Wright writes.....

[gr.king]

Don't worry, after years of dealings with all sorts of people it takes more than that to upset me, but there seemed to be a good opportunity or reason to justify the continued presence of tension lock couplings.

[Bucoops]

Glad that's settled, you could cut the tension with a (lock)knife

 

 

[Tony Wright]

11 hours ago, ecgtheow said:

Gentlemen,

 

What was intended to be a gentle dig at Tony after seeing tension lock couplings on your superb models seems to have upset you, which was certainly not my intention. For that I apologise. Of course tension lock couplings have the advantages you describe & as has been written many times on this blog "each to his own". In retrospect I thought perhaps  rather stupidly that it would be a bit of fun to point out something on Little Bytham that Tony has written about repeatedly that he hates with a vengeance.

 

William

You haven't upset me, William,

 

As I noted, my response was tongue in cheek.

 

I hope it doesn't put off folk making whatever comments they like. I'm reminded of 'free speech' more and more these days, or the erosion of that precious right. I watched a snippet yesterday about some bloke wanting a book banned, when he'd never even read it!

 

Anyway, I have no wish to turn Wright writes into a 'political platform', but, please, all, feel free to comment on whatever you like; as long as it's not a personal 'attack'.

 

As for tension-locks, I'm so adept now at snipping the horrid things off and sending them to the bin, that I never miss! 

 

On a personal note, does none of the locos I showed yesterday interest you?

 

Best regards,

 

Tony. 

[Jeepy]

Good morning Tony, 

 

The J94 interests me very much! 

I also think it's a fair price, however, i can't seem to find £185 anywhere at the moment! 

 

Best wishes, 

 

Jim. 

 

[Jeepy]

2 minutes ago, Jeepy said:

Good morning Tony, 

 

The J94 interests me very much! 

I also think it's a fair price, however, i can't seem to find £185 anywhere at the moment! 

 

Best wishes, 

 

Jim. 

 

That's not to say i shan't be purchasing anything that may become available another time, thank you! 

 

Jim. 

[Bucoops]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

 

 

On a personal note, does none of the locos I showed yesterday interest you?

 

Best regards,

 

Tony. 

 

The j50 looks fantastic but I would have to remove the transfers and re-do them and I haven't the heart to undo such a well applied set of transfers.

[Tony Wright]

Should anyone be interested, I've now glazed the spectacles of the four locos shown yesterday.

[gr.king]

Spurred on by an enquiry I have pointed a compact digital camera with very basic video capability at both the A5 tank engine and the Stirling 0-6-0 goods engine that I took to Tony's on Wednesday , but this time on a demo run on my neglected loft layout. Neither the camera quality, the lighting or the skill of the camera man have done many favours to the result, but it may be better than nothing. I'm not sure that the frame-rate in these videos is high enough to convincingly confirm the slow smooth running abilities of the two locos.
 

Perhaps somebody with better skills and equipment will be in the right place to produce some video clips of these locos in the future, but I'm afraid that won't be at an exhibition (especially a major one) any time soon unless the Covid pandemic almost vanishes or show organisers operate much more rigorous Covid safety rules.

Edited December 11, 2021 by gr.king
Spelling mistake!

[Tony Wright]

Returning to those four locos, though there has been some interest (early doors, as yet), there's been no definite sale. I've been going through the the whole cost of them (approximately).

 

As an example, the Mercian J94 has a price of £70.00 on its box (whether this is current, I don't know). Markits drivers are close to £7.00 per wheel now, so, by the time axles and crankpins are factored in, say £47.00 to put its 'boots' on? What was the last price of a Mashima motor? £20.00? £25.00? And a High-Level 2-stage, 'L'-shaped gearbox? £20.00? 

 

So, I'll be conservative, say around £150.00 for the bits, meaning £35.00 for building it and painting it. Of course, there's an RTR J94 (from two sources?) which will be considerably less than £185.00. Which brings us back to how 'impossible' it now is for kit-manufacturers to compete, at least in terms of price. However, I still come back to the 'feel' of an all-metal locomotive, and, especially, the satisfying 'clunk' as a well-ballasted one runs through pointwork and crossings. 

 

I note that the main difference between a J71 and a J72 appears to be the larger diameter drivers of the former (around 6" - 2mm in 4mm scale). Are there any fundamental differences between the two classes? Of course, there's an RTR J72 (has been for some time), which will be a lot cheaper than the J71 I have on offer (assuming there's no RTR J71). 

 

As for the J50, then Hornby's beats the one on show on price hands down; but it's not metal. 

 

Finally, I doubt if there'll ever be an RTR Y7. 

 

As before, anyone interested, please PM me. 

[Tony Wright]

25 minutes ago, gr.king said:

Spurred on by an enquiry I have pointed a compact digital camera with very basic video capability at both the A5 tank engine and the Stirling 0-6-0 goods engine that I took to Tony's on Wednesday , but this time on a demo run on my neglected loft layout. Neither the camera quality, the lighting or the skill of the camera man have done many favours to the result, but it may be better than nothing. I'm not sure that the frame-rate in these videos is high enough to convincingly confirm the slow smooth running abilities of the two locos.
 

Perhaps somebody with better skills and equipment will be in the right place to produce some video clips of these locos in the future, but I'm afraid that won't be at an exhibition (especial;ly a major one) any time soon unless the Covid pandemic almost vanishes or show organisers operate much more rigorous Covid safety rules.

What a chump I am, Graeme!

 

I should have videoed your locos when you brought them along to LB.

 

Next time.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[JustinDean]

@Tony Wright - I’ve been pondering the J94 since you posted it and your break down of costs have swayed me. I paid £100 for this kit a few months ago and while I still intend to build it you can never have enough J94’s right. I’ll need to give it a re-number to fit my Cromford & High Peak needs but it’s a proper grand little model so I’ll happily buy it. 
Send me a DM and I can sort out payment. 
Cheers

Jay

[Tony Wright]

43 minutes ago, JustinDean said:

@Tony Wright - I’ve been pondering the J94 since you posted it and your break down of costs have swayed me. I paid £100 for this kit a few months ago and while I still intend to build it you can never have enough J94’s right. I’ll need to give it a re-number to fit my Cromford & High Peak needs but it’s a proper grand little model so I’ll happily buy it. 
Send me a DM and I can sort out payment. 
Cheers

Jay

PM sent Jay,

 

Many thanks.

 

By your more up-to-date pricing of the kit itself, it looks like it cost £5.00 to build and paint it. Interesting.

 

It probably means the others are much the same. 

 

Best regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited December 11, 2021 by Tony Wright
to add something

[gr.king]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

What a chump I am, Graeme!

 

I should have videoed your locos when you brought them along to LB.

 

Next time.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

I must be one too, as it never even crossed my mind.

[MJI]

3 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

PM sent Jay,

 

Many thanks.

 

By your more up-to-date pricing of the kit itself, it looks like it cost £5.00 to build and paint it. Interesting.

 

It probably means the others are much the same. 

 

Best regards,

 

Tony. 

Better they go to a caring home than a bin

[Jesse Sim]

7 hours ago, gr.king said:

Spurred on by an enquiry I have pointed a compact digital camera with very basic video capability at both the A5 tank engine and the Stirling 0-6-0 goods engine that I took to Tony's on Wednesday , but this time on a demo run on my neglected loft layout. Neither the camera quality, the lighting or the skill of the camera man have done many favours to the result, but it may be better than nothing. I'm not sure that the frame-rate in these videos is high enough to convincingly confirm the slow smooth running abilities of the two locos.
 

Perhaps somebody with better skills and equipment will be in the right place to produce some video clips of these locos in the future, but I'm afraid that won't be at an exhibition (especially a major one) any time soon unless the Covid pandemic almost vanishes or show organisers operate much more rigorous Covid safety rules.

Hang on, that’s your layout? I’ve watched those videos for so long, I never even knew!! 

[PMP]

7 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

 

As for the J50, then Hornby's beats the one on show on price hands down; but it's not metal. 

 

The Hornby J50 is a mix of plastic and metal build. It weighs nearly 300gms due to a cast chassis block and significant weights within the side tanks. It is one of the recent releases that has actually taken into account the benefit of weight for enhanced performance 

[St Enodoc]

8 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

the satisfying 'clunk' as a well-ballasted one runs through pointwork and crossings

Seriously?

[Tony Wright]

8 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Seriously?

Am I anything but?

 

Yes, the 'solid' sound made by all-metal locomotives and rolling stock as they pass over points and crossings. 

 

It's one of the things which satisfies me a great deal with the running on Little Bytham, and also satisfies visitors if their comments are anything to go by. 

 

It can be heard on some of the videos I've made. 

 

Plastic-bodied locos (no matter how accurate they are) never have that same 'resonance' to me.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

9 hours ago, PMP said:

The Hornby J50 is a mix of plastic and metal build. It weighs nearly 300gms due to a cast chassis block and significant weights within the side tanks. It is one of the recent releases that has actually taken into account the benefit of weight for enhanced performance 

Thanks Paul,

 

There's no doubt that the Hornby J50 is a very fine model.

 

 

Especially when detailed and weathered.

 

This is (I think) Geoff West's work.

 

Years ago, someone brought a much-altered old K's J50 to LB.

 

 

Unfortunately, I can't remember whose this is now.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[Northmoor]

Having seen the videos of LB, I'm even less convinced I want DCC sound.  For a layout where most of the trains are passing at speed, realistic sound would contain very little from the locomotive except when it was probably at a distance that would put it off the scenic part of the layout.  The dominant noise from a passing train is wheel-on-rail and the metal wheeled fleet on LB captures that well.  I've said before that until DCC sound can randomly replicate (different) vehicles passing on a nearby road, birdsong, barking dogs, people's footsteps, railway staff ribbing each other about the football results, wheelflats on rolling stock and any number of other sounds of the real world, I'm not interested.

 

Of course someone will now tell me all that is now possible - I'm sure it is - but (a) it probably costs as much as my entire model railway collection is worth and (b) it still won't replicate temperature and smells (one of the most powerful memory triggers) of the real world.  No, I'm happy to accept my model railway isn't real, I can save money and imagine all the above for myself.

[MJI]

DCC sound to me sounds toy like.

 

I have heard a steam loco with it and it was just as good as the sound on my old Triang Flying Scotsman

[micklner]

6 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

Having seen the videos of LB, I'm even less convinced I want DCC sound.  For a layout where most of the trains are passing at speed, realistic sound would contain very little from the locomotive except when it was probably at a distance that would put it off the scenic part of the layout.  The dominant noise from a passing train is wheel-on-rail and the metal wheeled fleet on LB captures that well.  I've said before that until DCC sound can randomly replicate (different) vehicles passing on a nearby road, birdsong, barking dogs, people's footsteps, railway staff ribbing each other about the football results, wheelflats on rolling stock and any number of other sounds of the real world, I'm not interested.

 

Of course someone will now tell me all that is now possible - I'm sure it is - but (a) it probably costs as much as my entire model railway collection is worth and (b) it still won't replicate temperature and smells (one of the most powerful memory triggers) of the real world.  No, I'm happy to accept my model railway isn't real, I can save money and imagine all the above for myself.

Sound is just a annoying racket on a Steam Loco , totally pointess on its own. What is needed is a decent smoke option, that doesnt look like a wimpy smoky candle with yucky drips !!.

 

Diesels as smoke is not expected (as much),  then sounds when used on Diesel locos blends much better with the model when running , as long as its very quiet !!.

[Compound2632]

10 minutes ago, micklner said:

Diesels as smoke is not expected (as much),  then sounds when used on Diesel locos blends much better with the model when running , as long as its very quiet !!.

 

What? A proper clag generator would be the immediate death of diesel-era layouts at exhibitions.

 

The exhaust from steam engines is purity itself by comparison; more so for non-superheated ones running on decent coal with a well-managed fire than for run-down superheated 1950s types.

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Am I anything but?

 

Yes, the 'solid' sound made by all-metal locomotives and rolling stock as they pass over points and crossings. 

 

It's one of the things which satisfies me a great deal with the running on Little Bytham, and also satisfies visitors if their comments are anything to go by. 

 

It can be heard on some of the videos I've made. 

 

Plastic-bodied locos (no matter how accurate they are) never have that same 'resonance' to me.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Perhaps I misunderstood what you mean by "clunk", Tony, but for me if trains clunk over points and crossings there is something wrong with the track and/or the trains. Rattle or clatter, yes, but not clunk.

[micklner]

3 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

What? A proper clag generator would be the immediate death of diesel-era layouts at exhibitions.

 

The exhaust from steam engines is purity itself by comparison; more so for non-superheated ones running on decent coal with a well-managed fire than for run-down superheated 1950s types.

Please note!!

 

I am not supporting very smelly metal boxes in anyway. Simply the noise without any smoke smelly or otherwise , matches the type of Loco better.

 

Back to proper Locos !!