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Wright writes.....


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50 minutes ago, 3rd Rail Exile said:

The photo two thirds of the way down the same reference linked to by @FarrMan, captioned "Tanktop detail on 5164. (Alresford, 2013)" is useful, though being in preservation (and "off-region"!) is there a chance that the detail is no longer "authentic"?

 

Thanks for pointing this out. I also notice the paragraph

 

Whistle shields were fitted to 4160–79 when new, but only a few other locos received them. Two extra handrails were added on the strap over the boiler from circa 1945 onwards.

 

This means that the two handrails attached to the 'tank strap' should be on 4154, but not on 6110. It looks to me as though they are omitted from both.

 

Lloyd

 

 

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1 hour ago, 3rd Rail Exile said:

 

 

 

The photo two thirds of the way down the same reference linked to by @FarrMan, captioned "Tanktop detail on 5164. (Alresford, 2013)" is useful, though being in preservation (and "off-region"!) is there a chance that the detail is no longer "authentic"?

Parts like this (and the boiler cladding itself) might well have been replaced in preservation and may not be exactly the same as the Swindon original.

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1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

I wonder why some folk don't employ a little ingenuity.................

 

I don't have many tank locos on Little Bytham (and one or two of those aren't mine - though I made/modified them). 

 

All I do is 'mutilate' model figures so that they'll fit into cabs where access is only available through the windows/doors. Often, I end up with a torso, arms and a head, or just one arm. Legs and posteriors are just snipped off! 

 

1427480459_ABSL1andNu-CastA5.jpg.f410a996c2c8188a34aa30c8e83d2776.jpg

 

The driver in this L1 has lost his nearer leg to get him to fit.

 

1964488849_Nu-CastA504.jpg.2c8bd7b22404ff9560828d7f882700a0.jpg

 

And in this A5, all one can see is an arm and hand (though most of the rest is there).

 

689753173_L108completeonlayout.jpg.ba2a266435c11aa95c9a796fd4f111a4.jpg

 

A bit 'limp' maybe, but all that's left of this driver is what can be seen.

 

1652678860_Figures04.jpg.7e76257952ce2001151b7d98f9b13bdb.jpg

 

This poor guy 'hasn't a leg to stand on'! 

 

N5s.jpg.b77899310c81e4edd09af7b37ace16e3.jpg

 

Just a hint of crews in this pair of N5s............

 

All the figures above are glued in place with a wee dab of cyano.

 

Anyway, in most tank engine cabs, it's difficult to see figures. That said, it's vital that all working locos, whatever their status, are crewed. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

Modelling in N as I do, I find that to fit crews into locos involves surgery to figures that is positively medieval.

 

i did speak with Alan Butler about this by way of a general discussion, and not in any way criticising, but locos are built to scale size for the period they depicted and time they were built. Scanned humans in 2020 are appreciably larger than they were in those times, both in height and girth so today’s crews will always be larger than needed for loco cabs. 
 

it has taken a while for the penny to drop but I don’t spend quite so much time with 2 bristles on a stick painting my crews until I’ve butchered them and have a fair idea what will be left and visible.

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20 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

I've just started taking pictures of Hornby's latest large Prairie.................

 

2004279026_Hornby51XX4154R371901.jpg.366ef89d9a2cdfcbe878605e03283a5e.jpg

 

Both of these run beautifully on my test track , and this afternoon I'll take some moving footage of them on LB. 

 

 

Tony,

 

Is it an optical illusion or are the slide bars out of alignment?  They don't look to be parallel with the cylinder centre line.  If so, then doesn't the piston rod bind or are the clearances sufficient for this not to matter?

 

Adam

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I'd agree with Tony, locos without crew don't look right. Of course the further back you go in history the more visible they are as cabs generally covered a lot less of the footplate.

 

 For crews I like Andy Staddens range with separate heads and arms;

 

https://www.acstadden.co.uk/shop-3

 

I have also used some of the HO figures where space is tight, after all folk do come in a range of sizes. 

 

 

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34 minutes ago, Adam88 said:

 

Tony,

 

Is it an optical illusion or are the slide bars out of alignment?  They don't look to be parallel with the cylinder centre line.  If so, then doesn't the piston rod bind or are the clearances sufficient for this not to matter?

 

Adam

You are right. Mine is like that too but only on one side. There is a recess in the bottom of the running plate that the top of the motion bracket is supposed to fit into, but I can't get one of them to engage properly. It doesn't seem to affect the running though.

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11 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

All I do is 'mutilate' model figures so that they'll fit into cabs where access is only available through the windows/doors. Often, I end up with a torso, arms and a head, or just one arm. Legs and posteriors are just snipped off! 

I find most figures won't fit in the cab as bought  so mine are being treated  likewise. Tools for fitting are snippers and craft knife, tweezers and cocktail stick, cyano and a 'straightened paper clip' applicator.

 

Eric

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34 minutes ago, Dave John said:

 

I have also used some of the HO figures where space is tight, after all folk do come in a range of sizes. 

I remember in the 1960s working around Duddeston Road box. There was a driver at Saltley nicknamed Tarzan, as he was rather heavily built. It was alleged  that the roster clerk had to be careful what jobs he was allocated to as he didn't fit onto all classes and it was advisable to put him on an out and home turn worked by the same loco.

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21 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

I've just started taking pictures of Hornby's latest large Prairie.................

 

Not having conducted any research yet (and in a plea for assistance), is this a post-War manifestation? Or pre-War? 

 

I took this one out of its box, and the roof promptly fell off! A friend's just bought one, and a driving wheel fell off his!!!!!

 

Same question; pre- or post-War? 

 

Both of these run beautifully on my test track , and this afternoon I'll take some moving footage of them on LB. 

 

I don't have any pictures of the previous Hornby 51XX/61XX Classes (were they ex-Arfix?), but I didn't know that the central 'strap' on the boiler stood proud. On ones I've built, I've soldered it flush. 

 

A very good runner this one.................... Note, the central strap flush. 

GREAT WESTERN is prewar and GWR is WWII onwards though it all depended on repaints with some GREAT WESTERN still around post nationalisation.

 

One time signature is the strap you mention. Post war two hand rails started to appear fiited to the strap, one on either side, though it took time for all to receive this, if in fact they all did.

 

Mike Wiltshire

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2 hours ago, Adam88 said:

 

Tony,

 

Is it an optical illusion or are the slide bars out of alignment?  They don't look to be parallel with the cylinder centre line.  If so, then doesn't the piston rod bind or are the clearances sufficient for this not to matter?

 

Adam

You're right, Adam,

 

The slidebars dip down to the rear on this example, which they shouldn't; they should be parallel with the tops and bottoms of the frames/coupling rods. 

 

Even though they're not exactly as they should be, the running is not impeded in any way; both run superbly.

 

Odd, isn't it? Hornby's LNER Pacifics have the slidebars pointing upwards to the rear (when they should dip down ever so slightly) and yet its GWR 51XX/61XX Prairies' slidebars dip down when they should be straight. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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On 13/09/2020 at 14:11, Woodcock29 said:

As I said earlier, yesterday we had a showing of a new exhibition layout called Spirsby built here in Adelaide by my mate Gavin. He has built the layout and I have supplied all the stock plus the GN somersault signals, signal box (still to be completed),  yard crane and 3-D printed GN station fence posts and seats. Whilst there are some details to be finished off on the layout its mostly finished.  The track plan is based on that on the ordinance survey plan. Its a country branch terminus to fiddle yard L shaped layout. To give the yard operator something more to do a loco depot has been built adjacent to the storage sidings. Here are a few photos. Some of the locos and a lot of the goods stock still need weathering.

I think this layout is one of the finest and most appealing that I've seen. I am a bit biased with my love of the GN but it's captured that East Lincs GN feel so well. Lovely locos, passenger and freight stock. The buildings and scenery all capture the feel of the location and the time and I love the GN somersaults. Absolutely first class.

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4 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

All I do is 'mutilate' model figures so that they'll fit into cabs where access is only available through the windows/doors. Often, I end up with a torso, arms and a head, or just one arm. Legs and posteriors are just snipped off! 

 

Amputation was no barrier to work on the Eastern Region; "We are an equal opportunities employer", obviously.

 

On a related subject, do any UK modellers reflect the ethnicity of the areas of the UK they represent, with their model people?  I think Wibdenshaw has/had some British Asians (complete with Sikh turban and beard) amongst the population, as is appropriate for West Yorkshire, but can't remember any other layouts doing this.

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1 hour ago, Chas Levin said:

I must preface this Tony by apologising for taking up yet more space on your thread with LED lighting, as I know it's not your favourite thing, but...

Following on from the recent discussions: Modelu have now added hollow bodied LNER BR(E) style side lamps to their range and I thought some might be interested to see what can be done with them (no personal connection, just a happy customer). I also use the DCC Concepts ones also mentioned above, but they're single lens and single colour only and whilst building GNR and ECJS brake carriages, I was at a loss as to how to incorporate lit side-lamps, giving white light forwards and red light backwards... until these came along. 

They're not only hollow bodied, but also have the rear 'wall' missing, which allows the positioning of a 1mm LED where that wall would have been, firing forwards. The lens openings can then take Modelu clear or red lenses and the LED easily illuminates both (though I also paint the inside of the lamp body white). 

Here are photos of one of a pair I prepared a while ago from test prints, for future use on a GNR Howlden Luggage Brake - apologies for the photo quality, but these are of course rather small and I struggled to get a balance between sufficient light to show the bodies whilst not over-exposing the lenses:

 

708139943_Modelu_LNER_hollow-body_side_lamps_inc_LED_20200917(2).jpg.bbd2628a95780d5d408912ac8c7b5b4a.jpg

1170219048_Modelu_LNER_hollow-body_side_lamps_inc_LED_20200917(4).jpg.369f495fb25212913b19f98fd61603c1.jpg

 

The LEDs are installed with thin superglue, having first 'backed' them with thin plasticard; at 1mm square, they're just smaller than the missing 4th wall opening, so they slip inside, allowing the edges of the backing piece to mate with the lamp sides. The lenses are mounted with the thinest possible ring of 24 hour araldite, laid round the upwards facing ring of the lens opening. Here's a photo of one installed on a carriage:

CL_ECJS-2020.jpg.7f8082d1d436b26f92a5b8b1f7dfa0c7.jpg

 

I run them from the Traintech motion sensor modules others have mentioned above; some of these have two outputs, one steady, one flickering (intended for effects), so it's possible to run two lamps off one unit. I find that in normal running and at layout viewing distances, the difference between the two illuminations is not a problem, beside which in practice I should imagine few lamp pairs looked identically bright. You can of course use clear or red lenses both sides and I know the way I've done it may not be very prototypical, but seeing the white and red as the carriage goes by always puts a smile on my face ^_^.

As with others, Chas,

 

No need for any apologies.

 

It's all interesting stuff.........................

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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5 hours ago, Northmoor said:

Amputation was no barrier to work on the Eastern Region; "We are an equal opportunities employer", obviously.

 

On a related subject, do any UK modellers reflect the ethnicity of the areas of the UK they represent, with their model people?  I think Wibdenshaw has/had some British Asians (complete with Sikh turban and beard) amongst the population, as is appropriate for West Yorkshire, but can't remember any other layouts doing this.


yes, the Furness mrc’s layouts Coppell and Parrot Hall both have a representative population! Back in the late 70’s I also modelled some ‘punk rockers‘ with Clive style mohawks. Now available ‘ready to plant’ I believe! Kev.

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5 hours ago, Northmoor said:

Amputation was no barrier to work on the Eastern Region; "We are an equal opportunities employer", obviously.

 

On a related subject, do any UK modellers reflect the ethnicity of the areas of the UK they represent, with their model people?  I think Wibdenshaw has/had some British Asians (complete with Sikh turban and beard) amongst the population, as is appropriate for West Yorkshire, but can't remember any other layouts doing this.

South Pimlico by Colin of this parish included several local models of the appropriate period. It was also just the best example of urban grot that I have ever seen.

Bernard

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Figures have vastly improved with 3D scanning here's a Modelu me smoking a fag, whilst waiting for the next job on 68074. I think we set the cab side height by me leaning on an ironing board ( something our wives use Tony! )  in my kitchen. Some of the sculpted figures don't fare particularly well when pictures of them are enlarged. I unashamedly have a connection with Modelu, Alan used to live in my village.. They still have to be carved around a little when seated sometimes, and I'm always uncomfortable performing surgery on them. Maybe I'm just sqeamish anyway..

P1030318.JPG.bb31b8a6bfa26e9140fb55bfed246839.JPG

 

Regards

Tony

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27 minutes ago, dibateg said:

Figures have vastly improved with 3D scanning here's a Modelu me smoking a fag, whilst waiting for the next job on 68074. I think we set the cab side height by me leaning on an ironing board ( something our wives use Tony! )  in my kitchen. Some of the sculpted figures don't fare particularly well when pictures of them are enlarged. I unashamedly have a connection with Modelu, Alan used to live in my village.. They still have to be carved around a little when seated sometimes, and I'm always uncomfortable performing surgery on them. Maybe I'm just sqeamish anyway..

P1030318.JPG.bb31b8a6bfa26e9140fb55bfed246839.JPG

 

Regards

Tony

Wot..no beard??????

:jester:

Baz

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Talking of head/tail lamps....... as I needed quite a few, I decided the best option was to make my own.

 

Managed to source both red and clear diamanté 'jewels' from eBay ...... no problems at all.

 

Various bits and bobs of Evergreen section, fuse wire, Plastruct etc were gathered together and off we went.

 

After a good couple of hours, I went on line and ordered more Springside.

 

 

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20 hours ago, Northmoor said:

Amputation was no barrier to work on the Eastern Region; "We are an equal opportunities employer", obviously.

 

On a related subject, do any UK modellers reflect the ethnicity of the areas of the UK they represent, with their model people?  I think Wibdenshaw has/had some British Asians (complete with Sikh turban and beard) amongst the population, as is appropriate for West Yorkshire, but can't remember any other layouts doing this.

964649917_IM(14).jpg.c322a11ba41729b92812829c02b735c3.jpg

 

I did on Pig Lane.

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A couple of questions, if I may? 

 

Did any of the ex-GWR 0-4-2Ts ever run in unlined green at the end of their lives?

 

And, what can be done about this?

 

384898557_weatheredHattons14XX.jpg.fe4182a86a80bc001910d09c9d647364.jpg

 

It belongs to a friend, and it's a Hatton's 14XX (made by DJ Models for the retailer?). My friend paid over £150.00 for it, new. 

 

This heavily-weathered example was all that was left, and he doesn't like the weathering (neither do I; I think it's un-subtle, and since when did chimneys leak limescale from their bases?). 

 

I have no idea how the weathering was applied (dirty thinners via an airbrush?), but has anyone ever tried to remove it? I don't know whether it's enamel or acrylic. Any ideas on how to shift it, please?

 

Or, a complete repaint, because it's a lovely model underneath?

 

Thanks in anticipation. 

 

 

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14 hours ago, kevpeo said:


yes, the Furness mrc’s layouts Coppell and Parrot Hall both have a representative population! Back in the late 70’s I also modelled some ‘punk rockers‘ with Clive style mohawks. Now available ‘ready to plant’ I believe! Kev.

I did some for one of our club layouts.

 

If you make your own figures you end up with people in appropriate dress for the time period.

100_5386.JPG.470a68fbdbd997a5360f21c105c1a7d5.JPG

A group of young ladies in early 1970s fashion.

 

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5 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

 

And, what can be done about this?

 

384898557_weatheredHattons14XX.jpg.fe4182a86a80bc001910d09c9d647364.jpg

 

 

 

Shocking. It's obviously had a fright and turned white/pale.

 

Place it in the recovery position and keep warm

 

;-)

 

 

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