Wright writes.....

[The Stationmaster]

Off the top of my head you've missed an eastern-flavoured loco: Raedwald of East Anglia, who in the 7th century probably became Bretwalda (or "King of all Britain". Which is as close as they came to a country-wide king in those times). That's the earliest named monarch I can think of.

 

I'm surprised there hasn't been a Boudicca (or Boadicea, as I was brought up to call her). Or has there?

 

Paul

Boadicea was 70036 (the real 70036 that is)

[Tony Wright]

I just love that weathering on the A3....It makes the rest of the layout look in need of weathering haha.  Tony's track is simply stunning in its levelity with trains gliding along on a steel carpet as they should. As a lover of ultra smooth running as well as coaches, this layout is the tops for me.

 

Many thanks for the kind comments on 'my' track, Larry. However, though it's my 'property', how it looks and how it 'works' is entirely down to that master, Norman Solomon. In my opinion, his work is unsurpassed. To save money, I did the 'basic' wiring and installed the Fulgurex motors, but its accuracy and appearance are because of his great skills. What it looked like after it was laid and ballasted in 2007, is shown below.

 

 

 

 

 

I hope this is of help.

[bluebottle]

Tony has asked me to post the following on the day that the name of the new-build P2 was announced: No.2007 'Prince of Wales':

 

I think the name is an excellent choice - fully in keeping with LNER traditions. Just think, it perpetuates the name from a D11 (62662), an A3 (60054) and, by reference to another of HRH's titles, a Reid Atlantic and an A2/1 - Duke of Rothesay (60508). If your leanings are towards the west there's a GWR 4-4-0  - Duke of Cornwall, another of HRH's titles. The name's also been carried by at least two capital ships and probably all the 'Kings' before they were crowned. When Charles succeeds to the throne, Prince William will then become Prince of Wales, then eventually the baby George (the name is always given to the first son of a monarch on accession to the throne, as Duke of York is given to the second). There's also the narrow gauge loco in Wales (Owen Glendower/Owain Glyndwr) and the Britannia of that name (70010), both perpetuating the name of a 'prince' of that realm who fought against the English. Looking back into Scottish history, there's probably a good case for assuming that a 'one time' Prince of Wales, on accession to the throne also became Thane of Fife, for Fife is a kingdom (not a county) and 'Thane' is the Scottish name for a King. Thus, as King of all England and Scotland, the erstwhile Prince of Wales then becomes Thane of Fife as well. Perhaps more qualified historians can come up with others as well. If you wish to bring in English literature, Macduff, the slayer of Shakespeare's Macbeth, was also a Thane of Fife. 

Cock O' The North is the nickname of George, fifth Duke of Gordon.

 

Tony.

 

As nobody's going to ask me to name the P2, and as I like and respect HRH, I shall abstain from suggesting any other names, but I think that Tony's enthusiasm has carried him away a little. It's a bit of a stretch to say that naming the loco “Prince of Wales” also perpetuates the names “Duke of Rothesay” and “Duke of Cornwall”!

The first Prince of Wales, and earliest King of England who had a “King” class loco named after him was Edward II - six earlier monarchs were so commemorated.

And “looking back into Scottish history": Fife was one of the ancient Pictish kingdoms and became a thanage (roughly equivalent to a county) under the Scots kings, its Thane being one of their subjects. “Thane” was the equivalent of “Earl”, not “King”.

From 1975 until 1996, Fife was one of the UK “Regions”, and, according to Wikipedia, “The 1996 reform of local government in Scotland, enacted by the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, studiously avoided specifying a name for the area administered by a unitary authority”. Anyone knowing anything about Fifers will understand why they chose, then, to claim Fife as a Kingdom.

[bluebottle]

I just love that weathering on the A3....It makes the rest of the layout look in need of weathering haha.  Tony's track is simply stunning in its levelity with trains gliding along on a steel carpet as they should. As a lover of ultra smooth running as well as coaches, this layout is the tops for me.

 

The Coach waxes lyrical! An elegantly crafted metaphor: "... trains gliding along on a steel carpet ..." and an intriguing neologism: "levelity" ( I must suggest that to the OED)! Marvellous!

[Tony Wright]

I thank Bluebottle for his erudite comments and, yes, I admit to being enthusiastic about a new loco name. By referencing other titles held by the Prince of Wales, I thought it might make an appropriate link, but there you go. My reason for assuming that 'Thane' was the same as 'King' comes from Ted Talbot's wonderful little book relating to the origins and meanings of BR's loco names, in which he describes the Thane of Fife as the ruler of the Kingdom of Fife. I put two and two together and thought a kingdom was ruled by a king. 

[Gruffalo]

The trackwork is very impressive - I don't know how Messrs Wright and Solomon managed to do it with a single mug of tea in view!

[coachmann]

" Amazing" is an overworked term nowadays but it really does apply to this layout. These 2007 images give me an appetite for more showing the layouts development. I have always been attracted to the gently curving mainline idea..........What a great place to watch passing trains. I have noticed on other images that the rail detail is also neatly attended to where it changes from bullhead to flat bottom track. Forgive my sense of humour Tony, but it looks as though you have neatly combined two interests by building part of the layout on a grand piano..    .

Edited November 14, 2013 by coachmann

[coachmann]

In considering the name adopted for the new P2, it would be remiss of me not to include in the illustrious lists the well-famous LNWR 'Prince of Wales' class, which were daily working 400 ton trains along the West Coast route.

[bluebottle]

In considering the name adopted for the new P2, it would be remiss of me not to include in the illustrious lists the well-famous LNWR 'Prince of Wales' class, which were daily working 400 ton trains along the West Coast route.

 

And, to widen the scope of the name's popularity, about 150 pubs.

[Tony Wright]

In response to Larry's comments about the Bytham baseboards looking like a grand piano, I'd never thought of it like that but he's right. They were beautifully built by Norman Turner of Wolverhampton MRC - the result of yet more horse-trading. I nailed together a couple of Duchesses for him - one from scratch and one from a meld of Hornby and Comet to produce 46256. Ian Rathbone painted them both to perfection. I'll try and find pictures of them.

[92220]

Tony,

 

I would be one of many who would like to see those two Duchesses, if you are able to locate pictures. More inspiration for Camden.

 

In passing, thank you too for all the inspiration that you have given in print and on DVD over the years, and more recently on here, a good deal of which has been influential in my learning. I may have chosen to model the "other" main line, but it will include many locomotives and coaches modified or constructed following some of your principles.

 

Iain

[chris p bacon]

 I may have chosen to model the "other" main line,

 

What is this "other" main line you speak of. . . . . . . . .can't find it on my map 

[92220]

What is this "other" main line you speak of. . . . . . . . .can't find it on my map 

Is that "The Railway Modeller's map of the UK" ?

 

Apparently, in the early 19th century there was a secret project to build a line to Scotland on the other side of the Pennines, but although it is still in existence today, not much seems to be known about it. A few hardy souls have pressed on with models of places like Tring, Hest Bank, Carlisle and Preston, but without A4's, they've not garnered all that much attention. I'm trying to recreate a bit of the London end at Camden, and there is one intrepid Mr Worthington who has built a marvellous model of the entire bank from Euston to Primrose Hill.

 

Tony's work, as well as many other fine examples like Peterborough North and Retford, have been hugely helpful to me despite not being remotely comparable either in terms of location or standard of modelling.

 

Iain

[chris p bacon]

Apparently, in the early 19th century there was a secret project to build a line to Scotland on the other side of the Pennines, but although it is still in existence today, not much seems to be known about it. A few hardy souls have pressed on with models of places like Tring, Hest Bank, Carlisle and Preston, but without A4's, they've not garnered all that much attention. I'm trying to recreate a bit of the London end at Camden, and there is one intrepid Mr Worthington who has built a marvellous model of the entire bank from Euston to Primrose Hill.

 

Tony's work, as well as many other fine examples like Peterborough North and Retford, have been hugely helpful to me despite not being remotely comparable either in terms of location or standard of modelling.

 

Iain

That's beginning to sound like a wish list. . . .on my Map there's nothing West of Sandy (unless of course the GN was there) 

 

I know exactly what you mean about Peterborough North, Eastwood Town etc, I am in the process of changing everything in pursuit of a higher standard of trackwork. Of course if it all goes wrong I expect Gilbert to buy at least one copy of "The Big Issue" off me....  Those shots of the trackwork are quite mesmerising, I found myself zooming in to see the detail.

[jrg1]

" Amazing" is an overworked term nowadays but it really does apply to this layout. These 2007 images give me an appetite for more showing the layouts development. I have always been attracted to the gently curving mainline idea..........What a great place to watch passing trains. I have noticed on other images that the rail detail is also neatly attended to where it changes from bullhead to flat bottom track. Forgive my sense of humour Tony, but it looks as though you have neatly combined two interests by building part of the layout on a grand piano..    .

WEB Tony Wright image.jpg

Can you point me towards a description of the ballasting-it does match the quality of the track in my opinion.

[Tony Wright]

Can you point me towards a description of the ballasting-it does match the quality of the track in my opinion.

The best description of how Norman Solomon lays and ballasts track (all in one go) is provided on the Right Track DVD from Activity Media or BRM (can't remember which number - might be 10 or 11). You can order a copy on line I think.

[truffy]

Unfortunately the DVD is now sold out (at Activity Media) and is only available as pay-per-view video-on-demand, which is a bit of a rip-off IMO.

[vaughan45]

The whole DVD can be downloaded to your PC for a price that is little different to the price of the DVD (when it was available) if you select the right option.

[bbishop]

Wearing my pedantic mitre, were monarchs that succeeded their brothers, previously Prince of Wales?  I would have thought not, because the king could have produced a son and heir at any time.  That would have knocked out James 2, William 4 and George 6.  Also for various reasons Henry 4, Edward 4, Richard 3, Henry 7, James 1, William 3 and George 1.  

 

Bill

[landscapes]

Hi Tony

 

Your Little Bytham is sensational, only one minor comment, the DVD you produced in conjunction with BRM back in February 2011 is now nearly three years old and I have almost worn out my copy.

 

What are the chances of an updated DVD in the near future, I found it to be very helpful and inspirational as well.

 

Regards

 

David

[davidw]

Hi Tony

 

Your Little Bytham is sensational, only one minor comment, the DVD you produced in conjunction with BRM back in February 2011 is now nearly three years old and I have almost worn out my copy.

 

What are the chances of an updated DVD in the near future, I found it to be very helpful and inspirational as well.

 

Regards

 

David

Yes please !

[unclebobkt]

Wearing my pedantic mitre, were monarchs that succeeded their brothers, previously Prince of Wales?  I would have thought not, because the king could have produced a son and heir at any time.  That would have knocked out James 2, William 4 and George 6.  Also for various reasons Henry 4, Edward 4, Richard 3, Henry 7, James 1, William 3 and George 1.  

 

 

 -- No, PoW. is the title reserved only for the ruling monarch's eldest son.

 - James II., younger bro. of Charles II., was Duke of York;  William IV., younger son of GIII., was Duke of Clarence; George VI., younger son of GV.,  was Duke of York.

 - Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster, only became king Henry IV. after he deposed his cousin the then monarch, Richard II.;  Richard III. was Duke of Gloucester before seizing the throne; Henry Tudor became king HVII. after defeating RIII. at Bosworth in 1485.;  James I. was Scots and became king after the death of Elizabeth I. as the nearest & protestant relative;  William III. was Dutch protestant, after the flight of the RC. JII.  the former's English & protestant wife was invited to become queen - she accepted only if William became co-sovereign with her  and George I. was Hanoverian, again nearest & protestant relative after the death of Queen Anne.

 -- End of history lesson and apologies for venturing off-topic.  -- :-)

Edited November 20, 2013 by unclebobkt

[unclebobkt]

The best description of how Norman Solomon lays and ballasts track (all in one go) is provided on the Right Track DVD from Activity Media or BRM (can't remember which number - might be 10 or 11). You can order a copy on line I think.

 

 -- An amnesic memory suggests that NS. wrote a couple of items for the Model Railway Journal within the last three years; sorry cannot be more exact as I've given away my copies of that esteemed publication.

 --  :-)

[truffy]

The whole DVD can be downloaded to your PC for a price that is little different to the price of the DVD (when it was available) if you select the right option.

Activity Media's site is a bit confusing in this respect:

 

A Single Ticket buys downloads and unlimited viewings for a month of any individual part of a programme. These start at £2.99 each.

 

A Playlist Ticket gives you access to all the sections in a complete programme or all three layout programmes for just £9.99 and

 

a Global Ticket of £34.99 gives you downloads and unlimited access to all available programmes (that’s 13 hours and 27 minutes!) for a month.

 

Once you have purchased your ticket, you can download the sequences to your computer, iPad etc. and watch them whenever you want to.

Which gives the impression that videos can only be viewed for a month, after which your time is up. Then it says:

 

The downloaded file is available on your computer indefinitely.

So I guess what this is saying is that access is limited for a month, but you can continue to view thereafter, which is fair enough. I misread (hopefully!) that as meaning that a downloader file remains on your computer. Remember the days of downloader 'helper' files?

[johndon]

 -- An amnesic memory suggests that NS. wrote a couple of items for the Model Railway Journal within the last three years; sorry cannot be more exact as I've given away my copies of that esteemed publication.

 --  :-)

 

There are articles in MRJ 143 & 144 covering the building, laying and ballasting of 4mm trackwork.

 

John