Wright writes.....

[polybear]

32 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Does anyone have an idea what D&S kits go for these days? I know some have qualified as 'Ebay madness', but since I don't do Ebay, I don't know. I assume un-made (complete) kits go for more?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

Hi Tony,

 

Here's a recent sample:

 

1. Four LNER Cattle Van Kits - they were up for £200 but the seller accepted a "best offer"

2. GNER 6 ton Cattle Wagon  £33

3.  GNR/LNER Fish Van  £73

4.  GNR 10 Ton Open Wagon  £27

5.  GNR/LNER 8 Ton Covered Goods Van £65

 

All the above are unbuilt 00 Kits.

 

......and even this one:

6.  D&S 4mm Whitemetal Wagon Kit Labels 50+ Quantity.   £9.99

 

- yes, that's just the labels off the kits - no parts.....

 

Jeez, I've got a second pension in the Great Kit Mountain upstairs.....

[Tony Wright]

4 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

I believe that an intaglio is a logo composed of letters - such as was used by D&S.

 

CJI.

Good afternoon John,

 

Intaglio (which is Italian) really means 'depressed' or incised imagery (if I remember correctly from my art school days). Indeed, my rotting Dictionary of Art and Artists (Penguin reprint 1963, five bob) defines it as 'consists of cutting forms out of a surface so as to form a kind of relief in reverse. The commonest example is an engraved seal-ring, hence the opposite term is often Cameo'. Though the term was coined long before chemical etching, I think it's apposite.

 

LNWR nameplates were intaglio. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

 

 

Hi Tony,

 

Here's a recent sample:

 

1. Four LNER Cattle Van Kits - they were up for £200 but the seller accepted a "best offer"

2. GNER 6 ton Cattle Wagon  £33

3.  GNR/LNER Fish Van  £73

4.  GNR 10 Ton Open Wagon  £27

5.  GNR/LNER 8 Ton Covered Goods Van £65

 

All the above are unbuilt 00 Kits.

 

......and even this one:

6.  D&S 4mm Whitemetal Wagon Kit Labels 50+ Quantity.   £9.99

 

- yes, that's just the labels off the kits - no parts.....

 

Jeez, I've got a second pension in the Great Kit Mountain upstairs.....

Thanks Brian,

 

So my pricing isn't too expensive for the horsebox?

 

I've found a V2 smokebox door, so will post it to you. I must have your address somewhere, but can you PM me with it, please?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited July 3, 2023 by Tony Wright

[paul.anderson@poptel.org]

43 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Mick,

 

There is just evidence of an intaglio name on the underneath of the horsebox, but it's covered by all the brake gear (which is very complicated and comprehensive). 

 

Did Dan Pinnock do such a kit?

 

The two other vehicles are cast metal. I thought D&S were always etched kits. Either way, they're nicely made and detailed.

 

Does anyone have an idea what D&S kits go for these days? I know some have qualified as 'Ebay madness', but since I don't do Ebay, I don't know. I assume un-made (complete) kits go for more?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

D & S did dozens of cast kits back in the day (and I've still a few to make from 30 years ago). They were/are excellent! I don't remember them being cheap in the first place, but they go upwards of £40 unmade on ebay now, when you can find them.

[ecgtheow]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

I did buy more GWR OO items at Ruddington.............

 

 

A plastic kit (Parkside?) for a Fish Van (which I should have given a dust). The builder had even gone to the extent of putting 'fabric' on the roof (painted lavatory paper, I think). 

 

 

A question, please? I think this small GW horsebox is built from a D&S kit. It's certainly etched brass: can anyone confirm, please? 

 

I sold an un-built D&S kit for a similar van for £40.00 recently. What price, I wonder, for a (well) finished one like this? 

 

 

Another Parkside kit for this 'Tube' wagon? 

 

Not just GWR stuff either............

 

 

This pair is cast metal (I need to re-fix the roof on the cattle van). 

 

Could they be ABS kits? 

 

 

Tony, I would like to buy the GN van if it's still available.

 

Regards,

 

William

[Bucoops]

Danny's logo is a hedgehog I think, made up from a D and an S:

 

[Willie Whizz]

Hi again Tony. No, we didn’t speak on Saturday (though we have spoken before) - you were pretty busy both times we came by, and having seen what there was to see and bought a couple of small items we set-off to a Blue Diamond Garden Centre on the way home - where Lady W spent quite a lot more, though very little of it for the actual garden!
 

As for “intaglio”, some of us may well have a good example of it about our persons at this very moment. If you rub your finger across the surface of a new or nearly-new banknote, you can feel raised ridges in the printed ink. This is, or was, a comparatively expensive process, difficult to fake without some specialised technology, and ‘back in the day’ used to be one of the techniques bank clerks would employ to ascertain whether a note was genuine or a forgery. 

[cctransuk]

1 minute ago, Tony Wright said:

Good afternoon John,

 

Intaglio (which is Italian) really means 'depressed' or incised imagery (if I remember correctly from my art school days). Indeed, my rotting Dictionary of Art and Artists (Penguin reprint 1963, five bob) defines it as 'consists of cutting forms out of a surface so as to form a kind of relief in reverse. The commonest example is an engraved seal-ring, hence the opposite term is often Cameo'. Though the term was coined long before chemical etching, I think it's apposite.

 

LNWR nameplates were intaglio. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Tony,

 

Thank you - I knew that it somehow related to signet rings, and the like.

 

Regards,

John.

[Jol Wilkinson]

The GWR Horsebox is most probably a D&S kit. It is listed in the D&S 1986/7 and 2005 price lists I have, as a GWR N4 Horsebox.

 

I have one, together with a D&S GER  Horsebox, both built(?) and painted by Ian Rathbone. They can be seen in the background in this photo.

 

I don't often look at the D&S price lists, it depresses me.

[Tony Wright]

So far no takers for the GWR wagons/vans I have for sale. 

 

I wonder whether I'm asking too much for them? Though, I admit, I paid only around £5.00 each for them (which I think is ludicrously low), the intention is to make some money for CRUK, especially now I've effected any slight repairs and made sure they roll smoothly. 

 

Are they really worth less than the kits they're made from cost? Recently, I've reviewed an RTR van in OO, with a retail price tag of nearly £40.00! 

Edited July 3, 2023 by Tony Wright
clumsy grammar

[Tony Wright]

15 minutes ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

The GWR Horsebox is most probably a D&S kit. It is listed in the D&S 1986/7 and 2005 price lists I have, as a GWR N4 Horsebox.

 

I have one, together with a D&S GER  Horsebox, both built(?) and painted by Ian Rathbone. They can be seen in the background in this photo.

 

I don't often look at the D&S price lists, it depresses me.

Thanks Jol,

 

That's a nice intaglio nameplate on your loco (a Precursor?).

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

[cctransuk]

6 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Jol,

 

That's a nice intaglio nameplate on your loco (a Precursor?).

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

 

It's all your fault, Sir - using big foreign words!

 

John Isherwood.

[polybear]

33 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

So far no takers for the GWR wagons/vans I have for sale. 

 

I wonder whether I'm asking too much for them? Though, I admit, I paid only around £5.00 each for them (which I think is ludicrously low), the intention is to make some money for CRUK, especially now I've effected any slight repairs and made sure they roll smoothly. 

 

Are they really worth less than the kits they're made from cost? Recently, I've reviewed an RTR van in OO, with a retail price tag of nearly £40.00! 

 

Hi Tony,

I'd give it a day or two - or invite "Best Offer" by the end of the week maybe?

[Clem]

Hi Tony,

It was great to see and chat with you on Sunday at the Ruddington show. I very much enjoyed our wide-ranging, stimulating debate not to mention reminiscing about distant memories of D11s and other long gone locomotives.

 

As usual I was very taken with the locos on  your display stand especially the O4/8. As a fan of the O4s of all flavours, it particularly caught my eye.

 

When I eventually took my leave of you, Chris was waiting outside with the patience of a saint... but then dragged me back inside to buy some 4mm figures to set up for her photography! (she often raids the layout!).

 

Lastly but very much not least, thank you for your advice and tips on chassis painting.

 

PS an update on my annoying knee injury. Our next door neighbour - a GP - popped round a little earlier this evening. Coincidentally she is going into hospital for a cruciate knee operation on Thursday herself (brought about by participation in a hockey match) and she's been following my own knee progress. But she thinks I may eventually need a small op myself. Oh well, we'll have to see. 

 

Cheers for now and regards to Mo,

 

Clem.

 

[Tony Wright]

46 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Hi Tony,

I'd give it a day or two - or invite "Best Offer" by the end of the week maybe?

Thanks Brian,

 

Glad to report that the Tube wagon has been sold (at £15.00, the cheapest, but a start, and at least that's a tenner for CRUK). 

 

One thing I've noticed is that several of the wagons have MJT or D&S suspension units, meaning an added cost at source, thus making them even better value!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

34 minutes ago, Clem said:

Hi Tony,

It was great to see and chat with you on Sunday at the Ruddington show. I very much enjoyed our wide-ranging, stimulating debate not to mention reminiscing about distant memories of D11s and other long gone locomotives.

 

As usual I was very taken with the locos on  your display stand especially the O4/8. As a fan of the O4s of all flavours, it particularly caught my eye.

 

When I eventually took my leave of you, Chris was waiting outside with the patience of a saint... but then dragged me back inside to buy some 4mm figures to set up for her photography! (she often raids the layout!).

 

Lastly but very much not least, thank you for your advice and tips on chassis painting.

 

PS an update on my annoying knee injury. Our next door neighbour - a GP - popped round a little earlier this evening. Coincidentally she is going into hospital for a cruciate knee operation on Thursday herself (brought about by participation in a hockey match) and she's been following my own knee progress. But she thinks I may eventually need a small op myself. Oh well, we'll have to see. 

 

Cheers for now and regards to Mo,

 

Clem.

 

Good evening Clem,

 

I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation, especially since my shade of politics tends to be on the 'cool' spectrum and yours on the 'warm'. It's as it should be.

 

I hope your knee improves. As we said, too much in the way of politics (canvassing) can be detrimental to your health. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[MJI]

3rd today, was important for Stoke bank and Little Bytham in 1938.

[Bernard Lamb]

10 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Brian,

 

Glad to report that the Tube wagon has been sold (at £15.00, the cheapest, but a start, and at least that's a tenner for CRUK). 

 

One thing I've noticed is that several of the wagons have MJT or D&S suspension units, meaning an added cost at source, thus making them even better value!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Good morning Tony.

My gut feeling is that the people who inhabit this thread are not the sort of people who buy things for silly money on ebay.

Lower prices., or a change of marketing strategy might help. But neither of those would be desirable options.

On balance you would probably make better use of your time and talent by sticking to what you know best  - steam locomotives.

Bernard

[melmoth]

12 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

So far no takers for the GWR wagons/vans I have for sale. 

 

I wonder whether I'm asking too much for them? Though, I admit, I paid only around £5.00 each for them (which I think is ludicrously low), the intention is to make some money for CRUK, especially now I've effected any slight repairs and made sure they roll smoothly. 

 

Are they really worth less than the kits they're made from cost? Recently, I've reviewed an RTR van in OO, with a retail price tag of nearly £40.00! 

 

Tony, I think your prices are quite reasonable, but comparing the price of the built kit to an unbuilt kit misses out all the pleasure derived from building the kit for yourself.

[gr.king]

My D&S GC "Large Cattle" and GN fitted goods were both white metal kits with etched fittings.

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, melmoth said:

 

Tony, I think your prices are quite reasonable, but comparing the price of the built kit to an unbuilt kit misses out all the pleasure derived from building the kit for yourself.

Thanks Jon,

 

But there are those who, for whatever reasons, cannot build kits for themselves. 

 

As far as I know, none of the vehicles I've shown has an RTR equivalent. 

 

Of course, it could be that all the inhabitants of Wright writes make things for themselves, anyway. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Jol Wilkinson]

12 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Brian,

 

Glad to report that the Tube wagon has been sold (at £15.00, the cheapest, but a start, and at least that's a tenner for CRUK). 

 

One thing I've noticed is that several of the wagons have MJT or D&S suspension units, meaning an added cost at source, thus making them even better value!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Firstly, yes the loco is a Precursor, built from a Brassmasters kit with a custom etched frames.

 

Secondly, I was interested in one or two of the wagons especially the GN van, but modelling in P4, wouldn't want to have to butcher it to fit compensation or springing if that was even possible. If it has MJT or D&S etched underframes that was probably not necessary. Modelling LNWR pre-group also means I have to research other companies stock for suitability.

 

The NER cattle wagon has a "Large" designation but looks like the Wizard/51L Medium van, the Large Cattle wagon kit is from Parkside, hence plastic, and looks quite different. If fitted with etched (preferably compensated) then it would be of interest.

 

Should you continue with reselling wagons? Yes, if they are inexpensive enough for you to be able to make a contribution to CRUK that is worth your time and effort. By which I mean, doing so doesn't detract from doing something more beneficial for the charity such as sorting out a loco that would create a greater contribution.

 

Jol

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, Bernard Lamb said:

Good morning Tony.

My gut feeling is that the people who inhabit this thread are not the sort of people who buy things for silly money on ebay.

Lower prices., or a change of marketing strategy might help. But neither of those would be desirable options.

On balance you would probably make better use of your time and talent by sticking to what you know best  - steam locomotives.

Bernard

Good morning Bernard,

 

I'm sure all those on here aren't daft enough to follow 'ebay madness', but then I'm not asking ebay prices (at least, I don't think I am).

 

'No good deed goes unpunished', or so the saying goes. Though hardly altruistic or philanthropic on my part, I thought I'd buy the GWR items, make sure they ran well and then resell them with any 'profit's going to CRUK. 

 

Anyway, how's this?

 

Everything loco/rolling stock-wise seen in the following images for £175.00? Ten items in all.

 

(Apart from my stock in the sidings or on the M&GNR).

 

 

 

Obviously, the scratch-built Hall and one of the clerestories appears twice. 

 

Apart from the clerestories (which retain their Hornby Dublo couplings), none of the items has couplings (apart from headstock hooks on some). 

 

A job lot, at £17.50 each! Anyone interested, please PM me.

 

P.S. The Hall runs really well.................

 

 

Edited July 4, 2023 by Tony Wright
to add something

[robertcwp]

Some Retford developments. There was a minor reshuffle of the trains last weekend, which saw two existing trains replaced and some others revised. The main development is the reappearance of a down 'Postal' train, which includes two vans kindly loaned by Geoff West, that were built originally by John Houlden for his 'Gamston Bank' layout. Sandra has a further TPO van under construction to complete the train. The set also includes two Bachmann Thompson full brakes, which have been improved by Brian Kirby with reprofiled roofs, new roof vents and rebuilt underframe detail. This video shows the train in action, hauled by 60539 Bronzino whilst a J6 shunts in the goods yard.

 

Here are a few images:

IMG_0460am by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

 

IMG_0461am by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

 

IMG_0462am by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

 

The other new train is a King's Cross-York/Hull service. Going by the 1956 carriage workings (as we don't have 1957) this included a pantry car running as an ordinary open second and had no catering provision north of Peterborough, where a buffet car was detached from the rear. This Gresley pantry car was built by Brian Kirby using Mousa Models (Bill Bedford) sides on a Hornby Gresley buffet car. It has turned out well.

 

IMG_0464am by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

 

And finally, here is a video of the (unchanged) Yorkshire Pullman.

 

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by robertcwp
Typo.

[Willie Whizz]

As the subject of “pantry cars” has been mentioned, it reminds me of a question I need to ask, please. I’m shortly starting work on an Isinglass kit of one of these and am unsure yet whether to put it into maroon or ‘blood and custard’ livery. But in either case, would the vehicle have carried any “Restaurant Car” or similar branding?  I understand some of the Gresley TO/SO allocated for dining at this time did and others didn’t, but both photographically and in the reference sources I have, the Thompson Pantry vehicles are quite low-profile and I’m not sure. Thanks.