Wright writes.....

[coachmann]

If I may be so bold, Larry, without sounding like a jumped up young twerp who knows nothing, I'd venture that you and your friends built "stuff" out of necessity. There simply wasn't the availability of RTR, and certainly not the quality of RTR that we enjoy today, even 20 years ago. I'm 34 so no overly old, but I distinctly remember my father fixing things that broke. How many people fix things now or have the skills to do so? Sadly we are losing our ability to make and to mend.

I take your point that for historical modellers of the period, models were built out of necessity. For me, something was a necessity inasmuch as I wanted it, not whether a kit for what I wanted was available. I built scores of locos in Plastikard from 1961-ish, all on Triang chassis that I had bushed and fitted Romford wheels. If Skinley or someone had a scale drawing, I could build anything and I did it because I could. With a family to keep, pocket money came from painting display models for our model shop in Oldham.  I built my first whitemetal kit when we moved to North Wales and again I got a commision for doing display models, this time for GEM. I think railway modellers of old took up the hobby because they had an instinct or need to create models. I don't think for one minute this ability has been lost; It is merely sleeping in some people and the printed word plus forums like RMweb help awaken it.

[Iain Popplewell]

Larry,  

 

you are very naughty and guilty of showing initiative and other traits not available to most people today. This approach has no place in today's "why doesn't someone make a?" society. Where would we be if people started doing things for themselves?

 

Jol

 

 Where would we be if people started doing things for themselves Jol, probably at Scalefour North in a couple of weeks time. Plenty of people there who do stuff for themselves and they are not all as old as the hills some of em are young. Plenty of life still in the real modelling make it yourself school if you ask me.

[Captain Cuttle]

When our toaster stopped working I was all for throwing it out, but my wife suggested we take it apart and see what was wrong. I was skeptical, but once we'd got the shell

off (obviously not designed to be removed by a customer) there was a surprisingly straightforward problem to do with a sprung contact on a solenoid, really no different that

fiddling around with a Peco switch or something. The contact just needed a bit of manual adjustment and it was fine afterwards.

 

Last year, my mobile phone charger stopped working so I opened it up and found a broken contact, which could be soldered back on with care. Unfortunately I knew that I'd

only have one chance to repair it, as the visible amount of wire available to be soldered was tiny, and it's just gone again. But at least I got an additional six months use

out of it. I also dropped one of the transformers for the Christmas tree lights and was able to open it up and repair it.

 

But I agree with you, in that I'm 51 and I happen to have soldering irons, heat-shrink insulation, etc, readily on hand, as well as the confidence to go it a go. The trouble with

a lot of modern consumer products is that there's not even any point in trying to open them up for repairs.

 

Alastair

Biggest problem with current products is the 'safety' screws or whatever with funny heads so you cant even get in to them in the first place. I had a Manor fan heater from Tesco starting making horrendous noise and thought its probably the bearings on the cheapy motor. Finally crafted a screwdriver to fit said safety screw and got it apart and the problem was a loose fan! Spot of Devcon and right as rain.

Regards

Alan

[glo41f]

As our Leader has commented, this thread twists and turns in a totally unpredictable way. This is part of its charm. The model magazines are now all much of a muchness and clones of each other. I would suggest that BRM when it started was a kick up the whatsit for the then established titles which seem in turn to have tried to match or outdo BRM. That said I am not tempted to spend money on pages of reviews of models that are the main thrust of today's magazines. For informative articles we now have to look at the literature produced by the special interest groups of the various scale societies.

 

Where have the modellers gone? Are we all really box openers now? As a rider to this are we really any happier with this state of affairs? I strongly suspect not and that I was far happier with my crude conversion of a Hornby Dublo N2 with condensing gear than I would have been with one straight out of a box that today's modellers can do. There is a sort of perverse satisfaction (masochism?)  in creating something from parts made or otherwise acquired but then there is also the fact that someone with the right amount of funds can acquire a model that is often better painted and detailed (though not necessarily better running.) 

 

I went to a "traditional" model shop the other day which is a rare thing for me. There was not a kit on display yet the place was full of red and blue boxes and super buildings just ready to put on your baseboards. Where is the pleasure to be had in that?

 

As a youngster I was shown models of southern stock which the builder (who only had the use of one arm) made from shellacked card. They were mostly EMU's and they were a worlld apart from my primitive Tri-ang trains. He was doing what our leader is doing today and he succeeded in that I wanted to emulate his efforts.  I am still trying!

 

Martin Long

[Iain Popplewell]

When the RTR companies started making these " ready to plant buildings" it struck me that if only they had been plastic kits  what a god send to the hobby they might have been. When you think of all the things that have been done with the quite limited Airfix range. What might have been possible if all the resin buildings had been more butcherable and amenable to creative surgery.

 

Instead all the would be "modeller" is expected to do is plonk it on a layout. Sad really.

[60027Merlin]

We can all morn the loss of this company or that company, but we must remember that the proprietors either retired, died or stopped making a profit. The first two we collectively as modellers cannot do anything about but the last one does indicate problems with the market and/or customer base.  

 

Clive,

 

I take your point about the passage of time as it catches up on us all.

 

My main concern, as a modeller of Scottish locos/area, whether ex-LMS and /or ex-LNER in B. R. days, is that in those days of decades ago there were no suitable ready to run locos but most importantly there were a good number of loco classes for us from the various kit manufacturers. For a while now the position has dramatically changed so that there are very few of these kits in existence (the tooling has aged too - just like us!) and there is still nothing in ready to run. I am not including the big stuff such as Pacifics etc. but the 0-6-0s etc.

 

So not only are there few spare fittings used for extra/improved detailing and so on but also very few kits. As a matter of interest, W & H in their Cavendish range of loco parts even produced a most accurate casting for the J36 chimney being much better than the GEM kit version. Sadly this range disappeared many moons ago.

 

Hopefully this clarifies the position.

 

Eric

[Focalplane]

I could easily climb the steps to my pulpit and preach the Word of Wright (sorry, Tony, that just came out!) about building things.  But I have to be honest or be labelled a hypocrite.

 

I have exceeded the Biblical three score years and ten, which admittedly was laid down as a law before modern medicine came along, but clearly I am not going be an eternal visitor to this landscape having made no deals with Satan.  So while I absolutely cherish the models I have built for myself I do also have a need to complete them all and this probably isn't going to happen.  So I have dipped into the RTR market to buy a few items which became available, quite surprisingly, and which will fit in with my desires to emulate my nostalgia.  Which, by the way, is a major driver for my modelling.

 

So, I just took delivery of a Birmingham 4 coach suburban set in BR red, made in China (I believe) for Dapol/Lionheart.  I won't actually open the boxes until next week, but I am looking forward to it.  In mid-summer The coaches will be jpined by their locomotive, a Heljan Large Prairie which will be customized to be 4175, 84E shed.  Then I will be able to fill part of my Nostalgia Void of Snow Hill Station as represented by Philip Hawkins' Summer Saturday at Snow Hill.  The other part of the picture will be a David Andrews' kit of Castle Class 5070 Sir Daniel Gooch, the box for which is about to be opened.  This will take months to complete but, ironically, the RTR components will actually spur me on to finish.  My only remaining problem will be to source representatives of the 12 coach rake of coaches for the Cornishman.  (And a full scale diorama of Snow Hill? No, I don't think so!)

 

I hope I have made my point.  This forum is a broad church and few of us actually position ourselves at one extreme or the other.  And if anyone chooses to do so, that is also OK with me.

Edited March 22, 2017 by Focalplane

[Focalplane]

I am writing this as a separate post to the the one above because it should be separate.

 

In scanning the last several pages of Wright Writes I have noticed a lack of desire of customers to contact the kit designers and retailers of products they want to buy and build.  It's almost as though they, the kit makers, belong to a separate species.  

 

So, my collective riposte is simple.  Go to shows, meet the vendors, engage with them and before you know it you have a personal invitation to visit them.  Even if you have never actually bought one of their products.  Right now I have an open invitation to visit the homes of three Gauge O kit designers, one of whom has yet to sell me anything.

 

But I should give you a 4mm example.  After Geoff Brewin passed away I met Andrew Hartshorne at the Warley Show and congratulated him on his acquisition of Comet.  Subsequently I needed some missing parts for the Comet Caprotti Black 5 kit which he was happy to send me, free of charge.  Sadly I then made the monumental decision to move to 7mm scale (sadly for him, not for me!)  But I will never forget his readiness to help me out.  If you don't engage, don't whinge.  It only takes a phone call or an email, or better still a visit to their stand at a show.

Edited March 22, 2017 by Focalplane

[St Enodoc]

I vaguely remember another book of track plans by, was it a Mr. Beale?  His 3 dimensional sketches had mostly modernist architecture - curved concrete walls, etc.

That sounds like Alex Bowie.

[Headstock]

'Fraid it's cash for me these days. My cards got worn out being used as windscreen scrapers.

 

G.

 

I know what you mean, unfortunately, I used up all my ten-pound notes as wagon sheets, not very cost effective and probably slightly illegal. The problem is the new five pound notes are completely useless as the keep pinging off when you try to shape them to fit.

[The Johnster]

I was never and still am not a particularly good or skilled modeller, so am more than happy to run a layout consisting, at the present, of entirely RTR stock, kit and some modified resin buildings, and ready made plus a few kit signals.  I would, however, be a bit miffed if someone described me as an SOOTB modeller!  Firstly, none of the items described are in the condition that they came out of the box in; something is done to them, even if it is only a coat of weathering to tone down the 'new' on them or a dab of white on the ends of the brake handles.  Secondly, I am more than willing to build kits or even have a crack at scratchbuilding if that is the only way to obtain a model of what I want.

 

One of my locos came out of 2 boxes, a re-chassised ex ML 56xx with a modern Baccy works beneath it, handpainted and lined in BR 1958 green by me many years ago before ML brought out their version of the livery.  I have what was once an Airfix 61xx masquerading as Barry shed's 4159 in 1948 'BRITISH RAILWAYS' unlined green livery with GWR 1920s style lettering, which is due to be repainted as Tondu's 4145 in 1946 style unlined green 'G W R' livery; this old stager has had all sorts of improvements over the years, new driving wheels to get rid of the awful traction tyre, proper pony and radial wheels, cast whitemetal buffers, coal in the bunker, a new chimney, open cab ventilator; it is still a good runner, if noisy.  In a 'get around to it one day' box is a very poorly ML 57xx pannier converted to 67xx by myself (perhaps not the most challenging bit of modelling ever undertaken, but I contend she is not as out of the box, especially as I have repainted her in 1958 BR black).

 

This approach has been satisfactory for the initial period of layout building and getting things running, but the layout is now more or less up and running and I can turn my attention to kits.  Trouble is, almost everything I want for a BLT set in South Wales in the 1950s is available RTR to a better standard than I could produce from a kit.  A couple of Comet Hawksworth non corridor compartment coaches, including A44 auto and matching all-third, and some wagon kits as ex GW opens and vans are not as well represented RTR as LNER/LMS vehicles, and I have drained the kit market of anything I want.  Scratchbuilding is not at all necessary, but I want to vary the auto diet with something pre-Collett; diagram N and A7 are under consideration.

 

Some of you might have been following the saga of 2761 on the Hornby forum; this 'detailing something up to be acceptable to me' is fairly representative of my approach in general.  This loco will never be a scale model of anything, as her wheelbase is too compromised and cannot be replaced without filling the open cab with motor or gears, but I am proceeding to 'improve' her to my satisfaction, and am greatly enjoying myself in the process.  This is surely not box opening!  A more scale approach might be to scratchbuild, but I can live with 2761's inadequacies in a world where steam engines are in fact driven by electric motors on track the wrong size with t/l couplers (my eyesight is no longer up to scale couplings, nor is my hand steady enough, feeble old git that I am).

 

I contend that alteration of RTR stock to suit my needs, and an ability to build kits and at least have a crack at scratchbuilding to cover the very small gaps in RTR coverage makes me a proper modeller, though I do not claim any particular superiority over anyone else by virtue of approach or attitude, and am not in my own view as good a modeller as many a box opener who is far better able than me to model the countryside, urban sprawl, or whatever context his/her railway runs in.

 

At an exhibition, I would rather see a box-opener's layout running properly and operated realistically than a perfect scale handbuilt rendition that doesn't or isn't.  By and large the 'high end' modellers run their layouts better than averagely, and some of the train sets are awful, but this is by no means absolute law, only a tendency.  There is little 'scale' about Borchester, but it is one of the finest built and best operated layouts there is and probably ever will be.

Edited March 22, 2017 by The Johnster

[The Johnster]

I know what you mean, unfortunately, I used up all my ten-pound notes as wagon sheets, not very cost effective and probably slightly illegal. The problem is the new five pound notes are completely useless as the keep pinging off when you try to shape them to fit.

 

So that's where all mine are going!

 

Cartridge paper for wagon sheets, Headstock, crumpled up first and painted when in position.

[grahame]

I was never and still am not a particularly good or skilled modeller,

 

I don't think that's a big issue or that important. Most of us are amateur with regards to skills and quality in model-making, but the important thing is to have a bash. If you don't you'll never improve. And, yes, I agree, it doesn't have to be scratch-building: making a kit, adapting RTR or bashing kits/RTR in to something else are all valid modelling efforts.

 

I have a go within my capabilities and limited skills. The results are not the best but I do enjoy it, and I usually end up with something that often no-one else has on their layout so there is also some pride and satisfaction.

 

For example currently I'm trying to bash a fire appliance in to a dustcart utilising the cab, but adapting the chassis and scratch-building the body (in N gauge scale):  http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/121149-a-scania-dustcart/ I'm pleased and proud of how far I've got although I appreciate it wont win any prizes.

 

G.

Edited March 22, 2017 by grahame

[Headstock]

So that's where all mine are going!

 

Cartridge paper for wagon sheets, Headstock, crumpled up first and painted when in position.

 

Painted? Can't you buy it pre-crumpled ready to plonk.

[coachmann]

Painted? Can't you buy it pre-crumpled ready to plonk.

Best post in a long time....

[grahame]

Painted? Can't you buy it pre-crumpled ready to plonk.

Yes, pre-painted as well. They cost £5, £10 or £20 depending on the colour you want.

 

G.

[davidw]

Someone is flippin' psychic! Soon after I sent my last post, the postie delivered a small package and in it were four videos :-

 

Right Track 1 Locomotive Building Part 1

Right Track 2 Locomotive building Part 2

Right Track 3 Painting, lining & finishing

Right Track 4 Improving RTR locomotives & coaches.

 

Wright then.......

The surprise is that these were probably produced 8 or 9 years ago.

[coachmann]

The surprise is that these were probably produced 8 or 9 years ago.

Really? I look forward to viewing them in due course.

[Headstock]

Best post in a long time....

 

Blushing like a freshly painted Midland compound.

 

Yes, pre-painted as well. They cost £5, £10 or £20 depending on the colour you want.

 

G.

 

Good Gravy, amazing the variations on offer nowadays. Back i' t' day we had to make us own out of off cuts of scrumple.

[The Johnster]

Blushing like a freshly painted Midland compound.

 

 

Good Gravy, amazing the variations on offer nowadays. Back i' t' day we had to make us own out of off cuts of scrumple.

 

 

Scrumple? You were lucky. In owr 'ouse we at scrumple shavin's fer supper, 4 shavin's between 300 of us.  Tell kids that terday...

[Mallard60022]

Really? I look forward to viewing them in due course.

Get ready to have a damn good laugh at the first part of the painting one, with TW doing his thing with a spray can and face mask. TW won't mind me saying this as he knows I am an ar$e. Mr Rathbone's intro to his part is also amusing as he describes TW's activity.

Also listen out for subtle 'one liners' in the Loco Building ones. I seem to remember one that included Engineers, however I may be wrong.

Lots of good advice in the 'improving' Volume and this, along with your excellent thread many moons ago, encouraged me to tackle coach hacking. 

Despite these little amusements they are excellent and mine are often viewed when I need therapy (often). 

Enjoy them all Larry

Phil

Edited March 23, 2017 by Mallard60022

[Iain Popplewell]

I found all of the above mentioned videos enormously useful especially the kit building ones. I think fear of soldering is a major factor putting people of assembling kits and Tony's demonstration of soldering techniques was an eye opener for me. For anyone just starting out or contemplating kit building get your hands on a copy if you can, you'll never look back.

 

Obviously for someone like Coachman most of it will be already known but TW's burnt blistered fingers I did find shocking and I worked in the NHS. for years. So I suspect Larry might get some pleasure from watching the videos. I'm not so sure how he'll take to the young upstart Ian showing him how to paint though. Personally I found Ian's demonstration of lining excellent.

Edited March 23, 2017 by iainp

[gr.king]

the paining one,

An amusing slip....

[Re6/6]

This was the first attempt at a Jamieson nickel silver kit.

 

 

 It still has a long way to go before it gets to this!

 

Edited March 23, 2017 by Re6/6

[Mallard60022]

An amusing slip....

Freudian obviously as I was thinking of you lot at the time.............................. 

Philth