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6 hours ago, grahame said:

 

Indeed, and the inefficient need to have to stop regularly at fuel storage facilities to replenish supplies of coal, water and even diesel fuel. 

 

 

 

 

Not to mention the cost and energy expended in building said facilities and keeping them stocked.

 

The land occupied by them can be disregarded though, as electrical generating plants and substations would probably take up as much. At the period under discussion, there was no National Grid to hook into.

 

Of course, you then need to keep the generating plants supplied....

 

John

Edited by Dunsignalling
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7 hours ago, Lecorbusier said:

... sooooo .... Moving directly from the glory days of the magnificent slim boilered offerings of the Master - Samuel Waite Johnson - to full electrification .... hmmmm! A scenario that would have prevented such Victorian/Edwardian masterpieces becoming somewhat of a footnote in the overall history of British steam (which in terms of general perception I would argue they are) rather they would be held up as the high point:dance_mini:. ..... pipe dreams on alternative realities :rolleyes: - but on balance I think I would rather have had the offerings and brilliance of Churchward/Gresley/Stanier/Bulleid et al.:declare:

 

And if you would rather we kept them, therein lies the fantasy of Steam Punk.  And eternal world-wide coal mining, and all that ensues.

 

Also the idea that it requires two muscular men, constant shovelling, years of training and experience, bad weather exposure and considerable lung damage inside and out to replace the modern equivalent of a single potentiometer that instantly and without effort controls the speed of a full size, modern loco or EMU.

 

Hmmmmmm.

 

Andy

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20 minutes ago, Andy Reichert said:

 

And if you would rather we kept them, therein lies the fantasy of Steam Punk.  And eternal world-wide coal mining, and all that ensues.

 

Also the idea that it requires two muscular men, constant shovelling, years of training and experience, bad weather exposure and considerable lung damage inside and out to replace the modern equivalent of a single potentiometer that instantly and without effort controls the speed of a full size, modern loco or EMU.

 

Hmmmmmm.

 

Andy

All depends on what you mean by kept !

 

I wonder .... steam billowing from a chimney but without the smoke anyone .... water boiling by renewables of some flavour?

 

I like my 1970s camper and the nostalgia of the counter culture for 3 weeks or so a year .... but I suspect in the next 5 it way well be fitted with an electric engine.

 

Not really a fan of coal ... but more than a little fascinated by its cultural and technological impact historically.

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Regarding the conversion across to electric power on the railways, Melbourne's system converted over between 1923 and 1930, this had been delayed because of the war but if that had not occurred would probably been by 1917! 

 

I find this interesting as the melbourne system hasn't really expanded or changed overly dramatically from that time to now when compared to the previous 50years!

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2 hours ago, DougN said:

Regarding the conversion across to electric power on the railways, Melbourne's system converted over between 1923 and 1930, this had been delayed because of the war but if that had not occurred would probably been by 1917! 

 

 

Apparently electric trams were introduced in Adelaide in 1909 and a battery powered one trialed in 1889. However, the only tram line that has survived is the Adelaide-Glenelg which lasted with steam and horse drawn trams until 1927 when it was converted to DC overhead electric power. I had a trip on it in the mid 1970s and I understand it has since been extended, the infrastructure upgraded and the old interurban style H type trams replaced with modern Flexity trams.

 

 

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9 hours ago, TrevorP1 said:

Thanks to the advice of @D-A-T of this parish Carol bought me a Circuit Specialists soldering iron for Christmas and this proved an excellent choice. There was therefore absolutely no excuse not to press on with my new year resolution. Building a brass coach kit has been on my 'must do' list for a long time and here is my first attempt. For those unfamiliar with the products of Swindon, it is an H57 restaurant car and will be for use in my mid-50s Cornishman set.  The Wizard/Comet kit has been used and I found it an especially enjoyable experience - one which I intend to repeat. 

 

Although it is always possible to do better I found it much easier than I thought. Although some use of adhesive is required it has put me off glue for life! I'm sure Tony will approve :) The general aim is to finish it off next week and then put it aside to be painted when the warmer weather comes.

 

IMG_6070.jpeg.7bb9eec3d489aee8d71200783ca50ea1.jpeg

Nice work Trevor.

 

Don't put the door furniture on until after you've painted and lined it...

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22 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

 

Don't Ellen Sparkes' (Andy, The Green Howards' daughter) little gardens look lovely?  

Thanks Tony, I was thinking the same thing when I saw Gilbert’s shot. I’m away for a few days but will show Ellen when I’m back. I’m sure she will be chuffed.

 

Andy

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23 hours ago, PMP said:


There’s an excellent example at Peco, Dave and Shirley Rowe made a Spanish diorama that changed from high noon to starlit sky including the sunrise and sunset. With individual grain of wheat bulbs for the stars it’s a fascinating and very effective display.

 

@Clive Mortimore may recall an Essex based modeller that used to take a diorama style layout around the Home Counties with variable lighting, using different color lamps and mixing them for effect. The chap used to do theatre lighting which was the lead in to the displays.

 

Lighting layouts effectively is pretty challenging, and many don’t seem to balance the lighting to their layout, meaning their work isn’t shown to its best. I’ve been doing quite a bit of experimenting, Shelfie1 having a variable ‘blue’ light input which has given an improved look, particularly when at Warley when they had the orange overcast lighting a few years back.

 

Good morning PMP,

 

apologies for the late reply. I think that I have encountered your lighting experiments while looking around RM web in the past. It is something that interests me because I model a real location based on a real timetable, the connection to what was running at certain times of day or even what time of year is what is interesting. That said, some of the more elaborate scenarios, I wouldn't use myself, though they are very effective. I'm thinking of a more subtle effect that doesn't grab the attention. What I do find distracting on exhibition layouts is that, bland, 1980s, BBC studio drama grid lighting effect. There must be something more realistic that feels natural because it doesn't overwhelm in its presentation.

 

Quite a lot the trains that I have built ran in the early hours of the morning, in the winter it is surprising how much of the timetable was not in daylight. As a result I have often thought about how to combine onboard train lighting with layout lighting that doesn't hide the modelling in inky blackness. So, more of a hint or suggestion, onboard lighting might be enough to sell the idea alone. A case of random but creative thoughts at the moment, rather than a proposition on the right direction, though the wrong direction is as clear as bland light.

 

 

Edited by Headstock
Clarify a point.
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On 24/01/2020 at 12:11, PMP said:


There’s an excellent example at Peco, Dave and Shirley Rowe made a Spanish diorama that changed from high noon to starlit sky including the sunrise and sunset. With individual grain of wheat bulbs for the stars it’s a fascinating and very effective display.

 

@Clive Mortimore may recall an Essex based modeller that used to take a diorama style layout around the Home Counties with variable lighting, using different color lamps and mixing them for effect. The chap used to do theatre lighting which was the lead in to the displays.

 

Lighting layouts effectively is pretty challenging, and many don’t seem to balance the lighting to their layout, meaning their work isn’t shown to its best. I’ve been doing quite a bit of experimenting, Shelfie1 having a variable ‘blue’ light input which has given an improved look, particularly when at Warley when they had the orange overcast lighting a few years back.

 

How the lighting effects were created for the diorama you mention were written up by Dave Rowe and published in Model Railway Journal Issue No 46. I'd like to try out some of the principles but as technology has moved on since the time of publication (1991), fluorescent tubes and halogen spots would give way for LED lighting.

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On 24/01/2020 at 12:11, PMP said:


There’s an excellent example at Peco, Dave and Shirley Rowe made a Spanish diorama that changed from high noon to starlit sky including the sunrise and sunset. With individual grain of wheat bulbs for the stars it’s a fascinating and very effective display.

 

@Clive Mortimore may recall an Essex based modeller that used to take a diorama style layout around the Home Counties with variable lighting, using different color lamps and mixing them for effect. The chap used to do theatre lighting which was the lead in to the displays.

 

Lighting layouts effectively is pretty challenging, and many don’t seem to balance the lighting to their layout, meaning their work isn’t shown to its best. I’ve been doing quite a bit of experimenting, Shelfie1 having a variable ‘blue’ light input which has given an improved look, particularly when at Warley when they had the orange overcast lighting a few years back.

Hi Paul 

 

Was it Dave Zelly from the Mid Essex Club? From memory he does/done theatre lighting. 

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5 hours ago, CF MRC said:

Is there a list published anywhere?

 

Tim

 

Hi Tim,

 

I am not aware of a list, but I don’t have all the reference sources!   It is probably a case of the default practice - referring to dated photographs of individual class members...  Yeadons register does however state that the first class member to receive the smaller cut-outs was 4476 Royal Lancer in June 1935, receiving bucket seats at the same time which apparently was the main reason for the work (photo page 11).  From what I can tell, the modification seems to have been rolled out across the class quite quickly.

 

Others may be able to provide more detail?

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6 hours ago, Headstock said:

 

Good morning PMP,

 

apologies for the late reply. I think that I have encountered your lighting experiments while looking around RM web in the past. 

Probably not myself.
If you mean re the grid lighting the multiple direction spotlights on poles that some layouts use I agree, I find those odd when both LED and traditional fluorescent strip lamps can give a far better overall effect. I’m certainly working on getting a better overall light for display. Changing light to reflect different weather and or times of day is definitely an interesting challenge, on a layout it’d mean blocking out the ambient light, certainly viable at home or in a dedicated ‘facility’, the great train robbery layout that was on the circuit a few years back was pretty good, but required a tent to house the lighting.

Edited by PMP
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Jon Grant was a master at lighting his Hudson Road layout - NER set in winter.  I think he was involved with the theatre professionally so would have had an inside track on lighting techniques.

#

The close ups do not really do it justice, but in some of the whole layout shots you get a feel for the various lights  used to create that overcast winter effect.

 

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Tony,

 

Today I opened up "Robert the Bruce" to fit a DCC chip. In an unusual twist of fate, when I lifted off the chassis the boiler space was full of a spider's web. Further investigation revealed a very dead and very sizeable spider. You'll be aware of Robert the Bruce sitting in a cave watching a spider try again and again to make a web which spurred him on to greater things. 

 

Spooky, eh?

 

Archie

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17 hours ago, PMP said:

Probably not myself.
If you mean re the grid lighting the multiple direction spotlights on poles that some layouts use I agree, I find those odd when both LED and traditional fluorescent strip lamps can give a far better overall effect. I’m certainly working on getting a better overall light for display. Changing light to reflect different weather and or times of day is definitely an interesting challenge, on a layout it’d mean blocking out the ambient light, certainly viable at home or in a dedicated ‘facility’, the great train robbery layout that was on the circuit a few years back was pretty good, but required a tent to house the lighting.

 

Back in the day, BBC studios would have a lighting grid up at ceiling height to which the lights were attached. Woe betide anybody who would wish to remove lights from the grid, reposition them or even turn some off. This arrangement was perfect for lighting 'Ask the family' or 'Blankety blank' but if you were trying to shoot a Mayan temple set, aluminated by torch light, you were screwed. The dictate was that everything should be fully aluminated otherwise the viewers wouldn't be able to follow the drama. The result was dramatically flat and over bright lighting, that made it obvious that the sets were constructed from cardboard, polystyrene and sticky back plastic.

Edited by Headstock
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I have been playing around with the airbrush trying to come up with a paint formula that will come out as the tyical base colour of hardworking steam engines.  There is a very definite reddish tinge to be seen.  Was this something that happened to 1950s paint over time when it was applied to iron which regularly got quite hot.  Or was it a function of the imperfect technology of contemporary colour film.  And if it is the latter, should we  add red, in classic follow the photo mode - or stick to greys and browns?   Personally, I hope it is the paint, because I may have found a blend which keeps me happy, and I would have to do ore than just finish off my new 8F.

 

Tone

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