Wright writes.....

[Clive Mortimore]

2 hours ago, BlackRat said:

 

 Classic 'Walting' in military terms......(named after good old Walter Mitty).

Usually found at military events, and nearly always a member of an elite unit or regiment and found to be the recipient of a Victoria cross or some other such gallantry medal.

 

Of course they can never show proof, because their career MUST remain secret etc etc etc, no photos, can't say where or when they served, always on a secret mission etc.

 

Same as in modelling, I've been told ( several) times of huge layouts where everything is scratchbuilt, worth a fortune, been on television and in ALL of the magazines yet dates or even the mags have been 'forgotten', and ....any photographic proof 'lost' forever.

 

I even met someone at a 'Bikers Kaff' a few weeks ago who explained to me how he had been a Blqck Rat, ........ in my own force ....... and insisted it was me who was 'walting'!

 

Ive no idea what The politically correct term is but we used to know them affectionately as 'zoomers' or 'fruit loops'.

When I first joined up at 17 1/2 years old, one of the older lads (he must have been all of 25), said "Never boast about what you haven't done but be very very proud of what you have done." and that has stuck with me all my life.

 

You can tell if someone served in the same unit by just little things. I met a chap who said he was at the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (REME) at about the same time as me. In our chat I mentioned the RSM, a short chap who when inspecting our platoon would pick on the tallest bloke, and before I could finish he said "And tell him his beret was dirty". In our chat we both mentioned other ordinary squaddies we both knew.

 

One thing to remember most service men or women are not heroes but guys who just got on with the job.

[Clive Mortimore]

My train set if totally imaginary. I hope to replicate the railway infrastructure that would have been contemporary with real locations therefore making could have been scene look realistic.  At the same time having fun doing so.

[Evertonian]

Tony's remarks concerning the dearth of large P4 steam era exhibition layouts reminded me of  'Aberhafren', the late (and greatly missed)

Steffan Lewis's depiction, with the assistance of others, of the Aberystwyth locality. I am not sure you ever photographed it Tony - scenes

from this layout seem hard to find - his final wonderful shed creation of 'Maindee East' a testament to his abilities, including removable

telephone wires referring to recent discussion of same on here.

 

Chris K

[Tony Wright]

9 minutes ago, Evertonian said:

Tony's remarks concerning the dearth of large P4 steam era exhibition layouts reminded me of  'Aberhafren', the late (and greatly missed)

Steffan Lewis's depiction, with the assistance of others, of the Aberystwyth locality. I am not sure you ever photographed it Tony - scenes

from this layout seem hard to find - his final wonderful shed creation of 'Maindee East' a testament to his abilities, including removable

telephone wires referring to recent discussion of same on here.

 

Chris K

I did photograph Aberhafren, Chris,

 

However it was all on film, so it's in Warner's archive somewhere (although some of my shots did appear in MORILL as well).

 

I thought it was wonderful, though whether I'd describe it as a Class One main line, I'm not sure. I think 'Castles' were present, but nothing bigger; and nothing with outside valve gear. It did run well, though!

 

With Steffan's untimely death, the hobby has been robbed one of its greatest modellers in more recent years. 

 

 

 

I've not seen anything more realistic than his Maindee East (even though it wasn't an actual prototype). It was, however, based on meticulous prototype observation.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[polybear]

I wonder whatever became of Maindee East - does anyone know?

[Killybegs]

I find it easier to have a real location (or locations) in mind when planning a layout. I made Clinkerford a mirror image of Cinderford, that way I was happy taking a few liberties, such as moving bits of Cannop and Whitecroft somewhat closer than they should be (to put it mildly). My current layout, Worseter, has a canal from Worcester, an engine shed from Stratford-on-Avon and will, eventually, have some warehouses from Gloucester.

[Dave Hunt]

I am currently making a 7mm layout depicting a Midland MPD in about 1907. It started out modelled on Hellifield but so that I could keep the baseboard width down to 3ft 6in, so that access to the middle for construction and maintenance purposes was easier, I moved the turntable and a couple of sidings. No problem, I thought, but then Jamie 92208 pointed out that my new arrangement wouldn't really do for a working shed so it was back to the drawing board (well, nearly as I'd already made the baseboards). The amount of research that I have had to go into  since then (with Jamie's help) has convinced me that it would have been a lot easier simply to copy the original Hellifield layout but the constraints of size would have involved its own problems. Thus I can wholly appreciate the pros and cons of modelling actual locations versus imaginary ones. However, like other contributors to this discussion I am making all the structures replicas (as best I can) of those to be found in actual locations, thus satisfying my desire to produce something that will look and work like a Midland shed. I hope that I can achieve it.

 

(Maybe I should have stuck to 4mm?)

 

Dave

[PMP]

3 hours ago, Killybegs said:

I find it easier to have a real location (or locations) in mind when planning a layout. I made Clinkerford a mirror image of Cinderford, that way I was happy taking a few liberties, such as moving bits of Cannop and Whitecroft somewhat closer than they should be (to put it mildly). 

Clinkerford is one of my favourite layouts, one of those that with no trains on, you knew where it was set due to attention to detail and capturing the atmosphere of the FoD. 

Another element of ‘finescale’ mind set for me is that elusive thing ‘atmosphere’. Over the years I’ve seen many layouts across all scales, superbly built, and run,  but somewhat sterile without the X factor.

 

On walting one of my early layouts still occasionally goes out to exhibition. I built 90% of it, EM, hand built C&L track, buildings and scenery. The supposed ‘back story’ of the layouts genesis is utter fiction, written as though the chap I sold it to built it.

 

Edit spooling chock

Edited July 28, 2019 by PMP

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, PMP said:

Clinkerford is one of my favourite layouts, one of those that with no trains on, you knew where it was set due to attention to detail and capturing the atmosphere of the FoD. 

Another element of ‘finescale’ mind set for me is that elusive thing ‘atmosphere’. Over the years I’ve seen many layouts across all scales, superbly built, and run,  but somewhat sterile without the X factor.

 

On walting one of my early layouts still occasionally goes out to exhibition. I built 90% of it, EM, hand built C&L track, buildings and scenery. The supposed ‘back story’ of the layouts genesis is utter fiction, written as though the chap I sold it to built it.

 

Edit spooling chock

'The supposed ‘back story’ of the layouts genesis is utter fiction, written as though the chap I sold it to built it'.

 

I've come across a similar situation before, Paul. In fact several.

 

Where folk believe a model (or models) is/are the work of the owner, rather than the work of someone else. Why do some people not give credit where credit is due?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

I've all but finished the building of the Parkside O Gauge wagon.........................

 

 

I found the brake gear the most bewildering of subjects, so I won't be surprised if I've got it wrong. Still, without being slipshod, most of it's hidden, and as long as an impression of it is given, it should look all right. 

 

 

[Barry Ten]

12 hours ago, BlackRat said:

 

 Classic 'Walting' in military terms......(named after good old Walter Mitty).

Usually found at military events, and nearly always a member of an elite unit or regiment and found to be the recipient of a Victoria cross or some other such gallantry medal.

 

 

 

 

I was saying exactly the same thing to one of the chaps at the SAS reunion recently.

[Bucoops]

2 minutes ago, Barry Ten said:

 

I was saying exactly the same thing to one of the chaps at the SAS reunion recently.

 

What's the colour of the boathouse at Hereford?

[chris p bacon]

3 hours ago, Bucoops said:

 

What's the colour of the boathouse at Hereford?

 

Surely it's been destroyed by now. 

 

On the subject of 'Walts'   Many years ago I used to be a jobbing Carpenter and did work for various landlords, one of these had some flats in Bedford and quite regularly I had to attend one of the flats and change locks and do minor repairs.  Nothing odd or unusual as there was a female tenant, except this tenant seemed to have a higher number of 'Gentleman friends' than others,  with my naivity it took me about half a dozen visits to realise that she was actually a lady of negotiable virtue   She was actually very nice but did say that in her proffesion she met more people who were supposedly in the SAS/Special Forces/MI5/Government secret service, a bit odd as they were generally bald fat blokes. 

 

And before anyone asks I was paid by cheque. 

Edited July 28, 2019 by chris p bacon
cock up

[westerner]

Tony, this is my version of that van finished as a rather weather beaten unfitted one.

 

[Clive Mortimore]

17 minutes ago, chris p bacon said:

 

Surely it's been destroyed by now. 

 

On the subject of 'Walts'   Many years ago I used to be a jobbing Carpenter and did work for various landlords, one of these had some flats in Bedford and quite regularly I had to attend one of the flats and change locks and do minor repairs.  Nothing odd or unusual as there was a female tenant, except this tenant seemed to have a higher number of 'Gentleman friends' than others,  with my naivity it took me about half a dozen visits to realise that she was actually a woman of negotiable virtue   She was actually very nice but did say that that in her proffesion she met more people who were supposedly in the SAS/Special Forces/MI5/Government secret service, a bit odd as they were generally bald fat blokes. 

 

And before anyone asks I was paid by cheque. 

Oi  Dave

 

I might have originally come form Bedford but I can assure everyone it wasn't me.

[CUTLER2579]

51 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Oi  Dave

 

I might have originally come form Bedford but I can assure everyone it wasn't me.

 

Some people may think  Clive doth protest too much ?

[BlackRat]

3 hours ago, Barry Ten said:

 

I was saying exactly the same thing to one of the chaps at the SAS reunion recently.

Al....don't tell me you were on the balcony as well!?

[St Enodoc]

5 hours ago, Bucoops said:

 

What's the colour of the boathouse at Hereford?

If I told you I'd have to shoot you...

[St Enodoc]

5 hours ago, chris p bacon said:

 

Surely it's been destroyed by now. 

 

On the subject of 'Walts'   Many years ago I used to be a jobbing Carpenter and did work for various landlords, one of these had some flats in Bedford and quite regularly I had to attend one of the flats and change locks and do minor repairs.  Nothing odd or unusual as there was a female tenant, except this tenant seemed to have a higher number of 'Gentleman friends' than others,  with my naivity it took me about half a dozen visits to realise that she was actually a lady of negotiable virtue   She was actually very nice but did say that in her proffesion she met more people who were supposedly in the SAS/Special Forces/MI5/Government secret service, a bit odd as they were generally bald fat blokes. 

 

And before anyone asks I was paid by cheque. 

I do hope that the "reason for edit" is not a comment on the subject matter of your post...

[AndyID]

9 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

 Why do some people not give credit where credit is due?

 

Let's hope that a rhetorical question. If it's not you might want to start a new topic.

[BlackRat]

11 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

I've all but finished the building of the Parkside O Gauge wagon.........................

 

 

I found the brake gear the most bewildering of subjects, so I won't be surprised if I've got it wrong. Still, without being slipshod, most of it's hidden, and as long as an impression of it is given, it should look all right. 

 

 

I wouldn't worry to much.... "

One Martin Welch used to own the Blue Peter model,railway shop in Plimufff, a regular haunt and a well needed tea stop for me.

 

When the shop wasn't busy, Martyn would be busy building something or other for Hursley ( which hadn't hit the mags by then) .

 

One of the models he was weathering was a Slaters 7mm brake van, and it looked so good it started me off on the road of O gauge.

 

It was the first 7mm kit I had tried and went to gether very easily.....but I wasn't sure about where all the brake gear etc went. 

 

On the next visit I asked Martin, who replied saying something like he had no idea really, and as you wouldn't see much of it he didnt bother modelling it, but concentrated on making what you COULD see as realistic as possible.

Sound advice I think, which still resonates today.

[Guest]

7 hours ago, BlackRat said:

Al....don't tell me you were on the balcony as well!?

 

No he wasn’t. I know because I was! 

[Dave Hunt]

12 hours ago, Barry Ten said:

 

I was saying exactly the same thing to one of the chaps at the SAS reunion recently.

 

Sorry I missed that 'cos it clashed with the astronauts convention...

[Jesse Sim]

Well the J39 is nearing completion, my very first locomotive kit, it’s not the best, but I’m happy that I’ve overcome a modelling milestone, well it is for me anyway. Few details left to add on, definitely room for improvement and may need to fill in the horrible gaps but it runs beautifully, can’t wait to do another one. 

 

Tony and everyone else, what do you think? 

 

Edited July 29, 2019 by Jesse Sim

[Woodcock29]

Hi Jesse

 

Congratulations on getting this far.  The fact you are very happy with how it runs is terrific news.

 

I would definitely be filling in the gaps. Here in Oz I tend to use Plastibond which is available from hardware shops.

 

I'm wondering how straight the chimney is ? If its not straight its worth the effort to remove it and refit it as I see the chimney, dome and smokebox door as the face of the loco and well worth extra attention. It appears to me that you have soldered it on. I would tend to fit chimneys and domes with 5 min araldite as this allows a short time for adjustment. Although I haved soldered where you can get to a spigot from below. It may not be possible to easily remove it. If its not straight and you damage it I should be able to supply you with a replacement.

 

Regards

 

Andrew