, and it isn't secure in the cab, so it won't stay in position with the other half unless it gets glued in place afterwards...

The first of 2 additions today, preorders I've had in place for ages.Accurascale UK 37420 The Scottish Hosteller in BR L...
12/06/2026

The first of 2 additions today, preorders I've had in place for ages.
Accurascale UK 37420 The Scottish Hosteller in BR Large Logo blue.

A fantastic model, runs nice and quietly and smoothly.
Only issue is that one lamp iron on one end wasn't fully secure. Nothing a tiny bit of glue couldn't fix though.

I look forward to running her in this evening.

One crucial part of the Chirk layout for the Glyn Valley Tramway Trust is the ticket office building, currently undergoi...
11/06/2026

One crucial part of the Chirk layout for the Glyn Valley Tramway Trust is the ticket office building, currently undergoing rebuilding (the original foundations still existed, but the building itself was demolished).

I got this wonderful resin 3D print from MS Models who produce it and other items in various scales. The model is of the building in its original condition, but the plan for rebuilding includes skylights in the rear half of the roof, and an end door with a disabled ramp. So I will be modifying it to more represent the building as it will be.
But for now, it is fine as it is (although the interior dividers will be cut out, to allow interior details to be added in the future).

Now to mix some paint for it, to match the bricks present on site that will be used for its construction...

The 3rd Statfold Barn Railway wagon produced by Bachmann has been added to my 009 fleet, in preparation for the Chirk la...
10/06/2026

The 3rd Statfold Barn Railway wagon produced by Bachmann has been added to my 009 fleet, in preparation for the Chirk layout (even though the GVT at Chirk is being done to 2'3, the original gauge was 2'4.5, and Statfold is 2').

Bachmann has produced 4 Statfold wagons: the Serpent B flat, the Loco Coal open, the Mica B van, and a brake van.
Pictured here are 3 of the 4 actual wagons, plus the other brake van in identical livery, forming a train at Statfold during one of my visits in 2025. I'm unsure if I should get one brake van and keep it as is, get one and renumber it, or get two to renumber one.

Transfers now added to the Fokker E.II Eindecker, Sopwith Pup, and M4 Sherman, then varnish added, completing the models...
10/06/2026

Transfers now added to the Fokker E.II Eindecker, Sopwith Pup, and M4 Sherman, then varnish added, completing the models.
Was a bit awkward to make the 0s for the 10s on the Sherman out of 2 pairs of number 2s...

The Eindecker and Pup will go in the study, so my girlfriend can have them on display.
The M4 Sherman was finished as tank number 10, which matches the identical number 11, and the Firefly number 12. Just number 9 to do now...

2 airfix kits under construction last week.A 1/72 Sopwith Pup, and a 1/76 M4 Sherman (modelled with its cannon fastened ...
10/06/2026

2 airfix kits under construction last week.
A 1/72 Sopwith Pup, and a 1/76 M4 Sherman (modelled with its cannon fastened down, to be in transit on a Warwell wagon).

My girlfriend likes bi-planes and early aircraft, so I am building the Pup and the Eindecker for her.
And I'm modelling the 1st Northants Yeomanry A Sqn 3 Troop, because I got the Airfix 1/72 Sherman Firefly Vc a while ago.

Happy Pride Month everyone! 🏳️‍🌈 :trans: A reminder to all of you, that you are valid, no matter your scale, gauge, or p...
02/06/2026

Happy Pride Month everyone! 🏳️‍🌈 :trans:

A reminder to all of you, that you are valid, no matter your scale, gauge, or prototypical accuracy!
(Or your gender, sexual or romantic orientation, pronouns, etc)

My multi-scale display board has now been painted grey, to act as a ballast look, and the track has now been pinned down properly. Still need to get some S scale track, and print a proper sheet labelling each line.

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