Tony Teague

Looking at the pictures above, I couldn't quite work out what function the bicycle performs; do you have to pedal it to power the layout?😏

Perhaps more likely = driver route re-learning.

Hi Gary Very pleased to receive your message - I had understood that something was being set up but not heard much since, so I shall be delighted to hear from you whenever you are ready. Tony

It's been another month since my last update - and 9 months since I last reported on the "missing locos list", however, I am delighted to report upon the arrival of ex-SECR Wainwright class F1 No.1031, very skillfully constructed from an incomplete Jidenco kit by Mike Edge: The model is exquisite, and aside from the known deficiencies in Jidenco kits, this one had a number of key parts missing and so is part-scratch built; to look at some of the issues Mike had to overcome, see: This addition to stock reduces to just 7 the number of classes of SR loco as at nationalisation, which are not represented within the fleet, as follows: (The number in brackets represents the total number of each class originally built) LB&SCR Billinton E5X (4) - As per my previous observations, I have no excuse for this model still being incomplete as the 3D printed body and SEF E5 chassis have each been in stock for more than four years! I just need to extract the digit and finish it. LB&SCR Marsh C3 (8) - Arun Sharma's 'kit of parts' for the loco and related B2X tender, are both with the intended builder & continue to await a slot in his work queue. LB&SCR Marsh D3X (1) - the solution proposed is via a 3D printed body, and use of the chassis from a Chivers D3 kit (in stock), however, design work on the body has yet to start so this one is not going to be a quick win. LB&SCR Billinton B4X (12) - A commission for this to be built from existing etches has been agreed, and so this one awaits its turn on the builder's list. SECR Wainwright B1 (16) - I have been waiting on SER Kits who have had designs and drawings in hand for a 7mm kit for several years; they had indicated their willingness to scale these down to produce 4mm etches but there has been no recent progress. As a result I have now agreed a commission for this to be scratch built in due course LSWR Drummond S11 (10) - Andy Sparks offered some time ago to assist with the build of what is a set of L12 body parts (S11 = L12 with smaller wheels or T9 with large boiler & smaller wheels); it remains for me to acquire the correct driving wheels; the plan is to use an adapted SE Finecast T9 chassis. SR Maunsell I1X (18) - Development of a 3D printed body was halted by the pandemic but was intended to re-start, however I have no current update; the intention remains to combine this with Alan Gibson milled chassis frames which are in stock So my summary for the remaining 7 now is as follows: 'certain solution / within forseeable future' = 5: E5X, C3, B4X, B1, S11 'some issues remain to be solved' = 2: D3X, I1X As to No.1031, I just need to add a crew, headcode discs, and coal - plus perhaps some light weathering, but here she is at the end of the Churminster down platform, ready for a test run. Tony

Andy Apologies for the tardy response! I learned everything I know about weathering from the late, great and much missed Mick Bonwick and some of his work is still available on YouTube via the Missenden website: https://www.missendenrailwaymodellers.org.uk/index.php/mick-bonwicks-weathering-masterclass/ Of particular interest may be a short video about removing blobs of thin washes: https://www.missendenrailwaymodellers.org.uk/index.php/spring-2021-remove-wash-blobs/ I feel his approach would work for what you are up against, and frankly, it is similar to what @John Tomlinson has suggested, excepting that he uses the flat brush appraoch rather than a cotton bud, and that he is essentially removing paint rather than sppreading iy. Good luck! Tony

Andy They look good, but what was the white spirit used for - was it just to thin paint or was there some other reason for applying it? Tony

I managed to locate two of what I think were three Warwells which it seems I had built but they were never really finished - no decals, and I had a lot of trouble with the white metal bogies which seemed too wide to fit the axles, so the bogie sides were temporarily squeezed in so as to hold the wheels in place. I think I probably put them in the "can't be bothered" pile - so they were put in a drawer and have not emerged since! The bodies look a bit wide to me, although they do match the width of the cast resin tanks that are sat on them. I also located the Warflat kits which are unmade and sitting in my drawer full of roundtuit kits; I just need to check the era for the originals as I have a feeling these may be too late for my 1938 - 48 layout - in which case I might make them available to @rka for a donation to Tony's CRUK fund: I will now look for some research materials and check dates as well as dimensions. Tony

I have a number of (unmade or part made) Genesis kits for Warwells and Warflats; I think at the time they were the only game in town for these but they have since appeared RTR as others have observed. Being in pewter they have good weight, hwever, I have never checked the dimensions and so can't say whether these are good models or not - but I'll try to fish them out later and investigate! Tony

A month on, seemingly becoming my normal posting frequency but it's still health issues that are interfering with normality.🙄 I feel I must first mention a new book from Mike King & Transport Treasury - 'The Atmospheric Southern' - for any follower of the Southern this is simply a must have! (no connection etc). The photo reproduction quality is excellent and I thought that I might just do what I normally do with railway picture books and flit from page to page, but Mike's very detailed captions make for compulsive reading and so far I am more than half way through, having read every word! - an excellent addition to the library. Returning to more usual fare, the next rake in my run-through of coaching stock is the Night Ferry: Not only was this about the heaviest train on the Southern, but it is also the heaviest on Stowe Magna & Churminster, and for this reason it is prototypically double-headed; the lead engine is L1 class No.1786, a PDK model built for me by Chris Phillips. She is followed (very) closely by the train engine, Hornby West Country No.21C142 'Dorchester, and then by the SR guard / luggage van No.2 - which was painted in dark blue to match the Wagon-Lits sleeper cars: This, together with the following SNCF luggage van and the sleepers themselves are all RTR by Marc Models: I also have a guards van variant of this SNCF Fourgon van which sometimes runs in place of the blue SR van. Following this there are three CIWL wagon-lits sleeping cars: These three, Nos. 3797, 3799 and 3790 (of which only only two are pictured - they all look the same!), are where the weight comes from in the train - they are built from brass and white metal and are extremely heavy. I used to include four of these sleepers but something had to give to make it possible to include the remaining coaches! Bringing up the rear are Hornby 12 wheel Pullman Kitchen car Monaco, followed by a Hornby Maunsell corridor 1st, No.7215: In an ideal world this part of the train should also inclde a Maunsell dining car and a 1st class 'continental' brake, but whether the combined effort of the two locoas at the front would then be able to shift the train is certainly open to question! One day I will reach the point of adding these vehicles, but this may in turn present me with a problem in the fiddle yard becasue of the length of the complete train! Tony

Where was Larry, I couldn't see him?😁

Totally agree, too many 'solutions looking for non-existant problems'. Tony

Returning to the detailed run-through of coaching stock, here is SR Maunsell 3-coach low-window Set No.392: With the exception of the CCT at the rear the set is all Hornby RTR and is hauled here by their ex-LSWR Drummond wide-bodied T9 No.312: The loco later disgraced itself - of which more anon! These Hornby Maunsells are exquisitly lined and detailed; 4-compartment brake 3rd no.3218 leads Followed closely by corridor composite No.5141; my corridor sets are all fitted with flexible corridor connections from Modellers Mecca (no connection - other brands are available, bla, bla) A second 4-compartment brake 3rd, No.3219 completes the set, which runs in service with Parkside Dundas CR CCT No.1732: Having completed my photography, I set the train to run back into the fiddle yard; nothing moved but I heard a distinct and rather familiar whirring sound.........😩! No.312 had died in the effort of hauling the set into position and had to be immediately consigned to the cripple drawer; fortunately a relacement T9 was nearby on shed and was summoned to assist. No.726, a narrow cab T9, looks a lot grubbier than No.312, but was able to haul the service train on its journey! Tony

Time flies...........another 3 weeks on and about time for an update. In that time the new ex-SECR D1 model has arrived from Dapol / Rails and it is certainly an improvement on their D class of a few months back: This shot is as almost straight out of the box - I had only removed the front coupling, so their are potentially a few detailing parts to add, coal, crew and headcode discs to add etc. Overall it looks to be a good, crisp model and I won't repeat what Graham 'Muz' Muspratt has said in his detailed review at: https://southern-railway.com/2023/06/22/the-secr-sr-d1-4-4-0-from-rails-of-sheffield-arrives-a-review/ Perhaps the only area where my view might differ slightly from his relates to livery; whilst this is a lot better than was the D class, Dapol's rendering of the Maunsell olive green still looks a bit yellow to me - especially when put alongside one of my kit-built D1's: Conversely the kit built loco lacks a lot of detail that is finely rendered on the new model and in some areas looks positively crude! I also have a black liveried, kit-built D1 (both of these being from DJH kits and built for me by Chris Phillips), and to my mind the Dapol boiler looks very slightly slimmer and perhaps sits just a little lower than on the DJH models: This could just be my eyesight as I have not measured the boilers - and in any event I have no intention of disposing of any of them, but the comparison is interesting. All of these would benefit from some weathering and that would cerainly be likely to tone down the offending green boiler! Tony

Thanks to all of these inspring statements I confirm that I finally got off my backside and ventured into the railway room yesterday! I didn't make a huge amount of progress because there is so much to do that I needed to work out where to start.........which I did and then ran some trains which is always theraputic. I shall go back today and make a start on my 'new priority' list, so thanks to all for their words of wisdom. Tony

No, I think you'll find that most corporates are capable of similar bullsh1t; a bank that I used to work for ran a "Shared Rewards" programme - it was intended to share the rewards of efficiency improvements with all of te staff - well, at least those that survived what was actually a serious cost reduction and culling exercise. It failed of course.

Your energy and dedication to the railway is motivational - it reminds that I also have one, to which I really must pay more attention and apply greater effort! Tony

The enclosed but open space on the north side of the magazines is now occupied as an open air 'bus garage' housing a fleet of school and other contract hire buses - manly double-deckers. The first of the lifting bridges across the canal (from the east end) is now completely rusted through in places and only usable by pedestrians; cars and vans have to use the bridge further along or go right around the far, wetsren end of it. Tony

That's interesting; I wonder where the bell tower was becasue the only tall structure now on site is a chimney: I believe that you are right that Weedon ceased to handle munitions before WW1; my understanding is that during that conflict it was mainly used to store and distribute boots, since these were largely produced nearby in Northampton. Later it seemed to be used solely for uniforms. Tony

I visited the Depot just 10 days ago and some parts - particularly the canal - look positively rural, with plenty of wild life: Whilst it is good to see the buildings 're-purposed', I'd personally prefer not to see some of the buildings restored to their historic context - but the site is privately owned and that is not going to happen. One building that was previously boarded up, out of use and behind a steel mesh barrier (building 17), has recently been restored and put back into use, which is always reassuring to see: Tony

Thanks Muz I have to say that I didn't know that, but had I done so, then I agree - they really do stand out. Whether I will ever get around to dealing with it is a different matter entirely! Tony

Time for that long promised update on progress with scenery, and here is a general view of the central part of what we have been working on: As you can see, plenty of scenic grass in multiple layers, very ably applied by my good friend Steve Povey; also additional trees, but at this point the back-scenes had not been re-instated. To the right of the area shown above is the airfield: Again, a lot of progress; in this area we used grass mats for speed. Have yet to apply the three strands of razor wire to the top of the perimiter fence - a fiddly job but worth it! Finally at that far end of the room and of the layout, there are the first signs of progress with the requisitioned station, which lies inside the perimiter fence of the airfield (ignore the red thing!): At this point two of the three missing backscene panels were reinstalled and for the first time one can get a bit of perspective when looking beyond the immediate foreground: The panels were painted (some time ago!) by Mike Gascoigne: All is peaceful in the deer park! The final backscene panel will have to wait until the station is completed - but it is certainly now the focus of attention. Whilst all of this has been going on, I also chose to have all of the uncoupling 'ramps' replaced; there are 25 Heathcote uncouplers strategically placed around the layout, and as supplied, they come with a clear slip of perspex which is lifted by a wire loop powered by a servo beneath the baseboard so as to unlatch the standard Hornby / Bachmann couplings: These do not look especially pretty, but the material is also quite flimsy and the wire can easily distort so that the plastic catches the couplings as they pass over the top. At his suggestion Giles Walburn 3D printed & then fitted some replacement ramps for me and these are linked to the servo by a heavier gauge of steel wire: I feel they look better and are also giving a more reliable result. Tony

A few years ago an elderly neighbour in our village had to have a peacock relocated to a farm several miles away after he had slipped more than once in the copious peacock-poo that was covering his front path, and which had ultimately resulted in him injuring himself quite badly. I'm not sure why they would produce any more effluent than any other large bird but perhaps it is that they identify a particular location as a toiledt and then use it persistently?

I don't have this problem either on this thread or anywhere else - so I don't see how it can be attributed to the way your images are hosted. Sorry! Tony

Hear, hear!

As a Southern modeller I wanted one of these 6 wheel brakes and about 6 years ago found a 3D printed version on Shapeways. It cost £41 then, and still needed wheels, couplings, paint, transfers, etc. Even in the best quality material that they offered at the time, it made up into a pretty awful model, but I was happy to have such an unusual prototype in my collection and did not expect that something RTR would ever appear. (it's the one on the left!). Of course, it has no internal detail, but will probably now be consigned to a drawer somewhere! Tony