Grampus

Very nice - that looks spot on. it oozes atmosphere with nothing to detract!

Dear all, a further question if I may, please. Does anybody have any details of the layout of the more prominent elements of the brake equipment underneath the VGA? Other than one general arrangement drawing which shows the approximate location of an air tank (though not its relation to the wagon centreline) I have found nothing to date; and the Bachman model is no help at all, being completely devoid of brake gear detail! Granted the deep solebars would mask much of it anyway, but it would nice to at least hint at some of the under-gubbins - distributor, air tank, etc. Any helpful steers much appreciated, please. TVM. Best wishes, Paul - very occasional wagon modeller

Evening all, just frightened myself when I realised how long ago I initiated this thread; the pace of my modelling is truly glacial. However, taking advantage of some of the time available I have managed to progress my VGA 'buffer stop' somewhat. Thanks again to all who were kind enough to contribute images previously, which have helped enormously. I have now just about reached the stage whereby I need to paint the inside before I start closing up the van. Although it doesn't look as though a lot else has been done I have also modified the lower edges of the doors to remove the mechanisms and then scratch-built replacements which I have affixed to the solebars; I have also modified the headstocks to better reflect the shape of the prototype. I'm hoping that posting on here might in turn spur me to get on now and finish the blessed thing!

Great service once again. Having been eagerly anticipating the re-release of the crab and lamprey kits, I duly ordered on Wednesday evening and received my kits this morning. Brilliant, especially under current conditions. Really looking forward to starting the build; the last couple of crabs and lampreys I built were some of the best wagon kits I have encountered - beautifully produced and an easy build. Thanks again. Best wishes, Paul

Wow! Just seen your other thread on motorising 1/76th vehicles - that would be amazing; will look forward to seeing it. Best wishes, Paul

Mark, thank you for posting this image. It answers a question I had about what happened to the wing mirrors during rail journeys: it shows them clearly, folded back against the cab sides to stay within the loading gauge. That makes life easier from a modelling perspective: previously I had thought they were removed entirely. It is fair to say that the mirrors in the S and M kit are one of the weaker areas of the model, mounted on overly thick arms (for strength on what is, to be fair, a fragile part). I can now dispense with the moulded arms and stick the mirrors to the hull sides, with some thin wire to represent the arms in the folded position. Cheers, Paul

Must admit I have yet to find a picture of one equipped with the Hiab in the kit: most of the ones I have seen feature the crane in a stowed position, which is the look I would like to capture. Don't know whether it is the same crane, just folded up, or a different piece of kit entirely. Should think the kit part is a good starting point (and you get one in both versions of the kit in any case, which is handy in the event of accidents or incompetence (on my part!) I am certainly enjoying looking at pictures of the real thing and then playing 'spot the difference' with the kit (and then deciding how much more detailing I want to add!) Happy modelling, Paul

Dunno if it helps but the S&M stalwart comes out very nicely. Certainly not a shake the box kit and requires some proper modelling. It will also stand a little bit of additional detailing, too. Here is the first of my two Mk IIs. The only tricky bit I found was the transparent cab: I 'painted' the outside of the windows with maskol first to give me a decent, visible outline to work to and then painted the three separate side panels on the inside, freehand, whilst still flat. Also, build the panels up around the roof panel: don't try to build them around the floor - it is too wide: the cab sits on the floor. I've seen a couple built the other way, with lots of filler and it doesn't look good! Hoping to get on and paint the finished article over the Christmas break. Interesting vehicles; plenty of pictures around of them passing through Salisbury on warwells in the 1980s. I intend to do the limber version next, though with a different Hyab crane to the one offered in the kit. I have vivid memories of stalwarts around the roads of Salisbury on driver training and seeing bright orange flames shooting up out of the exhaust stack when pulling away from traffic lights! Hope that helps. Best wishes, Paul

Really enjoying my copy too, thank you. I have learnt lots of interesting stuff about some of my favourite wagons and why they were built the way they were. For example, why lampreys and crabs had shrouds over their buffers - to protect them from being damaged whenever the drop down ends were lowered. Obvious once somebody tells you, I guess, but until now, I had no idea. A really well thought out volume with loads of inspiration: who knows, maybe enough to get me to break into my kit stash over the Christmas period and actually build something? Good job! Best wishes, Paul

Well done! I thought this was a particularly good edition. I especially enjoyed the features on peaks on Severn Tunnel to Eastleigh Speedlink services, the 'BOC trains; feature and Martin Axford's reminiscences of his spotting days; you can never have too many Cromptons in an issue! On a personal note I was particularly pleased to see the photograph of my late Grandfather's house beside the line, just shy of Skew Bridge, probably one of the most photographed houses in Salisbury, albeit only accidentally! (the picture of 50043 heading west out of Salisbury on p.58 - Martin only mentions the Cathedral :-) ). My grandfather was a career railwayman and my Dad grew up in that house, which was a railway property at the time. I have fond memories of sitting up in the window closest to the line and feeling the whole place vibrate with the passage of each train. Thanks again and looking forward to the next edition. Best wishes, Paul

Zunnan, thank you very much. That puts my mind at rest somewhat. I did wonder whether it might be something like that: the perils of being able to put the railway up for a running session only rarely at the moment, I guess. Such a lovely model but a whole different level of complexity when compared to the last 117 I bought, back in the day! Thanks again. Best wishes, Paul

Evening everyone, this may be (probably) a daft question, but I wonder if I may have a problem with my nice new 117? I have just unpacked the unit to check it out on my rolling road and, whilst the DMBS runs very sweetly indeed and lights up as expected, the DMS is as dead as the proverbial door nail: no lights, no movement; not even the hum of a stuck motor. Am I missing something obvious? Does the DMS need to be connected to the other vehicles electrically in order for it to run? Or do I have a Friday afternoon example? Very grateful in advance for any advice, please. Many thanks, Paul

Liking the dance hall riding van and the Salmon too! Often wondered what these things look like after you take them out of polythene bag and actually do something with them ... think I may need to try harder! Thanks for posting. Best wishes, Paul

Well done indeed. Your sturgeon looks top drawer! Love the whole ambiance of your layout - quietly understated with workaday locos going about their business. Best wishes, Paul

Thanks Peter and Griff - clearly they moved around a bit! (Though almost never when I was on site!) Sorry for hijacking your splendid thread. :-) I'll let you get back to North Wales... All the best, Paul

By the time of my sighting, Bristol-Pompeys were solid Crompton, unless, as you say, there was a shortfall or the loco sat down somewhere west, so the one I saw was certainly not normal fare and certainly a replacement. Pairs of 37s also turned up at Salisbury on Yeoman PGAs for a while during that period (early 80s) so again, as you say, they were by no means unknown in the area, if not common at that stage. Cheers, Paul

Evening all, sorry I'm late to this discussion but on one occasion I certainly witnessed a blue 37 on a Bristol-Portsmouth service at Salisbury. Sadly I cannot recall either the loco's identity or the date (my notes are long gone), but it was a Saturday evening (there was a departure at about 1820, i recall) in early summer, almost certainly 1983. All a bit vague, I know, but it stuck in my memory because it was unusual. Certainly the loco continued on past Salisbury, presumably returning west later in the evening. I would love to know if anybody knows more. Happy days. Best wishes, Paul

Peter, I think the one in your picture is probably 'the other one' - the London end one was usually pointed East and 'the other one' pointed west, presumably for ease of access when required, without the need to take them round the Laverstock loop for turning. Depending upon when you picture was taken, I wonder if it migrated to Fisherton East Yard when work on the sprinter depot in the former GWR station and coal yard started. Pure speculation on my part of course. :-) Best wishes, Paul

Peter, that's a cracking photograph: thank you for posting - very useful indeed. They were usually a bit camera-shy: one lived behind the wall at the western end of Platform 1 and the other was often to be found lurking at the far end of the long siding on the up side towards the tunnel, alongside Churchill Way. The only time I ever saw them move was bracketing a crompton (unsurprisingly) in early evening snow. Very much appreciated. Cheers, Paul

Further to my last post, as an experiment I tried the edit function again and this time it worked as expected, so now I am slightly confused but blaming operator error and fat fingers ... however, if anybody knows better, do please let me know! Best wishes, Paul

Dear Peter, Genesis stuff is not the easiest to build well, though there were some interesting items in the range. You've proved it's worth the time and effort invested for sure with your flask. I must go and re-visit my kit stash: I have one of the Southern Region Schools tender-based snowploughs half-built at the back of the magic cupboard awaiting a fresh stock of round tuits; I really must get on and extract a digit. Though I saw them move only once that I can recall, they were staples at Salisbury throughout my spotting days. All the best, Paul

Please can I ask for some advice re editing a previous post? I know it sounds daft - the obvious is answer is 'use the edit button', which I attempted to do, as I have done on occasion before. However, this time all it seemed to want to allow me to do was to provide a reason for the edit (by way of a drop-down): I could neither edit my previous post nor actually even see it! Nor did there appear to be a freetext box to even insert text. I am sure I am missing something obvious (but clearly not to me!) Grateful for any assistance, please. Many thanks, Paul

Pete, very, very nice. Colour is such a subjective thing in any case. I would be very pleased with that indeed; don't think I have ever seen one completed before in any case. Certainly nice to see an alternative to the (admittedly lovely) Bachmann rtr flasks. Best wishes, Paul

Loved the video: great to see near-full length trains running at speed and from the period I remember so fondly. Thanks for sharing - looking forward to seeing more as the layout develops. Best wishes, Paul

A big thumbs up for fantastic service: 2 x MDVs ordered on Monday and delivered this morning, thank you. So pleased to see these kits available again - I shall very much look forward to being able to order crabs and lampreys in due course. Thanks again and very best wishes, Paul