Wright writes.....

[Orion]

1 hour ago, t-b-g said:

I mentioned my Dad's photos earlier. I haven't posted many anywhere before but in view of the recent discussions about 2-8-0s, I dug out one and have scanned that and a couple more. The A4 is 60033 on the Up Talisman on 30th Oct 1959, at Abbot's Ripton. I know where the O2 and the Ivatt 2-6-0 are because he was very good at making notes on the back. Anybody want to guess? A clue, two different locations in the same town.

 

 

Mansfield Central & Midland?

 

[Theakerr]

13 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

 

My 'cure' for a too-short piston rod is to solder a small piece of brass tubing where the rod goes into the cylinder, extending rearwards: the diameter of the tubing being easily able to accommodate the piston rod. It's held in place with a cocktail stick whilst soldering takes place, after being pre-tinned. 

 

DJH provide little cast 'collars' to fix in place, but these are occasionally too short. 

 

Forewarned is forearmed, of course, and now I don't cut the piston rod/crossheads off at the moulding mark, but further along the sprue. It's usually easier to shorten a component than to extend it. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Makes sense because they are not a lot short.  My method is my generic method because over the years I have managed to break various bits and pieces, vacuum pipes being one.

[Headstock]

2 hours ago, t-b-g said:

One more for now. No prizes for the loco or the location! The date is 5th June 1950.

 

 

If Tony W is OK with me putting things like this on, I will add a few more as I find them.

 

The last of its kind.

[t-b-g]

1 hour ago, Orion said:

 

 

Spot on! Dad was from Church Warsop and Mansfield was a regular train spotting trip.

 

I should add that 43118 was departing from Mansfield Midland Station on the 1.14pm Mansfield to Nottingham service but the date just says "May 1952". The O2 is E3978 but the date is very worn on the back of the photo. I can just make out "March 194....."  

Edited May 8, 2020 by t-b-g

[Theakerr]

I have never seen a picture but I am wondering if anyone knows whether an extra tall stop signal on the ER ever had a bracket signal at the top as well as the main signal to signify that the line could split.

[D.Platt]

Whats behind the tender of the O2 ?

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, t-b-g said:

One more for now. No prizes for the loco or the location! The date is 5th June 1950.

 

 

If Tony W is OK with me putting things like this on, I will add a few more as I find them.

Please, Tony,

 

As many as you can find........

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[t-b-g]

1 minute ago, D.Platt said:

Whats behind the tender of the O2 ?

 

I am no expert on "modern" vehicles and it is blurred but it looks like one departmental track carrying wagon on top of another similar one. Not something you see on many model layouts!

[jamie92208]

I'm posting a lot of my railway photos in my Random pictures thread but have just posted some form a batch that readers of this column who like green engine might appreciate. 

 

 

Taken at Ravenglass in June 75 when a railtour paused en route to Sellafield.

 

Jamie.

 

[Hollar]

On 05/05/2020 at 15:51, Steven B said:

 

 

Shirescenes do some lovely etched brass kits including a horse drawn coal merchant's cart

https://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/Shire_Scenes_1_160.html

 

Steven B.

Shirescenes cousins, Dart Castings also do some lovely carts. I built this (shown on my diorama in memory of a figure from my childhood holidays in Ireland  - a local farmer

[Hollar]

[Tony Wright]

18 minutes ago, Theakerr said:

I have never seen a picture but I am wondering if anyone knows whether an extra tall stop signal on the ER ever had a bracket signal at the top as well as the main signal to signify that the line could split.

There are some wonderful examples on Grantham.....................

 

 

 

 

 

French, the signalling engineer on the GN, insisted on sky backgrounds where possible.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[Hollar]

 

 

Apologies for the false start.

 

I spent most of this afternoon doing little modelling jobs I have been putting off.  Including reattaching some cab doors which I had knocked off my Hornby 8F.  Not easy to get it to adhere nicely, so I opened the window and reached for the Butanone.  I dipped my last-legs cheapo paintbrush into the bottle, got distracted for a moment and when I picked it up it came out minus bristles, ferrule and a significant part of the handle.  A cursory tale. 

 

The good news is that the doors seem to have been reattached securely, and my first attempt at programming CV values seems to have gone ok.  Obviously, I sorted out the CVs before getting on with the glue sniffing.

[Tony Wright]

With the discussion the other day about 'elevated views', I thought I'd try a few photographic experiments this afternoon. 

 

Firstly, some real 'higher level' views......

 

 

Not very elevated, but near the south portal of Peascliffe Tunnel (an impossible view today because of rampant Mother Nature). 

 

A nice example of an early ASCC motor carrier. And, a lovely mix of stock on the express.

 

 

Classic Hadley Wood. Truly, a train in a landscape. Again, Sylvania has taken over today. 

 

 

Gamston.

 

 

Askham Tunnel (the shortest on the ECML - and anywhere else?). 

 

 

And above the south portal of Stoke Tunnel. 

 

Elevated views do give a good view of the trains, but they're nowhere near as common as the normal three quarter front view.

 

 

From the top of the model Stoke Tunnel, with only the carriage roofs visible. 

 

Selective compression as well! 

 

And on to Bytham's elevated views. Since 1958 was way before drones, I considered where a photographer might have been standing to get these shots.....

 

 

Taken from the M&GNR overbridge.

 

 

Perhaps moving just off the bridge gives a better view? 

 

 

Taken from the lower platform of the Up fast home signal.

 

 

Taken from the platform of the Down fast starter. 

 

 

From the same Down fast starter's platform, but the picture-taker has turned through 180 degrees. He must also have a time-splitting machine, since 60103 has German blinkers; something she got two years after Little Bytham Station was flattened! Rule 1 applies.... 

 

 

A view from the footbridge as an Up fitted freight approaches. 

 

 

A picture taken from the top of the embankment adjacent to the stationmaster's garden. 

 

Aren't A3s handsome locos? In my view, the most-elegant British Pacific. 

 

Obviously, I didn't actually take the pictures from the signals, footbridge and girder bridge (they're strong, but there are limits). I just placed boxes alongside the structures on which to plonk the camera. At least the positions make sense (or at least near to). Aerial shots which could only be achieved by levitation or a drone don't really 'work' in my opinion. 

 

Out of possible interest, this is what my latest A3 will end up looking like (at least I hope so).

 

 

This afternoon, I erected the cab, making sure it was vertically parallel with the tender. Oops! 

 

And you're right, Roy. Just look at that pile of coal in MINORU's tender (at Grantham). 

 

Please observe copyright restrictions on the prototype shots. 

 

 

[45568]

Two more models produced under 'lockdown', (although to be fair we have had it relatively easy here in Western Australia compared to other parts of the world).

An old Lima ex-LMS 42' van. fitted with Bachmann LMS bogies, the body has had the reinforcing ribbing added using 10x20 thou. styrene strip.

As Antipodean modellers will know, finding suitable paints for BR liveries is difficult. This colour is from a Mr Hobby spraycan #85 'Russet' , and hopefully represents faded BR carmine.

This van is in Tamiya TS-11 maroon, and represents a vehicle later in its life. The ribbing was not added to all vans, and not to all panels on those that had it, hence the middle panel is plain on this example.

Transfers from Modelmaster, cut from various sheets. These vans were classified as both GUV and CCT during their existence, hence the different codes. Brakewheels are Hornby.

 I really must stop building rolling stock and get on with tracklaying in the shed!

Cheers from WestOz,

Peter C.

[Jesse Sim]

16 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Morning Andrew,

 

Spot on.

 

The front numberplates on the Thompson/Peppercorn Pacifics were moved down to the top hingestrap from 1955 onward.....

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Oh yes of course, I knew that, but with the time difference I wasn’t able to get on RMWEB quick enough. 

[jwealleans]

What's going on in that horsebox behind Sandwich?

[Clive Mortimore]

9 hours ago, D.Platt said:

Whats behind the tender of the O2 ?

It looks like a bogie bolster (Bobol D?) with a chained down girder load.

[robmcg]

9 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

.........

 

Out of possible interest, this is what my latest A3 will end up looking like (at least I hope so).

 

 

This afternoon, I erected the cab, making sure it was vertically parallel with the tender. Oops! 

 

And you're right, Roy. Just look at that pile of coal in MINORU's tender (at Grantham). 

 

Please observe copyright restrictions on the prototype shots. 

 

 

 

This lovely picture immediately reminded of my own edited picture of my Hornby 60062...   and it's heresy to show it here being entirely my 'fabricated' photography, but it shows the qualities and shortcomings of the Hornby 00 RTR pristine version.

 

I could 'create' a version with weathering and a double chimney but it's interesting as it is, different lighting and so on.

 

I look forward to a proper model from your skilled hands, Tony, I agree they are very handsome engines.

 

All the very best   and for those who don't know I have limited hand function thus modelling is limited. Great thread. My picture is edited, will remove if asked.

 

 

Edited May 9, 2020 by robmcg
correction

[Dunsignalling]

On ‎04‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 14:35, mullie said:

Also available in P4?

You might need to flare the arches for that.

 

 

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, jwealleans said:

What's going on in that horsebox behind Sandwich?

I don't know Jonathan,

 

That's the way it is - the rake-in is the same both sides; it's not 'leaning' one way.

 

It's a weathered/detailed Bachmann RTR product. These Mk.1 horseboxes were supposed to follow the end profile of the passenger stock, but this looks extreme, 

 

Tight perspective shots such as those I took yesterday always highlight out-of-kilter vehicles in rakes. Remember some of the shots from the Bytham LNER weekend?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

33 minutes ago, robmcg said:

 

This lovely picture immediately reminded of my own edited picture of my Hornby 60062...   and it's heresy to show it here being entirely my 'fabricated' photography, but it shows the qualities and shortcomings of the Hornby 00 RTR pristine version.

 

I could 'create' a version with weathering and a double chimney but it's interesting as it is, different lighting and so on.

 

I look forward to a proper model from your skilled hands, Tony, I agree they are very handsome engines.

 

All the very best   and for those who don't know I have limited hand function thus modelling is limited. Great thread. My picture is edited, will remove if asked.

 

 

I'm not requesting its being removed, Rob,

 

It makes an interesting comparison, and it's very clever stuff.

 

Did Hornby actually do MINORU? Or have you digitally changed the name/number? 

 

I think the Hornby A3 body is fantastic, as is the tender, and probably more-accurate than anything I've built (or building). It's just the chassis which lets it down too much for me, with the weird valve gear arrangement; just look at the angle (or lack of it) of the eccentric rod in your model picture - horizontal, caused by the too-long expansion link. The bogie wheels are very poor as well.

 

Of course, most of the model A3s I posted pictures of yesterday pre-date the Hornby model by many a moon. SANDWICH, DONCASTER and FLYING SCOTSMAN are all old Wills kits on scratch-built frames, with the painting all mine. ENTERPRISE is more-recent; built from an SEF kit and painted by Geoff Haynes. SOLARIO is getting on; a DJH kit, built/painted by Allen Hammett and weathered by Tony Geary, and PRINCE OF WALES is a detailed/modified (not to the extent of the valve gear - yet!) Hornby item, weathered by Tom Foster. 

 

Bytham has several more A3s.........

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[St Enodoc]

8 hours ago, 45568 said:

Two more models produced under 'lockdown', (although to be fair we have had it relatively easy here in Western Australia compared to other parts of the world).

An old Lima ex-LMS 42' van. fitted with Bachmann LMS bogies, the body has had the reinforcing ribbing added using 10x20 thou. styrene strip.

As Antipodean modellers will know, finding suitable paints for BR liveries is difficult. This colour is from a Mr Hobby spraycan #85 'Russet' , and hopefully represents faded BR carmine.

This van is in Tamiya TS-11 maroon, and represents a vehicle later in its life. The ribbing was not added to all vans, and not to all panels on those that had it, hence the middle panel is plain on this example.

Transfers from Modelmaster, cut from various sheets. These vans were classified as both GUV and CCT during their existence, hence the different codes. Brakewheels are Hornby.

 I really must stop building rolling stock and get on with tracklaying in the shed!

Cheers from WestOz,

Peter C.

Thanks for the colour tips Peter. Got any more - car paints for example?

[DougN]

I think this is the type of specific information we here in Australia need to centralise with BRMA. It hard enough to find colour information in the UK then to have it converted here to what's available. Personally my last was NER carriage plum. I now have a sample thankfully. So I can have it colour matched. Tony has heard our trials and tribulations and difficulties to over come... but he has also seen our advantages! I do feel for Rob and all the other modellers in NZ who have the same similar problems but probably the same ranges are available on that side of the ditch so the information can be shared. 

[Tony Teague]

On 07/05/2020 at 08:30, Tony Wright said:

Regarding soldering nuts to things without everything soldering up solid.....................

 

I always tin the nut first, and hold it in place with a cocktail stick over the hole. I once tried with a steel bolt, and everything soldered up solid (I didn't oil it first).

 

In Tony Teague's case, the hole is effectively covered by the 'van's roof, so I'd recommend 'breaking' the cocktail stick in one or two places, to form an 'L' an 'N' or a 'U' (dependent on a point of view), but not snap the cocktail stick into two or three separate bits. I'd then reinforce the weak joints with fast-setting expoxy, and, when cured, just hold the nut in position with that little 'tool' (it can be used several times, of course), soldering the nut in place from underneath, ensuring plenty of solder flowed around the nut's base. The cocktail stick would have to be 'wiggled' through the 'van's apertures.

 

In my experience, ideally the solder should penetrate the thread on the nut, thus ensuring a really good 'grip'. It can then be tapped afterwards (which will leave a little residual solder).

 

Steel will solder, usually where and when it's not wanted!

 

I hope this helps.

 

A really secure fixing of any nut is essential. I've lost count of the number of times where I can't get the body off on a kit-built loco or carriage (not built by me, I hasten to add!) because the screws just turn aimlessly, or bogies/ponies won't come off for the same reason. Very often, the 'free' nuts end up totally hidden (inside the underneath of a boiler, for instance) and are then impossible to get at. It's very poor practice. 

 

Just to report back - my nut is now fixed solid (as you might say!), and Tony's "wonky cocktail stick" was actually the only way that I could hold the nut in place from above whilst soldering from underneath - so in the end, that was the approach that I used.

I am pleased to say that the ballast plough has now joined the operational fleet!

Thanks to all and to Tony in particular.

Tony