Wright writes.....

[davidw]

4 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

As is well known, I get several 'interesting' locomotives to examine from time to time.

 

Last week a friend gave me a K's Ivatt 2-6-2T, built by the late Alec Swain. It had been given to him by Alec, but 'it didn't go'. 

 

I'm not sure how old it is (a generation or two, I'd think) and it had been standing on a shelf gathering dust for most of that time. 

 

My friend was right; it didn't go! It buzzed a bit, generated some smoke then performed no more. 

 

What to do?

 

 

The loco and its mechanism were very well made (even with K's wheels), and, on bench-testing, I got the K's Mk.1 motor to turn (just about). It was wired the opposite polarity to the norm (not that that was important at this stage) and, after a clean, a tweak here and there and a drop of oil, it moved along the test track; just! However, what a racket - growling and slow. No good at all. 

 

Now, I was faced with a dilemma. What to do? I took pity on the poor old thing, dismantled much of the chassis and installed one of the latest DJH motor/gearbox combinations, fitting new nickel silver pick-ups at the same time (the originals were phosphor bronze and had no 'spring' left in them). But, here's the dilemma - what might it be worth now? The new motor/gearbox is well in excess of half a hundred pounds, so it's probably worth more that the whole loco itself! It now runs really sweetly (despite the K's wheels), and it is rather quaint.

 

 

Note the 'natural' weathering............

 

The ghastly pony wheels will be replaced. 

 

And, here's another reason for the dilemma............

 

 

Bachmann's RTR equivalent. Does anyone know what one of these costs? 

 

 

DCC-ready as well. What price the poor old K's thing now? 

 

 

RRP £144.95 DCC ready version - I suspect it would be around £120 at box shifters and even cheaper on Ebay. Of course the older split chassis version will be even cheaper still. When they upgraded the chassis i think the older body wasn't updated. 

[LNER4479]

Plenty of evidence of the A2/3s over the Waverley route and into Carlisle, eg:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carlisle_Waverley_Route_trains_geograph-2778933-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg

 

Which means I'll have to buy one of the ugly things - curses!

[Tony Wright]

8 minutes ago, davidw said:

RRP £144.95 DCC ready version - I suspect it would be around £120 at box shifters and even cheaper on Ebay. Of course the older split chassis version will be even cheaper still. When they upgraded the chassis i think the older body wasn't updated. 

Thanks David,

 

Which makes the dear old K's thing worth.......................? 

 

The new motor/gearbox is around £70.00 or more RRP. I wonder if I've wasted my time and money?

 

My experience of the older Bachmann 'Mickey Mice' 2-6-2Ts was that they ran rather poorly. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

10 minutes ago, LNER4479 said:

Plenty of evidence of the A2/3s over the Waverley route and into Carlisle, eg:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carlisle_Waverley_Route_trains_geograph-2778933-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg

 

Which means I'll have to buy one of the ugly things - curses!

Except that the image in the first picture is not an A2/3; it's an A2/1. Not only that, it's WAVERLEY, which was unique in towing the (repaired) tender off the A4 blitzed at York during the War. 

 

In fact, you're more likely to have seen Haymarket's trio of A2/1s at Carlisle rather than its solitary A2/3, HONEYWAY. 

 

That said, Tyneside-based A2/3s probably worked into Citadel from Newcastle. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[PMP]

1 minute ago, Tony Wright said:

 

My experience of the older Bachmann 'Mickey Mice' 2-6-2Ts was that they ran rather poorly. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

They had a split chassis as David mentions from the early 80’s. The example you’ve shown has a contemporary good quality chassis, but the original body, which to be fair is pretty accurate.

As for the K’s version, what someone will pay for it. It looks well assembled and with a rebuilt chassis I expect you’ll find a buyer for it who knows what it is and appreciates it for just that.

[Dunsignalling]

4 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

As is well known, I get several 'interesting' locomotives to examine from time to time.

 

Last week a friend gave me a K's Ivatt 2-6-2T, built by the late Alec Swain. It had been given to him by Alec, but 'it didn't go'. 

 

I'm not sure how old it is (a generation or two, I'd think) and it had been standing on a shelf gathering dust for most of that time. 

 

My friend was right; it didn't go! It buzzed a bit, generated some smoke then performed no more. 

 

What to do?

 

 

The loco and its mechanism were very well made (even with K's wheels), and, on bench-testing, I got the K's Mk.1 motor to turn (just about). It was wired the opposite polarity to the norm (not that that was important at this stage) and, after a clean, a tweak here and there and a drop of oil, it moved along the test track; just! However, what a racket - growling and slow. No good at all. 

 

Now, I was faced with a dilemma. What to do? I took pity on the poor old thing, dismantled much of the chassis and installed one of the latest DJH motor/gearbox combinations, fitting new nickel silver pick-ups at the same time (the originals were phosphor bronze and had no 'spring' left in them). But, here's the dilemma - what might it be worth now? The new motor/gearbox is well in excess of half a hundred pounds, so it's probably worth more that the whole loco itself! It now runs really sweetly (despite the K's wheels), and it is rather quaint.

 

 

Note the 'natural' weathering............

 

The ghastly pony wheels will be replaced. 

 

And, here's another reason for the dilemma............

 

 

Bachmann's RTR equivalent. Does anyone know what one of these costs? 

 

 

DCC-ready as well. What price the poor old K's thing now? 

 

 

The RRP of the current Bachmann offering is £144.95, average box shifter price about twenty less.

 

The running is greatly improved over a typical example of the first (split chassis) version, which is usually more directly comparable with the K's mech as it would have existed before your ministrations.

 

I have one of each and acquired another early one, mint but unboxed, at the last Newton Abbot swap-meet before the world went daft, for the princely sum of £30. The condition of the wheels indicated it had done next to no work. At the price, I reasoned the chassis might provide a quick and easy rescue for my detailed Ivatt of similar age, which has done enough miles to wear through the plating on the wheels!

 

The gamble paid off. stripped, cleaned and lubricated; my bargain runs better than its predecessor ever did, and almost as nicely as the new one. It also behaves the same going either way; something the old ones seldom do. 

 

John

 

 

[johndon]

21 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

My apologies for not being able to remember the names of many of the builders.

 

 

None more so than this; the winner of the Groves Trophy at the 2mm Association's AGM last year in Swindon (at which it was my privilege to be one of the judges). 

 

This magnificent 9F even has reversible valve gear! 

 

 

Nick Mitchell is the builder I believe, thread here: 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

And now it's N Gauge's turn............

 

Current RTR loco standards.................... A small selection. 

 

 

Dapol's A4.

 

 

Farish's Panniers.

 

 

And Farish's 'Princess Coronation'. 

 

I'm not quite sure if close-up photography like the above does any favours to N Gauge, particularly with regard to chassis, with their rather coarse wheels (even though they're infinitely better than in years gone by) and chunky motion. 

 

And, as for those couplings!

 

However, in layout settings.............

 

 

Eric Farragher's Clifton and Lowther.

 

 

Garry Atkinson's Woodhead.

 

 

Staly Vegas.

 

 

Kevin Smith's Sandy Bay.

 

 

Wickwar.

 

 

And Brinklow.

 

When you see some of the work Atso and Grahame post on here as well, then N Gauge standards have never been higher. 

 

Let's see some more, please...........

 

 

[Tony Wright]

6 minutes ago, johndon said:

 

Nick Mitchell is the builder I believe, thread here: 

 

 

Thanks John,

 

At least I remembered his Christian name.............

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[MJI]

Drinks

 

Comes down to taste, I hate bitter taste, it is horrible.

 

So light beers and lagers are a lot nicer than heavy beers, but cider nicest.

 

Cannot touch coffee, dark chocolate yuk, grapefruit is disgusting.

 

People complaining that I like white chocolate can go and get stuffed, they do not have my tastebuds.

[Iain Mac]

4 hours ago, Iain Mac said:

It's been debated amongst many of my friends and I over on the Waverley threads and with the old guards of Hawick and Gala. No one has any confirmation of a P2 getting any mileage over the route, even via Kelso -  St Boswells.

I've seen a photo of Deltic, the prototype, siting in Stobs Camp siding on its way to Leith for trials. 

Let me know if I can assist with any info.

I've a huge archive of photos and plans, maps, structural drawings and so on.

I'm building Hawick in 4mm on a slow burn, amongst other Waverley subjects for a virety of people/groups, with much of the route sat in CAD for creating animations as educational/historical resources.

 

Feel free to ask,

 

 Iain MacIntosh.

[Tony Wright]

Just out of personal interest, I've tested the K's 'revamped' Ivatt 'Mickey Mouse' on LB this afternoon.............

 

 

This is on a fairly heavy Newcastle-Kings Cross express, including five kit-built cars (the rest are modified Bachmann Mk.1s). 

 

The CCT is a 'coupling converter wagon' (though light). To say this wee loco toyed with the train is an understatement. 

 

 

15+ Bachmann Mk.1s didn't trouble it one bit, and it did at least a scale 80 mph. 

 

Observers will note the front steps sticking out a bit. Even on 3' radius curves, they caught the pony wheels. Modification is called for.

 

Rather daft, don't you think? I have no idea of the Bachmann equivalent's haulage capabilities. Does anyone know? 

 

 

 

 

[grahame]

I read that "LNER expert, locomotive builder and photographer Tony Wright" will be featured in next months issue of Model Rail, answering questions on their Behind the Backscene page.

 

 

[StephenB]

Tony
 

Very impressive haulage.

 

Stephen

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, grahame said:

I read that "LNER expert, locomotive builder and photographer Tony Wright" will be featured in next months issue of Model Rail, answering questions on their Behind the Backscene page.

 

 

Thanks Grahame,

 

Yes, I was approached about two/three months ago if I'd be interested in answering some questions (not all related to railway modelling). I think folk who have made a living from and/or are well known in the hobby have been approached for the feature. It's a privilege to be a participant.

 

One amusing question related to what two items I'd request if I were marooned on a desert island. You'll have to read Model Rail to find out my pair. 

 

Other questions related to films, literature and music. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[2750Papyrus]

A soldering iron and an inexhaustible supply of kits?

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, StephenB said:

Tony
 

Very impressive haulage.

 

Stephen

Thanks Stephen,

 

It'll pull more than many RTR Pacifics will! 

 

Later on, I loaded it with 20 modified RTR carriages, which it didn't slip with. Any more and it would have been even dafter. 

 

My memory of these attractive little tanks is in and around the Chester area, including the CLC, where they rarely hauled more than two/three carriages. One abiding memory is observing 'The Welsh Dragon' ply its trade between Rhyl and Llandudno, watching from the footbridge at Abergele. Was there ever a shorter named train on BR? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

5 minutes ago, 2750Papyrus said:

A soldering iron and an inexhaustible supply of kits?

Strangely, that wasn't my answer.....................

[dibateg]

'Mild mannered photographer Tony Wright' aka The Brown Bottle!

 

Desert island reading - The entire set of Viz annuals?

 

Regards

Tony

 

 

 

 

[jamie92208]

6 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Let's have a conversation.

 

I did make up a K's kit once:

 

 

Seen here in use on my old loft layout.

 

I think I did use the wheels as supplied - but I certainly didn't use the motor! Biggest Mashima I could find, hidden inside the front (water tank) engine did the trick. Once it could pull itself along it would pull anything.

 

 

Nice to see Graham. I got mine to run by putting an MW5 under the rotary bunker. It would pull anything I could put behind it then. However  it disgraced itself on LB by only moving slightly after sitting on a shelf for over 20 years. I must give it some tlc and get it going. It's 47994 which I saw north of Chesterfield as a 4 yr old.

 

Jamie

 

[Barry Ten]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

 

 

Observers will note the front steps sticking out a bit. Even on 3' radius curves, they caught the pony wheels. Modification is called for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presumably a function of the pony truck pivot point, as the steps don't seem to prevent my Bachmann one going around 24 inch curves?

 

Al

[Northmoor]

44 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

One amusing question related to what two items I'd request if I were marooned on a desert island. You'll have to read Model Rail to find out my pair. 

Other questions related to films, literature and music. 

 

I'm curious about "Sir's" choice of discs for his desert island.  May I suggest:

• Sold(er) me down the River - The Alarm
• Bytham Rivers of Babylon - Boney M
• Pacific (East) Coast Highway - The Mamas and The Papas
• Long Train Runnin' (behind something kit-built) - The Doobie Brothers
• Plus lots of other METAL tracks

Rob

[mullie]

Jazz choices

 

Chattanooga Choo Choo

 

Take the A Train

 

Basin Street BR Blue bookazine

 

Moanin (sorry !!)

 

Take Five (kits and build in an incredibly short amount of time)

 

 

Martyn

[Theakerr]

In a recent post the DJH motor gearbox is referenced.  It is an excellent combination and I have used more than a few in my locos.  However, and this is information for the ex-pats on the thread, I have probably purchased my last unit from them.  60 pounds UK after GST taken off, 35 pounds shipping.  Shipping UK products can be very expensive and it is worth asking what the shipping cost is before committing.   Some companies seen to be able to get reasonable rates others ?

 

[Theakerr]

A while back I reported that I had installed a set of Accurascale couplings,  an instanter and a screw link.  I am pleased to say that both have passed the 25 cycle test in my most severe train formation.  Very happy with them and if we can work something out on the post will be using them on pretty well all this winters planned construction.  Will update at about 100 cycles.