Mid-Cornwall Lines - 1950s Western Region in 00

[St Enodoc]

I've now finished painting the china-clay wagons - black, bauxite and white. The black and bauxite were straightforward as there are well-defined edges or grooves between the colours.

 

For the white end-door stripes, I painted the strapping without worrying about getting dead straight edges at first, which is almost impossible with the narrow, thin riveted moulding. After painting, I used a blunt cocktail stick dipped in thinners to tidy up the worst bits then, when the white paint had dried, cut back in carefully with a small brush and a tiny amount of bauxite.

 

Once the paint's hardened off overnight, I'll gloss varnish where the transfers need to go.

[GMKAT7]

Good morning John and John,

 

I too am on the look out for the other 3 books, but only at a sensible price.

 

Some of the other Larkin books cover the wagons acquired by BR, including PO opens, etc. I have the volume on vans, which has been much referenced for Parkside and Cambrian kit builds.

 

Cheers, Nigel.

[Coach bogie]

I have also found a lot of useful photos and plans of vans and parcels vehicles in the Pendragon Publication series Historic Carriage drawings Vol 3.

 

There are two other volumes on coaches, Vol 2 - LMS and Vol 1 - LNER. I picked up all three new for £4 each at a seaside pop up book shop in Llandudno.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

[St Enodoc]

All ready for transfers tomorrow.

 

The second Test in Christchurch is shaping up to be a good one if you like to see wickets falling regularly (14 in the day). If you enjoy good batting, not so much.

[Barry O]

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

All ready for transfers tomorrow.

 

The second Test in Christchurch is shaping up to be a good one if you like to see wickets falling regularly (14 in the day). If you enjoy good batting, not so much.

Interesting wicket.. sort of greenish...

 

Baz

[St Enodoc]

16 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Interesting wicket.. sort of greenish...

 

Baz

Half-an-inch of grass.

[Dunsignalling]

10 hours ago, Coach bogie said:

I have also found a lot of useful photos and plans of vans and parcels vehicles in the Pendragon Publication series Historic Carriage drawings Vol 3.

 

There are two other volumes on coaches, Vol 2 - LMS and Vol 1 - LNER. I picked up all three new for £4 each at a seaside pop up book shop in Llandudno.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

 

The upside of an otherwise sad effect of passing time. Lots of the 1970s/80s carriage/wagon books I failed to purchase when first published became go-to modelling references and have been hard to find/expensive to acquire since.

 

As one who returned to the hobby c1990, this has been a long term "first-world-problem". 

 

I gave up on ever owning some, but pre-owned copies of lots of them have latterly become quite readily available at very reasonable prices and I've filled most of my more glaring gaps.

 

The considerable dip in prices in recent years indicate only one thing; a current excess of supply over demand. Be warned, though, book dealers and those who raise funds for heritage lines are not immune to the space issues that plague modellers. Recycling beckons for persistent surpluses..... 

 

I strongly urge younger modellers to acquire the "classics" covering their areas of interest while they can.

 

John

 

  

Edited March 8 by Dunsignalling

[Tim Dubya]

"LSWR Carriages in the 20th Century" is a case in point, it was £999:00 on eBay from a couple of vendors.  I then found out that some of the content I wanted had been published in either The Constructor or RM in the early '70s, which I fortunately tracked down on The Magazine Exchange for a couple of quid each (two mag articles).  Sometime later I found a copy for £35 in Oxfam Books in Bath, so had it away.

 

[Dunsignalling]

12 minutes ago, Tim Dubya said:

"LSWR Carriages in the 20th Century" is a case in point, it was £999:00 on eBay from a couple of vendors.  I then found out that some of the content I wanted had been published in either The Constructor or RM in the early '70s, which I fortunately tracked down on The Magazine Exchange for a couple of quid each (two mag articles).  Sometime later I found a copy for £35 in Oxfam Books in Bath, so had it away.

 

You did well with that one, which bucks the general trend on prices (smaller print run, presumably?)  they commonly go for at least double what you paid.

 

That was a series I didn't miss when first published!

[Nick C]

1 hour ago, Tim Dubya said:

"LSWR Carriages in the 20th Century" is a case in point, it was £999:00 on eBay from a couple of vendors.  I then found out that some of the content I wanted had been published in either The Constructor or RM in the early '70s, which I fortunately tracked down on The Magazine Exchange for a couple of quid each (two mag articles).  Sometime later I found a copy for £35 in Oxfam Books in Bath, so had it away.

 

I got my copy for £25 from a second-hand stall at an exhibition a few years ago - that was one of those "don't think, just buy, before someone else does" moments!

[Coach bogie]

They are still out there. A couple of years ago I was in Northallerton, on market day when I passed a second hand book stall and came away with five of the LNER wagons books for £20.

 

A few days later I found mint copies of both parts of Great Western Steam in the 30's in a charity shop for £10 the pair. I gave them to one of the authors as his file copies were, let us say, not quite mint. (also let him have one of the LNER books to complete his set).

 

My son is obsessed with car boot sales and finds some gems. The locomotives illustrated magazine on the early GWR panniers which I have seen for £25 at shows was bought for 10p.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[ianathompson]

8 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

If you enjoy good batting, not so much.

 Players aren't happy to "grind it out" nowadays!

When I was a kid it was drilled into me that if we couldn't win we batted out for a losing draw (1 point).

 

Ian T

[St Enodoc]

13 hours ago, ianathompson said:

 Players aren't happy to "grind it out" nowadays!

When I was a kid it was drilled into me that if we couldn't win we batted out for a losing draw (1 point).

 

Ian T

I'd never heard of winning draws and losing draws until I started playing for Garforth in the (then) Leeds League. I still don't know how to work out the difference...

[St Enodoc]

It was a far more evenly-balanced day's play in Christchurch, with some excellent batting and bowling from both sides plus one of the best catches you will ever see.

 

While all that was going on, I applied the transfers. Four per side per wagon, of which half were printed in white on white paper. Consequently, it was all a bit tedious although it's turned out all right, I think.

 

I'm a bit busy with other things tomorrow, so the wagons probably won't get varnished until early next week. We're still on target for them to be in service by Saturday's running session though.

 

Photos once they're complete, before and then after weathering.

[Keith Addenbrooke]

12 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

I'd never heard of winning draws and losing draws until I started playing for Garforth in the (then) Leeds League. I still don't know how to work out the difference...

I believe the simple answer is a comparison of run rates - which must favour the team who batted first, hence the term “batting out for a losing draw” (as preferable to falling short in an impossible run chase and losing in the process).

 

As always, happy to be corrected by those who know more - whether it’s railways or anything else, Keith.

[St Enodoc]

6 hours ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

I believe the simple answer is a comparison of run rates - which must favour the team who batted first, hence the term “batting out for a losing draw” (as preferable to falling short in an impossible run chase and losing in the process).

 

As always, happy to be corrected by those who know more - whether it’s railways or anything else, Keith.

That sounds about right unless the team batting first used up more than half the overs (e.g. single innings per side, 100 overs max, team batting first can bat for up to 55 overs).

 

What does our umpiring consultant @Barry O say?

[Barry O]

Different Leagues use different definitions.  It gets more interesting when, in a 100 over match the team batting first could use 60 overs to set a target, the team batting second having 40 overs to reach the target or to be a % of the target and not all out by the end of the overs to be a winning or losing draw.

Baz

[St Enodoc]

Day 3 in Christchurch left the match finely poised and the prospect of an exciting fourth (which, barring weather intervention, will be the final) day.

 

No model railway action at all though, I'm afraid.

[St Enodoc]

3 hours ago, Barry O said:

Different Leagues use different definitions.  It gets more interesting when, in a 100 over match the team batting first could use 60 overs to set a target, the team batting second having 40 overs to reach the target or to be a % of the target and not all out by the end of the overs to be a winning or losing draw.

Baz

Thanks Baz. No wonder I couldn't work it out.

[Clive Mortimore]

7 hours ago, Barry O said:

Different Leagues use different definitions.  It gets more interesting when, in a 100 over match the team batting first could use 60 overs to set a target, the team batting second having 40 overs to reach the target or to be a % of the target and not all out by the end of the overs to be a winning or losing draw.

Baz

So you can win a draw or lose a draw? That does sound quite complicated for an excuse to get together with a group of chums to have a cup of tea and cucumber sandwiches with the crust cut off. 

[figworthy]

4 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

So you can win a draw or lose a draw? That does sound quite complicated for an excuse to get together with a group of chums to have a cup of tea and cucumber sandwiches with the crust cut off. 

 

And cake, do not forget the cake.

 

Adrian

[Clive Mortimore]

46 minutes ago, figworthy said:

 

And cake, do not forget the cake.

 

Adrian

Home made victoria sandwich with jam and butter cream filling.................yummy yummy

[TheSignalEngineer]

1 hour ago, figworthy said:

 

And cake, do not forget the cake.

 

Adrian

For many years we have always made a large (25cm diameter, 10cm deep including marzipan and icing) Christmas Cake in the family tradition of my grandmother and mother. They were designed to do at least 12 people on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, a few New Years Eve visitors, plus a bit for the milkman, baker, coalman etc. Unfortunately I'm the only one left who eats it, so I set myself a target of finishing it by Lady Day, 25th March. I'm doing well this year, only about 6 servings left. 

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, figworthy said:

 

And cake, do not forget the cake.

 

Adrian

I used to play a lot of Sunday "friendlies". There was one such, in Scotland, where it was imperative to win the toss and field, because tea was so sumptuous that it was impossible to run around afterwards.

 

Start delayed by rain in Christchurch...

[St Enodoc]

I varnished the china-clay wagons first thing this morning and here they are:

 

I now need to select the "best" to remain pristine then weather the others. I'll fit the wheels and couplings after that.

 

Rain in Christchurch has stopped so play will (should) start at 1200 local time (1000 AEDT, 2300 GMT).