Wright writes.....

[jwealleans]

...who was Laurence Jackson

Colonel Laurence Jackson.

Edited October 11, 2018 by jwealleans

[Enterprisingwestern]

They are evil resistance mat and according to a major British controller manufacturer were useless and evil and should never be used. That manufacturer though pushed a variable transformer model.

 

To be honest double standards, slag off a common and poor controller design but make them as well.

 

But then with the Safety Minor I could control anything from X04 to RG4.

 

But to be honest controlling a variable load with resistors is not a great method.

 

BR used tap changing with AC locos, a simplified variable transformer

 

Suitably amended!

 

Mike.

[Mark C]

You haven't missed it Mark,

 

It's in the RM later this year (or so I've been informed). 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Tony

 

Many thanks - today's purchase of November's RM confirms that the J6 article will be in December's issue (along with a free grounded wagon body (Ratio GWR))...

 

Best regards

Mark

 

PS: Happy Birthday!!

[StephenB]

There’s been much hype over the upcoming Little Bytham 1938 DVD to be in the November BRM. Imagine my surprise, then, when I

purchased my copy from my local shop and found no DVD. Apparently, this was the issue when BRM decided not to include the DVD but that you would have to go on their website to get one sent. Sounds easy but you have to open an account, or in my case re-activate an account that I had forgotten about, and then take part in a competition in order to get your copy sent. Let’s hope something arrives in the post. This has done nothing to endear me to BRM.

 

Stephen

[Buhar]

Well done everyone involved with LB38.  It was a very evocative selection of locos and trains.  All from the wrong side of the hills, but hey-ho!  Will we maybe see Hills of the North 1938?

 

By the way, the southbound V2 on the parcels was at the head of an exceptional train.  The variety of design, heights, widths, and variations in grubbiness is just as the pictures from the time show. 

[Jesse Sim]

Good morning Jesse,

 

I don't know what the postal service to Australia is like, but there are two parcels on their way to you/your family, both with your name incorrectly spelled. One contains the wheels for the tender you need, plus various BA nuts and bolts, and the other some pictures and a disc.

 

I'll take some pictures of my lift-out section and post them on here for you - plus the one of John's (which is slightly different).

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

P.S. You're not alone in using 'done' instead of 'did', or, 'good' instead of 'well'. Look at another post on the previous page! 

 

Thanks again Tony, I appreciate it. 

 

My English is getting gooderer.

 

Good morning again, Jesse,

 

As promised...................

 

Lifting section 01.jpg

 

The lifting section on LB was built, as were all the baseboards, by my dear friend, Norman Turner, of WMRC, in exchange for locomotives. It's a form of 'future-proofing' against the time when none of the operators can bend! It lifts just 'over-centre', with a bracket attached to the roof joists to stop it going too far. 

 

Lifting section 02.jpg

 

The hinges came from an old paste table, and are turned round so to speak. All the main framework/deck, like the baseboards, was built of 9mm top-grade, birch ply. 

 

Lifting section 03.jpg

 

Connecting wires were made long enough to loop up and down with the lifting section's movement.

 

Lifting section 04.jpg

 

The end of the lifting section rests on this substantial strip of 9mm ply. Because everything is made of the same material, no problems have been encountered with twisting or warping. 

 

Lifting section 05.jpg

 

Once dropped down, tracks are aligned using appropriate sizes of brass tube and brass rod, the tubes being soldered to the copperclad strip and the rails BEFORE the rails/tubes were cut with a slitting disc. The tubes/rods give alignment and pass electricity. Note the substantial copperclad strips, Araldited to the top of the baseboards for security. I've seen rails soldered to individual (puny) copperclad sleepers or rails just soldered to brass screws at baseboard edges. Hopeless! 

 

Lifting section 06.jpg

 

A very important bit (one of a pair, one each side). This household brass sliding latch performs two functions. One, it ensures correct initial alignment and, two, most-importantly, without it being slid into place (both sides), no electricity can be fed to the lifting section. Thus, no Down train can disappear into the abyss should the lifting section be inadvertently left up! Up trains stop just before it, anyway, if it's left up. 

 

Lifting section 07.jpg

 

Because the thing goes over centre when raised, to prevent rail ends clouting each other, they're a bit far apart with the deck down. No matter, it just gives a most-realistic clicketty-clack as the wheels cross the joints. Are these gaps too big for P4?

 

John's lifting section.jpg

 

St Enodoc's lifting section. Variations on a theme? 

 

I hope all these help. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Thankyou kindly Sir, 

 

I'll save those images and put them to good use.I tried two different types of hinges here in Australia with no success, I have ordered the same ones you use and they are getting shipped to a friends place in Durham and then he will pass them along to me. Fingers crossed it all works out. 

 

Cheers again and Happy Birthday. 

 

Jesse 

[johnarcher]

It's my birthday, so I've been out celebrating with friends, and only now returned to my computer.

 

Thank you for pointing out this all-too-common (nowadays) piece of grammatical nonsense. 

 

Why is it so prevalent today? It's even used (not by me!) on another feature on the DVD. I hate it; cricket commentators use it all the time, as do several (professional?) presenters on the telly/radio. I carelessly switched Radio 2 on one Sunday morning and had the misfortune to hear some chattering woman vicar state 'I'm sat here..................'. Surely God would (should?) correct her English? 

Perhaps God sat him there?

[Clive Mortimore]

Liverpool to Sheffield passing the Sheffield to Blackpool service going over Dore Bridge the other day.

 

Clive's simple hinged bit of wood. Doesn't always line first time but after a gentle nudge it seems to last a full operating session with no derailments. Unless one the dogs pushes the door open and it bashes the bridge. " Oh! Hello Hugo, you have let yourself in again"......as things go clunk the other side of the room.

 

With my system being simple, should anything happen to me in the train set room the door opens enough so Mrs M can unclip the bridge and lift it to fully open the door. She did say something on the lines that should anything happen to me she would like to get me out before I start smelling too much.

[Headstock]

I strongly suspected that there was no DVD despite the best efforts of the sealed and partly opaque bag to frustrate my assessment. When I eventually found the price I put it down like a hot potato anyway.

 

So is there supposed to be a DVD in November's issue or isn't there? As I was involved in some way in the provision of material for the LB 1938 DVD I feel embarrassed by the rather misleading nature of this situation.

 

Not your problem and to be fair to BRM they may have never indicated that it would be otherwise. I'm more annoyed at myself for switching of the old brain box and making the assumption. Having now watched the video and mindful of Tony's comments with regard to constructive critical comments, I would have to say that despite the odd wobble and a little stretching of the timeframe, the whole presentation looks absolutely terrific.

[Headstock]

It does indeed, Tim,

 

Many thanks.

 

Kindest regards (from a 72 year old!). 

 

Best wishes on your birthday Tony. Only 72, plenty of time for a couple of exhibition layouts yet to come.

[AndyID]

That would be Hydrogen Sulphide then.  My wife, former fuels chemist who used to specialise in bacteria contamination in fuels, thinks that it's something like, <10ppm, you can't smell it; 10-100ppm it stinks; >100ppm it overpowers your sense of smell; at >1000ppm it knocks you unconscious.

 

More likely hydrogen selenide. I didn't realize just how nasty it is. The "immediate danger" level is one part per million. Yikes!

 

EDIT: For comparison the immediate danger concentration for hydrogen cyanide is ten parts per million.

 

I don't think I have any controllers with selenium rectifiers. I certainly wouldn't let our grandchildren use them. If I find any they are going in the bin. I better take a look at my rather old battery charger too.

Edited October 12, 2018 by AndyID

[sdmjsmith]

Dear Tony,

 

You are right(!), another Mr I’m afraid.  And a Smith.  I didn’t mean to be so anonymous.

 

Having figured out how to post an image on RMWeb, I though I’d test your patience with another, before leaving you all to it and moving on to my next major project (J69).

 

 

I’ve camouflaged my one and only RTR wagon, a Bachman brake van, as best I can and hidden it amongst my, very much bashed, Dapol kits.  Guesses?

 

I know from this thread the importance of lamps, so I apologise for these and want you to know that LMS – no not that one – lamps are on the way, but Lanarkshire is a long way from Brisbane!

 

Regards

 

Matthew

[Tony Wright]

Dear Tony,

 

You are right(!), another Mr I’m afraid.  And a Smith.  I didn’t mean to be so anonymous.

 

Having figured out how to post an image on RMWeb, I though I’d test your patience with another, before leaving you all to it and moving on to my next major project (J69).

 

 

 

I’ve camouflaged my one and only RTR wagon, a Bachman brake van, as best I can and hidden it amongst my, very much bashed, Dapol kits.  Guesses?

 

I know from this thread the importance of lamps, so I apologise for these and want you to know that LMS – no not that one – lamps are on the way, but Lanarkshire is a long way from Brisbane!

 

Regards

 

Matthew

Great stuff Matthew,

 

Thanks for posting the picture, and, no - I can't tell which is which! 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

May I please thanks all those who've commented so favourably (on here and by email) on the 1938 LB DVD? Clearly, there have been some issues in folk obtaining a copy, but I feel it has all been entirely worthwhile. When the publication monies are paid, I'll let you all know how much will be donated to CRUK. 

 

I've looked at it again, and bits make me cringe. How did I manage to pronounce Jonathan's surname incorrectly? Why didn't I say this or that to expand a comment? And so on. 

 

However, I hope what's taken into account is that nobody involved in the making of the DVD (apart from the DVD editor- Kyle Yallop) is a professional in this field. Somebody mentioned the Grantham DVD by way of a comparison, but that was shot and edited by a professional (Andy Wilkinson). It showed. Though I'm entirely accustomed to public speaking, I'm not a professional presenter (very few, if any, on the cover-mounted/'free' DVDs are). I think my diction is generally OK, but the delivery could definitely be slicker at times. 

 

What really pleases me about the DVD is the presentation of those wonderful trains - all made by the Grantham crew. Yes, some might be anomalous in terms of time and place, but so what? I honestly believe they're good enough to need almost no commentary at all - merely just 'watch the trains go by'. Certainly, no cheesy background music is needed, and, on occasions, one can actually hear REAL trains - 80 years-on from the models!

 

Thanks again.

[Enterprisingwestern]

Would your presentation be better if you were sat down?!!

 

Mike.

[Clem]

Good morning Tony. It sounds as though you had an enjoyable birthday. Many happy returns!!

[Lecorbusier]

For what its worth, one of the things I particularly liked about the DVD (alongside the trains of course) was that it came across as well filmed (not amateurish) but also quite genuine and personal. Rather than being some slick production it felt as if I had been invited to come and visit and in a slightly formal way because we were a group of strangers you were introducing and telling us about the model. A personal touch which for me adds considerably to the enjoyment. I felt the same about the right track DVDs you did.

 

Its always difficult to watch and appreciate yourself on videos ... I certainly cringe every time I see myself presenting, but others are often quite complimentary.

Edited October 12, 2018 by Lecorbusier

[Andy Y]

Steve's been on the case overnight and has utilised our competition page to enable anyone who wants the DVD content to give us their details so we can either get a physical DVD posted out or if you are in a rush to see the content you can have a link to the digital version of the DVD.

 

Go to https://www.world-of-railways.co.uk/brm/competitions/wheres-my-dvd

'

As I say don't worry about it saying it's a competition but whilst you're there there's also a competition to with a Blue Pullman set.

 

I also covered some of the aspects of this in this post here - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/138120-brm-november-18/?p=3328377

[Killybegs]

It does indeed, Tim,

 

Many thanks.

 

Kindest regards (from a 72 year old!). 

 

1946 was a vintage year.

[davefrk]

I’ve camouflaged my one and only RTR wagon, a Bachman brake van, as best I can and hidden it amongst my, very much bashed, Dapol kits.  Guesses?

 

I know from this thread the importance of lamps, so I apologise for these and want you to know that LMS – no not that one – lamps are on the way, but Lanarkshire is a long way from Brisbane!

 

Regards

 

Matthew

 

Did I hear lamps?

 

Oh yes Mr Smith, they were posted on the 3rd. I'm surprised they are not with you yet, the post to Aus is usually 5-6 days.

 

Dave Franks.

[Taz]

Dear Tony,

 

....

 

 

 

I’ve camouflaged my one and only RTR wagon, a Bachman brake van, as best I can and hidden it amongst my, very much bashed, Dapol kits.  Guesses?

 

....

Regards

 

Matthew

I’d guess the d504 is the Bachmann model. The only thing giving it away is the thicker roof profile of the kit based brakes.

 

But they are all to a consistent (very high) standard and show excellent modelling.

[St Enodoc]

Did I hear lamps?

 

Oh yes Mr Smith, they were posted on the 3rd. I'm surprised they are not with you yet, the post to Aus is usually 5-6 days.

 

Dave Franks.

More like 7 - 10 at the moment...

[Andy Hayter]

That would be Hydrogen Sulphide then.  My wife, former fuels chemist who used to specialise in bacteria contamination in fuels, thinks that it's something like, <10ppm, you can't smell it; 10-100ppm it stinks; >100ppm it overpowers your sense of smell; at >1000ppm it knocks you unconscious.  However, you would have to have your nose in the back of the controller and inhaling deeply to have that effect.  In which case you are probably a lost cause for other reasons.

 

 

 

I think your recollection of your wife's statements is a bit out.

 

 

From Wiki

 

 

• 0.00047 ppm or 0.47 ppb is the odor threshold, the point at which 50% of a human panel can detect the presence of an odor without being able to identify it.^[35]
• 10 ppm is the OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) (8 hour time-weighted average).^[20]
• 10–20 ppm is the borderline concentration for eye irritation.
• 20 ppm is the acceptable ceiling concentration established by OSHA.^[20]
• 50 ppm is the acceptable maximum peak above the ceiling concentration for an 8-hour shift, with a maximum duration of 10 minutes.^[20]
• 50–100 ppm leads to eye damage.
• At 100–150 ppm the olfactory nerve is paralyzed after a few inhalations, and the sense of smell disappears, often together with awareness of danger.^[36][37]
• 320–530 ppm leads to pulmonary edema with the possibility of death.^[27]
• 530–1000 ppm causes strong stimulation of the central nervous system and rapid breathing, leading to loss of breathing.
• 800 ppm is the lethal concentration for 50% of humans for 5 minutes' exposure (LC50).
• Concentrations over 1000 ppm cause immediate collapse with loss of breathing, even after inhalation of a single breath.

[grob1234]

Hallo Tony.

 

I hope the jet lag is showing sign of imporvement.

 

Sometimes I wonder if I spend too much time faffing about. I seem to have spent ages fettling this DJH A1 boiler. But when the wash out plugs are round and should be oval, I can't really just accept it! One day I will build a kit 'out of the box', and it will be a much quicker process. Anyway, I hope it is felt that my extra efforts have been worth it:

 

(By the way I must credit the wash out plug replacement to Steve Barnfield and his excellent account of an A1 build in MRJ52)

 

Edited October 12, 2018 by grob1234

[thegreenhowards]

 

When you come up later this year, you can see for yourself how it works. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony.

 

Thanks Tony, I’m looking forward to it. We’ve never run the M&GN when I’ve visited so that will be interesting.

 

Happy birthday for yesterday.

 

Andy