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Wright writes.....


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10 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

It's much better to solder together these components than attempt to glue them

"I prefer to solder these components rather than glue them, and here's why" would work better for me if I were your student.

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15 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Some interesting 'layout of a lifetime' thoughts.

 

Thanks for sharing them.

 

I suppose I've achieved my 'goal' in Little Bytham, though it's taken (so far) a 'lifetime's' modelling (near 50 years, and counting) for me to build the locos and stock required for it (not that I've built it all, but most - though not the freight stock). It could not have been achieved at all without the input of 'the team'; all highly-skilled modellers, in the main trading skills. 

 

Though its 'footprint' is 32' x 12', that isn't quite enough for a true-scale depiction - the main line scene is 14" short. Since every visitor only knows that fact by being told, I'll live with this compromise. As for the MR/M&GNR bit, well 'selective compression' holds sway. 

 

Has it 'worked'? I'll let visitors answer that question. It's certainly worked for me, and I derive enormous pleasure from operating it for and with guests. Without such friends, it would be rather meaningless. 

 

I think it's satisfied the original criteria..........

 

1. An ECML prototype in BR steam days made (almost) to scale - in less than 30', in 4mm, a real struggle for realism in my opinion - I loath visibly-tight,  right-angle curves.

 

2. To be built by an 'exclusive', highly-skilled team, mainly through the expedient of barter.

 

3. 'Built' being the operative word, especially with regard to the locos/rolling stock ('building' of the layout itself was axiomatic). 

 

4. To work 'perfectly', with no derailments, stuttering, jerking and be rid of all the maladies associated with dodgy baseboards, poor track-laying, weak electrics and badly-built locomotives/stock; an impossible 'ideal', I admit, but (apart from my own dodgy operational ability), not far off (again, visitors must decide whether we've achieved success or not).

 

5. To have a least 50 separate trains to operate a sequence (even that total is nowhere near enough for a prototype ECML depiction in the summer of 1958). 

 

6. To maintain interest, even when completed - as mentioned earlier, I still keep building locos for it. 

 

Any other criteria? I'm not sure, though I'll not be involved in the building of any more layouts. 

Those 14 inches really let it down for me, every time I walk in, it just disappoints me. Everything else is okay…but… shame.  
 

I can hear Tony now as he’s reading this… “you little little twerp” 

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3 hours ago, Jesse Sim said:

Those 14 inches really let it down for me, every time I walk in, it just disappoints me. Everything else is okay…but… shame.  
 

I can hear Tony now as he’s reading this… “you little little twerp” 

 

:rofl::rofl::laugh::laugh:

Or words to that effect........

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10 hours ago, t-b-g said:

 

My rule of thumb is that all your trains do the same thing, operation can, to me at least, be a bit repetitive. You fall into a pattern where the operators and the viewers know exactly what is likely to happen.

 

When each train does something different, even slightly different, all of a sudden you get a sense of anticipation and curiosity as to what it is going to do and how it is going to do it.

 

We had a lovely operating session on Buckingham last night, running the layout for around 2 hours. Not one single train did the same move as the previous one.

 

One of the sets of six wheeled carriages ran several times. First time it was Buckingham to Grandborough, terminate and shunt to the platform on the down side. The loco went to the shed for servicing, before returning to the carriages. Then it went back to Buckingham where it changed locos and had a horse box added. The horse box had been previously shunted to a loading dock to be loaded. Then back to Grandborough where the loaded horse box was detached and shunted to a dock for unloading and the train went on to the fiddle yard. Later, it came back to Grandborough, stopped in Pl. 3 to connect with a Leighton Buzzard branch train then went on to Buckingham where the loco was changed again.

 

One train doing several different movements all within a single running session. All perfectly reasonable, realistic moves that would have been happening all over the country at that time. All interesting and enjoyable to run.

 

The 2 hour session just flew by.

 

 

Love that description Tony- that’s a real model railway!

regards Andy R

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6 hours ago, Jesse Sim said:

Those 14 inches really let it down for me, every time I walk in, it just disappoints me. Everything else is okay…but… shame.  
 

If 14 inches really let’s you down, then you are really being picky. Most would not complain about 14 inches. 

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1 hour ago, Andy R said:

Love that description Tony- that’s a real model railway!

regards Andy R

 

Thanks Andy.

 

I still pinch myself when I go into the shed and see my all time favourite layout waiting there for me.

 

I am a lucky bloke!

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16 hours ago, t-b-g said:

 

I have seen rather too many modellers get excellent results using methods, tools and techniques that are not the same as mine to ever think that I know all the answers.

 

It is more of an attitude problem that I detect and dislike sometimes. It is the "My way is the only right way" when in reality, there are usually several different approaches that will all work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Tony,

 

I don't think I suggested that I know all the answers. I know some; which work for me, and I've shown them to others, and they work for them, too. 

 

I, too, have seen many models made by different methods from me, and some of them are brilliant (because the methodology is different from mine?). 

 

I never say 'My way is the right way'. Just 'a way'; largely gleaned from others far more able than I'll ever be. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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Not just you Tony. There’s lots of Buckingham fans out there glad this piece of Railway history wasn’t lost and that (hopefully) there will be continuing updates in the shape of articles and videos. 
 

A video of the movements you describe above would keep me riveted to the screen just as the Reverends original video did, which I believe came out in the 80’s but it unfortunately went to the tip as My system was Betamax and when my machine died I wasn’t able to get it repaired. 
 

Brian

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Delighted to report that three more of the locos I illustrated yesterday have now sold. I'll be posting them off this week.

 

Just a few to go now................

 

I'm following the chronology more-carefully now, so apologies if anyone feels they've missed out on an item. 

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8 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

"I prefer to solder these components rather than glue them, and here's why" would work better for me if I were your student.

I take it you've never been a teacher, John?

 

'Do as I say. In time, you'll learn for yourself why' was my philosophy. My 'students' probably learned more by doing the opposite, anyway!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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7 hours ago, Jesse Sim said:

Those 14 inches really let it down for me, every time I walk in, it just disappoints me. Everything else is okay…but… shame.  
 

I can hear Tony now as he’s reading this… “you little little twerp” 

Don't worry Jesse he calls me a lot worse on a regular basis.

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35 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Tony,

 

I don't think I suggested that I know all the answers. I know some; which work for me, and I've shown them to others, and they work for them, too. 

 

I, too, have seen many models made by different methods from me, and some of them are brilliant (because the methodology is different from mine?). 

 

I never say 'My way is the right way'. Just 'a way'; largely gleaned from others far more able than I'll ever be. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

You come pretty close sometimes Tony. When you give your opinions on things like friction fit wheels, there will be people who see what you write and think that they are to be avoided at all costs yet there are plenty of people who get on really well with them.

 

When I am in tutoring mode at Missenden, I tend to suggest a few possible alternatives, then to say which I would choose and why but I like to let people make up their own mind as to which suits them best.

 

It was how I learned to build models. I tried lots of different ways (I still do!) and developed methods that work for me. I never listened to people who told me that there was a "best" way, which happened to be "their way". Some of what I do goes against what a lot of people do. I don't use 145 degree solder unless it is to attach details to something assembled with 60/40 solder. But I know lots of people who do use 145 and are happy with it, so I don't ever tell people not to use it.

 

I even use glue for things like chimneys and domes, as I like the gap filling qualities and the adjustment time that epoxy gives, when many say they should be soldered on. I am not good enough to get the straight first time! 

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1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

I take it you've never been a teacher, John?

Fortunately not.

 

The school teachers, university lecturers and work mentors that I remember most vividly and fondly are those who shared their knowledge with me, not those who just told me what to do. Perhaps that's the reason I became an engineer. An engineer's most important question is "why?" and the second most important is "why not?".

 

33 minutes ago, t-b-g said:

I never listened to people who told me that there was a "best" way, which happened to be "their way".

Quite. I like to tell people what I do, and why, and also what I don't do, and why not.

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I suppose I'm the epitome of 'Marmite Man' to many.

 

I can only advocate the methods which work for me. Methods I've learned from far more-competent modellers than I'll ever be. If I pass on that methodology by 'didactic' means, then that's me.

 

When it comes to my building of locomotives (in OO and EM only), my experiences might be listed thus.........

 

1. I've never found any benefit in compensation/springing of chassis. As long as frames are accurately, jig-assembled, then rigid chassis work just as well, if not better (this includes rigid rods). Having never built anything in P4/S4, I cannot comment from personal experience.

 

2. Though I'm sure others have got on perfectly well with friction-fit drivers, I never have. I've never found a set, be they four-coupled, six-coupled or eight-coupled which exactly match, resulting in wobbling and nodding in motion. Tyres have fallen off and wheels have shifted on their axles under load; having used (literally) thousands of Markits/Romford drivers, I've never encountered such problems (though a few, very old, Romfords have needed a tweak in the lathe in the dim and distant past). 

 

3. I've found .45mm nickel silver wire to be the best form of pick-ups. Significantly (perhaps?), when I've managed to get some of the locos I've sold of late to work properly, it's because I've replaced several phosphor-bronze pick-ups. 

 

4. Most locos I've built for myself (and many for others) have 'live frames', with every non-insulated wheels (bogie/pony/tender as well as drivers) returning the current. With decent track and live-frog points, I've not found the need for tender pick-ups. For DCC-fitted locos, 'dead frames' are probably desirable. I've never had success with the 'American' system of pick-ups.

 

5. At every stage of 'mechanical' construction, I check for good-running - motor/gearbox assembly, bearings, rods, pick-ups, etc, etc. This includes constantly checking bodywork against the frames to check for interference/shorting. Checking for good running means running on the layout, not just pootling along a yard of (dead-straight) test track.

 

6. If a loco is made of brass/nickel silver/white metal, I've found by far the best form of assembly is solder (of different, appropriate melting points). That said, I'll frequently secure chimneys and domes with epoxy - such items are not load-bearing, and it's often impossible to fix them in place by soldering from the inside. 

 

7. Even if a loco is inherently heavy (white metal), I still pack in as much ballast as possible. This is either held in place with solder or epoxy - never water-based glues such as PVA! 

 

8. I never read any kit's instructions, though I might glance at a (decent) drawing.

 

9. Anything I build for anyone else is guaranteed for the rest of my life (though not those built by others which I've fixed).

 

10. Recent experience has taught me that a locomotive kit 'professionally-built' means absolutely nothing! If anything, it probably (almost always) means that it won't work as well as an RTR-equivalent.

 

11. I build by own locos because (in the main) RTR-equivalents won't pull Bytham's trains. 

 

There are probably other points, but I think the main gist can be followed. The principles extolled here are those I advise to all those I've assisted in their locomotive construction, be that on a one-to-one basis here, as a group here, as a tutor at courses, as a speaker at conventions and as a demonstrator at countless model railway shows. 

 

It's up to others if they take any notice (many don't, I'm sure, and enjoy total success; by doing the opposite of what I suggest?), but it's up to those who've built locos following (in the main) my advice to comment personally. Some, no doubt, have had feathers ruffled by my acerbic comments on what they've produced. The fact that they've all (with one exception - my fault in believing I was a good enough teacher) eventually succeeded in making a loco by themselves, which runs well and looks fine is a good enough vindication for me. The delight on faces makes it all worth while..............

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5 hours ago, geoff west said:

Don't worry Jesse he calls me a lot worse on a regular basis.

I do believe we are his naughtiest pupils, he had his hands full that day. Can’t believe it’s going to be almost two years. 

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Last, but by no means least..............

 

99223669_WillsJ69.jpg.7841d66e95a801db6bad1885042780c4.jpg

 

A Wills J69, built by Ray Lightfoot.

 

It certainly isn't on the original Wills white metal lump for a chassis - it looks a scratch-built one to me, especially with the outside brake rigging.

 

It runs well with its MW005 motor and Romford gears (once again, the combination of the day, 40 years ago).

 

Since the type is not available RTR I'm asking £90.00 for it.

 

As usual, please PM me if interested. 

 

All that's left after this is a tender-drive Standard Five, a tender-drive ex-Crosti 9(8)F, an Anchorage K3, an ABS L1 (not the Portescap one) and a DJH A2. I've indicated prices for these already, but if anyone wishes to make me offers, than I'll certainly consider them.

 

Here they are again..........

 

1716010280_73XXX73160.jpg.12f6cc72fa2c2dfc022fb8bdc73068cf.jpg

 

1985794804_modifiedHornby9Fs.jpg.2e913d6cdacc9b81df365c6c1ef7b188.jpg

 

The top one.

 

2074185873_AnchorageK3.jpg.2528d162d93193dd9ba9d393da7b3152.jpg

 

407857543_ABSL1s.jpg.28f61cd75ba33370ae8af444ff98628d.jpg

 

The top one.

 

1843263722_A260528.jpg.ce48de79715db6ab12e54332c2b6ca47.jpg

 

It's a fortnight to the day since I collected the 50-odd locos, so my most grateful thanks to all who've bought them. You'll make a pair of daughters and CRUK very happy. 

 

 

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5 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

 

The school teachers, university lecturers and work mentors that I remember most vividly and fondly are those who shared their knowledge with me, not those who just told me what to do.

Isn't there a saying / mantra along the lines of:

'Tell me - I'll forget;

Show me - I'll remember;

Involve me - I'll learn'

 

Edited by LNER4479
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1 hour ago, LNER4479 said:

Isn't there a saying / mantra along the lines of:

'Tell me - I'll forget;

Show me - I'll remember;

Involve me - I'll learn'

 

Or, in my case.........

 

'Tell me - I'll not understand;

show me - I'll not pay attention;

involve me - you'll wish you hadn't'

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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6 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Isn't there a saying / mantra along the lines of:

'Tell me - I'll forget;

Show me - I'll remember;

Involve me - I'll learn'

 

Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day.

Teach a man to fish and he'll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

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1 hour ago, sandra said:

Tony,

 

The fitting of signals at Retford is continuing although there five or six still to go. Yesterday Andrew Hartshorne installed the latest signal which has four somersault arms which allow exit from the goods yard to the up main or to the up platform line.

F4B0EFE1-4171-40B3-B5B9-8DFC24363648.jpeg.b7b48dbd51eb7c21b6de50beaaad77a8.jpegHere is the new signal which is signalled to allow the J39 to leave the yard on to the up main line.

 

The signal was built by Graham Nicholas who has made a marvellous job of its construction and it works beautifully having been installed by Andrew Hartshorne of Wizard Models. The four arms all work and are powered by servos. 1B47343E-CD83-45B0-93DC-AE6A6D3B5415.jpeg.0b62ed3fe37f64357eec759ac2e096c5.jpegThis is a view of the signal from the other side. I believe that the original of this signal was the last surviving somersault signal at Retford for it was still there after the flat crossing was abolished and the underpass built.

 

Robert Carroll and me ran the full sequence of trains today and whilst there were a couple of glitches the railway worked quite well. The major problems were caused by operator errors, particularly by me. I will eventually get the hang of the layout’s many foibles.
 

I wish to thank both Graham and Andrew for all their hard work in building and installing the somersault signal which I think is a great piece of work.

 

Sandra

 

That looks great Sandra.

 

It is interesting to see a tender first working. I once had a chat with Roy about perhaps including a tender first working into the sequence but had no joy whatsoever. His argument was that he never saw one so he didn't want one on the layout but I was pretty sure they must have happened sometimes. So I am pleased that it has now happened on the layout. 

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My apologies to those who've missed out on the J69.

 

It sold very quickly. Which rather suggests it's a popular type.

 

What I've tried to do with pricing all these locos (as I hope folk are aware) is see if there is an RTR equivalent, find out how much it costs (second-hand in some cases) and try to get near to that. Obviously, if a loco is Portescap-powered or can motor/gearbox-powered, I've asked a bit more. I've also asked more if there is no RTR equivalent (an O4/8, for instance). The highest price achieved has been £200.00 (for an A1, A2 and the W1) and the lowest £25.00 (for a 'dud' Austerity), with everything else in between. Rather more than £7.00 each I'm glad to say!

 

Though, as I've intimated, I cannot guarantee any of these locos, I have checked them all, adjusted what's necessary and cleaned and oiled them. 

 

May I please thank again all those folk who've bought them (and are buying them) and are very happy with them?

 

Just three to go now............

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13 hours ago, zr2498 said:

I believe the Tyne Dock conversion will also need the tender changing / converting to a BR1B type

image.png.c37b12ee587001b6b93c3d56d3b587c4.png

Thanks Dave,

 

The tender body has been changed (to a Dave Alexander, cast metal one by the look), which is at least the right shape (is it the coal division plate's position which is different?). 

 

I think the conversion was practicable at £60.00. To get it 'dead right' would have meant it (potentially) costing more, and the end product would not be worth that.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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