[Pearson’s ‘small’ 4-2-4T]

1 hour ago, MikeOxon said:

At the time it was the norm for express engines to be 'single wheelers' - probably because really accurate alignment of coupled wheels for fast running was still difficult.  The GWR persisted with 'singles' later than most and built rather too many late in the 19th century.

 

That is interesting.  The Cambrian were using 4-4-0 for their passenger expresses from 1878, but express might be typed 'express' as they went nowhere very fast.

[William Dean’s Express Tank Revisited]

Great work Mike.  I assume your original one has bogies that pivot, or does it just sit there looking pretty?

[Pearson’s ‘small’ 4-2-4T]

I find it interesting that they went for bogies but retained a single driving wheel.  It would be interesting to know their thinking.  Still, the Pearson one is quite beautiful in its own way.

[Pearson 4-2-4T – Part Four]

Well done Mike.  I can see why they were not adopted as a standard design.  I can also see why they were not express engines, as the stress on the boiler could have been disastrous.

[Pearson 4-2-4T – Part Two]

Again very interesting.  I wonder how many other models actually replicate how the prototype was built?

[Pearson’s 4-2-4T – Part One]

Fascinating Mike,

 

That is a big driving wheel if it really was for a branch line. A fabulous looking engine.

[West Drayton Coke Ovens 1839]

Mike,

It was not long ago I realised that the early engines burnt coke, but I never thought about where they got it from, so very interesting and informative.

 

A layout?  3D printed stock and station?

[A Pantechnicon for Farthing]

This Web Site could be useful for fonts.  I looked at it but all the fonts I have used have ended up being printed at 0.5mm so it really did not matter if they were accurate.  You can search for all sorts of things, eg., 1900s.

 

Someone else shared this which is why I have it, but cannot remember who, probably Mikkel.

[A Pantechnicon for Farthing]

1 hour ago, Mikkel said:

 

Many thanks, also for that link - an enlightening read. I did not know about the Victorian colour explosion, it has made me see the pregrouping liveries in a new light. The "Decadent young woman" is superb, and I notice her yellow book!

 

 

 

Ah, very nice. Jonathan I think the Shirescenes version is your best bet if you are looking for one to go in a train (although it is currently sold out).

 

The Gem/John Day kit is so tall that I think it might be out of loading gauge, even with the roof boards folded down. So I clearly need another lower one if I am to fulfill the company's promises!

 

 

 

Thank you Nick, some very useful info there. The HMRS images sound like gold, very tempting!

 

Here are some shots with different numbers of horses, it seems to have varied with the needs an capacity:

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

I was looking at the horses.  The one on the top does not seem very large, the second set I am not sure they are shires as they have no feathering on the legs, and I wondered if the last three were Suffolk Punches, as it is an Ipswich firm.  I googled Suffolk Punch and in the images this one turned up, so three Suffolk Punches.

 

I did start wondering about  traction engine pulling one at Traeth Mawr, but I have seen no photographs of them there, so if I wish to add to the chaos of Station Road it will have to be horse drawn, although I too have quite enough horse drawn vehicles.

[A Pantechnicon for Farthing]

2 hours ago, Mikkel said:

 

The horses from Dart Castings are very good, as you will know. I used my homespun size-chart for their figures (below, note that the 1:87 label has been moved to another horse in their range since I made this, but doesn't really matter). I considered Suffolk Punches, which can be seen pulling large Pantechnicons in photos. But, like trees, the figures are so big that they look out of scale, even if they aren't. The Shire horses have been modelled a little smaller, so I chose those.

 

 

 

 

 

Mikkel,

It is a shame about the Suffolk Punch being so large.  The prototype grows no larger than 16 hands, I was quite disappointed when I got one as I have always wanted a Suffolk Punch as they are supposed to be smaller and chunkier than Shires.  I probably have all of those and they are lovely castings.  I have the donkey as well, and that seems a little large, but he had most likely just grown big and strong pulling the milk cart.

 

 

[A Pantechnicon for Farthing]

Mikkel,

Wonderful.  Step by step build and background information.  No one believes us modellers when we explain the trials of having to please the little people, (and animals).  I have never seen a yellow horse but I did see a program where they dug up a blond mammoth.  

 

I had seen the John Day figures before and umm'd and ahh'd about them.  The GEM figures look interesting, but look a little thin.  I probably should not get any more figures as I have a 'lot' to paint.

[Paddington Engine House 1840]

Very interesting again.  I am quite glad that none of this is easily available to make in kits, or RTR stock, as I would have another layout on my build list.  (If I ever finish the one I am doing I will be surprised.)

 

If the stables are not shown, is it more likely that they are offsite?

[Paddington Station 1840]

Well Mike, another very interesting post.  

 

It is interesting how they ran the station.  Not all of the departure lines have platforms.  Did they keep trains there until a platform was free and move the train across then?  The end loaded luggage wagons, were they loaded and then added to the train?  Fascinating.

[3 - BG Wagons - Sheep, Coke, & Coal]

How very, very interesting.  I would have thought that the word 'box' would have meant a van, but no.  Also, how would the tilt wagons have got on going 20 mph, or did they not go even that fast?

 

Mind you, the picture of Paddington Station is very informative.  Having driven around the area several times to say it is different would be an understatement.

 

Just need to print them all now and make a railway.  😉

[Broad Gauge Trio – 2nd Movement]

Very interesting as usual Mike.

[Slater's GWR dia E37 Tri-compo clerestory coach]

Mikkel,

An excellent build and commentary as usual.  You made it to a tri-composite before me!  All over brown would be easy but boring.  I know, I can send you all mine that need painting and you can do them all together, like a production line. 🙂

[Dirty fingers: Trial and error with bricks and mortar]

4 hours ago, Mikkel said:

 

Ah, thanks for clarifying that. I've always been curious to try out the Halford's range as they seem to give very good results. We can't get them here though. So I suppose it will have to go on my shopping list next time I cross (under!) the channel.

 

 

Chris, I can't remember what sheets you used on Traeth Mawr, but it seems the Polyfilla results partly depend on that. Maybe you have some off-cuts to try it on? 

 

 

 

Mikkel,

I have used Slaters, random stone, so the mortar lines are not very deep between the stones.  On the platform facings it is SEF and the mortar lines are deeper.  They might be better for the polyfiller method.

 

Mortar.  I think older mortars were more grey than white, especially with time, but as you say it depends on the building.  Most houses around here are 40-50 years old and have red bricks with distinctive yellow mortar, but the ones over the back to us have much paler bricks with a dark mortar.  Photos of your buildings are always helpful, but the bricks and mortars will have aged and, depending on where the building is the air quality will have changed.  Since the smokeless zones came in during the sixties many buildings in cities have been cleaned up, and even where they have not been they would have been cleaned by the rain,  (I always thought that the Natural History Museum was a dirty brown colour naturally, until it was cleaned and exposed the beautiful multicoloured stone work.

[Dirty fingers: Trial and error with bricks and mortar]

Mikkel and GWR57xx,

@Simond suggested using polyfiller on my stone walls, but I was concerned that he had used it in 0 gauge and I was not sure the mortar gaps would be big enough in 00.  Thank you, I think I have my answer.  If I did the sort of experimenting that you have done I am not sure I would finish anything.  (Now, now, I have finished at least one model, I think).

 

As to the milky thickness of paint to fill the mortar, I have used that successfully on the Ratio station kit of ?Corfe Castle, but the gaps between the stones was huge so I was surprised how well it did on your trial.

[God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen]

Mikkel,

Yes, an eventful year.  Grandchildren, hopefully all of the fun and none of the troubles you had with your own children as they grew up.  The Biro will be great as they come round to visit.  I have two in secondary school, and all my children are over 30, and my eldest is just turning 40!

 

Condolences on the death of your dad, such an important relationship.

 

Excellent video, but, oh, how tidy your workbench is.  Mine is a mess within 30 seconds of beginning work.  

 

Have a happy Christmas and a good New Year.  (Sorry, I do not know the Danish and if I used Google translate it would probably say something rude.)

[Copenhagen to Penzance by rail]

14 minutes ago, Mikkel said:

Thank you Mike. Perhaps the 2123 virtual modeller will simply enter the Multiverse (TM) where all images and film ever made will be available - at the price only of your soul 🙂

 

But yes, we all ought to be taking more photos of the everyday railway environment around us, especially the dull stuff that someone will search madly for in the future!

 

 

Of course if you entered the right multiverse you would get to travel to Farthing, and meet all the people you thought that you had made up.

[The station building: Walls and gables]

That road at Southall is very interesting.  (And today)

[The station building: Walls and gables]

Mikkel,

I would never say you were pretentious.

 

Boxes:  They will need some type of packing to stop it rattling around.  (I think we have something similar which we keep wrapping paper in.  (Somehow we still buy more each Christmas and birthday.)

 

Interiors:  You know I love interiors, which is why I do not fix my roofs on as it is the only way they can be seen, unless you fit internal lights.  I am not keen on lights.

[The station building: Walls and gables]

Mikkel,

That looks brilliant.  It is over twice as long as my station which I thought was quiet big.  Fortunately my one is fairly plain.

 

If you decide to make it separate parts, then you will need to work out how to fit them together and make sure that they do not move.  I am working on that with my platforms as I have made it with cardboard it needs to be removed if the layout is packed down. (Shh! I am working on it not being.)  It will need something so that the parts fit together and then do not move.  If not you will need a very long box.  🙂

 

Vocabulary.  Building vocabulary is a whole separate study, which most English speakers will not know, but never fear, Lady Google is never far away.  It is 'string courses', but not sure about 'pinnacles' as these are on the top of buttresses.

[GWR ‘Sir Daniel’]

Brilliant Mike.

 

It looks very similar to the Achilles Class as the first ones were built as 2-2-2.  You will say they are vastly different.

[25 years later - ‘Rocket’]

Again, a good model and great research.  It would have been a 2-2-2 that pulled the 10:02 to Birkenhead in early 1895, so sixty years later!  (It had a through coach to Traeth Mawr, dropped off at Ruabon.)