steve howe

As I'm just about to start my cameo project (of which more anon in another place) I had a quick glance at this thread. There seems to be a great deal of blethering going on about not much at all. Its a model railway. No one died. Worlds won't be saved. Get over it. I wonder how many of the Bletherers on here are actually getting on with the job of building anything? Steve

That's interesting, I bought a couple of Dingham magnets along with his couplings for the stock on Horsley Bank because the curves won't accept AJs. On the test track they certainly weren't successful with AJs even on higher amps which is why I went for MSE ones. Dingham must have updated his instructions since then because I had a lot of problems with them until I switched to MSE's version. (although they were quite satisfactory with Dingham's own couplings) I am told that SEEP are very good and intend to try them on the next venture. Steve

Stu, You really need a separate power unit for magnets, its surprising how much amp they can pull. Mine for powering AJs are from MSE and use a 12vDC supply at 2.5A from a mains transformer. You might want to try a laptop charger, or look here: https://www.ultraleds.co.uk/20w-1-66-amp-constant-voltage-led-driver-power-supply-12v-dc.html Steve

Cornish Modellers Take the Prize at York Members of the Helston & Falmouth Model Railway Club collected another award for their layout 'Gweek North Quay' at the recent York Model Railway Show. The Mike Cook Memorial Cup is awarded to the layout that, in the organiser's view, would have been most enjoyed by the late Mike Cook who organised the York show from 1962 to just before his death in 2011. The model represents the station and quayside at Gweek on the mythical narrow gauge ‘Helford Valley Railway’ which was proposed to link Helston and Penryn, but was never actually built. Club member Steve Howe, one of the team behind the project, said “We were delighted to be asked to appear at the York Show which is one of the highlights of the railway modelling calendar, after our layout appeared in the ‘Hornby Magazine’ last year. It’s a real accolade to get this award and I’m pleased that it raises the profile of the Club and railway modelling as a creative and absorbing hobby.” The Club, which has its Clubrooms at Gunwalloe just south of Helston is one of the longest established model railway clubs in the country, is holding its annual Spring Exhibition at Helston Community College on April 21 & 22. Gweek North Quay is just one of several projects the group is working on and the Club always welcomes prospective members to its sessions on Wednesday and Friday evenings. More information can be found at www.hfmrc.com Club members Tony Bates, Matt Stobie, Howard Ward-Ure, Mike West & Steve Howe receive the award from Malcolm Scrimshaw, York Exhibition Manager Photo: Steve Flint courtesy of Railway Modeller

The wagons are from the old LB kits range and I believe they are whitemetal so will be pretty heavy compared to the coaches. Would have been better if they could have been released in resin. Steve

Having recently acquired a Hornby 'Caley Pug' 0-4-0 as a freebie, I am wondering if anyone makes a kit for a scale chassis? Seems like a nice little shunting loco crying out for some added detail and a decent set of boots with a High Level gear train.

I hope this is legible, the original is a bit dog-eared! Good luck Steve SCN_0001.pdf

Hi Khris, I have dug out my 517 kit and there are 3 pages of instructions, the third one is mainly concerned with chassis construction. If you want I can scan and upload that page if its any use. I built one of these kits in P4 about 40 years ago when they were 'state of the art' and it is still running sweetly with its original mechanism and Anchoridge DS10 motor and Romford 80:1 gears. The 'compensation' relies on the rear driven axle floating in a cradle holding the motor and gears which swings on internal bearings on the front axle. The trailing wheels are just sprung by a stiff wire to the centre of the axle. Rather crude by todays standard and as I have somehow acquired three more! ​of these to build, I will be looking at a different springing arrangement and High Level gear train. My old girl has just had a facelift with re-painting, new lettering and added detail, having got a bit dog-eared over the last 40 years and now looks good to go for another 40! Steve

I'm sure many experienced modellers on here will have something like this in their armoury. I have been promising myself to make one for the last 20 years! A spate of underframe works recently prompted the need for something a bit more secure than the usual blocks and bits of steel bar wobbling about. The photo is more or less self-explanatory: 2 lengths of 20mm aluminium angle about 380mm long clamped together and drilled 6mm clearance, one piece also had countersunk holes drilled for wood screws. The base is an offcut of ply, not too thick, covered in 3mm foam sheet. I think C & L sell something similar, although thick felt would do. Similar strips of foam were glued to the inside faces of the angle. One piece is screwed to the base through the foam and the second is simply aligned with 6mm bolts and nuts. Half an hour to make (not counting glueing time and tea) and a really handy addition to the general clutter on the bench! Steve

I was reminded recently that I had never posted the latest images of Horsley Bank, so here they are All photos by Trevor Jones courtesy of Hornby Magazine

Helston & Falmouth Model Railway Club is pleased to announce the line-up for our forthcoming exhibition held at Helston Community College, Church Hill, Helston, Cornwall, TR13 8NR Hot food and drinks will be available all day Ample free parking Full disabled access 7mm scale Wyevern Shed. 0 gauge Wetherbury Magna. 0 gauge 4mm scale Lower Rose Goods. P4 Great Elm. P4 Tiverton. EM gauge Midhurst Road Junction 00 fine scale St. Martins Square. 00 gauge ​Trenance GWR 00 fine scale Old Elms Road. 00 fine scale Penhallic Junction. 00 fine scale Felton Road MPD. 00 fine scale Linndon Road. 00 fine scale Ruan. 00 fine scale The Oval. 00 scale Continental Kurlsdorf HOe 2mm Scale The Viaduct N gauge Nansmerrow N gauge Trade Kernow Model Rail Centre Aspires Gifts & Models MERG Andy Lynch pre-loved models Fred Elton Books Spencer Robinson Signals Cornwall Railway Society Wessex Wagons Demonstrators Loco building Wagon / carriage building Track building Societies Helston Railway Society

I am still interested to know when my locomotive will arrive??

Hi, I took out the email subscription offer @ £9.99 selecting the Jinty in November, just after Warley. As far as I know it all went through, can you tell me when to expect the first issue and presumably, the loco? Thanks Steve

I think its a question of matching what are fundamentally very similar vehicles in so far as (full size) construction detail goes. The new Slaters kit has set a benchmark for mouldings details which I don't think can be matched by etching. The problem is if you put a painted etched kit alongside the same injection moulded one you could probaby spot which was which. I have some Langley L&B coach kits sitting in the box which in all probability I won't build while there is a possibility of more injection moulded kits being produced. Its a pity Slaters are not being more forthcoming about releasing further L&B vehicles as I would have thought there is a ready market for them. Steve

Members of the Helston & Falmouth Model Railway Club added another award to their collection when they were presented with the Chairman’s Shield for their layout ‘Gweek North Quay’ at the Taunton Rail-Ex this weekend. The model, which features the mythical Helford Valley Railway, has been well received at exhibitions all over the country from Wigan to Wells, and the Club’s own exhibition held each April at Helston Community College. Club member Steve Howe said “We are delighted to get accolades for our work, but what makes it really worthwhile is showing a little bit of Cornwall around the country and the enjoyment we and visitors get from seeing the layout in action.” The Club, founded in 1951, making it the oldest club of its kind in the Westcountry and one of a handful in the UK, has its headquarters at Gunwalloe where work is being carried out on several new model projects. New members are always made welcome: www.hfmrc.com Helston & Falmouth MRC club member Steve Howe receives the award from Somerset Railway Modellers Club Chairman, Jack Sully

Hi Mike, Well Lower Rose is pretty much finished following a treeemendous tree making session, partly because the Hornby Mag. photographer had a shoot scheduled last week Hopefully it should be appearing early next year to coincide with our Club show at Helston in April http://www.hfmrc.com/Events/Item/2016_10_18_Helston_and_Falmouth_MRC_2017_Exhibition If they let me post the pics in advance on here I'll put them on. Steve

Some S7 rolling stock wheels and turnout components now available: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182808924163?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

John, Can the Zamzoodle chopper be set up to provide 'delayed' uncoupling? ie. uncoupling at one point and propelling to another like the AJs? Steve

2mm Finescale live steam in the garden?............Hmmm

Does anyone know what became of this company? I believe the original owner retired and I'm wondering if the range went elsewhere. Gordon Gravett mentions them in his landscape book, and they were listed as being at the Canterbury show last year. Steve

The rest of this thread is here: https://www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3745

I think Holt Model Railways of Swansea still market what's left of the Mikes Models range. I can't access their website at the moment, but might be worth a look. Steve

And the local photographer was there to record the event! The HVR 'legend' does include a couple of Baldwins bought after WW1 but this is probably the nearest we shall get to tangible evidence since the much-missed Wrightlines kit disappeared into the ABS Black Hole some years ago. At the same event my L & M 2-6-4 made an appearance on Bridport Town to see if it liked the curves which surprisingly it did! unfortunately the photographer missed that event! Steve

Thanks for the notes Ray, I have updated the list. Annoyingly just when we really need the website, we have had a problem with our server which has meant a new address: http://www.hfmrc.com Steve