Hello everybody.

Sorry I've not visited here for a few weeks but family commitments are very much limiting my modelling time and that's likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

Its difficult to find time for the workshop and I'm probably averaging less than two hours a week, compared to more like twenty hours in past times.

The current project is S4ing a Dapol Class 101/2 - (any one got suitable numbers for a Manchester based set, suitable for the Hayfield line?).

It's caused me some problems, at least one of them due to my own carelessness (but I claim old age!). The trailer car utilizes 2mm axles and the driving car has 2.5mm axles which I, via sight and not micrometer, thought was 7/64". Having made four new axles before discovering my 0.010" error, and then finding that I had no 2.5mm silver-steel in stock, left me in not the best frame of mind! Obviously my eyes have not adjusted to this metrication business.

A further delay ensued because Squires had none in stock and neither did their supplier. By the time the stuff was delivered I'd forgot why I wanted it!

The Dapol wheels are solid brass, are much too thick and have a massive flange compared to S4 standards, I decided it would be possible to re-format them to Manchester (should be Sid Stubbs!) profile. This is the correct scale profile for a well worn tyre - to my mind more correct than the P4 profile which is for a new tyre.

I'm currently in the process of doing that and consider that I would have been better advised to make new wheels from scratch. Indeed, that may well be what I shall end up doing, The trailer car was dead easy. I kept the Dapol axles but with P4 wagon wheels - 3-hole disk with the holes filled in. But the power car uses what I think is normally called the "American" system - live axle but alternate bogies collecting from opposite rails.

More - in a few months?!? - when I've completed the conversion.

Good modelling to you,
Dave