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2 hours ago, rowanj said:

 

So, given that 50% of those adjectives are "negatives", it is just as well that the same formula does not apply to the posts.

50,000 is a milestone, but it would be interesting to see how many posts are a]about model railways or b} would have been better undertaken by a personal message. How many pages could also have been made more concise by not replicating all of the message to which the poster is replying , including the reposting of all the photos? I suppose occasional pithy posts show the wit and wisdom of the poster, but do they do anything more.

For those who enjoy the "clubishness" of the thread, then good luck to you all, I look for rather more of the "creative, helpful, enlightening" .

But I did enjoy the videos.

Thanks John,

 

If I'd have only used 'positive' adjectives, folk might have concluded that I'm an even more pompous (another adjective) twerp than normal. I could have also added 'ironic', because the first post on this subject contained some irony. 

 

It's all the other posters who make this thread what it is. If some posts are pithy (another good description), then good. If some are longer, and there's something of interest in them, then also good. 

 

I think there are far more enlightened posts on here than there are unenlightened ones.......................

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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21 hours ago, Hawin Dooiey said:

Here is the latest Little Bytham video, filmed by @Tony Wright

Enjoy! (quality will improve as the video processes)

 

 

A truly wonderful video - no commentary, no subtitles just sit back and watch the trains go by! Well done Tony & Tom.

 

Michael

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I've not long returned from a splendid day out with a dear old friend (distancing, of course).

 

He was stumped why a circuit on his model railway didn't work (his model railway, by the way, is what all of us would have loved as 11 year-olds - just like the pictures in the Tri-ang catalogues!). 

 

'It was working fine, then I had a derailment, and then it stopped working altogether. I switched the controller off immediately. I think it's a short'. 

 

I checked for a short with the meter. No short. I then put the crocodile clips from my ancient H&M 'Clipper' to the rails, and it worked fine. 

 

'May I see your controller, please?'. It's a modern(ish) one with a centre switch underneath the control knob, giving three positions - forward/centre off/reverse. Guess what? In his haste to switch it off, he'd knocked the switch to the centre! 

 

Names have not been mentioned to protect the 'innocents', but my toolbox and soldering iron enjoyed a drive down the A1.

 

I wish all model railway problems were so simple to fix...........................

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55 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

I've not long returned from a splendid day out with a dear old friend (distancing, of course).

 

He was stumped why a circuit on his model railway didn't work (his model railway, by the way, is what all of us would have loved as 11 year-olds - just like the pictures in the Tri-ang catalogues!). 

 

'It was working fine, then I had a derailment, and then it stopped working altogether. I switched the controller off immediately. I think it's a short'. 

 

I checked for a short with the meter. No short. I then put the crocodile clips from my ancient H&M 'Clipper' to the rails, and it worked fine. 

 

'May I see your controller, please?'. It's a modern(ish) one with a centre switch underneath the control knob, giving three positions - forward/centre off/reverse. Guess what? In his haste to switch it off, he'd knocked the switch to the centre! 

 

Names have not been mentioned to protect the 'innocents', but my toolbox and soldering iron enjoyed a drive down the A1.

 

I wish all model railway problems were so simple to fix...........................

 

You would think so but it is actually a problem that crops up regularly on Narrow Road and Buckingham. Operator: "It won't go. Something is wrong". Answer: "Are you on centre off?".  Operator: "Doh!".

 

It is the "go to" first choice for "fault" finding in these parts. We always say that yes, it was a fault, just not an electrical or mechanical one.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Tony,

 

I think SINGAPORE is an old Hornby body (not the oldest Tri-ang/Hornby one) with a proper chassis. The chassis ran superbly (as do all of Retford's) so it could have been Roy's (mechanical) work, but other than that, I don't know. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 


Tony,

 

It’s an old Hornby body on Comet frames and motion. It has a Mashima motor and fly wheel with a High Level gearbox. 
 

Extra weight has been added but as it has a plastic body it’s haulage capacity is less than some other Retford locomotives some of which are frankly phenomenal. At present it’s hauling the down “Talisman”. I would post a photo but frankly I don’t know how to.

 

Is it likely to have pulled the “Talisman” in 1957? If not what would be a more suitable locomotive. I must say the locomotive, like all built by Roy, runs beautifully and whilst it may not have lamp irons is nevertheless a wonderful model.

Sandra

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23 hours ago, Hawin Dooiey said:

Here is the latest Little Bytham video, filmed by @Tony Wright

Enjoy! (quality will improve as the video processes)

 

 

 

A lovely video with excellent editing and a nice compilation of footage.

 

Personally, I did like the shots where you were trackside and you could see the trains approaching from a distance. However, the 'helicopter' shots also conveyed the sense of space that Little Bytham has.

 

I'll admit, I was surprised at the amount of whining that some of the locomotive motors were making. However, I suspect they aren't quite so noticeable to an actual human ear from X number of feet away. Camcorder microphones do have a habit of picking up noises far easier than you would expect.

 

On the subject of audio, I think this is indeed proof that 'DCC Sound' is not needed on Little Bytham. The trains carry a sense of weight and presence as it is without anything extra being needed.

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Whilst it is quite a long time since I was privileged to see LB in person I can comment that the whining, squeaking and gear mesh sounds simply don't have the prominence that the video gives them. In fact it struck me just how eerily quiet Tonys fleet is, a testament to being built with the correct tolerances in the first place.

 

It would be great, once things are a bit more normal, to be able to see LB again if Sir permits.

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34 minutes ago, sandra said:


Tony,

 

It’s an old Hornby body on Comet frames and motion. It has a Mashima motor and fly wheel with a High Level gearbox. 
 

Extra weight has been added but as it has a plastic body it’s haulage capacity is less than some other Retford locomotives some of which are frankly phenomenal. At present it’s hauling the down “Talisman”. I would post a photo but frankly I don’t know how to.

 

Is it likely to have pulled the “Talisman” in 1957? If not what would be a more suitable locomotive. I must say the locomotive, like all built by Roy, runs beautifully and whilst it may not have lamp irons is nevertheless a wonderful model.

Sandra

Sandra,

 

Many thanks,

 

It's a 52A A3, so probably unlikely. I have seen shots of Gateshead's A4s on the Talisman, but not an A3. 

 

When I saw the train (which was usually one of the first Down expresses we saw at Retford) it was always a Top Shed A3 or A4, MERRY HAMPTON being particularly prominent in 1959 and 1960. 

 

One could say that all Roy's locos are wonderful, particularly in their running. I don't think I know or have known anyone whose locos run as consistently well. And, I mean run. Not just idle up and down on some bucolic branch line, never breaking sweat. Yes, one could argue that it takes as much (if not more) to make a loco run really slowly and sweetly for those conditions, but Roy Jackson's locos could do that as well if required. Ease to a stand, whatever is behind the tender, and get away equally-smoothly.

 

On one 'open day', he and I were chatting about many things, including some of the visiting locos which were being taken out of their boxes and placed on Retford. 'Do you know what this trainset is, Tony?' he asked. Other than my mentioning 'fantastic', I didn't know what to say. 'It's a loco-killer!' he said. 'Just watch'. 

 

Now, I shall mention no names (I have no wish to be contentious again), but several were the great and good who had to mutter darkly and take off their creations because they, literally, gave up after a circuit or two, particularly when presented with heavy trains. Roy's, of course, just romped round with impunity. 

 

I heard someone once say that 'Anyone can make a loco which goes fast'. I'm not sure if that's true, but it's very few who can make dozens and dozens of locos which can do just that, and at the same time haul really heavy trains, climb gradients with absolute certainty and yet still purr to a stop, and start again with complete smoothness, and still travel, if required, at the most-sedate pace with no jerking, stuttering or derailments. Mr. Jackson could! And they ran (and still do) on a 'loco-killer'.

 

Do you remember that 'last' Retford running day in October?

 

719472532_Retford12101927FLYINGSCOTSMAN.jpg.173458cbc626504eafe262b44a9411c9.jpg

 

This wonderful A3, 60103 FLYING SCOTSMAN was a later build of Roy's (I don't know if this was the compensated one or the rigid one when he built two for comparative purposes), and there's 13-on (and counting), having just climbed over the GC fiddle yard. And, look closely - it's displaying the correct lamps! 

 

Locos built by another 'master' couldn't be 'killed', either................

 

860204535_Retford12101926Buckinghamlocos.jpg.9a5067db9966568d4d83f027ee368045.jpg

 

Wasn't it great to see two of Buckingham's locos bowling round as well? Even if one lamp has gone astray....................

 

We'll never see the likes of Roy Jackson, or Peter Denny ever again.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1 minute ago, Richard E said:

Whilst it is quite a long time since I was privileged to see LB in person I can comment that the whining, squeaking and gear mesh sounds simply don't have the prominence that the video gives them. In fact it struck me just how eerily quiet Tonys fleet is, a testament to being built with the correct tolerances in the first place.

Thanks Richard,

 

I've been struck how the sounds appear to be amplified by the camcorder, especially at close-quarters. Granted, the one 3F which appeared on the M&GNR section 'buzzed' a bit, but it's nowhere near as audible to the 'naked ear'. 

 

Other sounds were amplified as well - my flicking switches or even just walking around.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

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I'm nearly halfway through the latest video, just superb.  Well done to both involved (although we know those "involved" in LB is a long list).

 

The telephoto lens shot from the M&GN bridge at 12:40 is as near perfect is-it-a-model-or-isn't-it footage as I've ever seen.

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Regarding the photos Tony, I suggest both have their place.  At times it is the modelling that is the focus and in which case it is appropriate to eliminate the bumf.  As I see the modelling focuses on what has been achieved,  it may be a locomotive, building or the complete diorama as shown in your edited pictures.  At other times the model is the focus in which case it should be shown in its context, therefore the un-editied picture would be my preferred.  This allows the an understanding of how everything fits together as a total package together with the structural organization.  I believe this is a modelling skill in its own right.   For this reason I like to see shots of the fiddle yard.   As to which should be shown, I would suggest that unless specified for whatever reason,  it is determined by the photographer.  They are in the position to know their target audience and what their interests are.   BTW, personally i would love to see the fiddle yards on Retford and how the feed into the layout

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2 hours ago, t-b-g said:

 

You would think so but it is actually a problem that crops up regularly on Narrow Road and Buckingham. Operator: "It won't go. Something is wrong". Answer: "Are you on centre off?".  Operator: "Doh!".

 

It is the "go to" first choice for "fault" finding in these parts. We always say that yes, it was a fault, just not an electrical or mechanical one.

 

 

 

Known as a Digital Malfunction......or Finger Trouble.

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I can confirm that microphones seem to pick up any little noise very easily. I remember filming trains at Quorn and Woodhouse station during a GCR Winter Gala many years ago. They had a fairground organ over the far side of the yard, where I was stood I could barely hear it but when I started going through the footage to edit the camcorder had!

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33 minutes ago, Theakerr said:

Regarding the photos Tony, I suggest both have their place.  At times it is the modelling that is the focus and in which case it is appropriate to eliminate the bumf.  As I see the modelling focuses on what has been achieved,  it may be a locomotive, building or the complete diorama as shown in your edited pictures.  At other times the model is the focus in which case it should be shown in its context, therefore the un-editied picture would be my preferred.  This allows the an understanding of how everything fits together as a total package together with the structural organization.  I believe this is a modelling skill in its own right.   For this reason I like to see shots of the fiddle yard.   As to which should be shown, I would suggest that unless specified for whatever reason,  it is determined by the photographer.  They are in the position to know their target audience and what their interests are.   BTW, personally i would love to see the fiddle yards on Retford and how the feed into the layout

Next time I've over at Retford, I'll take some fiddle yard pictures..............

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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Something to keep in mind.

Let's say you are sitting on the back seat of the bus alongside your wife. Someone up front, say a girl is talking on their mobile phone - as usual, quite loudly - and you make some adverse comments about her to your wife. A quite normal thing to do maybe? You think that with the length of the bus, shecannot hear what you say. But her boyfriend on the other end of the phone probably will! (not being sexist, just making an easy scenario). 

Modern phones are digital devices, which pick up sounds extremely well over the full frequency range, better than human ears do. Older (ie 1st generation phones - realistically the era when Orange phones hadn't arrived - were analogue phones, which didn't "collect" the speech in the same way and you could quietly say things without the phone "hearing".

Same result with house phones. The older wired phones generally would be analogue, the present day wireless phones are digital.

With camcorders, keeping it simple, the modern ones are also digital. The older ones, like those using cassette tape, were analogue, with once again the similar different characteristics. Probably the reason the trains sound louder than in real life on LB.

Probably why the "mute" button was invented!

 

Stewart

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4 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

 

 

'May I see your controller, please?'. It's a modern(ish) one with a centre switch underneath the control knob, giving three positions - forward/centre off/reverse. Guess what? In his haste to switch it off, he'd knocked the switch to the centre! 

 

 

 

That's caught me out a few times as well, with my Gaugemaster controller.

 

I wonder what the point of the centre off is. I've noticed that even if the control knob is all the way to zero, there'll still be a slight hum coming from the loco, even if it's not moving. This disappears when the switch is set to the middle. Either the zero doesn't actually go all the way down to zero, or the Gaugemaster electronics are doing something intentional, perhaps to keep the motor slightly energised, and therefore less likely to stick? Or am I talking cobblers?

 

Al

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1 hour ago, stewartingram said:

Something to keep in mind.

Let's say you are sitting on the back seat of the bus alongside your wife. Someone up front, say a girl is talking on their mobile phone - as usual, quite loudly - and you make some adverse comments about her to your wife. A quite normal thing to do maybe? You think that with the length of the bus, shecannot hear what you say. But her boyfriend on the other end of the phone probably will! (not being sexist, just making an easy scenario). 

Modern phones are digital devices, which pick up sounds extremely well over the full frequency range, better than human ears do. Older (ie 1st generation phones - realistically the era when Orange phones hadn't arrived - were analogue phones, which didn't "collect" the speech in the same way and you could quietly say things without the phone "hearing".

Same result with house phones. The older wired phones generally would be analogue, the present day wireless phones are digital.

With camcorders, keeping it simple, the modern ones are also digital. The older ones, like those using cassette tape, were analogue, with once again the similar different characteristics. Probably the reason the trains sound louder than in real life on LB.

Probably why the "mute" button was invented!

 

Stewart

 

 

There have been multiple video tape audio speeds and types.

 

I have used linear mono and stereo at 1.87 cm per second and HiFi stereo at 5.8m/s the higher speed one was analogue at CD quality.

Digital at 48/16bit slightly better than CD

MPEG 2 encoding.

 

And all are capable of recording sounds you don't want.

 

I used external microphones to great effect.

MPEG2 was a let down as the picture was better, but needed more room for video,

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5 hours ago, t-b-g said:

 

You would think so but it is actually a problem that crops up regularly on Narrow Road and Buckingham. Operator: "It won't go. Something is wrong". Answer: "Are you on centre off?".  Operator: "Doh!".

 

It is the "go to" first choice for "fault" finding in these parts. We always say that yes, it was a fault, just not an electrical or mechanical one.

 

 

Happens sometimes with my Gaugemasters. No prizes for guessing who is the chief culprit! Doh.

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2 hours ago, stewartingram said:

You would think so but it is actually a problem that crops up regularly on Narrow Road and Buckingham. Operator: "It won't go. Something is wrong". Answer: "Are you on centre off?".  Operator: "Doh!".

 

1 hour ago, Barry Ten said:

That's caught me out a few times as well, with my Gaugemaster controller.

 

10 minutes ago, Woodcock29 said:

Happens sometimes with my Gaugemasters. No prizes for guessing who is the chief culprit! Doh.

Doesn't happen with my NCE throttles.

 

Just sayin'.

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3 hours ago, Theakerr said:

  BTW, personally i would love to see the fiddle yards on Retford and how the feed into the layout

20792F50-8051-4F9D-BBFF-6E456CCCEFC4.jpeg.7d02fbd64926eadbbc89b1ff658ea4a6.jpeg

 

The fiddleyards GN and GC are primarily relatively simple ladder loops feeding down to the running lines. The GC yard sits inside the GN loop, with the GN crossing it via a bridge. Roy’s operating sequence was worked up from the WTT by Steve Hall, the UP and DOWN trains remaining on their respective lines, with the exception of a very few moves.

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10 hours ago, Richard E said:

Whilst it is quite a long time since I was privileged to see LB in person I can comment that the whining, squeaking and gear mesh sounds simply don't have the prominence that the video gives them. In fact it struck me just how eerily quiet Tonys fleet is, a testament to being built with the correct tolerances in the first place.

 

It would be great, once things are a bit more normal, to be able to see LB again if Sir permits.

Good morning Richard,

 

Responding to your last paragraph, it'll be great when 'Sir' can 'permit' visitors to Little Bytham again....................

 

At the moment, I've had no more than three or four different friends to see it (mainly local friends). Two has been a maximum number (it's impossible to socially distance with more), one on the 'far side', operating the Down trains, one operating the Up trains and signals/points on the scenic section and me operating the fiddle yard. 

 

When I look back through the diary for this year, many are the postponements/cancellations of visits since early March, and I can't see another 'full' diary for maybe 18 months - perhaps more. This is not unique, of course, merely an indication of the situation we all find ourselves in. 

 

Another downside has been the (inevitable) drop off in visitors' contributions to CRUK. 

 

In time, you're most-welcome again...............

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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