Scale Seven Group Newsletter - November 2009

[Pint of Adnams]

Apparently some production delays, but should be in the post sometime during December! Report then...

[Pint of Adnams]

Well the Newsletter has been produced and is currently being stuffed into envelopes for posting out. A PDF copy (normal res) is available for viewing/download in the Downloads section of the Member's area of the S7G website - previous password still applies.

 

An interesting issue in several ways, with some product news that will perhaps please those who also model in finer scale O. Contents include:

 

A couple of detail shots of Finney GWR outside-framed loco kits under construction - Atbara and Stella classes;

 

Guest Editorial by Rob Thompson, S7G Secretary;

 

How to Photograph Your Models, Heather Kavanagh - 2.5 illustrated pages of making the most of the features of a compact digital camera to capture the best shots of your models, with specifics such as depth of field and so on well explained;

 

Letter by Alan Turner concerning the article by Chris Makepeace "on improving Slater's wheels" in the last Newsletter;

 

Reports on the S7 meeting at Wells last October, the RailWells Festival last August, and a quiz to test members active involvement in the S7G;

 

An update on wheel production by Paul Stokes, Stores Officer:

 

"Currently available in the stores are the following Slater's S7 wheels:

 

Dia 4' 7" 14 spoke Pin Between to suit the GWR 57XX

 

Dia 4' 7" 15 spoke Pin Inline to suit the LMS Jinty

 

Dia 4' 7" 14 spoke Pin Inline to suit the LNER J71

 

Dia 5' 3" 16 spoke Pin Inline to suit the LMS 4F

 

Shortly in production will be:

 

Dia 5'8" 18 spoke driving wheels and Dia 3' 0" 9 spoke carrying wheels to suit the BR 4MT.

 

These should be produced to coincide which the release of the Modern Outline Kits BR 4MT. (Note: should now be available)

 

Next we have asked Slater's for:

 

Dia 4'3" 12 spoke tender wheels to suit the LMS 4F

 

Dia 6'8" 22 spoke driving wheels to suit the GWR Saints, Stars & Castles and Dia 3'2" leading wheels for the same locos.

 

Future plans include the first of the Diesel wheels, probably 3'1" and 3'7"."

Gallery - photos of the MOK 4MT, part finished kit (at least one is, or will be, in production and described in an RMWeb Workbench blog); and turned and profiled AGH wheelsets for the Finney GWR Atbara on the front page and for a Duchess. These have scale diameter stub axles at the wheels but then reduced to the normal 3/16" dia. to match modellling standards - real beauties.

 

Chairman's View - Eldred Clark addresses a number of matters to the membership, but probably also of wider interest to those that might be considering joining the S7G is the following:

 

"Wheels and track bring me to writing that the committee have recently seen some wheels manufactured on multi-axis automated mills and these are simply exquisite (I saw a sample of these at Guildex, and they are - PoA) - an article is in preparation for the future whilst Paul Stokes, Trade Liaison, brings to your attention the status on the wheel fund. Lastly, permanent way, I'm pleased to record that your committee is assisting Exactoscale with a sprue of chairs for turnouts; although they will be based on GWR practice they are going to add that extra dimension to your track work. Incidentally, we will not be pursuing ready-made track per s?©."

Membership Matters, Treasurer's Update, Reports from East Anglian, Severnside, South East, SW Scotland and Warley MRC S7 Area Groups, Diary, a Profile of Peter Mann, Events Co-ordinator, and a plea for more representation at exhibitions and events in the Northern half of the country complete the contents.

 

This issue is aimed rather more at communicating with the membership than usual, which is to be welcomed at this time.

 

The S7G website is to be upgraded and improved, and a Committee meeting will be held in February to discuss this. All S7G Members are invited to submit suggestions to Rob Thompson and he has already had feedback from various members of the East Anglian Group. However, it's probably as important and useful for those who are either considering S7 or thinking of joining the S7G to offer their thoughts on what would make the whole deal attractive, informative, and useful to them. If anyone would like to offer comments and suggestions on here, in the best RMWeb participative fashion, I'll be happy to make sure that they are passed on.

PoA

[Adrian]

Gallery - photos of the MOK 4MT, part finished kit (at least one is, or will be, in production and described in an RMWeb Workbench blog);

 

Who's doing that then? My 4MT turned up just before Christmas - there's a lot of pieces! I'd considered documenting the build but I don't see the need for duplicating one if someone else is doing a build. It may be worth having general thread for the 4MT build to compare notes. I'm still trying to figure how the compensation works on the rear axle, although I haven't looked in any great detail yet.

 

The S7G website is to be upgraded and improved, and a Committee meeting will be held in February to discuss this. All S7G Members are invited to submit suggestions to Rob Thompson and he has already had feedback from various members of the East Anglian Group. However, it's probably as important and useful for those who are either considering S7 or thinking of joining the S7G to offer their thoughts on what would make the whole deal attractive, informative, and useful to them. If anyone would like to offer comments and suggestions on here, in the best RMWeb participative fashion, I'll be happy to make sure that they are passed on.

PoA

I've already put my two-penneth worth. Also following up the request "ask not what can your society do for you - ask what can you do for your society" (with apologies to JFK) I've made an offer of help in setting up and running the website. They may have got better offers of help so I might not get the job! However on the chance that I do end up working on the website then any comments or suggestions made here will be acknowledged, discussed or clarified as necessary.

 

Adrian

[Pint of Adnams]

Who's doing that then? My 4MT turned up just before Christmas - there's a lot of pieces! I'd considered documenting the build but I don't see the need for duplicating one if someone else is doing a build. It may be worth having general thread for the 4MT build to compare notes. I'm still trying to figure how the compensation works on the rear axle, although I haven't looked in any great detail yet.

I'd read that it would be you - in your Tewkesbury MPD blog, or so 'someone' said on the S7 e-list...

 

 

I've already put my two-penneth worth. Also following up the request "ask not what can your society do for you - ask what can you do for your society" (with apologies to JFK) I've made an offer of help in setting up and running the website. They may have got better offers of help so I might not get the job! However on the chance that I do end up working on the website then any comments or suggestions made here will be acknowledged, discussed or clarified as necessary.

Good on yer Adrian.

[PhilEakins]

Mine dropped on the doormat this morning.

 

There's a comment that the production software has changed - it looks like an improvement to me.

 

Very interesting picture on page 9 Pint! Usual model club view, two people working and three 'supervising'.

 

Happy New Year to all.

 

 

Phil

[Pint of Adnams]

Very interesting picture on page 9 Pint! Usual model club view, two people working and three 'supervising'.

Ah, I usually try and avoid any semblance of doing work, but on this occasion I had a mental aberration and volunteered I'll try not to let it happen again, it's one of my New Year Resolutions...

 

In the BBC News review of who had died in 2009, one person mentioned was Danny La Rue - so who do you think that might be 'supervising' to the right of that picture? Did you achieve anything substantial during November and might it feature in a future edition of the Newsletter (or even on a thread/blog here)?

 

Best Wishes for 2010 to all modellers, of whatever scale or persuasion,

 

PoA

[PhilEakins]

Ah, I see the resemblance - but no frock .....

 

Yep, two baseboards built, one to go. Slow work as I was designing as I went. The geodesic pattern works very well, 6mm ply throughout (plus some glue blocks) and solid as the proverbial rock.

 

A work colleague looked at what I'd done and asked me to make some for him. Uses up some of the offcuts as he's modelling in N.

 

The Templot plan is complete, has been printed full size and tested against the baseboards, they actually fit. I've taken photo's as I've gone: when I have some track down and feel brave enough I'll start a layout thread.

 

Phil

[Adrian]

I'd read that it would be you - in your Tewkesbury MPD blog, or so 'someone' said on the S7 e-list

Oh! Cobblers, have I volunteered myself for that gig as well!

 

I'm itching to get started on it so it's given added impetus to getting my Jinty finished first. If nobody else steps into the breech then I don't mind putting up a few details as the build progresses, but it'll be done in my own idiosyncratic style. Hopefully I can get some wheels soon from the S7 group. I've already got a few ideas on tweaking the kit.

 

My first problem is settling on a number to model. My first thought was to pick one that was allocated to Shrewsbury shed. The RCTS book indicate that out of the initial batch of 6 loco's allocated to Shrewsbury, 4 of them are preserved! So do I want to model a preserved member of the class?

 

Adrian

[Pint of Adnams]

Oh! Cobblers, have I volunteered myself for that gig as well!

 

I'm itching to get started on it so it's given added impetus to getting my Jinty finished first. If nobody else steps into the breech then I don't mind putting up a few details as the build progresses, but it'll be done in my own idiosyncratic style. Hopefully I can get some wheels soon from the S7 group. I've already got a few ideas on tweaking the kit.

 

My first problem is settling on a number to model. My first thought was to pick one that was allocated to Shrewsbury shed. The RCTS book indicate that out of the initial batch of 6 loco's allocated to Shrewsbury, 4 of them are preserved! So do I want to model a preserved member of the class?

 

Adrian

Drifting somewhat OT here, but just a pointer that Phil Eakins might be gently persuaded to arrange for any detail photos or other information that might be helpful, off the 2x 4MTs that are on the Swanage Railway... I can assure you that you should leave quite a large gap between the firebox wrapper and the cab front sheet - you can see the road ahead through it, except when the boiler is leaking steam!

[Pinkmouse]

Drifting somewhat OT here, but just a pointer that Phil Eakins might be gently persuaded to arrange for any detail photos or other information that might be helpful, off the 2x 4MTs that are on the Swanage Railway.

 

My gallery pics of Brighton built 064 might be of help as well. Mostly of the nether regions at the moment, but I hope to get down there again at some point to do all the stuff on the top so I can finish my 4mm model.

[PhilEakins]

Drifting somewhat OT here, but just a pointer that Phil Eakins might be gently persuaded to arrange for any detail photos or other information that might be helpful, off the 2x 4MTs that are on the Swanage Railway... I can assure you that you should leave quite a large gap between the firebox wrapper and the cab front sheet - you can see the road ahead through it, except when the boiler is leaking steam!

 

I say .. our one remaining usable 4MT ('78' is now out of ticket) does not leak, well, only a bit!

 

Yes, say the word and I'll borrow youngest son's Christmas camera and point it at all the bits that you want, inside and out.

 

Phil

[dikitriki]

I say .. our one remaining usable 4MT ('78' is now out of ticket) does not leak, well, only a bit!

 

Yes, say the word and I'll borrow youngest son's Christmas camera and point it at all the bits that you want, inside and out.

 

Phil

 

Hi Phil

 

I have hundreds of photos of the 2-6-4s from the NYMR and the SVR. The bits I couldn't get to were the inside of the cab, front and back, and the top of the tanks and boiler. So anything you can add in these respects would be very welcome indeed. Another one with an MOK 4MT on the starting blocks!

 

Thanks

 

Richard

[PhilEakins]

OK Richard - it'll be a couple of days though if that's all right.

 

Phil

[3 link]

So it looks like a documented build of the 4MT is down to Adrian or youself Richard I do not want to grovel to much, but it would make a jolly good read on a cold winters night like tonight.

 

All the best, Martyn.

[LNERJP]

Chaps I have created a Gallery tiltled 4MT 80135, I guess that's self explanatory, hope it's of some help.

 

J.P. Venus

 

 

[richard_t]

I've already put my two-penneth worth. Also following up the request "ask not what can your society do for you - ask what can you do for your society" (with apologies to JFK) I've made an offer of help in setting up and running the website. They may have got better offers of help so I might not get the job! However on the chance that I do end up working on the website then any comments or suggestions made here will be acknowledged, discussed or clarified as necessary.

 

Adrian

 

For what it's worth, I liked the newsletter, the paper and typeface where much better than of old - although a little bit odd that a article on photography was in black and white . And although I welcome any developments in track work, but why the GWR? They went there own way with S&C work, and hence differing chairs. A bit more useful would be chairs for REA based designs. Although I gather Perfect Minatures might be looking at these? And don't get me started on decent baseplates/clips for flatbottom rail S&C work... (I'm pretty sure the Peco basseplates don't hold the rail to 1:20, and what about all the specials for S&C work, as well as the rather prominent distance blocks...)

 

Anyhow a suggestion for the website - it would be nice if some of the multi-part articles could be combined into one article. For example, the excellent "how to build a wagon" articles would make a good single read without having to dig through the various newsletters split across a year (or was it two). There must be other articles that would also fit a similar bill (the CBUS one when complete also comes to mind). Perhaps even include that article on the website as a freebe.

 

In the snow...

[Pint of Adnams]

For what it's worth, I liked the newsletter, the paper and typeface where much better than of old - although a little bit odd that a article on photography was in black and white . And although I welcome any developments in track work, but why the GWR? They went there own way with S&C work, and hence differing chairs. A bit more useful would be chairs for REA based designs. Although I gather Perfect Minatures might be looking at these? And don't get me started on decent baseplates/clips for flatbottom rail S&C work... (I'm pretty sure the Peco basseplates don't hold the rail to 1:20, and what about all the specials for S&C work, as well as the rather prominent distance blocks...)

 

Anyhow a suggestion for the website - it would be nice if some of the multi-part articles could be combined into one article. For example, the excellent "how to build a wagon" articles would make a good single read without having to dig through the various newsletters split across a year (or was it two). There must be other articles that would also fit a similar bill (the CBUS one when complete also comes to mind). Perhaps even include that article on the website as a freebe.

 

In the snow...

It's worth recording that Rob Thompson put this Newsletter together for reasons explained, so I'm sure that any positive feedback on the re-design is appreciated - and it will become the standard moving forward. You'll have to ask Rob (or Heather) why those photos were B&W.

 

Apparently Eldred's written remarks about the production of the GWR 'spruce' (sic) of chairs shouldn't be taken at face value - the story is more complicated and apparently not a committee decision after all, nor is the S7G collectively providing any assistance. I've been swapping my rants for Rob Thompson's understandings of the situation, but even these contain assumptions. It's seemingly that Len Newman has the GWR chairs in mind (because GWR always sells well...) and a number of individual members who are GWR modellers are helping Len move these towards production.

 

My rant included the following observations:

 

"As I understand it, but may be wrong, following agreement between the LMS, LNER and SR the details of permanent way components were rationalised, standardised and are fully described in 'Standard Railway Equipment - Permanent Way 1926'. Notably, the GWR did not subscribe to this standard.

 

As to the pre-Grouping period, there were similarities in some components and techniques between some railway companies, yet differences between the same companies in other respects - and that's just for Crossings. However, the most important point (pun intended) is that the GWR tended to use a crossing timber spacing of around 2'8", the Midland used 2'0" to 2'2", whereas nearly all other companies used 2'4" to 2'6" - that means that the webs or blocks between the rails will almost certainly be the wrong width for the majority of non-GWR turnouts."

Peter Hunt/Perfect Miniatures is arranging for masters of P&C chairs to be made for subsequent production in, AFAIK, cast brass but these will definitely tend towards the GE and/or LNE patterns.

 

Personally, I believe that it is possible to design a PW component system that is more adaptable, applicable and compatible than the current offerings, and could simplify accurate construction. Undertaking this sort of work is within the remit of the Objectives of the S7G...

 

Like the idea of combining articles - that's a step further than having all the Newsletter PDFs available on the website, and a step towards full electronic publication/archiving.

 

Snowing here too...

[Adrian]

Gallery - photos of the MOK 4MT, part finished kit (at least one is, or will be, in production and described in an RMWeb Workbench blog);

 

 

Hopefully some updates on this soon, I'm working on getting my current Jinty build wrapped up so I can get this project started. The reason? - I've just got news (as posted on the S7 website) that the S7 wheels for this loco are due in stock in the next few days.

Adrian

[Pint of Adnams]

Hopefully some updates on this soon, I'm working on getting my current Jinty build wrapped up so I can get this project started. The reason? - I've just got news (as posted on the S7 website) that the S7 wheels for this loco are due in stock in the next few days.

Adrian

Just received an e-mail from Paul Stokes confirming their availability in the S7G Stores and giving the price to S7G members... no excuse now Adrian

[Adrian]

Just received an e-mail from Paul Stokes confirming their availability in the S7G Stores and giving the price to S7G members... no excuse now Adrian

I know I've just got the same email and I'll get them ordered - the trouble is I've just bought a set of S7 wheels for a JLTRT 3F!