Wright writes.....

[LNER4479]

Is it possible to get a kit for a mobile phone? 

A bit like this, perhaps?

[Tony Wright]

When I've ordered mine (usually from Wizard Models, as they seem to have a reliable supply) it's always on a single wheel basis.

 

Incidentally I've had some bogie wheels on back order from another retailer since December of last year. Probably time to file that one under "not happening".

 

Alastair

Andrew at Wizard Models always gives excellent service. He does, however, as far as I know, only stock insulated Markits drivers. Since all my chassis are live-to-one-side, I order mine directly from Markits. 

 

There's no doubt that the Markits/Romford driver is by far the most robust, reliable, concentric and easy to quarter driving wheel on the market. They are expensive (compared with some others) and not every type is made (the 'County' wheel for instance). If one is prepared to live with more spokes in a wheel, or fewer (not less) spokes than there should be, or a pin-in-line, when it should be between the spokes, or a diameter slightly too small, then it's always Markits/Romford for me. 

 

Driving wheels (and their relative fittings) have been discussed before. From practical experience, I'm not prepared to accept a driving wheel type where the tyre falls off the rim (in service!) and the quartering slips (again, in service). Neither am I prepared to accept drivers which are eccentric, resulting in the loco nodding along as it goes goes by. 

Edited December 2, 2017 by Tony Wright

[Tony Wright]

I've just popped into the new model shop in Roman Bank in Bourne. 

 

Excellent, well-equipped and a most-friendly service. Granted, I only needed some fencing, guttering, paints, bits and pieces and adhesives (not loco wheels, fittings, motors, gearboxes, even complete kits) but everything I required was there.

[grob1234]

I've just popped into the new model shop in Roman Bank in Bourne. 

 

Excellent, well-equipped and a most-friendly service. Granted, I only needed some fencing, guttering, paints, bits and pieces and adhesives (not loco wheels, fittings, motors, gearboxes, even complete kits) but everything I required was there.

Wouldn’t it be great if some model shops did stock a few kits and kit building accessories?

 

I hope the shop is a great success, and can build a good customer base.

[Jol Wilkinson]

Wouldn’t it be great if some model shops did stock a few kits and kit building accessories?

 

I hope the shop is a great success, and can build a good customer base.

Tom,

 

such model shops are generally long gone. Those that do stock bits and pieces do so from the larger wholesalers/suppliers such as Javis, Peco or Gaugemaster.

 

Scograil in Ipswich (and John Dutfield in Chelmsford, AFAIK) carry products form those suppliers, but getting anything more "specialist" (wheels, solders, fluxes, "railway" paints, etc.) usually means online or to one of the "finescale " show where the specialist manufacturer/supplier takes a stand..

 

The smaller specialist suppliers generally don't have sufficient margin to provide the 25% to 33% margin the retailer needs for "lower" price, small turnover items. To supply via a wholesaler would add even more, possibly doubling the retail price.

 

Jol

[Barry Ten]

As an addendum to my earlier post, I ordered some Markits wheels from Wizard Models late on Thursday evening and they arrived this morning.

[jwealleans]

Why do I mention the above? Because my health has not been compromised by not being permanently-attached to a mobile phone. My anxiety levels have not increased because I don't know everything which is going on in the lives of those I know, by the minute! I'm not interested in knowing what friends have had for lunch (and certainly it's of no concern of mine SEEING what they're going to eat). I couldn't give a toss which events they're attending (unless I'm meeting them) and conversations can carry on with my dearest friends exactly where we left them off - often months ago. Being a non-tweeter has not damaged my health, neither has my ignorance of farcebook.

This struck a chord with us. We thought this might appeal:

 

[davefrk]

Nothing wrong with the old basic Nokia phone, had mine since 2006, got it because it had a 14 day standby when I was doing TV/film stuff so ideal for call times from my agent. It's indestructible having been launched down stairs on a number of occasions, dropped in a deep puddle and generally thrown about, I do now have a fancy Nokia 3 but that is for the business and I darn't carry that about everyday....

 

Dave Franks.

[Clearwater]

A bit like this, perhaps?

At least it would use soldered joints!

[LNWR18901910]

You're most welcome.

 

It certainly is a most unusual loco, and my compliments for tackling it. 

 

May I make a suggestion, please? Simple, plain, single lining can be obtained from the transfer-makers in a variety of colours. This is much crisper, especially in close-up. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Thanks, Tony. One day, I might give the lining thing a try, some day. Normally, I just paint it on and use some masking tape to keep it as straight as possible.

[The Fatadder]

Andrew at Wizard Models always gives excellent service. He does, however, as far as I know, only stock insulated Markits drivers. Since all my chassis are live-to-one-side, I order mine directly from Markits. 

 

There's no doubt that the Markits/Romford driver is by far the most robust, reliable, concentric and easy to quarter driving wheel on the market. They are expensive (compared with some others) and not every type is made (the 'County' wheel for instance). If one is prepared to live with more spokes in a wheel, or fewer (not less) spokes than there should be, or a pin-in-line, when it should be between the spokes, or a diameter slightly too small, then it's always Markits/Romford for me. 

 

Driving wheels (and their relative fittings) have been discussed before. From practical experience, I'm not prepared to accept a driving wheel type where the tyre falls off the rim (in service!) and the quartering slips (again, in service). Neither am I prepared to accept drivers which are eccentric, resulting in the loco nodding along as it goes goes by. 

 

Thanks for the advice,

Thinking on it some more, the higher likelihood of getting good running means I think the small reduction in accuracy is a compromise worth making to give the improved chances of getting a smooth running chassis.  I hadn't realised that Wizard sell Markits products, now that I do I will get some ordered this evening (and it would be silly not to add some more coach sides into my basket while I'm at it!)

 

Hopefully should have a working chassis finished over the Christmas shutdown, inspired in no small part by this thread!

[Guest]

My favourite sledge of all time!

McGrath: “Why are you so fat?”

Brandes  “Because every time I ######* your wife, she gives me a biscuit.”

*Somewhat crude in real life!

http://www.cricketsledges.com/top-twenty-cricket-sledges/

Edited December 2, 2017 by Guest

[Willie Whizz]

Thanks Willie,

 

It was good to put a face to a (user) name at Warley. Unfortunately, I've quite forgotten your real name, so please forgive me. 

 

Is that a picture of the HOOD, by the way? 

Hello Tony, sorry for the belated response but it's been a busy couple of days, having started to empty my loft preparatory to a house move.  The railway-related stuff I'd forgotten i've even got is unbelievable ... 

 

Yes, I was very pleased to get chance to talk to you late last Saturday; it had been a long, long day and I was just about to go home when I spotted you and took my opportunity!  'Real name' is Malcolm Swift, by the way - the username is actually about 25 years old and predates my even having heard of the t'Interweb.  Thank you for the invitation too; I hope to be in touch about that after Christmas.

 

The graphic is indeed the 'Mighty Hood' - well spotted; I seemed to be in a minority here without an image of some sort next to my name; and came across it on my PC quite recently and stuck it up.  It's been in my files so long I can't now even remember the source - possibly an earlier incarnation of the wonderful HMS Hood website  www.hmshood.com but if so it doesn't seem to be on there any more.

 

Best wishes.

[Tony Wright]

One thing I also purchased at the new model shop in Bourne was the latest Hornby Mk.1 BSO. These were very common on the ER, and the afternoon 'Talisman' should have two - one at each end. Up to now, I've made do with a pair of Bachmann BSKs. I've made a couple of BSOs years ago, but they're in carmine and cream. 

 

 

 

At least this end of the train is right. All I've done is to change the wheels, fit a (Bachmann) gangway cover and dummy buckeye, added the pipes, weathered the roof and the ends, chucked away the tension-locks and made my own coupling (pulling of the headstock, not off the bogie), added Ian Wilson's destination boards and fitted a concertina gangway. It doesn't quite match the Bachmann Mk.1s in both body profile and height. Which is right? I assume it's cheaper than a Bachmann car, and the roof ribs are far less prominent. The maroon isn't as 'rich', though, and the windows do have a bit of a 'halo' effect. As a 'layout' coach in a 'layout' train, running at high speed it'll do I suppose. At least it saves me the hassle of making kits for them. What do others think of these latest RTR carriages?

 

 

On a different note, I've just about completed the scene where the Witham Road joins Station Road. Ellen Sparkes' beautiful little gardens fit in perfectly. We have no definitive pictures of this area, though odd bits do appear in the edges of some of Colin Walker's pictures. It looks 'realistic' to me. 

Edited December 2, 2017 by Tony Wright

[Compound2632]

What do others think of these latest RTR carriages?

 

A far cry from my first Triang-Hornby Mk 1 carriages - a CK and a BSK in carmine & cream, purchased in 1972!

[lee74clarke]

I've just popped into the new model shop in Roman Bank in Bourne.

 

Excellent, well-equipped and a most-friendly service. Granted, I only needed some fencing, guttering, paints, bits and pieces and adhesives (not loco wheels, fittings, motors, gearboxes, even complete kits) but everything I required was there.

Hi Tony

 

That’s interesting, I didn’t realise they had opened yet. I used to work near them and they said they were planning to open a shop, it had been a successful internet only operation for a while I think.

Hope they gave every success, nice and local for us.

Has anyone put anything in the section covering businesses yet?

 

Best Regards

Lee

[Tony Wright]

In between altering an RTR carriage (which rather goes against the grain in some ways), I've been bashing on with the DJH A2/2. 

 

 

I'm often asked why a particular vehicle derails or crabs along. 'I've checked all the back-to-backs and they're fine' I'll be told. They might be, but if the frames have been assembled as a sort of parallelogram, it matters not a jot whether every back-to-back is dead right. It won't work! Some 40+ years ago, a guy in Wolverhampton MRC worked in a steel-manufacturing firm in the town. He milled me this six inch long back-to-back gauge in mild steel, after I'd explained what I needed. It's the most useful tool I possess for setting up wheelsets dead square. Here, I'm using it to check that all is well with the tender frames on the A2/2. Why no manufacturer has ever offered this sort of thing, I don't know. I also use it for checking all the wheelsets in loco chassis - it was especially useful for the 9F I built recently.

 

 

 

This shot shows the pick-up arrangements and bogie/pony pivots. Also visible is my sprung drawbar. 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

Hi Tony

 

That’s interesting, I didn’t realise they had opened yet. I used to work near them and they said they were planning to open a shop, it had been a successful internet only operation for a while I think.

Hope they gave every success, nice and local for us.

Has anyone put anything in the section covering businesses yet?

 

Best Regards

Lee

Thanks Lee,

 

How does one put anything in the businesses section? 

[lee74clarke]

Thanks Lee,

 

How does one put anything in the businesses section?

On the home page, thers’s a Model Shop Guide heading.

Go into there and start a new post, I think I did something similar a few years ago for the model railway shop in Grantham.

Shop name & town name I would say is the best bet.

 

 

Regards

Lee

[mullie]

In between altering an RTR carriage (which rather goes against the grain in some ways), I've been bashing on with the DJH A2/2. 

 

A 2 2 02.jpg

 

I'm often asked why a particular vehicle derails or crabs along. 'I've checked all the back-to-backs and they're fine' I'll be told. They might be, but if the frames have been assembled as a sort of parallelogram, it matters not a jot whether every back-to-back is dead right. It won't work! Some 40+ years ago, a guy in Wolverhampton MRC worked in a steel-manufacturing firm in the town. He milled me this six inch long back-to-back gauge in mild steel, after I'd explained what I needed. It's the most useful tool I possess for setting up wheelsets dead square. Here, I'm using it to check that all is well with the tender frames on the A2/2. Why no manufacturer has ever offered this sort of thing, I don't know. I also use it for checking all the wheelsets in loco chassis - it was especially useful for the 9F I built recently.

 

A 2 2 04.jpg

 

This shot shows the pick-up arrangements and bogie/pony pivots. Also visible is my sprung drawbar. 

 

This might help in certain circumstances, found whilst looking for a quartering jig to help with my adventure in EM..

 

Martyn

[Lecorbusier]

Hello Tony, sorry for the belated response but it's been a busy couple of days, having started to empty my loft preparatory to a house move.  The railway-related stuff I'd forgotten i've even got is unbelievable ... 

 

Yes, I was very pleased to get chance to talk to you late last Saturday; it had been a long, long day and I was just about to go home when I spotted you and took my opportunity!  'Real name' is Malcolm Swift, by the way - the username is actually about 25 years old and predates my even having heard of the t'Interweb.  Thank you for the invitation too; I hope to be in touch about that after Christmas.

 

The graphic is indeed the 'Mighty Hood' - well spotted; I seemed to be in a minority here without an image of some sort next to my name; and came across it on my PC quite recently and stuck it up.  It's been in my files so long I can't now even remember the source - possibly an earlier incarnation of the wonderful HMS Hood website  www.hmshood.com but if so it doesn't seem to be on there any more.

 

Best wishes.

My grandfather whilst an apprentice in the pattern shop at Firth Brown's in Sheffield worked on the rudder of the Hood ... My father has an old picture somewhere of them all standing around the completed article ... absolutely massive!

[Tony Wright]

On the home page, thers’s a Model Shop Guide heading.

Go into there and start a new post, I think I did something similar a few years ago for the model railway shop in Grantham.

Shop name & town name I would say is the best bet.

 

 

Regards

Lee

Thanks Lee,

 

But how does one start a new thread? I don't have the faintest idea.

[lee74clarke]

Thanks Lee,

 

But how does one start a new thread? I don't have the faintest idea.

Good Morning Tony

 

If you go to the Model Shop Guide section, or any other subject I presume, there’s a black block with white writing, start new topic.

When that starts the next screen, they’re are ‘Topic Subject’ and ‘Topic Description’ fields to enter, then you’re away.

There’s a Topic Tag as well, not sure what that is, so I didn’t bother with that.

When you have written post, there is a ‘Post New Topic’ icon at the bottom.

That should do it.

 

Lee

[robertcwp]

One thing I also purchased at the new model shop in Bourne was the latest Hornby Mk.1 BSO. These were very common on the ER, and the afternoon 'Talisman' should have two - one at each end. Up to now, I've made do with a pair of Bachmann BSKs. I've made a couple of BSOs years ago, but they're in carmine and cream. 

 

Hornby BSO 01.jpg

 

Hornby BSO 03.jpg

 

At least this end of the train is right. All I've done is to change the wheels, fit a (Bachmann) gangway cover and dummy buckeye, added the pipes, weathered the roof and the ends, chucked away the tension-locks and made my own coupling (pulling of the headstock, not off the bogie), added Ian Wilson's destination boards and fitted a concertina gangway. It doesn't quite match the Bachmann Mk.1s in both body profile and height. Which is right? I assume it's cheaper than a Bachmann car, and the roof ribs are far less prominent. The maroon isn't as 'rich', though, and the windows do have a bit of a 'halo' effect. As a 'layout' coach in a 'layout' train, running at high speed it'll do I suppose. At least it saves me the hassle of making kits for them. What do others think of these latest RTR carriages?

 

I think the new Hornby BSO and FO are basically OK. The overall shape of the Hornby ones is, if anything, a bit better than a Bachmann Mark I and I think the end gangway looks better too. The main drawback of the Hornby ones lies in their Railroad/'Design Clever' heritage so they have moulded end handrails and tank filler pipes, which are separate on the Bachmann ones. The Hornby rendition of blue/grey livery is pretty poor really with the blue being far too dark and the grey too white. Hornby's maroon is fairly close to Bachmann's although a bit dull. The Hornby FO has an error concerning the non-smoking markings, which are on the wrong windows for that livery, and also for blue/grey until the 1980s.

[lee74clarke]

One thing I also purchased at the new model shop in Bourne was the latest Hornby Mk.1 BSO. These were very common on the ER, and the afternoon 'Talisman' should have two - one at each end. Up to now, I've made do with a pair of Bachmann BSKs. I've made a couple of BSOs years ago, but they're in carmine and cream.

 

Hornby BSO 01.jpg

 

Hornby BSO 03.jpg

 

At least this end of the train is right. All I've done is to change the wheels, fit a (Bachmann) gangway cover and dummy buckeye, added the pipes, weathered the roof and the ends, chucked away the tension-locks and made my own coupling (pulling of the headstock, not off the bogie), added Ian Wilson's destination boards and fitted a concertina gangway. It doesn't quite match the Bachmann Mk.1s in both body profile and height. Which is right? I assume it's cheaper than a Bachmann car, and the roof ribs are far less prominent. The maroon isn't as 'rich', though, and the windows do have a bit of a 'halo' effect. As a 'layout' coach in a 'layout' train, running at high speed it'll do I suppose. At least it saves me the hassle of making kits for them. What do others think of these latest RTR carriages?

 

Station Road scene.jpg

 

On a different note, I've just about completed the scene where the Witham Road joins Station Road. Ellen Sparkes' beautiful little gardens fit in perfectly. We have no definitive pictures of this area, though odd bits do appear in the edges of some of Colin Walker's pictures. It looks 'realistic' to me.

Station Road looks great Tony, I think you’ve got it spot on.