Wright writes.....

[Headstock]

In between finishing off models for friends, entertaining friends, selling models for friends, repairing locos for sale for widows and finishing off my own locos and stock, I've (at last!) completed all the Bytham telegraph poles. 

 

telegraph poles 07.jpg

 

The last ones done were for the MR/M&GNR, and are cut & shut Ratio items. These were weathered and the insulators picked out in off white.

 

telegraph poles 08.jpg

 

The main line ones were more substantial, needing at least three Ratio posts to complete (note the inevitable wiggle). Thanks to Rob Davey for picking out all the insulators on these (and for fitting all those fence posts). 

 

telegraph poles 15.jpg

 

The largest ones have featured before, and they're made from Dan Pinnock's castings and brass rod. In prototype pictures, the insulators appear to be upside down, but they're actually attached to the cross rails by 'swan neck' brackets (invisible against the light). If you feel you've seen similar substantial posts like these elsewhere, well I arranged for all the Dan Pinnock parts to be supplied for Peterborough North, where Mr Duck did a splendid job of making them. 

 

One of John Houlden's heroically-filthy V2s takes a Down fast freight through the station. The poles just finish off part of this scene, but those 'miles' of point rodding are still to be done. More of Roy Vinter's beautiful little ground dollies are sprouting up as well. I'm so fortunate to have so many contributors to the project. Apart from the few commissioned items (such as Bob Dawson's wonderful buildings), everyone contributes for nothing and/or we indulge in 'horse-trading'. 

 

I like the shot of the J6 on the embankment, great composition. I'm curious however, is that a,diesel banker I spy hiding by the little hut?

[Tony Wright]

Tony,

 

I'll look forward to another visit and running some of the sequence. I've run the locos at home today, the A2/1 goes really well, but the V2 seems to short out on my tighter curves. I will have to investigate further, but could be a challenge for DCC?!

 

The Kings Cross book is one I will look forward to greatly. Does it build on their existing book on the station? When is it due out?

 

Regards

 

Andy

Andy,

 

The V2 has a live chassis, so it'll be on curves where the insulated-side pony wheels catch on the cylinder drain cocks/cylinders. Or, where the Cartazzi pony touches the inside of the frames. The cures are quite simple. Since it didn't short out on LB, I didn't need them. The minimum radius on LB's running lines is just under 3'. The V2 ran perfectly over all those. 

 

Anyway, the 'cures'. To check that it is either/or of the conditions which are causing shorting, temporarily remove the ponies and run it respectively as a 2-6-0 and 0-6-2. If that means no shorting then any shorts will be caused by what I've described. So, joggle the drain cocks out a bit. Or, smear a tiny amount of Araldite on the backs of the cocks and the inside of the cylinders. If it's the rear pony, then put a small piece of insulation tape behind the Cartazzi frames. You'll note on the A2/1 I had to do this. 

 

If any measures you take don't cure the problem, then bring the loco back and I'll investigate it. Though I didn't build it, I did rebuild the chassis with regard to adding the cocks and installing a modern motor/gearbox. I thus guarantee it for the rest of my life. If necessary, I'll visit you and sort it out on your layout. .  

 

Running large locos over tighter-than-desirable radii can often cause a problem. As I mentioned to you on your visit, I took the greatest care in laying the fiddle yard track ( I didn't need to bother with Norman Solomon's work - that was taken as perfect), ensuring that all entries into curves/points were transitional and as smooth as possible; even if this meant fewer and shorter roads than might have been. I won't compromise on this, because to do so compromises good running, which is wholly unacceptable to me.

 

The Kings Cross book should be out by the summer.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

Edited May 9, 2016 by Tony Wright

[Tony Wright]

I like the shot of the J6 on the embankment, great composition. I'm curious however, is that a,diesel banker I spy hiding by the little hut?

Thanks Andrew,

 

Since taking the picture, I've finished off the border between the embankment and the field.

 

It is a diesel, just peeping into view, a Heljan 'Baby Deltic', which I've weathered. During the sequence, there are two light-engine movements, one Up and one Down. The Up one is a shiny N2 scooting south after its last shopping at the Plant and the Down one a diesel, either the 'Baby Deltic' or Birmingham RC&W Type 2 (another Heljan model). In the D59XX's case, the supposition is it's going back to Donny (yet again) to be fixed and, as in this case, has failed and been shunted into a siding. 

 

Out of interest, does anyone know the paths for light engines before/after shopping on the ECML? Certainly, Barkston used to be a destination for light engines from Donny, but did, say, returning tanks use the main line, or did they go via the joint line? Did failing diesels use the joint line to get back to be fixed, or did they go along the main line? 

 

I'm often amused by caption writers' inabilities to understand what they're actually looking at in a picture. For instance, a shining A4 on a three coach Grantham-Peterborough all-stations described as a 'bit of a come down' for a top-link loco'. Hardly, it's either finishing final running-in or it's just taking a path to get it to where it's needed. Or a Pacific on a fully-fitted High Dyke-Doncaster iron ore train being described as a 'demotion'. The list goes on......................  

[jwealleans]

Eric Sawford has quite a few views of (mainly) tank engines taking water on a Sunday while en route to the Plant. They seem to have taken advantage of lighter traffic to send them ECML, but in singles rather than several coupled together. From memory most of his pictures were at or near Huntingdon.

 

Destination may be an assumption on his part but they're all quite scruffy tanks heading north and LE, so it seems plausible.

[Mallard60022]

Tony, I see what you meant about the Ratio poles cut and shut idea. They look really good and I probably would not have used them without seeing your efforts on here.

That 'up the embankment' shot is probably one of the best I have seen on here for a long time. Great detail, even on an area that is usually 'off scene when operating'. It also really inspires me regarding the use of the planter liners for scenery such as this. I'm going to have some fun experimenting with the inevitable 'burnt patches'...........................not in the loft though wouldn't you agree?

ATB

Phil

[Headstock]

Light engine movements always make an interesting subject. On Leicester the shed was accessed via the loop lines and the goods yards. Back in the day, what was described as a constant procession of A3's and B1's could be seen coming and going to the shed. On the layout this has to be limited to two movements in order to accommodate other traffic, and keep the mainlines in operation. One short lived  light engine movement (that has been modelled) involved the Neasden A3's. When they were first allocated to the line, the locomotives would run up to Leicester on the Master Cutler, be turned at the station, and then run all the way back to Neasden light engine. Another interesting light engine movement we have modelled, is the delivery of two brand new Hymek diesels from Gorton works to the Western region.

 

Not strictly light engine movements, but of interest as future modelling projects, was the sight of dead steam locomotives in freight trains. Brand new Pannier tanks were regularly seen on trip freights from Nottingham Queenswalk into the yard at Leicester, and then out again to to the Western via Woodford. In the opposite direction Longmore Military Railway Locomotives would be brought north via Leicester for works visits.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Headstock

[Tony Wright]

Light engine movements always make an interesting subject. On Leicester the shed was accessed via the loop lines and the goods yards. Back in the day, what was described as a constant procession of A3's and B1's could be seen coming and going to the shed. On the layout this has to be limited to two movements in order to accommodate other traffic, and keep the mainlines in operation. One short lived  light engine movement (that has been modelled) involved the Neasden A3's. When they were first allocated to the line, the locomotives would run up to Leicester on the Master Cutler, be turned at the station, and then run all the way back to Neasden light engine. Another interesting light engine movement we have modelled, is the delivery of two brand new Hymek diesels from Gorton works to the Western region.

 

Not strictly light engine movements, but of interest as future modelling projects, was the sight of dead steam locomotives in freight trains. Brand new Pannier tanks were regularly seen on trip freights from Nottingham Queenswalk into the yard at Leicester, and then out again to to the Western via Woodford. In the opposite direction Longmore Military Railway Locomotives would be brought north via Leicester for works visits.

Thanks Andrew,

 

When Wolverhampton MRC exhibited Charwelton, on occasions one of the movements consisted of a pair of brand new Hymeks from Beyer, Peacocks to Woodford, thence to Banbury and the WR. One of the locos was just a dummy, and they were numbered consecutively. They were made from modified Hornby models - before Heljan's Hymek appeared. 

 

When I photographed Tebay (also from the Shipley Club), there was a single, brand new NB Warship which made an appearance light engine, running south on delivery (presumably via Crewe and Shrewsbury?) to the WR. 

 

With regard to the light engine movements on LB, all I do is merely put them on and take them off in the fiddle yard prior to and just after they've run. 

[Tony Wright]

Tony, I see what you meant about the Ratio poles cut and shut idea. They look really good and I probably would not have used them without seeing your efforts on here.

That 'up the embankment' shot is probably one of the best I have seen on here for a long time. Great detail, even on an area that is usually 'off scene when operating'. It also really inspires me regarding the use of the planter liners for scenery such as this. I'm going to have some fun experimenting with the inevitable 'burnt patches'...........................not in the loft though wouldn't you agree?

ATB

Phil

Phil,

 

One 'scenic feature' on Stoke Summit was a patch of burnt cutting. I actually did consider in a moment of madness setting fire to the hanging basket liner/dyed horsehair to see the effect, but decided just to pluck off the material and stipple it black/dark grey. It looked remarkably effective and was frequently commented on by spectators. 

 

Putting together three or four Ratio telegraph poles was something I also did on Stoke Summit. Because of its exhibition status, I actually drilled into the centre of each post and inserted a piece of thin brass wire, to prevent the conjoined posts being snapped off. I didn't do it with Bytham's, and a few have been decapitated (and had to be repaired). Now, whenever I have spectators on the other side, I always remove the poles; they're just a friction-fit into the scenery. 

 

No matter how careful I am with the mating, there's always a wiggle somewhere. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[jwealleans]

No matter how careful I am with the mating, there's always a wiggle somewhere.

Tony, you know Mr. King's going to read this.... that's just unnecessary incitement.

 

Mr. Duck, there's what I consider a very effective burned patch on the Pilmoor layout at Ormesby. It's done with shades of black and grey paint, but I'm told the basis of it is a coffee spill.

[Headstock]

Thanks Andrew,

 

When Wolverhampton MRC exhibited Charwelton, on occasions one of the movements consisted of a pair of brand new Hymeks from Beyer, Peacocks to Woodford, thence to Banbury and the WR. One of the locos was just a dummy, and they were numbered consecutively. They were made from modified Hornby models - before Heljan's Hymek appeared. 

 

When I photographed Tebay (also from the Shipley Club), there was a single, brand new NB Warship which made an appearance light engine, running south on delivery (presumably via Crewe and Shrewsbury?) to the WR. 

 

With regard to the light engine movements on LB, all I do is merely put them on and take them off in the fiddle yard prior to and just after they've run. 

 

The dummy Hymek sounds like a good idea, one of ours Heljans failed at the last two exhibition with unrelated causes. A shame as people pick up on the nature of the movement faster with two coupled together. Interestingly the movements representing light engines on and off the shed is basically an out and back working by one engine. When this was a B1, nobody paid it much attention amongst the general goods yard traffic. As soon as we replaced it with an A3 running tender first, people started to see three times the number of light engines movements then we are actually running.

 

As regards the Tebay Warship, yes it would have departed the West coast mainline at Crewe. The northbound Mid-day Scot also picked up a western region brake composite at Crewe, visible to those who noticed on the rear of the formation.

[APOLLO]

NBL Type 2 passing southbound past Wigan North Western No 2 box, June 1960.

 

I'll just post the links as images are marked copyright.

 

http://www.davidheyscollection.com/userimages/00001-jrc-chris-carter-D6324.jpg

 

And a bit further south D6324 headed by Warship D855. Wigan Gas Works in the background.

 

http://www.davidheyscollection.com/userimages/00001-jr-carter-warship-wigan.jpg

 

Site & info here - scroll down quite a bit.

 

http://www.davidheyscollection.com/page68.htm

 

I never saw any of these at Wigan spotting back then !!

 

Brit15

[Leander]

I saw D6327 heading south on delivery through Preston station once upon a long time ago!

[thegreenhowards]

Andy,

 

The V2 has a live chassis, so it'll be on curves where the insulated-side pony wheels catch on the cylinder drain cocks/cylinders. Or, where the Cartazzi pony touches the inside of the frames. The cures are quite simple. Since it didn't short out on LB, I didn't need them. The minimum radius on LB's running lines is just under 3'. The V2 ran perfectly over all those. 

 

Anyway, the 'cures'. To check that it is either/or of the conditions which are causing shorting, temporarily remove the ponies and run it respectively as a 2-6-0 and 0-6-2. If that means no shorting then any shorts will be caused by what I've described. So, joggle the drain cocks out a bit. Or, smear a tiny amount of Araldite on the backs of the cocks and the inside of the cylinders. If it's the rear pony, then put a small piece of insulation tape behind the Cartazzi frames. You'll note on the A2/1 I had to do this. 

 

If any measures you take don't cure the problem, then bring the loco back and I'll investigate it. Though I didn't build it, I did rebuild the chassis with regard to adding the cocks and installing a modern motor/gearbox. I thus guarantee it for the rest of my life. If necessary, I'll visit you and sort it out on your layout. .  

 

Running large locos over tighter-than-desirable radii can often cause a problem. As I mentioned to you on your visit, I took the greatest care in laying the fiddle yard track ( I didn't need to bother with Norman Solomon's work - that was taken as perfect), ensuring that all entries into curves/points were transitional and as smooth as possible; even if this meant fewer and shorter roads than might have been. I won't compromise on this, because to do so compromises good running, which is wholly unacceptable to me.

 

The Kings Cross book should be out by the summer.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.

 

Thanks Tony,

 

It was too hot in the loft for any further investigation yesterday! I'll report back once I've had a fiddle.

 

Regards

 

Andy

[stewartingram]

Back in the late 50s - 1958? - I saw my 2nd ever diesel. I had recently seen an early EE4 on an up stopper at Abbots Ripton station; Grandad had stopped there with the Austin Ruby again for a short trainspotting session, and a light engine trundled through on the Up Slow (now lifted of course). No ordinary light engine though, this was a diesel,  and not even a BR one at that! A dark blue industrial, 0-6-0 or 0-4-0, possibly a Sentinel (centre cab). I have an inkling it was on delivery to Stevenage, there used to be a factory on the west side of the line just south of the present day station. So light engines did travel on the ECML.

 

Stewart

Edited May 9, 2016 by stewartingram

[Michael Edge]

NBL Type 2 passing southbound past Wigan North Western No 2 box, June 1960.

 

I'll just post the links as images are marked copyright.

 

http://www.davidheyscollection.com/userimages/00001-jrc-chris-carter-D6324.jpg

 

And a bit further south D6324 headed by Warship D855. Wigan Gas Works in the background.

 

http://www.davidheyscollection.com/userimages/00001-jr-carter-warship-wigan.jpg

 

Site & info here - scroll down quite a bit.

 

http://www.davidheyscollection.com/page68.htm

 

I never saw any of these at Wigan spotting back then !!

 

Brit15

Nor did I but we did see Claytons going north.

[gr.king]

Following on from a recent visit to Little Bytham, and recent remarks on here about the LNER period, the following pictures and notes may interest some (and I emphasize for clarity that no mating or wiggling took place during my visit to LB...)

 

First of all the projected Ivatt 2-6-2 fast goods engine, as it might have been modified by Gresley, still far from complete but having had a brief test run on Little Bytham a couple of weeks ago.

That same visit allowed me to collect a Heljan O2. This was in fact the O2/4 variant. After a bit of thought I decided to have a go at conversion to almost O2/1 status which is more suitable for my modelling theme. The running plate height will be wrong for the O2/1 class part, but I'll live with that for the time being. Maybe the loco will later change again into 3461. The boiler details behind the smokebox have all been cleaned off and re-created by the same means as for the Ivatt 2-6-2. The dome is a one-off created by filing and sanding a slightly different one I had in stock and the chimney is in resin, from a mould that needs to be re-made - when I get the time.

The O2/1 cab is a modified version of a home-cast resin K2 cab to original full GNR height, not the cut down LNER version. I had to reduce the length of the cab by a couple of millimetres (cut and shut just behind the spectacle plate) and fill in the lower front corners of the side sheets. Rather than weaken the cab (probably fatally) to try to let it clip over the boiler barrel, Heljan style, I cut the boiler just ahead of the backhead.

The cab has interesting differences when compared to the Heljan O2/2 cab. The roofs, correctly, are to different radii. The spectacles are different shapes, the O2/1 cab having smaller ones with the earlier style of sloping straight inboard edge (did that make it easier to cut the glass?) whereas Heljan have correctly modelled the larger apertures with curved inner edges for the O2/2. Both styles of cab should of course have the turned-in rear edges to the side-sheets. Mine has.....

The tender is all resin, borrowed from a J6, also from a mould that is now life-expired.

This brake van also resulted from my LB visit. It lay at the bottom of one of John Houlden's stock boxes, clearly having been built and finished to a good cosmetic standard but either age and neglect, or some other factor had caused a problem or two. It was too good to throw away, but three of the axleboxes lacked bearings entirely and one contained a brass bearing pushed in at an awkward angle. The brakes were on very firmly. I tried several different types of bearing in the axleboxes but none would fit the holes properly and accommodate the axles correctly too. I therefore adopted Mr Wright's suggestion of a form of internal subframe, just some strips of brass bent up to channel shapes with a brass tubes soldered into suitable holes to house the axles. These units were then glued to the van floor with some plasticard spacers to set the ride height. Free running with square level axles is now achieved. I inadvertently used tube of 2.5mm bore but that might be a good thing in the long run as lack of lubrication will never result in tightening up of the 2mm axles. The other snag as received was the way that the step boards were attached. The upright supports were simply spot soldered, none too firmly in places, to the outside edges (top and bottom) of the solebar channels, bridging the channel in a way not seen in any photographs I could find. The stepboards were well out of gauge. I broke them free and re-attached them in truer positions with some 0.7mm brass wire behind the flimsier supports in order to give some strength.
I haven't checked in detail but the timber end stanchions and pressed steel duckets without planking above or below suggest to me that this is supposed to be a Toad B with replacement duckets. If so, I don't know if it is a legitimate pre-1939 LNER item. The plain turned brass buffers and the basic style of the kit's etchings and underframe arrangements put me in mind of Jidenco but I don't know if the kit came from that range. No doubt somebody will advise.

Edited May 10, 2016 by gr.king

[Mallard60022]

Oh I do like that 'what could have been' Ivatt/Gresley.

Mr K, I really admire your imaginative 'improvements and conversions' and it such a pleasure to see something as 'standard' as a Brake van getting the life saver treatment. Neat idea for the axles TW.

Phil 

[Headstock]

Following on from a recent visit to Little Bytham, and recent remarks on here about the LNER period, the following pictures and notes may interest some (and I emphasize for clarity that no mating or wiggling took place during my visit to LB...)

 

First of all the projected Ivatt 2-6-2 fast goods engine, as it might have been modified by Gresley, still far from complete but having had a brief test run on Little Bytham a couple of weeks ago.

That same visit allowed me to collect a Heljan O2. This was in fact the O2/4 variant. After a bit of thought I decided to have a go at conversion to almost O2/1 status which is more suitable for my modelling theme. The running plate height will be wrong for the O2/1 class part, but I'll live with that for the time being. Maybe the loco will later change again into 3461. The boiler details behind the smokebox have all been cleaned off and re-created by the same means as for the Ivatt 2-6-2. The dome is a one-off created by filing and sanding a slightly different one I had in stock and the chimney is in resin, from a mould that needs to be re-made - when I get the time.

The O2/1 cab is a modified version of a home-cast resin K2 cab to original full GNR height, not the cut down LNER version. I had to reduce the length of the cab by a couple of millimetres (cut and shut just behind the spectacle plate) and fill in the lower front corners of the side sheets. Rather than weaken the cab (probably fatally) to try to let it clip over the boiler barrel, Heljan style, I cut the boiler just ahead of the backhead.

The cab has interesting differences when compared to the Heljan O2/2 cab. The roofs, correctly, are to different radii. The spectacles are different shapes, the O2/1 cab having smaller ones with the earlier style of sloping straight inboard edge (did that make it easier to cut the glass?) whereas Heljan have correctly modelled the larger apertures with curved inner edges for the O2/2. Both styles of cab should of course have the turned-in rear edges to the side-sheets. Mine has.....

The tender is all resin, borrowed from a J6, also from a mould that is now life-expired.

This brake van also resulted from my LB visit. It lay at the bottom of one of John Houlden's stock boxes, clearly having been built and finished to a good cosmetic standard but either age and neglect, or some other factor had caused a problem or two. It was too good to throw away, but three of the axleboxes lacked bearings entirely and one contained a brass bearing pushed in at an awkward angle. The brakes were on very firmly. I tried several different types of bearing in the axleboxes but none would fit the holes properly and accommodate the axles correctly too. I therefore adopted Mr Wright's suggestion of a form of internal subframe, just some strips of brass bent up to channel shapes with a brass tubes soldered into suitable holes to house the axles. These units were then glued to the van floor with some plasticard spacers to set the ride height. Free running with square level axles is now achieved. I inadvertently used tube of 2.5mm bore but that might be a good thing in the long run as lack of lubrication will never result in tightening up of the 2mm axles. The other snag as received was the way that the step boards were attached. The upright supports were simply spot soldered, none too firmly in places, to the outside edges (top and bottom) of the solebar channels, bridging the channel in a way not seen in any photographs I could find. The stepboards were well out of gauge. I broke them free and re-attached them in truer positions with some 0.7mm brass wire behind the flimsier supports in order to give some strength.

I haven't checked in detail but the timber end stanchions and pressed steel duckets without planking above or below suggest to me that this is supposed to be a Toad B with replacement duckets. If so, I don't know if it is a legitimate pre-1939 LNER item. The plain turned brass buffers and the basic style of the kit's etchings and underframe arrangements put me in mind of Jidenco but I don't know if the kit came from that range. No doubt somebody will advise.

 

Imaginative, creative and skilfully executed. I love the little brake van, what a gem.

[nerron]

This brake van also resulted from my LB visit. It lay at the bottom of one of John Houlden's stock boxes, clearly having been built and finished to a good cosmetic standard but either age and neglect, or some other factor had caused a problem or two. It was too good to throw away, but three of the axleboxes lacked bearings entirely and one contained a brass bearing pushed in at an awkward angle. The brakes were on very firmly. I tried several different types of bearing in the axleboxes but none would fit the holes properly and accommodate the axles correctly too. I therefore adopted Mr Wright's suggestion of a form of internal subframe, just some strips of brass bent up to channel shapes with a brass tubes soldered into suitable holes to house the axles. These units were then glued to the van floor with some plasticard spacers to set the ride height. Free running with square level axles is now achieved. I inadvertently used tube of 2.5mm bore but that might be a good thing in the long run as lack of lubrication will never result in tightening up of the 2mm axles. The other snag as received was the way that the step boards were attached. The upright supports were simply spot soldered, none too firmly in places, to the outside edges (top and bottom) of the solebar channels, bridging the channel in a way not seen in any photographs I could find. The stepboards were well out of gauge. I broke them free and re-attached them in truer positions with some 0.7mm brass wire behind the flimsier supports in order to give some strength.

I haven't checked in detail but the timber end stanchions and pressed steel duckets without planking above or below suggest to me that this is supposed to be a Toad B with replacement duckets. If so, I don't know if it is a legitimate pre-1939 LNER item. The plain turned brass buffers and the basic style of the kit's etchings and underframe arrangements put me in mind of Jidenco but I don't know if the kit came from that range. No doubt somebody will advise.

Definitely a Jidenco kit. The arrangement of the W irons and the alignment of the brakes with these and not the wheels is a dead giveaway.

[robertcwp]

Thanks Andrew,

 

When Wolverhampton MRC exhibited Charwelton, on occasions one of the movements consisted of a pair of brand new Hymeks from Beyer, Peacocks to Woodford, thence to Banbury and the WR. One of the locos was just a dummy, and they were numbered consecutively. They were made from modified Hornby models - before Heljan's Hymek appeared. 

 

When I photographed Tebay (also from the Shipley Club), there was a single, brand new NB Warship which made an appearance light engine, running south on delivery (presumably via Crewe and Shrewsbury?) to the WR. 

 

With regard to the light engine movements on LB, all I do is merely put them on and take them off in the fiddle yard prior to and just after they've run. 

Some Hymeks came south on their own, others in pairs:

 

D7043_ondelivery by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

 

D7021_Rugby_GC_2-2-62 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

 

What became Class 71 electrics (built at Doncaster) were delivered via the GC, being towed south. There is colour footage of one being dragged through Nottingham Victoria by a WD 2-8-0 on the DVD 'Drawing the Juice'.

 

Metropolitan Line A Stock was built by Cravens of Sheffield and taken south via the GC between 1960 and 1962. There is a published photo of such a move.

[peach james]

 

 

Anyway, the 'cures'. To check that it is either/or of the conditions which are causing shorting, temporarily remove the ponies and run it respectively as a 2-6-0 and 0-6-2. If that means no shorting then any shorts will be caused by what I've described. So, joggle the drain cocks out a bit. Or, smear a tiny amount of Araldite on the backs of the cocks and the inside of the cylinders. If it's the rear pony, then put a small piece of insulation tape behind the Cartazzi frames. You'll note on the A2/1 I had to do this. 

 

 

Tony.  

 

The one I have used, seen used, is to raid the wife's nail polish supply for some clear nail polish to paint over the offending short area.  I suspect it would be about the same thickness as a very thin coat of Araldite or similar.  

 

James

[46256]

On the subject of engine movements, one melancholy spectacle which I've yet to see recreated in our models, are withdrawn locos being towed to their final destinations. I mention this, not out of any desire to see this modelled, other than it can justify foreign locos travelling through our chosen modelled locations. In my case witnessed lots of steam locos, en route to the breakers yards....and southern emus and a 15 xx shunter. On a less down beat note trains comprising withdrawn class 14 Swindon 060s were seen en route from the south west en route to their new owners ...industries in the north east...so not such a sad event to model.

[t-b-g]

There are timetabled light engine movements on Buckingham. At Grandborough Junction, several times a day, a slip carriage is detached. Depending on which working it is, sometimes the slip carriage is worked to Buckingham by a loco shedded at Grandborough. The slip carriage is then marshalled at the rear of an up train and the loco works back to Grandborough light engine.

 

There are other "as required" light engine movements which at one time would have been needed as there were not enough locos to cover the various duties but as the number of locos increased, the number of L.E. workings dwindled. 

[jamie92208]

On Green Ayre there are so many light engine movements in the working timetable that I've had to build a special loop in the centre of the fiddle yard to facilitate them.  The shed serviced all the motive power fro trains to/from Morecambe and Heysham so they all came back to Lancaster or started from there.  I've got the trackwork and electrics installed but need to commission some electronics in the fiddle yard.

 

As to deliveries, the Claytons were delivered in pairs over the S & C.  I used to see them, presumably so that there was some chance of them getting to their destination.

 

Jamie

[Clive Mortimore]

On the subject of engine movements, one melancholy spectacle which I've yet to see recreated in our models, are withdrawn locos being towed to their final destinations. I mention this, not out of any desire to see this modelled, other than it can justify foreign locos travelling through our chosen modelled locations. In my case witnessed lots of steam locos, en route to the breakers yards....and southern emus and a 15 xx shunter. On a less down beat note trains comprising withdrawn class 14 Swindon 060s were seen en route from the south west en route to their new owners ...industries in the north east...so not such a sad event to model.

My son when he was about 15 made a couple of withdrawn GWR locos from Dapol kits, that could be parked up on my diesel loco depot layout with a hot box waiting repair while on route to the scappy. A 61xx and a 43xx, the mogul used the chassis form a 61xx kit and the boiler and tender from a City of Truro kit. Quite clever for a teenager, sadly he went off model railways as a hobby.