Wright writes.....

[Porcy Mane]

42 minutes ago, Blue Max said:

Many years (decades ?) back there was a company called Micro Metalsmiths (still operating I think in Kirbymoorside), they made a really nice J39 from brass etches and castings with a  Falhauber cordless motor and high quality spur reduction gearbox in the tender driving through a u/j shaft to a final drive gearbox in the loco.

 

MM set up a a model Railway  arm in a factory unit in Tanfield (Co Durham) to build brass Loco's fit to compete with the the japanese brass RTR offerings on the market at the time. The MM setup costs took advantage of the financial inducements that were available for business start ups following the closure of Consett steelworks.

 

Sadly it wasn't successful.  I think Slaters "acquired" most of the machinery and left over components although bits of the J39' still turn up at swap-meets in the North East.

 

The J39 had a few errors. A pal rebuilt his a few years ago whilst converting it to P4.

 

 

 

P

[St Enodoc]

15 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

That's excellent work, Jesse,

 

And, as you say, it's all by your own hand. Nothing beats that.

 

Occasionally, when I'm asked to comment on models made by or acquired by others, do you think I'm too blunt (or sharp?) in my assessments, caring not for folk's feelings? 

 

Yesterday, a chap I've known for some time came along. I've helped him with his modelling on occasions, and he is doing things for himself. He brought along a P2 he'd acquired from a well-known retail outlet, for the princely sum of £125.00. It had been made as well as one might 'reasonably' expect from a K's kit, but - Oh dear. It represented 2002, with the big deflectors. However, the original side sheets at the front had not been cut-back, the inner drivers were flangeless to accommodate the replacement Romford wheels, the cab was wrong (representing the type fitted to 2003-6), as was the tender (no beading, and no curve-in at the front). The cab roof only had one ventilator and the valve gear (which was a bit of a mess) had the return cranks leaning the wrong way. The boiler was misshapen as well. Not only that, on running (he'd removed the DCC chip in 'deference' to me!) it was a bit slow and had a tight spot, more so in forward motion.

 

On showing it to me, I wonder what he expected? 'Well done, that's a bargain'? 'An excellent purchase'? And so on............. He asked the questions and he got the responses above. 

 

I don't imply for one moment that the loco was not good value, but only as a starting point. It was painted in grey primer, and I didn't investigate if it had been soldered together or not. My suggestion of either to chuck the lot in paint stripper or boiling water didn't go down too well. Thus, back to a kit again, it might well have been worth continuing with, especially if RP25 Markits' drivers had been substituted. A different gearbox would have made it quicker (it had a Branchlines' 'box and a big Mashima motor), and the tight spot could have been removed. It got quite hot when it ran at top (slow) speed, which suggests mechanical interference. 

 

'What do you think I should do?' 

 

'Ebay!' 

 

Should I be more sensitive to folk's feelings?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

You can't beat Evelyn Waugh's euphemism in "Scoop":

 

"Up to a point, Lord Copper".

[St Enodoc]

3 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

I'm sorry Andrew,

 

I know 'consist' is probably an Americanism, and I've often called coaches/carriages 'cars'. After all, weren't catering, sleeping and Pullman vehicles called 'cars'. 

 

Note to self - get it right in future!

 

Thanks and regards,

 

Tony. 

"Cars" is fine. It was/is in common use on many parts of the Big Railway.

[Dave Hunt]

Returning to Tony's question of appropriate level of criticism, I firmly believe that unjustified praise is as detrimental as unjustified criticism as neither helps the object of the exercise. Also, criticism without any attempt at help or advice is detrimental as it does not really tend to improve things. What does help is constructive criticism, especially if it is accompanied by appropriate praise where applicable. What Tony describes is, to me, criticism that is both appropriate and constructive and hence is beneficial. 

Dave

[Headstock]

3 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

I'm sorry Andrew,

 

I know 'consist' is probably an Americanism, and I've often called coaches/carriages 'cars'. After all, weren't catering, sleeping and Pullman vehicles called 'cars'. 

 

Note to self - get it right in future!

 

Thanks and regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Apologies for the late reply, I was doing battle with a particularly stubborn long step board that refused to solder straight, it surrendered eventually. Pullmans (American?) were called cars on the LNER/Eastern region. Everything else was a carriage no matter what it said on the side. What's the famous phrase from one of the doyens of railway rolling stock, who's name I foget at this time of night ? I paraphrase, 'the LNER built carriages, lesser railways had to suffice with building coaches'.

[Tony Wright]

7 hours ago, Headstock said:

 

Apologies for the late reply, I was doing battle with a particularly stubborn long step board that refused to solder straight, it surrendered eventually. Pullmans (American?) were called cars on the LNER/Eastern region. Everything else was a carriage no matter what it said on the side. What's the famous phrase from one of the doyens of railway rolling stock, who's name I foget at this time of night ? I paraphrase, 'the LNER built carriages, lesser railways had to suffice with building coaches'.

Andrew,

 

I think it was the late, great Malcolm Crawley. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

Judging my the lack of criticisms with regard to the LB moving footage I put on here last evening (with Andy York's help), can I conclude that it's been accepted as being 'all right'? 

[Dave Hunt]

6 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Judging my the lack of criticisms with regard to the LB moving footage I put on here last evening (with Andy York's help), can I conclude that it's been accepted as being 'all right'? 

More than 'all right' Tony; I think it's superb. Donation in progress.

 

Dave

[Jol Wilkinson]

20 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Andrew,

 

I think it was the late, great Malcolm Crawley. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

I think dear Malcolm was confusing LNER with LNWR. It was an amusing discussion we had several times.

[Chamby]

11 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

It's an on-going job, Andy,

 

A friend has just painted dozens of seated figures (in 1950s' dull garb), for me to insert into the carriages. 

 

In 2017, I wrote a piece for BRM about coach interiors. Part of that included fitting figures - some standing, some sitting. I took it further (not illustrated) afterwards, and added some more figures - about a dozen. They were instantly-consumed! 

 

Now, here's the rub. There are more than 175 carriages for use on LB. Some are spares, but around 150 are in use at any one time. Since I wasn't very good at hard sums, I won't even contemplate suggesting a figure for the number of figures required to populate those carriages. Thousands? Granted, just figures alongside the immediate interiors of windows can suggest a greater number of model passengers, but, even so.  

 

Actually, SILVER LINK isn't on an 'empty stock train'. There are a couple of blokes leaning against the bar in the triplet set, and an attendant behind it! You blink, and miss them, especially as they're invisible in the footage.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

You don’t need to fully populate a train to create an impression of occupancy.  I find placing just a few standing or walking passengers in highly visible locations makes a big difference.  There is little benefit to placing passengers in compartments with external doors, for example, as the windows are relatively small and it is not easy to peer inside the unlit compartments in daylight.  A ticket collector walking down the corridor, the odd passenger walking to/from the toilet compartment or buffet car is sufficient enough to create an illusion of occupancy in these coaches.

 

It is rather different however if you are modelling modern image stock with larger windows, particularly if modelling rush-hour trains.  The 18:05 out of Paddington would need every square inch of standing space crammed with passengers, and perhaps the help of Modelu to portray the poor souls with faces pressed up against the windows in the crush!

[Joseph_Pestell]

13 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

With my most grateful thanks to Andy York, I'm now inserting (I hope) the second 1958 LB DVD. If you want to know more, may I suggest you buy the current issue of BRM, please? 

 

May I ask, please, if anyone 'likes' it, they make a donation on their own behalf to Cancer Research UK?

 

Many thanks in anticipation.  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_mJEmrBFjU

 

 

 

 

 

 

Superb footage on this and your other presentations. Looked at several on YouTube during the RMWeb outage.

 

The local constabulary might want to have a word with that taxi driver though.

[johndon]

23 minutes ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

The local constabulary might want to have a word with that taxi driver though.

 

Thoroughly enjoyed the video but you're right, that taxi isn't going to get far with that tire...

[Tony Wright]

5 minutes ago, johndon said:

 

Thoroughly enjoyed the video but you're right, that taxi isn't going to get far with that tire...

It's not just the one tyre!

 

It's rubbish. Why I didn't notice, I don't know. Selective blindness?

 

Still, if that's the only 'criticism', then I'm quite happy. That little taxi (other than the tyres, is it a decent cast kit?) came from the collection of a deceased modeller. It seems that some of his whiskers have survived on it as well!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Clive Mortimore]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Judging my the lack of criticisms with regard to the LB moving footage I put on here last evening (with Andy York's help), can I conclude that it's been accepted as being 'all right'? 

Dear Mr Wright

 

The moving picture show you shared last night with the good people who view and contribute to this onward but sometimes revolving essay, has caused me to raise a complaint with yourself.

 

Towards the end of the sequence there is a light engine movement representing one of the then very new English Electric 1,100 hp Bo- Bo locomotives. Which you suggest is on its way to Doncaster Locomotive Workshops to be repaired. It is this segment of the performance I am very concerned about. As you are aware I have a keen interest in the various modes of traction of the modernisiation period of our national railways and I would like to publicly correct your visual statement with the comment below from a railway enthusiast of the time.

 

"Cor blimey mate, do you really think that little blighter would ever got that far from the smoke?"

 

 

[Headstock]

9 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Andrew,

 

I think it was the late, great Malcolm Crawley. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Good morning and thanks Tony,

 

it came to me latter but I decided to defer rushing from my bed in order to man the keyboard.

 

9 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Judging my the lack of criticisms with regard to the LB moving footage I put on here last evening (with Andy York's help), can I conclude that it's been accepted as being 'all right'? 

 

Stunning, I must try harder. The BW footage on the M&GN is especially effective, I really liked the backscene in that sequence. You have yet to delete the stunted LMS van though, or are they breading?

Edited February 7, 2019 by Headstock
change breeding to breading to make the day more fun.

[Tony Wright]

2 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Dear Mr Wright

 

The moving picture show you shared last night with the good people who view and contribute to this onward but sometimes revolving essay, has caused me to raise a complaint with yourself.

 

Towards the end of the sequence there is a light engine movement representing one of the then very new English Electric 1,100 hp Bo- Bo locomotives. Which you suggest is on its way to Doncaster Locomotive Workshops to be repaired. It is this segment of the performance I am very concerned about. As you are aware I have a keen interest in the various modes of traction of the modernisiation period of our national railways and I would like to publicly correct your visual statement with the comment below from a railway enthusiast of the time.

 

"Cor blimey mate, do you really think that little blighter would ever got that far from the smoke?"

 

 

Criticism accepted, Clive,

 

Actually, the model Baby Deltic by Heljan is the most-beautiful runner. And, my diction on describing it in the moving footage is rubbish. What should have sounded as 'Hornsey' came out as 'Hornby'! 

 

I cannot ever claim to have seen a moving Baby Deltic. However, I might have seen the whole class 'abandoned' at Stratford Depot. Were they all there? Have you built the whole lot? 

 

Certainly not one of EE's more successful types.

 

However, it does make a rather nice model.

 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

8 minutes ago, Headstock said:

 

Good morning and thanks Tony,

 

it came to me latter but I decided to defer rushing from my bed in order to man the keyboard.

 

 

Stunning, I must try harder. The BW footage on the M&GN is especially effective, I really liked the backscene in that sequence. You have yet to delete the stunted LMS van though, or are they breading?

Please point it out to me in the footage, Andrew. Just read the time-code, please (if it's on). 

 

Nasty little breeders! 

[Chamby]

16 minutes ago, Headstock said:

... or are they breading?

 

Doh!

[MJI]

I have seen gushing comments on rather shonky pieces of work, seems odd to me, I KNOW I am rather average, but will have a go.

 

You can like that someone has tried, but some times you look at a model and think would it pass the 3 foot or now I suppose 1m (scale 250 feet) rule.

 

I prefer honesty - sorry Martin, that bit is wrong is fine.

 

I have learnt though from my own work what is acceptable paint wise and how it looks close up, I have mentioned it before along lines of.

 

Pictures show up every defect, yet in real life looks great.

[Craigw]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Judging my the lack of criticisms with regard to the LB moving footage I put on here last evening (with Andy York's help), can I conclude that it's been accepted as being 'all right'? 

 

Hi Tony, 

 

I am just watching it now.   Any chance you could fix the broken tyre on the Taxi in the opening credits? 

 

In the cruel close up it stands out quite a bit.

 

The other thing that was a bit distracting was where the back scene ends - the reality above it is a bit distracting (to me)

 

Regards,

 

Craig w

Edited February 7, 2019 by Craigw

[Tony Wright]

6 minutes ago, Craigw said:

 

Hi Tony, 

 

I am just watching it now.   Any chance you could fix the broken tyre on the Taxi in the opening credits? 

 

In the cruel close up it stands out quite a bit.

 

Regards,

 

Craig w

Fast forward? 

 

I don't have he faintest idea how to alter the images. 

[Craigw]

1 minute ago, Tony Wright said:

Fast forward? 

 

I don't have he faintest idea how to alter the images. 

 

Hi Tony,

 

I was thinking more along the lines of fixing the tyre on the Taxi should it be used on future videos!

 

If you cast your mind back to your time in Oz, I was the person who recognised you in the ground and came over to say hello. I brought a collection of fans with me including tall, red Zane.

 

Regards,

 

Craig

[t-b-g]

Malcolm Crawley made the statement when somebody asked him why he hadn't joined the LNER Coach Association.

 

He said that the LNER didn't have any coaches, so there was little point in joining.

 

I recall that later he relented, on the basis that he had more chance of changing the name to the LNER Carriage Association if he was a member.

 

He wasn't involved long enough to make it happen but at least he tried.

 

 

[Headstock]

40 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Please point it out to me in the footage, Andrew. Just read the time-code, please (if it's on). 

 

Nasty little breeders! 

 

I don't have time at present to study it all but they are definatly breading, errr spreading.

[Clive Mortimore]

41 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Criticism accepted, Clive,

 

Actually, the model Baby Deltic by Heljan is the most-beautiful runner. And, my diction on describing it in the moving footage is rubbish. What should have sounded as 'Hornsey' came out as 'Hornby'! 

 

I cannot ever claim to have seen a moving Baby Deltic. However, I might have seen the whole class 'abandoned' at Stratford Depot. Were they all there? Have you built the whole lot? 

 

Certainly not one of EE's more successful types.

 

However, it does make a rather nice model.

 

 

 

Morning Tony

 

I did have all ten operational on Hanging Hill, the game was for the fiddle yard operator to get all ten on shed without the layout operator realising. Most were cut and shuts with a few scratchbuilt. I gave one away, so built a new plastic card one. I then went on to replace the cut and shuts with home made ones. I haven't finished them owing to my change in direction (and my inability to stick to one project). I also have a couple of the proposed fitting of new types of engine and a couple of English Electrics suggested type 2s and type 3s based on the Baby Deltic. I do have a Heljan model as well, it is one of the refurbished locos and it has some faults it shouldn't have been made with. I think it is 23 in all. The cut and shuts are in the process of donating their Hornby ringfield power units to a batch of MTK DMUs I am playing with. The beauty of the Hornby power units is you can easily put them back in the host loco should you want to run it instead.

 

As for moving ones, I saw a few at Hitchin on outer suburban non gangway trains and one very memorable sighting of one emerging from Hotel Curve with flames coming out the exhaust as it accelerated up platform 16.  

 

The National Traction plan put an end to them as they were a non standard small class. They were not too bad after being refurbished but they had a reputation of being bad so given the choice most drivers opted for a Brush not a Baby Deltic. odd really as all the Brush 2s were in the end re-engineed.