shipbadger

For those with Bosch tools I can recommend this company for spares. https://www.mtmc.co.uk/Bosch-Spare-Parts__c-p-0-0-12733138.aspx They can provide for both the green 'domestic' use and blue 'professional' tools. For those who didn't realise most of the manufacturers provide two ranges, one for the amateur DIY market and the other for those using them for a trade every day. In the case of Bosch they are coloured green and blue respectively, others use different brand names. Even the 'professional' tools wear out, we've just replaced the bearings on the angle grinder we use on full size railway wagons where I volunteer. Needless to say, only take electrical tools apart if you are competent. Tony Comber

If the drill is a current model and your batteries are still good then don't forget that most can now be supplied as 'body only' giving a hefty saving on a complete one. When the batteries die then you can replace or upgrade them. A bit like triggers broom really. There are now battery manufacturers supplying replacements for the more common makes which are cheaper than the branded ones. I have some and have had no problem with them. Experience based on half a dozen cordless drills at present. Tony Comber

My father did part of his National Service in the sheds at Cardington. He used to recall how 'clouds' would form up in the roof when the weather conditions were right. Now how about a model railway with 'scale' weather :-)

Don't be afraid of airbrush cleaning. Buy a can of airbrush cleaner, various make available including Phoenix Precision. My current one came from Hobbycraft I think. A quick squirt between colours and a longer one at the end. Alternatively blow whatever the appropriate thinners for the paint being used through the brush. I rarely need to dismantle my brushes. Just practice on some old tin cans or scrap models for a bit. We have a chap in our modelling group who was reluctant to use his airbrush, after half an hour of practice on some old plastic kits he was doing really good work. In some ways getting the consistency of the paint right is probably the hard bit but practice will make perfect as they say. Tony Comber

When Humbrol production switched to China and quality became 'variable' I switched to Revell enamels. My recent trip to Hobbycraft (not been for a long time) showed that this was no longer on the shelves, only the acrylics.

The spotty youth may have recognised Contiboard, this being one of the longer established brands. Tony Comber

Assuming that you are using an axle with an insulated centre section for the gearbox. You need to also insulate any chassis spacers as well. I use double sided printed circuit board soldered on both sides (four solder fillets in total). This helps stop the copper delaminating if subjected to an off centre thrust on the end of the chassis. Create a gap in the PCB just inboard of the solder joints. There have been a number of good articles in magazines over the years. There was on by Barry Luck in the early days of MRJ that is worth seeking out. I can't find my copies at the moment but perhaps someone better organised than me will tell you which copies it was. Persevere, split axle chassis you make will be nothing like the proprietary ones. Tony Comber

I thought Alec Issigonis had a hand in the design of the 350 EA. The dash certainly has a look of the 1100 about it and the maximum utilisation of space would accord with his principles. I always thought they look purposeful but don't go by my tastes, my dream vehicle for personal use at that time was a J4 van! Until a year or so ago there was one just down the road from me. Not sure if it was propping up the barn or vice versa. The barn is now three apartments and the van has gone. Tony Comber

Wahl clipper oil was the recommendation in the US for many a long year.

The model railway show would have been put on by a small number of members of the Dean Forest Railway in those days. It started as part of the Preservation Rally which used to be held in the autumn. Preserved buses ran a circular route from Lydney bus station to the town hall and then on to the railway itself. Later the show was held on a different weekend to the preservation rally to aid staffing issues. Although I was involved in all the town hall shows I don't think I ever kept a programme. Sadly the main movers behind the shows are no longer with us. From memory the programme in those days was essentially a stand number with the name of the layout and who owned it. Tony Comber

Haven't checked lately but the RNIB shop (open to all) used to supply some very good lights at prices that were favourable.

My brother had a Reliant Regal. One day the engine erupted through the bonnet and it was declared dead. None of the local scrapyards would take it so he sawed the body in to chunks and week by week put it in the dustbin. Scrapman then came and collected the mechanical bits.

Shall me now move on to fluid ounces :-)

What about one of the cookery book stands that people used before they had their laptop/tablet in the kitchen? Tony Comber

After struggling with pin pushers from woodwork suppliers I discovered that model ship builders have much smaller ones and also can provide a range of pins. They are used by those who build their hulls plank by plank. Apart from the brand beginning with the letter A I can't remember where mine came ( was 20 years ago) from but a google search for model boat suppliers should bring something up. You will still need to at least start the hole with a drill before pushing the pin in but a whole lot easier to do than the larger, clumsier pin pushers. Tony Comber

Veering slightly OT but seeing the mention of locking compound, clear nail varnish is all I've ever used on things like crankpin nuts. I suppose you could use other colours if you are going to paint them afterwards but I'm of an age when I feel uncomfortable rummaging around in ladies cosmetics in the shop choosing nail varnish colours . Perhaps that should be just showing my age :-) Tony Comber

Not yet mentioned, I just lick the end of my finger and push down onto the nut. Usually stays in place long enough to enable it to be transferred to where it is needed and start on the thread. For spanners I have several home made. A piece of silver steel, other metals will do, just filed flat and jaws made. It's not hardened or anything as the forces involved are small. I also have a set of spanners made from socket cap screws. I bought an assortment years ago (for those old enough, Whistons but I'm sure a search of ebay would turn up similar). Find a cap that fits and in my case the screw was fixed in to some spare aluminium rod but anything suitable will do. I made 12 BA, 14 BA and M2, two sets, one for the bench and the other for the travelling tool box. These have the advantage that the nut can be nestled in to the end of the spanner and fitting then becomes a doddle. Tony Comber

This is another of the 'it depends' answers. There are gauges available to check on wheel, and importantly, flange wear. Over the years different profiles have been used, but from a modelling perspective that is of no importance. Interestingly the Examiners and Oilers Handbook referred to earlier is very keen on checking for bent axles! There are also figures available for the minimum tyre depth. From the number of wagons with spoked wheels at one end and three hole disc at the other wheel swaps at one end or perhaps using a mix of wheelsets occured. Some railways, especially the Southern had a reputation for re-using anything that still had life left in it, including wheelsets from scrapped wagons. In one case re-using ex-LSWR wheels with longer than standard axles resulted in a batch of wagons with the solebars being set slightly further apart.

I was told about the grease by somebody who had worked on the railways for many years, of course he could have been wrong.

I've now been through the examiners and oilers book and there is no mention of a 'service interval' for the boxes but oil pads were supposed to be checked at two month intervals and the date written in chalk on the solebar on both sides prefixed PE. Must say it is not something that leaps out at you in photos, must look harder. I use a paint pen and write the date on the axlebox when the oil is topped up, but of course this is for stock that spends much of it's time just standing around. Tony Comber

The not very helpful answer is probably 'it depends'. Variables include the obvious has it run hot at some point, has it been allowed to run dry, has any water in the box been allowed to accumulate (but oil floats on water so it needs serious neglect to affect the bearing), has dirt/grit entered. Some boxes have, or more often had, a shield at the back of the box to try to keep dirt out, but this often disintegrates. The nature of the load carried also comes in to play here. The actual bearing can of course be re-metalled but I'm not sure how wear in the horn guides was dealt with. With the wagons with which I am familiar some have a single replacement, others two or more. But of course you cannot tell if a replacement in the same style has been used, only if for example a casting with SR is present on a wagon built in pre-grouping days. I'm sure someone will know but apart from dates for paint inspection I am not aware of any regular shopping programme such as carriages have. I suspect it depending on whenever a defect was found or the need to convert to, for example a different braking system or bodywork modification. In many cases a clue may be the presence of a GR/Gen Rep or the full Generally Repaired plate on the solebar. I did the floor of a Loriot last week with a Cardiff Cathays GR plate, and I assume they would have checked the bearings at that point. At that stage the wagon would have been around 45 years old I think but there was no info as to any previous servicing. I have four boxes in bits at the moment, the common factor in all of them is wear in the bearing oil pads which left unattended will lead to scoring of the axle ends. One of the regular jobs is to siphon water out of boxes for stock that has been standing around for a while. I currently have the BR handbook for wagon examiners and oilers at home so I'll see what, if anything, that says. Incidentally grease axleboxes used 'grease' derived from whale blubber so the few that survive need a modern substitute. Tony Comber

John Day Models (Daryl Toney) have one listed but it is not on the price list published over a year ago. May be worth contacting them to see how it is progressing. http://www.johndaymodels.co.uk/our-models/gpo-vehicles/#jp-carousel-314 Tony Comber

Just come across a range of modern coaches in mainly Scottish but some UK wide (eg Barnes) colours in 1:87 scale. https://buckiemodelcentre.com/?s=VDL . I also see that the Yardley Wood Bus Club are advertising the Brekina Routemasters at £25 each. no website but phone Peter Turland 07814 403173 or email turland@btinternet.com. Tony Comber

White is far more common today as it provides a base for the application of vinyl. PSVs ordered by dealers on spec, or bought in a second hand would be painted in a colour known as dealer stock white once the vinyl revolution came along. Deep green, blue and grey were common colours for Ford/Thames vehicles. Along the road from me is a Morris Commrrcial in two tone brown. Belonged to a nursery who gave it a fresh top coat every wi ter. Tony Comber

As this thread has started up again I'll answer a question from 2018! Yes the DFR had two XP64 coaches. Riddled with asbestos. One has gone to the scrap man after it cost £10,000 to remove the asbestos before he would take it. Needless to say the second vehicle is still on site and sheeted over. I was asked to help take the buckeye couplers off it a while back as they were less worn than some in use. And yes, they do wear over time. Recently the decision to dispose of for scrap has been reconsidered and at present there is no immediate plan for disposal, but what exactly we can do with it is another matter. Like all heritage railways it boils down to money, labour and time. Covid-19 has not helped with any of these. There is now a shortage of either servicable or servicable with a little work Mk 1s for sale. For this reason we purchased 2 mk2s as we desperately needed more seats on the trains (this was pre-Covid-19). I suspect they will present a whole new can of worms in time but at least one heritage railway in the east of the country seems to have got the hang of repairing them.