Wright writes.....

[Tony Wright]

Fairburn 2-6-4Ts have been popular on Little Bytham...........

 

 

This is my own modified/detailed/renumbered Bachmann one, weathered by Geoff Haynes). 

 

The prototype appeared on a train for Gorleston at Saxby one summer Saturday. 

 

 

Another altered Bachmann one, brought a few years ago by some SR modelling friends. 

 

 

I sold one from Brian Lee's collection, built from a DJH kit.

 

 

And another DJH example, from another collection.

 

Stanier 2-6-4Ts don't seem to have been anything like as numerous.........

 

 

Apart from the Peter Lawson one, this Hornby pair is all I've got in my photo library. 

[Barry Ten]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening Al,

 

Seen before a few weeks ago, but maybe forgotten by now............

 

 

Is this the same diagram as one of yours? 

 

Built by Peter Lawson from a BSL kit, I'd originally asked £50.00, but now I'm asking £40.00.

 

 

Another ex-GWR carriage from a BSL kit, also now £40.00.

 

 

 

 

I believe the brake is indeed to the same diagram as the Hornby model, Tony - and yes, you have a PM!

[malc60015]

4 hours ago, cctransuk said:

 

Be aware that part of shank was inset into the streamlined body; if fitted with the full shank length visible, they are to long.

 

Hence Lima's short shanked buffers.

 

CJI.

Is that “The short shank revision”

😁😁

cheers malc

[MarkC]

Good morning, all.

 

Some time ago there were discussions in this august thread about 3D printing of 4mm scale figures from photographs, which were a consequence of Tony himself appearing (in 4mm scale!) on one or two layouts. For some reason I can't seem to find the references; the reason I'm asking is that I would like to do a similar thing on my layout as a tribute to an elderly relative who loves the area my layout represents. Can anyone recall said discussions, & direct me accordingly  please? 

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Mark

[jwealleans]

20 hours ago, Re6/6 said:

From yesteryear!

 

Much pleasure was given in the construction of my first 'kit' engine, the GWR Prairie 5101 although the soldering left much to be desired! Using my Dad's huge old electric iron likely didn;'t help much!

 

John, do you have a year for that catalogue?  The Romford Series V motor illustrated looks very much like the one in the scratchbuilt C1 I showed on the previous page.

 

 

 

Edited April 23 by jwealleans

[polybear]

1 hour ago, MarkC said:

Good morning, all.

 

Some time ago there were discussions in this august thread about 3D printing of 4mm scale figures from photographs, which were a consequence of Tony himself appearing (in 4mm scale!) on one or two layouts. For some reason I can't seem to find the references; the reason I'm asking is that I would like to do a similar thing on my layout as a tribute to an elderly relative who loves the area my layout represents. Can anyone recall said discussions, & direct me accordingly  please? 

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Mark

 

The company that does it normally appears at Exhibitions - not sure of their next one though, or what they're called.

 

edit: They're called Modelu, based in Bristol;  it seems they'll be at the NEC at the weekend, or Bristol in May.

 

HTH

Brian  

 

 

 

Edited April 23 by polybear

[Re6/6]

52 minutes ago, jwealleans said:

 

John, do you have a year for that catalogue?  The Romford Series V motor illustrated looks very much like the one in the scratchbuilt C1 I showed on the previous page.

 

 

 

 

Regretably not Jonathan. I've searched cover to cover to no avail! I'm guessing 1969>1070 (?)

[jwealleans]

I think it may be earlier, John: armed with the knowledge that it's a Series V, I did some Googling and found a post from 2020 which gave some prices and years.

 

By 1955 ERG were listing the Series IV at 56/- as well as the Series II at 40/10d. and the new Series V at 47/-. 

 

In your catalogue it's £2 5s (45/- for those too young to remember), which by the guide above puts it in the earlier to middle part of the 1950s.

 

I also found a post which mentioned serial numbers, so I shall recover the one from mine and contact the chap to see if he can give me a rough date.

[31A]

46 minutes ago, jwealleans said:

I think it may be earlier, John: armed with the knowledge that it's a Series V, I did some Googling and found a post from 2020 which gave some prices and years.

 

By 1955 ERG were listing the Series IV at 56/- as well as the Series II at 40/10d. and the new Series V at 47/-. 

 

In your catalogue it's £2 5s (45/- for those too young to remember), which by the guide above puts it in the earlier to middle part of the 1950s.

 

I also found a post which mentioned serial numbers, so I shall recover the one from mine and contact the chap to see if he can give me a rough date.

 

Had a quick scan through the Railway Modeller on line archive and the earliest mention of the "Flywheel Drive" motor that I've come across is in a Walkers & Holtzapffel advert for May 1952, headed "Romford and Fly-Wheel Drive".  It says "We have had many enquiries from time to time for the Romford motor unit fitted with a flywheel" then goes on "We are .... pleased to announce that we can provide a motor unit based on the Series II Model, to include a flywheel... ".

[MJI]

13 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening Al,

 

Seen before a few weeks ago, but maybe forgotten by now............

 

 

Is this the same diagram as one of yours? 

 

Built by Peter Lawson from a BSL kit, I'd originally asked £50.00, but now I'm asking £40.00.

 

 

Another ex-GWR carriage from a BSL kit, also now £40.00.

 

 

And a much-detailed/modified/weathered RTR autocoach, now £30.00.

 

Anyone interested, please PM me.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

Is knowing

D95

C77

A33

Sad?

[St Enodoc]

13 minutes ago, MJI said:

 

Is knowing

D95

C77

A33

Sad?

No, but knowing that the C77 has a fictitious number might be...

[MJI]

31 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

No, but knowing that the C77 has a fictitious number might be...

 

I had to look up to find that, 1155 was highest number.

[MarkC]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

 

The company that does it normally appears at Exhibitions - not sure of their next one though, or what they're called.

 

edit: They're called Modelu, based in Bristol;  it seems they'll be at the NEC at the weekend, or Bristol in May.

 

HTH

Brian  

 

 

 

Hi Brian

 

Many thanks for that.

 

Will have to be an email enquiry, as I'm at sea until June...

 

Cheers

Mark

[Tony Wright]

Mo and I have spent a splendid day at the Colne Valley HQ of the Braintree (I think) MRC, my photographing 'Little Colne'. 

 

It's really rather nice.................

 

 

 

The group was kind enough.................

 

 

 

To let me take a picture of a couple of my (appropriate) locos on it.

 

Thanks chaps, and look out for it in BRM in the future. 

 

 

[Flyingscotsmanfan]

Hello Tony,

It was great to have both you and Mo over today. These pictures look amazing! You are welcome back to the Braintree and Halstead MRC anytime! 
cheers

Paul

[Tony Wright]

39 minutes ago, Flyingscotsmanfan said:

Hello Tony,

It was great to have both you and Mo over today. These pictures look amazing! You are welcome back to the Braintree and Halstead MRC anytime! 
cheers

Paul

Thanks for your help, Paul.

 

One can only take 'decent' pictures if the subject matter (I mean the whole layout, not my couple of locos) is of a high standard. Your club layout certainly is! It was a pleasure to photograph it. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[PMP]

14 hours ago, MarkC said:

Good morning, all.

 

Some time ago there were discussions in this august thread about 3D printing of 4mm scale figures from photographs, 

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Mark

There currently isn’t a UK company providing this facility as far as I’m aware. Certainly not in the modelling genres of either railway or plastic kit models.

 

The technology is being developed, but Modelu is scanning real people and artefact's, or designing a product to print, not printing from a flat photograph. 

[maico]

Tony, how do the wheels under the cab work on your DJH City of London. Do they pivot inside the fixed outer frame or move side to side?

What would be the minimum radius a large DJH model like that could negotiate?

[JIJ]

15 hours ago, MarkC said:

Good morning, all.

 

Some time ago there were discussions in this august thread about 3D printing of 4mm scale figures from photographs, which were a consequence of Tony himself appearing (in 4mm scale!) on one or two layouts. For some reason I can't seem to find the references; the reason I'm asking is that I would like to do a similar thing on my layout as a tribute to an elderly relative who loves the area my layout represents. Can anyone recall said discussions, & direct me accordingly  please? 

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Mark

 

There is PIFuHD, which can turn 2D images of people into 3D models for 3D printing: 

 

 

 

It seems to work best with well lit images, mid tone clothing relatively free of pattern against a relatively clear background.

 

Seems to not like dark hair, big beards or glasses, so I've not had much luck trying to make a model of myself!

[maico]

On 25/03/2024 at 18:07, Tony Wright said:

 

 

Though my 'experience' in selling models on behalf of distressed/bereaved families is nowhere near that of an auction house, I'm sure I'd achieve a fair bit more that £27.00 each. That said, recent experiences tend to reveal that the bottom might be falling out of the second-hand kit-built loco market (unless the builder/painter is well-known and provides a provenance); a classic case of supply rapidly exceeding demand as the generation which made such things dies off!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

In 2017 the hammer price of this model at Vectis was only £110, the same as the Hornby Railroad P2 for some reason!?

Listed as professionally built in 1993, painted by Larry Goddard, near mint.

[Tony Wright]

9 hours ago, maico said:

Tony, how do the wheels under the cab work on your DJH City of London. Do they pivot inside the fixed outer frame or move side to side?

What would be the minimum radius a large DJH model like that could negotiate?

Good morning,

 

The absolute minimum radius this big engine will negotiate is 3'.

 

 

The rear frames are fixed to the main chassis.

 

 

With a swivelling inner truck carrying the pony wheels (there is precious little side-to-side movement, but enough for 3'). Anything less, then it's a ghastly RTR-style whole-swivelling unit or flangeless pony wheels (the later pair of Ivatt 'Princess Coronations', with the 'Delta' truck beneath the cab is better in this respect).

 

 

This 'Semi' was travelling so fast on Little Bytham that this was the best I could do to 'freeze' it! 

 

 

The weight of Geoff Haynes' lovely painting obviously slowed it down a bit..............

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

The replacement Comet frames for the Mainline 75XXX..............

 

 

 

Fitted perfectly.

 

 

 

 

[dibateg]

Earlier you were talking about Fairburn tanks Tony. The DJH O gauge Fairburn is a nice kit, but riddled with errors I'm afraid. Principally, the cyclinder in the kit are too small and the slide bar bracket is too far back making the slidebars ridiculously long. I built mine with modified 80000 tank cylinders and valve gear and added extra castings ( principally for the Ivatt ) from the Laurie Griffin range to improve it, including a cast rear bogie to replace the 'tea tray' as well as a cast front pony truck.

[Dunsignalling]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Good morning,

 

The absolute minimum radius this big engine will negotiate is 3'.

 

 

The rear frames are fixed to the main chassis.

 

 

With a swivelling inner truck carrying the pony wheels (there is precious little side-to-side movement, but enough for 3'). Anything less, then it's a ghastly RTR-style whole-swivelling unit or flangeless pony wheels (the later pair of Ivatt 'Princess Coronations', with the 'Delta' truck beneath the cab is better in this respect).

 

 

This 'Semi' was travelling so fast on Little Bytham that this was the best I could do to 'freeze' it! 

 

 

The weight of Geoff Haynes' lovely painting obviously slowed it down a bit..............

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

Good Morning, Tony,

 

FWIW, Hornby Britannias and Rebuilt Bulleids with the fixed trucks and flanged wheels will go round 3' radii, presumably because of the copious sideplay in the driving wheelbase.

 

I can't help where LMS & LNER types are concerned though, purely because I've not had the opportunity to try any out.

 

Regards

 

John

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

5 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

... Hornby Britannias ... with the fixed trucks and flanged wheels will go round 3' radii, presumably because of the copious sideplay in the driving wheelbase.

 

Did you first have to cut clearnace into the interior of the Brit rear truck casting to allow the wheels in at all, or have Hornby corrected that? (My two are first releases from 2006.) Mine will manage down to 30" centreline radius.

5 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

where ... LNER types are concerned...

Hornby's A3 and A4 pacific mechanism has (or possibly had as mine are all as released in 2004/5 and Hornby do tend to tinker) a very useful feature, the moulded Cartazzi truck frames are made in a flexible plastic. Once the crude 'post' for the wheelset has been reduced in width to allow sufficent sideplay for the loco to negotiate something a little under 36" radius without the frames fitted, the frame moulding can be split at the rear and once excavated internally by removal of the moulded ribs, the wheelset will 'nudge' and thus flex the inside frame on a curve less than 36" radius. No idea what the final limit on minmum centreline radius might be, 36" is the safe choice.

 

The W1 and P2 are definitely 36" minimum radius without more hacking than I am confident undertaking.

 

Edited April 24 by 34theletterbetweenB&D
typo corrections