Wright writes.....

[polybear]

5 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

You'll be going DCC next.

 

Jamie

 

With sound.....

[Richard E]

12 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

With sound.....

I didn't know that sound chips came with bleeps to cover the 'blooper' comments ...

[richard i]

The chassis on TW jnr’s one will not distort. The brass bar used is so big it had to be welded together with a blow torch as no soldering iron could get enough heat in to the brass to get the solder to flow. When the largest soldering iron was tried it was pulling so much power the lights in the local area dimmed slightly during the process. I believe in shipyards  there are cruise ships built with similar width metal for their bulkheads. 
richard 

[lee74clarke]

12 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Lee,

 

It's much appreciated. It could be the way to go............... The chassis still runs fine. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

I am off work now for a week, I’ll see if I can find it and drop it (gently) through your letterbox.

I may have some of the side ‘DELTIC’ transfers as well.

 

Best Regards.

Lee

[Tony Wright]

12 minutes ago, lee74clarke said:

I am off work now for a week, I’ll see if I can find it and drop it (gently) through your letterbox.

I may have some of the side ‘DELTIC’ transfers as well.

 

Best Regards.

Lee

Thanks Lee,

 

I'll make a donation to CRUK, if that's all right? 

 

By the way, I haven't forgotten about fixing that Brit.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

Occasionally, I'm asked to fix things for friends (more than occasionally, actually). That's what friends do. And, without boasting (too much), I usually succeed.

 

However, recently, I was asked if I could make these three 'work' again.

 

 

Those in the know will know that it's a trio of Trix A2s, dating from the late-'60s. My dear old friend had bought them new (by the way, the 'weathering' is natural!). 

 

After years of hard work on his (very dusty) loft layout, they'd rather given up. That said, on investigation, the motors still ran and the traction tyres (ugh!) were still intact. It was the tender pick-ups which weren't working. Umbilical wires had broken, some pick-ups had gone adrift and the wheel treads had the crud of decades. So, a regime of cleaning/oiling, making new pick-ups and installing new wires and, magically, off they all went again. Their haulage powers are prodigious! 

 

All have been repainted (sort of) and two have been renumbered/renamed - wholly inappropriately, though BLUE PETER does have a replacement double chimney (even if it's in the wrong position). 

 

I admit to finding these hideous (at source). Corridor tenders (one body is Hornby)? Beading on those tenders? Banjo domes? A German chassis? 

 

I actually bought one of these when they first appeared in the '60s. I didn't keep it for long, as ignorance was replaced by knowledge of what a Peppercorn A2 should look like. 

 

 

Looking at the trio, it makes my much-the-same-age Wills A2 look not too bad. 

 

My old friend will be delighted. Not for him the wringing of hands because some detail is incorrect or accuracy is compromised. As long as they work, he's happy. And, he will be...........

 

 

[Tony Wright]

20 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

Further to the conversation a couple of weeks ago on eBay locos, here is a SE Finecast K3  that I’m currently ‘commissioning’ into my fleet for Gresley Jn.

It was bought a few months ago for £89 and appears to be very well built but missing a few details - most obviously the smokebox door number plate, shed code and a whistle. The ad described it as ‘possibly professionally built’ and it has a signature underneath. Does anyone recognise this?

 

Commissioning involves a service - it’s now running very smoothly with a Mashima motor gearbox combo, DCC chip, replacing missing details, adding lamps etc., weathering and renumbering. I notice that the smokebox door has some noticeable rivets on it (see below). Looking at photos of the prototype these rivets are evident on a few, but not very many. Was this a feature of just a few locos or is it just that they only stand Out in certain lights? I note that my other K3s (Wills, Bachmann and SE Finecast) don’t have this feature. I suspect it will limit my choice for renumbering considerably. 

That looks to be a real bargain, Andy.

 

I take it you've removed the superfluous lamp bracket above the RH front buffer? 

 

I'm puzzled by the crank in the radius rod.

 

I don't recognise the builder's name, though most pros signed their work. It doesn't look like a pro paint job, though - not with transfer lining. That said, with weathering you'll have a very sound investment.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[thegreenhowards]

11 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

That looks to be a real bargain, Andy.

 

I take it you've removed the superfluous lamp bracket above the RH front buffer? 

 

I'm puzzled by the crank in the radius rod.

 

I don't recognise the builder's name, though most pros signed their work. It doesn't look like a pro paint job, though - not with transfer lining. That said, with weathering you'll have a very sound investment.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Thanks Tony,

 

The lamp bracket will be removed. I need to do one of those spot the difference competitions with my chosen example when  I’ve finally decided. It looks like 61905 after John’s help, but I’ll mull on that for a few days. 
 

The bend in the radius rod is very neatly and deliberately done. I can’t really see why it’s necessary but I’ll probably leave well alone as it works and valve gear still scares me!

 

Whether or not it was professional, the paint job is very neat and I don’t see a problem with the transfer lining which has also been well applied. I might have a go at adding the lining on the edge of the running board.

 

All the best

 

Andy

[LNER4479]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Occasionally, I'm asked to fix things for friends (more than occasionally, actually). That's what friends do. And, without boasting (too much), I usually succeed.

 

However, recently, I was asked if I could make these three 'work' again.

 

 

Those in the know will know that it's a trio of Trix A2s, dating from the late-'60s. My dear old friend had bought them new (by the way, the 'weathering' is natural!). 

 

After years of hard work on his (very dusty) loft layout, they'd rather given up. That said, on investigation, the motors still ran and the traction tyres (ugh!) were still intact. It was the tender pick-ups which weren't working. Umbilical wires had broken, some pick-ups had gone adrift and the wheel treads had the crud of decades. So, a regime of cleaning/oiling, making new pick-ups and installing new wires and, magically, off they all went again. Their haulage powers are prodigious! 

 

All have been repainted (sort of) and two have been renumbered/renamed - wholly inappropriately, though BLUE PETER does have a replacement double chimney (even if it's in the wrong position). 

 

I admit to finding these hideous (at source). Corridor tenders (one body is Hornby)? Beading on those tenders? Banjo domes? A German chassis? 

 

I actually bought one of these when they first appeared in the '60s. I didn't keep it for long, as ignorance was replaced by knowledge of what a Peppercorn A2 should look like. 

 

 

Looking at the trio, it makes my much-the-same-age Wills A2 look not too bad. 

 

My old friend will be delighted. Not for him the wringing of hands because some detail is incorrect or accuracy is compromised. As long as they work, he's happy. And, he will be...........

 

 

Hello Tony,

 

Ah - fond memories! Dad used to have two of these and no less that FIVE A3s from the same stable, two of which were loco drive and the other three tender drive (which were bloomin noisy!). We always used to think that the loco drive A3s were lovely models and streets ahead of the Triang/Hornby offering. How times - and our expectations - have changed!

 

I did once tackle a similar repair to one of the A2s which ended up being a somewhat more extensive rebuild, including a replacement, rivetted tender and full repaint. It was renumbered 60534 'Irish Elegance', which I think is one of the loveliest racehorse names of them all.

 

Sadly, she was ruthlessly culled, as with all the Trix locos, once the more up-to-date Bachmann (A2) and Hornby (A3) offerings were available. Shame, as they certainly had character. I might have a picture of 60534 somewhere ... I'll go and have a dig around.

[Tony Wright]

7 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Hello Tony,

 

Ah - fond memories! Dad used to have two of these and no less that FIVE A3s from the same stable, two of which were loco drive and the other three tender drive (which were bloomin noisy!). We always used to think that the loco drive A3s were lovely models and streets ahead of the Triang/Hornby offering. How times - and our expectations - have changed!

 

I did once tackle a similar repair to one of the A2s which ended up being a somewhat more extensive rebuild, including a replacement, rivetted tender and full repaint. It was renumbered 60534 'Irish Elegance', which I think is one of the loveliest racehorse names of them all.

 

Sadly, she was ruthlessly culled, as with all the Trix locos, once the more up-to-date Bachmann (A2) and Hornby (A3) offerings were available. Shame, as they certainly had character. I might have a picture of 60534 somewhere ... I'll go and have a dig around.

Good evening Graham,

 

I used to have a couple of Trix A3s (loco drive) back then, but they were both hopeless runners. A friend had a couple, too (equally bad) and it became a regular trip to Thernglade Industrial Estate, Wrexham to see if they could be fixed - in vain. Living in Chester, Trix's base at the time was easy to get to. Body-wise, they were far superior to the contemporary Tri-ang/Hornby A3, but the one I had never had to go back due to poor running. That said, at least Hornby offered you a non-corridor tender for 60103, even though it was the wrong type. The Trix tenders were worse, not one of them suiting FLYING SCOTSMAN in the guise she was offered. As for the banjo domes.................

 

I also had a couple of Trix A4s; one loco-drive, one tender drive. The loco-drive one ran like a crab, and the tender-drive one assaulted the ears. One represented SILVER LINK in 'as-built' condition with a double chimney and 1928 corridor tender; oh dear! The other represented MALLARD as-built, also with a 1928 corridor tender. Again, oh dear. 

 

Such was the hopeless running of these plastic-bodied Trix LNER Pacifics that they were soon sold-on (prior to my going to teacher training college). They were bought from City Models in Liverpool - a decent model shop at the time (anyone remember it?). 

 

At least the Trix A2 ran well, though looks-wise it was awful. 

 

Imagine such models being produced today RTR? At least the Trix A4 body (by now Lilliput) was considered good enough to act as a basis for the Bachmann A4.

 

Good enough for Roy Jackson to use them on Retford. 

 

 

Though not the tender..........

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Leander]

28 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

They were bought from City Models in Liverpool - a decent model shop at the time (anyone remember it?). 

I do indeed. We used to go in when we were living in Chester in the 1970s. Bus (L1?) to Woodside then the ferry to Pier Head.

 

Pete

[Northmoor]

15 minutes ago, Leander said:

I do indeed. We used to go in when we were living in Chester in the 1970s. Bus (L1?) to Woodside then the ferry to Pier Head.

 

I can confirm it was still a good shop when I was a Liverpool Poly student in the early 1990s.

[Tony Wright]

58 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

I can confirm it was still a good shop when I was a Liverpool Poly student in the early 1990s.

My memory is of the proprietor having a foreign accent, but that was over 20 years before your recollections.

 

He seemed to know what he was talking about, and I even bought EAMES' kits from him! And wheels, and motors and.......................... Imagine such a shop today. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Andy Hayter]

I wish Tony, I wish.

 

I also wish there was a shop like that in the South of France.  Ok I admit probably at least one glass too many of the vino collapso

[polybear]

10 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

He seemed to know what he was talking about, and I even bought EAMES' kits from him! And wheels, and motors and.......................... Imagine such a shop today. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

I wonder if there are any such shops left in the UK - does anyone know of one?

 

[Tony Wright]

Here's a good idea...................

 

 

Markits is now producing a driving axle in OO and EM with a slot to accommodate a grubscrew. Not only that, the axles are now in stainless steel, so no rusting.

 

The perceived wisdom in the past has been to file a 'flat' on the driven axle to prevent the grubscrew from slipping, but this is much more secure. The slot is extended to cater for gearwheels with an off-set boss and is deep enough to allow the grubscrew to be fully enclosed in the gearwheel's boss - less chance then of a 'wing' shearing. In fact, the grubscrew need not be tightened too much, lessening the risk of getting the gearwheel slightly eccentric. 

 

The slot is in-line with one of the flats on the axle ends, so, line that up with, say, the crankpin on a driver and you'll know exactly where the slot is once the wheels are in the frames.

 

Why has nobody thought of this before?

Edited October 25, 2020 by Tony Wright
to add something

[micklner]

9 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Here's a good idea...................

 

 

Markits is now producing a driving axle in OO and EM with a slot to accommodate a grubscrew. Not only that, the axles are now in stainless steel, so no rusting.

 

The perceived wisdom in the past has been to file a 'flat' on the driven axle to prevent the grubscrew from slipping, but this is much more secure. The slot is extended to cater for gearwheels with an off-set boss and is deep enough to allow the grubscrew to be fully enclosed in the gearwheel's boss - less chance then of a 'wing' shearing. In fact, the grubscrew need not be tightened too much, lessening the risk of getting the gearwheel slightly eccentric. 

 

The slot is in-line with one of the flats on the axle ends, so, line that up with, say, the crankpin on a driver and you'll know exactly where the slot is once the wheels are in the frames.

 

Why has nobody thought of this before?

The main problem is getting any , judging from the amount of complaints on the Markits thread.

 

The slot needs to be far more to one side , judging from the picture. It would be no good e.g  for HL Boxes.

[Tony Wright]

23 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

I wonder if there are any such shops left in the UK - does anyone know of one?

 

I don't, Brian,

 

When I lived in the West Midlands, there was the excellent Modellers Mecca at Kingswinford, but that's now gone, apart from online/mail order.

 

Growing up in Chester, there were five (yes five!) model shops selling model railway equipment. Three sold mainly RTR, but the Arts and Crafts and White Friars sold kits and all that was necessary to complete them.

 

Whenever in London, a visit to Kings Cross Models was a pre-requisite (they produced the Jamieson hand-cut kit for an A2/1 for me in 1976), and, if time permitted, Hamblings in Cecil Court. I also used to visit EAMES in Reading at least twice a year (Tudor Road was handily placed for the station), getting to know Bob Treacher very well.

 

Newcastle's model shop was also worth a visit, and there must have been one such-like establishment in every town. 

 

 

Can you imagine walking into a 'model shop' today and asking if the firm could make the parts for a kit for a loco such as this? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

5 minutes ago, micklner said:

The main problem is getting any , judging from the amount of complaints on the Markits thread.

 

The slot needs to be far more to one side , judging from the picture. It would be no good e.g  for HL Boxes.

I'll mention it to Mark.............

[jamie92208]

10 hours ago, Andy Hayter said:

I wish Tony, I wish.

 

I also wish there was a shop like that in the South of France.  Ok I admit probably at least one glass too many of the vino collapso

Or even one in South Western France. Afriend has, however, just discovered a shop catering to the model car trade about 25 miles away. Apparently it has a very good range of Humbrol and Tamiya paints plus things such as brushes. It is due to get a visit and there is a main line station nearby so I might just have to watch a few trains as well.

 

Jamie

[5 C]

5 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Newcastle's model shop was also worth a visit, and there must have been one such-like establishment in every town. 

Bagnall's in Stafford. No trip into town was complete without a visit to that Aladdin's cave. Opposite the Borough Hall too. When the Stafford Railway Circle annual exhibition took place there in the 1970's, life didn't really get much better.

[thegreenhowards]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

I wonder if there are any such shops left in the UK - does anyone know of one?

 

There are lots.... Wizard, Roxey, SE Finecast etc... And what’s better than before is that all you have to do is pick up the phone or press a few buttons on your computer and the stuff arrives on your door mat a couple of days later! Much more convenient and probably cheaper than having to visit a shop. Even better (prior to Covid) they congregate together at these things called exhibitions where one can engage in retail therapy with some bonus layouts thrown in to entertain...or perhaps a visit to the loco doctor!

 

The one thing which annoys me is the cost of posting paint.

 

Andy

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, 5 C said:

Bagnall's in Stafford. No trip into town was complete without a visit to that Aladdin's cave. Opposite the Borough Hall too. When the Stafford Railway Circle annual exhibition took place there in the 1970's, life didn't really get much better.

How could I forget Bagnall's? 

 

Living in Stafford from 1973 until '79, I'd pop in twice-weekly at least. John Love was most-helpful.

 

There was also Pepper's in Hanley.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

48 minutes ago, thegreenhowards said:

There are lots.... Wizard, Roxey, SE Finecast etc... And what’s better than before is that all you have to do is pick up the phone or press a few buttons on your computer and the stuff arrives on your door mat a couple of days later! Much more convenient and probably cheaper than having to visit a shop. Even better (prior to Covid) they congregate together at these things called exhibitions where one can engage in retail therapy with some bonus layouts thrown in to entertain...or perhaps a visit to the loco doctor!

 

The one thing which annoys me is the cost of posting paint.

 

Andy

Of course, Andy,

 

Yes, in a way, we've 'never had it so good'. However, there was just something about going into an 'old-fashioned' model shop, where the proprietor was much, much more than a salesman but could advise on how to build models (having built them himself - it was invariably 'him'). 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[grahame]

There used to be three model shops in Lewisham and two large toy sections that included models in the Chiesmans and Co-Op department stores in the 70s. All now gone. And me too.