The Nth Degree

I'm willing to lend a hand at something local (Worthing/Hove/Brighton). I can't say that I'm good at anything in particular, but I am keen to lend a hand – or, at least I'm keener than staying in watching endless cooking programs and soaps! I've got loads of tools to bring along, if required, including rivet punch, chassis alignment tool, soldering iron, etc. If you model 0 gauge, all the better, but if not don't expect me to see what you're pointing at. Steve

Excellent job you're making of this. I have one of these kits in the loft somewhere so I'll keep your build diary to hand.

Personally, I really like Adrian's input. Obviously, you can take it or leave it, but when a manufacturer says "this is a scale model of..." and then somebody says "no it isn't, and this is why..." you can look at those discrepancies and decide for yourself whether those inaccuracies are worth worrying about or not. I think Adrian should review everything!

I thought I had posted in here, but obviously not! I'm Steve from Hove. 7mm scale modeller (<– loose term!) deciding to go either 0 gauge or S7. Currently packing and unpacking as we decide whether to move or not. At the moment everything model railway related is in a pile of boxes in the loft. I'm a member of South Coast 0 in Worthing and I've also recently started the Little Loco Company.

Chris, did you modify the wheels on the 03 picture on your website?

Shouldn't this thread be in the 'Small Suppliers' section? Nice kits, though; I'm an admirer of your chassis kit designs.

Is there an 'official' answer to this question or do I take the guess?A picture of the contents would be brilliant.

Mike, can you tell me what's included in the 7mm 01 kit please - or rather, what I'll need to source. Thanks, Steve

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I've seen 3 used quite a lot, along with 2. Option 3 is much more natural-looking if the heads are not much wider than the rails.

No, it became part of Procor Group and subsequently part of Bombardier. No records survive of its wagon manufacturing/leasing operations. This whole subject has become dead in the water I'm afraid. I'm wondering if the Taff Vale also commissioned some wagons from them, as their history is better documented?

When you say "oil finished" do you mean heating the up and dropping them in clean engine oil?

Looking forward to seeing it develop Martyn! How about a trackplan (for those not familiar with Dymock or the other one, or in fact anything GWR...)

It was indeed. The local transport museum closed down a few years ago but I'm planning on contacting Coleford GWR museum. I've already emailed NRM and HMRS today. Thanks, I did find that site in my web search and have used it before researching W&CR and other nuggets. I'm not totally sure whether the wagons were originally leased or bought outright, but by the time the GWR took over they had been taken into ownership, along with two of their three locos – the third still had an outstanding balance.

Further to my post above, I've been reading my books and one of them states they bought their goods stock from the British Wagon Co., not the Bristol. That makes more sense, which makes two of the books I own incorrect. I've corrected the thread title. But still, the request stands, if anyone has any drawings or knows where I can get some I would be very grateful. Cheers

I'm trying to find some drawings for some Whitland & Cardigan Railway wagons built by "Bristol Wagon Co."; whether this is Bristol Wagon & Carriage or Bristol Wagon Works, I don't know. They were bought by W&CR in 1873-1874 and consisted of three 3 plank (18") opens, three 3 plank (21") opens, a "van with sliding doors" and a brake van. As W&CR didn't have much money I'm hoping these were fairly standard off-the-shelf items, or ones that closely followed Taff Vale designs, but I'm not sure. If I can find some drawings or some sort of pictorial history of the company I could maybe find those sold to them, or find a description that I could translate or decipher some details from. I own (I think!) every book on the history of the W&CR but none of them feature any pictures of their wagons. Any help would be very much appreciated.

I'm not entirely sure whether this will clarify or confuse matters so absorb or disregard this post at your leisure. With plain track you can adopt 32mm gauge or 31.5 – it doesn't make too much difference. Some would argue that 32mm gauge accounts nicely for gauge widening in tight curves around your walls. Lovely. However, when it comes to turnouts it appears to me that PECO have not used any standards that I'm aware of (maybe GOG Fine? Probably not) to build their turnouts, which is why finescale wheels (just about every 0 Gauge wheel that you can buy today) drop into the crossings with a bump. If you build your layout with PECO track then you live with it or compensate for it (there is an untidy way to do this) by modifying them – but not the wheels! Alternatively, you build your own track to a proper standard that accounts for modern wheelsets, 31.5 gauge is by far the most popular, without any modifications to wheels at all. In summary, it is easily achievable to have a smooth-running layout without the fuss or bother of altering off-the-shelf wheels or RTR stock in any way – if you build your own track.

Cheers, the buffers are not springy at all really. I haven't glued the wire into the shafts yet as I still have to add the collars at the ends. I'm a bit reluctant to do this as I have a feeling I'll be soldering them together at some point. If I do solder them, then the buffers will go into the bin

I'll have a check

I agree with Redgate, if you were building track, which you appear to be doing, either Scale 7 or 31,5mm standards offer far superior running.

Looks lovely!

Nice brake van. As you know, I have a few of these to build so it's good to know how they can turn out.

I really don't know why I'm titling my blog in French with vague culinary references but it has to stop soon – I'm running out of ideas and the drift is getting wider. You may notice from the picture below that there has been a change of workshop location. I'm afraid the 'Goodwill to all modelling men using the bookcase as a workshop' season is over and I have resorted to bringing everything into the office. But onwards the march. Over Christmas I have been trying to steal a few moments here and there to get as much done as possible (this is meant to be a quick build, after all!), but I've failed miserably. Quite a bit of what I had managed to fit in was all mundane filing and drilling, the labours of which hardly ever show on the model, but the fruit is in a good fit and smooth, level running. To that end, the axle guard units have been assembled and fixed, along with the actuating lever of the DC1 braking system.

Notes to self: Ensure all castings are straightened