Wright writes.....

[Iain.d]

So this is where I’m at recycling two old Hornby Stanier carriages from the 1970s/1980s. In comparison to today’s offerings they are quite basic – not much is needed though to lift and improve them, which could range from a simple repaint through to ditching about 80 percent of it and replacing it with components or scratch building. I did some analysis and the only monetary difference in cost between doing what I do and buying a complete kit (VAT free for me!) really comes down to the cost of the donor coach. I buy them on ebay, usually heavily damaged for a couple of pounds each. If someone like me doesn’t buy them I figure they’ll likely end up as landfill… The main pleasure, that is hard to put a price on, is the enjoyment of the modelling.

 

 

These now represent LMS D2161 Brake Third Corridor carriages. They have Comet bogies, Hornby wheels, scratch built underframes (Eileen’s Emporium 1mm brass angle) and Comet components; even after doing about 60 such builds I still haven’t managed to get the fit of the Comet LMS dynamos right! I cut away much of the carriage side and overlay Comet sides after fitting in door stops, hinges. (from ‘T’ door handles) and droplights (although etched on these sides). I file off the plastic roof vents and replace with the correct style dependant on prototype. I add various bits of detail (filler pipes, gangway suspension brackets, lamp brackets electrical connectors, etc.) from off cuts and leftovers.

 

 

I have to thank Headstock (Andrew) for mentioning some pages back about the sides of these carriages being deeper/lower than others, as a result of the originals’ construction being welded. I did know this, but in my own mind accepted that I would be have been happy just to glue the sides on without modification. But in that spirit or idea of trying to get it right as best I can, and when I can, I did lower the sides. I liquid poly’d some .25mm x .75mm plastic strip below the cantrail and then glued on the sides. The resultant minute gap was filled/smeared with plastic filler and then sanded down. The black bits between the brass and white strip are where the epoxy oozed out of the gap. This was removed with a scalpel before setting hard and smoothed with fine wet and dry wrapped around a small block of wood. The finish looks okay at the moment – I’m sure the paint finish will show imperfections. The pictures are a bit cruel.

 

 

 

They need a final wash and to have the guards duckets fitted. All the handrails (internal and external) have been bent up from .45mm wire and blackened where required. The window glass is cut and black paper folded for gangways. The bogies on the red roofed one are the wrong ends….

 

Most of Australia has Tuesday off, I don’t but have Thursday and Friday instead.  The plan will be to get the roofs painted early on Thursday and mask them on Friday morning and primer the sides. Much of my painting is done early in the morning, while the family is in bed and its probably also as cool as its going to be. Will post some completed pictures.

 

Wow, four posts from me in 24 hrs and three (almost!) in a row on the same page, I need to go and have a lie down….

 

Kind regards,

 

Iain

Edited January 24, 2021 by Iain.d
To add (almost!)

[Richard_A]

5 hours ago, t-b-g said:

 

I think the reference to 3D was about the bricks being embossed rather than any that have been 3D printed. We were talking about Slater's embossed brick sheet.

 

 

There have been many buildings illustrated on here over the years, often with embossed brickwork from Slaters and other sources. It just happened to be mine that you chose to comment about.

 

You are quite right. It does have rounded corners when you view it on a screen many times life sized. When seen on a layout, you can see the colour and you might just pick what sort of bonding has been used but I certainly can't see rounded corners or closer bricks.

 

The Slaters brick has been around for many years now and the tools for embossing it are clearly worn.

 

As Tony W can't recall the box in question I will put a couple of photos up along with a close up of the brickwork that has rounded corners when you view it this big.

 

 

 

Now imagine the number of hours that went into that, including scratchbuilding correct pattern furniture for the interior then putting photos of it up on here to be told by two people that I could have done better on the brickwork! Would that encourage anybody to put any more photos on here?

Quite frankly, I think that is brilliant.

[Bernard Lamb]

Re critical comments.

One day at school I was making a drawing in biology.

The teacher was standing behind me looking over my shoulder.

He very slowly removed his pen knife from his pocket, opened it and speared my note book to the desk while saying very slowly.... That..... is no bloody good.

In an English public school in the 1950s that worked, as it got the attention of all the other boys.

I think it would cause a storm these days.

The teacher left soon after that to become a C of E Vicar.

 

At a much later date I was at a local model railway club exhibition and met up with a very well known model maker. There was an East German layout set in the late 1980s and knowing my connections and knowledge of things East German this chap introduced me to the operators and they asked for my comments. Talk about being put on the spot. All I could say was that they had in general done very well but that the variety of stock was too great. As it was a fictional place and they were trying to convey an image we agreed that they had done an excellent job. However we then discussed a few very minor points and they were quite happy to receive these critical comments.

It is I suppose often a matter of how you say something as much as what you say.

Bernard 

 

 

[t-b-g]

6 hours ago, Iain.d said:

That is just so good!  I think it looks very convincing - especially through the windows. I copied (sorry!) the images to my computer for future reference.

 

I think I 'liked' it first time round - if I didn't, I should have.

 

Kind regards,

 

Iain

 

1 hour ago, rka said:

Quite frankly, I think that is brilliant.

 

Thanks for the kind words. I don't intend building many more 4mm layouts so it may be the last time I build a signalbox in that scale. So as the footballer might say, I left it all on the pitch. I did actually try scribing the bricks but after spending an hour or two and making a mistake that meant I had to start again, I decided that the commercial product was good enough.

 

I will tell a little story about criticism and then I will say no more. The story involves two modellers who are both now no longer with us.

 

Many years ago, a superb modeller named Joe Rowe used to have a demo stand at EXPO EM events. He used to model every detail to perfection. His teak carriages had every underframe detail and the bodies were real varnished wood veneer. His locos were scratchbuilt, with his frames having correct overlapped joints secured with actual rivets.  I was in awe of his talent.

 

One time I visited EXPO EM with the late Malcolm Crawley. Joe Rowe had just finished his latest loco, the Gresley "Hush hush" in original condition. There were quite a few people around the stand when we drooled over it. Malcolm said "Remind me to go back later", which I did. Malcolm very quietly had a word with Joe later to mention that the loco never hauled trains in LNER green livery and that it should really be grey unless Joe wanted to run it in a fictional livery. I recall it may have been green for a short while in the works but didn't run like that in traffic. I hope I have that correct but it was 35 years ago when I was told.

 

He could have broadcast it in front of several people, or he could have done it discreetly and he chose the latter.

 

That was the day I decided that there was a right way and a wrong way to tell somebody if you see something that a modeller has missed or got wrong.

 

Next time we saw Joe, the loco was grey and he thanked Malcolm for his advice and for the way he delivered it.

 

And I thought it was the perfect example of how to give constructive criticism. Give it to the modeller, don't tell the world.

[Chas Levin]

I found myself thinking about the discussion on criticism, less work being shown and peoples' reactions to other folks' projects this morning when I got up, and something occurred to me: might this perhaps be - in part at least - another effect of all the lockdowns and isolation we're enduring?

 

Face to face reactions are generally easier to accept because they can be accompanied by friendly body language and surrounding conversation; without that - especially over a long period - I wonder whether we're becoming more highly sensitised.

 

Forum posts are like texts and emails in that tone can be difficult to judge without those visual clues so it's entirely understandable. Sometimes, when I've wondered how an online comment was intended, I've imagined the person who wrote it standing at a railway show, hands in pockets, twinkle in eye, making the same comment but with a smile, followed by some general encouragement and an offer of a cup of tea: it works for me!

 

The reason I haven't shown anything lately is because I haven't finished anything since the Mousa GNR coach I showed a while back and while it's one thing to fill my own build thread with 'in progress' shots, I tend to think it best to wait until I have something 'substantial' to show on here... but, as there's less on show than usual, I hope this will be of interest:

 

 

It's an LRM C12: chassis largely complete (bar brakes) and currently being worked on to improve the running - it's my first non-rigid build, using a compensation beam on the front driving axle and bogie; body in sub-assemblies (boiler, side-tanks, main cab, bunker etc), some of which are shown here in the process of being taped to the footplate while I experiment with weighting...

 

Hope everyone has an enjoyable Sunday

 

[Chamby]

8 hours ago, Headstock said:

 

Only Gresley managed success in this area before 1930.

 

Gresley and Henry Greenly.

 

In the UK of course.  Although Kitson’s of Leeds we’re building Pacifics for export as early as 1903...  

 

The first Pacific’s to run in Europe were French, around 1907.  British railway companies were very late to that party!

[Chamby]

1 hour ago, t-b-g said:

 

Many years ago, a superb modeller named Joe Rowe used to have a demo stand at EXPO EM events. He used to model every detail to perfection. His teak carriages had every underframe detail and the bodies were real varnished wood veneer. His locos were scratchbuilt, with his frames having correct overlapped joints secured with actual rivets.  I was in awe of his talent.

 

One time I visited EXPO EM with the late Malcolm Crawley. Joe Rowe had just finished his latest loco, the Gresley "Hush hush" in original condition. There were quite a few people around the stand when we drooled over it. Malcolm said "Remind me to go back later", which I did. Malcolm very quietly had a word with Joe later to mention that the loco never hauled trains in LNER green livery and that it should really be grey unless Joe wanted to run it in a fictional livery. I recall it may have been green for a short while in the works but didn't run like that in traffic. I hope I have that correct but it was 35 years ago when I was told.

 

He could have broadcast it in front of several people, or he could have done it discreetly and he chose the latter.

 

That was the day I decided that there was a right way and a wrong way to tell somebody if you see something that a modeller has missed or got wrong.

 

Next time we saw Joe, the loco was grey and he thanked Malcolm for his advice and for the way he delivered it.

 

And I thought it was the perfect example of how to give constructive criticism. Give it to the modeller, don't tell the world.

 

I had the pleasure of knowing Joe Rowe, we attended the same Model Railway club in the 1980’s.  A very humble and talented man, such a nice guy, he was a toolmaker at DeHavilland’s if I recall correctly.  He invited me to drive ‘Hush Hush’ round his loft layout on one occasion, and showed me the working reversing gear (in 4mm), his work was absolutely stunning for its day.  

 

And his wife was as good at making cake for the lads, as he was at modelling! Happy days...

[Tony Wright]

12 hours ago, Chas Levin said:

I think this has to be a purely personal question and based on one's own interests and enjoyment: if it matters to you, or to me, that a particular detail is right and it gives you or me pleasure to research that detail and replicate it accurately on a model, then for us, it does matter, but only to us and only because we care about it. As long as the process gives us enjoyment it's a Good Thing, though if it causes us stress then I would question it: a new diagnosis of 'Finescale Anxiety Syndrome' (FAS), perhaps?

Equally, if you or I run a model on our layouts that is incredibly inaccurate but which we enjoy running (perhaps for sentimental reasons - I have quite a few old RTR items that my dad used to run when I was a kid that definitely fall into this category) then I don't think it does matter at all that they are not to the same standards of fidelity.

Problems occur when one person judges another's activities according to his own criteria ('did you see the width of the splashers on that XYZ7 he was running?!'), but that's another story.

Pursuing perfection is a very widespread human activity and can be very therapeutic. Woody Allen defends the tacked-on happy ending he adds to the play-within-a-film at the end of Annie Hall, by saying that we try to get things to come out perfectly in art because it's so difficult to do so in real life...

A most-interesting post, Chas,

 

Thanks for writing it.

 

On a personal level, I'm not sentimental at all with regard to my model railway stuff. Yes, I've kept some of the older models I've made (which really are not up to the current standards) because it would take so much time to replace them, and upgrading them is probably not worth it. 

 

My brother retained all our boyhood model railway stuff; mainly Tri-ang, with a few Hornby-Dublo two-rail items, but I don't think he ever runs it. 

 

I agree about problems occurring when folk judge something else by a personal (very often different) set of criteria, but isn't this inevitable when models are in the 'public domain'? By that I mean, the press, at shows or online. As long as it's understood that, say, a model is purely for 'fun' and not meant to be taken as accurate or even as a guide to help others, then it doesn't matter, and anyone who is highly-critical of it is a dope in my view.

 

However, if I can use my own work as an example................ I've lost track of the number of locos I've built where I've described their constructions in the press. Hundreds? Possibly. Though I'm always 'riding for a fall' in these matters, I strive to make them as 'accurate' as possible (I've put 'accurate' in speech marks because they're all 'narrow gauge', even the EM and O Gauge ones). I feel there's a great responsibility here, because part of the reason for the articles is to help others in their model-making. Though one should never make a model of a model, detail differences, and an explanation of them are vital for accuracy. Not only that, up to recently (for obvious reasons), I'd often add a tailpiece to the article, such as 'This loco can be seen running at the such and such a show in whatever month'. 

 

This model was a case in point.

 

 

 

I built this from a DJH kit and Geoff Haynes painted it for me. The account of how I built it appeared in the Railway Modeller getting on for a year ago and was a tie-in with the York Show, where Shap was to have been one of the layouts. 

 

It was vital for me to get the details right (an ex-streamlined one, still towing its ex-streamlined tender, etc), not just to please myself but to 'please' Graham Nicholas (who built Shap), and also to please (one hopes) the readers of the mag and the spectators at the show. Not only did it have to look 'right', but to also work as a miniature 'Semi' would. Let's hope in future my 'claims' can be put to the test. 

 

As I say, quite a responsibility, and by putting something like this so much in the public domain, then 'criticism' is to be expected.

 

I think the level of 'criticism' has also increased in more recent times, driven mainly because of incredible advances made in RTR locomotives. 

 

I was lucky late last year to be given a preview of Hornby's forthcoming A2/2. It's such a highly-detailed model that the one I saw, 60505 THANE OF FIFE, can only represent this singular example - it fits none other! Can anyone recall 'critical' reviews from the past where the (unique) position of the dome, the smokebox handrails' fixing positions, the position of the front numberplate and the backing plates behind the sandbox fillers would have been mentioned? 

 

But, that's how it is now, and, once a model (of any kind) is in the public domain, it's automatically going to be subject to 'criticism'.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 24, 2021 by Tony Wright
typo error

[dibateg]

9 hours ago, t-b-g said:

 

I think the reference to 3D was about the bricks being embossed rather than any that have been 3D printed. We were talking about Slater's embossed brick sheet.

 

 

There have been many buildings illustrated on here over the years, often with embossed brickwork from Slaters and other sources. It just happened to be mine that you chose to comment about.

 

You are quite right. It does have rounded corners when you view it on a screen many times life sized. When seen on a layout, you can see the colour and you might just pick what sort of bonding has been used but I certainly can't see rounded corners or closer bricks.

 

The Slaters brick has been around for many years now and the tools for embossing it are clearly worn.

 

As Tony W can't recall the box in question I will put a couple of photos up along with a close up of the brickwork that has rounded corners when you view it this big.

 

 

 

Now imagine the number of hours that went into that, including scratchbuilding correct pattern furniture for the interior then putting photos of it up on here to be told by two people that I could have done better on the brickwork! Would that encourage anybody to put any more photos on here?

That signal box is a splendid model Tony, feel free to make any of the buildings I need for Basford North!

 

Regards

Tony

[t-b-g]

1 minute ago, Chamby said:

 

I had the pleasure of knowing Joe Rowe, we attended the same Model Railway club in the 1980’s.  A very humble and talented man, such a nice guy, he was a toolmaker at DeHavilland’s if I recall correctly.  He invited me to drive ‘Hush Hush’ round his loft layout on one occasion, and showed me the working reversing gear (in 4mm), his work was absolutely stunning for its day.  

 

And his wife was as good at making cake for the lads, as he was at modelling! Happy days...

 

What a lovely memory to have.

 

I think he is the sort of person I would have liked to have known much better than just the couple of minutes at a show once a year. I could have learned a great deal from him. The combination of great talent with humility is one that I really admire.

[Tony Wright]

9 hours ago, t-b-g said:

 

I think the reference to 3D was about the bricks being embossed rather than any that have been 3D printed. We were talking about Slater's embossed brick sheet.

 

 

There have been many buildings illustrated on here over the years, often with embossed brickwork from Slaters and other sources. It just happened to be mine that you chose to comment about.

 

You are quite right. It does have rounded corners when you view it on a screen many times life sized. When seen on a layout, you can see the colour and you might just pick what sort of bonding has been used but I certainly can't see rounded corners or closer bricks.

 

The Slaters brick has been around for many years now and the tools for embossing it are clearly worn.

 

As Tony W can't recall the box in question I will put a couple of photos up along with a close up of the brickwork that has rounded corners when you view it this big.

 

 

 

Now imagine the number of hours that went into that, including scratchbuilding correct pattern furniture for the interior then putting photos of it up on here to be told by two people that I could have done better on the brickwork! Would that encourage anybody to put any more photos on here?

What a wonderful example of model architecture!

[Tony Wright]

16 minutes ago, t-b-g said:

 

What a lovely memory to have.

 

I think he is the sort of person I would have liked to have known much better than just the couple of minutes at a show once a year. I could have learned a great deal from him. The combination of great talent with humility is one that I really admire.

I met Joe on several occasions at shows and was always stunned by the quality of his model-making, particularly his teak carriages. 

 

He showed me a Buffet Car he'd made one day and asked me what I thought of it. I leaned over and whispered in his ear (yes me, whispering!) 'You've got the body on the wrong way round' (the footboards were opposite to what they should have been). He undid four screws, and whipped it through 180 degrees, then thanked me, saying 'It's a pity because someone has just photographed it'. I wonder if the picture ever appeared............

 

There, I can be 'sensitive'.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Ross Natoin]

Hi all,

 

I’ve made a thread regarding this but I was recommended to asks my question here. 

 

I've recently purchased and built an old K33 DJH Peppercorn A2 (old by the kit came with wheels) however sadly the kit came with the wrong fret of Valve gear and Connection rods. The ones supplied are of the K30 Peppercorn A1 kit. 
 

My question is who would be the best supplier of a new fret of valve gear? I’ve tried DJH but as I’m not their customer they probably won’t help me.

 

Here is some pictures of her during the build, please go easy this is only my second locomotive build. I’ve also added a photograph of the issue regarding the difference in the A1 and A2 Connection rods. 
 

The finished Locomotive will be 60527 ‘Sun Chariot’. 
 

Thanks in advance,

 

Ross

[Chas Levin]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

A most-interesting post, Chas,

 

Thanks for writing it.

 

On a personal level, I'm not sentimental at all with regard to my model railway stuff. Yes, I've kept some of the older models I've made (which really are not up to the current standards) because it would take so much time to replace them, and upgrading them is probably not worth it. 

 

My brother retained all our boyhood model railway stuff; mainly Tri-ang, with a few Hornby-Dublo two-rail items, but I don't think he ever runs it. 

 

I agree about problems occurring when folk judge something else by a personal (very often different) set of criteria, but isn't this inevitable when models are in the 'public domain'? By that I mean, the press, at shows or online. As long as it's understood that, say, a model is purely for 'fun' and not meant to be taken as accurate or even as a guide to help others, then it doesn't matter, and anyone who is highly-critical of it is a dope in my view.

 

However, if I can use my own work as an example................ I've lost track of the number of locos I've built where I've described their constructions in the press. Hundreds? Possibly. Though I'm always 'riding for a fall' in these matters, I strive to make them as 'accurate' as possible (I've put 'accurate' in speech marks because they're all 'narrow gauge', even the EM and O Gauge ones). I feel there's a great responsibility here, because part of the reason for the articles is to help others in their model-making. Though one should never make a model of a model, detail differences, and an explanation of them are vital for accuracy. Not only that, up to recently (for obvious reasons), I'd often add as a tailpiece to the article the likes of 'This loco can be seen running at the such and such show in whatever month'. 

 

This model was a case in point.

 

 

 

I built this from a DJH kit and Geoff Haynes painted it for me. THe account of how I built it appeared in the Railway Modeller getting on for a year ago and was a tie-in with the York Show, where Shap was to have been one of the layouts. 

 

It was vital for me to get the details right (an ex-streamlined one, still towing its ex-streamlined tender, etc), not just to please myself but to 'please' Graham Nicholas (who built Shap), and also to please (one hopes) the readers of the mag and the spectators at the show. Not only did it have to look 'right', but to also work as a miniature 'Semi' would. Let's hope in future my 'claims' can be put to the test. 

 

As I say, quite a responsibility, and by putting something like this so much in the public domain, then 'criticism' is to be expected.

 

I think the level of 'criticism' has also increased in more recent times, driven mainly because of incredible advances made in RTR locomotives. 

 

I was lucky late last year to be given a preview of Hornby's forthcoming A2/2. It's such a highly-detailed model that the one I saw, 60505 THANE OF FIFE, can only represent this singular example - it fits none other! Can anyone recall 'critical' reviews from the past where the (unique) position of the dome, the smokebox handrails' fixing positions, the position of the front numberplate and the backing plates behind the sandbox fillers would have been mentioned? 

 

But, that's how it is now, and, once a model (of any kind) is in the public domain, it's automatically going to be subject to 'criticism'.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

 

Good morning Tony, I should have said that I was thinking mainly of 'private' modelling, for one's own enjoyment, when I wrote about the reasons for pursuing (or sidestepping) perfection. You make a very good point about the wider context of your work however, and I'd agree that people who often make models (or write) for publications or instructional use, are under a different type of pressure to get things right.

 

I'd also agree that the publishing of photos and instructional descriptions of models in a book or magazine, or on an established publisher's website - or the exhibiting of those models on a high-profile public exhibition layout - is different to uploading photos on a forum thread, though both activities are technically in the public domain.

 

Hopefully we're all singing from the same hymn-sheet really though, aren't we? That constructive criticism makes us better modellers, even if it sometimes discomforts us in the process .

Edited January 24, 2021 by Chas Levin
Edited to make the last sentence seem (hopefully) less preachy

[t-b-g]

40 minutes ago, dibateg said:

That signal box is a splendid model Tony, feel free to make any of the buildings I need for Basford North!

 

Regards

Tony

 

I don't think there is anything in that signal box that you couldn't do Tony. Mind you, that is a big layout you are building so perhaps a bit of help would speed things along. If I didn't have so much on already, I would be highly tempted. That is a cracking project as far as I am concerned and the sort of thing it would be a real honour to have contributed to.  

 

 

[BMacdermott]

Hello Tony and everyone

 

Having just revisited Archie’s video on page 2200 and watched the shunting of the freight train, I remembered that you aren’t a shunting fan (so to speak) – looking at the video about 10 minutes in, you remark about picking up ‘your choice’ of wagons.

 

Nothing wrong with that; it’s your railway and you run it your way!

 

However, I know that you have visitors who do like ‘proper shunting’, so they – and other readers here – may like to see my system. As you know, I have an eye level layout which has a goods yard probably 50% the size of Little Bytham, so my system would need a little adaptation to suit and I’ll make some suggestions later in this text.

 

My lower layout has six long ‘sorting sidings’ – as opposed to a goods yard per se – as well as multiple cyclic diagrams of passenger and parcels trains which work to a different ‘system’. I will outline those in another post if anyone so wishes.

 

The photo below shows my Shunting Instructions. On the ‘real railway’ during your time-frame, wagons were ordered or despatched as required by the relevant freight authority. My chart below simulates this as it ‘makes me’ shunt to order as opposed to whim or fancy.

 

 

Let’s say your freight arrived at 10.05am. It was moving to your right (which might be called Down, North, Up, East etc). Reference to the time column 01-10 (minutes past any hour) shows that I must drop off the first four wagons of our train – I make the assumption that ‘the yard in rear’ has kindly placed them at the head for me!

 

These four wagons would be shunted to suitable locations: Cattle Wagons to cattle dock; Containers to crane; etc. The column ‘Collect’ instructs me to collect Wooden Vans, Cattle Wagons and Open Wagons such as may be to hand; if none are to hand, then so be it, you can’t/don’t collect.

 

Working out how to get all the inbounds in the ‘right places’ and all the outbounds behind the tender can take a lot of head scratching – but that is the fun and realistic part of the operation! The random method means that you sometimes get a very long train and, conversely, there are days when you might end up with just a simple Engine & Brake Van.

 

At Little Bytham, the term Wooden Vans might be split up as:

Wooden Vans (Fitted)

Wooden Vans (Unfitted)

Wooden Vans (Sliding Door)

Plywood Vans etc

 

You could do the same with Cattle:

LNER types

GWR types

MR types etc

 

And Opens might be:

Loaded Opens

Sheeted Opens

5-plank Opens

Steel-sided Opens etc

 

My view is that shunting to a system is far more challenging and realistic than simply ‘shuffling things around’, so I have added my italics to Headstock’s strapline:

 

Rule one, the right loco, on the right train, in the right location, doing what it is rightly supposed to do.

 

Many of you here love to ‘make things’ and that is laudable…but I love to ‘run things’.

 

That is where I get my pleasure!

 

Finally, in these lockdown times, I see and hear of many people who say they are 'bored' or 'have nothing to do'. Aren't we lucky - as a railway modelling community - that we have so much to get on with? 

 

Brian

[gr.king]

30 minutes ago, Ross Natoin said:

Hi all,

 

I’ve made a thread regarding this but I was recommended to asks my question here. 

 

I've recently purchased and built an old K33 DJH Peppercorn A2 (old by the kit came with wheels) however sadly the kit came with the wrong fret of Valve gear and Connection rods. The ones supplied are of the K30 Peppercorn A1 kit. 
 

My question is who would be the best supplier of a new fret of valve gear? I’ve tried DJH but as I’m not their customer they probably won’t help me.

 

Here is some pictures of her during the build, please go easy this is only my second locomotive build. I’ve also added a photograph of the issue regarding the difference in the A1 and A2 Connection rods. 
 

The finished Locomotive will be 60527 ‘Sun Chariot’. 
 

Thanks in advance,

 

Ross

 

Hello Ross,

 

I have not tried to substitute the parts myself, but others on here may confirm or contradict my suggestion: Perhaps the South Eastern Finecast A2 valve gear is adaptable to suit the DJH model? SE Finecast items have usually been available separately from the full kits, at reasonable prices. I think the A2 valve gear comes as part of an etch including the connecting rods, coupling roads and the central portion of the main chassis frames.

Edited January 24, 2021 by gr.king

[CF MRC]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

I met Joe on several occasions at shows and was always stunned by the quality of his model-making, particularly his teak carriages. 

 

He showed me a Buffet Car he'd made one day and asked me what I thought of it. I leaned over and whispered in his ear (yes me, whispering!) 'You've got the body on the wrong way round' (the footboards were opposite to what they should have been). He undid four screws, and whipped it through 180 degrees, then thanked me, saying 'It's a pity because someone has just photographed it'. I wonder if the picture ever appeared............

 

There, I can be 'sensitive'.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

We used to rag Joe about his wall papered teak coaches in the MRC and 5516 Group.  He was very possessive of the source of the paper-backed veneer, but was mortally offended when he had offered to make some for Pendon and they rejected him. The Hush Hush was a tour-de-force and I remember being particularly impressed with its working leaf springs.  He was always willing to give advice on techniques and problems, which I found particularly helpful, but I don’t think he he suffered fools gladly.
 

On a totally different note, and this is probably not the best place to put this, but the MRC has been asked to find a home for this:

https://www.themodelrailwayclub.org/vintage-o-gauge-layout-for-sale/

Not my scene at all, but a wonderfully evocative time capsule. 
 

Tim

 

 

[Chas Levin]

46 minutes ago, BMacdermott said:

Snip...

 

Finally, in these lockdown times, I see and hear of many people who say they are 'bored' or 'have nothing to do'. Aren't we lucky - as a railway modelling community - that we have so much to get on with? 

 

Brian

Hello Brian, very much enjoyed your description of your shunting procedure - I must admit my running activities are nowhere near as organised, though I am moving towards more of a system.

 

Very much in agreement with your last sentence, though I don't see this as something new to lockdown. I'm always quietly (and hopefully invisibly?) surprised when anyone says they're bored or have nothing to do. Today's world is positively swarming with fascinating activities - everything from reading a book to writing one, building a loco to driving one, so I do wonder how so many people fail to find anything to interest them.

 

I know many specialist activities can seem intimidating to the uninitiated - not least parts of this one - but even so... It can't entirely be the slyly seductive lure of shopping, or the pleasant brain-fogging of long bouts of television either, can it (though those things clearly do claim millions of victims worldwide every day).

 

I think some of it's to do with forming habits, and with repeating posivite reinforcement in response to certain behaviour. I'm not about to get all psycho-whatever-istic here: what I mean is that if you persist in trying to do something difficult, while you may not get so much pleasure from it at first, the satisfaction level grows with each completed task. But, experiencing that requires a certain amount of discipline: to begin at all, to carry on through adverse results, to resist binge-watching another boxed set of 'Police Formulaic Procedural 19' or whatever it is.

 

Hm: am I in danger of lapsing into 'when I was a lad all we had was a ball and a stick...' territory?

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, Ross Natoin said:

Hi all,

 

I’ve made a thread regarding this but I was recommended to asks my question here. 

 

I've recently purchased and built an old K33 DJH Peppercorn A2 (old by the kit came with wheels) however sadly the kit came with the wrong fret of Valve gear and Connection rods. The ones supplied are of the K30 Peppercorn A1 kit. 
 

My question is who would be the best supplier of a new fret of valve gear? I’ve tried DJH but as I’m not their customer they probably won’t help me.

 

Here is some pictures of her during the build, please go easy this is only my second locomotive build. I’ve also added a photograph of the issue regarding the difference in the A1 and A2 Connection rods. 
 

The finished Locomotive will be 60527 ‘Sun Chariot’. 
 

Thanks in advance,

 

Ross

Good afternoon Ross,

 

In fairness, unless you bought the kit from DJH directly, the firm is unlikely to replace the valve gear fret.

 

Was the kit complete and untouched when you started it? The reason I ask this is because (if it's second hand) many modellers will 'beg, steal and borrow' from various kits in their possession (I do it all the time!), mixing and matching as they see fit. The end result, of course, is a muddle if any subsequent kits are then sold on. How do I know? 

 

It's clearly an old kit, judging by the older-style Romford wheels (current DJH kits do not come with wheels).

 

One avenue worth exploring might be to buy a valve gear fret for an A2 from South Eastern Finecast. I would hope the rods would match. Be aware, though, that SEF has now been sold to Squires and there might be a delay in supply. Phoning the old SEF number at Forest Row currently will redirect you to Squires.

 

Would you mind sending me a PM with your details, please? I'll see what I can do.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Edit. I've just read Graeme King's post. 

Edited January 24, 2021 by Tony Wright
to add something

[Ross Natoin]

1 hour ago, gr.king said:

 

Hello Ross,

 

I have not tried to substitute the parts myself, but others on here may confirm or contradict my suggestion: Perhaps the South Eastern Finecast A2 valve gear is adaptable to suit the DJH model? SE Finecast items have usually been available separately from the full kits, at reasonable prices. I think the A2 valve gear comes as part of an etch including the connecting rods, coupling roads and the central portion of the main chassis frames.

Hi,

 

I have emailed S.E fine cast and I’m just waiting their response. I’ve paired it to a Bachmann A2 and the wheel base is the same as their RTR product so I have been tempted to order the completed assembly and rods from them to fit to the kit.

 

Does that sound like it’ll work?

 

Ross.

[Northmoor]

25 minutes ago, Chas Levin said:

Very much in agreement with your last sentence, though I don't see this as something new to lockdown. I'm always quietly (and hopefully invisibly?) surprised when anyone says they're bored or have nothing to do. Today's world is positively swarming with fascinating activities - everything from reading a book to writing one, building a loco to driving one, so I do wonder how so many people fail to find anything to interest them.

In my experience, adults who complain of getting bored are those who have the most (negative) to say about other people and their hobbies.  It's as if they are blaming the rest of the world for not stimulating them.

 

I cannot recall an occasion as an adult when I've been bored, at least in my spare time (but many times when at work!).  

[D-A-T]

Welcome home. 

[Headstock]

It's been a month since I posted any modelling updates. Unfortunately, I lost the Teflon washer out of my airbrush, which brought everything shuddering to a halt. How something can theoretically land a foot away, yet never be seen again is one of the great mysteries of model railways. It was already a spare, that couldn't be easily replaced during the first lockdown, at least not at reasonable prices. No sooner was that fixed and painting restarted, my camera went on the blink. That is now fixed but I now have a backlog of things to photograph. 

 

Anyway, I shot the dia. 113 full brake this morning, it is now finished, though couplings are not present. More to follow.

 

 

 

And especially for Tony, the back end, the Sheffield portion, of the Northbound SouthYorkshireman. That's all you going to get, it takes quite a bit of time to shoot even half a formation, without a TW set up and locked off camera.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 24, 2021 by Headstock
Upload larger version of SY image

[gr.king]

1 hour ago, Ross Natoin said:

Hi,

 

I have emailed S.E fine cast and I’m just waiting their response. I’ve paired it to a Bachmann A2 and the wheel base is the same as their RTR product so I have been tempted to order the completed assembly and rods from them to fit to the kit.

 

Does that sound like it’ll work?

 

Ross.

 

I think the best course of action is to send a private message to Tony, as per his invitation above. He knows much more about the way the parts of these kits fit together.

I suspect that the visible outer parts of the SEF valve gear will be the easiest parts of the new package to adapt to the DJH loco, and that more ingenuity may be required to adapt the brackets to fit the chassis. Maybe the brackets from the A1 valve gear, that you seem to have, can be combined with the outer parts of the SEF A2 valve gear?

I'll leave the subject to Tony and others now.