Jol Wilkinson

I can only find a Canon 1620 motor on the Wizard site, is that the one you have? There are a number of motors being suggested as suitable replacements for Mashima, notably a Mitsumi motor, selling for £1.00 - £7.00 depending on where you look. They are slightly larger than a Mashima 1224. I bought a several of these to test and initial impressions are that they seem ok, starting (no load) at about the same voltage as a Mashima 1224 and drawing about twice the current (.4A) when stalled at 12V. The most obvious difference is noticeably more noise/vibration when running at higher speed, presumably as they are three pole, rather than the five pole of the Mashima. They have polarity marked connectors and one ran unevenly at low speed "in reverse", possibly due to brush contact problems. They have finger type brushes - presumably optimised for one direction of rotation, whereas the Mashimas have tubular brush holders so that direction of rotation is irrelevant.

Lotus Cortinas too.

David, it does seem that many young people can't be bothered to make the effort to vote. The BBC Panorama programme last night also highlighted the way in which social media platforms and Ar*ebook in particular are being used to influence voters by the major political parties. The restrictions that apply to the "normal" media don't seem to apply online. As online social media is so heavily used by younger people, then it would worry me that they wouldn't be in a position to make a balanced decision. So that would make them little or no different to the older generation who you consider too stupid to come to a proper decision as to how the country should be run. Watching Rip Off Britain would give the impression that it is only old people that are too stupid to know they are being scammed, but that isn't the full picture. Furthermore, they are the ones at home during the day and therefore more "accessible" to the scammers. There are plenty of examples of working people getting scammed and in many senses, the younger generation is the most susceptible as they happily buy into all the marketing cr*p that they get fed to buy this or that new taste/clothing/grooming/holiday/technology sensation. A look at the TV and Media adverts don't feature old farts (except for funeral insurance products) but the younger age group they are aimed at. Of course, your suggestion could be adopted and adapted by a political party with a strong parliamentary majority, who could decide which socio economic groups, of what age and in which constituency would be entitled to vote, thus ensuring them everlasting control of government.

Ivan, the manufacturer only makes money from replacement parts, the dealers from servicing. I spent almost all my working life in the motor industry and increasingly the supply of "pattern parts" became big business, especially for for higher volume production cars. I always found it remarkable what would be copied. Panels, that require a large investment in tooling were popular, but smaller trim items weren't. Pattern panels were also often of poor quality, requiring a certain amount of reworking to get them to fit, obviating any initial savings. Certain continental manufacturers were also very keen on protecting their image through policing. as best they could, the supply of copy parts. It wasn't unusual to find items that even included the manufacturers logos, etc. to make them look original. However, the law seemed very "foggy" on such issues, probably to help keep the legal profession in employment. Jol

Ivan, they were designed to make a large profit. The driving bit is entirely coincidental, especially nowadays when driving a BMW is secondary to impressing people.

A good example of an everyday car failing to attract the "collectable classic" desirability. They were very good, practical, estate cars but like other family cars, few have survived.

No Clive, you can choose to model whichever scale/gauge you prefer. However, I would ban wishlists and product "frothing" for a start, require everyone to learn to solder and make a kit before their 18th birthday and take out a subscription to MRJ. Jol

Joan, I am a Remoaner, for the simple reasons that I think we would be better off in the EU than outside it and also because the Exit camp told a load of downright lies - which they admitted after the referendum finished - and which probably persuaded a number of otherwise uninformed people to vote to leave the EU. I don't see the Tories as far right racists, but will refrain from expressing my views on them and the other politicos. What this country needs is a beneficent dictator in charge - Me. Jol

A spoiled or blank paper doesn't give much indication of what the voters was annoyed/unhappy about and what they really wanted. A " I don't support any of the candidates or their policies" voting option would be one way of giving a better indication of what the voting population actually want, or rather don't want.

London Road, the 4mm LNWR layout, was at Railex in 2016. Our next outing is at ExpoEM at Bracknell on 13th and 14th May. London Road Models will be at both ExpoEM and Railex

You also said, "She had an original and lots of fun but build quality?" so I thought you were comparing two cars developed and build 35 - 40 years apart, but as you say that's not really a valid comparison. I have a 72 MGB Roadster and it reminds me of how "rudimentary" cars of that era were. Nowadays cars are much more "intensively" designed, including under bonnet presentation, etc. (although how many owners of modern cars even know how to open the bonnet, never mind realise what they are looking at). Putting the key in the ignition of the MGB involves looking under the dash to find the lock among an assortment of cables and other bits and pieces.

I always thought it was Jerks and Fronchers, but didn't know what Fronchers were.

Quote from Wikipedia "The first generation Countryman was primarily built in Graz, Austria under contract by Magna Steyr, making it the first of the BMW era Minis to be manufactured entirely outside the UK" So does that make it 100% BMW?

Ah, the original Mini, the classless car. Unlike the current version.

Brian, very nice. The Ladies and Gents signs were often white background with black letters - the opposite of the workmens carriage plates. Any chance of supplying them like that? Also, any likelihood of the etched LNWR carriage sides/kits being available through 247 again?

Nobody that models in P4 had any "skill" until they learned it. I model in P4 and don't regard it as any different to the other two 4mm gauges in terms of the skill required. What you do need is the desire to build your own models and the enthusiasm to have a go.

Guy, a look through the HMRS West Coast Joint Stock book shows a drawing and photos of a 50' arc roof W41 Brake Sleeping Composite intended for through workings.They looked like ordinary corridor carriages but the seats in the 1st c;lass compartments could be pulled out to make beds. They had a small end Guards section, two 1st and three 3rd class compartments. Other drawings and photos show 50' Brake/Composite D42, Brake/3rd D67 and Brake/1st D18, all corridor carriages without duckets on the Guards section. I can't find any examples of 4mm kits for these carriages. However, all they would need would be sides and ends, to use with Ratio underframes (much like the LRM 50' non corridor carriages). Jol

I had to look up the list of candidates, not made easy by the confusing names given to the local constituencies We had an amusing chat with the two young people manning the 16 hour shift at the polling station. We had been their first visitors for an hour so they were keen to have a chat. One party always has a overwhelming majority around here, so if you vote for anyone else, it's a waste of time in the first past the post system. So you either don't bother and get classed as one of the "disinterested, can't be bothered members of society", deface your ballot paper and get classed as a "loony" or vote for your preferred no hope candidate and know that in the overall scheme of things, your views won't be recognised. Proportional representation, compulsory voting, a "I don't want any of these candidates and their party policies" voting option, now that would liven things up a bit.

"ITV was always full of cheap entertainment shows because that's what advertisers wanted". Presumably because the advertising agencies had concluded from their research that is what the viewing public wanted. I suggest the majority of the UK population has always been dumbed down. What many people seem to want and enjoy is entertainment that requires little or no thought. Fortunately there are still enough interested viewers and programme makers to create informative, instructive and thought provoking, entertaining programmes. Likewise, why else would the Sun, Mail, Star, Daily and Sunday Mail, News of the World, People and possibly others have been the most "popular" newspapers for decades - although calling them that is something of an oxymoron.

Thanks Peter, I'll stick with a Stevenson Carriages kit for another 42' WCJS Composite. I can the add the LRM 42 Full Brake I already have built to give a six coach rake which should fit the traverser I used to own a four track circular test track, built by John Redrup on boards/legs he commissioned from Red Dog. We did discuss using it as part of another layout proposal, but I sold it on before we bought London Road back. It is now in the hands of the S4 Society North London Group. Jol

Peter, don't tempt me. I have a set of Trevor Charlton sides for a WCJS D56 42' Third, so that'll make up three to go with the D10 diner, plus I have a D317 Brake/Third from TC sides I'll add to the set. That is the "unusual" end brake compartment 50' arc roof version. That's about all the fiddle yard traversers will hold although five 42' plus the diner should fit if I get two more 42' kits. I haven't seen a WW kit. The sides are reasonably priced but the cost of the "kit" to include floor and roof is quite a bit more. Do you have the kit or jsut thes sides/ends Jol

Hi John, nice work but sorry I can't help with the instructions. I have the body etches for the Railmotor but no motor bogie etch, so I'll have to design a new one. Did you use the original? What is the roof? The original kits had a vac formed roof IIRC. Jol

Ah, you've not seen the Wall-e film then. Nearer to what may happen. One world supplier of everything including government, robots doing the work, and a non-thinking population. The question is, which American, tax dodging corporation, will take over the world?

I have changed the title of this thread and hope it more accurately represents the contents. Thanks to everyone who has contributed, please keep it up.

Peter, thanks, I should have known to look here as well; http://www.lnwrs.org.uk/Modelling/4mmcarriages Re Modellers World, I only visited Barry Jones' shop a couple of times when on business trips to Coventry. I bought the D9 kit during one of those visit but never met Barry as his wife was behind the counter. I think he was one of a group of modellers in the Midlands with an interest in the LNWR and it's coaches. Several people have supplied etched kits and sides over the years, many of the same diagrams and possibly from the same artwork/tools. They included, I believe, Eroll Surman, Ralph Jackson, Brian Badger and David Gillott. As far as I know LNWR kits were available from various "trade names", including 247 Developments, M&L, MicroRail, Brain Badger, Modellers World and Jackson Evans. An interesting if, at this distance, rather confusing picture. As far as I can see, most of the original kits have now found new homes, with the exception of the Modellers World range. That's a pity as it included some of the 12 wheel stock. I think some of the etched sides/ends were also available through 247 but Errol Surman seems to have kept ownership of those and they haven't been available since 2014. LRM has also continued to introduce new LNWR carriage kits, including some improved versions of the early 6 wheel kits available from others. Jol