Robert Shrives

Looking forward to the 14.2 version as this looks to be really good point design and as oft said before the other point threads a "game changer" I guess some gentle curving can be induced at builders risk to enable some variation. A big thank you to Wayne for all the work, time and energy expended on this massive project. Robert

That should be fun, keeping all the sparks and smoke inside the body shell !! Robert

Darius, Sharp work as ever - Ultra scale wheels must have been fun on such and old chassis, did you work up a way to do extra pick ups on the other bogie. The model has stood the test of time well. Within the budget the Triang and the toolmakers cut a good job. You have done well with the flush glazing so the model looks just that bit better. The TT version as a skin head is also very good in the right hands. Thanks for showing Robert

Hi Garry ! sorry been off air for a while due to issues with getting on RM Web to do anything- majority of issue fixed by Andy York but cannot now see archived stuff of mine of projects so will have to start again - busy day aT Banbury with 3mm guys - all sorts going on perhaps 12 modellers met for 4 days - I only managed last part of last day, work thing getting in the way again! 12 and 14.2 projects being progressed - I managed to repair some wagons others building locos and track - a newly started layout of Winchester Cheshill on show - gent fixing track down - copperclad built points and track in 14.2 and some 12mm 9F progress by another , 12 kitmasters being upgraded to 14.2 with compensated bogies- loads of 12ba nuts and bolts ... This nudge to mojo means trying to sort stock boxes tonight . will try to do better! Robert

Thanks for that Ben, It is so hard to tell but the tonal comparison is all we have to go on , in some light the lines defo look blue what is interesting in this pic is the line stops at the door but often seen to go past to below the window - will now go back and check how it looked in 2003. The coach behind is the oddity with a grey roof all the other HST roofs being black - if they were dark grey then soon dirty. I would suggest the PC has a grey roof looking at streaking on the roof dome and shoulders above back windows. Robert

It is worse I have all sorts of RTC yellow stuff and earlier test liveries, I should seek medical attention I guess but it keeps me happy! Hope to get to Warley local soon enough.

Steve what do you think? trick of light but NR legend looks black as well ? Should add I posted the link but it gave picture , apologies to photographer

Steve, I have been bounding around the internet looking network rail yellow things and bananas- a zillion pics and not always easy to tell but as of yet unable to confirm the black lines, but way back when Hurst models did some transfers with a black line, so perhaps early days it did. Robert

Thanks for pics I was aware of the others and lately quite a few others in EMR/ colas fleet have turned up as well. Interestingly (perhaps?) the Dapol twin packs had a twin blue line and I have models with a twin black line , Railtec do and have ordered the blue line but did they ever have a black twin line? So much fun with 6 HST vehicles , who would have thought.

Well a quick pic showing power car variations in the NMT .. "Peek" cream cleaner used to remove blue lines form a pair and then renumbered using railtec transfers. I have seen a pic with another wording variation but cannot find it now so perhaps another pair to come.. coaches also on bench with 3 with panto wells and others to add to the Gauge master set - the power cars are the bottom pair straight from box. These come with etched plated - 4 of John Amitt used on middle pair. and 4 more for 43014- railway observer- and a micro plate for the info panel below. The PC printed version are perhaps 98% so etched ones cover completely which is a good touch. Robert

These look very good - what colour ? And could happily cross your palm with a dubloon or three for some of the transfers - I still have a batch sitting awaiting inspiration on fitting the chains... Robert

Likewise in diary for 2022, locusts etc permitting! thanks gents Robert

Hi Patrick, mods aware and there is a thread already in place. The forum is a victim of its success the amount of IT involved and sheer time moderating and managing has led to what was a free site being taken over by a commercial organisation that wants its pound of flesh means selling add space as pop ups if you want access to all the good stuff for free. While not a member RM Gold which is advertised as a fee paying membership that gets you out of all these angstful popups. Recently several "improvements to IT" have been tried - mainly it seems to make it a more commercial platform and this has led to a rash of issues for some users on varying formats and varying ages of end user IT . The Mods have taken a lot of flack and it seems that a lot of what ought to be polite behaviours have been thrown aside by too many and led to quite a bit of vitrol and I think sadly the Mods fired from hip with several replies - all human nature of course but regretted. Andy York has been most helpful with my issues raised via RM web and directly , not quite all sorted but answers given most helpful and insightful. Please give him some slack, I think his valuable volunteer support to the hobby has become his job and a milstone around his neck - or other body parts ! and there is some pain and angst. The old adage of not pleasing folk all the time has hit RM Web hard and the RM Gold platform is the way forward if RM web is not to be lost as happened with several photo platforms on the web. Happy modelling ! Robert

My first one landed and it looks the part, bogies might need a degrease as white grease abounds, but easy to do. Second one on its way for a renumber and i am going to add ploughs and run as a pair. They are light the cast metal chassis has been replaced with a dense plastic - like the dummy had many years ago, at least no masak risk ! I will have to check but the headlight moulding looks less brutal. The blue 73 yellow panel is a odds to the blue 33/1 which was spot on to me but easily repainted- hopefully ! With 5 differing yellows given as suitable for warning panels and the myriad of colour pics and the GM approval of the sample gives much room for getting it "wrong" where "right" can be down to a personal thing... who would be a manufacturer! Robert

GM have emailed saying they have my two yellow fellows awaiting my cash - card changed since order placed ! Looking forward to having a play. Robert

Ha , but building will ensure the rtr model comes to fruition..

Pictures of my small works in comparison to Darius` fine efforts ! Top pic is PC 4 and lower PC3 Well thought out and a joy to assemble.

Hi Great piece of modelling, I am sure the population of Embo will be pleased . Of interest is the colour change apparent in the lighting conditions from bench to layout.

Just to add this look all very good and for me it was POP in N day with cleaning prints and gluing up the bogies and PC3 and 4. Had to stop as cross eyed with the bulkheads but well worth taking time, I will add a picture later- a recommended kit. Robert

That is amazing! Great to see the range of railcars. Viz layout might it be useful to add a cross over above Whiterock station - it would allow a train to be looped - making a goods loop of the outer road. Regardless a clever and well thoughtout scheme. As you say one day ! Robert

A good and popular choice - just need to do a Lyd in Southern and BR lined black . The coaches will be of use on many lines as well. A few wagons to round out the stock list will help I am sure. Robert

Mind you with the Coast closed until Mid December due engineering work on Barmouth Bridge and a track relay between Aberdyfi and Tywyn not likely to be hit by anything bigger than an RRV or segaull poo! Viz Armour guard on Rhiw Plas hill at Minffordd is currently being replaced for the 4th time after speed related bangs, It had been nicely painted black and white on alternate sections but now has several sections in plain galvo finish. The last speed related bang the car demolished signs about sharp curves and speed limits on the nearside verge. passed over white line and was successfully retained by the armour guard.- A case of a score draw as amour guard battered as much as the car. Tyre and mud lines suggested it span several times hopefully that driver leant a lesson sadly knowledge transfer to others will be zero. The zero transfer issue shown in the story with risk shown and severity of outcome clear yet nobody taken to task at a high enough level. As we can all guess once the horse has bolted a deep root and branch review will take place within the organisations costing thousands and achieve nothing and another funeral will have taken place. Robert

Lenny defo onto a winner for 12mm rtr chassis I could do with several for rats, 33, 37 and a few more In kit form would be fine for me but others will certainly like an rtr. I would hope to use some Dapol N pcbs to collect pick ups and to be able to add lighting, but also the latent provision for DCC could be useful. The video shows good haulage and low noise which is good. Hopefully weight casting has an allowance for cutting back to give cab daylight. Thanks for showing that this stage of development. Robert

That looks very good. In the 1970s on the Kyle line the gangs did the best with what they could with cascaded materials and spot resleepering to keep track to gauge was a common activity so you could highlight a few areas - say 10mm apart with overturned and thus cleaner ballast on a curve. Sidings got nothing at all - not sure how much was ash ballast but certainly it was used for cess walkways and being black and dusty the edge paths were clearly visible and the ash was a good weedkiller for a while. A neat Ballast shoulder is important as not only pride of a job but it gave a good early warning sign of voids and movement - a collapsing shoulder would alert patrolmen to look a little closer. - Why walking on shoulders was frowned upon- it upset the system. I find using books and on line phots really good if you do not look at the subject of the pic but look around it so much is hidden in plain sight ! Happy modelling Robert

Hi As some will know I "luckily" sit in both TINGS and Warley Camps so I enjoy the postings on this thread comparing the apples and pears ! I too have seen the Scale Model world shows and the support from international suppliers we have perhaps in the model railway world not embraced all that is out their in the active hobbies market place, advancing electronics and military weathering techniques apart. Who remembers the Brighton Model world shows? I recall comments about Warley not being specialist enough and seeing visitors red penning stands for attention and striking off others - and being around a day long show in 90 minutes, departing happy, broke and clutching a selection of "designer labled bags" of goodies. But missed all the wider hobby gives if you want to look. While I act as a "Minion" at shows and am happily ignorant of many of the costs ( aware of yes but not able to numerate) the stand costs argument is an active one, but compare four years ago or so I was on Build up at the NEC for the Grand design show - a 3X2 m bare stand in a shell scheme box was £11K so the trader commented but he expected to sell nothing but it was to get the name placed and looked forward to 6 months profitable trading - he was selling granite worktops IIRC. Warley set up the traders village with support from MRJ mag and we have suitable signage - the tables were at reduce price and got many small traders in one area rather than being lost and unfindable in hall 5. I guess a similar "experience" could work at TINGS if a sponsor came forward to subsidise table,space and underwrite expenses, a leading modelling magazine or web modelling experience provider would seem likely "volunteers." I will leave it at that as I have some parkside chassis sides to fit to the Dapol grain wagons on the bench wondering where I have gone. Thanks Robert