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Wright writes.....


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2 hours ago, Manxcat said:

Last weekend I helped one of my fellow club members operate his layout at the Great Central Railway model railway show. Tony had very kindly offered me the chance to visit his home and see Little Bytham first hand. This was great because living in Scotland meant a visit to see the layout would be a very long journey.  Since I was already at Quorn for the show it was therefore the perfect opportunity to stay over until the Monday after the show and make the short hop to Tony and Mo's to spend a delightful morning there. 

 

Tony very kindly allowed me to video the layout and was happy to run my choice of trains. He also gave me permission to upload the video to YouTube and to post a link here as well. I should say that I am by no means a professional videographer so this is not the most broadcast quality of videos, far from it in fact. I do hope that you enjoy it anyway and that it inspires you.

 

There are several shots where the sounds of the 12 inches to the foot real thing passing at speed on the main line behind the train shed encroaches on the video. 

 

Please look out in particular for the penultimate train shown in the video. I think Tony was trying to better, in model form, Joe Duddington's speed record with Mallard just past Little Bytham. The train, with 13 cars on, traverses the layout twice and the second circuit looks as though there is a devil holding the regulator wide open and breathing into the firebox!

 

Several of you have recently commented very favourably on the Princess Coronation loco which Tony has been building and the photograph of it which he posted here. The final train in the video is pulled by that loco. It is still unpainted but is a superb mover. 

 

To you and Mo Tony, thank you for such a great time which I thoroughly enjoyed.

 

Archie

 

 

Thank you, Archie,

 

For doing such a splendid job of filming LB. Thank you also for your most-generous gift of a hamper to Mo and me (I must admit to never having eaten haggis!) and your most-generous contribution to CRUK. 

 

One thing I did notice about the video was how loud those locos I've built with Portescaps are. It's a most-irritating whine, and, other than their ease of fitting, I cannot see any advantage to them. I'm told folk claim they'll pull anything, but big Mashimas and decent gearboxes do the trick for me, especially in the larger locos. The A3 going at over 250 mph (yes, that's it's scale speed!!!!!) is fitted with just such a combination. If nothing else, though that high speed was really little more than my showing off, it shows how good Norman Solomon's trackwork is. I had to slow down for the curves on the end, otherwise centrifugal force would have had the lot on its side! 

 

Many thanks again.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited by Tony Wright
typo error
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Today, I've had the pleasure of visiting Hattons' in Widnes. The purpose of the visit was to participate in the making of a DVD with Dave Mylett, the Exclusive Commissions Manager, where we discussed the firm's forthcoming O Gauge A3s. 

 

I have to say, these look very good indeed (I'm not being paid for saying this, by the way!), and at around £700.00 they should be very well-received. These are the pre-production samples, and the comments and criticisms I made will be acted upon with regard to the production locos. At the moment, only left-hand drive models are being made, and only as A3s. A GNR tender option is also being investigated. 

 

896113085_2745CAPTAINCUTTLE.jpg.3c085270cb70e09cba56f1bf77fc7fb5.jpg

 

In wartime black condition. At the moment, all the pre-production samples have a Smith-Stone speedo fitted, but this is easily-removed. 

 

105045270_4472FLYINGSCOTSMAN.jpg.335b726b98bc4ffe438fdd19108fe9a4.jpg

 

FLYING SCOTSMAN in 1980s' preserved condition, after the tender tank had been rebuilt. 

 

1133678159_60072SUNSTAR.jpg.6bbe4a609da97a7f0733b6c2f6fb6778.jpg

 

A BR blue option will also be available.

 

2141823705_60103FLYINGSCOTSMAN.jpg.4706e82218224550c0ef8db7e2a67341.jpg

 

FLYING SCOTSMAN again, in current preserved condition. Issues have occurred with the pony truck, but these are being resolved in test-running. 

 

Thanks to all at Hattons for a most-entertaining day...............

 

 

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2 hours ago, Atso said:

Good evening Tony,

 

I would like to present some RTR locomotives that are presently being modified.

 

First up is A3 2573 Harvester in c. 1928-34 condition complete with a Westinghouse pump. I need to do some additional research, but I believe that the locomotive should really be paired with a corridor tender. I have most of the bits for one of these but it will need to be assembled and painted before it is fit for service with this loco. The locomotive started life as a Dapol A3 2744, Grand Parade, but has been altered to right hand drive and had some corrections to the original livery. The Westinghouse pump came from a Dapol Terrier but I scratch built the mounting bracket. Vacuum pipes and couplings will be added in due course.

 

584644986_2573Harvester.jpg.dc1e1d3edd926b1aa206e640992fd0da.jpg

 

Next is 2562 Isinglass, again using a Dapol Grand Parade model as the starting point. This one has been backdated into A1 condition by sanding off the super heater header covers from the smokebox and converting to right hand drive. Since I took the (bad!) photograph, I've noticed that I've not transplanted the reversing rods yet - I'll do this tomorrow. You can just see where I've filled and patch painted the boiler following the removal of the pipe from this side. Both locomotives will end up being lightly weathered, so hopefully this will get hidden. Both locomotives should really have large cutouts to the cab sides but I decided it was best to draw the line at that one (at least for the moment!).

 

Isinglass.jpg.ef0667b076e31fc5f4fd05a207705752.jpg

 

However, Hadley Wood will require several A1s and A3s and I've still got a few more to work through. Nearly all of these have been purchased as non-runners or assembled out of various spare parts acquired over a number of years. The total roster for Hadley Wood will ultimately total twelve of these locomotives (five, other than weathering are already available for service), all with subtle differences. The locomotive on the far left hand side is a Flying Scotsman that is being repaired and detailed for a friend.

 

727663520_A1A3Projects.jpg.f247601fba9b087176752c915bb31f8f.jpg

Thanks Steve,

 

Splendid stuff.

 

What 'real' modelling is all about!

 

Perhaps we'll now have examples of many other A1/A3 models; please.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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23 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

I had to slow down for the curves on the end, otherwise centrifugal force would have had the lot on its side! 

 

Whey hey!  My first chance to be a pedant on Wright Writes!:dance_mini:  It's centripetal force that you would have observed.  Only your loco crew and lamps would experience centrifugal force.

 

Enjoy the haggis, chieftain of the pudding race.  Is it slices to be fried for breakfast or a ball to be consumed with all the trimmings?

 

Alan

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13 minutes ago, Buhar said:

Whey hey!  My first chance to be a pedant on Wright Writes!:dance_mini:  It's centripetal force that you would have observed.  Only your loco crew and lamps would experience centrifugal force.

 

Enjoy the haggis, chieftain of the pudding race.  Is it slices to be fried for breakfast or a ball to be consumed with all the trimmings?

 

Alan

Being even more pedantic, centripetal force applies towards the centre of the curve and is what causes the train to deviate from a straight line. Centrifugal force applies away from the centre of the curve and is what causes the train to try to carry on in a straight line, according to Newton's First Law. Centripetal and centrifugal forces are equal and opposite to each other, according to Newton's Third Law.

 

Regarding haggis, I'd start by eating it as a ball for dinner and then frying up the leftovers for the next day's breakfast...

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6 minutes ago, Buhar said:

Oh well, I was close (as Eric Morecambe used to say).  But being close doesn't get you marks for pedantry.

Alan

 

It was all the right theory ..just not necessarily in the right order........

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2 hours ago, Buhar said:

Oh well, I was close (as Eric Morecambe used to say).  But being close doesn't get you marks for pedantry.

Alan

But you got the haggis bit right Alan!

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8 hours ago, Buhar said:

Whey hey!  My first chance to be a pedant on Wright Writes!:dance_mini:  It's centripetal force that you would have observed.  Only your loco crew and lamps would experience centrifugal force.

 

Enjoy the haggis, chieftain of the pudding race.  Is it slices to be fried for breakfast or a ball to be consumed with all the trimmings?

 

Alan

Thanks Alan,

 

My physics teacher, Mr Bolton, was wrong then? 

 

As for haggis, since I don't eat meat, I won't be sampling it, but thanks, all the same, Archie.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

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22 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

 

As for haggis, since I don't eat meat, I won't be sampling it, but thanks, all the same, Archie.

Tony,

my wife doesn’t like “proper” haggis so we eat vegetarian haggis. Even I, a confirmed carnivore, think it’s better than the real thing.

HTH

Tim T

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39 minutes ago, rka said:

The video is most impressive, especially the A3 which sounds like a rocket going past. 

Thank you,

 

I think Archie did a grand job. What the video does show is how the work of a very good team has blended together to make a consistent whole. All I need to do now is to complete the point rodding!

 

Regarding the A3, it looks like it's speeded-up on the video, but it isn't.

 

I've been requested to shoot some more footage of LB myself. Corbs has offered to edit it, and, to make his job easier, I'll blank off the ends with white sheeting, hiding the shelves of spare locos. With his expertise, it should look very good.

 

As for even more video footage on LB, I've got the team from Bachmann coming over today to take some moving footage of a 'new product'. Watch this space!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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14 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Thank you, Archie,

 

For doing such a splendid job of filming LB. Thank you also for your most-generous gift of a hamper to Mo and me (I must admit to never having eaten haggis!) and your most-generous contribution to CRUK. 

 

One thing I did notice about the video was how loud those locos I've built with Portescaps are. It's a most-irritating whine, and, other than their ease of fitting, I cannot see any advantage to them. I'm told folk claim they'll pull anything, but big Mashimas and decent gearboxes do the trick for me, especially in the larger locos. The A3 going at over 250 mph (yes, that's it's scale speed!!!!!) is fitted with just such a combination. If nothing else, though that high speed was really little more than my showing off, it shows how good Norman Solomon's trackwork is. I had to slow down for the curves on the end, otherwise centrifugal force would have had the lot on its side! 

 

Many thanks again.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

The A3 looks as though it might have been going faster than this (it was a test run by the way): https://youtu.be/eNSf1agolps

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6 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Alan,

 

My physics teacher, Mr Bolton, was wrong then? 

 

As for haggis, since I don't eat meat, I won't be sampling it, but thanks, all the same, Archie.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

 

I doubt Mr Bolton was wrong, just that the term "centrifugal force" is a contentious one in physics because the force in question is considered "fictitious", being due to frames of reference rather than an external influence like a magnetic field. Broadly, centrifugal force is the force you think you feel when you go around a corner - but it's just your body's natural inclination to want to keep going in a straight line. Centripetal force - which is real - is whatever force is applied (seat belts, car, friction of tyres on road) to prevent you going in a straight line.

 

Al

 

 

 

 

Edited by Barry Ten
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Quote

Perhaps we'll now have examples of many other A1/A3 models; please.

 

Happy to oblige, Tony, now I'm back home.  Two in preparation for Grantham later this year:

 

Hornby-2557-small.jpg

 

2557 is a simple renumber/rename of a Hornby Flying Fox.  Plates from 247, numbers HMRS.  There are some bits from the Brassmasters detailing pack to go on before it's weathered.

 

Hornby-2580-small.jpg

 

There's been rather more work put into 2580, which began as an NRM 1980s Flying Scotsman.   For almost all the 1930s she carried an ACFI feed water heater and all the associated pipework.  I had started building the pump, but Al Turner is now making this 3D print available, which will save me some work and be much more detailed.  Replacement chimney and dome courtesy or Mr. King and the usual 247/HMRS identity change.  Tender kindly supplied by Tom Foster.

Edited by jwealleans
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16 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Being even more pedantic, centripetal force applies towards the centre of the curve and is what causes the train to deviate from a straight line. Centrifugal force applies away from the centre of the curve and is what causes the train to try to carry on in a straight line, according to Newton's First Law. Centripetal and centrifugal forces are equal and opposite to each other, according to Newton's Third Law.

 

Regarding haggis, I'd start by eating it as a ball for dinner and then frying up the leftovers for the next day's breakfast...

Now the haggis in it natural surroundings neither feels or experiences centrifugal  or centripetal forces as it runs around the mountains. They normally only go clockwise owing to their left legs being shorter. It is when they try to go anticlockwise and become unbalanced they fall over a tumble down the mountain into the butchers shop. They never had a problem until Newton invented gravity.

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Tony,

 

I've seen a couple of your photos of these two A3s on LB which are much better than these snaps. How long did you have them on loan for? Starting point was two Hornby A3s supplied in BR green livery. I stripped, detailed, backdated to 1930's condition and then repainted/lined (including the wheels) into Doncaster green.

 

P1000361.jpg.252114c36246a478ebc0555776b28fe5.jpg

 

P1000362.jpg.c3f462c656712039e56c94a7107000d0.jpg

 

P1120495.jpg.7317eebac30ce0b52f46e107477f26be.jpg

 

Cheers...Morgan

 

 

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10 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Thank you,

 

I think Archie did a grand job. What the video does show is how the work of a very good team has blended together to make a consistent whole. All I need to do now is to complete the point rodding!

 

Regarding the A3, it looks like it's speeded-up on the video, but it isn't.

 

I've been requested to shoot some more footage of LB myself. Corbs has offered to edit it, and, to make his job easier, I'll blank off the ends with white sheeting, hiding the shelves of spare locos. With his expertise, it should look very good.

 

As for even more video footage on LB, I've got the team from Bachmann coming over today to take some moving footage of a 'new product'. Watch this space!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Please, please, let it be the V2...……..

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Some really nice models of Gresley A1s and A3s.

 

I cannot normally join in when discussing locomotive models. OK the project was abandoned for various reasons, none to do with the concept of the model. I was going to use Tri-ang Hornby Flying Scotsmen as a basis for a RH&DR based layout in 1/24 th scale. I didn't get too far. rdhr1.jpg.af466c62b05798a4413188ecedfaf30f.jpg

Seen on my former 4mm scale Hanging Hill layout.

 

I still have desires on building something similar, as the RH&DR is one of my favorite railways to visit.

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5 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Some really nice models of Gresley A1s and A3s.

 

I cannot normally join in when discussing locomotive models. OK the project was abandoned for various reasons, none to do with the concept of the model. I was going to use Tri-ang Hornby Flying Scotsmen as a basis for a RH&DR based layout in 1/24 th scale. I didn't get too far. rdhr1.jpg.af466c62b05798a4413188ecedfaf30f.jpg

Seen on my former 4mm scale Hanging Hill layout.

 

I still have desires on building something similar, as the RH&DR is one of my favorite railways to visit.

Agree re the RHDR, just back from spending all day today riding it. With the regular loco swaps at New Romney all very reminiscent of the many locations on BR in steam days where locos were exchanged mid-trip. Grantham and Salisbury come to mind.

Edited by john new
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24 minutes ago, 2750Papyrus said:

 

Please, please, let it be the V2...……..

 

Please, please let it be something that isn't already available from one of the kit manufacturers.  Otherwise it'll be yet another nail in one of the Small Supplier's coffins :(

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6 hours ago, Barry Ten said:

 

I doubt Mr Bolton was wrong, just that the term "centrifugal force" is a contentious one in physics because the force in question is considered "fictitious", being due to frames of reference rather than an external influence like a magnetic field. Broadly, centrifugal force is the force you think you feel when you go around a corner - but it's just your body's natural inclination to want to keep going in a straight line. Centripetal force - which is real - is whatever force is applied (seat belts, car, friction of tyres on road) to prevent you going in a straight line.

 

Al

 

 

 

 

It was in the late-'50s, Al.

 

A long time ago...................

 

He demonstrated it by the use of a modified gramophone turntable, placing a small brass weight on its edge. As the speed of the 'table increased, the weight shot off; at a natural tangent? He said that was centrifugal force (if I remember correctly, though that's debatable).  

 

Anyway, whatever forces were acting on that 250+mph A3, had I not eased the throttle as it approached a 3' 6" radius curve, the whole lot would have been on its side! 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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