rope runner

Well, it has been taken 2 ways here. One by you and another by the majority, I suspect. Paul A.

For detailing parts and accessories, yes. To suggest it's indicative of them shutting up shop completely is speculation and potentially harmful to their business. Paul A.

It will be interesting to see if the resin boiler/tank portion is up for replacement with an etched offering. The weakest part of the kit IMO. Paul A.

Hi Mol, I use the real thing as there is plenty lying on the ground at old workings. I get a big lump then shatter into smaller pieces with a hammer - this gives sharper edges which is more prototypical as the ore was typically fractured with ANFO before being picked up by the excavators, particularly in the deeper quarries. It wants to be quite sizeable lumps in the 26ton Lancs Steel Tippler as these were directly loaded at the quarry face, the stone not being crushed or screened until it got to Irlam. If you're stuck for some please drop me a PM, though it may be some weeks before I can get some more. The colour varied quite a bit by location, but these Lancs Steel-branded tipplers used to run out of Glendon, Cranford and Desborough. Possibly other locations which I haven't come across yet if anyone on RMweb can add to that list? Paul A.

Watching with interest! HE1645/29 was quite camera-shy when in operation but heavily photographed once sat outside the shed at Wroxton. Photographs I have here would suggest that it was one of the last steamers at OIC to be scrapped. The names THE BURSAR and TREASURER are references to Oxford University, though I'm sure most folk (including James) will already know that! TREASURER was later sold and could be found at Corby Steelworks for a time complete with original nameplates but additionally plated as their No.10. Paul A.

Many thanks for the kind comments gents, glad that you're finding parts of this interesting and engaging. I've missed that pre-Christmas update I promised as I've been too busy building wagons. Watch this space, as they say... Paul A.

Hi All, The big RSH is now finished. Hoping to have a further update prior to Christmas... Paul A.

A quick update - that's DENTON finished now pending a few weeks in the paint shop when the weather improves. Paul A.

Hi All, Time for another loco update. A model which is few years old now but worthy of a quick overview – Bagnall 2629 of 1941 STAVELEY This design is synonymous with Ironstone quarrying, with six being built during the second world war. Prior to this, there was a similar loco WB2508 of 1934 AMINGTON No.3, but which had a flared bunker, typical of earlier Bagnall products. WB 2629 of 1941 STAVELEY WB2654 of 1942 CHERWELL – preserved Rushden Historical Transport Museum WB2655 of 1942 BYFIELD NO.2 later LODDINGTON NO.2 – preserved Plym Valley Railway WB2668 of 1942 CRANFORD NO.2 – preserved Rocks by Rail: The Living Ironstone Museum, Rutland WB2669 of 1942 LAMPORT NO.2 WB2670 of 1942 LAMPORT NO.3 – preserved Chappel & Wakes Colne Railway The design was successful for the most part, though it is documented that the loco STAVELEY at Pilton was not much likes by crews in comparison to their earlier Avonside locomotives. All of the class worked into the 1960’s, however. Four are now preserved in and three of these have run on preservation. Shown here is LODDINGTON No.2 at Cranford. The patch devoid of paint below the coupling hook is where the dump car coupling pocket was originally sited. All were outshopped in Bagnall’s distinctive mid-green with ornate lining. Some has an additional buckeye swinging arm arrangement for dealing with ironstone dump cars though interestingly of two different patterns. With a relatively short life-span they rarely moved between quarries, though perhaps the most interesting was WB2655/42 which had stints at Byfield Quarries, Oxfordshire Ironstone Co. at Banbury, Loddington Quarries and finally Cranford. The plates LODDINGTON No.2 were curious, the name reputedly coming from a scrapped narrow gauge loco with “No.2” cast in the same font and bolted alongside. The Model The model is built from an etch based on the Agenoria 0 gauge kit, with some modifications. This was done as a small batch (and supplied to a few fellow RMweb members) with the drawings being prepared by the then proprietor of Agenoria, which has since changed hands. There’s nothing too exotic about this build – Markits wheels driven through a High Level gearbox with the motor mounted horizontally in the boiler. It runs well, which is always a relief… The fittings are from numerous sources including Lanarkshire Model Supplies, DMR, Markits, Alan Gibson and Masokits. The lining was done by me using fox transfers. Each colour was laid individually, yellow alongside red and then black on top – thus giving half-width yellow and red. It was tedious but necessary, there is virtually no other livery suitable for this class of locomotive, though WB2654/42 wore plain green in later years and WB2655/42 had an altered lining scheme of black edged yellow when withdrawn. More soon - I have heard some suitable wagons for Ironstone traffic are on their way from a kit manufacturer... Paul A.

Not a tricky question as the answer is easy to determine... no! Too distracted with the measuring tape and soldering iron... Paul A.

Another quick update and yet another product of Kilmarnock... Andrew Barclay 2306 of 1951 DENTON Outside the shed at Harston, on the Woolsthorpe system. An example of a 15’’ cylinder Andrew Barclay product popularised in the ironstone fields by Stewarts and Lloyds. There were several of these locomotives in the East Midlands all with names relating to local geography - BUCKMINSTER, RUTLAND, STAINBY, SEWSTERN, BELVOIR and DENTON. DENTON was delivered new to Woolsthorpe Quarries in Leicestershire and was joined three years later by RUTLAND and BELVOIR, the latter being the only surviving example from the ironstone fields (now at Rocks by Rail). The locomotives were fitted with Stanton-type heavy duty buffers for rough quarry work and some with water softener tubes owing to the hard water in the area. Classmate BELVOIR on the weighbridge at Woolsthorpe. A later loco, there are some differences with pipe runs and nameplate style evident. In later years DENTON was transferred to the nearby Harlaxton system where she was much photographed, laying for her final few years in the centre of the main yard. The loco was cut up in 1969. Although similar in appearance to earlier 14’’ locos (see earlier in this thread for SALMON, another Woolsthorpe engine) these locos have longer tanks, shorter cabs, larger bunkers and a different lubricator arrangement. The Model The model is mostly scratch built in nickel silver using measurements taken from BELVOIR. Fittings are from a DJH 14’’ kit though some have been modified. Still very much a work in progress, as you can see... More soon(ish) Paul A.

A quick post and an easy win. A near-perfect RTR ironstone loco... Hunslet 2374 of 1941 SPENCER as ordered by the Oxfordshire Ironstone Company. Being six-coupled the loco would've mostly worked the double-track "mainline" between the exchange sidings and the yard. Fitted with buckeye couplings from new, in later years several of these locos were also fitted with vacuum brakes. The vac gear exhauster pipe ran up the side of the cab on one of the Hunslet locos at Wroxton, but I haven't found a photo showing the one on this loco so this has been omitted (for now). All I've done here is detail the RTR product and re-name. The Rapido model doesn't have the modified buffer beam for the buckeye coupling. We can surely forgive that, it's doubtful many people are aware/are bothered... an easy job to add of course, and quite satisfying for something different. PS - I've cheated a bit here, the one in the B/W photo above is HE3872 of 1958 FRANK at OIC! More soon. Paul A.

That sounds like a good excuse to post another then... taken a few yards to the left of the crossing. Paul A.

Time for an update... The big RSH is now equipped with all fittings, castings and pipe runs. The chassis is currently being painted and the body will be completed when the weather improves. I'm hoping to get my hands on another one to do the oddball one from Harlaxton. A couple of new locos now - both are products of Kilmarnock and worked at Burley Ironstone Quarries in Rutland. Andrew Barclay 857 of 1899 EUNICE. This was formerly a cut-down steelworks loco which was later rebuilt with full height cab and ross-pop valves. There seems to be some confusion as to the scrapping date of her, possibly the worksplates from the donor loco were left on when the cabs was exchanged? It had a rather curious appearance as it retained its low chimney. This would've been finished last year but I'm struggling to find a low chimney with a small diameter to complete it... The model is a Mercian 16'' pre-war loco with lots of modifications and a scratch built chassis giving the correct frame profile. There's a sheet for the rear of the cab which will be fitted after painting. Andrew Barclay 926 of 1902 BERYL. This was another Dorman Long cast off which came to Burley in 1937, also having been rebuilt. One of the challenges was replicating the tank-side mounted injectors, doubtless a DL addition - they probably make Barclay aficionados wince, similarly the home-brewed safety valve cover (which is prototypical...). The model is Mercian mostly scratch built using Mercian parts as a guide. I may yet also give this loco new frames as the motion bracket is too wide really and it wants doing properly. It's a large 0-4-0 and longer than half of my six-coupled models, it must have been a bit of a brute. Thanks for reading Paul A.

Details can be found here: https://www.rocks-by-rail.org/exhibit/dumpcar-wagons/ I've sent an order for 6 to you RT. Pleased these may soon grace the layout, a key piece of stock for what I'm planning... Paul A.

Are the TH Steelman kit etches among the recent deliveries Mike? Paul A.

Yes, you've made that quite clear... This thread has rumbled on at a low level for years. There's nothing new here and largely speaking it is the same few posters grumbling along... Paul A.

Time to close this thread I think. Paul A.

Yes it's certainly similar. As I'm sure you know, JOAN was one of the less-photographed locos. Paul A.

Just a word of warning, there's 2 different locos photographed on that AE1973 page. Avonside "Fred" pictured outside Market Overton shed in the 1970s is a different loco to "Dora" and is now preserved in mainland Europe. Looks a good rendition this Corbs, I'm still building the big Bagnall at the moment... Paul A.

These 16" Hunslet models are superb and I wouldn't hesitate to pick up any further industrial locos Rapido might bring us. Paul A.

Indeed, can't see much clearly with the shaky camera... Unusual not to have some good quality EP photos for comment or to encourage pre-orders. Paul A.

Back to locos now - A class synonymous with the ironstone industry is the RSH "56" class. RSH7673 at Corby, Gretton Brook loco shed. This loco survives in preservation where it has been christened "Ugly". I'm not so sure these are an ugly design, I'd go with "purposeful" These were large 18'' cylinder modern trip working locos built by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns in three build batches between 1950 and 1958. S&L Minerals had input into the design and it featured many of the same principles of the successful earlier 16'' locomotives supplied by Manning Wardle (later locos were supplied to the same design by Kitsons and RSH). More up to date features included electric headlamps, comprehensive lubrication feeds and pop safety valves. They were known to be heavy on coal and water but nevertheless the initial seven locos took over the bulk of the iron ore traffic on the Corby system and this would remain the case until the end of steam. Ten of the class were constructed in total, the final example being delivered to Harlaxton in South Lincolnshire as RSH 8051 of 1958. RSH 8051 was to be the last standard gauge steam locomotive built by the company. The class are well represented in preservation, with five examples extant in various states. As with all industrials, there were minor detail differences between locos. RSH 7668 of 1950 "No.57" A chance discussion with a fellow modeler who is also interested in modelling ironstone quarry railways led to an approach to Mike Edge to draw up a test etch. Much credit here must go to James D. who has done much of the research and collation of photographs in this regard. James asked me to build the test etch and to report back... So far so good. The tank wrapper and chassis went together without any fuss. This was a few months ago now. Chassis in more detail. Mashima 1020 mounted vertically in the large firebox. A High Level Roadrunner Compact+ gearbox drives the rear axle. Gibson wheels might be preferable to most in terms of appearance, but I've used Romfords here for robustness and ease. No.57 had several minor detail variations from other members of the class, but it was fairly typical in most regards. This loco is currently at the Spa Valley railway, though not complete. Now that the test etch looked to be largely OK (there were a few tweaks required, but not many) it was time to get cracking with the various pipe runs etc. With regards to the lubricator feeds I have elected to leave a few off for ease, but it looks reasonable to my eyes. Current state of play. Mike has done a fine piece of design with this etch, I'm sure you'd agree. I'm now looking at options for the distinctive chimney and sandboxes. Once we've pulled all the bits together and have a final etch with amendments we will figure out what the next moves are. Merry Christmas Paul A.

Unfortunately they ought have larger springs, different pattern of brake lever, overhead fulcrum arrangement and tiebars. The later fitted wagons are indeed a different kettle of fish. Frustrating, as this update really only puts them on a par with the Farish rtr offerings, which have the same deficiencies (see also the Bachmann 4mm model). Paul A.

Looks like the brake and spring arrangement on all 3 wagons is the same, which would mean the 27ton iron ore tipplers is unfortunately incorrect. Paul A.