Jol Wilkinson

Yet it is common to hear an announcement on BBC4Extra before an older radio show (e.g. The Goons, Hancock's Half Hour, Steptoe and Son, etc.) to the effect that it includes "language and attitudes of the time", as these are socially unacceptable today. You don't hear the same warning ahead of todays TV comedy shows such as Live at the Apollo, where using the "F" word continually seems obligatory for some "comedians".

Some Brassmasters "small" items have gone to London Road Models, although he is still trying to sort out what is what, etc. An email via the LRM website contact button should provide an answer.

That may be true of some manufacturers but not all. For example Peugeot offer hatchbacks and estates in various sizes (possibly a by product of the French market's demand). It is much the same with the so called premium brands with saloons and estates although Audi get the prize (in my view) for bloated SUVs for the "look at what I drive" sector of the population. Nissan were an early mass production brand that produced a 2WD SUV which quickly became (and remains) a strong seller. So they presumably had identified a product that appealed to the UK market. Looking at their range, your argument is valid, but then they never had much in the mid size sector or estate cars anyway. Likewise with Kia and the other eastern car brands.

People chose to buy SUVs, they aren't forced to. Having had a "medium" SUV, then a "small" one we now have a 5 door hatchback. We will go back to a small SUV, as at 78 years of age, I find them easier to get into and out of.

It is not just the road surfaces that make the UK road system unfit for purpose. Traffic density is a major factor and shows that the road capacity either needs increasing and'or motorists need to be deterred from using them. Last Friday we travelled form Felixstowe to Bath (we had a family event during Saturday and it was the only day to travel to fit around the event). We took 25 minutes to travel the last three miles to get off the A12 onto the M25 (the roundabout was completely clogged There had also been a delay in the perpetual roadworks near Colchester). Further delays occurred approaching the M11 junction of the M25, between Chorleywood and the M4 Junction (both common in my experience). The M25 has too many junctions and therefore a lot of "local" traffic. The M4 delay was largely restricted to a contraflow system, apparently for work on overbridges but the workers were presumably taking the day off and had tidied up as there were no signs of equipment, etc. Road repairs seem to take an excessively long time, often with long sections closed/coned off while work is taking place in a small length. So a notional four hour journey took over 5 1/2 hours (excluding comfort breaks).

Just spotted this sold item. Still available as a kit from London Road Models (and identified as formerly D&S on their website) for £27.00 plus £2.50 p&p. There is one (or in this case two) born every minute.

I find it is best to fix only one body retainer tightly, leaving the other very slightly "loose". That way the invariably torsionally rigid body assembly doesn't twist the frames.

When I did the York MRS regularly over the whole weekend (as a trader's assistant) it seemed that the attendance by families was largely weather driven. Nice weather, go to the seaside or around York. During poor/wet weather then there were more families at the show. Our trade stand was on the 2nd mezzanine facing the stairs and we were often asked "where are the loos/lifts/restaurant" by families who were unfamiliar with the facility and presumably not regular visitors. Despite discussing putting up a notice stating "This is not the exhibition information desk", we never got around to it.

I agree with you Tony, but I do know of one group/society where the demonstrators can be so engaged in model making that it deters anyone from interrupting their activity. I even saw a post where one of their demonstrators said they were looking forward to manning the stand at a particular show as they hoped to build a particular loco kit over the weekend. For demonstrators, Society representatives, layout owners/operators and traders there is a careful balance to be struck between being welcoming /helpful or off putting/disinterested. The former can put people off (as well as attracting those who want to tell you their modelling life story), as much as the latter.

Replacement Cobalt motors fitted and servo twitch apparently eliminated, mainly by rerouting the servo leads and switch feeds to the servo controllers. So the LRM Coal Tank and the M&L 5' 6" 2-4-2T have completed several laps of the inner and outer lines. Unfortunately I didn't video it but my friend Dave Carr was here to witness the event. So I have got on with the new platform ends and retaining walls. I trimmed down the back wall of the baseboard to get the reducing wall heights and the opening where the LNWR wood goods shed and gate will be located (those will have to be scratchbuilt). The platform faces are stuck onto plasticard strip, itself stuck to the plywood, with butanone. The black plasticard backing for the retaining walls is sloped with a slight batter but the other, as yet unfaced, walls will be perpendicular. Platform 3 starter was popped into place to check the hole for it was big enough. This signal was originally at the other end of P3 but is no longer required there. I need a Home/Fixed distant for the outer approach to P4 ( for which I have got the parts) and a three doll bracket at the other end of the layout for the approaches to P1, 2 and 3. I commissioned the bracket signal from a professional builder which has proved to be a major mistake. It arrived in early February, damaged in transit through poor packing, not working fully, poorly made and painted. I returned it immediately and was offered the option of either a refund or he would rebuild it, send photos and a video and let me decide whether I still wanted a refund. I asked for a refund immediately as I felt the general build quality was poor for a professionally built item and had no confidence that it would be reliable. However, he proceeded to repair it and sent the video and photos but I still consider it to be poorly made and finished. Despite reiterating my request for a refund as offered, nothing has been forthcoming and I am £200 out of pocket. I'll get the bits to build it myself as, despite my damaged eyesight, I am sure I can still do a better job.

A bit further research turned up Allan Sibley's article in MRJ 21, pages 55 -57. He used a Portescap 1219 motor with an extra drive gear to get the drive to the rear axle. The loco in question was a M&L kit for a Dean Single, not a MR Spinner as I thought (probably something to do with my aversion to the GWR). The single driving axle was allowed some vertical movement by slotting the bearing holes in the frames.The loco would haul even heavy kit built coaches but top speed was rather low. A HL box with suitable chosen gear ratio should take care of that.

IIRC, some years ago Allan Sibley built a Spinner, driving the rear axle. The tender was weighted onto the loco drawbar. I can't recall what motor/gearbox combination he used but with a High Level gearbox the motor could possibly be located in the boiler over the large driving wheel axle and the firebox filled with lead.

On that basis I should imagine you wouldn't buy any RTR model locos either.

Agree completely. S/H stalls at shows are usually run by the exhibiting club and often have a load of tat, the better stuff changing hands amongst club members, get put on eBay or are sold to those buyers that advertise in the magazines (and then usually end up in eBay). The only exhibitions I have been to that have good S/H stalls/traders tend to be the Society shows, where it is often the only opportunity for members members to find a sales opportunity other than going online. I have only ever been able to find anything of interest at those shows. The loss of many high street model shops took away one S/H sales outlet. Shops also need to be competitive, make a reasonable margin and also have to pay VAT on their sales, so what they could offer would often be well below what a private seller could get on eBay.

Isn't that the same LMS 2P 0-4-4T as the London Road Models kit is for? It has been available for at least twenty years. http://www.londonroadmodels.com/locomotives_pages/lms_locomotives.php

I do Mike, but he doesn't deal in second hand stuff, only new kits in blue or white boxes. Jol

Thanks. There is only one kit I might be interested in but I wouldn't want the other fifteen in the lot.

Perhaps the "value" of the enjoyment obtained in building a kit is something that is no longer considered of much worth. If/when I have to dispose of my models I know that they won't have much market value (and being pre-group P4 won't help) but does it really matter? I have enjoyed building, running and owning them. That a few people have admired them at exhibitions and they have one won or two awards adds to a sense of achievement. Would I feel the same about amassing a collection of RTR stock and then possibly feeling dissatisfied if I couldn't sell it for most of what I had paid for it?

I think that kit builders have been very much in a minority for a long time. Increasingly "Fear of Failure" has played a part when it comes to having a go at kit building, while the improved standard of RTR model finish (if not reliability, etc.) has set a standard which few model makers can match. I think there are also other factors in play, such as a desire to belong to the same tribe by acquiring the latest RTR model, almost irrespective of what railway, era, etc. it represents. A look at the topics about the latest RTR product announcements and releases illustrate that. However, for those that enjoy making models, the challenge and satisfaction of creating something that is unique to them, provides lasting pleasure. It can be more about the journey than the destination.

Unfortunately the Vectis information and photos don't help to identify what identify the contents of some of the lots. However, at the estimated prices I suspect some eBay traders will see an opportunity.

Robert, the only sure way to get all four wheels to sit on the track is to spring or compensate the axles. Despite what many think, track is rarely absolutely flat. However, with OO/EM wheel flanges it shouldn't be too difficult the build a a short wheelbase vehicle or bogie that will remain on reasonably well built track without falling off. There are occasions where a flange meeting a badly made/fitted switch blade will lift and derail, but that is a another issue. Jol

Hi Stan, I wonder if the problem may be interference caused by pickups. I have a number of things to try, including giving the track and loco a good clean and service. I have a couple of other ideas, but won't describe those until tested. I'll pass on the DVD, the original layout is back with John so the negs. and DVD are of more use to him. Jol

Not an LNWR cab or dome, perhaps rather more LNER. However the nameplate "Princess Elizabeth" is definitely LMS. But prototype accuracy wasn't a major factor for the tinplate manufacturers, where poetic license was taken to the limit.

The first complete circuit of the layout was completed by the Coal Tank on the outer/platform 4 line. I cant run through platform 3 or 1 until the replacement Cobalt point motors turn up. Three of the original 2010 Cobalts had failed and were returned to the honorable folk at DCC Concepts who are sending replacements under their Lifetime Warranty scheme. I have also found a problem with the four of the servos operating the points in the storage sidings. These are twitching when the loco runs through. The servos operated by the MERG Servo4 controllers are okay but the four controlled by the Servo1R controllers exhibit the problem. After trying various things it appears to be the wires from the switches to the controllers picking up interference from the loco motor/pickups. First fix will be to install shielded two core cable (now on order) to the servo controllers. Later I will fit suppression capacitors across the motor terminals when I service the stock. So a break from layout wiring for the moment and I have started on the new platform ends. The platform faces are PECO but faced with Slaters brick plasticard, as the original layout and then the later extended platforms are.

Tony, it seems that the Tortoise is being replaced by the SMAIL, which appears to be a DCC decoder equipped version and significantly more expensive. Tortoise retailed for about £20 new and the only examples on eBay are about half that. However, they will now have rarity value so you might ask more! Jol