davefrk

Yes I was there too exhibiting and the snow wasn't a problem 'cause we know how to handle snow'. TFIC. The other Dave F.

Hi, Lanarkshire Models do proper universal rods for four coupled locos and include the distinct heavier bosses for Caley locos, 9'9'' max though they could be 'stretched' to 40 mm if the 39mm middle layer is cut on centre and gapped, the front and back overlays are just 40mm in total as they come and are usually filed to length. http://lanarkshiremodels.com/lanarkshiremodelsandsupplieswebsite_057.htm Dave Franks.

Yes, we did that at a show a few years ago after a string of humorous posts regarding Tunny bars. Sorry but the offer finished when stocks ran out....

No Bill, that's a new one on me, I'll ask around, a friend of mine might know as his dad was a great aircraft modeller. Dave Franks.

We have a saying in our part of the world:- BMW - Blxxdy Moron Within.... Why do they keep proving the sayings? It does seem in our area as though many have moved over to Audis' now though. Dave.

The good old Tunnocks caramel wafer, ye canna beat them. Every now and again the local shops have bags of broken ones for a quid, lovely. We can smell the caramel sometimes as the Tunnocks factory is just over the River Clyde from us. Plenty of ideas on the list for the future but I'm afraid Paul the Tunny wagon isn't one of them. Dave Franks.

Gosh! I'm all blushed now. I do try to get things out asap and it's the Royal Mail one has to thank for the 99.9% quick delivery though , sometimes even within 24 hrs so why use first class. 18hrs is the record though - Glasgow to Devon. Many thanks for all the kind comments. Dave Franks.

Just go for between 13.5 to 14mm rail top to buffer centre and all will be fine..... Dave Franks.

Yes correct about the front buffers on the Scots, should be 18'' diameter. Lanarkshire Models happen to do the correct ones. http://lanarkshiremodels.com/lanarkshiremodelsandsupplieswebsite_129.htm Just saying. Cheers, dave Franks.

I heard the WSR had also renaged on doing overhaul work for others and asked them to remove the items from the premises asap, from a good source who is involved. Dave.

I've seen a tree netted by using long poles with the net attached to the ends and then swung over the top of the tree, might work for you. Dave.

Yes, with the later availability of other sizes and flat sided cans equivalent to the 16xx type the open frame type fell out of favour but they still turn up on ebay and also still recommended in the instructions for loco kits like DJH etc. I've remotored many a loco with a can motor and the customer is usually very surprised at the difference in performance. Dave Franks

Yes, the bin or ebay is the best place for these KMT motors marketed by Anchoridge Ltd, (M.G. Sharp) and more recently others. They were quality motors but ran far too fast for model railway use at between 32000 and 35000 revs and to be usable the gearing would need to be 80:1 or even more. If used on a exhibition layout with the customary 30 or 40:1 gears and crawling round with a heavy train they overheated very quickly in my experience. I had a few locos with both sizes of these motors and the slow running was so unreliable that some locos had to be used for running through the layout at an unrealistic speed, then CAN motors arrived and WOW what a difference, compared to the above motors the Sagami and Mashima cans ran at half the max speed so the 'usable torque' was in a better place for slower running. The can motors at the time ran at around a max of 10000revs for the 1630 or 17000revs for the 1620. to put this simply, a Stanier Mogul I had couldn't start a train without leaping away at speed once the controller was turned right up whereas once a 1630 can was fitted with the same 40:1 gears the loco could start the train and slowly crawl away realistically and caused many appreciative comments. Top speed was reduced from nearly 200 mph to a much more usable 80mph. The other advantage was in shunting locos, they could crawl about at walking pace, start and stop reliably and of course stay cool. Just my tuppence worth. Dave Franks

Hi John, Lanarkshire Models do LNER coupling rods for A3 and A4s if that is any good, can't find my Gresley book to check the Hush hush wheelbase at the moment. http://lanarkshiremodels.com/lanarkshiremodelsandsupplieswebsite_052.htm Cheers, Dave.

First met John when a friend and I exhibited his layout at Expo EM, John was a great character, he caught me out whilst operating, I was aware of someone watching the layout, I looked up and saw this big guy in a dinner suit and a black curly wig, I nearly fell off me seat.... Another time at the Glasgow show he stopped to say hello and was admiring the layout I was helping on, 'Hewisbridge'. He said 'I think we'll have this layout to EXPO EM', I said are you sure, He said yes it looks just the job, I said are you really sure cause it is 'OO', What! Ah, for Fxxx sake no one will notice anyway..... That was John, RIP oldyin. Dave Franks.

Hi Mike the Stanier 3mt is looking very good, I think I said to you that I need one or two for Wharfeside so if there is to be a waiting list can you put my name down. I have the Ultrascale wheels, Mashima motor and a HL gearbox waiting. Will they be ready for Scalefour North? Hope so. All the best, Dave Franks.

Me badger you???? Never Andy, I mean you're 3 inches taller and about six stone heavier but I'll bring a pack with me to Glasgow next month just in case. See ya. Dave Franks.

Hi Dave, how are things. I like what you are doing and like 'big Porcy' I would be in the market for 9F wheels though in EM for the same Bradwell chassis. I'm looking at photos of the real 9F wheel and it occurs to me the the bevel should be a bit 'taller' and the bevel looks to return on the inside like the drawing posted earlier in the thread, the print you are showing admittedly unfinished has the peak of the bevel continuing to the wheel back parallel to the tread. Just making a comment not meaning to criticize in any way. I have plenty of books and photos of BR Standards which I'm quite happy to search through for decent shots of the wheels if you like. Cheers and 'Happy New Year' to you and the good lady. Dave Franks.

Hopefully it will have the right number of spokes, the BR Standard bogie wheel was the same as a Princess/Duchess wheel - 9 spoke with bevel rim. Dave.

Like others have said some good stuff and some not for me but isn't it always like that. Personally I would like to have seen a Stanier 60 ft composite coach to match the Stanier coaches already produced then one can run one of the most common trains on the former LMS lines - brake 3rd + Comp + brake 3rd or with an extra all third to form the also common 4 coach set. An ideal small train for smallish layouts like mine. I use a Bachmann porthole comp for one of my 4 coach sets but in my period the portholes were still in front line service so they weren't so common on secondary lines. I do like the Standard 2mt though I've built a few for people over the years so they might not be too happy. The modern image guys should be very happy. Dave.

Many years ago I was in a club, a good club which won a number of trophies for layouts, buildings and locos. One night a guy I knew from another club came up and wanted to join as, in his words, his club was going nowhere (we later heard a different story). We were building a new big layout with handbuilt points and SMP track so that took time to make and lay accurately, this wasn't quick enough for him though and he started critizising people for not doing the point building at home then it would ready to lay on club nights, fair enough but what was he doing???? Now't. A couple of the older guys were noticeably absent on more and more occasions and after a phonecall to me moaning on and on about everyone else this guy started on my work so that was it, I left, so did three others subsequently and we started our own group of 'friends'. The old guys never came back either. Perhaps if the committee men had said something to this guy he might have shut up or at least thought about what he was saying, maybe they did as the guy left the club a few months later. So I would suggest that an approach be made by the club committee or a few ordinary members if a committee member is the problem and a discussion about their attitude should be had in private away from other club members. That may help focus peoples thoughts to be more sociable. After that then maybe a written warning about attitudes and then they could surely not complain if they continued to disrupt the club activities and were asked to leave. Dave.

As 2020 dawns it occurs to me that it's been twenty one years since Lanarkshire Models & Supplies started in the spring of 1999, firstly building locos, restoring models of various kinds, re-motoring models with the latest ideas in mechanisms (Mashima can motors) and of course the travelling tradestand at exhibitions all over Scotland and the top of England. The often every second weekend at an exhibition was becoming too much so we did cut back on the less busy shows to about twelve a year. A further bout of illness in 2006 had made me think again about selling the tradestand and a chance mention of an engineering conservator job going at the Glasgow Museum of Transport made me apply and was offered the position of team leader of a group of conservators with my responsibility being the big stuff, railway engines, trams, fire engines, traction engines, ships engines etc. Being the only conservator on the team with an engineering background it fell to me to examine the big objects and write up condition reports and recommendations for the conservation of these objects, all great fun if you liked sitting at a computer all day. At the end of the two year contract we were all out on our ear and the new museum opened. I had been building the odd model for regular customers so I restarted that and was told about a chap who had recently given up casting work for other people so an approach was made and I got the casting machine and all that went with it and I started making our own patterns and castings. With an internet shop set up and help from Parkside Dundas we got our products out there and that as they say is history. One of the last and biggest projects undertaken about 2012 was a 31/2'' gauge live steam loco which had been dropped by removal men with damage to every corner of the loco and tender and the chimney bent back at 45 degrees with significant smokebox damage, the loco was complete enough to restore to steam but I didn't recommend it due to the age and lack of drawings to show how the boiler was constructed. Various broken parts were replaced like the salter safety valves, regulator handle and all the bright work was treated for rust and tarnish and then re-lacquered. A glass case was ordered, fitted with a length of track and the model is now on display in a B&B up north somewhere. How long LMS will go on under our name I just don't know but it won't be forever.... But for now we would like to wish all our customers and readers of this thread a happy and prosperous New Year. Dave and Fiona Franks.

Hi David, thanks for the post. Have you seen the Highlevel chassis for GW tenders:- http://www.highlevelkits.co.uk/colletttenderpage.html would that fit? I haven't planned to do GW tender chassis as Highlevel have been doing them and they are very good though not supplied with CSB suspension. Cheers, Dave Franks

I've always thought an honour should be for someone who goes above and beyond the call to help others whether they be volunteers or paid staff and not to someone who just makes their company more money.... Dave.

Yes, the buffers on the fitted version should have wooden packers to make them 1'81/2'' to go with the screw couplings. I was always going to do some cast brake hangers for these Airfix vans. Dave.