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Hailstone

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Posts posted by Hailstone

  1. As a dc dinosaur, and steam to diesel transition modeler have to say that I am seriously underwhelmed with a total lack of new tooling on the steam side. I hoped that after the 8F we would perhaps get an update of the 61xx prairie, king, crab or V2 but they seem to be going all out for the dcc camp. i can only hope that the next announcement in 3 months time will be more exciting. Where are the Thompson coaches in maroon?

     

    Disgruntled  

    • Agree 4
  2. I first dipped my toe in N gauge when Graham Farish brought out the 94xx and J69. I bought one of each, a few wagons, a couple of Minitrix MK1's  and 3 Ian Kirk wagon kits and an oval of Track to run them on. the J69 had a habit of shedding its coupling rods resulting in me returning it to the stand that I bought it from on the second day of the MRC's Central hall Westminster exhibition. they then tried 4 more which did the same before finding one that made it round an N gauge layout without this happening! I still have both of them and all the wagons (I sold the minitrix coaches in 2004) I then had a break from N gauge railway modelling from 1977 until 2004 (I worked on full size steam locos) when Dapol unveiled its 14xx. I had to have one and its attendant Autotrailer and the following 16 years have been punctuated with more and increasingly accurate models, the 8F being the latest superb release. when Farish upgraded the MK1's to Blue riband standard, I took a deep breath and replaced all of my older ones and it cost me a fair bit, but considering the cost of a single coach now, I am glad that I did it when I did.

    I agree with the comment that pre ordering is necessary and really has been for some time, but to get the model you want I would imagine for many of us that is not the end of the world.

    As for kit building, I have built several  locos, wagons and even the Gresley full brake (although it was a full year after I bought it that I got brave enough to build it!). along with a few buildings. Finally, from my viewpoint, I believe that N gauge modelers today have a terrific choice of models although I understand that not all of the locos coaches and even wagons we want are, or are likely to become available as RTR, we have come a long long way from  the 1970's when poor quality RTR stock and crude kits were all we had.

     

    Regards,

     

    Alex      

    • Like 3
    • Agree 3
  3. My first experience of N gauge was in the early 70's when I bought a 94xx and a couple of Minitrix chocolate and cream coaches and an oval of track, to which was added a J69 when they first came out, bought at the Central hall exhibition in London and which promptly shed its coupling rods when I got it home! I returned to the exhibition the next day and got a replacement after the Farish staff embarsasingly had several failures straight out of the box while testing them on an adjacent layout!

    wagons were added including 3 kits( by Coopercraft I think) all of which I still have with the exception of the coaches. ater a while I carried on with OO gauge until I got involved with full size steam locos at Didcot  and moved into a small flat, get married and have a family which saw all model railway activity cease until 2004 when Dapol brought out their 14xx which got me to dust off the N gauge stock and start again.

    As for the model I most wanted - the Blue Pullman! it arrived whist I was laid in bed recovering from a broken ankle and so desperate was I to run it that I crawled to the wardrobe, got out the test track and ran it on the bed!     

     

    Regards,

     

    Alex

    P3051018.JPG

    • Like 4
    • Round of applause 1
  4. I received an email on the 10th of June from Rails of Sheffield in which they state that the Thompson coaches will be in stock next week, both simulated teak and carmine and cream. I have ordered one of each of the carmine and cream examples 

    Regards,

    Alex

    • Like 1
  5. one of each of the BR WR versions for me, a long awaited loco in this scale, every Western layout bigger than a small branch line should have at least one, remember, they did almost everything before the Manors and Granges turned up, and they used wheels amongst other components from time expired 43xx!

     

    Regards,

     

    Alex

  6. From a stud of over 150 steam and 50 diesel locos, I have only had to send 2 back for faulty running caused by manufacturing faults, and they were both Graham Farish. one was a Peppercorn A1, the other an N class mogul. I count myself lucky, as the 2 or  3 others that had minor defects were easily rectified by myself, others gained from ebay purchases were often a case of bad handling or poor maintenance. as N gauge is that much smaller, clean wheels and track are a MUST for good running. I have been amazed at the state of the wheels and mechanisms of some of the second hand locos that I have "resurrected" from "spares/repair"

     

    Regards,

     

    Alex 

  7. My posts regarding the washout plugs have been based on looking at amny photographs and videos of King George V and King Edward I. please remember that KGV went straight from BR service to preservation, and has not been modified or cut down to run to todays height and width restrictions, and as for the boilers, even in Western region days, Swindon practices were carried on, and the rebuilt boilers would have had the same washout plug sitings as per the original - new outer firebox sides, throat plate and a new inner firebox (to bring the stay sizes back to first size) and front tubeplate to take the new four row Melesco type superheater as used in BR standards.

    finally there is a weight diagram (page 44) and a great deal of useful photographs in Michael Rutherfords "castles and Kings at work

     

    Regards,

     

    Alex

  8. No! unfortunately, which means i have to make a MOQ (minimum order quantity) to get them done, and sell the rest via my e-commerce site and at shows, as i have no choice. The project will have to pay me back my outlay and perhaps then even make me a profit. 

     

    I have just ordered 1 from Rails, not a big order I know but every little helps....

     

    Regards,

     

    Alex

    • Like 1
  9. Followin on from my last post, the reason that the washout plugs are "interlaced" for want of a better description is that when you are doing a washout the water will not be shot out the other side and instead clean not only the top of the inner firebox, but the space between the two fireboxes. Having washed out a few Western engines in my time I can tell you it is a cold and potentially wet job at any time other than high summer! finally the King boilers were not replaced as far as I know, so that the position of the washout plugs would be the same for their entire working lives.

     

     

    Regards,

     

    Alex

  10. Hi everyone,

     

    Today's iteration of the King cad/cam for your thoughts. 

    I have a couple of thoughts regarding the firebox top edge slope back to the cab, but i'd welcome thoughts.

     

    cheers

    Dave

     

    I have looked at the CAD images and then at numerous photos and videos and have come to the conclusion that the upper row of washout plugs on the King boilers is offset to each side, that is to say that on the Driver's side there are 3 washout plugs forward of the cladding band in the middle of the firebox and 4 to the rear, but on the fireman's side it is reversed, with 4 plugs in front of the cladding band and 3 at the rear, so the that the CAD for the fireman's side is incorrect. I am not usually a rivet counter, but previous comments on this forum set me thinking

     

    Regards,

     

    Alex 

  11. I've just tested mine, seems all the cogs are fine which I didn't expect but one drive shaft is broken.  If anyone can tell me where I can find a suitable replacement I would appreciate it.  BRLines does not have anything listed.

     

    Give him a call anyway, not everything he has is listed on his website

     

    Regards,

     

    Alex

  12. No indeed, although if you want a regular car you should go for the Beamer. If you are into classic cars and are happy that it will rust like nobody's business, then plump for the Minor.

     

    Chris

     

    I bet that the are more Morris 1000's around than BMW's of the same vintage, as for rust, those problems started when the government interfered and BMC was the result.

     

    Regards,

     

    Alex

  13. Hi All,

     

    Oil pipe covers on Castles go like this:

     

    The covers simply hide the elbows in the oil lines that come from the lubricator in the cab to the various bits in the smokebox that need thick steam oil.

     

    Early locos as built, one large cover on the driver’s side. This is because they only had a 3 glass hydrostatic displacement lubricator.

    Most of the production run up to 5099 were built with and early locos also modified to have large cover on the driver’s side and a small one on fireman’s side. This is due to the 5 glass hydrostatic displacement lubricator having more oil lines to go to the front end.

     

    5098 and 5099 were modified shortly after construction and all subsequent Castles built went to mechanical lubrication as a result of the new 3 row superheated boilers. There is still a steam supply to the front end so a redesigned cover is fitted. No need for one on the other side now though. This is also true of all 4 row superheater conversions but be careful with Castles as there are two types of lubricator used...

     

    I do not see why it would be vastly different for the Kings. However, it looks like the large banjo sort of shape thing in one of the photos above shows three little dots showing through. These are the shut off valves for each oil line so perhaps they ran three lines down one side instead of two on the driver’s and one on the fireman’s side like the Castles?

     

    I hope this helps!

     

    All the best,

     

    Castle

     

    The difference between 3 glass and 5 glass hydrostatic lubricators was that in the three glass version one glass fed the regulator valve direct and the other two fed the main steam pipes from the regulator box so that only one would normally be in use, the other being a spare in case the one in use was blocked. in the five glass version, one in use and one spare for each steam pipe, the extra fairing on the fireman's side fed the left hand steam pipe.

    I am not absolutely sure of the layout for mechanical lubrication, but I believe that they went back to running all the pipes on the drivers side, but in both cases, the steam provided to mix with the oil would come from the "w" valve sited below, and actuated by the regulator handle which would be open just before the first valve of the regulator. this was where the regulator handle would be set when coasting. on mechanically lubricated Castles and Kings, a pressure gauge in the cab would show no oil and oil

     

    Regards,

     

    Alex

     

    Alex

  14. Gerry, please can you tell me if the bogies have been upgraded to include NEM pockets?

     

    I bought a set the moment they were released, as I wanted a second set to the one that I repainted using your advice on colours and I can confirm that the bogies are still the old tooling - not NEM fitted. I posted this on the N gauge forum at the time.

     

    Regards,

     

    Alex 

  15. There are no aftermarket spares from Peter's (original Poole replacements only), more likely from BR Lines.

    The gears are the standard Farish 16 toothers, so I just replace them on the original axles so there is no issue with wheel sizes.

     

    Cheers,

    Alan

     

    I have just replaced 2 gears on a Warship and not being sure, counted the teeth on the one I took off the axle twice to be sure and it had 14 teeth. the one at the top of the bogie tower was shredded, probably due to the split gear on the axle, and I had to carefully cut away the plastic rivet heads holding the current collector assembly and glue it back on after replacing the top gear.

    the loco now runs as smooth as silk

     

    Regards,

     

    Alex 

  16. It is indeed. The photo is dated 1968 so I am surprised to see all the tankers labelled as United Dairies as the company had merged with Cow and Gate to form Unigate in 1959.

     

    I am surprised that there are so many Scammell lorries still in use, but I was a milk boy at Maida vale depot from 1969 to 1972 and the milk floats were still in United dairies livery for quite a while, the Unigate livery started to appear around 1970 - 71 ahh Happy days!!

     

    Regards,

     

    Alex

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