Mark Forrest

It's been a while since I've updated this thread, there hasn't been much progress on Fryers Lane. I've done very little modelling over the last 6 months; painting a couple of wagons, tinkering a bit more with that class 14 and filing up a pair of replacement switch blades for the siding turnout is probably the total of my activity. I did, however, write an article about the layout which has appeared in the latest Scalefour News. Editor Gavin has done a fantastic job of improving both the quality and quantity of the content in the Scalefour News - despite this he was still willing to publish my article. Not only that, one of my photos of the layout made the front cover, which was a nice surprise when it popped through the letterbox. More recently, I've been following with interest the release of the Cavalex class 56. I'd not paid much attention to this when first announced and to be honest I don't really have much (any) need for Type 5 power on a layout like Fryers, but the quality of this model won me over and 56070 arrived with me this afternoon. For the photo it's balanced on its 00 wheels - I'm expecting a delivery of P4 wheels in the next couple of days. So far it has only had a short run along a yard of 00 track, but first impressions are that it more than lives up to the hype surrounding it's release, with very smooth running, excellent sound and an amazing level of detail. With a bit of luck there's a SLW 25 not far away too which will give me a couple of blue locos to run the layout in early to mid 80s era.

The email reply I had from Rails yesterday morning said... "We have received wheelsets but until we have gone through all our pre orders for these we aren't sure what stock we have left available on these. Once this has been gone through we will be adding the remaining stock to our website." Personally, I felt I'd given Rails adequate opportunity to work out their stock levels of the wheels and was conscious that my loco would be arriving soon with no chance of getting the wheels as part of the same parcel, so I chose to buy them elsewhere. I understand there is no shortage of the wheels and that other retailers are expecting more stock next week, so really it just depends on how long you're prepared to wait.

I emailed Rails about some P4 wheels and had response yesterday to say they had them, but didn't know how many they would have left after fulfilling their pre-orders. You'd think it was as simple as counting up number in stock and subtracting number of pre-orders! I was starting to get a bit twitchy about having a loco but no wheels, so have just ordered a set from Trains4U. I had their last P4 set although they are expecting more next week. Lesson learned on my part and in future I'd order both loco and wheels from Trains4U!

I've had an email from Rails this morning saying they don't have the wheels in stock yet. I guess it may be that they physically have them, but don't have them on their stock inventory yet for some reason. I'll keep looking out for updates from Rails (and other retailers) for a change in the situation.

In the mid 80s, the miner's strike resulted in class 56s (and 58s) appearing on a variety of freight due to the decrease in coal traffic. That could provide the excuse that you're looking for...

Cheers Will. I found the wheels on the Rails website, but it wouldn't allow me to add them to basket. I've gone ahead and ordered a loco and emailed to ask if they can add wheels to the order.

Seems to have received an aerial by January '89 But had the beacon in November '88

These do look (and sound) very nice; I could be tempted. Is there an ETA on the drop in P4 wheels?

I'm no expert, but that does align with my experience. I've found that by doing one (longish) ride each week my fitness decreases (and weight increases). Two shorter rides are enough to maintain a level of fitness/weight. Three times a week is the sweet spot where I begin to see improvements. My goal for 2024 is to get back into a rhythm of riding three times a week and worry less about distance.

A survivor in industrial use. https://flic.kr/p/7cBh65

The same source notes that the grounded body of another survives at one of the stations on the Welshpool & Llanfair and that there is another survivor which is/was at Crewe. Whether either of these were is service during BR days is unclear.

We (that's Mrs F and me) popped out for a couple of hours on Christmas Day, nothing too exciting just a loop around Cannock Chase. Might do a ride on Zwift tomorrow but otherwise my end of year stats are looking like this: Mildly disappointed to have missed my target to ride 2500 miles, but it's been one thing after another this year.

According to the relevant section of LNWR wagons vol 3, number 740 was withdrawn in 1949, the rest were thought to have been withdrawn much earlier.

I use one of these when cutting the steerer tube to length. https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/p/lifeline-saw-guide While you still need to ensure you measure twice, cut once it does at least mean that the cut is reasonably clean and square. Even with this though, cutting the steerer and pressing in headset bearing cups remain my least favourite bits of any bike build I do! A star nut setter is also a great help (although not essential); but for a one off, by the time you've bought a saw guide and nut setter you might as well ask your local bike shop to do the job. That said, anyone close to Staffordshire who needs them is welcome to borrow mine.

I don't have any reference books that early which show brake details, but it was dual braked by early '86 (and Landore allocated).

Yes, natural turnouts; that's what I thinking of. Is it A6 rather than A8 though?

You may find this table of use/interest, taken from Andrew Dow's excellent book The Railway - British track since 1804. On a model railway it's rare to see anything larger than a B switch and I'd imagine the vast majority of turnouts built by modellers are B6 to B8. There are certain preferred combinations of switch and crossing which (if I remember correctly) give a better flow through the turnout. Somewhere I've seen a table listing these but I'm currently unable to remember where I've seen it!

Normal practice is to form them from guitar wire, I'm not sure I've ever seen or heard of etched AJs. I don't think brass of nickel silver would have the required combination of strength and springiness that you get with steel wire.

These was a suggestion in another thread on here that some of this range (specifically the axleguards) might become available through Scaleforum Stores, I'm hoping that's still the case.

Unless running light engine, having rear lights that aren't visibly lit might be considered an advantage.

I'd be tempted to look at a traverser or sector plate (or cassettes) in the fiddle yard which might allow a bit more space for some form of scenic break between the layout and fiddle yard.

For those looking to make contact with Branchlines, here's a link to a similar thread with an email address that seems to work over on the S4 Society forum: https://www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8890

I ordered mine online and received an invoice (from the sales_at_railexclusive.com email address). No money taken at the time or since. At the recent Crewe event I provided them with new card details since the card I'd originally planned to play with had expired. Looking forward to getting my 25324 when it's ready.

The grey could vary a but, see for example: https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brsealion/h1024c886 Compared to: https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brsealion/hadb22de I believe those warning symbols to be later than your period of interest. Check out the rest of the photos in Paul Bartlett's collection for inspiration: https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brsealion May also find they were more likely to be coded Sea Lion and be dual braked or air with vac through pipe at that time.

With the Vitus you probably get a better spec for your money as they are (usually) exceptionally good value. One thing to be aware of though are the issues facing their parent company: https://www.pinkbike.com/news/nukeproof-vitus-chain-reaction-cycles-and-wiggle-face-uncertainty-as-parent-company-restructures.html#:~:text=The e-commerce company Signa,Chain Reaction Cycles and Wiggle.