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tetleys

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Everything posted by tetleys

  1. Mallard and Coachman plus a few more of their ilk make it look so easy, I didn't even know the Comet Thompsons used generic BR Standard roof profiles until I'd made a couple so my third coach so as not to look out of place was built with the Comet roof but even then I couldn't find time to add the hinges I so miss. When images like the above are posted it does sow a seed of doubt in the minds of us mere mortals and yes, like Gilbert I would always prefer to have accurate consists but then I'd also like track to a scale 4' 81/2" but am I prepared to build to exact standards (even if I could?). It's frustrating but we have to make so many compromises and I try not to think about them too much, I do like images of well made coaching stock so keep the faith chaps. Godless of Ancaster
  2. Gilbert, I cannot speak for other regular spectators to your post but you and I are of an age where we need spectacles to locate your railway room and the only time any of your coaches are scrutinised is under the lens of a camera, my personal beef with professional kit built coaches (and my own attempts) is the usual lack of hinges which is far more noticeable than some of the nuances being mentioned. I agree the basic Hornby coaches are poor but Tony's conversions are certainly more than good enough to pass muster and at a reasonable price but of course I accept that there are those amongst us who enjoy building kits so it seems there is something on the menu to suit all tastes, providing of course the butchery of the Hornby sides was not El Hal ! (However it's spelt) Stumbling in Dark of Ancaster
  3. Jason, Congratulations on the build so far and your weathering is right up there, I also look forward to seeing it in BRM, it will make a pleasant change from yet another shunting plank. Dave
  4. Gilbert, It has taken an adult (post adolescent anyway) life of studying ladies wearing stockings with the sole intention of one day re-creating such detail for we aging modellers, so all that lusting was not wasted. Gabardine Mac. wearer of Ancaster
  5. I think the etched fire iron holders for WD tenders is long overdue, my trio of WD's have these necessary adornments added, I believe Western Region locos had fire iron tunnels in front of the cabs but I've never seen any other W.D. that didn't have the after build additions on the right hand side tender tops and the lovely streaks of rust from the brackets, I did see clean, recently out shopped War Dogs but to model one in pristine condition would be another example of the prototype appearing unrealistic. Dave
  6. I'm arriving late on platform 3 but may I add my five penn'th on the photos shopping question. I recall the endless comments on this post and the hours of sleepless nights and pacing the golf course at all hours of the night Gilbert endured over his very photogenic book cases and the lengths to which he went to disguise them now he's mastered the black art of photo shopping he's beating himself up for his infidelities from the purity of railway modelling, he can't win. I'm not clever enough nor do I have the patience to embark on hours of photo shopping but several RMWeb members undertook to add moody moorland back drops or miserable grey rain to some of the images of my old Tetleys Mills, was I offended, did I lose the purity of the models, were we cheating? Bo-----cks they looked great, the actual models were as built but the viewer was left with a very realistic scene instead of my wall hung pictures, curtains or magnolia paintwork. I accept I'm often a voice in the wilderness and if one is photographing one's own models they are entitled to present it warts and all or in some cases a brilliant loco or rake of coaches, building or piece of scenery 'enhanced' with a wandering cat or under base board collection of boxes, books and general clutter. In other words we can all revert back to roll film, make it black and white and forget rail level shots we should just do those beloved aeroplane shots showing the whole scene in one fell swoop. We can all buy those Peco back scenes as well oh how I miss The Railway Modeller circa 1970 and Triang ?Hornby Dublo and not to mention waking to frost on the 'inside' of windows, now that was modelling. For me it's the models and their setting that floats my boat not photographic purity though I'm not fully convinced of added smoke to EVERY shot. Philistine of Ancaster
  7. Gilbert, I am also relieved to learn of your escape but a word of caution to other members perhaps, stud walls which if I recall is what that wall is will not take too much weight hanging off them and also probably more relevant in modern times, Thermalite breeze (to use a common name but not accurate) blocks are notoriously weak at holding fixings but often used in modern buildings to achieve the required thermal 'U' values and they can be laid one handed. They are light grey in colour and look solid but are in fact like Aero chocolate full of bubbles, the older style but thermally less efficient true breeze blocks are a darker grey and heavier, they will take kitchen units, lavatory cisterns and more importantly book cases and model railways. There are no Thermalite blocks in our houses. Railway books are like locos, we just cannot resist 'just one more' especially a rare out of print one but we have to find a home for them. Dave
  8. It's a good job I shall be arriving a little earlier than normal tomorrow Gilbert, I need to be on 'overtime' to inspect all of these new purchases and that's only the ones you've 'coughed to'. I must admit though both look good and once Tim works his magic they will be stunning and another excuse for more posed photographs to disrupt your promised frenzy of modelling. Your Ancaster conscience.
  9. A quick note on weathering vans and coaches generally. Although I am far from being an expert I do tend to work reasonably quickly when fit and when it comes to weathering roofs by brush or air brush I use a general grey and after each van I add a spot of a lighter or darker paint so every roof turns out a different colour, I cringe when I see an exhibition layout or one in the model press with identical almost out of the box rakes. The fish vans are crying out for some serious abuse with perhaps a dash of tartar sauce? Silly Old Cod of Ancaster
  10. Gilbert, Nothing to do with fish vans but I've managed an afternoon modelling the 'sexy bits' and since I've taken some happy snaps this one may be of interest having regard to one of our conversations at P. North Station Hotel I have finally used my economy (£23) static grass applicator and with the shorter flock I had to hand it worked OK but more bowling lawn than railway embankment but just about perfect for The Station Hotel lawn, we need to discuss which flock you need to buy so as not to make it too 'Sound of Music' but certainly better than the grass mats. If you find yourself in a model shop look for autumn mix and summer mix, the two tone down just about right. Dave
  11. Dog Ugly, but then the Ivatt Class 4 2.6.0 is no oil painting and I HAD to have one of those. Since I've known Gilbert he's led me down some dark paths (though thankfully not Golf), DCC, the thoughts of hand made track, and conspiring with Tim Easter to persuade me that yes, Thompson's abominations were a part of my spotting memories so yes, I would buy a RTR model. Dave
  12. Dog Ugly, but then the Ivatt Class 4 2.6.0 is no oil painting and I HAD to have one of those. Since I've known Gilbert he's led me down some dark paths (though thankfully not Golf), DCC, the thoughts of hand made track, and conspiring with Tim Easter to persuade me that yes, Thompson's abominations were a part of my spotting memories so yes, I would buy a RTR model. Dave
  13. I visited Peterborough North yesterday for purposes of quality control, I am pleased to report that Gilbert's bacon butties passed muster as always and having been fed and watered I inspected Gravytrains' latest excellent model of Crescent Bridge signal box complete with part detailed interior. The building is stunning as are all of Peter's contributions to P. North and despite wearing my best £5.99 reading glasses I couldn't see more than a vague interior because of reflections and the distance from the viewing point, any attempt to create an exact copy of this lever frame or anything other than a ground frame to me seems totally pointless. Peter could have spent another 10 hours modelling and it would add nothing to the layout. Signalling Philistine of Ancaster
  14. Gilbert, I do hope you weren't ripped off for that 'feathered pigeon/ spotter' at the end of the platform, Julie grabbed an oven ready plucked, dressed the lot for £5.50 from Sleaford Tesco on Christmas Eve. Sensitive of Ancaster
  15. Gilbert, Nice pictures of Deltic but you really need to find those missing bits to hang off the front, the weathering looks the part and I'm not going to suggest populating the cab to include a white overcalled English Electric technician . As my fountain of information for all things LNER and East Coast Main Line and knowing your other interests but ignoring Satan's game help me out please. With all the recent discussion on conduits, AWS, boiler wash out plugs etc on Gresley's Pacific's, Ancaster received a visit from Kingfisher today and I'm not sure if she's got the right tender behind? Bird Brain of Ancaster
  16. I don't want to offend anybody but we don't use 1958 Triang 'Shortey coaches as a yard stick when we refer to current BR MK1 RTR rolling stock so we should give credit to I 'think' Marsh's or Monty's for raising the bar to great heights, I find Dapol figures perfectly well proportioned and they can be cut and shut into new poses. Preiser are HO so unless one hates painting I wouldn't use them except to populate coach interiors. Human Resources manager of Ancaster
  17. PS: BTW Mr Tetleys, my coach-related response to you appears brusque in hind sight - and anonymous, too. Didn't mean it to be. Lack of sleep, probably. Sorry. ;-) I'm a retired copper so I've been insulted by experts but don't worry I didn't read any negatives about my own response on the coach theme. Returning to P. North, I know Gilbert's feelings about figures on model railways but like his choice of vehicles on the station forecourt the layout is enhanced by the addition of figures and vehicles, no matter how accurate the locos and trains it would look flat and contrived if there wasn't a representation of both. And whilst I have the pleasure of seeing the layout in the flesh so to speak other members only see frozen in time photographs so even figures modelled as moving (and I wouldn't use the Dapol running man again)are frozen as is a loco supposed to be hauling a moving train. I cannot recall the manufacturer but there is a collection of footplate staff, guards and station staff produce in white metal that are really good being full bodied without oversize heads and with correct clothing and poses, OK they are not as cheap per head as say Dapol figures but to populate footplates or enhance a station scene they are worth every penny. I'm sorry but I cannot zoom in on the figure but check out the railway man just behind the small Ford Thames 5cwt van it is from the range of figures I refer to, what is wrong with this guy, great pose, authentic clothes and as near perfect proportions as makes no difference? I'm too lazy / tired to dig out other examples and photograph them and we don't want to get bogged down although it does give Gilbert time to pose and photograph more trains. Human Resources Manager of Ancaster
  18. I've just read the previous couple of pages which various sages have given us the never ending nuances of various 'identical' members of a class of loco and it is indeed a minefield through which I have absolutely no chance of surviving, AWS plates, conduits, beading on tenders where a particular name plate was positioned etc.etc. I think it is very laudable that there are modellers out there prepared to go the extra mile to get as near perfection as possible but all these perfect locos hauling equally accurate trains with correct head codes seem to have been abandoned by their footplate crew, were they in fear of a runaway or were they late booking on? There are some first class white metal castings of footplate and station staff but few layouts include them. Dave S.
  19. 200 pages! Does that qualify as a novel or just a DCC instruction manual? Here's to the next pages however in number. Confused of Ancaster
  20. Gilbert, I've been catching up on P.North and you ask a page or two back whether standing the boundary wall off the back scene is worth bothering with. My old and now dismantled Tetleys Mills had a back drop of industrial buildings and I deliberately added a ginnel in front which had the affect of distancing the retaining/ boundary wall from the flat low relief buildings. I didn't realize why or what my rationale was at the time but I'm sure you'll agree it gives the scene a third dimension rather than a bland flat appearance. My thanks to T. W. for his excellent original photography and for reducing the pixel size so I could EBay the buildings and more importantly post on RMWeb. Thompson's Pacific's will always divide opinion and I never could appreciate an ugly woman despite her other strengths but since Tim built and weathered your Gateshead example I have to say, like the LMS Ivatt 2-6-0 there is an attraction in both, (not ugly women, I mean locos!).We don't want to be restricted to just the glamour. Picky of Ancaster
  21. Jason, I'm presently on page 36 but I've cheated a look at page 70 and it is clear I have some interesting catching up to do, I'm certainly impressed with the advances you've made from your previous layout, my own Tetleys Mills Mk1 was woeful in my opinion and I thank the intervention of the woodworm that forced a re-build. You and I both learned from experience and in your case have truly mastered the craft, sadly not every modeller seems able or in some cases willing to adapt or adopt new techniques and we are all learning. You can add 'faith healer' to your CV. I don't want to turn this into some TV hospital drama (I like you don't watch soaps so I can't actually name one) but I was warned one of my chemo infusions was guaranteed to induce severe nausea and was given various tablets and injections to reduce the effects. We could have saved the NHS a fortune because when I asked when the deadly stuff was coming it had apparently been and gone! In between I'd had a nice chicken lunch and sponge pudding and custard but more importantly I've been logged on to Bacup all day, I've never actually suffered sickness previously but this is more powerful stuff but I still thank Bacup for concentrating the mind on more important issues. I've had some debates with some fellow modellers who have implored me to model a prototype but my argument has been a. I'm not clever enough but b. They are too restrictive at my level, I believe by adopting a real location and adding your own impersonation of what could or might have been built in the area has created a much more plausible and 'realistic' scene than any more accurate but bland reality could ever achieve. I'm glad you ploughed your own furrow it works for my eyes. Now where were those other 34 pages? Dave Shakespeare
  22. Sandside, I am presently spending what seems like forever in Nottingham Hospital undergoing Chemo so I'm static but thankfully not feeling under the weather so I've logged into RMWeb to keep the modelling juices flowing. I happened upon your thread some months ago and found it again today and am presently reading the whole saga but having as yet only reached page 17 I felt obliged to add my five pen'th but please excuse me if I make comments which are irrelevant by the time I reach page 70 if you know what I mean. First I think the whole layout is brilliant, a busman's holiday for me perhaps but we clearly share the same interests in Northern railway scenes, although I model across the Pennines and Lancashire enjoys more rain to wash the soot off your stone work is perfect for a model railway. I admire the small urban branch terminus theme not over-loaded with track but set in a proper cheek by jowl worker's housing area and if it isn't 100% accurate "if it looks right it is right". I grew up in your modelled period and the stone certainly in West Riding industrial towns was simply black with the odd bit of strangely clean stone where probably the face had shelled off with frost but with such modelling detail and quality as with Dewsbury Midland it would be wrong to follow the prototype and hide your brilliant light beneath a bushel another example of Modeller's Licence being better than reality. My own Tetleys Mills follows a more 'broad brush strokes' style so a more weathered grotty weathering regime hides a multitude of sins. My sudden recent change in health circumstances has forced me to retain some of my old buildings on my new layout but as with yours my buildings are all removable and you are inspiring me to eventually upgrade but first I have to get my own layout up and running. I know somebody else commented on door colours but before The Beatles we lived in a world of black and shades of grey the later swinging sixties started to liberate our colour pallet but my recollection is of pretty dull colour selection from cars if you discount pink, turquoise and a couple of other girlie Vauxhall Cresta and Ford Zodiacs to outdoor paints. I built a row of houses and added liberated door colours and it never looked right, later models were drab, dull and grotty that was the 1960's. Another suggestion is that you might want to consider your plumbing, any bathrooms and indoor W.Cs and I know you've converted the coal sheds will need a vertical stench pipe to vent the drains and these will extend above the roof. I'm sure I'll post comments again as I work through the remaining pages but in the meantime I'm finding your modelling immensely enjoyable, many thanks. Dave Shakespeare
  23. Gilbert /TW That answers my questions and since I've never bothered to reduce the roof welds on my Bachmann models although I do weather and my eye sight does not improve with age I can certainly see me buying the Hornby version along with some decals to add missing graphics and a bag full of Bachmann or Hornby metal wheels. Somebody mentioned the cost of a rake of coaches which of course is expensive but this is where Gilbert's system scores and why I am adopting the same technique on my new layout. Dual direction running and or cassettes, just switch locos and what goes 'up' should eventually return 'down' therefore one rake serves two trains or more if cassettes are adopted. Simples Tch! As for the B.1.with holes visible in the smoke box could it not be a case of a bad steamer receiving attention from the shed master who used trephining to remedy the problem? Just a thought. Confused of Ancaster / Nottingham
  24. Gilbert, Moving back to the Hornby Railroad, coach am I right to suggest the glazing is not anything like as flush as the Bachmann version and what else can you point out having had access to both, £15 is very reasonable but if my eyes do not deceive I think I'd rather pay the extra for the genuine flush fitting Bachmann version. Dave S.
  25. Gilbert, Love Peter's latest masterpiece of the District Engineer's buildings and am especially impressed with the inclusion of the roof mounted solar panels to lower your carbon footprint, very P.C. I didn't realise British Railways had fitted them back in 1958 but the camera never lies. I agree with , I think Jeffp that 12' might be too high for a boundary wall and 10 or even 8' would be more likely when paying the building costs especially if The Great Northern Directors had a say. The low relief terrace houses are again a good idea and the misty tones give a better impression of distance. You can always send me a PM on questions etc my lap top does not always receive all my emails and I'm away from the steam driven but more reliable tower computer at home. Dave
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