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Wright writes.....


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25 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Apologies for being flippant, but what might an unsound P2 cock look like coming through, especially wreathed in smoke? 

 

 

I was wondering if that was 'sound' as in solid and robust or as in noisy and annoying. ;)

 

G

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1 hour ago, grahame said:

 

I was wondering if that was 'sound' as in solid and robust or as in noisy and annoying;)

 

G

 

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Dare I say it? But, in Jesse's case, the latter! 

 

It's a joke! 

That's a bit harsh!

 

(For the avoidance of doubt, that was supposed to be a joke too...).

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Modelling the GC London extension is difficult due to the straight formation. Charwelton was the best bet as it was the closest distance between overbridges, but that curve at the south end always niggled me, but it was that or nothing. There is always a compromise, no matter how much money or space you have. In O gauge almost an impossibility, although I've seen a couple of layouts that capture the flavour. That's why I elected to build a model of the GN, at least I can incorporate an overbridge that will carry the non working GC main line over my running line. All I need is time..... time.......

 

Tony

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With regard to modelling the ex-GN mainline, please my I present my latest batch of turnouts for Hadley Wood's fiddle yard?

 

395753157_Turnouts8-3-19.jpg.1b76c105a6f8d421754c6cf3f3a971c2.jpg

 

These were built over a period of five hours today, including a stop for some lunch. The scary part is that these don't represent 10% of the total requirement of turnouts for the fiddle yard.

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11 minutes ago, Atso said:

With regard to modelling the ex-GN mainline, please my I present my latest batch of turnouts for Hadley Wood's fiddle yard?

 

395753157_Turnouts8-3-19.jpg.1b76c105a6f8d421754c6cf3f3a971c2.jpg

 

These were built over a period of five hours today, including a stop for some lunch. The scary part is that these don't represent 10% of the total requirement of turnouts for the fiddle yard.

 

I'm not sure what gauge/standard these are built to but if it's N (9mm) gauge then why not simply use commercial points for the fiddle-yard? It might save you some time.

 

The rather nice 'Little Salkeld' layout in March Railway Modeller uses Peco code 55 in the fiddle yard with fiNetrax (9mm) kit built plain track and hand-built points on the scenic section although it's not clear to what standard (NMRA, NEM, British Finescale, Peco, etc.,) these are.

 

G.

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15 hours ago, Headstock said:

 

Good evening Willie,

 

fascinating stuff. I take it a cord line in the middle of nowhere has little appeal. The GCLE up and over Island platform design does suit itself rather well to the bitsa design. What station have you settled upon? Off course there is always Nottingham Arkwright street, things happend there, at least in the middle of the night.

Thanks Andrew.  

 

The GC has always been a love of mine and that was reinforced by Colin Walker's wonderful books.  Some years ago I worked in the Mansfield area, and did a lot of research into the railways there.  There is a throwaway sentence in George Dow's history of the GC that the MS & L once considered making Mansfield the jumping-off point for the London Extension, and certainly in among the several turn-of-the century schemes mooted to break the Midland monopoly around that town, some involved the GC.

 

The "alternate history" is therefore that by the time the London Extension was finally completed it was already realised mining subsidence would make the section between Annesley and the South Yorkshire border permanently unsuitable for fast running.  Therefore, casting about for an alternative to stave-off disaster, the GC hastily reaches agreement with the GN to share its newly-constructed Leen Valley Extension route - which despite the entreaties of the local Council had been built slightly to the West of Mansfield, even though the town was at that time perhaps the fastest-growing in England.  So the GC puts in (c. 1905-ish) a loop-line here to serve Mansfield (a bit like the earlier 'Chesterfield Loop') which the GN gets to share in return for access to its faster route; the expresses and fast freights come this way and the mineral, steel and slow freights still use the original route.

 

(Not to be confused with the real "Mansfield Railway" a decade or so later, which was an independently promoted company [the locals despaired of the big companies seeing the potential and built their own] but operated by the GC).

 

Complete fiction of course, but I hope not too far removed from "what might have been", and certainly no more implausible than many an excellent layout one sees in the magazines and on here; and it will allow me to have at least a representation of the main line without the need for impossible amounts of stock.

 

Cheers, and thank you for your interest.

 

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1 hour ago, grahame said:

 

I'm not sure what gauge/standard these are built to but if it's N (9mm) gauge then why not simply use commercial points for the fiddle-yard? It might save you some time.

 

The rather nice 'Little Salkeld' layout in March Railway Modeller uses Peco code 55 in the fiddle yard with fiNetrax (9mm) kit built plain track and hand-built points on the scenic section although it's not clear to what standard (NMRA, NEM, British Finescale, Peco, etc.,) these are.

 

G.

 

Hi Grahame,

 

Using Peco might save me some time but will radically increase the costs. Having been made redundant two years ago (and not being able to find consistent work since) I generally find myself time rich yet cash poor. A Peco short radius turnout is currently £9.50 (Hattons prices) while the cost of building my own is around £1.15. With close to fifty turnouts needed for the fiddle yard, that works out as being a big difference in price and I'm in no hurry to finish the layout. An unexpected benefit is that stock runs through my hand built turnouts far better than with Peco; which is a bonus as I'll be reversing wagons through the point formations.

 

The scenic section is all Finetrax as it is more detailed than plain copper clad but still all built by myself and I've found the process immensely satisfying to date.

 

I saw 'Little Salkeld' a couple of weeks ago and spend quite a bit of time admiring the track work.  

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50 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Because of my attendances at so many (marvellous) shows since the start of the year, my actual modelling output has slowed since building an A3 and V2 after Christmas and finishing off the odd project started by another. 

 

Thus, with no show to attend this weekend, I've completed yet another 'layout' carriage today....................

 

938710253_LMSDia.1791Composite01.jpg.6821ac3dc0ebd2adab61b8ff819b5df7.jpg

 

923136781_LMSDia.1791Composite02.jpg.3f58d7b445bd849dc4dcd4d6adf3d902.jpg

 

This is an ex-LMS Dia. 1791 Composite 'built' using an ancient Airfix donor and Comet sides/detailing bits. The painting is Halfords acrylic Burgundy red, and the lining is by Replica. The ends, underframe, bogies and roof are all brush-painted/weathered with enamels. 

 

There are several compromises, and it's definitely part of a 'layout train', for which it suits the purpose quite well. 

 

Not a big job at all, and certainly well within the capabilities of the beginner/inexperienced. The cost, too, is quite modest, and one gets a unique coach.

 

It should not really be compared with some of the recent examples of rolling stock posted on here.  

 

It's even got passengers! 

The lining looks commendably straight. Was it easy to use?

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On 06/03/2019 at 07:22, Tony Wright said:

<snip>

 

Firstly, my heartiest congratulations on using 'sitting' instead of 'sat' in your first sentence. I've lost count of the number of times I've had to correct that in my proof reading of others' writing. 

 

<snip>

This reminded me of something that happened over forty years ago.  Mrs Dave (although we weren't married then) was doing secretarial wark for our department.  She was doing a report by the section head, and corrected "different to" to "different from", and when she sent the copy back to him, he altered it back to "different to".  I can't remember what the ultimate outcome was.  I still think that different to sounds wrong, but not nearly as wrong as different than.

 

I await with trepidation your correction of my atrocious use of English, but I'm afraid I failed "O level" English twice.

 

Dave

 

 

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2 hours ago, davidw said:

The lining looks commendably straight. Was it easy to use?

Very easy, David (though there is just a bit of a wiggle here and there),

 

Along with Cambridge Custom Transfers' lining, Replica's is the finest I've come across in 4mm scale. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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1 hour ago, Dave 46 said:

 

Nothing atrocious, Dave, just a typo or two.

 

Different 'from' is correct usage, so your wife was right..................

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

P.S. Speaking of 'correcting' English, I've not long ago received an e-mail (from a professional journalist) which is written along the lines of 'I hope you're good' (in enquiring about my health) and 'I'm sorry it's took me  so long to get back to you' by way of an apology.  

 

When did English grammar cease to be taught in schools, I wonder? After I left the profession, I'm sure (though I principally taught art). 

Edited by Tony Wright
typo error
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14 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Nothing atrocious, Dave, just a typo or two.

 

Different 'from' is correct usage, so your wife was right..................

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

P.S. Speaking of 'correcting' English, I've not long ago received an e-mail (from a professional journalist) which is written along the lines of 'I hope you're good' (in enquiring about my health) and 'I'm sorry it's took me  so long to get back to you' by way of an apology.  

 

When did English grammar cease to be taught in schools, I wonder? After I left the profession, I'm sure (though I principally taught art). 

Hmm.

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7 hours ago, Willie Whizz said:

Thanks Andrew.  

 

The GC has always been a love of mine and that was reinforced by Colin Walker's wonderful books.  Some years ago I worked in the Mansfield area, and did a lot of research into the railways there.  There is a throwaway sentence in George Dow's history of the GC that the MS & L once considered making Mansfield the jumping-off point for the London Extension, and certainly in among the several turn-of-the century schemes mooted to break the Midland monopoly around that town, some involved the GC.

 

The "alternate history" is therefore that by the time the London Extension was finally completed it was already realised mining subsidence would make the section between Annesley and the South Yorkshire border permanently unsuitable for fast running.  Therefore, casting about for an alternative to stave-off disaster, the GC hastily reaches agreement with the GN to share its newly-constructed Leen Valley Extension route - which despite the entreaties of the local Council had been built slightly to the West of Mansfield, even though the town was at that time perhaps the fastest-growing in England.  So the GC puts in (c. 1905-ish) a loop-line here to serve Mansfield (a bit like the earlier 'Chesterfield Loop') which the GN gets to share in return for access to its faster route; the expresses and fast freights come this way and the mineral, steel and slow freights still use the original route.

 

(Not to be confused with the real "Mansfield Railway" a decade or so later, which was an independently promoted company [the locals despaired of the big companies seeing the potential and built their own] but operated by the GC).

 

Complete fiction of course, but I hope not too far removed from "what might have been", and certainly no more implausible than many an excellent layout one sees in the magazines and on here; and it will allow me to have at least a representation of the main line without the need for impossible amounts of stock.

 

Cheers, and thank you for your interest.

 

 

Thanks for the reply Willie,

 

your alternative history sounds more plausibble than much that has been published, I awaite your book. It sounds like a sort of Northen version of the MGCJR, I hope you will keep us up to date with progress.

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On 07/03/2019 at 22:19, Jesse Sim said:

 It was a cool sight my sound P2 cock coming through with the all the vape smoke. I have a video somewhere. 

I assume that is X Certificate!.................................................sorry couldn't resist!

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2 hours ago, jwealleans said:

During my time at secondary school (1977-82) the emphasis in English was on expression rather than accuracy of usage and that trend developed further after I left.  

 

In the 1990's, at both primary and comprehensive schools, my children were "taught" that the whole idea of English grammar and it's usage was to be able to get your point across, minor details like capitalisation, punctuation, paragraphs etc were of no consequence, I reckon it was in this era that the seeds were sown for the currently most annoying use of "could of".

As for maths of the 1990's, don't get me started!

 

Mike.

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10 hours ago, Dave 46 said:

I await with trepidation your correction of my atrocious use of English, but I'm afraid I failed "O level" English twice.

 

Dave

 

Don't beat yourself up over it - I work with a young guy (early/mid 20's) who's never heard of a b.a. thread.  He has an Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering, not to mention another in some Astro space something Degree ( I didn't even understand the title, let alone what it involves).

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1 minute ago, polybear said:

 

Don't beat yourself up over it - I work with a young guy (early/mid 20's) who's never heard of a b.a. thread.  He has an Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering, not to mention another in some Astro space something Degree ( I didn't even understand the title, let alone what it involves).

 

Square pegs, round holes.

Regrettably British industry is riddled with them.

What happened to apprenticeships and relevancy?

 

Mike.

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