[Wright writes.....]

Two things worry me here, what is wrong with playing with youngest grandsons Brio train set when he is not around? Secondly my doctor who is much younger than I but has been my "Doc" for nearly twenty years always greets me with "Good to see you alive Mr. Little" good job he has a sense of humour, I think!!

[Little Muddle]

2 hours ago, drmditch said:

Wasn't the GWR right hand-drive?

This engine appears to be so, judging by the position of the driver and the reversing rod.

They were....

[Wright writes.....]

On 21/11/2022 at 16:10, Dunsignalling said:

 

Professional Footballer?

I was one of them for seven years, even in the early seventies it was reasonable money.... for its time 🙀

[Wright writes.....]

Bye the way congratulations on the 10 years of this thread Tony, during lockdown an absolutely essential piece of daily life.

 

Regards Peter

[Wright writes.....]

I vaguely remember a text explaining that any brake that was "wrong way round" would have its compartments next to the locomotive closed off to passengers in the 1930's. I am off to see if I can find it amongst the reading in my bookshelves.

 

Regards Peter

[Cwm Prysor - 'The Bala Branch']

On 21/07/2020 at 14:01, Hawin Dooiey said:

The fireman glances back to check all is in order with the train as 5774 passes with the 5.15pm Trawsfynydd-Bala Class K

 

 

That is superb Tom, ridiculously good.

 

Regards

 

Peter

[Wright writes.....]

7 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

This is one of best photos of LB that I've ever seen (so far...).

Hi Tony, are those buttresses still at the end of your garden or have they been removed?

 

Regards

 

Peter

[Wright writes.....]

6 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Some modelling this morning.....................

 

I took a look once more at the NLR tank, cut some bits for the frames out of the fret.............. and put it back! At least for the time being.

 

I decided to get on with the SEF A3..............

 

 

Tender frames made-up. It's always good to have a 'here's one I made earlier' example; just to remind me how I did things.

 

 

Saddle in place, and two halves of the boiler to clean-up and solder together. A bit of flash, but not too much.

 

 

Boiler fixed on, and basic tender body in place.

 

Time for testing....................

 

 

 

 

 

I have no idea how to put moving footage on here, so these shots will have to do. 

 

The new loco just whirled this 13-car rake around with ease (it includes some heavy kit-built cars). Very little (if any) extra ballast will be required. 

 

 

A bit 'naked' I know, but I thoroughly-test all the locos I build throughout their constructions. 

 

While I was mucking about taking panning shots, I took the opportunity to capture the fastest of them all at speed.

 

 

Pro-Scale/Peabody/Wright/Rathbone - she doesn't half fly!

 

 

Mallard at speed is a lovely image Tony.

[Wright writes.....]

On 18/04/2020 at 10:41, Tony Wright said:

An interesting paradox, Gordon.

 

Although LB is essentially a layout which doesn't leave home, it should be able to be dismantled without wrecking everything. 

 

I'll explain. All the baseboards bolt together, but all the trackwork is continuous. For dismantling, every rail at a joint will need to be cut through. For this reason, some of the pointwork was moved slightly to avoid a joint going through the centre of a point. It will also mean every wire will need cutting, but they're colour-coded and numbered in the main. 

 

With regard to scenery, all that will be required is a sharp Stanly knife to cut through the cardboard lattice forming the foundation of the cuttings/embankments at the joints.

 

All the fiddle yard boards have substantial copper-clad PCB at their ends, to which the rails are soldered. Again, using a slitting disc in a mini-drill will achieve their being able to be taken apart. 

 

I'm not saying it'll be easy, but, with care, the layout should not be wrecked. Anyway, will I be bothered if it ever happens? I either won't be here, or so puddled as to not even care! 

 

I have had to assist in dismantling layouts, and, unfortunately, it does result in their destruction. I think one was holding up the shed in which it was built, and the track/ballast was fixed with Cascomite resin glue, which could not be shifted. 

 

It was sad that much of the late David Jenkinson's Kendal branch in O could not be saved when it was dismantled. Complex trackwork went right across several baseboard joints, resulting it its destruction on dismantling. 

 

My advice, for what it's worth, is to carry on regardless with what you're doing; and, though rather selfishly, leave the 'final solution' to others. Or, as I've suggested to Mo, at my demise, put an advert in the RM along these lines......'Complete (and accurate) model of Little Bytham Station and its environs, representing the summer of 1958. Fully-operational, with full documentation as to electrics/wiring. Included with the layout are nearly 200 kit-built locos (mainly professionally-built and mainly professionally-painted), over 250 carriages (some professionally-built and professionally-painted) and over 250 items of freight rolling stock, the majority kit-built. The whole layout is housed in a purpose-built structure, complete with metal bars on doors/windows and is alarmed. £800,000.00, which includes a free house!'

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Good morning Tony.

 

I would think having met you several times that your skills as a builder are of far more use than another layout. In the short time we have met at shows you have fixed / attended to many failed locomotives, you have built wagons, kindly let me suggest and interject on electrical faults with items, but most of all your introduction of children to the hobby and construction of items is second to none and a very valuable asset for any exhibition to have.

 

Regards

[Wright writes.....]

On 18/04/2020 at 15:49, The Johnster said:

I am...

So am I.....

[Wright writes.....]

To everyone on here, although I am not getting any modelling done at present please keep safe and well. The standard on here is exceptional.

 

Regards Peter

[Diode Matrix - Frustrating Problem]

Apologies did not pick up on the earlier description mentioning you are using IN5401 1844 diodes.  Can I ask are you switching Point D in a sequence and if so how many Points are operated before Point D is operated? 

What happens if the other points are disconnected and you operate Point D on its own?

 

None of the diodes you would suspect have failed they are simply a one way current blocking device therefore you would assume there has to be something with Point D that the CDU cannot cope with. 

Out of interest have you disconnected everything including the CDU, removed all power sources and tested the diodes on the board to ensure there is no leakage across them your multimeter will do this with either it set to diode or resistance?

 

As above I apologise if I am repeating things you have tried or give the expression of teaching to suck eggs.

 

Regards Peter

[Wright writes.....]

19 hours ago, drmditch said:

Re: An appeal for help.

 

My railway building has been much delayed by a logic/electrical/electronic problem, described ..... here....

 

If any of the clever people who post on this thread can help me I promise that when I have finished the LNER York-built CCTs I am working on I will post pictures here.

 

(Apologies to Tony for using his thread for this purpose - at least I am a modeller who makes (most) elements of my railway myself!)

I have posted this on the relevant thread as well, apologies for the duplication Tony.

 

Good morning all

 

Sorry to interrupt this conversation but which model of diode are you using as this is showing all the symptoms of a low level of power.

 

I can explain more if required.

 

Regards Peter

[Diode Matrix - Frustrating Problem]

Good morning all

 

Sorry to interrupt this conversation but which model of diode are you using as this is showing all the symptoms of a low level of power.

 

I can explain more if required.

 

Regards Peter

[Wright writes.....]

22 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks again, David,

 

I'm glad the RM published my piece on the DJH 'Semi'. It shows (or at least I hope it does) that the 'What's the point of building a kit when there's an RTR equivalent?' question wasn't asked by the Editor, and the mag still sees such a piece as suitable for inclusion, despite that RTR equivalent being very good.  

 

I'm delighted that the new manager at BRM is also looking to publish similar material - material which requires something to be built - 'modelled' in fact.

 

Trowbridge really is a beautiful layout, and I hope more of the pictures I took will be used over time.

 

 

This shot was used on the contents' page.............

 

 

And this one shows the ROD a bit further along the scenic section.

 

More has been done on the layout since I took the pictures, and I'll be returning for some more photography. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

Good evening Tony, the two track scenic section of this layout is superb, for something in theory so simple this really does capture the era.

 

Regards Peter

[Wright writes.....]

That must have been a record though, 19 hours! oh apart from the forum actually being down.

 

Regards and thanks.

[Wright writes.....]

Hello ? no post in 19hours !!!!!

 

My iMac must be broke.

 

Regards Peter.

[Wright writes.....]

23 hours ago, 2750Papyrus said:

 

Thanks very much for posting those images, just what I wanted to know. 

 

What a substantial structure this goods shed was, for a comparatively small wayside station.  It is pity it was demolished having initially survived the closure, but at least we can preserve it in our models.

 

I am afraid my detailing won't include the broken windows and the boxes and sacks, etc, stacked round the building but what character they would add.

Now they are what you call cavity walls!  Was that a standard thickness on that part of the network?

 

Regards

 

Peter

[Early Risers.]

19 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

DC does make sense for long distance lines. They lose a lot less energy in the form of heat and you only need two wires instead of four. It also means you don't need to synchronize the generating systems at both ends. That would be a PITA between France and the UK. Presumably the IOM now runs synchronous with the UK. (Which also means the UK is synchronized to the IOM.)

 

Another reason is that for very long lines (Russia for example) the wavelength at 50Hz becomes a significant percentage of the actual distance. I think it's a bit unlikely but conceivably you could get into a situation where there is a standing wave in the line in which case there will be places that don't receive any power at all, at all

 

 

I was about to type something very similar but was trying too hard to simplify, but totally agree although as stated a standing wave is unlikely and even if it started to show signs of happening there is a chance it will unravel due to the two nodes and two antinodes using the outer body of the containment will shift enough to get back to a standard sinusoidal pattern

 

Apologies if I have got this wrong its been a few years since I worked on this.

 

Regards

[For those that fear coming to Australia!]

47 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Our armed forces aren't trained for fighting  bushfires but they provide logistical support - moving equipment and supplies around, evacuating the trapped, stuff like that.

 

The Australian way has historically  been the government funding fire services for towns and ciities - ie the traditional fire service -   but the vastness of the bush and the remoteness of many smaller towns made funding a fire service to cover the whole place impractical so rural communities developed a network of volunteers of locals who would be trained to some level and raise money through raffles etc to buy equipment,  almost a kind of dads army setup -  up until the '90's many brigades  including my local one were still using  WW11 era converted  trucks as tankers. When a fire broke out locals would down tools and  tear over to the local bushfire brigade headquarters then head off on the back of the brigades tanker and on the back of utes and so on with damp cloths over their faces to hit the fire with wet sacks like in the movies. If it was a bigger fire then brigades from other areas would pitch in to help.

 

In recent years following a few disastrous bushfire seasons  the state governments have chipped in to provide modern equipment so now the rural fire services are as well equipped with tankers etc as any in the world and the fire services in each state are more professionally and centrally run but the individual brigades still rely on public donations to fund expenses, personal equipment and so on.  And the firefighters are still unpaid.

 

This self funded volunteer force has enabled the government to avoid having to provide adequate resources for fighting bushfires and has by and large worked quite well when fires were usually under control after a few days, either through the actions of the firefighters or because it would usually rain at some point.  . This time though, years of drought and elevated temperatures have  created these insane fires that only the non existent rain will put out. Suddenly the laziness of the governments (both parties over the years) relying on volunteers has become apparent as the volunteers commitment stretches into months.  Financial problems  especially are becomingan issue - the volunteers are often taking unpaid leave or have left their own businesses to fight fires, usually far from their homes and they even have to pay for the petrol they use to go to and from firegrounds.. 

 

A couple of weeks ago when this  was first brought up our PM responded by saying that the volunteers wanted to be there..

 

Amid the barrage of critisicm that the government is not doing enough there is now a plan to compensate volunteers up to $300 a day up to a certain number of weeks. ( To put that into perspective, federal politicians can claim $273 for accommodation expenses for each night they spend in Canberra for an unlimited number of weeks,and up to $437 a night when staying in other places.....)

Thanks for the clarity, I hope 2020 treats you all in a better fashion, and keep your spirits up.

 

Regards

 

Peter

[Wright writes.....]

Hi Tony, hope you and Mo have a fulfilling 2020 and catch up soon.

 

Regards Peter

[Cwm Prysor - 'The Bala Branch']

17 minutes ago, Tom F said:

 

That is very kind of you Peter
I will get Cwm Prysor finished, I just find my motivation is elsewhere these days! 

 

I've not forgotten about it, I assure you.

Good news, have a better year in 2020 and always believe in good things and be positive.

 

Peter

[For those that fear coming to Australia!]

I am assuming the armed forces are involved as well?

[Early Risers.]

2 hours ago, roundhouse said:

Yes we had that issue in the car park.

More to do with the CAW TIS ZONE don't do it !!!!! Myself and many of my serious sport colleagues (I wuz on the telly a few times guv) have ended up far worse cause of that.  Ones in a wheelchair cuz of it, my consultant calls it the devil's serum ???

 

Apologies if I killed the mood slightly.

 

Regards

Peter

[Cwm Prysor - 'The Bala Branch']

Good afternoon Tom

 

What a inspiration CWM Prysor has been to me, enough of a thought provoking layout that I am hoping to model Bala Junction in the 1950's with license to drop back to the 1930's.

 

Thank you as I have been struggling to find somewhere with enough operational content but of an unusual nature (Bala Junction had no road access it was purely an interchange).

 

Regards

 

Peter