Woodcock29

Jonathan I don't have drawing for a J17 and as I'm on holiday at the moment no access to other info like my RCTS Greenies so can you tell me how much longer the footplate is on the Crownline J17 compared with a BEC Kit? Andrew

Tony I was very happy you made it into Silurian as that is one of my favourite A1 names. Andrew

Re: Bec J17 The kit in thegreenhowards' post above appears to be the later Bec version as a very close look at the photo appears to indicate it has the correct spectacle shape and the cab roof was more correct on this later version. (Edit: your latest photo posted whilst I was writing my post does indeed show it to be the later Bec version) I rebuilt the earlier Bec version back in the 80s. My father had originally built it in the early 60s before we left the UK. I did at that time continue to use a Triang chassis albeit now fitted with Romfords and eventually a Buhler/Ultrascale motor/gearbox. I also fitted a better chimney and more correct diameter smokebox door. A couple of years ago I was given a box of badly built kit locos which included a Bec J17 but the later version I think - can't check as I'm currently on holiday. I've been thinking about rebuilding this at some stage but as Tony often says one spends a lot of extra time rebuilding something someone else has botched! And there are too many other priorities at present. Maybe the best option for a correct chassis would be to ask PDK as they do what appears to be the old Crownline brass J17 and I know they do sell separate parts as I've had chimneys and domes from them. The chassis maybe in a separate etch of its own? Andrew

Tony That's a curious A1 - some of the valve gear appears to be off a Hornby Dublo West Country looking at the combination lever and return crank! I tried the other day to make my contribution on inspirational layouts but kept getting timed out on RMweb on my tablet. Works much better on the home desktop PC. Andrew

Hello Tony My contribution to the wheel cleaning discussion. I've found that my kit built Portescap powered locos hardly ever need wheel cleaning - I think this is due to the way their brushes are set up which is a series of fine wire whiskers - which probably minimises any arcing. My smaller kit built locos are fitted with a variety of motors from old open frame DS10s to various size Mashimas - all seem to need regular wheel cleaning - some of these have fewer wheels picking up so that might be part of the issue, although quite a number have pickups on pony or bogie wheels which clearly helps. RTR locos are highly variable - my Bachmann Patriot seems to regularly get dirty wheels yet J11s hardly ever need cleaning. Hornby locos also are quite variable - however the older they are the more likely the coating on the wheels will wear off exposing the brass tyre which then gets dirty more quickly. I have used an old Triang wheel cleaning brush for years - basically its an insulated brass brush which is live on both sides - of course this has a tendency to wear off the coating on RTR wheels but with solid N/S tyres on Romfords/Markits its fine. I also often now use a cotton bud with white spirit for RTR loco wheels. The graphite debate! A lot of my mates swear by the graphite they've had on their track for years and constantly threaten to bring their pencils around when operating on my railway. I'm getting closer to trialling it on the separate high level part of my layout (LMS). One issue is that if applied too heavily it has a tendency to clog everything up (in the early days two mates applied it as a powder in white spirit by the bucket load!), eg getting all over brake shoes and when you handle such locos you get it all,over your hands and before long its gets onto paint work and is not easily removed. Applying it with a graphite pencil in only small amounts does eliminate this issue. I've not tried any pads attached to rolling stock but have contemplated this over the years - I might get a few of the Gaugemaster pads before I commit to graphite. Regards Andrew

If they do an LNER RT boilered N7 I only hope they line this one in red as it should be pre-WW2. Andrew

SE Finecast do a kit of the N5. My N5 is the old Millholme kit. Andrew

I consider myself to have been very fortunate to have met Roy and to have visited his Retford three times (2008, 2013 and 2017) considering I live on the other side of the world. Each time Roy was most welcoming. Having the privilege to operate Retford is something I'll never forget. Driving an A4 with a heavy train south through Retford took some practice. I was also most fortunate in being able to take others from Oz with me on two of those occasions. The last time in 2017, Roy had had some form of back surgery the day before we visited but still he welcomed us even though he was in some discomfort. He told me then that Retford would never be finished. I can only hope it is possible to save Retford - one of the most inspirational layouts I've ever seen or am likely to see - it would be a great memorial to a truly remarkable man. My condolences to Roy's family and friends. RIP Roy. Andrew Emmett

Tony Great words about Roy Jackson, one of the most highly regarded modellers I have ever met. I have been most fortunate, even though I live on the other side of the world, to have visited Roy three times (2008, 2013 and 2017) on my visits to the UK. Having the privilege to operate Retford is something I'll never forget. Driving an A4 with a heavy train south through Retford took some practice. I was also most fortunate in being able to take others from Oz with me on two of those occasions. The last time in 2017, Roy had had some form of back surgery the day before we visited but he still welcomed us even though he was in some discomfort. He told me then that Retford would never be finished. I can only hope that it is possible to save Retford - one of the most inspirational layouts I've ever or am likely to ever see. RIP Roy. Andrew

Fatadder It looks to me as though it is more or less in the right place as it is. On Gresley pacifics the firebox base is in line with the front edge of the second side window, ie it occupies most of the leading windows. Andrew

A great move Jesse. Its the only way to go to get a lot of the LNER locos one needs. Andrew

As others have said no shed /room is ever large enough - we all dream of something larger. My current railway shed is 22.5 x 17 ft which is nearly double what I had previously (13+ years ago). I'm very slow with the scenery on this layout so anything larger? Onward with building locos and rolling stock for an exhibition layout I'm involved with! Andrew

Hi Matthew I like what you've done. You are the only other person I've noted to show the use of the Bachmann WR/GWR RODs as a starting point for ex LNER O4s. The biggest advantage is that this model has the correct footplate shape, ie the wide section over the cylinders is the correct length, whereas that on the Bachmann O4 is too long. It also has the front end with the bolt heads on the frame extensions in front of the smokebox as well as a plain plate top to the section between these frames as the Bachmann O4 has a chequered plate as fitted on the preserved O4. It also has the correct cab roof for the ex RODs purchased by the LNER so a good staring point for an O4/3 - I've made 2 of these using the Bachmann WR ROD. One suggestion I'd make is to remove the two tool boxes on the front of the tenders as they were GWR fittings. I'll send you a personal message with my email so we can correspond directly as I can supply you with a chimney and dome for the O4/8 at no cost. These are resin castings from Graeme King that I have spares of. Regards Andrew Emmett Adelaide

Tony The little J70 ex GE tram engine that visited you yesterday is produced by Rapido for Model Rail. Kernow just happen to be selling them as well. I got mine a few days ago via a friend with a Model Rail subscription as its cheaper that way. Regards Andrew

Tony is correct. It says on the Wizard website that they only supply insulated Markits driving wheels. Andrew

Thanks for these replies. Andrew

Who remembers Chis Crawley? He used to have a shop in Lordship Lane at Tottenham. Then he moved to somewhere in Lincolnshire. Was it Spilsby? I bought my first D&S wagon kits, including the fish vans mentioned above from Chris on my first trip back to the UK in 1981, as well as a number of RCTS greenies and a Craftsman A5. Andrew

For many years my fish train has been my favourite train, maybe not quite so much now as I have far more competition for it, but I've been building it since about 1983. It now comprises around 27 vans with about 8 more to construct - I'm not sure where I'll fit it into my storage loops when I add much more? I started it in 1983 with 5 of the D&S LNER outside frame fish vans. I even painted those vans early in the morning when my wife got up to feed our then baby daughter. Of course it needs a kit built loco to haul it, no RTR loco will haul it, so I use either a B5, B2, B3 or even occasionally a C2. In the future I should be able to use a B7! Now we're on holiday with our daughter and our two young grand daughters, my how time flies! Andrew

On my last response the previous quote somehow became highlighted in blue and I was able to delete it with the back key. I'm using only my mobile phone this week as we're on holiday with our daughter and her family. Its certainly easier on a desktop PC. Andrew

Thanks Tony Looks like I need to ring David Ellis. Although I have several LRM J6 chimneys of the one type it doesn't really suit either type in my view. Its only marginally too short for the earlier GNR/LNER chimney but it doesn't look right. I think its also a bit too tapered and too tall for the later chimney. I need at least two for J6s and one for an N1. I'm really picky when it comes to chimneys! Andrew

Hello Tony I'm struggling a bit with posting on the revamped RMweb. Everytime I want to post something it brings up my previous post which is easy enough to delete except when there is a quote like the remnants of that above from Steve which I can't seem to delete. Anyway enough of that. What I wanted to ask is whether the revamped NuCast J6 includes 2 alternate chimneys? It should because there were two main types fitted - GNR and up to wartime (WW2) followed by the shorter version from about wartime into BR days. I think the LRM kit only provides one, but I could be wrong as my unbuilt kit was second-hand. Andrew

This is my latest loco build. An old NuCast D2 that my father got for me on a trip to the UK in 1996. Its destined to run on my joint project with Gavin Thrum of a model of Spilsby in Lincolnshire although in our case we're assuming the town became more significant and required more trains than could be provided on a one engine in steam line. The castings were quite pitted in places and needed a rub over with plastibond to fill the pits which then needed careful sanding back. The vacuum ejector pipe along the right hand valence was part of the casting but had a lot of flash on its upper surface leaving no gap under the footplate in many places. Attempts to scrape this out were futile so I had to remove it in its entirety and replace with brass rod. Its got a LRM chimney, safety valves and whistle and a left over LRM rectangular water filler from a Stirling tender. I thought the smokebox for a saturated engine was about 1mm too short so added a layer of 40thou plasticard to the front. I have fitted a Graeme King resin J6 smokebox door to save having to cut a large hole for the one supplied in the kit which actually wasn't bad. I make the smokebox door handles from Gibson shoulderless handrail knobs as this is far cheaper than buying a set of 3 part smokebox handles. The knob to grab to open the smokebox door is also made from one of these handrail knobs to give definition rather than leave the molded knob. Boiler bands will be added from tape during painting. The Class A tender supplied has been modified to match the one in Yeadon attached to 4388 which this model is to become. It has been fitted with a Comet 6"6 + 6"6' tender chassis. One thing I noticed when working on the photos was that the bogie wheels have different size hubs. These are Markits 14mm 10 spoke bought together. I have several more of these so will need to search out another one hopefully with the slightly smaller hub as this looks better. Just goes to show how important it is to photograph models before they're finished. My next challenge is to line this in red once its painted with either a bow pen or a Bob Moore lining pen - a skill I've yet to perfect. GIve me a green LNER loco to line any day! Andrew

Frank the J7 looks terrific. One comment if I may, the smoke box door handles should be plain and not have the 'knobs' on the end. Possibly these are all you had in stock at the time. I guess this is going to be 4027 which was not withdrawn until 1936 and was the only member to receive Ross pop valves. My period is roughly from 1934 to 1939 so? However, I think a J5 would be more appropriate, but I must build my J1 first, which will be some time after I build a D3, another C12 and a J6, all of which are destined to run on a joint exhibition layout based on Spilsby in Lincolnshire - the layout itself being built by Gavin Thrum who visited Shipley with me in 2017. Regards Andrew

At least if one model's GN there are some quite good looking 3D printed coaches becoming available via Shapeways (from Mike Trice and another chap who's name escapes me) and Bill Bedford. I've only had one of Bill's so far and don't really need any more as I have a heap of Howlden D&S, and Nick Easton (Nick's own and a couple of Frank Davies) kits to build. Of course there is also quite a range of GN coach kits by RDEB from Andrew Hartshorne at Wizard Models. However, we're not in a good position for ex GC coaches and John Fozzard's intended direction there looked very good. Andrew

I also suffer from the curse of the K3s. I buit the Wills one back in late 1978, using a Bristol Models chassis and Ks P2 valve gear with Ks 22mm wheels, which were later replaced with Romford once they introduced their 22mm wheels. It was stripped down somewhat about 15 years ago with aim of improving it with a new correct diameter boiler. But it still languishes in that state as it was about that time Bachmann brought theirs out. Of course that was a disappointment not least because of their poor attempt of lining the LNER version plus the significantly undersize driving wheels. I did buy a BR version as at least that was properly lined. Then 7 years ago I acquired from a deceased estate the remains of a SE Finecast kit plus the short kit to make a complete kit - but I've never found time since to build it! I also picked up an original Bachmann LNER version for a song that I couldn't refuse. Somewhere along the way I also acquired a brass Anchoridge kit also very cheaply which is also yet to be built! However, I currently need to develop skills in lining in red for my current projects so the Bachmann K3 might become the test case! Andrew