PatB

True. Attention to overcurrent protection is important if using computer PSUs, but needn't be over-complex. 12V bulbs, polyswitches, fuses and mechanical circuit breakers (depending on preference) are all cheaply and easily available. However, in the context of the thread, I was more thinking of stuff like phone chargers, small printer and scanner supplies and the like. A quick rummage through the discarded tech drawer suggests that typical maximum outputs are between 0.5A and 1A at whatever voltage, so not too frightening, but ample for running most accessories. As they're essentially free, it's not a major problem if you need to plug 3-4 of them into a gang socket to run several individual items. In such a case their lowish outputs assist in avoiding high currents anywhere.

That'll be turning up on Ebay shortly, with 3 blurry photos and a description of "as new, never used".

Speaking of sleepers and small Fords, I've always thought it should be fairly simple to build an Anglia 1500GT (or even a Lotus-Anglia) using all Ford parts, given that where a 1200 pre-Xflow Kent will go, a 1500 should fit fairly seamlessly. Indeed, did Ford miss a trick by not doing so? Although, I suppose, they didn't get seriously into factory performance models until the Escort.

Given that the photo linked upthread is dated 1917, I suspect the WD would have been requiring a vast number of vans at the time, and, given the strictures of wartime production, the wagon builders' production capacity may well have been limited. I think it's quite plausible that the WD may have needed to go to 2 builders. Not saying they did, just that it's plausible.

One of the useful aspects of the tech revolution is the vast surplus of old wall-warts of various outputs, leading to an almost infinite supply of small power sources, available for free from friends, family and ones own stash, or for pennies from any junk/charity shop. All nicely marked with output voltage and max current rating. Very handy.

Was an element in Triang's success also that they (or the parent, Lines) were, at the time, a huge company with many product lines? Meccano Ltd, as far as I'm aware, had Meccano, Dublo, Dinky and the last, limping remnants of their 0 gauge range. Nothing much else springs to mind, although I daresay Meccano experts are aware of other ventures. Triang/Lines, OTOH, had trains (with far more accessories, like OHLE, lineside kits and scenic materials), 3 flavours of slot-car (Scalextric, Minic and, IIRC, Magicar, aimed at younger children), prams, tricycles, diecast cars (was it Spot-On?), probably a Lego clone (everyone seemed to be trying that in the 60s) and no doubt any number of things I can't remember. Such diversification would have been useful in weathering downturns in the toy train market, especially that caused by the slot-car explosion in the early 60s, as a significant amount of lost sales in Triang Railways would simply have moved across to Scalextric, keeping the company's overall sales roughly constant.

During my etched kit building phase, I used two methods. For long folds, I had a couple of lengths of heavy brass angle, which I put over my vice jaws to act as bending bars. In theory they would be a little fiddly to set up so they're accurately level and parallel, but I found that with my particular vice and angle combination, they settled into place naturally. For smaller folds, I found a brilliant tool on a tool stall at a show. It's a pair of pliers, but with very broad (50 mm or so) smooth jaws. Very quick and handy for small stuff. I think they were about $20 or so. They're a bit like this, but the jaws are wider relative to the rest of the tool. My own aren't accessible for a photo at the mo.

Something else to think of is the geology and history of your kingdom, as this will, to a significant extent, influence your freight traffic. Is it rocky with mineral deposits (mining/quarrying)? Are there large areas of good agricultural land (heavy seasonal livestock and crop traffic)? Is it a seafaring nation (fishing and cargo ports)? Is it an imperial/militaristic society (military traffic, troop trains, munitions factories)? Does it have land suitable for forestry (timber lines, sawmills)? Of course, Britain ticks all these boxes in various places, which helps to make it such a rich source of prototypes. Southern European countries like Spain or Greece would tend more towards agriculture. Eastern Europe or Scandinavia might be more forestry oriented, whilst much of Scandinavia might also have a heavy emphasis on the sea.

Sounds to me like a good excuse to run a castor based oil .

The usual dummy load for ANCAP tests is adult driver and front seat passenger, and appropriately restrained 2yo and 10yo (if memory serves) in the back.

Back when I first joined Vehicle Standards, in 2001, ANCAP had just tested a group of the (extremely popular here) Japanese 4wd utes, such as the Toyota Hilux and its equivalents. All basically similar, with a hefty ladder chassis topped with a separate, non-structural cab. They all performed very poorly, giving the worst of all worlds. The frame was initially stiff, transferring lots of energy to the cab and occupants, then the chassis rail would suddenly buckle and the whole lot would just fold up, allowing lots of intrusion into the occupant space. I suspect a Defender would be similar. In spite of this, they all managed to get 2 stars. This at a time when the big Aussie sedans got about 3, and the Renault Megane was making headlines for getting the first 5 star result. The general consensus was that bare minimum compliance with the Australian Design Rules of the time was the equivalent of about half an ANCAP star.

I'm afraid I can no longer think of Kraftwerk without seeing this

quite apart from the basic inaccuracy, the strong Melbourne vs Sydney parochial rivalry would have doomed that one.

I think I've heard of that one, but this wasn't it. This one was just on the Taunton side of Kingston St Mary. I'm not sure when it got cleared, but some time in the early to mid 90s seems likely.

Back in the late 70s/early 80s there was a house near Taunton with a large collection of early 50s Wolseleys (amongst other things) quietly rusting into the ground around it. Also visible from the road were a Standard 8, and one of those rounded caravans that used to appear on the cover of summer issues of Practical Motorist c1955. Peering through the hedge that surrounded the rest of the property revealed some Mk1 Ford's, and other stuff I can't now remember, sitting amongst trees and in shades of rust brown and moss green. It all seemed impossibly ancient at the time. It feels very odd to think that a car built on the day I squinted through that hedge is now ~10 years older than anything I could see was then.

Quite an effective use of the Peco "city centre" backscene, I think. A classic N gauge "one of everything from the Farish catalogue.

My one experience with E10 was when driving MrsB's new Ural sidecar outfit home from NSW in 2008. Crossing semi-remote NSW, all the roadhouses had was E10. The bike ran fine on it. Perhaps, as per the Manchester research, better than on non-ethanol. The Ural flat twin is, after all, a 1940s engine, regardless of how it might be dressed up with Keihin carbs and electronic ignition. The fuel consumption, however, was significantly worse. Sufficiently worse that I ended up spluttering to a halt 10 km short of a roadhouse I expected to be able to reach comfortably. Not a huge issue, as I had a 10 litre can in the boot of the chair, but noteworthy.

I assume noone was pleased to see it.

Well, it's arrived and I was right about it being a red one. It's currently in a Dettol bath to try and get the paint off. If it proves unsalvageable, I'm not too upset. It came bundled with another commonplace car for a fiver plus postage and so, if nothing else, I've got a pair of working 70s motors, 7 useable wheels, 2 pairs of axles and a couple of pickup assemblies. Well worth the cost, so an unusual but tired body shell was always going to be a bonus really.

So, thanks to not building any vans or catering vehicles beyond the Mk1 variants, a spiffy, relatively high status express is has at least 3 non-matching vehicles in its make up.

Oil lit too, or, rather, unlit, as the line's management were concerned about the fire risk. Must have been super inviting on a Northumberland winter evening/morning.

Sometimes it's worth looking at the dodgy paint jobs more closely. Although not railway, I'm expecting to receive, tomorrow, a horrifically painted Scalextric BRM P160 that cost a minimal amount because they're so commonplace in the usual green or white. However, from a careful inspection of the photos, I think it's the much less common (I won't say R@RE) red version under the paint. Not that it's actually valuable, as it's also a bit battered but, if I'm right and can get the paint off, it might be an interesting piece.

Those bogies look an awful lot like the inside of the tender drive as well. As for where the wheels came from, I wondered about a small, rod drive diesel, if such a thing existed, from their European range.

Well, too difficult to make go round 14" radius curves anyway. Although a Mainline Peak from 20 years later will just about do it, albeit not happily.

I'm not sure about the Deltic bogie, but I've looked at a couple of King tender drives, which are, essentially, a 6 wheeled motor bogie. I was surprised to find that the outer wheelsets (the driven ones) had crank throws moulded in, and so were clearly common with something else, as, obviously, a tender drive wouldn't need them. Unless someone was planning to release a Sturrock steam tender, anyway.