Prometheus

I am the secretary of the Swansea Railway Modellers’ Group and each month send a newsletter to members and various others who have expressed an interest in one. About 170 go on-line and 20 or so in the post. A copy is also posted on our website. I always manage to illustrate each edition with a number of interesting photos but would appreciate some advice on copyright. I always ask for permission to use photographs before posting them and guarantee an appropriate acknowledgement. About 90% of requests go unanswered however, which is disappointing. So, given that the newsletter is 100% non-commercial, is it acceptable to use photographs without explicit permission as long a proper acknowledgement is given and the copyright status is made clear? Thanks Tony

I'm trying hard not to think why.... Tony

You also clean your showers with vodka?!!! tony

A sensible choice, given that all disease has now been eradicated. tony

I need to line - with a bow pen - quite a deal of yellow lining over LMS red. Which yellow paint will provide the most opaque coverage in members’ views? Red will probably be a difficult colour to overlay thin lines of yellow onto but I don’t particularly want to line the loco twice. many thanks all Tony

You are correct re. the older PC transfers. Far less messy residue. I use the shower cleaner simply because it is non-solvent and so does not attack anything. It won’t temove any residue attached to the transfer but I have found it quite useful in removing the greasy smudge sometimes left after chasing piles of sticky residue around the coach side. It can be applied quite soon after application (in my general experience), spray some onto a clean handkerchief and gently wipe the mess away. Sometimes considerable persistence is required! Tony

Yes, but an honest and genuine response from HMRS. If only all responded like that..... Tony

I use Pressfix routinely and have resigned myself to coping with the adhesive film that sometimes, but not always, surrounds letters and numbers. It can be extremely difficult to remove without leaving a nasty smear, but gently piling it up with a sharpened wooden cocktail stick generally does the job and I then give the remaining image a gentle wipe over with Tesco’s shower cleaner. I have found white spirit - and other solvents - a risky business in the past. A flash of Dullcote followed by a thin wash of Klear to lift any dullness out of the colour then does the trick. tony

It's £15 a month for access on Thursdays [6ish-9.30ish and many Wednesdays [afternoons/early evenings]. If you purchase [refundable deposit] a set of keys, you would have access 7 days a week. Concessionary rates for unemployed, students and u18s - normally £10 a month. Huge, secure premises and always a friendly atmosphere. Subsidised trips and good stock sales. You'll have seen our website at srmg.org.uk I guess. You can visit four time before we ask if you want to join. Thursdays at 7.15 is the best time for initial visits. Contact me if you wish to call. Best wishes Tony

I’m fairly certain that I’ve seen Southern suburban stock constructed that way too. Masquerading as ex-LSWR? Can’t remember, the contemporary mental note didn’t take that well! Tony

I should have said drill the hole before you solder it on! It’s easy enough to position the bracket centrally but only solder on one side. I’m really sold on these bogies, elegantly simple but hugely effective. Tony

Here's one for you.... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OO-gauge-Hornby-Travelling-Post-Office-Coach/372565910412?hash=item56bea8a38c:g:XsgAAOSwCgNbu5ZW ....if you can cope with the fiction! A rehash of the earlier Triang Transcontinental version? Tony

Nope! i soldered an ‘L’ shaped piece of thin brass onto one half of the end of the bogie (avoiding contact with the other half to allow it to float), drilled a hole through it and screwed the coupling to it. Tony

Apologies Dave - I missed your post [above]. I found them extremely difficult to cut lengthways and probably would need to make sort of jig if I was to proceed with them again. The roof has been put to use at last. More shameless plagiary from RosiesBoss, This time, and given the inherent shortcomings with the Triang Clerestory body, a fair old bash at an ex-Cambrian Composite coach. I will tone the wheels down in due course. The bogies are MJT side frames on MJT coach compensation units. It is astonishingly - even annoyingly - free-running, it just won't keep still for photographs and found some depressions in the club's test track that nobody knew were there! I'll add, too, that a couple of coats of 'Klear' on SEFinecast flush glazing results in a far more glass-like effect. Tony

I managed to take a couple of phone shots of Oxford's N7 at the club the other night. Apart from its weight - which is considerable - the French Grey livery was really impressive. A beautiful model. And, at its discounted sub-£90 price tag, quite good value, too. Once upon a time, I'd have bought this model simply for its irresistible looks: sadly, I do not have a use for it though and will just admire it from afar.... ] Tony

This one was easy enough to construct: Ratio roof and under-frame adapted to accept a body made from parts from two Triang Clerestory Brakes. Tony

I think, in fairness, it was posted in humour. Anyway, all of the above plus various grades of very fine emery paper, Milliput filler and I find good quality emery [nail] boards very helpful also. I'd add an aerosol of Halford's gray primer too, it is invaluable for revealing imperfections. Finally, patience. Lots of it! Tony

I agree, a nice build. I'm still building your Cambrian Composite coach! Tony

Nice work Glover. 21mm track? Tony

Could you post a photo of them by any chance? Tony

I’ve done the same John and I’ve not spent more than a tenner on any of them either. Quite a few came with quite good boxes. I’ve an ersatz D10 build sitting in the wings and am currently working on a sort-of ex-Cambrian composite. But as has been said, hopefully this re-re-release will reduce the eBay prices for second hand surgery fodder. But I doubt it!!! Tony

81C - if you do follow that well-trodden path, I for one would be very interested to see your progress. I have been wondering about the GWR potential that the Hornby TPO might have for a while, but found it difficult to reconcile its LMS origins ( in other words, a simple repaint and detailing wouldn’t do ). Tony

Thank you all for your responses - much appreciated. I have resorted to filing - it's successful generally and replacements, for when it isn't, are stupidly cheap. I will look at the Palatine Model alternative however. Best wishes Tony

Thanks for that Peter. I bought a whole packet of the damn things, and they're all tight! I can file them down though. Tony

A little late in the day perhaps, but I am totally sold on compensated bogies! All of a sudden, everything stays on the track! The MJT units are simplicity to assemble, but I have one query. The use of press studs to attach the bogie to the coach is quite effective but I've found that their fit together is so tight, unless the 'female' half is filed quite ruthlessly, any articulation is nigh on impossible and curves cannot be taken. Is this normal? I'm quite happy to keep on filing, but it would be useful to know if I'm doing something wrong. Many thanks, as ever. Tony