Penlan Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Well, I can't believe nobody has started this thread pre-publication, or indeed before it's on sale in West Cornwall... But it seems I am ahead of the game.So, when everybody else gets their copy - 'Worcester Inspirations', the Prototype photo of 4153 with empty coaching stock crossing the Worcester Canal bridge in 1959........The brake pipes don't appear to be connected twixt Loco and Coach, I can understand the heating pipes not being connected though, but are the brake pipes disconnected? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 .....the excitement surrounding MRJ now that the associated RMWeb thread runs to so many pages....even pre-publication, seems to account for it taking me several weeks to even locate a copy.....my issue of 236 came from popping into 'Smiffs' in Great Malvern whilst on a day out. At this rate I'll need to get back to a subscription. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Siberian Snooper Posted February 20, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 20, 2015 Big Cheeseplant mentioned a week or so ago that it was imminent, but there has been no further updates, so I assumed that the cygnet had failed to hatch. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iak Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Its out and its good. The Siphon article especially. It was aslo out in WHS Warrington yesterday - whooosh! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catweasel Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Interesting article by Gordon Gravett describing how he avoids the San Andreas Fault line seen on so many layouts. Also manual point operation and, in SSF, some new loco's for industrial use. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete55 Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Just picked my copy up this afternoon Editor is Gerry Beale Contents: Model Loco Finishing by Malcolm Mitchell Hiding the Joint by Gordon Gravett 7mm Autotrain by Alan Brackenborough Small Suppliers Forum GWR Siphon in 4mm by Gerry Beale Manual Turnout Operation by Bob How Modelling Complex Track Formations by Howard Bolton Worcester Inspirations Letters Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium corneliuslundie Posted February 22, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 22, 2015 Haven't read it all yet but that photo of a baseboard joint on page 49 in Gordon Gravett's article is impressive. In the siphons article there is mention of an etching being produced. It is not clear whether this was a private job or is going to be marketed. By the way, there is mention too of a replacement for the HMRS Siphons volume. It is on the way but there is a lot of work to do yet, so it is unlikely to be published this year or next. The Blue Point manual point operating devices can be bought in the UK from NGTrains.com, 9.00 each (no connection with the firm though interested in the product). There is a thread somewhere on RMWeb which mentioned them some time ago. Jonathan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penlan Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share Posted February 22, 2015 Agreed about the base board joint, presumably the Parcel tape is the brown very shiny stuff, not the matt type also used for sealing the backs on picture frames - I have a couple of joints that have opened up after 25 years, so that's the next job on the list. . I was interested in the 'Blue Point' mechs, though at £9 each, I'm not so sure - There's a set of 5 on Ebay for approx £33 + p&p. from USA. However I wonder just how effective they are because on the assumption Bob How's modelling in P4 (I got that impression somewhere in the extensive text), he mentions that getting the blades fully across - giving full closure - had been difficult at times, and in P4 that's not a lot of throw..Nobody anything to add to the brake pipes Q. in my opening post? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted February 22, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 22, 2015 The brake pipes don't appear to be connected, but as it's captioned as an empty stock working, perhaps it wasn't required. Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted February 22, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 22, 2015 The brake pipes don't appear to be connected, but as it's captioned as an empty stock working, perhaps it wasn't required. Pete With an ECS working you can get away with the steam heat pipes not being connected, but no, not the brake pipes, that would be breaking the rules in a large portion of the Rule Book! However, how many of us go to that extent? Give the guy a break! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mike Bellamy Posted February 22, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 22, 2015 I was helping on the EDM Models stand at the Shepton Narrow Gauge Show yesterday and the Blue Point operating units were getting a lot of attention as they have been out of stock for a while - one customer bought a pack of 10. I haven't seen the article but I don't understand the comment about difficulty in getting the blade fully across - if you look at the link below, the mechanism is illustrated - there is a wire through the baseboard to the point and the tension and throw on this can be adjusted by moving the slider up or down (in the same way as the Tortoise works). Paul also stocks all the 'Flex Link' accessories etc http://www.ngtrains.com/Pages/TRA/blue_point.html . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penlan Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share Posted February 22, 2015 Many thanks re. the Brake hoses...If I was still exhibiting my layout and yet another 'know all' came up and told me"... all your brake hoses aren't connected, mate!!", now I can say "It's a ECS working...".It's happened, but not anymore. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penlan Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share Posted February 22, 2015 Mike Bellamy, I agree, I found the statement strange too, it's on the third page of text (there are 5.5 pages) first column, last para.'..... I found that I needed to move the the slider to almost it's lowest position to ensure reliable closure of the point blades, and I should add that I also replaced the supplied operating wire with one of 0.9mm dia.....'.The points are to 18.83 gauge, so P4.Now it maybe the loop attached to the stretcher bar is greater than 0.9mm dia., but it does say the loop is 0.9mm dia. so not a lot of slop there.I'm not knocking the Blue Point Turnout units, I think they are very useful, and indeed should any of my home made units fail in the future, these will more than likely be used. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium corneliuslundie Posted February 22, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 22, 2015 I don't really expect connected brake pipes on models except perhaps at Pendon, But on the prototype wouldn't it be almost as much work to pull the cords and destroy the vacuum as to connect the hoses? I know when empty carriages were loose shunted, as has been discussed on another thread recently, the brakes were released so that the coaches would roll down hill, but this is nothing like that. Regarding the Blue Point mechanisms, the main disadvantage, which I assume is also true for the Tortoise, is that you still need a "tiebar" of the conventional (ie non-prototypical) type. I generally use the SMP type with the ends bent down just outside the stock rails to engage with brass tubes under the board, but this needs two connections through the board. Mind you my experience with the SMP type had not been entirely happy. Jonathan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted February 22, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 22, 2015 I was referring to the prototype photo, not the model. With a magnifying glass it would appear that both pipes on the loco are in the parked position and no pipes appear to be linking the loco and first coach. In contrast both pipes are connected between the first and second coach. So do we have evidence of sloppy working? Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike knowles Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Re the Blue Point operating units. We have been using these on our club OO layout "Battersby North End" for a number of years now without any problems, certainly no problems getting sufficient throw. Initially they were operated manually using home made levers and rigid (5mm dia) steel rodding but a while ago we converted them to operation via servos so that we could combine the operation of the points and signals (also operated by servos) into one control panel. We obtained ours from Bromsgrove Models. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micknich2003 Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 The brake pipes don't appear to be connected, but as it's captioned as an empty stock working, perhaps it wasn't required. Pete Pete, take a very close look at the photo, the "Vac Pipe" is connected, under a glass you can just see the "upturn" in the pipe, the coach buffers obscure the rest. Yours, Mick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Nothing in Ealing WHS yet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWales Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 My local Smiffs have it already! Result! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penlan Posted February 23, 2015 Author Share Posted February 23, 2015 Pete, take a very close look at the photo, the "Vac Pipe" is connected, under a glass you can just see the "upturn" in the pipe, the coach buffers obscure the rest. Yours, Mick. Many thanks - solved..... I seem to recall, probably a couple of years ago, somebody using those tiny rare earth magnets glued into the end of the hose pipes to enable the model stock to look coupled up - it was in 4mm I believe. I use these magnets in a different situation, they are STRONG.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dseagull Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 As its not been mentioned yet, must say I love the two 'Real Atmosphere' photos of Aber Goods Yard on p78 - has given me a good idea for the coal siding on Litlington Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisf Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 This is all so tantalising for the bevy of subscribers who find that "post haste" is an oxymoron ... Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted February 23, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 23, 2015 Picked a copy up today. I see Alan has done an article on the 517 and autocoach. Having had plenty of occasions to appreciate Alan's work I bet this is a lovely pair. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Zero Gravitas Posted February 24, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 24, 2015 Glad it is not just me waiting for a subscription copy. I was beginning to think it had blown out of the postie's bag, with the strong winds we have had recently in the West Country. Perhaps the delay is because swans can fly, but cygnets can only swim slowly..... It's not just a west country issue - I live less than a mile from Wild Swan / Cygnet Towers in Didcot, and my subscription still seems to arrive after everyone else has read theirs... ZG. PS: Yes, I know they are probably not posted in Didcot, but why let the facts get in the way of a good moan? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted February 24, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 24, 2015 This is all so tantalising for the bevy of subscribers who find that "post haste" is an oxymoron ... Chris My postie would take exception to being called a moron. Actually, he's rather a good egg... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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