Wright writes.....

[john new]

I used to regularly meet Tom as crew on the show Admin stand at the York Mod Rly Show, back then if my memory is correct his vehicle project was a Landie; glad to read of his onward progress. Our hobby's loss is the classic car world's gain.

[manna]

G'day Folks

 

I can remember, buying a 'Classic Cars' magazine in the early 70's, and seeing E Type Jags being advertised for sale at around 250 Pounds............still couldn't afford to buy one and run it.

 

manna

[polybear]

9 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Except they cost thousands of pounds more than model railways to acquire, even in a beat-up state, Brian, 

 

What price a sort of running, if a bit scabby, E Type Jag? £30,000, £40,000? Tom's is a rare one.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Ah yes, but once fully restored (and depending on model etc etc) they are up for sale at anything up to 300K

That's a lot of scratchbuilt Deltic chassis.....

Edited June 30, 2019 by polybear

[Anglian]

If you count the lightweights then the purchase price would be well in excess of £300K but they are ultra rare. 

 

Tony,

Which model does Tom have?

 

Edited June 30, 2019 by Anglian

[Guest]

I have been subsumed. I saw the above post and immediately thought Derby not E-type! And I used to be a classic car enthusiast. Help!

[grahame]

My current little modelling project has been to bash a Japanese Tomytec road tanker to back date and anglicise it. 

 

The Hino cab is too modern and has had to go and been replaced with a 3D printed Scania 140/141 one. Then I've shortened the overall length of the tank by chopping 9mm (equiv to 4ft) off the front end, removed and cutaway most of the modern under tank gubbins and underrun protection, trimmed off the two top edge catwalks (one each side), replaced the square rear wheel guards with homemade rounded ones, altered the cab/tractor chassis details, trimmed off the moulded tank end steps and details around (they seemed too heavy and not in keeping with ones from the era I'm trying to represent and which generally have smooth tank ends) and added a metal ladder, the trailer legs and underframe support details. 

 

It's not yet finished - for example the cab needs fixing in place (it's currently just resting there) - but I think that's about it now for details on what is, of course, a small model (pictured below with the traditional tuppence piece to give a sense of scale). Then next is to research suitable liveries/colours and think about painting.

 

Before: 

 

 

After:

 

 

G

[Engineer]

A thanks and acknowledgement of the TW post 0950 yesterday on the diesel chassis, sorry for the delay, but life and work took over. 

I'm grateful for the swift and comprehensive answer and agree 100% that additional mass is the best and most direct way to counter any tendency to unload and to ensure vehicles sit well on the rails for trackholding.  One of my development designs, for a 7mm Met electric loco, has plenty of future scope to load up, but I put in a low pivot centre, made the bogie frames able to pivot slightly relative to one another, and even without ballast the all-wheel drive made it hard to hold the chassis back.  Alas, my other prototypes wouldn't have enormous space for ballast as they were for 4mm bogie electric trams and just had to shift a body in anything from whitemetal to etched brass to resin, 3D or plasticard.  The mechanism had to be fully below seat cushion level [downstairs!] and they did have to climb and descend 1 in 10 inclines In a controlled manner, which drove the design to get the best trackholding possible.  I acknowledge fully that this isn't anywhere near the challenge of steam mechanisms and my time will come, since there are a few scratch-aid and whitemetal kits of Metropolitan steam locos lined up for my retirement.  With thanks again for the response. 

Edited June 30, 2019 by Engineer
Use of English

[polybear]

On the subject of "classics" (and whilst I realise this has cropped up before) I've just received a very nice Triang Class 37 (in the proper Green colour  - some clown then seemed to think they'd look better in Blue ) courtesy of RMWeb (thanks Damian ).  Bearing in mind these were only made from 1965 to '67, it still runs a treat.  Built to last (and to be played with), no minute details that fall off even before it's out of the box, a single (and easily identified and accessible) screw that holds the bodyshell on - no clips, secret mechanisms, funny handshakes etc. required.

I've just had a morning's fun with an oval on the floor, watching it zoom round as though it was new. Fifty something years old too...

A friend will be very pleased when I tell him I've found one for him; he's still having fun with Super 4 Track on a door in the loft - "modern" locos are of little use to him, as the wheels are too fine to cope with the Super 4 turnouts.  It gives him hours of pleasure, with the added benefit of a plentiful supply of cheap locos on the s/h market that are both repairable, easy to service and still with spares available. 

Whilst there is little doubt (in many cases) that the latest offerings have far superior running, accuracy and finish, is what we have now really "progress" when it comes to simple, pure out and out fun factor?

[Tony Wright]

7 hours ago, Anglian said:

If you count the lightweights then the purchase price would be well in excess of £300K but they are ultra rare. 

 

Tony,

Which model does Tom have?

 

It's not a ragtop, but it's relatively rare I believe.

 

It's actually LH drive, having been delivered to California in the '60s. It's the opposite of a British equivalent. Almost no rust, but the paintwork is a bit baked. It came back to Blighty a few years ago. 

 

He's doing all the mechanical restoration, and then he'll have it professionally-painted. When complete, who knows what it might be worth? He paid over £20,000 for it, with masses needing doing. He works for JLR, on the classic car-restoration side, so he knows what he's doing

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

A short morning's work (the cricket has interrupted!) has seen this progress on 'the bridge'.

 

 

 

Dave Wager had done the constructional work up to date, using an RSU. 

 

I've completed the three 'arched' sections, fitted the handrails and just tack-soldered the various bits together. Tack-soldering is necessary because it'll have to be taken apart again to be completed. Nonetheless it's already doing what it was designed to do. 

 

I'll complete it and paint/weather it. 

 

If nothing else, it shows how much more 'cutting-out' I'll have to do on subsequent pictures I take of it. 

 

I think this is brilliant, and thanks once more to Jamie Guest for designing it and Dave for making it thus far. Both wished 'to contribute something to Little Bytham'. I am immensely privileged, because this is no chequebook-waving exercise. I'll find something to do for Jamie, and Dave wants instruction in loco-building in return. 

 

It's a real 'signature structure' on LB, and makes the layout so much more realistic, even in its incomplete state. 

 

Thanks again chaps! 

[Chamby]

That looks SO much better, I am surprised at the difference it makes to the feel of the bridge. 

 

Nice one.

 

Phil.

[65179]

Not my period or my interest, but given the fondness for Gresley Pacifics and correctly depicted trains on this thread I thought I'd highlight this Rail Archive Stephenson photo of Neil Gow (with Westinghouse pump) at Croft Spa in 1929 on the Rail Online site:

 

It's running with express headlamps and with more than just the odd van at the head of the train.

 

Simon

Edited October 11, 2019 by 65179

[teaky]

This seems an opportune time to ask a question which occurred to me recently.  How common was it to find front line express locomotives like A3s on express goods during (pre-war) LNER days?

[MJI]

Been nusy so neglected modelling for a while.

 

Theft

 

This is becoming more common because it is so easy to sell on stuff.

 

Set up a throwaway Ebay account, sell on there, so much listed that they could probably get away with it.

 

I do know that a lot of stolen car parts are sold on there, for example my cars headlamps are popular to steal.

 

Not everyone would check the sellers credentials like I would.

 

However keep a look out and you may find your own stolen goods.

 

Exhausts, been there done that. Expansion pipe on a 2 stroke, a stainless 2 into 1 system on another bike to replace a rusted system.

 

Fitted a rally system (2 box absorption, large bore, 4-2-1 manifold) to a Sunbeam hatch, I used to pick on boy racers with it.

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, Chamby said:

That looks SO much better, I am surprised at the difference it makes to the feel of the bridge. 

 

Nice one.

 

Phil.

Thanks Phil,

 

I'm sure Jamie and Dave appreciate your comment.

 

I've tested it thoroughly this afternoon, running all the M&GNR sets over it without any problems. There's still a bit for me to complete - platework between the 'sandwich' girders each side, and the cross beams underneath - but the hard work has really been done by the other two. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Theakerr]

Tony, any chance of some pictures of the bridge decking and trackwork.  It sounds a silly request but living over here in the GWN I am having a lot of trouble finding good pictures of UK truss type brideg decking and your looks like the type my bridge would have.

Thks

Jim

[Barry Ten]

That bridge really does look phenomenal; you can tell at a glance that it's "right" even without any knowledge of the prototype location.

[jamie92208]

57 minutes ago, Theakerr said:

Tony, any chance of some pictures of the bridge decking and trackwork.  It sounds a silly request but living over here in the GWN I am having a lot of trouble finding good pictures of UK truss type brideg decking and your looks like the type my bridge would have.

Thks

Jim

Hi Jim

The decking on the bridge isn't prototypical.   The support girders between the spans had curved tops and steel plates were rivetted to them. Making a slightly curved surface, probably for drainage.  The plates were rivetted onto the cross girders, which are quite deep with strengthening plates that go across between each set of verticals.  There are also several longditunal girders which aren't as deep and can't be seen and so weren't etched.  These created a grid onto which the deck plates were rivetted.    I'm sure that "Sir" won't mind me posting the drawing that shows this.  However on the model the trackbed is flat and the support girders have been etched with a flat top and without some platework, so that they fit. 

I hope this drawing helps you.

 

There were other types of bridge decking.   On Lancaster Green Ayre, Greyhound Bridge was very similar with cross beams that ran between the main side girders.   In this photo you can see the extra rivets where one of them is anchored under the S of the graffiti, with the next one being at the start of the next main girder to the left.

 

 

 

On a lot of bridges small brick arches called 'jack arches' ran across between cross beams that were more closely spaced.  That deck was ballasted but with drainage channels and holes at the sides to avoid water retention and rusting.   I no longer have the drawings for Greyhound Bridge but they are with the Midland Railway Society and from memory there was a very similar grid to the one at Little Bytham.   They may even have been built by the same company.

 

I hope that this is of help.

 

Jamie

 

 

[Richard_A]

On 29/06/2019 at 17:47, Tony Wright said:

Richard,

 

The brass section is as thick as it needs to be. It's actually square tube. I haven't measured it, but it's clear in the pictures I'd hope.

 

And, yes, the axles run in standard top-hat bearings, coach axle diameter width.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Morning Tony,

 

Did Tom scratch build the gear box as well?

 

Sorry for the many questions.

 

Regards Richard

[Tony Wright]

9 hours ago, Theakerr said:

Tony, any chance of some pictures of the bridge decking and trackwork.  It sounds a silly request but living over here in the GWN I am having a lot of trouble finding good pictures of UK truss type brideg decking and your looks like the type my bridge would have.

Thks

Jim

I'll take some later today, Jim,

 

However, as Jamie has shown, it isn't strictly prototypical.

 

It's once again the 'art of compromise'. The real thing was 'arched' as such, but, once again, as Jamie has mentioned, it isn't practicable to make the deck like that.

 

The deck I used was from the original Airfix one, modified to suit. It seemed wise to use this again, because it (obviously) fitted perfectly, with the track already-aligned. 

 

I'll post them later, but I'm writing about Deltics this morning for a new book.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

8 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

Hi Jim

The decking on the bridge isn't prototypical.   The support girders between the spans had curved tops and steel plates were rivetted to them. Making a slightly curved surface, probably for drainage.  The plates were rivetted onto the cross girders, which are quite deep with strengthening plates that go across between each set of verticals.  There are also several longditunal girders which aren't as deep and can't be seen and so weren't etched.  These created a grid onto which the deck plates were rivetted.    I'm sure that "Sir" won't mind me posting the drawing that shows this.  However on the model the trackbed is flat and the support girders have been etched with a flat top and without some platework, so that they fit. 

I hope this drawing helps you.

 

There were other types of bridge decking.   On Lancaster Green Ayre, Greyhound Bridge was very similar with cross beams that ran between the main side girders.   In this photo you can see the extra rivets where one of them is anchored under the S of the graffiti, with the next one being at the start of the next main girder to the left.

 

 

 

On a lot of bridges small brick arches called 'jack arches' ran across between cross beams that were more closely spaced.  That deck was ballasted but with drainage channels and holes at the sides to avoid water retention and rusting.   I no longer have the drawings for Greyhound Bridge but they are with the Midland Railway Society and from memory there was a very similar grid to the one at Little Bytham.   They may even have been built by the same company.

 

I hope that this is of help.

 

Jamie

 

 

I don't mind at all, Jamie,

 

In fact, thanks for posting these drawings. If nothing else, they show the complexity you were faced with in designing the model and the equal complexity in Dave's work in making it so far. It combines two aspects of incredible modelling skills, from (dare I say it?) two eras. One, the use of a computer in designing a model and, two, traditional, artisan constructional soldering skills in making it. 

 

I am indeed fortunate to have your respective skills produce something so wonderful for LB. Thank you both, once again.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

29 minutes ago, rka said:

Morning Tony,

 

Did Tom scratch build the gear box as well?

 

Sorry for the many questions.

 

Regards Richard

Ask as many questions as you like, Richard,

 

That's what this thread is for. 

 

Whether I answer every one in a satisfactory manner is open to conjecture.

 

Yes, Tom did scratch-build everything apart from the motors, flywheels, wheels, worms and gears. 

 

Unfortunately (my fault), I didn't take pictures as he went along. I think the final solution was arrived at after a couple of rejected attempts, particularly with regard to the universal joints to transfer the motors' power to the wheels. He's very bright with 'hard sums' (he takes after his mother, not me, in that respect) but, like a lot of 'creative' engineering, it was a fair bit of trial and error as well. 

 

I saw him over the weekend and mentioned DELTIC and asked him will he ever finish it. Hmmmmm!

 

Regarding scratch-building, is it a 'dying art' in our hobby? In my own case, I've not scratch-built a loco for decades (better kits made my 'I built it and it got scratched' efforts superfluous), but, from time to time, something is placed in front of my camera which proves that the craft is still alive.

 

 

One of the MRJ 'scratch-build' projects, this Wantage loco in 7mm by Geoff Haynes. In a model railway world awash with RTR and commissioned work, isn't this wonderful? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

Partly answering my own question in my last post.......................... 

 

With so much in the way of new RTR appearing, not only is scratch-building disappearing but so is kit-building. Fast! 

 

7mm used to be, as the 'senior scale', the province of the 'builder'. 

 

Not now, or not as much.

 

 

What do these Dapol O Gauge 0-6-0s cost? Around £200.00? This one's been weathered by Geoff Haynes. Good, isn't it? 

 

 

And one of Hatton's forthcoming A3s in O Gauge. This is FS in one-time preserved condition (the buffer stocks will be black on the production models).  

 

At around £700.00 complete, I wonder if steam enthusiasts might think this is a 'big plastic toy'? I certainly don't, and a bit of weathering will bring something like this to life. 

 

What chance for kit-alternatives in the face of these? Other than a preference by those who still like to 'make things' for themselves.........................

 

 

[CF MRC]

Surprised you didn’t comment on the  bogie wheels of the Hattons FS, Tony.  They look as overweight as the expansion link is anorexic. 

 

Tim

Edited July 1, 2019 by CF MRC

[Tony Wright]

19 minutes ago, CF MRC said:

Surprised you didn’t comment on the  bogie wheels of the Hattons FS, Tony.  They look as overweight as the expansion link is anorexic. 

 

Tim

It is a pre-production sample, Tim,

 

Comments will be made (no doubt) when the production locos are available. 

 

I find myself (as usual) in a dichotomy here. As an advocate of building things, I wouldn't be personally interested in O Gauge RTR locos (in the same way as I'm not 'interested' in RTR locos in any scale), but (from a professional perspective?) they do interest me with regard to the current hobby. 

 

At today's prices, what would your Finney O Gauge A4 MALLARD cost? (I hope you've now changed the front numberplate's '6' to the correct 'incorrect' curly-tailed type for 60022). Complete, a fair bit more than £700.00 for all the components?  That's the price the forthcoming Hatton's A4s will be, fully-finished! I know which I prefer, but it does open the market to a much wider 'audience', doesn't it? Very few could build an A4 to the standard you built yours to. 

 

As for those Dapol 0-6-0s. £200.00 for a complete O Gauge loco!

 

Regards,

 

Tony.