Chris Higgs

So by the EP white metal moulds is meant the former Ultima items? If the moulds are still in good conditions those are excellent quality. I do hope P&D Marsh take up the option to produce them. Very good news that the plastic roofs will be made available again. Chris

Scale wheelbase would be 10.81mm and 11.84mm. So spot on. Can you see through under the boiler on these models? Chris

Err, no it isn't. The 08 uses 14:18 tooth gear ratios, but the Class 11 uses 14:16. Looks like the instructions are wrong, and the accompanying chassis diagrams which showed the correct ratios have vanished. An 18 tooth will not only not mesh, but will also foul the track as it has a larger diameter than the 8mm wheels the class 11 uses. Not convinced by the VR F class. Looks like management decreed it needed cow catchers on ends and sides, and the shed staff found an old station bench that they could use the timbers off to achieve that. 🙂 Chris

Currently in a train stopped at Didcot Parkway looking across I can see one the 1:1 scale versions Chris

I await them with excitement. I do hope pictures means they are absolutely coming. We are still waiting for the Dapol WCs (11 years and counting - almost as long as the real things lasted in service). Chris

Real thing is 7'3" + 8'3". True for all 57XX, which is what Dapol have modelled. That scales to 31.92mm and having just measured the model that seems to be what it is. Dapol do have a habit of varying wheelbases, but normally only when they cannot squeeze the wheels in due to the flanges e.g. 9F and A3/A4. Chris

8' 2 1/2". Here's a photo of the works drawing Chris

If you want to see how British N gauge RTR has come in the last few years (decades?) these two photos are it. Chris

Indeed there was no room laterally for the 'normal' cantilever gearbox inside the Farish body, and anyway people were always complaining about how they flex and have no way to adjust the mesh. So I stopped doing them a while ago. I did etch an alternative sort of worm holder that would bolt onto spacers front and rear of the worm, but they are still sitting in a bag somewhere. Or a cantilever gearbox that has multiple folds on it to move it towards the centre of the chassis. In the same bag I think. Chris

Well, Copenhagen Fields has made a promising start, but plenty still to build it seems. Lucky we have Easitrac now. Chris

Having the first option is one of the great benefits of modelling the SR. If I ever get them finished, I intend to paint all my Bulleids green and just stick to Bachmann offerings a a bit of crimson and cream for variety. Chris

It is very difficult. It is attached by wires inside the smokebox, and is a very tight clip fit inside the boiler. Removal was not envisaged in the design. Replacement even less so. Lever it out with a screwdriver at the rear and hope for the best is my advice (and I have removed a couple). Chris

Those were the days. An exhibition lasting a whole week and opening until 8:30pm. I do remember working on the stand of Cheltenham Model Centre and it seeming to last forever. Chris

Definitely use the 15.2mm axles. You might just want to touch the axle ends with a file (very gently!) to blunt the point, otherwise they might cut into the plastic axle boxes. The 14.8mm axles do not work at all well with Fleischmann/Minitrix etc. Chris

Including that we should never use drive shafts for what we do, going around corners. 😔 Chris

Personally I think there isn't going to be one answer to this anyway. If you have a small shunting plank/branch terminus layout, I'd put plenty of weight in. I have seen a few 2mm/N layouts where the light stock barely seemed to hold the track, and gave no impression whatever of the mass of the real thing. Whereas if you want long trains, obviously you do need your locos to be actually able to pull the stuff. Chris

You might want to consider this reference: https://www.nmra.org/sites/default/files/standards/sandrp/pdf/rp-20.1.pdf It only takes into consideration bogie stock, I wonder when exactly American railroads last had any 4-wheel stock. Many people have observed an all brass coach does weigh a lot, probably too much. Interiors made of lighter materials, and perhaps open spaces in the floor could help to reduce this. I also know Colin Allbright felt that the resin roofs in my kits might present some stability issues with a high Centre of Gravity. On point 7 I do recall managing to pull complete trains off the track on tight curves. It was Hornby Dublo 3 rail, mind. I think consistent weight throughout a train is a jolly good idea. Chris

The valve gear on a BR Standard 4MT (both the 2-6-4T and 2-6-0 varieties) and 3MT (2-6-2T and 2-6-0) are all the same as on a Fairburn (at least prototype-wise). The only difference I know of is that BR switched to using plain coupling rods instead of fluted during the builds. For later versions. I used to know the exact point at which they switched on the 2-6-4T, but cannot find it now. But 80067 had fluted rods and 80079 had plain, so somewhere between those two. Chris

I don't think it was ever intended to. With today's lower revving motors, I feel that perhaps two stage reduction is not needed any more mechanically, although getting the worm shaft at an appropriate height to attach a motor is another matter. Chris

It is advisable to use bushes, it's just that Allan Doherty (a.k.a Worsley Works) is primarily a 3mm modeller so does not produce his etches to be directly compatible with 2mmSA components. You could just try running the wheels of a bogie directly in 1.5mm holes with no bearings, but I would not advise it, and they would probably not last very long.. You might be able to solder bearings to the rear of the frames aligning the holes accurately, rather than drilling out, but then the muffs would need to be shortened somewhat. Chris Chris

You can solder the frames to something thicker and then drill them out. EDIT: or perhaps super-glue them as Tim has shown on his thread? Chris

The other place that I know has a good diagram is the Masokits instruction diagrams. You only get these if you buy something from him, but prices are not much. https://traders.scalefour.org/masokits/index.html I don't know where my copy is at the moment, unfortunately. Chris

Lots of enlightening photos in An Illustrated History of Southern Wagons Vol. 4 SR. Including one on the front cover. Or you can deduce it from this drawing https://steamworkshopstores.com/collections/slate-wagons/products/southern-railway-12t-vans-to-diagram-1458-general-arrangement-with-10ft-wheelbase-and-monach-brake-gear-drawing This photo is a SECR wagon but has a similar arrangement. I assume the trick you are missing is that the tail of the brake levers have to be folded over 180 degrees so they attach behind the V hanger. There are two small pips on the rear of the brake levers that show where they are to be bent. 90 degree bend at each of the points marked by the arrows. CLose together so you might just fold it over a piece of etch or a steel ruler. Chris

I have a number of Kato locos where the same principle has been applied (by the wheel turning service when it existed). There are a few ways to achieve the pushing of the axle but the key feature required is that you don't press on the end of the pinpoint, rather onto its shoulders. Chris

Most people just use the Dapol body (both 4500 and 4575 versions available), together with an etched chassis. It is to 1:148 scale rather than 1:152. Very detailed original drawing in Great Western Railway Journal Issue 16. There was also long ago a drawing by Stuart Hine on how he built his scratchbuilt 45XX. He made his own motor which you don't need to do any more. Chris