Wright writes.....

[Tony Wright]

3 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

 

Thanks for the mention. I was going to post something anyway but here you go. If you haven't got 10 minutes to watch it all then whizz along to the last 30 seconds where you'll see the banking engine dropping off successfully - all on DC (although no Duettes are involved for this particular manoeuvre).

 

Not trying to say one is better than the other, merely to say that, with strategic wiring (which is actually quite logical) it is possible to do on DC many of the things that are claimed to be the benefits of DCC.

 

If nothing else, a bit of layout action during enforced exhibition embargo!

 

Splendid stuff Graham,

 

Just one 'criticism' (of course). On the occasions when SIR NIGEL GRESLEY climbed Shap on specials (in 1967), her time was only beaten (prior to that) by DUCHESS OF ABERCORN. 

 

In the moving footage she's only crawling! My locos go faster than that......................

 

I'm glad there's a record of her in action in LNER blue. The next time you'll see her, she'll be in BR green and numbered 60007. Ian Rathbone has her for repainting. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Ray Flintoft]

On 02/02/2021 at 09:28, Tony Wright said:

Good morning Ray,

 

I seem to recall the way to tell the difference between a Doncaster-shopped V2 and a Darlington one was that the latter lined the firebox cladding band. 

 

Didn't a couple of A4s end up shopped at Inverurie? Or other Pacifics towards the end? Was it an Inverurie style to line the 'boxes? Certainly, when I photographed BLUE PETER at Chester, on a railtour (which she didn't do very well on) in 1966, her firebox band was lined. 

 

I think, right at the end, it might well have been applied at the depots.

 

An interesting piece of livery history.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Afternoon , Tony ,

      I think the evidence points to Darlington as the culprit as all three A.4's mentioned received Heavy Intermediate repairs there in 1964/1965 . This would have involved a full repaint . Also a number of York A.1's were dealt with at that period & all had the firebox band lined out . York certainly didn't bother  with that sort of thing themselves !

   60532had a L/I repair at Darlington in 1965 as well; whilst working on her  I was told several times by railwaymen that they never cleaned the cab roofs at all & thus all my engines , even clean ones , have a filthy cab roof .

                 Cheers ,

                        Ray .

[john new]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Another request, please...................

 

This one has a lot more of Sherlock Holmes' abilities required...............................

 

 

Anyone have a clue where 48491 is in this picture?

 

All I know (from consulting my contemporary Locoshed books) is it's either shedded at Newton Heath or Patricroft. 

 

Somewhere in Lancashire? 

 

 

 

 

I don’t know the location but the interesting point I note for future weathering is the tide mark in the grot. On the boiler and firebox but not on the smoke box.

[Tony Wright]

5 hours ago, johndon said:

 

We add bankers on South Pelaw as per the prototype location:

 

And very-effective it is, too...................

 

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[Ian Smeeton]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Another request, please...................

 

This one has a lot more of Sherlock Holmes' abilities required...............................

 

 

Anyone have a clue where 48491 is in this picture?

 

All I know (from consulting my contemporary Locoshed books) is it's either shedded at Newton Heath or Patricroft. 

 

Somewhere in Lancashire? 

 

 

 

 

 

South End of Kingmoor, I think.

 

See here https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/30/658/

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Tony Wright]

11 minutes ago, Ian Smeeton said:

 

South End of Kingmoor, I think.

 

See here https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/30/658/

 

Regards

 

Ian

Thanks Ian,

 

I think you're right.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

Further to the cab roof colour debate...........................

 

 

Unlikely to have green eaves here.............

 

 

But, in preservation............................

 

If one is not sure, whatever the model, then scrutinise..................................

 

 

A few years ago, when I had more hair! 

 

 

[LNER4479]

21 minutes ago, Ian Smeeton said:

 

South End of Kingmoor, I think.

 

See here https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/30/658/

 

Regards

 

Ian

... in which case there's some trackwork rationalisation / alteration gone on between the two pictures. The point alongside the 8F has been removed by the time of the A1 picture. Also, the point rodding in the background of the 8F pic has been removed and to be replaced by power-operated points in the A1 picture.

 

All perfectly feasible of course. I'd dated the 8F picture to 1960-1964 because its got electrification flashes but the top / centre lamp brackets have not yet been altered.

 

[Dagworth]

7 hours ago, Steven B said:

Personally I don't think I've ever seen the big advantages of DCC properly exploited on a layout. I don't recall seeing pilot or bankers being added, nor locos whistles being used correctly.

Evening all, first time on this topic for me...

 

My layout Ravensclyffe couldn't work without DCC as I haven't come up with any sensible way to do polarity reversing sections that don't entail stopping the train other than DCC. There are three reversing sections on the layout, two of which happen while trains are flat out 100MPH.

 

Andi

 

[davidw]

6 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Great stuff Ian,

 

Many thanks for showing us.........

 

Regarding HMRS 'Pressfix' transfers, I wonder what has happened to them of late? 

 

I don't use the lining any more (Replica Railways' water transfer BR carriage lining is far better), but I do (or did) use the 'Pressfix' BR numbers/letters. 

 

Last week, I had to break out two new sheets (14, I think is the number). They're useless. Not only are the the individual numbers/letters 'thicker' than in the past, but the backing paper refuses to be shifted until several minutes after water has been applied. Even then, it's still tenacious, and then the numbers/letters float off to the heart's content! Not too much of a problem if it's a single number/digit, but very frustrating if it's 'Restaurant Car' or 'British Railways'. I had to go back to my older sheets to try and mix and match.  

 

Has anyone else suffered in this respect? And, does anyone know which are the best alternatives, please? I shall certainly not be buying any more 'Pressfix' sheets. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Yes Tony. I've experienced the same problem as Iain.d with lining. If it hadn't been for the fact that my local model shop has a couple of lining sheets in stock I'd have given up. 

[LNER4479]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Splendid stuff Graham,

 

Just one 'criticism' (of course). On the occasions when SIR NIGEL GRESLEY climbed Shap on specials (in 1967), her time was only beaten (prior to that) by DUCHESS OF ABERCORN. 

 

In the moving footage she's only crawling! My locos go faster than that......................

 

I'm glad there's a record of her in action in LNER blue. The next time you'll see her, she'll be in BR green and numbered 60007. Ian Rathbone has her for repainting. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Blimey, Tony - we can't get it right! Frequently criticised for trains going too fast on video and now they're going too slow ...

 

Having said that - I totally agree! Whenever I'm on Shap box, I would crank things right up for 4498's appearance to attempt to recreate the stirring performance to which you refer. However, I don't often get on Shap box; I'm more often doing the fiddle yard. If Andrew was on Shap box then he tended to take the trains steady, perhaps not aware of the A4's notable performance. At least it gives folks plenty of time to watch the loco?

 

I agree that's its great to have her (him!) captured on video (twice!) now that the preservation livery is history.

 

[johndon]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

 

 

Nice photos Tony, I didn't realise just how little of the NCB Shed (top left) had been built when you visited...

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

6 hours ago, Geep7 said:

I originally started using DCC primarily for sound when I started modelling American Outline. On my American HO layouts, all the locomotives were sound fitted, and when operated I tried to be correct in the use of the whistles and horns (2 toots for moving forwards, 3 toots for moving in reverse, 1 short, 1 long and 1 short when crossing a level crossing).  Snipped<

 

A point if I may, for accuracy - the crossing 'blow' is two long, one short, one long, the last of which is meant to be still sounding as the loco is on the crossing.  Sorry to be pedantic, but folk may copy inaccuracies.

 

[Geep7]

14 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

A point if I may, for accuracy - the crossing 'blow' is two long, one short, one long, the last of which is meant to be still sounding as the loco is on the crossing.  Sorry to be pedantic, but folk may copy inaccuracies.

 

Thanks for the correction. I should have checked it before posting, as it's been a while since I've run American stock properly. I'll go back and correct my post. Cheers.

[Barry Ten]

22 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

A point if I may, for accuracy - the crossing 'blow' is two long, one short, one long, the last of which is meant to be still sounding as the loco is on the crossing.  Sorry to be pedantic, but folk may copy inaccuracies.

 

 

I got chatting with a couple of Union Pacific engineers a few years ago, and one of them told me they'd been forbidden from playing "Jingle Bells" on the horn at Christmas.

[New Haven Neil]

6 minutes ago, Geep7 said:

Thanks for the correction. I should have checked it before posting, as it's been a while since I've run American stock properly. I'll go back and correct my post. Cheers.

 

You're welcome - I just didn't want you to think I was being 'clever'.  I have modelled US for 25 years, as well as having driven US outline locos at a passenger carrying miniature railway, using correct codes!  We don't at Groudle Glen though!

[thegreenhowards]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Further to the cab roof colour debate...........................

 

 

Unlikely to have green eaves here.............

 

 

 

Good evidence Tony. Just one thing, remind me when they started painting the top of the boiler cladding black as well?!

[Chas Levin]

12 hours ago, coronach said:

or you could build a model of the Waverley Route where LNER Pacifics routinely hauled 4/5/6 coach trains - but were from St Margaret’s shed and so routinely dirty

Interesting thought - thank you for the suggestion, but it's a little far north for me I'm afraid... Nice photo!

[thegreenhowards]

8 hours ago, Steven B said:

This thread has some useful information on blowing ones whistle:

 

 

 

Thanks, most useful. It seems that I am incorrect to sound it to acknowledge the guards whistle before starting. I was following what seems to happen on the Bluebell - schoolboy error!

[thegreenhowards]

8 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Great stuff Ian,

 

Many thanks for showing us.........

 

Regarding HMRS 'Pressfix' transfers, I wonder what has happened to them of late? 

 

I don't use the lining any more (Replica Railways' water transfer BR carriage lining is far better), but I do (or did) use the 'Pressfix' BR numbers/letters. 

 

Last week, I had to break out two new sheets (14, I think is the number). They're useless. Not only are the the individual numbers/letters 'thicker' than in the past, but the backing paper refuses to be shifted until several minutes after water has been applied. Even then, it's still tenacious, and then the numbers/letters float off to the heart's content! Not too much of a problem if it's a single number/digit, but very frustrating if it's 'Restaurant Car' or 'British Railways'. I had to go back to my older sheets to try and mix and match.  

 

Has anyone else suffered in this respect? And, does anyone know which are the best alternatives, please? I shall certainly not be buying any more 'Pressfix' sheets. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Tony,

 

I’ve never really got on with Pressfix. Tony Teague gave me a sheet and I’ve used it occasionally but I find it difficult to position things accurately. I prefer the ability of water slide to move them around. 

The best transfers I’ve found are Fox and their customer service is fantastic. Modelmaster are pretty good too and generally cheaper, but their customer service is the polar opposite! For either applied over a gloss surface any carrier film is invisible. John Isherwood’s CVT transfers are also very good - an excellent range of ready made numbers and very fine backing film but they can be a little delicate.

 

Andy

 

 

 

[St Enodoc]

8 hours ago, jwealleans said:

 

I've had difficulty getting hold of Pressfix sheets all last year and had to use Methfix as a substitute.   While I don't like them, the results are good as long as you follow the instructions.

 

Modelmaster carriage lining gave me good results the last time I built blood and custard carriages (two GWR ones for Tom Foster).

I prefer Methfix but as far as I know the lining transfers are only available as Pressfix.

[Tony Wright]

5 minutes ago, thegreenhowards said:

Tony,

 

I’ve never really got on with Pressfix. Tony Teague gave me a sheet and I’ve used it occasionally but I find it difficult to position things accurately. I prefer the ability of water slide to move them around. 

The best transfers I’ve found are Fox and their customer service is fantastic. Modelmaster are pretty good too and generally cheaper, but their customer service is the polar opposite! For either applied over a gloss surface any carrier film is invisible. John Isherwood’s CVT transfers are also very good - an excellent range of ready made numbers and very fine backing film but they can be a little delicate.

 

Andy

 

 

 

Thanks Andy,

 

I must have numbered/lettered hundreds of models using 'Pressfix' transfers, all with ease in the past. 

 

Not now, or certainly not with the newer sheets. 

 

I've always been put off waterslide transfers (especially for numbers/letters, though not lining) because of the carrier film. 

 

One doesn't get that with 'Pressfix', but It looks like I'll have to get on with waterslide now......................

 

 

Last year I 'resurrected' a 3F given to me by a friend. The cabside numbers were waterslide (I don't know which make), and this is how they looked on receipt. 

 

 

Of course, final weathering hid the 'halos'.

 

 

The equivalent 'Pressfix' numbers (or how they were in the past). 

 

One advantage is that they could be applied to a matt surface.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

[31A]

I have to say, I've always preferred Methfix transfers myself; I find it easier to move the characters around until they are where you want them than with Pressfix, and there is not the carrier film that you get with waterslide.

[Anglian]

The best way to apply waterslide decals is over a gloss surface and then to use a decal solution such as MicroSol or before varnishing with acrylic matt. Any carrier film will disappear.

 

The advantage of waterslide, as noted above, is that you can carefully nudge them into position. I see an awful lot of models where the numbers don't have an accurate baseline so the numbers appear to 'jump'. For some reason it's often the last number in the row that jumps the most. When the baseline is defined by numbers with a flat base edge, ie 1,2, 4, 7 then those with rounded bases ie 3, 5, 6, 8, 9 ,0 should sit very, very slightly lower. The rounded characters are very slightly larger. This is a visual compensation the font designer will employ to offset the optical illusion that occurs between circles and squares or rectangles.

I have designed and had my own waterslide decals printed (for aviation modelling) and I tend to arrange the sets of numbers/letters I want on the computer so the baseline and character spacing is 100% correct, then the whole lot can be applied as one decal.

Edited February 3, 2021 by Anglian

[thegreenhowards]

Tony,

 

As ‘Anglian’ says provided water slide transfers are applied to a gloss surface the carrier film is not visible. For example this twin (which you’ve seen before) was numbered and lettered using Fox transfers. I went over them with ‘Klear’ but a matt varnish (I use Testors Dullcote) can be used instead for a flatter finish.

 

Andy