Prometheus

I am trying to source a PC Models GWR slip coach kit in unmade condition. 1920 livery, or later. Thanks Tony

Have sent you a pm as well! Tony

Have sent you a pm. Tony

This event is now cancelled. Further information here at page 6 Tony

Brian is not a member of the Swansea Railway Modellers' Group Marc. He may have been a member of the smaller group that combined with ourselves over 15 years ago but, apart from having heard of him in the past, I do not know anyone who may know him now. I did not meet him. Sadly, those who would have known him have passed on: anno domini and railway modelling rather seem to go hand-in-hand these days. John Spencer I did know and he is sorely missed, both for his extraordinary modelling skills and a sense of humour which was way beyond the arid side of dry. Desiccated, almost! Tony

Sadly, we have taken the now inevitable decision that the 2020 Swansea Bay Model Railway Exhibition, due to be held at the Margam Orangery in late mid-September, has had to be cancelled. Our largest exhibiting layout had already pulled out a few weeks back for understandable reasons at their end, the venue is closed and we do not know when it will reopen, hotel accommodation for distant visiting exhibitors could not be booked and, even if the current restrictions are significantly relaxed by the Autumn, large events and mass gatherings may still not be permitted. Consequently, the decision not to go ahead had in many ways been taken for us by other circumstances. All exhibitors and traders have been contacted already [although some may have yet to see the e-mail]. Tony

That really does look rather good. Did the Weir pump come with the kit 97, or did you scratch build it? I rescued the remains of one of these tanks to rebuild a good few years back and whilst there were parts missing (and badly broken), there was no sign that the pump had been fitted and I scratched up a basic copy. It runs quite happily in GWR green on an old Hornby chassis, with a rake of restored and detailed Wrenn Mica vans. I have thought about improving its under-pinnings but there’s just so much else to do.... Tony

The Pat Hammond books are excellent. I have had no luck in obtaining Vol 3 however. There is one on Amazon for fourteen hundred quid though! Why do they bother? Tony

Nice job. The passengers are quite convincing. Removing the roof-ribs is a faff-and-a-half though! Tony

May I add that a brush with Klear [yes, that again....] does wonders for Finecast's flush glazing's appearance when fitted. Tony

Lyse Doucet commented on this a couple of weeks back. ‘The Battle of the Bookshelves’ she said was quite distracting, the temptation to see what people were reading taking the mind away from what they were saying. I quite like looking at their books I have to say! And yes, that portrait of The Queen that was commented on earlier, seen behind Matt Hancock, was truly dire. Whatever can he been thinking of? Or perhaps it was a bet.... Tony

Great minds John, great minds....! Tony

I usually seal transfers that I think may be vulnerable (eg POWsides) with Klear before spraying with Testors. It provides an acrylic barrier which is quite effective. Any unwanted glossing disappears under the Testors. Tony

I have sent you a Pm Thanks Tony

I am trying to source a Bachmann N Class straight-sided tender [any livery] for a project. Anything out there? Thank you. Tony

I'd appreciate some livery advice please as my knowledge of Southern matters is limited. Did the Southern's L1 Class ever run in plain black pre-1948? And what colour would the cab interior have been? Many thanks Tony

Fascinating article. It doesn't reference the Korean War directly, but it had been going on for over a year by then and that, together with continuing materials shortages caused by priority being given to the export trade, would have been the reason for Gaiety ceasing to exist. But did they really produce 10,000 4mm models a year? Misleading article too: 'robbing British firms of trade', but good copy I suppose. Thanks for posting Tony

Sarah, thank you for that information: I had absolutely no idea at all that that was the case. I did think it odd that both chassis had been modified in exactly the same way, identically neat and of the same proportions, but now I know why: that's how they left the factory! I suppose this is what comes of living in a family in which one's father would tolerate nothing but Trix Twin and only tinplate and Mazac were ever allowed into the house. Even Hornby Dublo was too proletarian for him! Tony

A Farish 3-rail large Prairie posted on here by Evanelpus in October 2013: Tony

Thanks for your reply Sarah. You are correct, it is a Triang marking and it appears both on the weight-end as well as under the motor itself. My error was not examining the chassis carefully enough: I thought that the markings were on the brass side-plates that had been screwed into the adapted Triang chassis. I have two panniers with this arrangement and, clearly, it is a retailer job. David, thanks, too. I think that your observation about the impact of the Korean War is probably correct: it created all sorts of shortages as production was put onto a war footing. Maybe JV Murcott also found making their castings for the motor trade more profitable - and practical - in the long run too? I guess we'll never know for certain. The photo below shows my three Panniers, all in different shades of green [no repaints here] and with the Gaiety chassis on the left, a Triang chassis with Triang wheels in the centre and a Triang chassis with Romfords on the right. I have also attached some photos of the original Gaiety chassis for those who have not seen one, including one which shows the gear damage caused by the [harder] crown wheel. Finally, I found this on eBay last night [so apologies for their poor photo]. It is clearly a Gaiety body [although the raised cab-side moulding for the number is a little larger and it lacks the horizontal handrail on the back of the bunker], but one which has been mounted on a push-along chassis. There is a Gaiety N2 on eBay right now also with a similar chassis [but incomplete]. This Pannier's body is held together with wire, the casting having split lengthways along its join [or maybe was never fixed in the first place?]. I do appreciate the responses and I'll incorporate what is new in the newsletter article with acknowledgements. Tony

...and a final Gaiety question for the collected intelligence [to help with a brief article in my club's monthly newsletter]. I have three Gaiety 57xx Panniers, all very nice and all runners. All are different in some way to from each other. One is fitted with what looks like a heavily adapted Triang chassis, one of the early ones with the heavy solid spoked wheels. In two places on one of the separate chassis side-plates, are the marks M/H/I in small embossed capitals. Can anyone tell me what this signifies? Many thanks once again. Tony

To be honest, I always take price guides with a pinch or two anyway. The value here for me [and the club] are the production details and dates. I'm guessing that the price guidance is for mint / boxed stock, too: our stocksales tend to be anything but! Tony

Many thanks Jason - useful link. Tony

Have just purchased the latest edition [9th] for the club library from Rails of Sheffield. Very good value at £34.99 for two volumes, post free. Tony

...and indeed much worse places that a very sunny Gower right now, too. I must get myself a copy of Ramsey's one of these days. Tony