Stoke Courtenay

[checkrail]

A couple more of Anthony Manor.  I'm sure you'll have noticed the lack of a lamp on the smokebox door to denote this as an ordinary stopping passenger train.  That's because of the lack of a lamp bracket to put it on! Obviously I searched the elaborate de luxe packaging, and the area where I'd unpacked it, but to no avail.  There's just a little glue spot where it once was. 

 

 

I emailed Accurascale, who referred me to Rails of Sheffield, who in turn informed me that as Accurascale had not yet arranged for a supply of spares Rails would be reliant on cannibalising any returns.  So I decided to make one myself, using offcuts from old brass coach part frets, which I save for just this type of thing. I've had three unsatisfactory attempts so far, so fourth time lucky? The backstop of course would be to glue a lamp on the smokebox door, and restricting the Manor to stopping trains, parcels and some freight classes (which is how I'll be running it in practice anyway!)

 

Other jobs to do include:

• Replace the tender handrail I dislodged while fitting the decoder
• Paint the front screw coupling. (No, I couldn't get it to hang on the stowage hook either)
• Add the crew I got from Modelu a while back
• Put some real coal in the tender (once I've worked out how to remove the plastic one)

Then finally some light weathering. 

 

John C.

[Harlequin]

3 minutes ago, checkrail said:

A couple more of Anthony Manor.  I'm sure you'll have noticed the lack of a lamp on the smokebox door to denote this as an ordinary stopping passenger train.  That's because of the lack of a lamp bracket to put it on! Obviously I searched the elaborate de luxe packaging, and the area where I'd unpacked it, but to no avail.  There's just a little glue spot where it once was. 

 

 

I emailed Accurascale, who referred me to Rails of Sheffield, who in turn informed me that as Accurascale had not yet arranged for a supply of spares Rails would be reliant on cannibalising any returns.  So I decided to make one myself, using offcuts from old brass coach part frets, which I save for just this type of thing. I've had three unsatisfactory attempts so far, so fourth time lucky? The backstop of course would be to glue a lamp on the smokebox door, and restricting the Manor to stopping trains, parcels and some freight classes (which is how I'll be running it in practice anyway!)

 

Other jobs to do include:

• Replace the tender handrail I dislodged while fitting the decoder
• Paint the front screw coupling. (No, I couldn't get it to hang on the stowage hook either)
• Add the crew I got from Modelu a while back
• Put some real coal in the tender (once I've worked out how to remove the plastic one)

Then finally some light weathering. 

 

John C.

 

I find a tiny dot of Black Tack is very useful for holding lamps semi-permanently where there are no usable lamp irons.

 

The coal load is glued at the bottom where the fireman would shovel (is there a proper term for that?) and at the back at the top but watch out because there's a leg from the back of the fire iron rack that reaches down through a slot in the coal load to the tender body, where it is glued. So you might be able to lever the coal load up and out away from the rack but you probably have to disconnect the rack too, at least just that rear connection, before the coal will come out.

 

[checkrail]

3 hours ago, Harlequin said:

find a tiny dot of Black Tack is very useful for holding lamps semi-permanently where there are no usable lamp irons.

Thanks Phil.  I've got some somewhere but don't think it's yet been used. Thanks to for tips re coal.

[checkrail]

Last couple of the Manor for now.

 

 

Here's a puzzling little story.  When I received my Manor from Rails on Monday I soon realised that I needed a Next-18 decoder to make it go, and I only had 8-pins in stock. So I got onto Rails and ordered one for next day delivery. Subsequently I had an email from DPD telling me it would be delivered Tuesday between 12.04 and 13.04.  I waited in, but nothing.  Certainly no knock on the door.  A bit later I got an email from DPD to say it had been delivered.  I checked the front porch and garden but found nothing. I then phoned Rails who had received the same notification of delivery from DPD along with a photograph of the package sitting on the step in front of my door.  Rails said they'd take up the matter with DPD.

 

A while later a lady phoned from DPD.  She told me (unsolicitedly) that drivers were personally liable for the value of articles not delivered, and said she'd send the driver back.

 

All went quiet then until I heard the letterbox go at around 19.30.  My decoder parcel was on the mat in the hall.  I opened the front door but the driver had gone.

 

All's well that ends well, but this sequence of events raises a lot of big questions and one small one.  I will refrain from trying to answer the big ones without the advice of m'learned friends.  As for the smaller one - if it was small enough to go through the letterbox why wasn't that done the first time?  It's not like it need a signature or anything.

 

John C.

 

 

[TrevorP1]

John, I've heard of a case where a delivery driver (not DPD) photographed some goods outside a persons door then collected them up and made off with them. With the growth of on-line shopping that's something to think about. We've never had a serious problem but I'm pleased we have a doorbell camera - not the answer to everything but surely a deterrent for the tiny minority who are dishonest.

[checkrail]

 

1 hour ago, TrevorP1 said:

John, I've heard of a case where a delivery driver (not DPD) photographed some goods outside a persons door then collected them up and made off with them.

Yep, I was aware of that case Trevor, reported in the media and mentioned by me at the time somewhere else on this forum.  It was a driver from Evri, formerly known as Hermes. Hope these firms have now all got protocols and checks in place to stop this happening.  But my recent experience with DPD makes you wonder.

[john dew]

12 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

That’s an interesting dialogue @john dew and @checkrail you are both having.

 

I use Afinity v2 and to be honest think v1 and 2 are almost the same. Although I am sure the developers would disagree! I use it to manipulate all my photos, having switched from Photoshop many years ago. (I refused to pay for a new licence when photoshop was upgraded - it didn’t seem worth the extra money).

 

Typically I use my iPhone for photos, although by comparison they will be a “quick snap”. When I get out the DSLR, set up the tripod, that’s when I can mess about and do image stacking. Mine is a Pentax with a manual selection of the focus point. 
 

The photos are better, but it’s such a faff getting “the big camera” set up! However, I also think I need to upgrade my lighting in order to increase the quality of my photos.

 

With a Manor and Siphon on their way, the DSLR will be in front of Henley very soon!

 

Hi @Neal Ball

 

We appear to have more in common than a liking for Panniers! I too switched from Photoshop to Affinity because of the upgrade. Furthermore my DSLR is a Pentax and I can relate to the faff of setting up. I find the manual selection of focus points for image stacking rather unsatisfactory, my tendency to nudge the camera when selecting the next focus point is rather counter productive!

 

So yesterday, in an effort to achieve the crisp focus of John's shots I spent the princely sum of $15 cdn. $10 for an Iphone remote control which will be delivered, courtesy of Amazon, later today and $5 for an Iphone app. "Camera Pixels" has a bunch of features including both exposure and focus bracketing. Initial testing looks promising - definitely worth a five buck punt. I will report more on my Granby thread - my apologies @checkrail for prolonged gatecrashing - I blame those recent Manor photos of yours!

 

Regards

[checkrail]

5 minutes ago, john dew said:

my apologies @checkrail for prolonged gatecrashing

Hey, no prob. Post anything you like on here. It's all learning, and I'll be interested as to how you get on with the iPhone app. The cameras in phones these days are in many cases better then ... er, cameras.

[Graham T]

5 hours ago, checkrail said:

Last couple of the Manor for now.

 

 

Here's a puzzling little story.  When I received my Manor from Rails on Monday I soon realised that I needed a Next-18 decoder to make it go, and I only had 8-pins in stock. So I got onto Rails and ordered one for next day delivery. Subsequently I had an email from DPD telling me it would be delivered Tuesday between 12.04 and 13.04.  I waited in, but nothing.  Certainly no knock on the door.  A bit later I got an email from DPD to say it had been delivered.  I checked the front porch and garden but found nothing. I then phoned Rails who had received the same notification of delivery from DPD along with a photograph of the package sitting on the step in front of my door.  Rails said they'd take up the matter with DPD.

 

A while later a lady phoned from DPD.  She told me (unsolicitedly) that drivers were personally liable for the value of articles not delivered, and said she'd send the driver back.

 

All went quiet then until I heard the letterbox go at around 19.30.  My decoder parcel was on the mat in the hall.  I opened the front door but the driver had gone.

 

All's well that ends well, but this sequence of events raises a lot of big questions and one small one.  I will refrain from trying to answer the big ones without the advice of m'learned friends.  As for the smaller one - if it was small enough to go through the letterbox why wasn't that done the first time?  It's not like it need a signature or anything.

 

John C.

 

 

 

I've had a number of bad experiences with DPD.  "We tried to deliver but you weren't in" being a very common one - when I've been working from home.  Hmmm.  I have a suspicion that for non-commercial customers they just dump everything at the local pick-up point, usually a mobile phone shop or similar.

 

On a happier note, an email from Accurascale tells me that my Manor is on its way!  (Hopefully not via DPD, aka Dashed Poor Deliveries)...

 

[Hal Nail]

On 24/08/2023 at 17:37, checkrail said:

I've not seen any pre-war photographic evidence but if anyone has I'd love to hear of it.

I've ploughed through Great Western Steam 1934 - 49: c200 of Norman Lockett's photos from the South west (mostly Devon and Cornwall). I'm afraid there isn't a single manor in the whole book. Not conclusive but I'd be surprised if they simply decided not to feature any....

 

 

Edited August 27, 2023 by Hal Nail
clarification

[Coach bogie]

On 25/08/2023 at 02:37, checkrail said:

 

 

 

 

I know that Manors in Devon and Cornwall was very much a 50s thing, so when this one was announced I dreamed up a might-have-been scenario in which one was sent temporarily to NA for testing on the banks and curves of the S. Devon main line. But I note that Anthony Manor went to Bristol Bath Road when new, so could very plausibly have appeared in the area on through workings, rendering my Rule 1 fiction redundant.  I've not seen any pre-war photographic evidence but if anyone has I'd love to hear of it.

 

John C.

 I suspect Manors did venture to at least Somerset/Devon borders.

 

There were three manors at Bath Road (7801, 04 & 12) and another two at Westbury (7809&14) when first introduced. For some reason 7801 & 4 were moved to Saint Philips Marsh being replaced by Westbury's two at Bath Road prior to nationalisation with the move to Plymouth not until BR days.

 

My train workings research for Westbury, had the Manors on Salisbury and Weymouth workings in the main with plenty of photo evidence. I have an unconfirmed Manor working from an old Swindon driver, of a freight to Taunton. With the SPM move this is a distinct possibility, as this was the non express passenger working depot in GWR days and the smaller wheels being appropriate.

 

In addition, the Manors were not that popular when introduced,  with steaming difficulties not solved until the Sammy Ell redesigns in the 1950's. Late 30's Weymouth and Salisbury workings were often a Bulldog, Mogul or Hall even a Castle, on a four coach Weymouth, where a Manor could easily have tackled the job.

 

Looks good and rule 1 applies with my motive power collection.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[BWsTrains]

16 minutes ago, Coach bogie said:

 I suspect Manors did venture to at least Somerset/Devon borders.

 

There were three manors at Bath Road (7801, 04 & 12) and another two at Westbury (7809&14) when first introduced. For some reason 7801 & 4 were moved to Saint Philips Marsh being replaced by Westbury's two at Bath Road prior to nationalisation with the move to Plymouth not until BR days.

 

...

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

I've memories of seeing Manors at Weston-super-Mare, nothing specific but when I got back into modelling 9 years ago, Kings, Castles, and Manors were names which all struck a chord. Halls rather less so and Granges even less so. Just simply my recall, which generally is a reasonable guide, for my needs anyway 😎.

 

 

[Joseph_Pestell]

14 hours ago, checkrail said:

 

Yep, I was aware of that case Trevor, reported in the media and mentioned by me at the time somewhere else on this forum.  It was a driver from Evri, formerly known as Hermes. Hope these firms have now all got protocols and checks in place to stop this happening.  But my recent experience with DPD makes you wonder.

 

The courier firms all have the measures in place to stop misdeeds by their drivers. And have had for many years.

 

But it is a tough job and some drivers will always bend/break the rules to try and make the job bearable/financially viable.

 

Hermes did have a shocking reputation, hence the rebranding. When I lived in Dorset, our local Hermes driver was  excellent.

[checkrail]

9 hours ago, Hal Nail said:

I've ploughed through Great Western Steam 1934 - 49: c200 of Norman Lockett's photos f

Yep, that was my first port of call, followed by several other sources.  I guess that had these pre-war photographers seen a Manor down there - a new, named class of loco - they would have snapped it.

 

(Think I've probably got every photo album of pre-war GWR pics going - but I still browse the second-hand book stands at exhibitions in case I come across something I've missed!)

[AY Mod]

18 hours ago, checkrail said:

All's well that ends well, but this sequence of events raises a lot of big questions

 

Dare I say this but maybe the answer is (another) camera? One for the front door (no need for focus stacking ;) ) - I get a lot of deliveries and it's amazing what these monkeys get up to; DPD being one of the worst now here with scruffy contractors' vans and lazy drivers. Years ago they were very good.

[Hal Nail]

49 minutes ago, checkrail said:

I still browse the second-hand book stands

I went to Didcot the other day to measure a coach, as you do, and a pleasant bonus, tucked round the back, was a coach (and Hawksworth so even longer!) absolutely packed full of books.

[gwrrob]

On 24/08/2023 at 17:37, checkrail said:

Here's a new kid on the block. 'Manor from Heaven' as i called it on the Accurascale Manor thread just now, along with other musings. So I won't repeat what I posted there except to say that it's a beauty.

 

 

I know that Manors in Devon and Cornwall was very much a 50s thing, so when this one was announced I dreamed up a might-have-been scenario in which one was sent temporarily to NA for testing on the banks and curves of the S. Devon main line. But I note that Anthony Manor went to Bristol Bath Road when new, so could very plausibly have appeared in the area on through workings, rendering my Rule 1 fiction redundant.  I've not seen any pre-war photographic evidence but if anyone has I'd love to hear of it.

 

John C.

 

The earliest I can find for Newton is September '51 where 7805/09/12/13 were allocated.

 

https://shedbashuk.blogspot.com/2016/10/newton-abbot-1945-1961.html

[checkrail]

Just made a perfect smokebox door lamp bracket for the Manor, then while straightening the upright bit I broke it off!   So I tried @Harlequin's handy hint re Blacktack.  Worked a treat.  Thanks Phil!

 

John C.

[Hal Nail]

9 hours ago, gwrrob said:

https://shedbashuk.blogspot.com/2016/10/newton-abbot-1945-1961.html

Anthony spotted at Laira in 1949. Creeping closer!

[Coach bogie]

5 hours ago, Hal Nail said:

Anthony spotted at Laira in 1949. Creeping closer!

Just been reallocated there. The Bristol area five were all moved to Devon 7801/4/9/14 to Laira and 7812 to Newton Abbott.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[checkrail]

Another recent addition to stock at Stoke Courtenay is this Rapido AA20 Toad.  I had it two weeks before I remembered to unpack it, which perhaps shows that I really didn't need another Toad!  But I couldn't resist having one built to such a high spec in terms of detail.  And when I saw that one came with Newton Abbot branding that was it.

 

I've not done much to it yet - just shortened the t/l couplings and sprayed the white roof with Halford's grey primer.  Oh, and I've painted the wheels with weathered black (having no Gibson 3-hole wheels in stock). I wish Rapido (and others) would use blackened wheels.  I very much doubt that their 44xx will come out with shiny silver wheels, so why should a brake van?  

 

Like others I've taken the roof off to see the very nice interior detail, knowing in advance that - as Rapido admit - it wouldn't totally sit down on the body again with the magnets alone.  Rapido are right in that once it's on the track the gap is hardly noticeable (especially if you keep the side with the gap away from the viewing side).  Nevertheless, once the vehicle has had a bit of painting and weathering I'll probably glue the roof back down, with the inside never to be seen again!

 

John C.

 

 

[Brinkly]

Very nice work, John. 

 

Out of interest, what does your fiddle yard look like? I vaguely remember seeing a couple of photos before the server crash.

All the best,

 

Nick.

[checkrail]

36 minutes ago, Brinkly said:

Out of interest, what does your fiddle yard look like? I vaguely remember seeing a couple of photos before the server crash.

 

There's a description of it Nick, along with a trackplan of the rest of the layout, on my post of 22 August above.  I'll post a pic or two later.

Cheers,

John

[checkrail]

Here's my Toad collection.  From L to R:

 

AA19 EXETER (Bachmann)

AA3 NEWTON ABBOT (Oxford Rail, rebuilt with cannibalised Hornby and Ratio kit parts)

AA3 NEWTON ABBOT - as above

AA20 NEWTON ABBOT (Rapido)

AA19 TAVISTOCK JUNCTION (Hornby)

AA19 ROGERSTONE (Hornby)

 

Looks like one of those brake van specials, but without the crowds.  That's enough - mustn't buy any more!

 

John C.

[Harlequin]

A knot of toads. Very nice!

 

😄

 

Edited August 28, 2023 by Harlequin