Wright writes.....

[Compound2632]

4 minutes ago, CF MRC said:

Worth bearing in mind (ouch) that most railway lubrication at this time was total loss.

 

The Gloucester Wagon Co. had to change the formula of axlebox grease exported to Russia as the peasantry were scooping it out of the 'boxes, eating it, and being poisoned.

[MarkC]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Good morning Mark,

 

Ah yes, the smart ar$e.

 

It used to happen a fair bit when WMRC exhibited Stoke Summit. One distinctive signalling feature was the Up distant; less than one hundred yards from the tunnel mouth and nowhere near far enough away from Stoke's Up home splitter at top line speed. One guy at Wells (who claimed to be a signalman) said it was nonsense - even dangerous. 

 

Ah, and this is where those who model actual prototypes have the supreme advantage. Evidence! I always carried a folder of prototype pictures, and, thus, shoved the evidence under this clot's nose. 'I don't believe it!'. Considering he was a signalman, I was surprised he hadn't worked out that it was Stoke's inner distant. The outer distant (a colour light, near High Dyke 'box) was the other side of Stoke Tunnel, well within safety limits. Not only that, the inner distant was kept 'on' if a train were to take the Up slow. I explained all this, but he seemed bamboozled. It takes all sorts.

 

All sorts which included the fool who suggested (in a very loud voice) that where the Down slow joined the Down fast (to run through the twin track tunnel) there should be a splitting signal (the Down slow/Down fast conjunction was protected by a trap point and sand drag). 'So, we'd signal an illegal move then?' I asked him. 'Yes, I know what I'm talking about!'. Whenever I hear those immortal words, I make my exit..................

 

One day I'll write a book about exhibiting!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Good morning, Tony

 

Some folk truly are amazing - all part of the <rich tapestry of life>, as it were

 

I for one would look forward to your book!

 

Best wishes to you and Mo

 

Mark

[Chamby]

I have not yet reached the stage of weathering the track work on my own layout, but the subject does fascinate me.  I have decided that I will endeavour to get a general representation of what looks right, rather then try to model a specific location accurately because I inevitably fall short if I attempt the latter.  

 

There are so many factors that affect track weathering:  speed of the trains, station or running line, steam/diesel or electric hauled, heavy or light use, length of time undisturbed, plain track or pointwork... the list goes on.  

 

An aspect of track weathering that hasn't been mentioned so far is the 'rust dust' from the track itself, either shaken off the rails by passing traffic or washed off the by rain.  This is more obvious on lines where the main traction is electric, where less oil and general crud is generated by the motive power.   I have been made very aware of this through modelling Swiss narrow gauge lines, where the usual traffic is electric hauled, often at relatively low speed.  A couple of pictures to illustrate this effect, from Montreux station - my apologies for the continental examples, but they do show the effect well:

 

'Mature' track on the main line at Montreux Station, dust and grot generally covering the full width of the track.  Note how at the end of the platform though, the dust and grot is much heavier on ballast adjacent to the rails rather than in the middle of the track:

 

 

More recently laid track on the metre gauge at Montreux, showing how rust and dust seems to fall more readily where trains 'clunk' over crossings.  Presumably from both the trains under frames and the track itself:

 

 

And finally a photo of Rougemont Station on the MOB in Switzerland, showing the additional discolouration associated with turnouts, rarely modelled:

 

 

Phil.

[t-b-g]

4 minutes ago, Chamby said:

I have not yet reached the stage of weathering the track work on my own layout, but the subject does fascinate me.  I have decided that I will endeavour to get a general representation of what looks right, rather then try to model a specific location accurately because I inevitably fall short if I attempt the latter.  

 

There are so many factors that affect track weathering:  speed of the trains, station or running line, steam/diesel or electric hauled, heavy or light use, length of time undisturbed, plain track or pointwork... the list goes on.  

 

An aspect of track weathering that hasn't been mentioned so far is the 'rust dust' from the track itself, either shaken off the rails by passing traffic or washed off the by rain.  This is more obvious on lines where the main traction is electric, where less oil and general crud is generated by the motive power.   I have been made very aware of this through modelling Swiss narrow gauge lines, where the usual traffic is electric hauled, often at relatively low speed.  A couple of pictures to illustrate this effect, from Montreux station - my apologies for the continental examples, but they do show the effect well:

 

'Mature' track on the main line at Montreux Station, dust and grot generally covering the full width of the track.  Note how at the end of the platform though, the dust and grot is much heavier on ballast adjacent to the rails rather than in the middle of the track:

 

 

More recently laid track on the metre gauge at Montreux, showing how rust and dust seems to fall more readily where trains 'clunk' over crossings.  Presumably from both the trains under frames and the track itself:

 

 

And finally a photo of Rougemont Station on the MOB in Switzerland, showing the additional discolouration associated with turnouts, rarely modelled:

 

 

Phil.

 

That last photo illustrates very nicely what I was saying about the colours of the individual stones.

 

They are all very good examples of observing the prototype!

 

I think one of the best model examples I can quote is the P4 layout St Merryn.

 

 

 

 

 

[Compound2632]

17 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

The Gloucester Wagon Co. had to change the formula of axlebox grease exported to Russia as the peasantry were scooping it out of the 'boxes, eating it, and being poisoned.

 

@St Enodoc not so amusing if you were a starving Russian peasant. 

[MarkC]

24 minutes ago, APOLLO said:

Don't forget the "Bangers and mash" in the four foot now and again !!!

 

Brit15

Thanks for that mental image...

 

...not...

 

'tis a good job I tend not to have lunch these days...

[great central]

35 minutes ago, APOLLO said:

Don't forget the "Bangers and mash" in the four foot now and again !!!

 

Brit15

 

It's only really 'bangers and mash' if the train is stationary or moving slowly, at any sort of speed it disintegrates into many small pieces, almost vapour at higher speeds.

 

Edit: one of the perils of bellowing! The sudden slightly damp feeling accompanied by a rather odd taste.....

Edited December 6, 2020 by great central
Add last paragraph

[Dunsignalling]

3 hours ago, CF MRC said:

Worth bearing in mind (ouch) that most railway lubrication at this time was total loss. Possible exception would be the original SR pacifics, but I believe they were pretty incontinent. 
 

Tim

True, but most of anything they dropped should have ended up in the four foot.

 

John

[PMP]

5 hours ago, t-b-g said:

 

 

The layouts I have seen with convincing ballast have had the track painted first, then varied ballast added afterwards.

That’s the way I do it, but only with very subtle variations in the ballast color.

 

My favourite ballast is the 2mm/N woodland Scenics colors, they’re made from Walnut shell I believe so don’t discolour when paint/glue is added.

Edited December 6, 2020 by PMP
Add pic

[t-b-g]

1 minute ago, PMP said:

That’s the way I do it, but only with very subtle variations in the ballast color.

 

My favourite ballast is the 2mm/N woodland Scenics colors, they’re made from Walnut shell I believe so don’t discolour when paint/glue is added.

 

I do the same and always make my own blend. The colours on the real thing can vary from just a slight variation to some places where the stones go from very pale to almost black.

 

I saw some superbly realistic yard/station ballast recently made from dried and ground up garden soil, which seems to have a natural slight variation in size and colour, mixed in with a small amount of commercial stone ballast.

 

I wasn't expecting it to look right but when I saw it, I thought it was some of the best I have seen on a model.

 

It wasn't mine to photograph and show off, otherwise I would put a photo on.

 

 

[Tony Wright]

Just some exhibition comments.............

 

On observing Stoke Summit; 'I don't think much of this. It's just trains going round - look, there's one, and another, and another, and.....................'

 

'When will we see some shunting?'.

 

'I didn't know Hornby-Dublo did so many loco types. When I asked one of your colleagues, he said they were made of metal'. All that glisters and all that....................

 

'There isn't much variety of this layout. I've been standing here ages and I've not seen anything GWR yet!'. 

 

'This layout is boring. I've waited ages to see it, such is the crowd in front of it'. 

 

'All the operators seem to be smiling. Don't you take this hobby seriously?'

 

'You must be very rich; getting people to make all this for you'. 

 

On observing Charwelton; why didn't you build it to scale length (about 150'!)?

 

'I like the 'Princess Coronation' you run (46251, on an enthusiasts' special from Nottingham to Swindon). However it would be far, far better if it were a 'Princess Royal'. (There is no evidence that a Prinny ever ran through the place).

 

'You've ruined the illusion now. I've just seen a 'Schools' on here (CHELTENHAM, actually). 

 

On demonstrating; 'Why are you mending these?' (They were locos I was building, still unfinished). 

 

'You shouldn't put these things on display if you don't want folk to touch!'

 

'How much?'. 'They're not for sale.' 'Then they shouldn't be on display'.

 

'I built my layout inside a breadbox, and the trains clout the sides in places.' 'Why such a restriction?'. 'I live with my sister and she won't give me any more space. It has to be stored on top of my wardrobe'. 'Get a bigger wardrobe'. 'I can't, my sister won't let me.' 'Get another sister'. Blank looks. 'Why not turn the breadbox upside down and build your layout on top of it?'. Cue 'lightbulb' moment!

 

'Can you fix this, please?' 'What is it?' 'It's a Hornby-Dublo SILVER KING'. 'And the problem is?'. Every time I put it on the track I get a short circuit'. 'It's because it's three-rail'. 'But I've only got two rails'. 'Groan..............................'

 

'Why won't you fix this next loco? You fixed one for me yesterday'. 'I did, and, on and off, and it's taken me about four hours. I've re-erected the chassis, tweaked the rods and made new pick-ups, not to mention oiling and cleaning it'. 'You did, I'm delighted; it works perfectly , and all you asked was a donation to CRUK'. 'And your donation?' '50p; isn't that enough?'. 

 

'You say you can't fit DCC into 40 year old, all metal Chinese locos'. 'Not much of a loco-doctor are you? I've given you the decoders; I've just bought them'.  

 

'It's all right for you having all the time and all the resources to build so many models. I'm married!'. 

 

There are many, many more.............................

Edited December 6, 2020 by Tony Wright
to add something

[Barry O]

Weathering track and ballast can be (like ballasting) very therapeutic. But when you are in a freezing cold chapel and you have LOTS of track/ballast to weather it can take some time.

 

It took a while to weather the ballast on Chapel en le Frith - its supposed to be recently relaid track.. still a bit more to do when we can get back in the club rooms

 

 

It is more noticeable in real life compared to the photographs. A mix of blue, red, green and a bit of brown  acrylics "dry" brushed on.

 

Lots of people "weather" loco underframes with what they think is rust.. it is this " track Gunge" - a mix of track rust/ brake dirt and oil.. some of the "rusty" chassis I have seen would have been condemned on the spot!

 

Baz 

 

Edited December 6, 2020 by Barry O

[Northmoor]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

On observing Stoke Summit; 'I don't think much of this. It's just trains going round - look, there's one, and another, and another, and.....................'

 

'How much?'. 'They're not for sale.' 'Then they shouldn't be on display'.

 

'Why won't you fix this next loco? You fixed one for me yesterday'. 'I did, and, on and off, and it's taken me about four hours. I've re-erected the chassis, tweaked the rods and made new pick-ups, not to mention oiling and cleaning it'. 'You did, I'm delighted; it works perfectly , and all you asked was a donation to CRUK'. 'And your donation?' '50p; isn't that enough?'. 

 

1. Was that the bloke whose hand you shook after he said it?

2. I think I've overheard someone say something similar at a show.  Do they think the whole event is a shop?

3. Wow there are some real tightwads out there; despite the name of my blog, there is a big difference between saving money by short-changing someone for their time and saving by avoiding spending money altogether.  You fixed a couple of locos for me at Woking last year Tony (well, one coughed its last for you then terminally died).  I think when I returned after an hour I gave a tenner as that's what I had left at the time, but wondered if I was short-changing CRUK (it's still only about National Minimum Wage for your time) but I don't feel quite so bad now.

 

Rob

[Tony Wright]

1 minute ago, Northmoor said:

1. Was that the bloke whose hand you shook after he said it?

2. I think I've overheard someone say something similar at a show.  Do they think the whole event is a shop?

3. Wow there are some real tightwads out there; despite the name of my blog, there is a big difference between saving money by short-changing someone for their time and saving by avoiding spending money altogether.  You fixed a couple of locos for me at Woking last year Tony (well, one coughed its last for you then terminally died).  I think when I returned after an hour I gave a tenner as that's what I had left at the time, but wondered if I was short-changing CRUK (it's still only about National Minimum Wage for your time) but I don't feel quite so bad now.

 

Rob

Good evening Rob,

 

It was indeed the same bloke. He's probably carried the same perplexed look on his face ever since.

 

You certainly weren't short-changing any charity, and thank you once more for your generous donation.

 

I never set any figure, leaving it up to individuals what they donate. Some even donate for my giving them advice (I'd never have predicted that). 

 

Some take the wee-wee (though not many, in fact, very few). At one show, a regular exhibitor left me some of his locos to service (they were stuttering on his layout). He had a few spare, so got by, replacing any new stutterers with ones I'd 'fixed'. Most just needed cleaning/oiling and the odd tweak here and there. After I'd fixed them, I requested a 'modest donation to CRUK'. 'Sorry, I've not got any change; I'll see you later'. Guess what?

 

At the next show (a few weeks' later), the same guy asked me to repair some new-ish RTR locos he was going to sell. It was the usual thing - broken steps, twisted valve gear, a missing deflector; all pretty common stuff. There were three locos, and I fixed them. Guess what, again? 'No change, sorry; I'll be back'. Did he? 

 

At the next show (about three months' later) he was back again with things for me to fix. I asked him if he liked sex and travel? Work out what that means. He's never spoken to me again. Good! 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[robertcwp]

31 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening Rob,

 

It was indeed the same bloke. He's probably carried the same perplexed look on his face ever since.

 

You certainly weren't short-changing any charity, and thank you once more for your generous donation.

 

I never set any figure, leaving it up to individuals what they donate. Some even donate for my giving them advice (I'd never have predicted that). 

 

Some take the wee-wee (though not many, in fact, very few). At one show, a regular exhibitor left me some of his locos to service (they were stuttering on his layout). He had a few spare, so got by, replacing any new stutterers with ones I'd 'fixed'. Most just needed cleaning/oiling and the odd tweak here and there. After I'd fixed them, I requested a 'modest donation to CRUK'. 'Sorry, I've not got any change; I'll see you later'. Guess what?

 

At the next show (a few weeks' later), the same guy asked me to repair some new-ish RTR locos he was going to sell. It was the usual thing - broken steps, twisted valve gear, a missing deflector; all pretty common stuff. There were three locos, and I fixed them. Guess what, again? 'No change, sorry; I'll be back'. Did he? 

 

At the next show (about three months' later) he was back again with things for me to fix. I asked him if he liked sex and travel? Work out what that means. He's never spoken to me again. Good! 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Was the last bit borrowed from Roy Jackson by any chance? 

[Theakerr]

Gentlemen, another question from the Great White North; where do you get your low melting point solder?  Trying to get it over here seems to be an imposibility.

Thanks

[MarkC]

16 minutes ago, Theakerr said:

Gentlemen, another question from the Great White North; where do you get your low melting point solder?  Trying to get it over here seems to be an imposibility.

Thanks

I got my last sticks from Peters Spares, because I was picking up some other items. Eileens, Wizard, Langley are 3 emporiums still trading which have supplied me with LMP solder in the past.

 

All do mail order. 

 

Cheers

Mark

 

[Tony Wright]

47 minutes ago, robertcwp said:

Was the last bit borrowed from Roy Jackson by any chance? 

I learned it at teacher training college, over 50 years ago.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.

[Clive Mortimore]

3 hours ago, Northmoor said:

1. Was that the bloke whose hand you shook after he said it?

2. I think I've overheard someone say something similar at a show.  Do they think the whole event is a shop?

3. Wow there are some real tightwads out there; despite the name of my blog, there is a big difference between saving money by short-changing someone for their time and saving by avoiding spending money altogether.  You fixed a couple of locos for me at Woking last year Tony (well, one coughed its last for you then terminally died).  I think when I returned after an hour I gave a tenner as that's what I had left at the time, but wondered if I was short-changing CRUK (it's still only about National Minimum Wage for your time) but I don't feel quite so bad now.

 

Rob

Hi Rob

 

At one show I was busy driving trains or fixing my layout, can't remember which when I heard the trader next to me and this chap raising their voices at each other. Then I noticed the "customer" had one of my scratchbuilt locos in his hand. He had picked it up off my stock table and was upset the trader hadn't put a price label on it. The trader was trying to explain that the reason it had no price label on was it belonged to the layout next to him (me). I went to retrieve my model. He carried on for some time before he gave it back to me, saying I was lying I made it, and all done was removed the manufacturers name off the bottom of it. He was also accusing the trader of not wanting to sell it to him.

[Jesse Sim]

12 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

I asked him if he liked sex and travel? Work out what that means. 

Wait what does it mean?

[69843]

8 minutes ago, Jesse Sim said:

Wait what does it mean?

Am I ever gonna see your face again?

[nerron]

24 minutes ago, Jesse Sim said:

Wait what does it mean?

A polite way of saying "Get lost"

[Jesse Sim]

23 minutes ago, 69843 said:

Am I ever gonna see your face again?

Bring back bring back the biff? 

[Jesse Sim]

Anyway enough foreplay and social distancing in the pub, here’s something I’ve been working on.

 

Jonathan Wealleans milk train rang some ideas in my head and after countless emails and Facebook messages I have made my own., Using the same method as he did with the Hornby tank wagons and an Isinglass GNR milk brake. 
 

The tankers are awaiting some decals and then I can finish them off with the strapping.

The milk brake is off to NZ to get painted into Teak by Jack Pedersen, the reason I’m not painting it myself is because I think I’ll ruin the rake if I give teak a second attempt. I will learn eventually, but Jack and I are going to work out some horse trading for the services. 
 

This leaves me to work on another project...

 

 

Thanks to Graeme King I should have working W1 in a few days... although it’s coming together much to easy and it looks right....so no doubt I’ve done something wrong. 
 

I know Hornby are making one but at least I can say I’ve built this myself, well partially as the rest is in fact Hornby. A question if I may Tony? 
 

What tender should she haul? 

Edited December 7, 2020 by Jesse Sim

[69843]

25 minutes ago, Jesse Sim said:

What tender should she haul? 

In LNER form, 1929 Corridor tender 5484
https://www.sirnigelgresley.org.uk/chime-archive/mob-tenders1.shtml