Wright writes.....

[Tony Wright]

9 minutes ago, josephmarsh said:

Hi, New to this and not sure how to reach you.

I bought a metal kit of an engine that ran at Round Oak Steel Works in the late 60s. I'm getting nowhere building it and after getting no reply from a local model club i'm stuck.

Seeing you Right Track dvds and then today seeing you show what you'd been doing during lockdown I wondered if you could help and at what cost.

The engine is a Judith Edge Kit of a Yorkshire Engine  DE2 060 diesel, please see pictures.

If i sent the kit to you could you build and paint it ready for a DCC chip, I have a motor, though you would probably know of a better item.

Yes I know what i'm asking you to do, but after paying £50 for a box of bits, It's just sitting there doing nothing.

Parts of the main body, chassis and cab have been soldered together, I just cant work out what part is what and don't have the skill to do anything else.

The pictures are of the kit built by Judith Edge, I only built part of the chassis sub frame, second picture is it finished and 3rd is real engine at R O Steel works 

Please give me some idea of the cost.

Kindest regards

Joseph Marsh

Good afternoon Joseph,

 

I assume the question is asked of me?

 

I don't do building commissions any more, so I'm afraid I won't take it on.

 

I know Mike Edge reads this thread (as do other professional builders). Perhaps Mike or one of the others will PM you.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[MJI]

14 minutes ago, josephmarsh said:

Hi, New to this and not sure how to reach you.

I bought a metal kit of an engine that ran at Round Oak Steel Works in the late 60s. I'm getting nowhere building it and after getting no reply from a local model club i'm stuck.

Seeing you Right Track dvds and then today seeing you show what you'd been doing during lockdown I wondered if you could help and at what cost.

The engine is a Judith Edge Kit of a Yorkshire Engine  DE2 060 diesel, please see pictures.

If i sent the kit to you could you build and paint it ready for a DCC chip, I have a motor, though you would probably know of a better item.

Yes I know what i'm asking you to do, but after paying £50 for a box of bits, It's just sitting there doing nothing.

Parts of the main body, chassis and cab have been soldered together, I just cant work out what part is what and don't have the skill to do anything else.

The pictures are of the kit built by Judith Edge, I only built part of the chassis sub frame, second picture is it finished and 3rd is real engine at R O Steel works 

Please give me some idea of the cost.

Kindest regards

Joseph Marsh

 

 

What you need to do is learn to DIY.

 

When things return to normal book on a course in loco construction.

 

There are some out there and it will be cheaper than paying someone to build it.

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, MJI said:

 

 

What you need to do is learn to DIY.

 

When things return to normal book on a course in loco construction.

 

There are some out there and it will be cheaper than paying someone to build it.

A laudable aim, Martin,

 

However, how many out there can actually build metal locomotive kits? And, not only build, but to a standard that ensures excellent running qualities and with a paint finish which doesn't resemble tar? 

 

From my experience, fewer that ten percent of those who actually start them. There are at least nine times more grotty or abandoned kit-built locos out there than any which are finished to a 'reasonable' standard. Just look (not that I do) on ebay or (when you can) some of the second-hand stalls at shows.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[CF MRC]

3 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

In an example of cross-thread fertilisation, mention has been made on Brighton Junction about representing burnt areas on cuttings and embankments caused by steam locos throwing out glowing coals. 

 

I represented such a feature on Stoke Summit................

 

 

It can be seen just above the chimney of this A1.

 

 

And ahead of this B1.

 

 

And to the left in this shot.

 

All I did was pluck out any applied 'vegetation' and then use various shades of acrylics, dabbed on. 

 

Has anyone else represented this once-common feature? 

 

 

Yes, we had it on Chiltern Green. 
 

Tim

[MJI]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

A laudable aim, Martin,

 

However, how many out there can actually build metal locomotive kits? And, not only build, but to a standard that ensures excellent running qualities and with a paint finish which doesn't resemble tar? 

 

From my experience, fewer that ten percent of those who actually start them. There are at least nine times more grotty or abandoned kit-built locos out there than any which are finished to a 'reasonable' standard. Just look (not that I do) on ebay or (when you can) some of the second-hand stalls at shows.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

But the Edge kits are not too bad to do. I still have a bind to sort may be a bad wheel. But the body almost fell together.

 

I do think a course is worth trying for them.

 

Tempted to strip back stick on jig and refit the lot.

[FarrMan]

4 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Which video is that, Lloyd?

 

Whichever it is, the automatic subtitles are nothing to do with me. From my experience, they're hopeless.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Tony

 

Kit built model Locomotives. 

 

Lloyd

[FarrMan]

5 hours ago, Bucoops said:

 

I suspect it won't be as fun?!

But it will make sense!

 

Lloyd

[robertcwp]

10 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Interesting.

 

The DMs only ran on a Saturday in the summer of 1958, working a Peterborough-Lincoln service along the main line as far as Barkston, thence along the foot of the escarpment to Lincoln, calling at all stations. With the closure of the intermediate stations in 1959, the service was not repeated.

 

Peter Coster relates travelling in one unit, which was a Cravens type (which I have). Anecdotal evidence suggests any other units were Derby 'Lightweights' (which Ian Wilson has). 

 

Is there any hard photographic evidence showing these DMUs on the main line? One used to run on High Dyke, but I can't remember which sort.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

I don't recall seeing a photo of one on the main line but there were three sorts of DMU associated with local services in the Lincoln area. The early Derby Lightweight units were first but they had all moved away from Lincoln by mid-1957. Next came the long-frame Derby Heavyweight units, later Class 114. They were supplemented by Cravens units from 1958. I found this when looking at what DMUs might have appeared at Retford in the summer of 1957 and it was between the DLWs going and the Cravens coming, so only 114s (as they became) if they were from Lincoln depot.

 

E50008_Grantham by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

[Headstock]

10 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

Andrew,

 

A simple ‘like’ isn’t sufficient for that piece. It’s that sort of research and subsequent modelling which makes LSGC the inspiration that it is (to me at least). Thanks for posting.

 

Andy

 

Thanks Andy,

 

my final passenger trains are approaching a rather protracted completion date.

 The 7.45 pm Rugby Leicester ECS. This was the return working of the 5.20 pm Nottingham Rugby ordinary passenger train. On reaching Leicester it would form the 9.55 pm Leicester Nottingham service. These five sets were the most typical of the non gangway formations operating in the area. They were early recipients of Thompson CL's but their most distinctive feature was the big ex GC matchboard BT (7). More Thompson carriages were allocated to the sets in the early fifties, displacing earlier types, they didn't last long. The boom in post war train travel was coming to and end and the sets were re formatted with three carriages, retaining the big GC brakes but loosing the 8 compartment thirds. The train has run once before the pandemic as a three set. I'm hopeful it will run again in a completed form, including a new locomotive.

 

 

Going through the paint shop at the moment is the second of two dia 210 twin's. This is the last vehicle for the 12.03 pm Leicester Rugby ordinary passenger train. The two dia. 210 twins in this train, made the types only  appearance south of Leicester on this out and back working. The first twin has made one successful exhibition outing, as part of a formation representing the service after the break up of the twin sets.

 

A couple of locomotives will be required for the above and an eight coupled heavy freight for the Steel train. I'm hoping that one day SMRS will hold an exhibition and LSGC will get another run, in the meantime, I might as well keep building. There is always South of Leicester South GC, only a couple of hundred PO mineral wagons are required for that one. Apparently PO wagons are far more complicated than passenger train formations.
 

 

[Chas Levin]

22 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Evening Tony et al.

 

You might remember this?

 

 

'Build a coach in a day' (Boxing Day). Well, it wasn't all done in a day ... but it is now finished:

 

 

Only another nine more to build!

Lovely coach - thank you for the update; I'd wondered the other day where you were at with it.

[Chas Levin]

7 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

In an example of cross-thread fertilisation, mention has been made on Brighton Junction about representing burnt areas on cuttings and embankments caused by steam locos throwing out glowing coals. 

 

I represented such a feature on Stoke Summit................

 

 

It can be seen just above the chimney of this A1.

 

 

And ahead of this B1.

 

 

And to the left in this shot.

 

All I did was pluck out any applied 'vegetation' and then use various shades of acrylics, dabbed on. 

 

Has anyone else represented this once-common feature? 

 

 

Good evening Tony, I think that's a really interesting and well observed feature, very nice touch!

[jrg1]

11 hours ago, MJI said:

 

I was looking at 114s

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_114

Couldn't find class 114 ECML workings in my files, but Cravens units worked out of KX on Grimsby trains.

[Jol Wilkinson]

4 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

A laudable aim, Martin,

 

However, how many out there can actually build metal locomotive kits? And, not only build, but to a standard that ensures excellent running qualities and with a paint finish which doesn't resemble tar? 

 

From my experience, fewer that ten percent of those who actually start them. There are at least nine times more grotty or abandoned kit-built locos out there than any which are finished to a 'reasonable' standard. Just look (not that I do) on ebay or (when you can) some of the second-hand stalls at shows.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

Tony,

 

why is that? Probably because people don't invest enough in  learning but rush straight in. Add to that the British preoccupation with doing things on the cheap, so they don't buy the correct/best tools for the job.

 

 

There is a vast source of good information available thorough printed media and clubs/societies. The larger regional or scale society shows are a great place to get practical first hand advice. So is social media but you have to be a bit careful in sorting the wheat from the chaff. People are also impatient and instead of starting with something of a low difficulty level it is too often straight in with the unsuitable for beginners etched kit for a large tender loco with outside valve gear. Whatever you start with, take your time, don't rush it an seek appropriate advice if you need to. I think I can make models that run well and look okay but it took me quite a while to get there, with good advice and guidance. For me the turning point was joining a scale Society and regularly meeting accomplished, helpful, modellers as a result. The kit's and bits suppliers at shows are also, with only a very few exceptions in my experience, very helpful. They are in it for the long haul and would rather have satisfied customers who come back, so will offer sound advice about their products.

 

 

I've seen beautiful brush painted finishes although for many models an aerosol paint will produce very good results. If you want a particular livery you can find recommendations for close matching car colours. Some companies such as Express Paints offer a paint matching service from a sample, so  get a tin of PPP paint of the particular colour, paint out a sample and send it off to get an aerosol made up.

 

Ultimately it comes down to how much the individual wants something, the time and effort they are willing to put in and the advice/guidance/information they get along the way. It is a challenge, but one that provides pleasure and satisfaction.

 

Jol

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, robertcwp said:

I don't recall seeing a photo of one on the main line but there were three sorts of DMU associated with local services in the Lincoln area. The early Derby Lightweight units were first but they had all moved away from Lincoln by mid-1957. Next came the long-frame Derby Heavyweight units, later Class 114. They were supplemented by Cravens units from 1958. I found this when looking at what DMUs might have appeared at Retford in the summer of 1957 and it was between the DLWs going and the Cravens coming, so only 114s (as they became) if they were from Lincoln depot.

 

E50008_Grantham by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

Thanks Robert,

 

When was the picture taken, please? 

 

If prior to the late summer of 1959, could it be a stopping service to Peterborough? Or has it terminated, and waits to run across to the Down side?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

5 minutes ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

Tony,

 

why is that? Probably because people don't invest enough in  learning but rush straight in. Add to that the British preoccupation with doing things on the cheap, so they don't buy the correct/best tools for the job.

 

 

There is a vast source of good information available thorough printed media and clubs/societies. The larger regional or scale society shows are a great place to get practical first hand advice. So is social media but you have to be a bit careful in sorting the wheat from the chaff. People are also impatient and instead of starting with something of a low difficulty level it is too often straight in with the unsuitable for beginners etched kit for a large tender loco with outside valve gear. Whatever you start with, take your time, don't rush it an seek appropriate advice if you need to. I think I can make models that run well and look okay but it took me quite a while to get there, with good advice and guidance. For me the turning point was joining a scale Society and regularly meeting accomplished, helpful, modellers as a result. The kit's and bits suppliers at shows are also, with only a very few exceptions in my experience, very helpful. They are in it for the long haul and would rather have satisfied customers who come back, so will offer sound advice about their products.

 

 

I've seen beautiful brush painted finishes although for many models an aerosol paint will produce very good results. If you want a particular livery you can find recommendations for close matching car colours. Some companies such as Express Paints offer a paint matching service from a sample, so  get a tin of PPP paint of the particular colour, paint out a sample and send it off to get an aerosol made up.

 

Ultimately it comes down to how much the individual wants something, the time and effort they are willing to put in and the advice/guidance/information they get along the way. It is a challenge, but one that provides pleasure and satisfaction.

 

Jol

I don't know if I have any answers, Jol,

 

Though you're right about people jumping in and choosing a full-blown Pacific for their first loco build. 

 

I'm just told by most of the kit manufacturers that most of the locos they sell are never finished. Or, if they are, they're a mess! Dave Ellis once thought of issuing an 'amnesty', where all the 'tons' of metal could be returned (that's not to imply that SEF kits are difficult, because it's true of others). 

 

I only know that I've seen hundreds of 'tales of woe'. Many are brought to me at shows (or were), or second-hand traders will call me over to see what they've got 'under the table'. Part-built loco kits are not their staple business. 

 

At the risk of sounding mercenary, rarely am I asked a great deal and since the majority are (badly) glued together, they can be rebuilt after a night's bath in Nitromores. Several of Little Bytham's locos have originated that way. 

 

But you're right about the pleasure and satisfaction in eventually finishing off a loco kit, knowing that it works and looks presentable. I know it's been said many times, but to be able to state 'I made that' is priceless.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[robertcwp]

12 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Robert,

 

When was the picture taken, please? 

 

If prior to the late summer of 1959, could it be a stopping service to Peterborough? Or has it terminated, and waits to run across to the Down side?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

No date was supplied with the negative. The unit's condition, with chevrons and overhead warning flash, suggests late 1950s, as they had neither when first outshopped. No driver and no visible passengers suggest it's terminated but there is no tail lamp either. Destination shown is Lincoln Central, not that that is any guide.

[great central]

7 hours ago, robertcwp said:

No date was supplied with the negative. The unit's condition, with chevrons and overhead warning flash, suggests late 1950s, as they had neither when first outshopped. No driver and no visible passengers suggest it's terminated but there is no tail lamp either. Destination shown is Lincoln Central, not that that is any guide.

Having spent quite a bit of time at Grantham as a youngster, I recall that any trains coming in from the north on the main line terminated in P2 and shunted across to the down side.

I don't recall P1 ever being used, always having vans of various types parked in there all day.

 

Edit: probably the routine was unchanged from when the service was steam operated.

Edited January 29, 2021 by great central
Add last paragraph

[jrg1]

8 hours ago, robertcwp said:

No date was supplied with the negative. The unit's condition, with chevrons and overhead warning flash, suggests late 1950s, as they had neither when first outshopped. No driver and no visible passengers suggest it's terminated but there is no tail lamp either. Destination shown is Lincoln Central, not that that is any guide.

This looks like the shuttle to and from Lincoln via Honington to connect with the London trains.  The Derby Lightweights moved away from the Lincoln area when the Class 114s were introduced, but I recollect seeing a set at Lincoln St Marks in 1960.

[FarrMan]

My memories of Grantham are from the early 1960's. I think the Lincoln trains were DMUs by then, but the Nottingham trains were still steam hauled at first, before changing over to DMU's with a speeded up timetable. I don't recall ever seeing a DMU heading South from Grantham.

 

Lloyd 

[MJI]

11 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

I don't know if I have any answers, Jol,

 

Though you're right about people jumping in and choosing a full-blown Pacific for their first loco build. 

 

I'm just told by most of the kit manufacturers that most of the locos they sell are never finished. Or, if they are, they're a mess! Dave Ellis once thought of issuing an 'amnesty', where all the 'tons' of metal could be returned (that's not to imply that SEF kits are difficult, because it's true of others). 

 

I only know that I've seen hundreds of 'tales of woe'. Many are brought to me at shows (or were), or second-hand traders will call me over to see what they've got 'under the table'. Part-built loco kits are not their staple business. 

 

At the risk of sounding mercenary, rarely am I asked a great deal and since the majority are (badly) glued together, they can be rebuilt after a night's bath in Nitromores. Several of Little Bytham's locos have originated that way. 

 

But you're right about the pleasure and satisfaction in eventually finishing off a loco kit, knowing that it works and looks presentable. I know it's been said many times, but to be able to state 'I made that' is priceless.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

Hello Tony

 

I am scared of soldering some models, there said it, but I am pretty good at electrical soldering.

 

I can solder brass happily, MJT bogies, Mousa sides and scratch ends, Worsley bodies, JE shunters, a Westward Inspection saloon.

 

My method may get people laughing but I use electrical solder for the main structures and lower melting point (17something I think) for later bits.

 

But put lumps of white metal in front of me and I panic. The above Mousa sided carriage the bogie side frames are epoxied to the MJT bogie.

 

However I am happy to ask for advice, chatted to quite a few other modellers in my time.

[Tony Wright]

I've been asked by an author to provide model railway images relating to the Midland Railway. 

 

It's been great fun delving into the archive.................

 

A small selection.......................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even something from Little Bytham fits.

 

 

Thanks to Tony Gee for bringing this along for photography. 

 

 

[t-b-g]

14 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

I've been asked by an author to provide model railway images relating to the Midland Railway. 

 

It's been great fun delving into the archive.................

 

A small selection.......................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even something from Little Bytham fits.

 

 

Thanks to Tony Gee for bringing this along for photography. 

 

 

 

I just wish I could claim that I had built that last one as it is one of the nicest scratchbuilt wagon models I have seen but it is the work of the late Sid Stubbs. I have quite a number of his carriages and wagons and I am slowly building a layout to the old Manchester EM standards that he and the rest of the highly skilled people there worked to in the early days of EM.

 

The boiler wagon was with me for a short time but the kind chap who let me have the rolling stock wished to keep it as a memento of Sid and he has it now. It was lovely to have the chance to have models by Sid Stubbs photographed by Tony Wright on a layout by Geoff Kent. The discussion about "pedigree" earlier comes to mind!

Edited January 29, 2021 by t-b-g
Spelling

[Compound2632]

The shot of Ambergate is presumably before its change of gauge? 

[Chas Levin]

12 hours ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

... Some companies such as Express Paints offer a paint matching service from a sample, so  get a tin of PPP paint of the particular colour, paint out a sample and send it off to get an aerosol made up...

Thanks for mentioning this Jol: I had no idea this was something that could be done. I'm currently contemplating a reasonably involved paint job and having a base colour in cellulose aerosol would make a big difference.

[D.Platt]

Morning All

May I just put my soldering experiences into the discussions , the first kit I built was a K’s Stanier 2-6-0 in 1978 and with a little help from my brother I managed to complete it and she still running today, this kit was glued together , when DJH brought out the A1 I had to have one , and realised I needed to  learn the art of soldering. 

After building many kits using various soldering irons of different wattage,  my son gave me a temperature controlled soldering station, I said to him what do I need one of these for! Now I can’t do any soldering without using one of these  temperature control stations , you never have to worry about melting white metal again.

 

So I would recommend to anyone who is worried about soldering white metal to invest in one of these  units, another thing you are never too old to learn something new, for years all my soldering I have used coils of BT solder , after reading on the forum of people using 145° solder I have just purchased some for the first time, wish I’d used it years ago for use doing the finer parts on the kits, I will still use the BT solder on the chassis construction, but like I say said  it’s never too late to learn something new.

 

Just a final point, one of my next projects is convert two DJH WDs  I bought off eBay into the Doncaster boilered versions, after seeing an article on the website I bought two copies of MRJ no 118 and 119 , a pleasant surprised was an article on Retford in its early days.

Dennis