Wright writes.....

[Tony Wright]

18 minutes ago, 18131r said:

Tony

 

From your comment regarding Wigan show going,have you anymore information regarding what has happened, has it disappeared just for this year?

 

Thank you

 

Richard

Good morning Richard,

 

From what I've been told, it's gone for good. 

 

Last year's show (which was one of the best exhibitions I've ever attended) was very-poorly attended (due in no small part because of a crippling rail strike on the Saturday, which meant very few visitors - if any - came from Scotland. Normally many would come by rail - not just from Scotland - and the Sunday - on which there was no strike - services were sporadic and couldn't be guaranteed - trains in the wrong place, and so on). 

 

It was only a small group which ran the Wigan exhibition, and the members had set up a limited company; a company no more as far as I'm aware. Stephen Roberts and his able assistants had put on a brilliant show for many years, but rising costs and that rail strike last year effectively finished the Wigan Show off I'm afraid. 

 

I'd like to thank Stephen and his team for making me (and Mo) so welcome down the years, and for always producing a high-quality show.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

[APOLLO]

Being a Wiganer I will sorely miss this excellent show. All is not completely lost as I visited the nearby Leigh exhibition on Sunday. This is an excellent 2 day show, probably half the size of Wigan but well worth a visit. I first went last year and will go again next year. Mainly model railways there was some ship / aircraft / military exhibits also.

Trade stands this year were varied, though I got the bits n bobs I needed.

 

The dates are 14th & 15th September 2024, £6 entry, under 15's free with an adult.

 

Just to add attendance seemed good, not crowded, not sparse, "just right" is how I would put it as an attendee.

 

Brit15

[Barry Ten]

On 09/09/2023 at 18:40, Bernard Lamb said:

Good evening Tony.

No.

The situation with that ghastly plug and socket is even worse in my experience than yours.

I got hold of an Oxford Rail J27 intending to use the tender elsewhere only to find that Oxford use a different size item. Grrrrrrh.

Bernard

 

Flashing back to these plug and socket thingies, I recently had the challenge of swapping the order of wires over for a piece of radio control equipment. I didn't realise until then that it's relatively easy to get into these items, should one need to:

 

 

Perhaps this might be helpful to anyone (like me) who has inadvertently damaged one of these plugs in the past.

 

Edited September 12, 2023 by Barry Ten
formatting

[18131r]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Good morning Richard,

 

From what I've been told, it's gone for good. 

 

Last year's show (which was one of the best exhibitions I've ever attended) was very-poorly attended (due in no small part because of a crippling rail strike on the Saturday, which meant very few visitors - if any - came from Scotland. Normally many would come by rail - not just from Scotland - and the Sunday - on which there was no strike - services were sporadic and couldn't be guaranteed - trains in the wrong place, and so on). 

 

It was only a small group which ran the Wigan exhibition, and the members had set up a limited company; a company no more as far as I'm aware. Stephen Roberts and his able assistants had put on a brilliant show for many years, but rising costs and that rail strike last year effectively finished the Wigan Show off I'm afraid. 

 

I'd like to thank Stephen and his team for making me (and Mo) so welcome down the years, and for always producing a high-quality show.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

 

1 hour ago, APOLLO said:

Being a Wiganer I will sorely miss this excellent show. All is not completely lost as I visited the nearby Leigh exhibition on Sunday. This is an excellent 2 day show, probably half the size of Wigan but well worth a visit. I first went last year and will go again next year. Mainly model railways there was some ship / aircraft / military exhibits also.

Trade stands this year were varied, though I got the bits n bobs I needed.

 

The dates are 14th & 15th September 2024, £6 entry, under 15's free with an adult.

 

Just to add attendance seemed good, not crowded, not sparse, "just right" is how I would put it as an attendee.

 

Brit15

Hello Tony

 

Thank you for the information.

 

What a pity it may have gone for good, I attended last years show and can only reiterate your comments regarding the attendance.

 

If memory serves me well it was the last time I saw Eileens Emporium, I think they went bust the week following last years Wigan show

 

Forunately as APOLLO commented there is Leigh show to look forward to.

 

Both last years show and this years were well worth a visit.

 

The organiser really does put the effort in, and no doubt he will have plans in place for next years show.

 

For me it is a 15 minute journey to the venue.

 

Regards

 

Richard

 

Edited September 12, 2023 by 18131r
to add something

[Steamport Southport]

21 minutes ago, 18131r said:

 

Hello Tony

 

Thank you for the information.

 

What a pity it may have gone for good, I attended last years show and can only reiterate your comments regarding the attendance.

 

If memory serves me well it was the last time I saw Eileens Emporium, I think they went bust the week following last years Wigan show

 

Forunately as APOLLO commented there is Leigh show to look forward to.

 

Both last years show and this years were well worth a visit.

 

The organiser really does put the effort in, and no doubt he will have plans in place for next years show.

 

For me it is a 15 minute journey to the venue.

 

Regards

 

Richard

 

 

A good reason to try and support other small, local exhibitions. Much more enjoyable than the huge shows packed with rucksacks!

 

Unfortunately I had to miss the Liverpool show, but Warrington is soon and Manchester in December. There is also the very friendly Rainhill exhibition (usually March with a small one at Christmas).

 

I know there are others in the North West, but they are the ones I've been attending recently and all are easy to get to by public transport (if trains are running obviously).

 

 

Jason

[Erichill16]

21 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

 

 

Has anyone else built one of these locos? It'll be in GWR guise.

 

I believe there's now an RTR version of this class, but the customer still wants one built. 

 

Such is today's progress - more over the next few days..............

 

 

 I’ve been building one on and off (mainly off) for a couple of years.

Im a little bit in advance of your pictures but I bet you’ve moved a bit since yesterday!

Mine runs very sweetly but I’m at a hiatus at the moment as I don’t fancy soldering up the boiler so a couple of images of yours  would be helpful.With respect I’ve had a couple of suggestions but it would be nice to see it done.

By the way, the cab roof for the GWR version looks a PIA, glad I’m doing the industrial version!

Edited September 12, 2023 by Erichill16

[Tony Wright]

4 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

 I’ve been building one on and off (mainly off) for a couple of years.

Im a little bit in advance of your pictures but I bet you’ve moved a bit since yesterday!

Mine runs very sweetly but I’m at a hiatus at the moment as I don’t fancy soldering up the boiler so a couple of images of yours  would be helpful.With respect I’ve had a couple of suggestions but it would be nice to see it done.

By the way, the cab roof for the GWR version looks a PIA, glad I’m doing the industrial version!

Good evening,

 

Thanks for these. 

 

I've actually done no more on it today (BRM subbing/checking takes precedence). 

 

Interestingly, you've arranged the pick-ups as suggested by the instructions - on the tops of the wheels. I've done my usual, with PCB pads fixed to the base of the frames, and .45mm nickel silver wipers on the rear of the tyres - adjustable even with the body on. With all-insulated drivers, there are pick-ups both sides (I'll show pictures tomorrow).

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[cliff park]

Just in case anyone needs it, there is an organisation called TWAM, Tools With A Mission. They are church based,but the work they do is amazing. They have collection/storage places all over the country. They will take any tool or machinery, be they garden, domestic, DIY, or small industrial , refurbish and test, then ship them out to 3rd world countries by the container load. I am involved with a charity (REMAP) which makes things for disabled people and we have been contacted several times by widows with sheds or garages full of DIY kit and just want rid of it. We take what we need, the rest goes to TWAM.

 

[DougN]

I read in the last page or so about the problem of books from an estate. Yes i still have part of my garage full of books.

It is a little issue in that we as modelers chase information and buy the books specific to our interest which feeds our thirst for specific information on a specific subject. The collection I have to dispose of is all southern region and is probably about 400kgs of books (yes it took a trailer to get it home). Previously at another BRMA convention I helped out with selling a heap of books. (only about 100kg's (6 boxes worth). The person looking after it said "look this is the BR Mk 1 coaches book its worth $100AUD" I convinced him to put every book at $5aud... we walked out with 1 box... and on top of that box was the Mk1 coaches book! So even with specific market and a cheap price things still wont sell. 

 

So back to my collection of Southern Railway books... They can wait I have other things to move on in the mean time! 

[polybear]

As regards tools, the following website can be very useful:

 

https://www.homeworkshop.org.uk/

 

It's totally free to use (no insertion or commission fees**); you can post For Sale, Wanted, Information Wanted etc. Ads. and specify whether or not you are prepared to post or if it's collection only etc.

It's regularly used for big stuff such as lathes, milling machines etc. but also for small stuff - from BA Nuts upwards, as well as materials such as metal stock; unfinished projects and also electrical equipment feature regularly, as well as books and magazine collections.

The Website Owner vets all posts prior to insertion so if they think you're not playing by the rules or posting unsuitable adverts they'll block it.

One thing they are strict on is that all adverts should have a price - definitely no "Best Offer" type of thing (they'll quickly refer you to Ebay for that); I have seen adverts where a workshop clearance is involved (and personal visits necessary) is the use of "£various" though, which seems to be acceptable.

 

**They do welcome donations to the site though, to help with running costs.

 

[Tony Wright]

I'd forgotten that I'd photographed a Kerr Stuart 'Victory' before..........

 

 

 

Built by Rob Kinsey in EM for service on his Merthyr Riverside layout.

 

Here are the pick-up arrangements on the one I'm building...........

 

 

As is usual with etched kits, I had to file the frames down at their ends to fit between the buffer beams. 

 

 

[Barry Ten]

What is it about pride before a fall? I was very happy with resurrecting my Grange last week, but during ordinary running last night it stopped dead, emitted a sound like a terrified gerbil, and then did a very creditable impression of having a smoke generator. That was a brand new decoder, so twenty pounds down the sink in one puff of foul-smelling blue.

 

Sir:1, DCC:0 I think.

[Roger Sunderland]

1 hour ago, Barry Ten said:

What is it about pride before a fall? I was very happy with resurrecting my Grange last week, but during ordinary running last night it stopped dead, emitted a sound like a terrified gerbil, and then did a very creditable impression of having a smoke generator. That was a brand new decoder, so twenty pounds down the sink in one puff of foul-smelling blue.

 

Sir:1, DCC:0 I think.

Well not really, things don’t generally happen without a reason. I don’t believe I’ve ever had a decoder spontaneously combust without there being a very good reason.

[Barry Ten]

2 minutes ago, Roger Sunderland said:

Well not really, things don’t generally happen without a reason. I don’t believe I’ve ever had a decoder spontaneously combust without there being a very good reason.

 

I'd assume that somehow a current path has opened up between the track voltage and the motor feeds, but how that's happened after a period of running, I won't know until I get the body off.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

1 hour ago, Barry Ten said:

it stopped dead, emitted a sound like a terrified gerbil, and then did a very creditable impression of having a smoke generator

That would suggest mechanism locked up, the motor kept going noisily destroying the worm or a shaft coupling as the decoder ramped up the current and then burned out

 

(If the order of events was 'shriek' , stopped dead, smoke ; that would suggest a bearing on the motor shaft (or a separate worm shaft turning at motor shaft speed) seized, the decoder ramped up the current, and burned out.)

[uax6]

A couple of years back, one of my Dads friends father died. He had a large collection of railway books, and Dad was asked if he wanted a look before they went to the tip. Naturally he asked if I wanted a butchers as well. There was about 150 books, of which there were more than I few I was on the look out for*. I couldn't bare to see them go to the tip, so I asked Dad to ask his friend if they wanted anything for them, the answer being no. So I took them and then listed the books on here as free to a good home, but receiver pays postage. 

I got rid of about 80% of them, and donated the postage to Dads friend, my cut being the volumes I wanted. I made about £150 through the postage and donations from those who thought I was being too generous. Dads friend was amazed when this was forwarded to them...

 

Andy G

* Books like Lacey and Dows Midland Carriage books

Edited September 13, 2023 by uax6

[Steamport Southport]

1 minute ago, uax6 said:

A couple of years back, one of my Dads friends father died. He had a large collection of railway books, and Dad was asked if he wanted a look before they went to the tip. Naturally he asked if I wanted a butchers as well. There was about 150 books, of which there were more than I few I was on the look out for. I couldn't bare to see them go to the tip, so I asked Dad to ask his friend if they wanted anything for them, the answer being no. So I took them and then listed the books on here as free to a good home, but receiver pays postage. 

I got rid of about 80% of them, and donated the postage to Dads friend, my cut being the volumes I wanted. I made about £150 through the postage and donations from those who thought I was being too generous. Dads friend was amazed when this was forwarded to them...

 

Andy G

 

Why anyone would send books to a tip is baffling.

 

Even giving them to a charity shop is a better idea as they sell them on to places like World Of Books by weight. WOB even buy books from individuals if you are really stuck getting rid of them. Any unsellable books go for recycling.

 

Just don't overwhelm a charity shop with hundreds of books at once. Speaking from personal experience you often haven't got the time to sort that many and they take up a lot of space.

 

Obviously if there is a heritage railway that will take them then that's a better solution.

 

 

Jason

[polybear]

1 hour ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

Why anyone would send books to a tip is baffling.

 

Even giving them to a charity shop is a better idea as they sell them on to places like World Of Books by weight. WOB even buy books from individuals if you are really stuck getting rid of them. Any unsellable books go for recycling.

 

Just don't overwhelm a charity shop with hundreds of books at once. Speaking from personal experience you often haven't got the time to sort that many and they take up a lot of space.

 

Obviously if there is a heritage railway that will take them then that's a better solution.

 

 

Jason

 

Sadly many people just take the easy way out and if the local dump is two miles away, whilst the Charity Shop is five then they'll head to the dump.

 

As regards Charity Shops, I'd suggest those that specialise in books (such as Oxfam Books) as they do much more to research and sell books at a worthwhile price, whereas many others simply charge 50p or a quid for everything - great for us, but not so great for the Charity.

Edited September 13, 2023 by polybear

[Northmoor]

1 hour ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

Why anyone would send books to a tip is baffling.

 

Even giving them to a charity shop is a better idea as they sell them on to places like World Of Books by weight. WOB even buy books from individuals if you are really stuck getting rid of them. Any unsellable books go for recycling.

 

Just don't overwhelm a charity shop with hundreds of books at once. Speaking from personal experience you often haven't got the time to sort that many and they take up a lot of space.

 

Obviously if there is a heritage railway that will take them then that's a better solution.

 

 

Jason

Dad has a collection of books and railway magazines, which I estimate to total close to 20,000 and he still comes back from visits to preserved railways with half a dozen more each time.....  However, he also volunteers at a large charity book shop; he is focussed on cataloging and pricing the transport and maps section (and occasionally buys a few himself, of course).  I seem to remember he prices them using some formula based on prices from a particular book selling website; something like ignoring the top two prices (which usually never sell) and pricing at 75% of the average of the remainder.  This means they are just cheap enough that dealers are tempted by there being still a little profit to be made and keeps up turnover.  There's no point hanging on for the highest price if you never get it - a lesson not learned by so many sellers of many things.

[Coach bogie]

On 12/09/2023 at 23:51, Steamport Southport said:

 

A good reason to try and support other small, local exhibitions. Much more enjoyable than the huge shows packed with rucksacks!

 

Unfortunately I had to miss the Liverpool show, but Warrington is soon and Manchester in December. There is also the very friendly Rainhill exhibition (usually March with a small one at Christmas).

 

Manchester is always a must. I am flying back from Australia early for this one. Worse than a ruck sack - If you see someone with a very large wheelie case - please forgive him, it will be me having just got off the plane after 26 hours.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Tony Wright]

Just to let folk know, I'll not be needed to 'sort out' anything from the Genesis range now. Elaine (of Elaine's Trains) went over to Market Rasen yesterday, and there was precious little (so much for the 'shed full'). 

 

The few finished locos were all old white metal bodies on RTR chassis, and any un-made kits filled just three shoe boxes (I've asked Elaine what these are). 

 

There's a melting pot, some moulds, a centrifuge and some white metal (anyone interested in these?).

 

Sorry to disappoint anyone. 

[Tony Wright]

Having made further enquiries, it seems that there are no complete Genesis kits - just three shoe boxes full of odd castings!

 

Sorry. 

[Barry Ten]

21 hours ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

That would suggest mechanism locked up, the motor kept going noisily destroying the worm or a shaft coupling as the decoder ramped up the current and then burned out

 

(If the order of events was 'shriek' , stopped dead, smoke ; that would suggest a bearing on the motor shaft (or a separate worm shaft turning at motor shaft speed) seized, the decoder ramped up the current, and burned out.)

 

I took the body off last night and couldn't see anything to indicate what the problem might have been. It still ran fine on DC, not trace of binding etc, although the motor might have been getting a little warm. Couldn't see any exposed or snagged wiring either. The chip had very definitely blown, though, since there was that characteristic blister on one of the modules. What I'll do is swap the chassis over to the one from my GWR one which only ever runs on DC, so there should (hopefully) be no recurrence.

[Tony Wright]

There's a parallel thread on here entitled 'Were any of them any good'? 

 

It's recommended in my view. 

 

I'm contributing to it, posting shots such as these.......

 

 

 

The thread is thought-provoking and very-topical. 

 

 

Edited September 14, 2023 by Tony Wright
incorrect description

[Tony Wright]

I've been conducting a few detailing exercises on one of Hornby's latest P2s, to be written up in the next but one issue of BRM.........

 

 

A couple of jobs entailed fitting proper etched nameplates (Hornby's metal ones are just lumps!) and altering the angle of the return crank.

 

 

I'll be asking Geoff Haynes to give it a dusting of weathering with his airbrush.