SJM Locomotive Works

SJM Locomotive Works a personal blog on model making from a professional retired model maker.

A few layout snaps. Scenic section is 4ft 6inch with a traverser ( yet to be built ) off camera. Dcc powered including t...
07/04/2026

A few layout snaps. Scenic section is 4ft 6inch with a traverser ( yet to be built ) off camera.

Dcc powered including turnout control.

Feel free to ask any questions.

Currently i am making a 00 gauge layout in the workshop & these are a few of the bits I have been working on recently. T...
07/04/2026

Currently i am making a 00 gauge layout in the workshop & these are a few of the bits I have been working on recently. They are a mix of kits & scratch build buildings to fit around the layout.

Next up is a half relief mill that'll be made from plasticard & laser cut windows.

I still have loads to do but I would like the layout to be to a good stage of completeness before summers out as I have something a little bigger planned once im done with this.

Any questions please feel free to ask away.

After picking up the Bachmann Midland 1532 loco i treated myself on my birthday to one of the revolution coaches from ra...
03/04/2026

After picking up the Bachmann Midland 1532 loco i treated myself on my birthday to one of the revolution coaches from rapido trains. Whilst this coach is generic I personally think its the best rtr coach I have seen. The model is super detailed inside & out. They are well worth the £63 price tag. I have ordered another to make a small train up of them.

I am currently constructing a new layout for in the workshop. Its a 00 gauge layout based on the ex lanky lines around B...
03/04/2026

I am currently constructing a new layout for in the workshop. Its a 00 gauge layout based on the ex lanky lines around Bury.

I have been working today on a fair priced models terrace house kit.

Now for a tenner they are excellent value for money. They are laser cut mdf & are very comprehensive for such a cheap kit. They dont come with any stones or bricks lasered to the surface, you clad it in whatever you want. I used some south eastern fine cast embossed brick plasticard & some slate sheet i had kicking around.

The models still not finished as I need to make some brick walls to make the back yard & the chimneys need making & fitting plus other details.

The layout still has a long way to go but it is getting there slowly.

I have just purchased this model from Bachmann. Its a Midland 1532 class in Midland livery & the finish is stunning. It ...
31/03/2026

I have just purchased this model from Bachmann. Its a Midland 1532 class in Midland livery & the finish is stunning.

It just reminded me of a friend of my who passed away a couple of years ago. He was a member of the model railway group im a part of & we used to talk about pre grouping railways.

He used to tell us a story of when he was a young lad & he saw the last LNWR claughton in Manchester exchange station resplendent in LMS crimson livery. He also noted it was very free steaming & in good condition.

He also remembered these locos running up & down the Worth valley line in both LMS & BR livery.

I am sure he would have loved all these pregrouping models that the rtr manufactures are producing especially as he was a fan of the Midland & LMS.

Thanks for the memories & stories, you won't be forgotten Harry Bancroft.

Plodding along at a leisurely pace & I arrive at this moment of the build.Always exciting to get a real glimpse into wha...
11/01/2026

Plodding along at a leisurely pace & I arrive at this moment of the build.

Always exciting to get a real glimpse into what your trying to achieve.

Its a really nice model kit from www.brassmasters.co.uk, the instructions sometimes are a bit of a battle, overall though the fit is perfect.

Hi everyone 🙋‍♂️It has been a minute since I last posted anything on my build page. As the family grew, the kids got hob...
10/01/2026

Hi everyone 🙋‍♂️

It has been a minute since I last posted anything on my build page.

As the family grew, the kids got hobbies & life got in the way. If I am honest I had given up completely & sold up everything, long hours with work & other hobbies taking over.

Im slowly easing back into the hobby again, first off is to get this kit done. It isnt mine & its been sat here 4 years longer than it should have done. Thankfully its for a friend & hes in no rush for anything.

Keep you posted as we go ;)

Hello all,It has been some time since I last posted anything modelling wise. Life gets in the way!Its not been brilliant...
08/07/2025

Hello all,

It has been some time since I last posted anything modelling wise.

Life gets in the way!

Its not been brilliant over the past few years with mental health playing a big part in me not doing things.

I sold up & gave up completely & I have not done anything since. We've had a battle with cancer & lost a number of family members whilst trying to raise a young family around all of this & doing the day job.

Slowly but surely a ember has been smouldering within & i have wanted to start to make things once again. With so much life fog surrounding me & finances being limited it has been hard to think of a subject to start with once again.

I knew i wanted to make models again, I want to try & build a layout this all costs money & so I have had to really sit & think about what to do & how to do it.

I have decided to go back to 0 gauge as the scale is still well supported for the modelmaker.
I am still not settled on a railway to model although I am keeping things small.

I really like the idea of doing a 7mm version of Rodney Halls 2 turnout layout Llanastr.
This layout got me hooked on finescale pre grouping railways many, many years ago. I have seen it a good few times in the flesh too & its a perfect small layout to attempt. 2 turnouts, 3 locos , 3 coaches & some wagons.

It could follow his Brecon & Merthyr theme although the North Eastern is calling me once again too.

Well today I have made a start, I bought a kit from Taff vale models.

I will hopefully start to document the build in the coming weeks & months & maybe I can get back to modelling properly once again.

Simon

I've recently started to do more modelling again. I thought I'd given up on kit building for a time as I just had no ent...
09/07/2022

I've recently started to do more modelling again. I thought I'd given up on kit building for a time as I just had no enthusiasm at all. I'd pretty much sold up everything.

To be honest it was a really good thing to do because I can concentrate solely on one project now in 4mm. I've been interested in far too many things & I never got anywhere as a result so a clean sheet has started & I'm off once again with a new project. I've had a few different ideas but one I've wanted to do many times but never got off the ground is finally on the go.

I've been interested in the railways around Yeovil & Weymouth for many years. I've a personal connection with the area as family live there & so I've been going most of my life. I really like the area both foe it's scenery & of course the railways. Its a good mix of ex lswr & gwr lines so a good dose of western region & southern region locos.

I've a nice little collection of both southern & western region engines & the next couple of project locos are new chassis for rtr bodies. The first is a 14xx tank which was based at Yeovil for use on the town to junction push pull or on the branch to Taunton.

This first project is also one to forward my skills in adding compensation which will help balance the weight properly in a 0-4-2 tank. I luckily picked up a bundle on ebay cheap of a airfix 14xx body, comet chassis & some p4 wheels which will be used to test the rolling chassis before em wheelsets are fitted.

Following this will be a high level 64xx pannier chassis which will go under a bachmann body. I've had the 64xx model for 6 years but I've never been sold on its slow running capabilities so a fully compensated chassis & high level box will cure that.

Forgive me father for I have sinned,Massively! 😆So this cropped up on ebay recently & well I got it cheap! Typical yorks...
25/06/2022

Forgive me father for I have sinned,

Massively! 😆

So this cropped up on ebay recently & well I got it cheap! Typical yorkshireman with a bargain.

Having got my mojo back for building again I'm taking a different route & doing something I have wanted to do for years, the southern region.

Now I've just read the instructions & it says in the instructions that whilst it could be complex it builds well. Now knowing that falcon / jidenco have a reputation as being hard to build kits I am up for a challenge. I have built these kits before & whilst sometimes they do pose a challenge I have got a model from them. I've built a whole lot worse before today.

Interestingly 2 of these might great beasts made it to Templecombe on the Somerset & Dorset. I guess they'll have banked heavy trains up the grade to Templecombe station.

Before I tackle this one I have started initially a Crownline 700 black motor which I will post more about soon. This might be pushed aside though for a West country kit I have which I am itching to make too.

Lots to come including a new layout for these southern beauty's

So yesterday I dug out a previous documented build in the form of a J52 tank.The kit is a blow down from 7mm & certainly...
06/06/2022

So yesterday I dug out a previous documented build in the form of a J52 tank.

The kit is a blow down from 7mm & certainly not for em. I have managed to bash it into a reasonable representation.

I still have a fair amount of work to do to finish it off but last night I did the following,

All cab beading from thin wire.
Spectacle plates on the rear of the cab.
Coal bunker.
All hand rails.
Body to chassis fixings.
Soldered cab & smokebox in.

I've still to sort the firebox sides properly, however I need to work out the best way of fixing the plumbing that goes either side of the firebox first.

Few more embellishments & it should be finished off.

Address

Bingley
Bingley

Telephone

07815597200

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when SJM Locomotive Works posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to SJM Locomotive Works:

Shortcuts

Share