Copenhagen Fields

[Chris Higgs]

1 hour ago, CF MRC said:

As an aside, a friend has just turned up this guide photo of Chiltern Green. 

Had darker hair then, but I’d only been married six months at that time. 

 

Tim

 

Those were the days. An exhibition lasting a whole week and opening until 8:30pm. I do remember working on the stand of Cheltenham Model Centre and it seeming to last forever.

 

Chris

[CF MRC]

You certainly settled into a rhythm at the MRC Easter shows. We used to have lunch in a superb Italian restaurant under the Westminster Chapter House: luncheon vouchers were provided by the MRC.  In the evening times you would see bowler-hatted city gents lining the barriers, with their briefcases moving along the rail. 
 

I actually much prefer three day shows with CF as it gives you more chance to enjoy the layout rather than knowing that the whole lot has to come down the next day. 
 

Tim

Edited April 16, 2023 by CF MRC

[Phil Parker]

23 minutes ago, Chris Higgs said:

 

Those were the days. An exhibition lasting a whole week and opening until 8:30pm. I do remember working on the stand of Cheltenham Model Centre and it seeming to last forever.

 

Chris

 

I remember going along one Wednesday and having the entire frontage of a 30ft long layout, it was that quiet. Lovely days, but you can understand why we don't have them anymore.

[Killybegs]

We took Clinkerford to the final Easter show. It was hard work with just two of us especially as we seemed to be nursing hangovers most mornings.

[Siberian Snooper]

15 hours ago, Killybegs said:

We took Clinkerford to the final Easter show. It was hard work with just two of us especially as we seemed to be nursing hangovers most mornings.

 

Sounds like the Bristol show, when it used to be at the docks.

 

 

[CF MRC]

After a fairly tricky few days, my second scratch built loco has had it’s second major overhaul, 43+ years after it’s first appearance. 

The loco was stripped down and any wear assessed. The loco construction was written up in a ridiculously early MRJ - the front end compensation was removed long ago. 

It has been fitted with a new Portescap 1212 motor with a home made brass U/J as the original Mike Bryant plastic moulding (made by Geoff Jones) had cracked.

The brass pins were silver soldered into the knuckle and then drilled to allow the shaft through. 

The second shaft was also replaced as the original steel had worn; as can be seen by the shouldering on the left. The new shaft is from a twist drill, so well polished.  The long arm gives fine adjustment of the worm and worm wheel.  This loco was made in the days when Association gears were nearly always eccentric: the teeth on the 64DP gears had been ‘adjusted’ to mesh truly. 

The engine has been put back together and will hopefully perform OK on the NLR at Thornbury this weekend. It certainly always had a fair turn of speed with a 6V motor. Once it’s all proven then a trip to the paint shops beckons for the tired edges to be touched-in, some tweaks to the cab and the sandbox linkages reinstated.

 

Tim

[queensquare]

Looks excellent Tim. I shall be bringing the short rake of the late Steve Sykes wagons that are in my care along with one of my Midland brake vans to Thornbury so it will have an approriate train to pull.

 

Jerry 

[east barnet andy]

Tim , don't forget to bung plenty of Thornbury holiday snaps (!) on RMWeb, for those of us poor souls who won't be allowed to pop down from Potters Bar . . . .

[Caley Jim]

On 27/04/2023 at 13:59, east barnet andy said:

Tim , don't forget to bung plenty of Thornbury holiday snaps (!) on RMWeb, for those of us poor souls who won't be allowed to pop down from Potters Bar . . . .

Potters Bar? That's the deep south! 

 

Jim 

[yaxxbarl]

Tim,

 

I remember that ancient MRJ very well - indeed I remember first reading it in my Dad's copy as a lad! 

 

It's good to see that old 0-4-4 still ready to earn its keep, in an adjacent issue of MRJ these was Pete Wright's write up of his chassis for an N1 0-6-2, with the gearing informed by him having driven the real thing round Halifax way in his younger years! Am I right in thinking that eventually got a body for it, though I think the chassis has had a refurb or two since then...

 

Cheers,

 

John

[figworthy]

I suspect like many, I've spent ages looking at pictures of Copenhagen Fields, but today I had my first proper opportunity to have a good look at it in the flesh (rather than peeking through the crowd from the fifth row out).

 

It was well worth the wait.  Thank you for bring it to Thornbury.

 

Adrian

[Sithlord75]

11 hours ago, Caley Jim said:

Potters Bar? That's the deep south! 

 

Jim 

Oh no it isn't...  🙃

[St Enodoc]

On 17/04/2023 at 05:16, CF MRC said:

We used to have lunch in a superb Italian restaurant under the Westminster Chapter House

I think I remember that one, for other reasons. La Vitello d'Oro IIRC?

[CF MRC]

CF on show at Thornbury. 

An excellent show without being too crowded so everyone could see the layout without a struggle. 
We have added a new frontage to one of the buildings at the show. I happened to photograph the last remaining contemporary building in Vale Royal a few days ago. 

I took a rubbing of the relevant building on the layout.

This was then passed on to Ben Weiner who processed it into a new facade, with two Club members immortalised. 

It has a really useful effect in this area of the model. In other news, the Kirtley well tank hasn’t yet got going on the NLR. It’s quite tricky sorting out new engines on a layout at a show, so we’ll try it out tomorrow morning. 
 

It was lovely talking to visitors at the show - it’s what makes it all worthwhile. 
 

Tim

Edited April 29, 2023 by CF MRC

[queensquare]

As usual, I’m helping out on the Wild Swan stand and was great to see Copenhagen Fields in Bristol. I took the rake of Steve Sykes wagons that are in my care down to run on the NLR where they looked very much at home.
Not the best snaps but I will try to get something better  tomorrow.

 

Jerry

 

[CF MRC]

We had an excellent weekend at the Thornbury show. I managed to get this video of the Kirtley WT and many other engines at work. 

 

 

The driver’s view down the layout takes some beating. 

One of the aspects that really worked well was that we were completely open at the LH end.  We always try and engage with the public at shows and we let quite a few people come behind to take a look. This seemed to be very popular and allows people to take a close look at locos and stock - and our brass strip track of course. 
 

The new scenic efforts were quite subtle, really, but did make it a bit more interesting in the hinterlands. 

 

We are forever trying to streamline set up and take down. We were loaded and in the van at just over two hours on Sunday.

 

Tim

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by CF MRC

[Ian Morgan]

13 hours ago, CF MRC said:

We are forever trying to streamline set up and take down. We were loaded and in the van at just over two hours on Sunday.

 

 

After the De Havilland show on Saturday that closed at 5pm, we were heading home with Freshwater at 12 minutes past 😜

[CF MRC]

Bet your car didn’t look like this, though Ian.

 

Phil Parker took this excellent picture of the Kirtley well tank with the late Steve Sykes’ beautiful scratch built wagons. 

 

The sign of things to come is shown by the Sonic Models J50 - they don’t get much better than that. It was great meeting Sam Leung, the proprietor, at the show. 

 

Tim

Edited May 5, 2023 by CF MRC

[Ian Morgan]

6 hours ago, CF MRC said:

Bet your car didn’t look like this, though Ian.

 

 

That is true. 'Freshwater' plus one of our cats, loaded and ready to go:

 

[Caley Jim]

Is that Shimbleshanks? 

 

Jim 

[Ian Morgan]

18 hours ago, Caley Jim said:

Is that Shimbleshanks?

 

Shimbleshanks has a brain. Rag Dolls are not known for their intelligence.

 

[Donw]

Hoping to see you at Havenstreet next week Ian.

 

Don

[Donw]

If is funny but watching the video I realise I haven't paid as much attention to the actual trains on CF as they deserve. It is because the modelling of that part of London is so interesting.

 

Don

[CF MRC]

The trains are somewhat lost in the cityscape. Having the end open does however allow visitors to have a close look at the trains and engines in the fiddle yard as they come past. 
 

Tim
 

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by CF MRC

[Caley Jim]

It's one of those layouts where the trains are almost incidental! (says he, never having seen it in the flesh) 

Jim