Wright writes.....

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Speaking of which, what's the difference between a buffalo and a bison?

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You can't wash your hands in a buffalo.

Or, somewhat tangentially, John...........................

 

What's the difference between a poor marksman and a constipated owl?

 

One shoots and can't hit...............................

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

29 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Thanks Tony. Would it be possible to post some step-by-step pictures of valve gear construction/ hints and tips next time you are assembling some please?  I'm sure you would have the undivided attention of the entire Class... 

I'll do that, Brian,

 

I have the gear to assemble on the Semi I'm building, and, yet another, A1. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[thegreenhowards]

29 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

I'll do that, Brian,

 

I have the gear to assemble on the Semi I'm building, and, yet another, A1. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Having had tuition from Tony on making valve gear, I can confirm that the impossible suddenly becomes possible  - still not quick or easy but very satisfying when it works.  Also, Tony’s method using brass pins seems much better and cheaper than the rivets that are generally recommended in kit instructions.

 

Definitely  worth repeating your methods on here Tony.

 

Regards

 

Andy

[Tony Wright]

Regarding SE Finecast A4s and valve gear.................................

 

Rich (Fatadder), this is what you'll have to do to the back end of the tender for MALLARD in 1948.

 

 

Three 1928 corridor tenders had their rear ends cut down for the '48 Exchanges, in order to clear the lower water columns at Euston and on the ex-L&SWR main line. They went behind MALLARD, SEAGULL and LORD FARINGDON (the A4 participants in the Exchanges). SEAGULL kept hers to withdrawal, LORD FARINGDON until 1963 and MALLARD soon lost hers to WOODCOCK. 60009 eventually got one, and the other two went behind FLYING SCOTSMAN when she was preserved. The two survivors now have full-height rear ends. 

 

I don't have any pictures from the BRM SE Finecast A4 article, though I've built loads more since.

 

 

Here's the basic chassis for one. These are really accurate and go together well. Make sure the rear-end fixing point is the correct height.

 

 

The motion is the difficult bit (as always), and the lost-wax components can be twisted. It's really stuff stuff as well.

 

 

One problem usually encountered is that the connecting rod is a bit too short (the geometry is out somewhere). The dodge is just to enlarge the big end - engineering anathema, I know but it works.

 

 

More fudging will be necessary to clear the rear bogie wheels on tighter curves.

 

 

I always split the motion assemblies.

 

 

Another SE Finecast A4 chassis, this one driving off the rear axle. Drives always run slightly sweeter one way than the other. Just find out which, and configure them accordingly. The lubricator drive has to be scratch-built, since nothing of it is provided in the kit. 

 

 

Here's a nearer view of it. I make it from spare valve gear frets and nickel silver strip. 

 

 

I always make my frames live to one side.

 

 

If nothing else, there's plenty of weight for adhesion, though I always solder in some more ballast. The inside is a great barn of a thing!

 

 

This one was built for service on Graham Nicholas' Shap, representing the famous WCML bank in 1967.

 

The other one became 60017, in my era.

 

 

 

 

Complete and in service on LB. Ian Rathbone painted SIR NIGEL GRESLEY and GEOFF HAYNES painted SILVER FOX.

 

Granted, the SE Finecast A4 is a bit 'lumpen' in comparison with the Hornby product, though it'll pull much more, last a lot longer and anyone who's built one can then say 'I made that!' To me, especially with regard to the motion, they have a much greater 'presence' than an RTR A4. 

 

I hope these help.

 

 

[Mallard60022]

12 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

The ones not named after towns or cities, Phil?

 

DARTMOOR, EXMOOR, BLACKMORE VALE, TAMAR VALLEY, YES TOR, TAW VALLEY, EDDYSTONE, LUNDY?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

10/10 you can have extra break time young man.

P

[Mallard60022]

12 hours ago, robertcwp said:

That adds up to eight. What about the places which did not have stations named after them? Westward Ho, Hartland, Lynmouth, Combe Martin, Eddystone (is that a place?), Shaftesbury, Watersmeet, Clovelly, Boscastle,  Brentor, Trevone, Saunton and possibly others?

Eddystone is a set of Rocks about 10/12 miles off Plymouth Sound and yes, those that you mention are 'odd', but they are actually all West Country towns or settlements. Those listed by Mr W are areas or districts or even a Tor and Island and then a set of rocks with a Lighthouse atop! 

Enough now or we will get told off for not talking ER language.

[Barry Ten]

Although it's not one of their better albums, this LP cover was (I believe) shot on Yes Tor. There's a map on the inner sleeve showing the Tor as well.

 

 

 

[Mallard60022]

13 minutes ago, Barry Ten said:

Although it's not one of their better albums, this LP cover was (I believe) shot on Yes Tor. There's a map on the inner sleeve showing the Tor as well.

 

 

 

This is really sad. I copped Yes Tor in Plymouth just after it had emerged modified and ex works and it was one of the first modifieds to be allowed down the Okehampton route. I told my mates that I had copped Yes Tor 'yestorday'...…...oh dear, what a shame, never mind.

P

[eastwestdivide]

I bet all your troubles seemed so far away.

[jwealleans]

Quote

Returning to the Ely Show; what a great event, though any 'satisfaction' gained is rather meaningless under the Stamford circumstances. I was able to fix a few things, or at least point folk in the right direction, and Mo and I raised a fair bit for CRUK. May I thank all those with whom I spoke, and those who donated so generously? May I also thank the show's organisers?

 

Blimey, this thread gallops on.  That was only two days ago.

 

I thought you might like to know, Tony, that the Framlingham branch line set which you kindly repaired were eventually put out into the bay platform (where they'd have been all day if I'd had my brain switched on) and then given a few laps of the main line by Jamie.

 

 

 

 

[The Fatadder]

Thanks for that Tony, most appreciated.   Seeing a built example really helps to visualise what goes where (especially when working with a second hand kit that may not have a full set of instructions.) 

 

Look forward to getting started...

[Long John Silver]

Tony, A bit late on this one but I hope you’ve recovered from your accident. Living where I do, I sympathise with you, we have fallow deer, Wild Boar and free roaming sheep to contend with, in the Forest. The deer are most active at dawn and dusk, and as you found out, once one has appeared others often follow. I saw eight deer cross the road in front of me one evening, having stopped for the first one.

I like your experiments at “speed” photos, they really do convey the sense of a fast steam hauled express, like no others that I’ve seen.

Jumping subjects again, sorry, I’m not too impressed with the sound on the J36, but it is an excellent model overall. I’m not a fan of sound fitted locos, though I wouldn’t condemn those that are, except perhaps for those who use it a little over enthusiastically at exhibitions. I will, however, admit to opening the Layout Room window during the summer, and amid the ambient noise can be heard the goings on at the 15-inch gauge live steam line a quarter of a mile away. I must try to get them to synchronise their operations with my layout’s timetable.

[60027Merlin]

Back in November I posted the first photo having completed the Falcon brass kit a few weeks earlier.

 

Now attached are a couple of photos of the loco in stages of its progress to completion. It is now in service on the layout along with the other kits built in the last 18 months.  There are now plenty of other jobs to be attended to on the layout etc. as they were all excluded when building the loco kits. It would have been wiser not to concentrate on only the one area of work to the exclusion of all the other things!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mattingleycustom]

8 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

10/10 you can have extra break time young man.

P

 

Is Watersmeet not another (Rough Tor also, although it soon became Whimple) ... I stand by to be corrected.

 

Glenn

[96701]

On 07/05/2019 at 08:17, Tony Wright said:

Regarding DoG, I'm delighted you've now got it. Phil Bancroft donated it so generously, having acquired it from the late Geoff Brewin's estate (Comet). It was one of the last projects Geoff was working on, including the Maxon motor and new gearbox. Even with 20 coaches, running fast on LB, there was plenty of power for more! 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Just to add to the Maxon motor and gearbox story,  Geoff had this car, so being as how Comet gearboxes carried the GB number, he decided that this gearbox would be MGB.

 

Edited May 20, 2019 by 96701
Typing rubbish

[timbowilts]

8 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

they are actually all West Country towns or settlements.

Herr duck, I would question your description of Watersmeet as a settlement, consisting solely of a single dwelling, the fishing lodge? I’m very familiar with it, having walked up from Lynmouth several times over the last 30+ years of married life. In fact it is where my wife wants her ashes scattered.

Tim T

[Chamby]

18 minutes ago, timbowilts said:

Herr duck, I would question your description of Watersmeet as a settlement, consisting solely of a single dwelling, the fishing lodge? I’m very familiar with it, having walked up from Lynmouth several times over the last 30+ years of married life. In fact it is where my wife wants her ashes scattered.

Tim T

 

Watersmeet is also a rather nice hotel, on the coast just north of Woolacombe...

[96701]

On 09/05/2019 at 10:41, Tony Wright said:

As for the electrics being geared for 100 mph, was that a maximum? .................

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

I have had the pleasure of quite a number of footplate rides between Carlisle and Preston on Classes 86 and 87. Either of them accelerated up Shap from 85 mph to 100 without any difficulty on dry rails. I've been through Tebay heading south at 110 mph on many occasions. The drivers had a view that they were okay at that speed. Me? I was waiting for the traction motor bandings to fail and bring everything to a shuddering halt. Never happened. On another matter with electrics, having hit 100mph after a stop at Lancaster, Garstang neutral section meant that the driver had to shut off power 10 miles from Preston station. The train was so free running that the driver didn't have to take power again if we got greens all the way to Preston.

[Tony Wright]

25 minutes ago, 96701 said:

I have had the pleasure of quite a number of footplate rides between Carlisle and Preston on Classes 86 and 87. Either of them accelerated up Shap from 85 mph to 100 without any difficulty on dry rails. I've been through Tebay heading south at 110 mph on many occasions. The drivers had a view that they were okay at that speed. Me? I was waiting for the traction motor bandings to fail and bring everything to a shuddering halt. Never happened. On another matter with electrics, having hit 100mph after a stop at Lancaster, Garstang neutral section meant that the driver had to shut off power 10 miles from Preston station. The train was so free running that the driver didn't have to take power again if we got greens all the way to Preston.

Thanks Phil,

 

However, the photo of the Deltic which began this discussion was taken in 1962, before either the Class 86s or 87s were built. Did the earlier electrics run at over 100 mph?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[96701]

20 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Phil,

 

However, the photo of the Deltic which began this discussion was taken in 1962, before either the Class 86s or 87s were built. Did the earlier electrics run at over 100 mph?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Not to my knowledge. I agree that the Deltics were the absolute kings of motive power. As somebody who saw 1500V dc and 25kV ac electrics near to where I lived, there was nothing quite so stirring as feeling a Deltic setting off from any station, particularly one with an overall roof.

[ScRSG]

7 hours ago, 60027Merlin said:

Back in November I posted the first photo having completed the Falcon brass kit a few weeks earlier.

 

Now attached are a couple of photos of the loco in stages of its progress to completion. It is now in service on the layout along with the other kits built in the last 18 months.  There are now plenty of other jobs to be attended to on the layout etc. as they were all excluded when building the loco kits. It would have been wiser not to concentrate on only the one area of work to the exclusion of all the other things!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My goodness, SNAP!

 

[robertcwp]

10 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

 

Enough now or we will get told off for not talking ER language.

Some Light Pacifics ran on the Great Eastern in early BR days.

 

Here is Bude at Stratford. No idea why it was there or what the date was: 

34006_Stratford by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

Edited May 20, 2019 by robertcwp
Add photo link.

[robertcwp]

1 hour ago, 96701 said:

I have had the pleasure of quite a number of footplate rides between Carlisle and Preston on Classes 86 and 87. Either of them accelerated up Shap from 85 mph to 100 without any difficulty on dry rails. I've been through Tebay heading south at 110 mph on many occasions. The drivers had a view that they were okay at that speed. Me? I was waiting for the traction motor bandings to fail and bring everything to a shuddering halt. Never happened. On another matter with electrics, having hit 100mph after a stop at Lancaster, Garstang neutral section meant that the driver had to shut off power 10 miles from Preston station. The train was so free running that the driver didn't have to take power again if we got greens all the way to Preston.

87s were built for 110 mph from the outset. They didn't officially run at that speed until the 1980s but did so regularly long before it became official. 

 

Deltics had a top speed of 105 mph but one was taken down Stoke Bank at 120 mph I believe.

[96701]

4 minutes ago, robertcwp said:

87s were built for 110 mph from the outset. They didn't officially run at that speed until the 1980s but did so regularly long before it became official. 

 

Thanks for the info Robert, so I needn't have worried about the physical failure of the traction motors, but still there was no line speed greater than 100mph. I'll bet a Deltic at 120mph would have been somewhat hair raising.

[Anglian]

21 hours ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

'Crawley'.

 

I wasn't a million miles away from there today. I managed to pop in to Horsted Keynes today in spite of the road from the village being closed and having to drive an ever decreasing circle of roads to approach from the north. This was the first time I've ever visited that the station was entirely closed.