CF MRC

The turning on the Metro was done with my ML10 lathe, which subsequently went to Billl Blackburn and is now in your workshop Jerry. It has good heritage. Tim

As you know Simon, Nick Easton is reducing his 4mm etches to 2mm scale, with some modifications, so progress might be quite quick once I have them in-hand. That is of course relative, insofar as Watson engines are generally slow to mature.... Tim

Incredible how close the wheels are to the frames on the real thing. It is something I tried to replicate on Mons Meg. Tim

It’s become a bit of an interest of mine of late, Tony, but the telegraph pole next to Bytham SB in the second image in post 29117 maybe looks a little emaciated? I would be perhaps worried that it might snap in a strong wind. Maybe not quite as chunky as this beast on top of Gasworks Tunnel, however. Tim PS. If we had even half your signals I would be a lot happier!

A limited colour palette will also help to give a model cohesion, especially avoiding highly saturated colours. Tim

Did the name plate survive Simon? Tim

Maybe so, looking back from where we are now, but it should be remembered that when these locos were scrapped the country had just survived another war. Different sentiments at that time I would imagine. Tim

I use Tinypic as image host. Perhaps there is a problem with them at the present. Tim

Slightly jumping the gun, but I’ve started my model of Valour, albeit only th tender frames so far. At least I will remember when the model was started. Tim

There were a number of memorial engines specifically so named after the Great War. One of these was Valour, made by the Great Central Railway. It’s name plate commemorated the employees lost during the conflict. These engines have always been one of my favourites and very appropriate for Copenhagen Fields. So this will be my next 2mm scale engine. Made a start on the tender frames this evening, so that at least I will remember when the model was started. Tim

The hobby is alive and well. I was at the Young MRC on Saturday morning at Keen House. There was the upper hall full of youngsters (& their parents) making models, building a layout and running trains on the test track. The Channel 5 program can only encourage their interest. Tim

Would be challenging getting the winding engines working. Tim

Valve timing must be out, Jim. Tim

Thanks Mike. Is the under frame and footplate the same width between the two types? Tim

I have just fitted one of these into CF’s Dapol B17. Much better performance, which will make it completely compatible with all the other layout engines. The performance difference reminds me of when I replaced the original Minitrix motor with a Portescap motor in my Johnson single 40 years ago! I wonder if that was the first use of a coreless motor in 2mm scale? Tim

Fascinating discussions. With a 2mm Valour now on the cards, does anyone produce etches for the self trimming tender? If they do could someone pm me the contact details and perhaps the artwork could be shrunk. If there weren’t one available, would there be a market to one? Tim

I wonder if Valor ever ran on paraffin? Probably, only those of a certain age would understand that flippant question and spelling mistook. Tim PS. I realise it was an oil burner at one time.

Through the kind efforts of Nick Easton it looks like we will see a set of 2mm scale etches for the B3. I will be making Valour and am assimilating info at present. I’m minded to make a nominal start on it this Sunday evening: it would be appropriate. The self trimming tender does appear to be a bit of a challenge in the etches department, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world to scratchbuild it. It will look rather nice to see a GC liveried engine on CF. Tim

Back in 1985 at IMREX we had a stand showing some of the display material for CF. An elderly gentleman appeared and made me a Don Corleone style offer to supply Peco track for the new MRC layout. I pointed out that it would not work with 2mm finescale wheels. He commented that he could not see why we wanted to make all the track. I then asked him for his name, because I honestly did not recognise him. It must have been quite a deflating question because Sidney Pritchard then left the stand with little more said. Tim

Telegraph poles are often a bit of a Cinderella subject on model railways. On top of Gasworks Tunnel there was the mother and father of a telegraph pole that probably terminated some of the wires before sending them down through the tunnels. In fact the base of it still in-situ. I played around with this and other images to try and work out what the pole consisted of. We are very fortunate that Bob Jones made some rather good telegraph cross arms to our design many years ago and these can be adapted quite well to a number of configurations. The pole was made from brass rod turned to a long taper, suitable length cross arms were added, soldered on at 90 degrees to each other, as well as bits of brass for the wiring conduits and other bits. The pole is firmly located in the ground of the tunnel top (it may remain a removable item), whilst the railed fence leading up to it was made from square brass section and rod, again well fixed into the ground. There was very little painting, as the pieces were chemically blacked and then dry brush weathered. Cecily thinks that a mascara brush would have been just as good. Maybe she has a point. Tim

On an exhibition layout it’s all down to the operators, once a new layout has overcome teething troubles. On CF we have some operators that can make the layout sing and others who just make it work. No amount of training will change the way their minds work, but we all have a good time, take pleasure in seeing the layout run and the public is usually entertained. Tim

Wild Swan should commission a book from you John, on your stuff. Tim

I have taught operative dentistry (fillings) to undergraduates since 1983. I have seen no diminution in the practical abilities of students over that time. Tim

Loupes are available with conventional glass frames and indeed my working loupes are like this. It might be possible to engineer a fixing for these telescopes onto conventional framed glasses. Tim

It has been commented upon by a London Architectural Society that Keen House is one of the few KX non-residential buildings that is still owned and used for the purposes it was built for. It was designed as a light industrial building when it opened in 1960, which has caused challenges for the MRC over the years. It is an expensive building to run, but is continually being upgraded to meet modern requirements by a very vibrant MRC. Our current aim is to improve disabled access, which will probably be very expensive to do. However, despite its qwerkiness, it is a unique facility that is used by many societies for meetings. There is absolutely no way such a building could be afforded by the model railway hobby in today’s financial climate. http://www.themodelrailwayclub.org Tim