Wright writes.....

[Tony Wright]

57 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said:

Although I do vary the time line as and when the mood takes me, if I was to operate the layout strictly to my own self-enforced rules (and obey the completely fictitious history that I have made up), then a period between 1962 and 1962 would be more appropriate...

 

I just wanted to add that both locos do indeed run very well. Although I know that real life shunting was often carried on with some degree of gusto (in order to get back to the mess room for that brew or game of cards), both locos respond very well to my AMR slow speed controller and are capable of a nice, slow crawl.

 

I don't normally shunt by making the loco crawl interminably, the fact that the model is capable of such slow, smooth running is, to me, a good indicator that it will be properly controllable at all speed ranges.

 

I'm talking about DC, of course...

 

Good afternoon Captain,

 

Though I might have mentioned this before in passing, the Peter Lawson collection of locos I'm helping to sell is rare inasmuch as every one I've inspected so far runs really well, whatever its drive. I've only come across this phenomenon on one other occasion; selling locos on behalf of Paul Bromige's bereaved family. I think the reason for this in both cases is that the locos were built exclusively by the two gentlemen respectively; for themselves. I don't know Peter's layout (though I hope to have the opportunity of photographing it before it's dismantled) but I'm told that it's well done and (now I know) that everything ran well. I used to visit Paul and his layout regularly (he was a dear friend) when we lived in Wolverhampton and I know he would not 'sign-off' any loco he'd made unless he was entirely happy with how it ran. 

 

All the other collections Mo and I have sold in recent times are a real mixture of excellence, adequacy, mediocrity and downright lousy when it comes to running. Pretty-looking many individual items might be, but (as I've said many times) 'professionally-built and thoroughly-tested' means, in many cases, that a loco will get from one end of a yard of dead straight track and back; just, and only with the wick turned right up! 

 

Prices I've asked have, of course, reflected how locos ran. In many cases, just a clean, tweak and a bit of oil are all that's needed to 'fix' a loco, but I've had to sell too many where the purchaser will have to sort the running out - he/she knowing that. This latter situation is not the case with either Peter's or Paul's locos. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

A quick question, if I may (and it's way outside my comfort zone)?

 

A friend has been handed some 40 Lima diesels, all mint, boxed and unused. I know not from where or whence they came (though it looks like the result of a bereavement), but he's seeking to sell them and has asked my advice. Since that advice would be negligible I'm asking the question - what might they be worth each? 

 

I'm certainly not abusing the privileged position I have on Wws where Mo and I sell kit-built items on behalf of bereaved/distressed families (we don't 'deal' in RTR), but when I know exactly what there is I'll post a list should anyone be interested, passing on details to my friend. 

 

Thanks.

[MJI]

1 minute ago, Tony Wright said:

A quick question, if I may (and it's way outside my comfort zone)?

 

A friend has been handed some 40 Lima diesels, all mint, boxed and unused. I know not from where or whence they came (though it looks like the result of a bereavement), but he's seeking to sell them and has asked my advice. Since that advice would be negligible I'm asking the question - what might they be worth each? 

 

I'm certainly not abusing the privileged position I have on Wws where Mo and I sell kit-built items on behalf of bereaved/distressed families (we don't 'deal' in RTR), but when I know exactly what there is I'll post a list should anyone be interested, passing on details to my friend. 

 

Thanks.

Values are totally random,  ebay is probably best place to sell.

 

I buy them as they are cheap,  look ok,  and respond well to modification.

 

If a collector is after a certain model they will go high.

 

The poorer models, 50, Deltic may make a tenner, a limited edition 47 or 37, could make over £50.

[MJI]

First proper bit of modelling since i think late November.

 

Fitted the footsteps to 41900.

 

Got a magnifier for some tasks now, but now getting dull, time to finish.

 

Great day today, sunny, got my new distance glasses, best i have seen right eyed for a few years. Left is all over the place, from good, to hardly usable. At least focus is ok.

 

Still getting headlamp starbursts  so that was not fully cataracts. Will find out more end of March, if i need to re referred.

[Tony Wright]

42 minutes ago, MJI said:

Values are totally random,  ebay is probably best place to sell.

 

I buy them as they are cheap,  look ok,  and respond well to modification.

 

If a collector is after a certain model they will go high.

 

The poorer models, 50, Deltic may make a tenner, a limited edition 47 or 37, could make over £50.

Thanks Martin,

 

Ebay? A total mystery.

 

Do folk really collect Lima?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[MJI]

Just now, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Martin,

 

Ebay? A total mystery.

 

Do folk really collect Lima?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Yes they do, and compete against modellers,  need 47s, get 4 or 5 Lima for the price of a Bachmann.

 

They look like 47s even though moulded handrails and the like. But a bit of work, flushglaze, respray, nice transfers,  they look fine infront of a passenger train at speed.

 

The 31 is liked as well, tends to be a good rehome for Hornby mazak rot drivechains.

 

I would recommend Ebaying if they know ebay.

 

I go for the tatty rather than mint in box.

[MJI]

Detailed Lima 47

[Chamby]

4 hours ago, Willie Whizz said:

I know that for some people, 100% accuracy is essential and without it any model, however good otherwise, will be fatally compromised. 
 

But I have to say that, looking at those lovely  A3s, even though I knew what I was meant to be looking for, discerning the different numbers of spokes was practically impossible for me without physically putting my finger on the picture and going: “one, two, three …”.

 

Maybe some people just worry too much for their own good. 

I can be very happy with a model until some bright herbert comes along and points out what is wrong with it.  After then, it becomes impossible to view the model without also seeing the defect.

 

I admire those who can just shrug this off and continue to enjoy their model just as much thereafter.   For others of us, the enjoyment forever becomes tempered until you are driven to fix the defect.  Perfectionists don’t have it easy!

[MJI]

2 hours ago, Captain Kernow said:

I've never really worried that the wheels on my locos didn't have quite the correct number of spokes. Although it's good to use the correct pattern where this is possible, the existence of an extra spoke or two has never really worried me.

 

To me, it's far more important that the loco looks correct as a whole and also that it runs smoothly and responsively, doesn't stall or derail.

 

I believe that the vast majority of people watching a layout at a show either won't be able to check that all the details on a loco, piece of rolling stock, layout etc. are correct, or won't know enough about the subject to tell or don't care. Let's say for sake of argument that this constitutes 95% of those who stop to look at the layout (and for much of the time, I myself fall into that category)...

 

So that leaves 5% of those looking at the layout who do know enough to discern whether something is wrong.

 

Of that 5%, perhaps two-thirds of them won't actually notice what's wrong, on the day.

 

So, of the 2% remaining, who do know enough about the subject matter and who have spotted that there aren't enough spokes on the loco, (or that you've not quite glued the lamp brackets in the correct spot or that you've used the wrong BR insignia for the period etc. etc.), perhaps three quarters of them won't say anything.

 

So, that leaves perhaps 0.5% of exhibition visitors, who stop to look at the layout, who know as much as (or more than) the builder, who have spotted the error and who are minded to point this out....

 

So why do many of us strive to get everything right? As far as my own efforts are concerned, it's not to please a tiny, tiny percentage of those who might stop and look at my layout at a show!

 

I do it for me! If I can live with the wrong number of spokes, that's fine by me. I can relax and get on with the next modelling project...

 

But.... if only it were that simple! We don't just model for ourselves and for exhibition visitors, do we? (assuming we are lucky enough to get invited to a show). These days many of us subject our modelling to the unforgiving close-up lens of the modern digital camera. We then may feel motivated to put the photo of our work up on a forum like this.

 

Consequently, it's only a matter of time before 'the 0.5%' turn on their computer and view your photos...

 

And that, to me, is one of the strengths of fora like this one. You could say that constructive, quality feedback should be welcomed as a component in the way we learn and become better modellers?

 

And of the some who commented, i expect are from a good place, not getting critical .

[Bucoops]

16 minutes ago, MJI said:

First proper bit of modelling since i think late November.

 

Fitted the footsteps to 41900.

 

Got a magnifier for some tasks now, but now getting dull, time to finish.

 

Great day today, sunny, got my new distance glasses, best i have seen right eyed for a few years. Left is all over the place, from good, to hardly usable. At least focus is ok.

 

Still getting headlamp starbursts  so that was not fully cataracts. Will find out more end of March, if i need to re referred.

 

Had my bi-annual test today. Turns out things are a bit fuzzy as my prescription has actually reduced a little bit. In theory that's a good thing but in practice I still need to buy new specs! Just for good measure my stigmatism (Is that what it's called) has apparently gone for a wander and is "the other side" now whatever that means!

[MJI]

7 minutes ago, Bucoops said:

 

Had my bi-annual test today. Turns out things are a bit fuzzy as my prescription has actually reduced a little bit. In theory that's a good thing but in practice I still need to buy new specs! Just for good measure my stigmatism (Is that what it's called) has apparently gone for a wander and is "the other side" now whatever that means!

Had in last 12 months 4 eye tests, 2 operations, many visits, on multiple eye drops, more checks to come, waiting on todays oct scan results.

 

May need 3 more ops. Just don't know.

 

And floaters

[Barry Ten]

14 minutes ago, Chamby said:

I can be very happy with a model until some bright herbert comes along and points out what is wrong with it.  After then, it becomes impossible to view the model without also seeing the defect.

 

A case in point might be this Wills station I built at the end of last year ( it's pretty good as a representation of an LBSC building). I was dead pleased with it for at least a week until I realised I'd managed to get the roof tiles on the wrong way up on the "road" facing side! Even though I thought I could live with this, since the wrong bit would never be seen, I've decided to bite the bullet and redo that bit of the roof. In fact I bought the relevant Wills sheets yesterday.

 

 

 

The upside down sheet is the one over the porch. It's surprisingly easy not to notice unless the light hits in the right direction but it must go!

[Captain Kernow]

2 hours ago, Chamby said:

I can be very happy with a model until some bright herbert comes along and points out what is wrong with it.  After then, it becomes impossible to view the model without also seeing the defect.

 

I admire those who can just shrug this off and continue to enjoy their model just as much thereafter.   For others of us, the enjoyment forever becomes tempered until you are driven to fix the defect.  Perfectionists don’t have it easy!

My sympathies.

 

Unless the error is significant, I generally find I can shrug it off. One thing I really don't like is to have to re-do that which I have already done.

 

There is one area where almost 'anything goes', however and that is the world of invented light railways and imagined industrial systems. Whose to say that that Peckett never carried a livery like that or had a handrail in that position?

 

 

[St Enodoc]

7 hours ago, Chamby said:

I can be very happy with a model until some bright herbert comes along and points out what is wrong with it.

The best cure for that is to ask Herbert how he improved his version.

[thegreenhowards]

21 hours ago, Willie Whizz said:

Maybe some people just worry too much for their own good. 

Hence the existence of P4!

 

Lights blue touch paper and stands back!

[Captain Kernow]

5 minutes ago, thegreenhowards said:

Hence the existence of P4!

 

Lights blue touch paper and stands back!

But how far back is a safe distance?!.... 😉😉😁

[St Enodoc]

9 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said:

But how far back is a safe distance?!.... 😉😉😁

About 2.33mm more than the number you first thought of.

[Tony Wright]

51 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said:

But how far back is a safe distance?!.... 😉😉😁

Infinite?

[LNER4479]

Excellent! It's time for the OO vs P4 argument ... er, friendly exchange of views. Not had that one for a while😁

 

I know one thing - I couldn't attempt what I'm attempting layout-wise in P4. It's madness in OO as it is 🤪

[Chas Levin]

4 minutes ago, LNER4479 said:

Excellent! It's time for the OO vs P4 argument ... er, friendly exchange of views. Not had that one for a while😁

 

Don't count your chickens P4 they're hatched... 🤣

 

(Sorry...)

[richard i]

20 minutes ago, Chas Levin said:

 

Don't count your chickens P4 they're hatched... 🤣

 

(Sorry...)

Your just saying that to gauge our responses.

 

if we number the arguments then we could really speed up the debate

arguments 1, 3, 4 and 7 for oo

arguments 2, 5, 6 and 8 for p4.

there we go debate over and back to modeling. 
richard

number 2 was for em. 

[Captain Kernow]

14 minutes ago, richard i said:

Your just saying that to gauge our responses.

 

if we number the arguments then we could really speed up the debate

arguments 1, 3, 4 and 7 for oo

arguments 2, 5, 6 and 8 for p4.

there we go debate over and back to modeling. 
richard

number 2 was for em. 

What about wheeling the old British HO one out of the cupboard?! 😉

[PMP]

1 hour ago, richard i said:

 

number 2 was for em. 

18.0mm or 18.2mm? Asking for a friend…

[Barry Ten]

And here's that Wills station with the roof replaced:

 

 

Some minor filling still to be done, but otherwise, job's a good 'un.

[Steamport Southport]

On 18/02/2024 at 14:30, lezz01 said:

Squires also have the Stevenson Carriages range.

Regards Lez. 

 

And Millholme Models which they acquired at the same time as Stevenson Carriages.

 

They occasional post a few on eBay. Here's the link to their eBay store.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/squirestools

 

It is worth "watching" in case they add something to stock that you want. They did have some of the Millholme Furness Railway D5 4-4-0s recently but they seem to have sold. So that suggests they are making short runs rather than mass producing them.

 

 

 

Jason