Jub45565

I helped out Justin on the Rumney Models stand at Scalefour Crewe last weekend, and the relevent sprung bogie subframes he produces sold out with several people mentioning Siphons. To expand on Bernard's wording, it isn't just the number of them which people will want to convert to P4 - but also the number who will leave them rigid too. (Horses for courses, no rights and wrongs, but just another erosion of potential sales for a particular after market option).

Brassmasters are also worth considering for black 5 bits (or even the all bells & whistles kit if people want to go all the way to town!)

I appreciate that you don't need a new/complete one, but Bachmann do now sell the likes of bodyshells as spares. https://Bachmann-spares.co.uk/category/2-branchline-steam-parts/std-4mt-tank-2-6-4/body-parts

Do you mean LMS (Lanarkshire models), rather than MJT, CSB mounts? I drew up some CSB adapter etches for the Brassmasters hornblocks, which are available via Justin Rumney models - and they include a spigot at the bottom for attaching the dummy springs to. Looks like a great start for a weekends work!

It will be interesting to see how easy it is to remove the steam heat boiler from D6710, though there will be associated vent pipes etc too. I'm picky so need those at Thornaby in the early days, the Vulcan built options being D6755-D6768

Yes! There are some more photos of it, and the more normal option, here: https://www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk/oldsite/swigra.html

The Grassington branch had some interesting single track overbridges, but one at least is probably not what you'd deem typical! On the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway website:

Interesting - the website still only has the shorties listed. I would be interested in a review of the updated version!

I had been waiting for the miniblox to come back into stock, and delivery was as prompt as ever! Thanks Chris! My only query would be whether the gearbox bags could be labelled with the gear ratio. It wasn't an issue this time, as I only ordered 1 gearbox, but have had to tooth count to work out which is which before. This is as scathing & negative a point as I can find to make...

I'd go to 247 developments & Brassmasters for most of what you're looking for. Express models used to do working lamps, I expect they still do. One fly in the ointment - Alberta is a short firebox loco, but Gatalea isn't. Therefore the Alberta model is correct for the original Alberta, but not the masquerade! The old mainline/Bachmann model was the long firebox. There was a topic covering splicing in the old long firebox boiler to the new(er) short firebox jubilee, depending how far you want to go...

The Wild Swan LMS Locomotives Profiles book includes AWS dates for most of them, but 44755 is noted as 'fitted but date not known'. Those with dates are between March 59 and Feb 62. 44755 moved from Holbeck to Stockport in September 61 so whether there are photos with a Holbeck shed plate and AWS bang plate would help narrow it down.

I'd ignore the photos they've used in terms of detail differences - as noted above the Caprotti example is, from the number they've chosen, a low running plate with no external valvegear, as per the Comet/Wizard kit.

I have a D.062 to build from a kit, but just pre -ordered a D.033 & D.059 - I've felt a bit guilty in not supporting the cause for the other products to date, as I like the attention to detail and general attitude - I'll be after a class 37 when the right variants come along (RS&H as per D6772 as delivered) but can't justify a Deltic. I'd certainly vote for bogies in the right place...

I was wondering about asking G&H about a dropped board, so good to know they have the design ready to go!

Indeed, there are college courses for that. This photo allegedly originated in advertising for one.

The tanks are still available from Brassmasters (not all their 24/25 bits are) http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/bachmann_class_24_and_25.htm

Good find on that D1745 drawing Mol. Sorry, I can't help with the sidelines kits - I find them 75% overscale ;-) One thing to note is that it looks like a Met Cam coach - that underframe doesn't have the standard LMS trussing but a much narrower frame around the battery boxes - not that these appear to be in place in your MSC photo, but any residual bracketry or rivet lines would be different.

Hi Mol, The best starting point for a D1745 might be the D1692/9. Photo of the 4mm sides from Comet here: https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/carriage/m4s/ and is in the sidelines list for a 7mm version: http://www.sidelinescoaches.co.uk/lms.htm It has less beading than the D1745, but that may well have been an alteration over time rather than a diagram difference. I'm separated from my LMS coaching stock books at the moment so can't immediately look up the differences. Cheers, Pete

Has anyone got any experience with this 0.5mm plastic? It says its laser safe, and I've been meaning to buy some for a while to test but haven't got round to it - but the discussion of similar materials has prompted me into life. https://kitronik.co.uk/products/polypropylene-sheet-05mm-x-1050mm-x-750mm

No problem! So I cut a slot with a fret saw, not all the way across but enough to be a guide. Then assemble the wheelset as normal, and use the slot as a guide for a drill and drill through the plastic wheel - and then insert a bit of brass/NS rod and epoxy it in (or varnish/paint if the wheelsets can't be dropped out - though the epoxy option fills the slot). This is a variation on drilling the axle too, but drilling at an angle is much more difficult for most mortals and I don't think makes much of a difference to the finished article.

I've taken to cutting a angled slot in the end of the axle, and using that as a guide to drill the wheel and pin it in place (once happy with quartering). I have a set near my workbench part way through the process at the moment so can take a couple of photos later if my words don't make it clear.

A lot of early gauges were defined by rail centres, rather than between rails. It is obviously easier to lay with a gauge bar between the rails - and if you get worn rail or buy new heavier rail then the centre measurement would change. It makes a bit more sense in quarry scenarios with double flanged wheels loose on the axles, though the absolute gauge is a bit less of a concern there. Then when you change to defining by between rails it just changes the stated gauge, rather than any actual change in the dimensions used. The FR is technically 597mm.

The clearance thing is a bit of an odd one - as across the face of the wheels EM and P4 are near enough the same (EM is a slightly narrower gauge, but with a slightly fatter wheel). It comes down to what we want to do, and what we enjoy doing - this is a hobby so we shouldn't really do things due to other people's opinions on how to spend our spare time. I wouldn't personally choose to ruin a walk by playing golf, but will happily meet friends who play golf for a pint afterwards... *misty eyes* I went P4, as when making the decision I was looking at a 108, Ivatt 2 tank and 3F as a base set of models. The 108 was Branchlines drop in sets for either option. Bachmann hadn't released their 3F, so it was a London Road models kit again equally applicable to either, and the Bachmann split chassis for the Ivatt I would choose to replace either way too. I don't mind spending some extra time fettling, and do enjoy that extra bit of detailing - so the choice, for me, was easy.

Reawakening this, for the same kit, I've got an OK start without annealing - but the NS is a bit stiff to sort out properly. I know annealing can be done on a gas hob, but how long do one heat it for? I presume the aim is to hold it in the tip of the flame? This is the current state of play: