Robert Shrives

Hi , That looks very good and better to read of adversity overcome! Still to lookout my 2P. happy modelling and looking forward to moving pictures !! Robert

Hi Not the first time a 319 has lost a pan! In the day a driver nearish to Brighton wondered if he pushed pan up ! Well he could not lower it so breaking the golden rule of being able to get out of a cxxk up. An overbridge did the honours. I recall a mod but clearly still not entirely fault or fool proof ! Robert

All, The solid centre door is part of basic moulding, the connection is held on by a spot or two og glue and four locating lugs - easily removed and so its time for some modelling. I would have thought an hours work would see a hole cut and filed to rep... or perhaps a piece of clear plasticard with a patch of black paint/ transfer on reverse to rep window acheiveable, front face requiring a slight abrade with 1200 grit paper to rep the loss of clarity the corridor screen got. FWIW its purpose when door open was it hinged again and closed off the "second man" side of the cab when used as a through corridor between coupled sets. Due to the imported filth and impact damage screens did not last long. MJKerr - I expect Ian at Mercig would relish enhancing a model for you !! Robert

And to add to the mix the last couple of 150/1 at Newton heath quickly got the darker blue window surrounds to match the later 150/2, this did not stop depots mixing it up with one of each when hybrids made up! IIRC picture of 150144 or 148 with vehicles in each livery. nothing is ever simple ! Robert

Hi, Very good looking render, have to say I could not find a 3D button - hovering over image produced nothing- sorry nodoubt missing the obvious, I can see 3D button on other folks ages however ?? I guess if it was printed in a metal bearing material it would gain mass for traction uses? Robert

Well that is the deed done ! 37 and 2 packs of wagons ordered(hoods) hopefully some more items might get consideration like Thumper, 4TC, Tiger clay bogies perhaps, D600 and even the 118. Thanks KM for commissioning the 37 Robert

Hi , WOW good to see Kernow return to the path of the light !! N gauge is the future so welcome back. Guessing 37207 and ECC waggons and a CCT in Maroon and love the YCV behind, albeit a little over scale!! Hopefully the next shipment will include the Thumpers that Kernow forgot to announce ...... (well you never know and its good to dream ! ) or perhaps a N D600...... Hopefully the good folk once released from mining can update website so orders can be placed as just had a quick look and no obvious (to me!) linkage . I have asked my wallet to hang about but just got the silent stare. If it is 37207 WC with lizzie logo it will be a hot cake I am sure and will help shift the small remaining pile of hoods and tarps shown on website. Well done Kernow Models Robert Hi first post now appeared which is a little odd as it seemed to vanish on me but two replies better than none!

Well I really want to be positive - so I shall, it is good to see Kernow back on the darkside!! Hopefully we can show that the future is bright and N gauge ! 37207 with Lizze logo a sure fire winner. Hopefully more hoods and flats will sell as well given an Iconic loco. The future will now hopefully see thumpers !! Teasing with fuzzy pics - ha ha ! My wallet last seen leaving in disgust..... Thanks Kernow models

Hi As regular SOU - BMH user back in the 1980s just loved the loose seating in the REP buffet area and had far too many breakfasts in the New forest. So a good memory bump, thanks. If I can add I suspect the reason why it did not go further on the network. It was successful and below the radar of the boffins who wanted white heat newness- helped by the politicians of the era. Plus I suspect the monolithic out look of the bigger regions did not help. I wonder if the EDB - GQS push pull that only required through cables and pipes to achieve much the same thing stole the glory - on the alter of costs and in theory allowed engines of all types to work the stock not just converted ones. It was then just a few years to TDM experiments and the railway taking on the fixed formation - almost shunter free operations of IC services. I would love to think walk through fronts like those of the 350- which run at 110mph could be wedded to future stock eg MK5s so sets could be added and driven from both ends with the likes of 68/88 as a sort of 5TC.. Sadly and slightly OT I suspect we as a nation will have to endure bus engines under trains for several more generations as IEP sets come on stream, with attendant noise and vibration over the silky silence of HST trailers, normal LHCS and EMUs, just think we could have locos that pulled freight and passenger stock all under one common organsiational structure, I get my coat ! Robert

Banking not always a given to success, I recall a picture of a banker and a grainflow bogie sat in the ballast as train had slid backward and gone through bottom traps by Bromsgrove station and tore up track, all shut for a couple of days for recovery and rebuild. Coming down was not always a controlled business with tales of sailing to a stand near Stoke works junction. Robert

NCB, Hopefully in next few days the 64xx will have landed and lets see what we get and hopefully a pic or two. Robert

Well that as a good thrash, heart in my mouth on the back curve - right on the edge of the flat earth societies latest exhibit! and a long way down... 2P hauled a good load and not much drag through reverse curves - I guess 4 coaches the limit but semi perm coupled to a driving trailer will help - possibly more pckups? and allow a better bunker to coach coupling. The 440 2P chassis is a wonder to behold . I wonder if tender connection might be arranged to allow tender to sit on the loco and thus transmitt mass onto the rear drivers- perhaps a stiff spring on the upstand peg might suffice. But certainly a good turn of speed and you have the knack of getting the design right at etch thinking stage - I would be in too much of a rush. Happy modelling and thanks for PM. Robert

Hi Bankers did help with DMUS if stopping and engines out or wet rail - not coupled just a great shove and you were off ! like a rocket. In sprinter days much more exciting for sake of a word. On a good day a 150 from a standing start might get to 30 - 40 mph flat out. 170 being a clumsy cousin much slower and 20 on the top and known several on LM and XC sets stall - given a push by next 170 after coupling up and running as a pair to New st. - other stuff would have to wait or sit in loop to allow a 170 to be worked past. 220s on less that 3/4 or 3/5 clear runs are requested from Oddingley to be able to take a run - I have had a fully loaded 5 car running on 3/5 stall with driver able to see over the summit from his seat. - Recovery was a right mess as it was on the zonal boundary... HSTs on one power car were the same game with a special clear run form issued to driver at Cheltenham - they still exsist and are still marked Virgin trains! However a good benefit from the rebuilds and new engines are more horses under the bonnet and a set of switches that allow a powered bogie to be isolated and thus hopefully provide 3/4 power. We are waiting for the first electric winter and see how many 323s can be knackered before some common sense applies Hopefully the wires go far enough that downhill fun and games can be self recovering! At least the new station not at the foot on the incline now.

Hi looks great - would hexhead bolts look neater than brass screws? But it does look the part lined out and numbered - a great job ! Have say I spotted the 2P chassis on ebay - will be ordering ! Bryn Kits have just posted a 64xx and a coach pack - aimed at kitmasters so will see how it looks might help in the long run you never know. 3mm soc Mixed traffic 208 in post box when I got home so plenty of guilt to get me going. Thanks ( I think!) Robert

HI, Any news from the front or enjoying the seasonal weather and saving masterpiece time for normal weather ! Robert

Hi any news on your choice? Robert

Garry DMU looks in mint condition so a good find ! The Brit is good as well, not bad for the average price ! The bogie bolster and load is a lovely model and it si good to see mint TT still surfacing 50 years after production finished. The tank is a good looking kit it just need s etched plates ! Robert

Hi , Looks the part and a fun loco idea ! runs well on the clip as well. - I guess a loop on rear coupling will suffice and the ubiquitous sub brake with three windows for a push pull coach is its future... Robert

Hi , FWIW if starting go for 14.2 - lots for it and as said looks better. 12mm has lots of second hand and given the very good wagon mouldings from Triang fitting the bodies to 14.2 chassis will get a train pretty instantly! Worsley works worth looking at for etches and certainly the society offers a great range of kit and is as it says a friendly society. I am a 12mm soul due to volume of bits collected over 48 years !, I still have my first Triang 3F and it still runs well. Each and all perfectly valid and welcome to the 3mm family ! I look forward to tails of the plank. Robert

Hi The gauge gets my vote ! Is it possible to order now ? Thanks for all you do as shop keeper ! cheers Robert

Hi both chassis are really good and as a scale 08 it looks the part body is too wide and I wonder if it can be cut down a bit? Robert

Hi , This looks much better and looks to be the way forward I have got a sample and asked on the N gauge forum but no replies over the thoughts of adding shading or a matt varnish to the lower area to fool the eye but your photoshop skills seals it for me it is the solution on the problem that Neil succinctly put - it has to run or look right and you are in to static models. The chassis is as fine as it can be and the plastic as thin as it can be and be moulded and be crushed by being handled. I am very sorry that folk do not want to buy it and post 165 by Phil is a risk. all I can say is the 68 is in N a leap from this older sort of model - despite some retooling the original flawed effort remains. Having spent time as some of the eyes looking at this model this is as good as it can be got and made to run. The list of really small changes picked up from the factory created variations from the original works varied across the models was a days work but was down to the nit picking levels on the discussion of the colour of door button surrounds. The BIL indicator on the roof shoulder is left roof colour as it would only be orange when train stopped and doors released. In reaction to comments on MK.3s. In this example if you don`t like it then shoot this messenger !

Hi Great modelling hope to see some POPs running at shows in the future. Just a quick one did the idea of a N gauge version fall to the wayside... Robert

David, Really good artwork. Perhaps new name BHMtrains not Bmhtrains given location ! Certainly you will have fun flying Pendos but you get some freight diverting off mainline towards Bescot plus engineers trains on the curve, if this was added as a static line you could stand some of the fine yellow stock waiting a signal. Currently the place is disappearing under lowrise blocks of flats, sorry "Urban lifestyle apartments !" Or you could move Winson Prison or perhaps they are the same ! Any value of adding a crossover or two as a ladder to give a track feature - if working would need returning crossover out of sight. but would allow a reason for trains slowing.. really look forward to seeing this plan devlop Robert

Hi Gents, Looking at the 142 windows up from 4.70 to 5.30 wide, length 8.37 .height Scaled at 1/148 is 26.08 from angel trains data of 3860 mm actual over pod is 27.5. Body height is 17.65.. Width taken at just inboard of first passenger door 18.88 to 19.97 between shell developments, real data at 1/148 scales at 18.91. Later figures is for revised tooling. Chassis is 16.25 over motor case. Thus body is fractionally over 1.5mm thick allowing for glazing insert. The tumblehome is quite visible in the door way where door is inset. There has to be a limit to tooling, plastic thickness and scale compromise and yes it is at the Tumblehome but it is better than the 153 having today compared. I have a 3d print of a 143 and chassis would fit inside except model has underframe attached but certainly promising. Talking of the underframe - really sharp details the CAD and tooling is a joy given the moulding. In general looking at photos liveries are pretty good and body types link up to painted numbers. As always fine checking throws up a selection of could be improved so the work goes on and we can wait awhile So no problem really except the lessors keep modifying liveries every five minutes - picture research a nightmare !! And as you all know it was not until the 22 arrived in model form that two books were published with priceless photos and I fully expect the pacer will be just the same.... Finally the model has got the flexibly mounted corridor connection which is a nice touch - a crossover from the loco hauled SR coaches. regards Robert