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Grampus

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Everything posted by Grampus

  1. A really enjoyable edition again. I was especially interested in the UKF article; I don't think, till now, I really appreciated just how comprehensive the service was since all I really ever saw of it at the time were the Andover and Gillingham portions whilst they were being rearranged at Salisbury. I was quite surprised to see just how many locations saw traffic. Looking forward to the next part. Best wishes, Paul
  2. Thoroughly enjoying my copy - thank you, Kevin (Rivercider) for a really interesting volume. Freight trains as I remember them during my early spotting years; really good to learn a bit more about the nature of the trains and the traffic, too. I particularly like some of the shots showing everyday activity, rather than just the sometimes clinical imagery of locomotives and wagons that we are used to: one of my favourites so far is the picture on page 55 of the two gentlemen unloading sackloads of beet, by hand, from a VDA onto the back of a flatbed lorry. Seems a bit incongruous somehow; images of a bygone railway, despite the relatively young (at the time) air braked van. Great stuff - glad it wasn't me helping with the unloading! Best wishes, Paul
  3. Thanks, Rob. It's a really satisfying build and fits beautifully, if perhaps a bit over-fiddly around the under-gubbins. I have three, though whether i have the patience to build all of them straight off the bat is another issue! Best wishes, Paul
  4. Great pictures of the '432s, thank you. Some really useful detail on there, which will help me with the kit version (S&M models) I am wrangling with at the moment; might be a while till I attempt the second one for a full load, though! Great Kit but quite fiddly. Good to see the Trains4u chocks will come in useful, too! Thanks again - best wishes, Paul
  5. Andypops, thanks for the gen on CMSC et al. I thought your Sabre looked particularly impressive. The ex-Fox turret gives the vehicle a whole different 'sit' and the extra stowage also makes it look extremely purposeful, though I understand they weren't very well liked by crews? Would look very good on a KFA though. Cheers - happy modelling, Paul
  6. Good evening all, thank you to everyone who offered help and advice with my question. I have now sourced the necessary items from John Talbot and I am beginning to get quite excited at the prospect of actually finishing a wagon I started (and painted) in 1998; that has to be some sort of record, surely? A very, very long player... Best wishes and stay safe, Paul
  7. Steve, thank you - it might well do. I will start with the AME route as suggested later in the thread, but I will keep you in mind - wasn't aware of your service previously. Cheers, Paul
  8. Good afternoon all, I am repurposing an SPA open wagon for engineering use and looking for a decal for the fishkind 'PIKE' name these wagons acquired whilst in that role. Does anybody know of a suitable source, please? Don't mind whether its rubdown or waterslide. I am quite happy to mask and paint the surrounding yellow background panel, but I think hand-painting the lettering these days is a bit beyond my hands and my eyes! :-) (NB. I have considered hand-writing it with a Sharpie marker, which trials indicated was okay but not great). Grateful for any advice, please. Many thanks, Paul
  9. LOL - I'm still within acceptable parameters then?! Cheers, Paul
  10. I keep telling myself that about Cromptons, but how many is enough??? Don't need a 25 at all in my case, but never say never... Best wishes, Paul
  11. Very nice. That definitely looks the part - workaday and understated. Nice job. Paul
  12. Nice crabs. Deceptively simple-looking wagon and an easy build. I have a couple on the go currently, one the prototype with additional external strapping. Considering having a go at a clasp-fitted one too. Yours look very good. Cheers, Paul
  13. Thanks Peter. I had not clocked it was the same rakes! That explains a lot. Cheers, Paul
  14. Lovely vid, particularly with the sound from the Crompton. With the NSE-branded Mk1s and one eye closed, it could be a Bristol-Pompey service
  15. Loved the video! Great to see decent length trains at speed, with proper traction up front!
  16. Sounds great but struggling a mite with the notion of a 56 and 10 plus TEAs as a micro! Been a while since I saw that though!
  17. If only the oil terminal could have come a bit closer! :-) Not something I ever imagined I might need to say... P
  18. Lovely layout: just oozes character. Must confess I had never noticed the railway in Scothern, let alone the canal! I really must pay more attention when I'm out and about! The pipe bridge looks fantastic too. Best wishes, Paul
  19. Love the signal box. Good skills - very nice indeed, as is the rest of it. Best wishes, Paul
  20. 'For a while now whenever I looked at the layout I found that I only saw its faults. Tackling a little job like this to rectify one of those faults has made a big difference to how I feel about the layout'. That resonates. So often I have found myself 85% of the way through a project, only to become dissatisfied or disappointed with whatever aspect I have been concentrating on, only to come back some time later with fresh eyes and go again. Little victories: it's a journey, not a destination! Keep doing what you're doing...I am looking forward to seeing more pictures, as and when. Best wishes, Paul
  21. Very nice - that looks spot on. it oozes atmosphere with nothing to detract!
  22. Dear all, a further question if I may, please. Does anybody have any details of the layout of the more prominent elements of the brake equipment underneath the VGA? Other than one general arrangement drawing which shows the approximate location of an air tank (though not its relation to the wagon centreline) I have found nothing to date; and the Bachman model is no help at all, being completely devoid of brake gear detail! Granted the deep solebars would mask much of it anyway, but it would nice to at least hint at some of the under-gubbins - distributor, air tank, etc. Any helpful steers much appreciated, please. TVM. Best wishes, Paul - very occasional wagon modeller
  23. Evening all, just frightened myself when I realised how long ago I initiated this thread; the pace of my modelling is truly glacial. However, taking advantage of some of the time available I have managed to progress my VGA 'buffer stop' somewhat. Thanks again to all who were kind enough to contribute images previously, which have helped enormously. I have now just about reached the stage whereby I need to paint the inside before I start closing up the van. Although it doesn't look as though a lot else has been done I have also modified the lower edges of the doors to remove the mechanisms and then scratch-built replacements which I have affixed to the solebars; I have also modified the headstocks to better reflect the shape of the prototype. I'm hoping that posting on here might in turn spur me to get on now and finish the blessed thing!
  24. Great service once again. Having been eagerly anticipating the re-release of the crab and lamprey kits, I duly ordered on Wednesday evening and received my kits this morning. Brilliant, especially under current conditions. Really looking forward to starting the build; the last couple of crabs and lampreys I built were some of the best wagon kits I have encountered - beautifully produced and an easy build. Thanks again. Best wishes, Paul
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