Mike Riley

R 4680 is the right hand brake third. Looking at various web sites, some show a picture with the luggage compartment to the right looking at the compartment side (Hattons for example) while others show it being to the right looking at the corridor side (Hornby, KMRC). Which is correct?

Tony, I fully agree with you about a grub screw on the final gear. I also use Markits wheels and like to be able to dismantle the chassis, not only for painting, but also if a problem develops. But I realise that some of the High Level gearboxes, for example, don't have space for the boss on the gear. So I stick with the ones that do have room for the boss and grub screw. The best part of your thread is seeing pictures of locos under construction. Mike

Allan, What to you do with all these derelict buildings? Sell them to Barratt or Wiimpey as brown-field development sites? Very nice modelling though. Mike

Alan, I only found this thread this evening. I am tremendously impressed with the progress you have made with this over a few months. Please keep posting. Mike

Mirek, I've only just found this thread. Your work is just amazing. Mike

As Neville Chamberlain said, "a small country far away of which we know very little". Not much has changed since 1939.

Andy, Grockles go to Devon. Emmets go to Cornwall.

For many years Mainly Trains was almost a one-stop web-shop for bits and pieces. I could order Markits drivers, Gibson tender wheels, Mashima motors etc all at once with very prompt delivery. Sadly, Dave Cleal is running down the business prior to retirement. Of course, the manufacturer will lose some commission on his sales with such a system but then he is relieved the chore of processing many small orders. But time is money and he can concentrate his time on the manufacturing process which is probably what he most enjoys. I feel there is a need for a replacement for Mainly Trains. Mike

And I see it is already fully booked!

It is a brick arch bridge, not concrete. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1537442 Though hard to see why it is listed grade II.

Apart from the shade of green, the thing that stands out for me is the lining - the orange lining is too wide and the black too narrow. This is particularly noticeable on the boiler bands. From a distance all one sees is orange. This is not unique to Hornby - I have the same problem with a Bachmann Hall. Maybe the printing process does not allow lines below a certain width. Mike

The Patiala monorail was built to replace mules (it was primarily a freight system). The roads at that time would not have had bituminous surfacings - probably natural gravel or water bound macadam at best. The preserved example at the railway museum has a concrete strip for the outrigger wheels which the original would certainly not have had. I will be following Stubby's progress on this project with interest. Mike

My son-in-law recently built a workshop with feather-edge boards on the outside and plywood on the inside. With a slate roof. He is a builder and keeps a lot of tools in there. He has not been able to get insurance at a reasonable price; not because of the fire risk but because the insurance companies think it is more open to theft. So bear that in mind you potential railway room builders. I built my workshop/office/railway room with concrete block walls (which is probably cheaper than timber) and have not had any problem with insurance. I think the only advantage of timber is that it can be classed as a temporary building and may (subject to floor area) be exempt from planning consent. Mike

A year or so ago I bought some Meldon ballast from the shop at Okehampton station. They had it in various grades from fine to coarse. I don't know if they are still selling it. Mike

Given a choice between a sprung axle and sprung buffers I would choose the former. What about other people?

And I see that even in 1950 it didn't have topfeed. I hope Bachmann follow up with a 54xx in pre-war condition.

This was a problem with the first batch and I pointed this out when the new batch were in production. Yes, they can be raised, I did it to mine. Mike

Tony, Have you considered why your kit-built locos will pull more than rtr ones. You say that you have put lead into the rtrs so weight should not be the difference. I believe that all or most of your locos have rigid chassis.so it isn't improved wheel contact. They are running on the same track. So it comes down to the wheels, in your case mostly Romford/Markits I think. It is something to do with the micro-texture of the nickel silver surface. In the case of Romfords it is solid turned metal, In the case of rtr it is n/s plating. I wonder if the latter can be treated in some way to improved the friction between wheel and track. Nothing so coarse as using abrasive, but some chemical treatment? An interesting experiment would be chemical blackening the wheels on one loco and comparing with an otherwise identical untreated one. Might require tender pickups though :-) Mike

In 1982 you could get Mainline. Around that time I bought a GWR pannier and still have it. Many of the Mainline models are still current from Hornby (Dean Goods) and Bachmann (mogul) for example. There have been issues with the chassis but the bodywork was good. Made In Hong Kong of course, not UK.

When you find out can you remove the surplus "r" in herring :-) kI was thinking of getting one of these and try to backdate it to a P7 as my period is early 1930s. But I now see that the Southward Bridge range my be brought back to life and they used to make an etched kit for the P7. So I'll wait and see what happens with that.

I think this wagon is dia P22 not C22.

The two battery boxes should be on the same side - Hornby has them on opposite sides. The thread inspired me to improve the Hornby model. Available from Hattons for 14 pounds new. 3.75 for SEF glazing on ebay. Ventilators etc from my stock. So came out quite cheaply. I wanted it in original condition so comet overlays not applicable.

Many thanks Buffalo for the information. I have been dutifully fitting the outside brackets to my Dean and Churchward era stock (Frogmore etches) and then attaching a lamp to the left hand one. Now I will move the lamps the their correct position.

That's interesting. When did the GWR change the Churchward type lamp irons on their coaches?

Maybe a GWR lamp would fit on a SR lamp iron but it would be facing sideways.