Wright writes.....

[Jol Wilkinson]

John Redrup of London Road Models told me he could have sold  "lots of wheels" at the York show, despite the presence of Colin Seymour with the AGW stand. LRM used to carry a stock of Sharman Wheels to match the range of over seventy loco kits in the range but they are no longer available. Another "specialist" trader (who doesn't manufacturer or sell loco kits) had a selection of Markits wheels but said he would only supply to order when they were sold out as the range was too big to economically carry in stock.

 

Sadly, as Terry (Manna) points out, the "general retailers" for bits and pieces such as Mainly Trains have all but disappeared.

[Bucoops]

John Redrup of London Road Models told me he could have sold  "lots of wheels" at the York show, despite the presence of Colin Seymour with the AGW stand. LRM used to carry a stock of Sharman Wheels to match the range of over seventy loco kits in the range but they are no longer available. Another "specialist" trader (who doesn't manufacturer or sell loco kits) had a selection of Markits wheels but said he would only supply to order when they were sold out as the range was too big to economically carry in stock.

 

Sadly, as Terry (Manna) points out, the "general retailers" for bits and pieces such as Mainly Trains have all but disappeared.

 

The Mainly Trains range is now owned by Wizard models and is being reintroduced at the moment thankfully. https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/?filter_3_manufacturer=mainly_trains

Edited April 5, 2018 by Bucoops

[MarkC]

Hi Tony

 

It was a pleasure to meet you and Mo on Monday at York. Thanks for the chat. Will hope to see you again later this year.

 

I enjoyed the show, and was enthralled by the Mike Cook Award winner, Gweek. It just looked 'right' without being overpowering. There were some great layouts on show too - a good mix. The wallet took a battering too, but that's normal at York!

 

Mark

[gr.king]

The Mainly Trains range is now owned by Wizard models and is being reintroduced at the moment thankfully. https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/?filter_3_manufacturer=mainly_trains

 

Although that is good news I don't think the question of whether one can get the Mainly Trains range of in-house products is the key point here. The enormous range of other products for which Mainly Trains acted as stockist in the heyday of the business is, I suspect, the thing that people yearn for. A little earlier I think W & H had similar status. The days of being able to get the majority of items you want, off the shelf, without delay, following a phone call, letter or e-mail to a single supplier seem to have gone forever.

 

For reasons I fully understand there seem to be very few, if any in the younger generations prepared to take on the risk of running their own small business and carrying large amounts of stock which may not sell at a profit, if at all. The risk of being undercut by internet sharks, masses of ridiculous / onerous / expensive / politically motivated regulations that have now been applied to even the smallest businesses (what happened to the idea of small business exemptions and repeated government promises to eliminate red tape?), no security / sickness / redundancy rights for the person who runs the business but gold-plated rights for any employees (at the employer's expense of course), requirements for small business proprietors to give personal guarantees on loans for the business and on long property leases that simply make property investment companies even richer than they already are.......

 

It's all but impossible for a small business to get a start these days. No doubt the large corporate businesses able to afford departments that simply deal with regulatory and financial problems are highly satisfied with the current situation which more or less strangles any small competitors. We are sleep walking into a new form of slavery.

Edited April 7, 2018 by gr.king

[Tony Wright]

But a static crew is as anachronistic as no crew - especially when the loco is on-shed.

 

It's purely a personal preference - I prefer no crew.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

Good morning John,

 

Every single loco operating on LB has a crew (except drivers in the DMUs, which I must attend to). Even the W1 (surely the loco with the largest cab?) is crewed. To me, watching the locos go by with nobody on the footplate would be nonsense.

 

Of course, I don't have a loco depot, but I can see the potential problem there. 

 

Every crew is in mainly static mode - a driver with his arm on the window sill whilst sitting (not sat, see other posts) on his seat, a fireman looking out; that sort of thing. Older locos, especially those with open cabs, really do need a crew in my view. Even the tanks are crewed. 

 

Some figures have to be mutilated to fit (lower limbs removed or arms broken, that sort of thing), but their presence, especially in photographs, is essential. 

Edited April 5, 2018 by Tony Wright

[cctransuk]

Good morning John,

 

Every single loco operating on LB has a crew (except drivers in the DMUs, which I must attend to). Even the W1 (surely the loco with the largest cab?) is crewed. To me, watching the locos go by with nobody on the footplate would be nonsense.

 

Of course, I don't have a loco depot, but I can see the potential problem there. 

 

Every crew is in mainly static mode - a driver with his arm on the window sill whilst sitting (not sat, see other posts) on his seat, a fireman looking out; that sort of thing. Older locos, especially those with open cabs, really do need a crew in my view. Even the tanks are crewed. 

 

Some figures have to be mutilated to fit (lower limbs removed or arms broken, that sort of thing), but their presence, especially in photographs, is essential. 

 

Good morning, Tony, from a cloudless Cornwall.

 

I can see that, for your purposes, the balance towards having crew is obvious.

 

The bottom line is that it's our own railway - Rule 1 is paramount !

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[60027Merlin]

Tony,

 

 

As you write, always room for a crew - and a chat!

 

 

 

Eric

 

 

 

[Jol Wilkinson]

Although that is good news I don't think the question of whether one can get the Mainly Trains range of in-house products is the key point here. The enormous range of other products for which Mainly Trains acted as stockist in the heyday of the business is, I suspect, the thing that people yearn for. A little earlier I think W & H had similar status. the days of being able to get the majority of items you want, off the shelf, without delay, following a phone call, letter or e-mail to a single supplier seems to have gone forever.

 

For reasons I fully understand there seem to be very few, if any in the younger generations prepared to take on the risk of running their own small business and carrying large amounts of stock which may not sell at a profit, if at all. The risk of being undercut by internet sharks, masses of ridiculous / onerous / expensive / politically motivated regulations that have now been applied to even the smallest businesses (what happened to the idea of small business exemptions and repeated government promises to eliminate red tape?), no security / sickness / redundancy rights for the person who runs the business but gold-plated rights for any employees (at the employer's expense of course), requirements for small business proprietors to give personal guarantees on loans for the business and on long property leases that simply make property investment companies even richer then they already are.......

 

It's all but impossible for a small business to get a start these days. No doubt the large corporate businesses able to afford departments that simply deal with regulatory and financial problems are highly satisfied with the current situation which more or less strangles any small competitors. We are sleep walking into a new form of slavery.

 

By happenstance I heard part of a BBC Radio 4  programme on the new GDPR regulations yesterday. See;

 

https://www.gov.uk/marketing-advertising-law/direct-marketing

 

In a nutshell, if would effectively mean that no small supplier could really afford to ensure that they comply with the law to use a database for communicating with their customers through email newsletters, etc. Bachmann, Hornby and Co are probably big enough to deal with compliance but for others, using Forums such as this may be the answer. High Level and Judith Edge kits already do it that way.

[Tony Wright]

Good morning, Tony, from a cloudless Cornwall.

 

I can see that, for your purposes, the balance towards having crew is obvious.

 

The bottom line is that it's our own railway - Rule 1 is paramount !

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

Thanks John,

 

From an equally-cloudless Lincolnshire - at last!

 

Speaking of our own railways, we're entertaining Gordon and Maggie Gravett today and tomorrow, and operating LB. I hope they'll enjoy themselves

 

Their layouts are absolutely stunning, and very different in concept to mine, but I hope we can all appreciate good modelling, whatever the subject matter.

 

And my subject matter is, as is well known, the ECML in later BR steam days. When every train which went through LB in 1958 had a crew 'operating' its locomotive................ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some crews are 'just a glimpse', little more than a silhouette. In fairness, some might well be a bit crude, but they're there.

 

And, as you so rightly point out, 'Rule 1 applies'. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[cctransuk]

Tony,

 

A day like today gets me to considering the next project; Easter visitors gone, a tidy workroom, and a sunny prospect are strong motivators to delve into the 'To do' boxes !!

 

Having just finished my most recent little set-piece - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/132805-penguin-roll-anybody/ - I am thinking in terms of a trio of Fowler 4Fs; I've had the three Airfix tender-driven models, plus all the components to turn them into loco-driven equivalents, for longer than I'd care to admit.

 

Doing a 'job lot' build always has its attractions - in theory it should save time - but somehow it never seems to work out that way !

 

Anyway - there are a few chores to deal with first, before I can settle down to contemplate a batch-build.

 

Regards,

John.

Edited April 5, 2018 by cctransuk

[Bucoops]

Although that is good news I don't think the question of whether one can get the Mainly Trains range of in-house products is the key point here. The enormous range of other products for which Mainly Trains acted as stockist in the heyday of the business is, I suspect, the thing that people yearn for. A little earlier I think W & H had similar status. the days of being able to get the majority of items you want, off the shelf, without delay, following a phone call, letter or e-mail to a single supplier seems to have gone forever.

 

For reasons I fully understand there seem to be very few, if any in the younger generations prepared to take on the risk of running their own small business and carrying large amounts of stock which may not sell at a profit, if at all. The risk of being undercut by internet sharks, masses of ridiculous / onerous / expensive / politically motivated regulations that have now been applied to even the smallest businesses (what happened to the idea of small business exemptions and repeated government promises to eliminate red tape?), no security / sickness / redundancy rights for the person who runs the business but gold-plated rights for any employees (at the employer's expense of course), requirements for small business proprietors to give personal guarantees on loans for the business and on long property leases that simply make property investment companies even richer then they already are.......

 

It's all but impossible for a small business to get a start these days. No doubt the large corporate businesses able to afford departments that simply deal with regulatory and financial problems are highly satisfied with the current situation which more or less strangles any small competitors. We are sleep walking into a new form of slavery.

 

Absolutely agree with you - but I'm aware the MT range was greatly missed so it's good news that it is being resurrected. Sadly the original proprietor has passed away. 

[gr.king]

By happenstance I heard part of a BBC Radio 4  programme on the new GDPR regulations yesterday. See;

 

https://www.gov.uk/marketing-advertising-law/direct-marketing

 

In a nutshell, if would effectively mean that no small supplier could really afford to ensure that they comply with the law to use a database for communicating with their customers through email newsletters, etc. Bachmann, Hornby and Co are probably big enough to deal with compliance but for others, using Forums such as this may be the answer. High Level and Judith Edge kits already do it that way.

 

GDPR will probably be the final nail in the coffin of many small businesses already critically weakened by the costs of auto-enrolment workplace pensions, inflation busting statutory minimum wage, compulsory provision for the disabled who may never visit the premises, paternity leave, anti-"discrimination" rules, maternity leave, sick pay, entitlements of staff to up to 30 weeks redundancy pay, draconian restrictions on dismissals even if staff are no longer necessary or affordable, are downright useless, or are leeches / trouble causers.

 

Of course, the burdens of employment legislation only fall on those honest employers and (generally small) businesses that cannot afford "sharp" lawyers to advise them on how to dodge the rules via zero-hours contracts, non-employed "workers", agency staff etc etc etc....

[Compound2632]

GDPR also affects many voluntary organisations. Those I'm involved with appear to be handling it without too much fuss or difficulty.

 

On the other hand, it is a general truth that no-one becomes rich in business by following the rules.

[salmonpastures]

Of course, I don't have a loco depot, but I can see the potential problem there. 

 

Some figures have to be mutilated to fit (lower limbs removed or arms broken, that sort of thing), but their presence, especially in photographs, is essential. 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello Tony et al,,,

Would like to say DISAGREE,,,, but will just say Compromise.

Having modelled a loco depot/MPD in my opinion nothing looks worse than a shed full of loco's fully crewed.

 

Never happened.

 

When I was creeping round the back end of Doncaster Plant in the early 60's the last thing you wanted to come across was an engine crew!!!

 

Where do you draw the line on this one??????

It's a hobby,,, get a life,,, blah blah blah,,,if I was exhibiting Stoke Summit or similar for sure every loco would have a crew,,,, but I didn't.

 

SAD

[gr.king]

GDPR also affects many voluntary organisations. Those I'm involved with appear to be handling it without too much fuss or difficulty.

 

On the other hand, it is a general truth that no-one becomes rich in business by following the rules.

 

If a voluntary organisation is big enough then it will either be able to stand the cost of appointing a paid Data Protection Officer or is likely to have within its own ranks volunteers who can act as DPO. It's a totally different matter if a genuinely small business (of less than half a dozen people for instance, none with specialist IT skills or legal knowledge, spending most of its money on paying the staff, working on very tight margins and unable to get more money out of its customers at the drop of a hat) suddenly has to pay for the services of a competent DPO, on top of all the other costs of regulatory compliance and staff pampering that the business now has to pay.

 

There are those in business who try to follow all the rules and would prefer to be fully compliant. All rules should be sensible enough and should have little enough impact on prospects to allow honest business owners to prosper without having to work and worry themselves to death.

Edited April 7, 2018 by gr.king

[Chamby]

Tony, re: 60102 Sir Frederick Banbury, other than an accurately dated photograph of the specific loco, what reference sources do you use to determine details such as dome shape for your A3’s in the correct time window for LB? Can you tell simply from the boiler number (as in Yeadon’s guide) or is a little bit of intelligent guesswork involved? The A3’s seem to have had their boilers swopped with surprising frequency!

 

I am trying to pin down specific A3’s to their spring 1949 condition, specifically the cohort allocated to the GC in early 1949: details such as tender type, and left or right hand drive configuration seem clear, but accurately identifying the correct dome shape is proving more of a challenge.

 

Phil

[robertcwp]

 

60017 0n Down TT Pullman.jpg

 

Interesting contrast in liveries on the Pullmans here. Are they kits or Hornby followed by Bachmann?

[stewartingram]

Right or wrong, that is actually how my memory recalls them. In fact I do remember actually being on PN platform (think Gilbert's layout, south end of the island platform, underneath that big PN sign hanging from the roof), and noticing the difference in colour between old & new cars!

 

Stewart

[Tony Wright]

Interesting contrast in liveries on the Pullmans here. Are they kits or Hornby followed by Bachmann?

Robert,

 

The leading Parlour Brake Third is modified Hornby - MJT 10' bogies, added detail, weathered, etc. The Mk. 1 cars are Bachmann, with mods and weathering. 

 

I puzzle as to which is right, if either. I have seen prototype shots where there is a difference in colour, and not just between older-style and Mk.1 Pullman cars. Anyway, the Mk. 1 cars didn't appear until a year after the station at LB was closed, so they're anomalous. 

 

 

The problems associated with how to render different tones/colours on a model are manifold. Light can play many tricks. For instance, in the picture above, might the first two cars in this northbound Queen of Scots rake approaching Retford be mistaken for some of the earlier style 'white' Pullmans, where there was no umber band below the windows? Clearly, this is impossible, because it's obviously a picture taken in BR days. 

 

 

 

I would say there are (subtle) differences between the colours of the older-style and Mk.1 Pullman cars in these shots, though they appear to be opposite to the Hornby/Bachmann colour differences. 60110 was certainly a good 'un'.

 

 

Though this is a poor shot, I think one can detect differences among the colours of this older-style rake of Pullmans climbing out of Grantham.

 

Please observe copyright restrictions (everyone).

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[LBRJ]

I was thinking about the matter of crews being present on the footplate/in the cab and came to the conclusion that while there are various excuses as to why they would be there whilst the locomotive is stabled, there is no reason at all for one in motion to have no body in control

Even on a DMU there is always some reason why there is a body in the rear cab.

 

The real problem comes with carriage sidings full of full trains.

[Tony Wright]

Tony, re: 60102 Sir Frederick Banbury, other than an accurately dated photograph of the specific loco, what reference sources do you use to determine details such as dome shape for your A3’s in the correct time window for LB? Can you tell simply from the boiler number (as in Yeadon’s guide) or is a little bit of intelligent guesswork involved? The A3’s seem to have had their boilers swopped with surprising frequency!

 

I am trying to pin down specific A3’s to their spring 1949 condition, specifically the cohort allocated to the GC in early 1949: details such as tender type, and left or right hand drive configuration seem clear, but accurately identifying the correct dome shape is proving more of a challenge.

 

Phil

Phil,

 

Beware the established works when it comes to identifying boilers on A3s. The RCTS seems to think Thompson built Dia. 94A boilers (Fig.82, Part 2A of the green series), when in fact the 94A type had a banjo/streamlined dome. The 94HP sort had a round dome, and few A3s had these in BR days, particularly later on as they wore out. Peter Coster gets muddled at times, especially in his first 'Book of the A3s' by Irwell. The second volume is correct.

 

I usually work from accurately-dated photos, where one can cross-reference data. The top picture on page 134 of Peter's 'Book of the A3s' of SIR FREDERICK BANBURY shows the loco with a round dome in late-'57, so it fits in with my period. The boiler is correctly identified. The shot also shows a correct-font front numberplate; the 'plates I've bought for the loco (247 Developments) have the incorrect 'curly-tailed '6', so they'll be of no use. No matter, I've got Ian Wilson's Pacific range of loco front numberplates. 

 

In another recent post, I'm exhorted to 'get a life'. I wonder whether that's because I study such minutiae of detail when building my locos? I'm actually rather happy with the life I've got. This was proved to me this morning when Gordon Gravett and I operated the full sequence (and more) on Little Bytham. We had a great time, with just two 'mistakes' in over two hours' running. A front step had been pressed against a bogie wheel, causing friction, and I changed a point under a train! Not a bad life really, when two dear friends can spend a morning running trains. Gordon, many, many thanks. 

 

 

Regarding round-dome boilers on A3s, perhaps I should have chosen DONOVAN as my latest project. Here it is at Essendine, in 1958 - exactly right for LB. It would have stopped at LB a few minutes before on this Grantham-Peterborough all-stations turn. The BR crest has the wrong, right-facing lion - more minutiae of detail.

 

 

 

As yet, the dome (and a lot of other things!) aren't in place on my 60102, but she fairly romped round in this state on test. I always thoroughly test my locos through their constructions, even if it does use up a bit of my life!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited April 7, 2018 by Tony Wright

[Tony Wright]

Tony,

 

A day like today gets me to considering the next project; Easter visitors gone, a tidy workroom, and a sunny prospect are strong motivators to delve into the 'To do' boxes !!

 

Having just finished my most recent little set-piece - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/132805-penguin-roll-anybody/ - I am thinking in terms of a trio of Fowler 4Fs; I've had the three Airfix tender-driven models, plus all the components to turn them into loco-driven equivalents, for longer than I'd care to admit.

 

Doing a 'job lot' build always has its attractions - in theory it should save time - but somehow it never seems to work out that way !

 

Anyway - there are a few chores to deal with first, before I can settle down to contemplate a batch-build.

 

Regards,

John.

Good afternoon John,

 

Which chassis will you be using as replacements for your tender-drive 4Fs? 

 

 

 

This one has a SE Finecast one for the loco and one for the tender. The tender-drive was given away.

 

 

This one also has the same combination, and a replacement Stanier chimney. 

 

Are they worth doing? I think so, even with the slight errors; I think the splashers are too big, for instance. However, as 'layout locos' (among the six other 4Fs) on LB, they fit in fine in my view.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[cctransuk]

Good afternoon John,

 

Which chassis will you be using as replacements for your tender-drive 4Fs? 

 

4F 44412 01.jpg

 

4F 44412 02.jpg

 

This one has a SE Finecast one for the loco and one for the tender. The tender-drive was given away.

 

4F 44519.jpg

 

This one also has the same combination, and a replacement Stanier chimney. 

 

Are they worth doing? I think so, even with the slight errors; I think the splashers are too big, for instance. However, as 'layout locos' (among the six other 4Fs) on LB, they fit in fine in my view.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Comet - always reliable - with Markits wheels. I de-motored the tenders yesterday afternoon and fitted Markits tender wheels.

 

I actually have Comet tender chassis for these locos, but I tried drilling the dimples behind the tender axleboxes 2.0 mm., and fitted brass tophat pinpoint bearings. I counter-drilled the holes with a larger drill, so that the bearing flanges were flush with the inside of the frames. In theory, this shouldn't be accurate enough but with a little extra side-play on the centre axle, all is well.

 

I also removed the Airfix loco chassis in preparation for Comet chassis construction. I'm using High Level gearboxes with Mashima or Mitsumi motors; (I haven't yet decided); plus flywheels.

 

Like you, I build layout locos - Airfix upperworks are fine with me, given a little refinement.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[APOLLO]

In another recent post, I'm exhorted to 'get a life'. I wonder whether that's because I study such minutiae of detail when building my locos? I'm actually rather happy with the life I've got. This was proved to me this morning when Gordon Gravett and I operated the full sequence (and more) on Little Bytham. We had a great time, with just two 'mistakes' in over two hours' running. A front step had been pressed against a bogie wheel, causing friction, and I changed a point under a train! Not a bad life really, when two dear friends can spend a morning running trains. Gordon, many, many thanks. 

 

Indeed a wonderful life you have Tony.

 

To each there own is what I prescribe. My modelling etc is exactly what I like to do (or not do !!). But I like to see / learn from others. Things like crew I'm not too fussed with, but a correctly lamped loco is quite a visible thing and easy to do. Some (but not all) of my locos are lamped, but there is a dilemma when locos change duties, or go to the shed. Lamps should be changed to suit duties (but aren't on my OO layout). Bit like the passengers in carriages in carriage sidings thing mentioned above.

 

As to Pullman colours, it has been mentioned before that Bachmann cream is a little too deep, Hornbys a little to light - but this is quite subjective. Since my OO layout is set around 1966, I have a mixed Pullman rake, Five Bachmann umber & cream with a couple of grey/blue reversed Pullmans and a Blue /Grey Mk1 full brake. Looks a right mess but this is how things were back then - (Hattons were selling the grey/blue Pullmans off cheaply a while ago - probably couldn't get rid of them !!). I have got used to it !!

 

Brit15

Edited April 6, 2018 by APOLLO

[Tom F]

Good evening Tony.

 

After our discussion about the K1 I purchased at York, and it's incorrect coal spacing. I've picked up a B1 with the correct spacing which I will be swopping with the K1. The B1 wasn't essential, so I'm not too bothered about the spacing position.

 

 

I'm in the process of modifying/personalising the B1. I've cut the cast nem pocket off (surprisingly came off with Xurons) and filed it flush. Bogie Wheels removed ready for the Gibson replacements.

 

 

Finally I've removed the chimney to be replaced with this Dave Bradwell cast piece. It's not fixed yet but looks a big improvement. I will need to contact Ian about smokebox number plates. They are the best you can buy in my opinion.

 

Edited April 6, 2018 by 9793