Wright writes.....

[31A]

2 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

That’s about all the difference I could see from the photos. Could you manage a close up of your model?

 

Hi Andy, I don't know whether this might help.  If not I'll try and get a better one in the morning.  I think some of my weathering paint has covered some of the lower part of the whistle!
 

[thegreenhowards]

48 minutes ago, 31A said:

 

Hi Andy, I don't know whether this might help.  If not I'll try and get a better one in the morning.  I think some of my weathering paint has covered some of the lower part of the whistle!
 

Thanks Steve,

 

That’s a help but a sharper picture would be better if you can manage it.

 

Andy

[Tony Wright]

10 hours ago, Jamiel said:

 

Hi Tony

Thank you for your detailed and wonderfully illustrated reply.
 

I know there are differences of opinion between nickel silver and phosphor bronze, and it is interesting to hear that argument from both sides.
 

Good to hear your views on fully isolated chassis for DCC, I know that experienced model makers can make live chassis work for DCC, but as a relative novice I feel safer isolated.
 

A question about the chassis you shown. Have you cut back the suspension next to the wheels on the etch to allow the pickups to access the wheels and be better sprung on the bottom three photos?
 

Thank you again.

Jamie

Good morning Jamie,

 

It's not the suspension I've cut back; it's part of the spring detail. 

 

Only the first chassis shown has suspension (compensation). All the others are rigid.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited January 31, 2021 by Tony Wright
to add something

[sandra]

14 hours ago, robertcwp said:

The discussion of 2mm scale layouts has been interesting. I remember seeing Chiltern Green many decades ago and being very impressed. I also recall seeing Gransmoor Castle but have no recollection of ever having seen Chee Tor, which looks excellent in the photos, apart from the Blue Pullman livery (the kitchen first is carrying the style carried by the first set, which was altered before entering service). I thought Blueball Summit was good too. However, layouts in that scale rarely capture my attention for long as they are often too toy-train-ish or the trains lack realism in one way or another. 

 

Banbury is also worth a mention and is a good layout. You know instantly what it is a model of, which is always a good sign for models of an actual location. My main complaint is that it would be much more interesting to me if it had been set circa 1960.

I’m not a great fan of N gauge but I must say that Chee Tor was probably the most impressive model railway I’ve ever seen. For a view of the railway in a landscape I don’t think it could be beaten.

[Headstock]

8 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

Thanks Steve,

 

That’s a help but a sharper picture would be better if you can manage it.

 

Andy

 

This.

 

 

 

It's similar to this one.

 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/five-5-chime-train-whistle-steam-locomotive

 

Paint your roof lazy bones.

Edited January 31, 2021 by Headstock

[Lemmy282]

14 minutes ago, sandra said:

I’m not a great fan of N gauge but I must say that Chee Tor was probably the most impressive model railway I’ve ever seen. For a view of the railway in a landscape I don’t think it could be beaten.

The problem with a lot of N gauge layouts is too much in a small space, it is sometimes seen as a scale for people with not enough room for a 4mm layout. Cheese Tor (2mm finescale) takes the opposite and puts the railway in the landscape, something most 4mm layouts can't achieve, unless you are lucky enough to have space like Pendon. The finescale track standards make for smoother running than normal universal N gauge track, okay you have to be more meticulous about laying it, but that's the same in any scale.

 

Some of the finescale modellers might cringe at this but I find 2mm less demanding in terms of detail. I know some will go to great extremes to put minute detail on loco's (working reversing gear on a 9F for instance), but I go the other way. Some of my stock doesn't have proper numbering, only a representation with some paint squiggles, a suggestion of pipework on a loco, buildings probably don't have the correct brickwork pattern, but once on the layout from a couple of feet away you can't spot the difference. Someone one told me 2mm scale was a great "impressionist" scale.

 

"Gets tin hat, retreats to trench and waits for the bullets to fly", as Bluebottle would have said.

 

Nigel L

[Tony Wright]

37 minutes ago, sandra said:

I’m not a great fan of N gauge but I must say that Chee Tor was probably the most impressive model railway I’ve ever seen. For a view of the railway in a landscape I don’t think it could be beaten.

Good morning Sandra,

 

I think Chee Tor is one of the two finest 'railways in a landscape' I've ever seen (though both can't really be the 'finest'; that is singular).

 

 

 

 

The only thing which didn't totally convince (and I'm being very picky here) was the singling of the main line to go through one of the tunnels. The Midland main line through the Derbyshire peaks was double track throughout.

 

I was told by Mike Raithby (the project leader) the reason for the singling was because the original idea was to build a Somerset and Dorset depiction. 

 

And the second 'finest' (mangling English yet again)?

 

Obviously, Copenhagen Fields.....................

 

 

 

 

Two very different landscapes, of course, but both incredible 'marriages' of art and model engineering. 

 

Interestingly (and because of that fact?), both are 2mmFS.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

Edited January 31, 2021 by Tony Wright
typo error

[St Enodoc]

1 minute ago, Tony Wright said:

The only thing which didn't totally convince (and I'm being very picky here) was the singling of the main line to go through one of the tunnels.

I agree, Tony - which is why I consider it one of the best examples of landscape modelling but as a model railway layout that spoiled the illusion totally.

[Barry O]

If Nickel Silver pick ups are "best" why do the RTR people fit phosphor bronze ones?

 

Baz

[Tony Wright]

As promised, some more N Gauge/2mmFS layouts............................

 

 

Moorcock Junction.

 

 

 

Brinklow.

 

 

 

Burshaw North Western.

 

 

 

Clifton and Lowther.

 

The above are all N Gauge (others to follow) and show various degrees of 'railways in the landscape'. 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

Just now, Barry O said:

If Nickel Silver pick ups are "best" why do the RTR people fit phosphor bronze ones?

 

Baz

Good question, Baz,

 

Another question might be - 'Why do I replace them with nickel silver on the few RTR locos I've got?'

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Barry O]

1 minute ago, Tony Wright said:

Good question, Baz,

 

Another question might be - 'Why do I replace them with nickel silver on the few RTR locos I've got?'

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

I could say why but you wouldn't appreciate what I would say.

 

Baz

[thegreenhowards]

31 minutes ago, Headstock said:

 

This.

 

It's similar to this one'

 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/five-5-chime-train-whistle-steam-locomotive

 

Paint your roof lazy bones.

Thanks for the whistle photo.

 

I don’t understand your roof comments. It would be helpful if you could provide a bit more context when you issue dogmatic instructions! Are you saying the eaves should be black? If so, to and from what dates were they black? I can certainly find some prototype photos where they look green, although it’s difficult to tell under the layers of grime. 
 

Regards

 

Andy

[Tony Wright]

More 'smaller scale' layouts........................

 

 

Falahill.

 

 

 

Ivybridge.

 

 

Little Salkeld.

 

 

 

Llangerisech.

 

 

 

Lymebrook Yard.

 

 

 

Staly Vegas.

 

 

 

Tucking Mill.

 

 

 

Upper Cwmtwych.

 

 

[robertcwp]

57 minutes ago, sandra said:

I’m not a great fan of N gauge but I must say that Chee Tor was probably the most impressive model railway I’ve ever seen. For a view of the railway in a landscape I don’t think it could be beaten.

I must have seen it unless it never appeared at a major show in the South East but simply cannot remember it at all. Age must be taking its toll on the memory.

[Tony Wright]

4 minutes ago, thegreenhowards said:

Thanks for the whistle photo.

 

I don’t understand your roof comments. It would be helpful if you could provide a bit more context when you issue dogmatic instructions! Are you saying the eaves should be black? If so, to and from what dates were they black? I can certainly find some prototype photos where they look green, although it’s difficult to tell under the layers of grime. 
 

Regards

 

Andy

Good morning Andy,

 

Though it's often difficult to tell (because of soot deposits), I think it's safe to state that the cab roofs on the ex-LNER locos painted in BR green should be all-over black. In LNER green, they were green above the eaves.

 

Two examples....................

 

 

 

Please (all) observe copyright restrictions.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

17 minutes ago, Barry O said:

I could say why but you wouldn't appreciate what I would say.

 

Baz

I'm puzzled Baz,

 

I've appreciated a lot of what you've said in the past. 

 

In my first post on this matter, yesterday, I did imply there were would be differences of opinion on the subject of pick-ups. I illustrated mine, and the system has been proven to work on several exhibition layouts and on Little Bytham.

 

Why not show us all how you arrange your phosphor bronze pick-ups, please? A picture (or pictures) is (are) worth a thousand words.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

Mention of the 'finest model railways in a landscape' must surely include Pendon, shouldn't it?

 

 

[31A]

33 minutes ago, thegreenhowards said:

If so, to and from what dates were they black? I can certainly find some prototype photos where they look green, although it’s difficult to tell under the layers of grime. 

 

I looked at lots of pictures of A4s in BR livery recently when I was weathering my 60013, and certainly found a few where it looked as though the roof eaves were painted green (although as you say, difficult to tell), so I left them green on mine.  I concluded that it was possible that they were painted green, but rarely cleaned.

 

[Michael Edge]

Larry Goddard always used to paint them green, arguing that it was what the BR instructions said. From observation though they almost always looked black, either painted that way (painting instructions were often ignored by some works/painters) or left to get filthy, certainly this area was never cleaned, most of the clearly green ones I have seen in photos were outside a paintshop or straight off works.

[richard i]

One of the best n gauge / 2mm layouts I saw was just down from you at the last show I visited before lock down ,  Stevenage? Milton Keynes? It was not that long, had a small station at one end and ran green diesels but it looked great and drew you in. I watched it for ages, but can’t remember its name. 
if you went round the show with your camera, maybe you have a shot of it which would illustrate to others what I mean.

richard 

[Barry O]

48 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

I'm puzzled Baz,

 

I've appreciated a lot of what you've said in the past. 

 

In my first post on this matter, yesterday, I did imply there were would be differences of opinion on the subject of pick-ups. I illustrated mine, and the system has been proven to work on several exhibition layouts and on Little Bytham.

 

Why not show us all how you arrange your phosphor bronze pick-ups, please? A picture (or pictures) is (are) worth a thousand words.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Don't  see much point in doing that Tony..you are always right and don't answer questions.

 

Baz

Edited January 31, 2021 by Barry O
Spellung

[dibateg]

I've never been a fan of 2mm scale, but those examples you have posted Tony are absolutely superb, thank you. Wonderful modelling , a delight to observe and of course the great advantage of that scale is that the railway can be set in the landscape. I'm always astounded by the skill of those that create these tiny working models, and I think I couldn't possibly do that!

 

'One final point (for what it's worth); avoid plunger pick-ups like the plague!'

 

I always use plunger picks ups! But they are a lot easier to get right in 7mm scale and I even make up my own ones on occasion. I found in 4mm models that they were absolutely hopeless!

 

Regards

Tony

[LNER4479]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

[Chee Tor] The only thing which didn't totally convince (and I'm being very picky here) was the singling of the main line to go through one of the tunnels. The Midland main line through the Derbyshire peaks was double track throughout.

 

 

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

I agree, Tony - which is why I consider it one of the best examples of landscape modelling but as a model railway layout that spoiled the illusion totally.

 

Phew! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that as it was (is?) otherwise a fantastic layout, fulling deserving of the accolades on here.

 

I think it's a bit harsh (John) to say that it spoiled the illusion totally. For me it 'jarred a bit', but it was easy enough to simply ignore the left hand end and concentrate on the amazing recreation of the gorge of the Wye valley. Absolutely the best use of 2mm scale and impractical to do in 4mm as you wouldn't be able to get at the centre to either model or view it.

 

I saw it at several shows and 'stayed to the death' at its final show (Manchester - obviously - can't remember the year) to see the 'last' train run.

[LNER4479]

1 hour ago, Barry O said:

If Nickel Silver pick ups are "best" why do the RTR people fit phosphor bronze ones?

 

Baz

Cost?(!)

 

I don't honestly know but it's often a significant factor where RTR is concerned (although they can buy in bulk). RTR pickups are also folded from flat strip whereas Tony's n/s ones are bent from wire so a bit of an 'apples and oranges' comparison.

 

I'm not convinced that either is 'best'; the important thing for me (noting Jamiel's question) is that the end is bent up (away from the wheel) to create a curved - and thus smooth - rubbing contact with the wheel surface.

Edited January 31, 2021 by LNER4479