Jump to content
 

Please use M,M&M only for topics that do not fit within other forum areas. All topics posted here await admin team approval to ensure they don't belong elsewhere.

Wright writes.....


Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Premium
31 minutes ago, t-b-g said:

The only thing I would suggest is ineffective is if you have 6 carriages and say that you are modelling the "Talisman" as it was in 1957. Even then, it is only ineffective if you try to pretend that the train is correctly modelled.

You can usually drop a few TKs/SKs without losing the overall essence. In 1957, as it happens, the Cornish Riviera (SX) loaded to 10 coaches west of Plymouth:

 

BSK, 4 SK, SO (used for dining), Kitchen First, FK, CK, BSK.

 

Using my 60% rule I've cut this down to:

 

BSK, SK, SO, RU, CK, BSK.

 

If I were to run "full-length" trains I'd either need a railway room about 3m/10ft bigger all round or abandon the idea of representing the Cornwall main line and Newquay branch altogether, so I think that's a fair compromise.

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

You can usually drop a few TKs/SKs without losing the overall essence. In 1957, as it happens, the Cornish Riviera (SX) loaded to 10 coaches west of Plymouth:

 

BSK, 4 SK, SO (used for dining), Kitchen First, FK, CK, BSK.

 

Using my 60% rule I've cut this down to:

 

BSK, SK, SO, RU, CK, BSK.

 

If I were to run "full-length" trains I'd either need a railway room about 3m/10ft bigger all round or abandon the idea of representing the Cornwall main line and Newquay branch altogether, so I think that's a fair compromise.

If you have space for seven, you can do the Cambrian Coast Express without any reduction as at one time it was BSK, SK, FK, RU, FK, SK, BSK.  The Torbay Express was as short as seven in at least one winter timetable. The Bristolian was also seven, but you would need to build the buffet car. But you would have to relocate the layout to model those. On the other hand, The Cornishman got down to only six or seven in Cornwall and can be done entirely from Bachmann Mark 1 stock.

  • Agree 2
  • Informative/Useful 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, t-b-g said:

 

The only thing I would suggest is ineffective is if you have 6 carriages and say that you are modelling the "Talisman" as it was in 1957. Even then, it is only ineffective if you try to pretend that the train is correctly modelled.

 

 

At the tail end of the 1956-7 Winter timetable, the Talisman was running as a 7-car train without the twin-first, which was temporarily replaced by a Mark 1 open first (crimson and cream in at least one of the sets). To model it, you would still need to build the Thompson SO and RF but Hornby cover all the other types. There is a published photo to confirm this arrangement.

  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

.....Since I 'semi'-retired (ha!) a couple of years ago, I have taken on a few commissions, as much to provide a bit of variety / interest as much as earning any money. Enclosed is the latest job on the workbench, for a guy in Australia who wants some interesting / representative vehicles to put behind his Locomotion Models GNR Atlantic (in GNR livery).....

 

DSC10205.JPG

DSC10213.JPG

Hi Graham

They look great. The twin appears to be  the Dia.218DD. I've got one of those to build at some stage.

Andrew

Edited by Woodcock29
Deleted some of the quote
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
50 minutes ago, robertcwp said:

The Cornishman got down to only six or seven in Cornwall and can be done entirely from Bachmann Mark 1 stock.

That's true, so to maintain the relative proportions my Cornishman only has four coaches, all Mk 1s as you say (and the Royal Duchy has five).

 

My longest train will have 9 coaches representing 15 on the prototype - double-headed too.

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
1 hour ago, robertcwp said:

Find another hobby or another job?

People wonder why I don't play games on pc.

 

It is because I spend all day on them programming.

  • Agree 1
  • Friendly/supportive 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

I hope some of the above comments are of some little interest. One note of caution, if I may? When your hobby effectively becomes part of your job, then what do you do in your spare time?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 


It’s a fair point and something I’ve struggled with. It is one reason I’ve started modelling something ‘fictional’ as it’s different from the day job of weathering.

 

I’ve also become involved with volunteering on steam locomotives, which also gets me out of the house as well as still working with railways.

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

I volunteered on a well known narrow gauge railway in Wales for 15 yrs.  Worked on the full time  staff for 10 yrs. I did'nt   do any modelling  during that time, although I made some base boards which I gave away! I suppose I had 12" to the foot to play with!  When I left Wales  I started making models again.  Wonder what Freud would have to say about it?

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

In the absence of any Summer 1957 carriage workings, I have been summarising the Monday to Friday 1956 Summer workings for East Coast and GN trains through Retford, excluding most of the Monday or Friday only trains. 

 

It's still work in progress but if anyone is interested, a PDF of the file is here.

  • Thanks 1
  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
On 03/08/2020 at 21:48, Tony Wright said:

 

It would seem that the Viessmann solenoids (despite their now being protected against burning out) will not be the means of operating Bytham's signals in future. Graham Nicholas has valiantly replaced the over 100% failure of them in the last few years, but it's just throwing good money after bad. I cannot tolerate things not working reliably and consistently. 

 

If you're reading this, Tony Gee, then I have a commission for you with regard to installing servos to operate the signals. 

 

Good Evening Tony,

 

If you are to have the Viessmann solenoids replaced by servos for signal operation I urge you to consider using a Megapoints Servo Controller for their operation. A single controller board can operate 12 signals and, perhaps you may already be aware, has a "bounce" facility built into the electronics. Not only that, when the signal switch is thrown the arm moves about half way up, pauses momentarily, then completes the upward movement. I have never seen a more realistic representation of the effect when a signalman pulls the lever in the box half way out of the back of the frame then strains to move it to the full off position at the front of the frame. 

 

For me though, the best effect of using a Megapoints controller is the bounce which is built into the circuitry for when the signal is returned to the on position. There are four different bounces of varying degree and they are randomly chosen and very realistic. The facility can also be turned on and off when set up so that, for example, ground signals simply move with no bounce. 

 

There will be those who don't like the Megapoints system but have a look at some of their videos on YouTube and you may be persuaded, if you haven't seen it before.  You may have seen their stand at the York show. The change to servos is the perfect time to install one as part of the upgrade.

 

I think you recently asked that with all the point rodding now in place what more could be done to LB to make it any better. I venture to suggest to you that signals which work so much more realistically would be quite a dollop of icing on the already tremendously realistic LB cake! 

 

Archie

  • Like 5
  • Agree 1
  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

My hobby became my full-time job around 2004. I can't speak for others but as soon as you monetise something and introduce contracts and delivery expectations it ceases to be play and becomes something else ... it can still be challenging and enjoyable but it essentially becomes something you are obliged to do whether you feel like it or not, come rain or shine, which is not how I would characterise a hobby. However, each will have their own experience. I suspect most of us probably have a few backup hobbies we could fall back on if trains got stale.

  • Like 2
  • Agree 3
  • Friendly/supportive 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

It has been very interesting reading the various comments started by Tony talking about when the hobby becomes the day job. I have been full time at this for five years now, and like Tony, I came from the classroom. 

 

I started with a view to providing a complete service, ie building, painting and lining, but I have reached the stage where the lead time for a build is longer than I would like, so I am now receiving more painting and lining jobs. A number of the clients for whom I build often give me another kit or two, each time I pass them a completed project. Whilst I therefore have a rather full work load, I do enjoy the way of life. I can start as early as I like, without the need to travel to and from a place of work, or I can go for a cycle ride first. I also like to bake, so occasionally I will get something in the oven between tasks in the workshop. There are some very  entertaining  programmes to listen to on BBC sounds, and I get through a number of jazz programmes during the week. It has to be music whilst spraying, but it can be a drama or a comedy whilst lining or building. I also quite often have the phone on hands free. When friends or clients call, they are generally concerned about taking up time and stopping me from working. Unless I am spraying, for the most part, it is easy to chat whilst working.

 

Handing over the finished models is normally a very rewarding part of the process, which I try to do face to face, as I like to see the client's reaction. I am fortunate to have a number of clients, and they are virtually all very patient. I will not rush something, and will redo something until I am happy with it.

 

One thing that caused me stress whilst teaching was not getting enough time to do some modelling. By making it the day job, that issue was instantly solved! It is fair to say that I have a number of my own kits that are partly built, or yet to be started, and will not be touched in the immediate future, but I am happy working on other peoples projects. As such, I have encountered a variety of liveries and models that I would not otherwise have encountered.

  • Like 9
  • Informative/Useful 2
  • Friendly/supportive 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

I would also recommend the mega-points unit for servo signal operation.   I have two units and am very happy with it.  Since all my signals are made from Ratio plastic kits and are a little bit fragile I like the ability to control the speed thus minimizing the shock load and I can set the end points with some accuracy.  However I have managed to break several weight arms and now use MSE metal ones.  I do not use the bounce mechanism because I don't find it realistic.  I suspect it is the old problem of scaling time.  Since the operation is controlled by a simple on/off switch it should be possible to interlock with points.

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
24 minutes ago, GH in EM and O said:

It has been very interesting reading the various comments started by Tony talking about when the hobby becomes the day job. I have been full time at this for five years now, and like Tony, I came from the classroom. 

 

I started with a view to providing a complete service, ie building, painting and lining, but I have reached the stage where the lead time for a build is longer than I would like, so I am now receiving more painting and lining jobs. A number of the clients for whom I build often give me another kit or two, each time I pass them a completed project. Whilst I therefore have a rather full work load, I do enjoy the way of life. I can start as early as I like, without the need to travel to and from a place of work, or I can go for a cycle ride first. I also like to bake, so occasionally I will get something in the oven between tasks in the workshop. There are some very  entertaining  programmes to listen to on BBC sounds, and I get through a number of jazz programmes during the week. It has to be music whilst spraying, but it can be a drama or a comedy whilst lining or building. I also quite often have the phone on hands free. When friends or clients call, they are generally concerned about taking up time and stopping me from working. Unless I am spraying, for the most part, it is easy to chat whilst working.

 

Handing over the finished models is normally a very rewarding part of the process, which I try to do face to face, as I like to see the client's reaction. I am fortunate to have a number of clients, and they are virtually all very patient. I will not rush something, and will redo something until I am happy with it.

 

One thing that caused me stress whilst teaching was not getting enough time to do some modelling. By making it the day job, that issue was instantly solved! It is fair to say that I have a number of my own kits that are partly built, or yet to be started, and will not be touched in the immediate future, but I am happy working on other peoples projects. As such, I have encountered a variety of liveries and models that I would not otherwise have encountered.

 

Ive been at this full time for about ten years now and my experience is very much as above. I too came from teaching and if you switched veg gardening and playing guitar for baking, blues and country listening for jazz and walking the dog for cycling I could have written the above post. I started out with layout work and structures but its almost all locos now, mainly 2mm and 3mm with some 4mm and 7mm. I'm reluctant to do painting but I do have a couple of customers who like me to do it. I'd quite like to do more in the larger scales but I guess I'm best known for small stuff and have a healthy order book so I'm not complaining.

I still enjoy what Im doing and try to put time aside to build stuff for myself but that's not always easy though the variety of work that comes in keeps me fresh.

 

Jerry

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
On 03/08/2020 at 21:48, Tony Wright said:

 

It would seem that the Viessmann solenoids (despite their now being protected against burning out) will not be the means of operating Bytham's signals in future. Graham Nicholas has valiantly replaced the over 100% failure of them in the last few years, but it's just throwing good money after bad. I cannot tolerate things not working reliably and consistently. 

 

 

Tony, get a lever frame and some fishing line, and make some of these.  Very cheap, easily made by anyone who can use a soldering iron, and almost nothing to go wrong (gravity never fails)!  Bouncing can be arranged, if you wish.

 

P1020537.jpg.253d455d0bfd9027c8ea98c9027738c4.jpg

  • Like 5
  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Manxcat said:

Good Evening Tony,

 

If you are to have the Viessmann solenoids replaced by servos for signal operation I urge you to consider using a Megapoints Servo Controller for their operation. A single controller board can operate 12 signals and, perhaps you may already be aware, has a "bounce" facility built into the electronics. Not only that, when the signal switch is thrown the arm moves about half way up, pauses momentarily, then completes the upward movement. I have never seen a more realistic representation of the effect when a signalman pulls the lever in the box half way out of the back of the frame then strains to move it to the full off position at the front of the frame. 

 

For me though, the best effect of using a Megapoints controller is the bounce which is built into the circuitry for when the signal is returned to the on position. There are four different bounces of varying degree and they are randomly chosen and very realistic. The facility can also be turned on and off when set up so that, for example, ground signals simply move with no bounce. 

 

There will be those who don't like the Megapoints system but have a look at some of their videos on YouTube and you may be persuaded, if you haven't seen it before.  You may have seen their stand at the York show. The change to servos is the perfect time to install one as part of the upgrade.

 

I think you recently asked that with all the point rodding now in place what more could be done to LB to make it any better. I venture to suggest to you that signals which work so much more realistically would be quite a dollop of icing on the already tremendously realistic LB cake! 

 

Archie

Good evening Archei,

 

The decision as to which servos and systems are to replace the dud Viessmans will be Tony Gee's. 

 

He built the MR signals on the little trainset, and used servos to make them work - perfectly.

 

Ironically, I've fiddled with the 'sticky' Viessmans and they now all work. I added a drop of oil to the cranks and all seems well. However, the words 'fool' and 'paradise' come to mind. 

 

They can't burn out now because some really clever bloke called Andrew Burchall made and installed some electronicky (is there such a word?) gadgets which cut the power if the solenoids stick. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, queensquare said:

 

Ive been at this full time for about ten years now and my experience is very much as above. I too came from teaching and if you switched veg gardening and playing guitar for baking, blues and country listening for jazz and walking the dog for cycling I could have written the above post. I started out with layout work and structures but its almost all locos now, mainly 2mm and 3mm with some 4mm and 7mm. I'm reluctant to do painting but I do have a couple of customers who like me to do it. I'd quite like to do more in the larger scales but I guess I'm best known for small stuff and have a healthy order book so I'm not complaining.

I still enjoy what Im doing and try to put time aside to build stuff for myself but that's not always easy though the variety of work that comes in keeps me fresh.

 

Jerry

Good evening Jerry,

 

I wonder how many teachers have given up on that profession and become professional modellers? I think Mike Edge used to teach.

 

By the way, do you think the MRJ might be interested in a Retford update? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

 

I'm lucky enough to have a decent-sized space for my layout but I still run shorter trains (60% of prototype length, rounded up) because that's how I have made room for the track layout I want to operate. It's not for me to say, but there are others on here who might comment on whether it is "effective" or not.

I think your layout is very effective John, and I gazed in awe at the lever frame.

 

You've probably got shorter trains than I've got, anyway - did many 12/13/14 coach trains run that far west?  

 

However, train length is not something I'm prepared to compromise on (as you know). If a real train is 100% in length, and I'm modelling it, then the model train is 100% as well.

 

Regards,

 

from a very happy (we won the test!),

 

Tony. 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
11 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening Jerry,

 

I wonder how many teachers have given up on that profession and become professional modellers? I think Mike Edge used to teach.

 

By the way, do you think the MRJ might be interested in a Retford update? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Hi Tony,

 

it was marking and admin that did for me - I loath the former and am hopeless at the latter!

 

Yes, MRJ would almost certainly be interested in an update on Retford, I was going to contact Sandra at some point. She has only recently bought the house and layout so I was going to give her time to settle in to the mammoth task she has taken on. In addition, I think there needs to be some time, probably twelve months or so, in order for some real progress to be made.

 

Jerry 

  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
1 hour ago, Barry Ten said:

My hobby became my full-time job around 2004. I can't speak for others but as soon as you monetise something and introduce contracts and delivery expectations it ceases to be play and becomes something else ... it can still be challenging and enjoyable but it essentially becomes something you are obliged to do whether you feel like it or not, come rain or shine, which is not how I would characterise a hobby. However, each will have their own experience. I suspect most of us probably have a few backup hobbies we could fall back on if trains got stale.

 

The same is true when you volunteer for an active role(s) within a society, as the age profile of the members ages the ability to say "I've done my bit now, time for some one else to come on stream." also diminishes. What was initially interesting becomes a chore once it becomes a repeating cyclical commitment but that commitment to volunteering, and then keeping going because that is why you volunteered in the first place, stops you walking away! Several societies I am involved with are having a volunteer crisis as existing members age, social interaction is changing as life evolves, but it doesn't help when you feel you have reached the I have done my bit now stage but there is no one to hand your role over to.

 

Edited by john new
Spelling and correction/clarification of bad wording.
  • Friendly/supportive 9
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
10 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Interesting views on commission building.

 

Since I 'semi'-retired (ha!) a couple of years ago, I have taken on a few commissions, as much to provide a bit of variety / interest as much as earning any money. Enclosed is the latest job on the workbench, for a guy in Australia who wants some interesting / representative vehicles to put behind his Locomotion Models GNR Atlantic (in GNR livery).

 

DSC10205.JPG

DSC10213.JPG

 

Both builds look excellent! May I ask about the clerestory coach? I've edited this post as I've just seen further up the answer that the prototype's an ECJS Dia.19, but is it a kit (if so whose?) or is it from different sources?

Edited by Chas Levin
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, queensquare said:

it was marking and admin that did for me - I loath the former and am hopeless at the latter!

Before I retired from Inverness College, my line manager was a Mr King. I told him one day that I was having difficulty keeping up with his mother (Ma King).

Unlike school teachers though, we had to set the exams as well as mark them.

 

Lloyd

  • Like 2
  • Funny 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...