Strathwood

Don't worry we will sort out the display bottles this weekend...hic... Kevin

This is the Milkie's hand held basket I mentioned (complete with a couple of alternatives to give a sense scale only of course), very handy it is too in the winter months... Sorry about the pixelated camera phone pic, also no plans or working drawings available for those modelling in S7! Kevin

We still have one, these days it gets used at Christmas & New Year to hold extra bottles of chilled white wine out in the cold by our back step so the missus has enough space in the fridge for solids to offer our guests... Kevin

Just to throw another spanner in the works don't forget that Weymouth men were trained on the NBL versions and a number of them would have signed their route cards for the length of the Weymouth-Waterloo-Exeter routes. Kevin

Prototypically the 07 is not a real winner as unless you favour Eastleigh shed & works or Southampton Docks and a couple of obscure industrial locations during a terribly short working life, why would Heljan risk the capital although personally I thought the 05 was a bit brave? Whereas the 03 lasted far longer and was seen across most of England & Wales and a good number went into industrial use over a wider time span and with an increased livery and detail variations choice to suit possible limited editions sponsored hopefully by the larger retailers. Personally would have prefered a Drewry 04 but there you go, a first class and less expensive 03 will be a winner I am sure! Kevin

Hmmmm D5612 arrived at Finsbury Park to take up service on 5 May 1960 just as the first wave of BRCW Type 2s were already heading for Scotland during April a few weeks beforehand it was the arrivals from Loughborough that released the Smethwick Type 2s pretty much in the order that they had originally arrived in London they headed for Edinburgh. The last two D5318 & D5319 migrated north of the border in September 1960, so along with your chosen J52 you are in the ballpark. I am sure you will be tempted by a British Thomson Houston Type 1 on the horizon soon from The Little Loco Company too! Have a good weekend. Kevin

I would be tempted to leave the loco with minimum weathering to show just delivery mileage from Smethwick and a couple of weeks worth of crew training if you are going to run it alongside the J50, however your chosen number for your Brush Type 2 and the BRCW Type 2 would most likely have never met as I suspect the Smethwick product would have headed north before the arrival from Loughborough. Cannot recall the number of your Brush Type 2 without scrolling back for ages, but if I had the number to hand I could have checked for you. Perhaps a renumbering of the Brush Type 2 might be callled for, alternatively who cares anyway, forget the nitpickers and just enjoy yourself like the rest of us. TTFN Kevin

If I can move us away from the top of the milk and similar subjects, could we have a closer look at some of your wonderfull mineral wagons both wooden and steel varieties and some words of wisdom on how you weathered them please? Some of us are 533 miles or 9 hours and 13 minutes away from locations such as Corsham according to the AA's routefinder and find it hard to attend shows to ask in person. Thanks, Kevin

Pity if they were bent outwards they would be prototypical, nice weathering though. Kevin

And a cold meat pie caught him in the eye... Kevin

Once again a change of registration might be in order, can I suggest ERN 1E Kevin

We also expect DJ Models to bring the Class J94 to the market in various guises in 7mm, some of which will tempt modellers with industrials in mind or already in their collections to make purchases. It seems to me as a newbie to 7mm that the problems of tight track radius around points might be problematic to some longer wheelbase 0-6-0s. Whereas 0-4-4Ts might be better if they can be ballanced correctly, this wheel arrangement opens up a much wider range of possibilities if we ignore GWR types which are well catered for, bar the 14xx/58xx which I am sure Lionheart will logically supply at some point to take advantage of further Autocoach sales. Anyway back to the prospect of 0-6-0s, why limit to tank engines aside from the target RRP being affordable to more modellers. Again ignoring GWR types, LMS 4F, MR 3F, GER J15, GER J17, NER J27, SECR O1, SECR C, GNR J6 would attract good interest as would many Scottish types. However I revert back to supplying something that the many proud owners of Terriers might want first, which would be some passenger stock, also it would encourage further sales of more Terriers (for which the basic tooling has already been invested in). Then the same coaching stock sales might be enhanced with a further new locomotive to go with this new coaching stock and the aforementioned Terriers. In both cases hopefully the Bluebell and KESR shop outlets might help with retail sales. Just a thought... Kevin

I am told they were for storage of relief supplies of both sugar and flour during the war if this has not been mentioned elsewhere, although these days they could have been made into clubrooms for a model railway club perhaps. Kevin

It would be nice to think Dapol or perhaps someone else might follow up the success of the Terriers with a suitable RTR coach or two (and I don't mean Heljan Mark 1s), in the same way Richard has for his own Lionheart range. Thus enhancing and hopefully expanding both sales and customer confidence. Then consideration can be given perhaps to another Southern loco or two to go with both the Terriers and the coaches, an H Class or even an O1 or C would be nice. Just a couple of days down at Horsted Keynes would help with research and scanning, then there is also the chance of sales to the Bluebell's membership and through their retail outlets perhaps too. How about it Dapol (anyone). Kevin

Thats it I am not eating anymore apples...... Kevin

Is that like Coals to Newcastle? Kevin

Let the rivet counters do the measuring I think on this one for actual scale. I know what you mean about the coal man. My grandmother used to send him and his mate scurrying around the back alley at the end of the yard and refused them entry to the house, always making sure they delivered the right grade of coal by standing on the back step and watching them in her very best Peggy Mount (George and the Dragon) style. Kevin

Horses were still in use around this part of London back then even if only the rag & bone merchants so you could leave a deposit or two, don't forget the dogs too and it was often white back then as I recall from the butcher's bones... Talk about getting down and dirty! Kevin

Do like the very nice RT Chaz, who makes it please? Oh and please no comments from all of you others such as AEC! Also is there a similar model of an AEC RF available in 7mm in red or green as a finished model or as a kit from anywhere please? Thanks, Kevin

Instead of having the cows present, as to my mind they always look too static as do figures generally, why not just leave signs of life with evidence of recent cattle movement with cow pats and a shovel or broom left closeby. Kevin PS whose track and points have you used, and just how hard is it to make the points for trackwork novice like me who has only ever used Peco?

Agree with the vents as I have seen some nice models start to warp over a short space of time where the builders did not allow the build up to escape. How about using off cuts of wood as a block to space out the sides and to provide some real weight to the wagon at the same time thus dispencing with the lead. As we all stash off cuts of wood for a rainy day as we never know when they might come in handy... Kevin

That is exactly why Strathwood do not use Hermes and we actually subsidise the actual costs of postage and packing on all of our orders to ensure they are packed well enough to withstand the rigours of white van man and Postman Pat.. We use Interlink and the Royal Mail for all of our despatch work with thankfully minimal problems over the years, which we always resolve for our customers should they occur even when we are not at fault. Kevin

How does all this compare with the JLTRT vans? As a novice in 7mm should I venture there first to cut my teeth and to give the Terriers something to pull once the tack goes down after Christmas. Meanwhile a few items from Dapol's RTR range may be purchased. Kevin

Yes they have arrived at long last into our warehouse and we are shipping them out as fast as we can now, thanks to all for their patience. Thats over 500 of the 1000 pre-sold so be quick either via the Class 37 Locomotive Group direct or to us at www.Strathwood.co.uk Kevin

Speaking of requests, I don't suppose for one minute that you will be doing any exhibiting near me in the near future ie Inverness. So could I put a further request in please about your trackwork and those Peco turnouts as to how they look in close up on your layout once modified. Having just lashed out on a pair of sound fitted Dapol Terriers it would be nice to sort something out next year to run them on. Many thanks, Kevin