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Wright writes.....


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One thing probably mentioned earlier but no harm in repeating. The wealth of rtr has not only had an impact on the kit markit....but also the makers and suppliers of the detailing parts which can lift our models out of the ordinary.

I appreciate, as evidenced by countless reviews...the ordinary is now pretty outstanding.

 

I visited the Warley show last year and was saddened to see how few of these suppliers were in attendance. I am aware , one factor , the costs of exhibiting there , but still a sad indicator of the reduced availability of these parts.

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I remember 31401 well, it was a regular on the Cardiff - Pompey trains. I lived in Warminster and was a regular spotter at Westbury and Bath Road from about '73 through to the early eighties.

 

Jerry

 

And funny that both my Bath Road 31s are the IDs they had originally. Just need to sort a running issue with 154

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Well all this discussion about kit building (or lack of it!) has got me to start a Martin Finney standard LNER tender for a V2 in P4! I have to be compliment Martin when he designed the kit it fits together so easily. So this doesn't match Tony's philosophy, as it is compensated etc the main thing is the kit has catered for all the versions. So far the tender has taken about 6hrs and the majority of the tender is built. The interesting thing and no doubt every one may have experienced this... Is some kits you use every tool in the tool box and this one I can list the following-

8ba tap - for installing the body fixing nuts...so I don't solder the bolt in as well

A flat needle file

Etch shears

Rail shears

Dremel with a wire brush to remove excess solder

1 pack of fine 5sided reamers for opening out the fine holes.

Micro drills (but less so since using the reamers)

A temperature controlled soldering iron.

Hold and fold 5"

A block of pine as a drill surface and to stop burning holes in the cutting mat.

A rivet press.

 

I find this a surprisingly short list. We have all experienced the poor kit but when you experience the top level kit it is a joy to build which produces the down side that they end up happening too quickly!

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And he wouldn't even flinch while you did it.

I'm sure when Tony gets back at his desk he will comment himself.. BCB had a great weekend at Wolves, a little short of crew so we had to work harder than normal though the attendance was low so we had time to chat to lots of punters especially since they all had something in common with the location. tony spent time with us both days and I think he enjoyed having a go.

 

We have a great hobby and as normal I learnt stuff.. things that make me want to model more, that's what it's all about,

 

Andy

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Good to see you today and yesterday Tony, glad you liked BCB and enjoyed having a drive. Thanks in particular for the complements on the locos and stock - one small correction, Arthur Ormrod's DE2 shunter (from the Judith Edge kit) was on duty in the yard.

The good news is that several years of building wagon kits and modifying RTR locos has given me the confidence and enthusiasm to tackle some loco kits for my next project.

 

Fair comment about the derailments on BCB; we're aware of the causes and have an idea of what needs to be done to rectify. Next time the layout is out is Wigan next year, you're welcome to have another go if you are there.

 

Cheers,

Mark

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Good to see you today and yesterday Tony, glad you liked BCB and enjoyed having a drive. Thanks in particular for the complements on the locos and stock - one small correction, Arthur Ormrod's DE2 shunter (from the Judith Edge kit) was on duty in the yard.

The good news is that several years of building wagon kits and modifying RTR locos has given me the confidence and enthusiasm to tackle some loco kits for my next project.

 

Fair comment about the derailments on BCB; we're aware of the causes and have an idea of what needs to be done to rectify. Next time the layout is out is Wigan next year, you're welcome to have another go if you are there.

 

Cheers,

Mark

Thanks Mark,

 

I need to be more observant in future. 

 

As for the derailments, it looked to be a pair of board ends slightly out of alignment. As we spoke of, this can happen overnight as conditions change, but it certainly wasn't an intrinsic problem.

 

One thing that also occurred to me was that (apart from the odd exception, and I don't want to be seen as ageist!), the builders are of the generation (at least) after mine, and are modelling the scenes of their youth - brilliantly! Are there many, many more out there like you? Judging by the majority of the other layout operators and the majority of the punters at the Wolverhampton Show, I'd say not that many. 

 

Another thing occurring to me is how uniformly redolent of the place and period the whole layout is. Though a 'group' layout, BCB is definitely not a typical club mainstream layout. In that respect, and this is meant as a compliment, it's exclusive. Exclusive in that some highly-talented modellers have built something collectively, and not been swayed by too much democracy where everybody's skills/needs/wants have to be accommodated. The result of that is often a mish-mash of standards, representing anything in time from the dawn of railways to the future and a geographic span allowing anything from the North of Scotland to Land's End. All the best layouts I've ever photographed have either been the work of one dedicated man/woman or a small group. You're all accomplished builders with a common aim, and I compliment you; especially as you've done everything yourselves and not (like me on occasions) needed the help of professionals, excellent though their work might be.  

Edited by Tony Wright
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I actually had another go today, when nobody was around, and didn't cock-up! The means of displaying which loco is to run is both beautifully-simple and 100% reliable. No need at all for the nonsense of a computer telling operators what to do. 

 

It's more technical than you think, at the first outing at Donny that with the confusion of operating, I suggested that what was needed was a 'Laser Display Board', this went straight over the heads of the rest of them so I explained that it really is just a piece of card with writing on it, those initial bits of tatty card were redone as you see them now superbly by Nigel.

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Thanks Mark,

 

I need to be more observant in future. 

 

As for the derailments, it looked to be a pair of board ends slightly out of alignment. As we spoke of, this can happen overnight as conditions change, but it certainly wasn't an intrinsic problem.

 

One thing that also occurred to me was that (apart from the odd exception, and I don't want to be seen as ageist!), the builders are of the generation (at least) after mine, and are modelling the scenes of their youth - brilliantly! Are there many, many more out there like you? Judging by the majority of the other layout operators and the majority of the punters at the Wolverhampton Show, I'd say not that many. 

 

Another thing occurring to me is how uniformly redolent of the place and period the whole layout is. Though a 'group' layout, BCB is definitely not a typical club mainstream layout. In that respect, and this is meant as a compliment, it's exclusive. Exclusive in that some highly-talented modellers have built something collectively, and not been swayed by too much democracy where everybody's skills/needs/wants have to be accommodated. The result of that is often a mish-mash of standards, representing anything in time from the dawn of railways to the future and a geographic span allowing anything from the North of Scotland to Land's End. All the best layouts I've ever photographed have either been the work of one dedicated man/woman or a small group. You're all accomplished builders with a common aim, and I compliment you; especially as you've done everything yourselves and not (like me on occasions) needed the help of professionals, excellent though their work might be.

Thanks for your generous comments Tony.

 

Worth noting, although I'm guessing the guys mentioned, the fiddle-yards are only a temporary measure and are clearly not fit for the purpose they are being asked to perform. A 'selector plate' on a two track main line? To be fair it got the layout out on the circuit to it's first few shows, but the clock is ticking for this temporary bodge

 

The plan is for a complete circular run, it's all designed and is just waiting for me to pull my finger out and build the boards.

 

Trouble is I've gone on another tangent down the Lynton & Barnstaple railway...

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