lee74clarke
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Posts posted by lee74clarke
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Many thanks once more for the good wishes.
Yesterday, I was presented with my (not-quite-finished) birthday present by Ian Wilson; the station footbridge for LB. Standing beneath it is my 70th birthday present to him, the K2 I built (which Geoff Haynes painted so well). This is horse-trading par-excellence. Not only do I get a splendid model (yet to be bedded-in properly, of course) but since he has nowhere to run his K2, it stays with me.
Edited because there's something scrambled in the bottom of the picture.
Many Happy returns Tony
Ian has made a cracking job of the footbridge. I like this shot a lot, often wondered how the bridge was located in relation to the rear of the booking hall.
I had no idea the steps literally went up to the door.
Hope to see you soon
My Regards
Lee
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Thanks Andy.
I did just that and contacted Hattons. They've advised to return the errant end - which is out of warranty - and they will repair. In my situation they cannot do better than that, so I'm impressed with the quick response to my concerns. Will post next week when I'm back in Bristol.
Neil
Interesting Neil, I'll give them another whirl
Lee
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I've been having a chat with Hatton's wondering if there was a wider issue; seemingly very few people have actually been in touch with any individual issues and virtually nothing recently.
They do have some stock set by from which to satisfy any customers who have any problems with a Garratt which means that if you have a problem you can get in touch and they will be happy to help even if any stated warranty period has expired; especially if the approach is reasonable and courteous as some of the veiled threats of legal action mentioned would be seemingly unnecessary to seek a resolution.
That's interesting Andy. I spoke to them about a problem with my Garratt, (it was the 2nd I had, the first failure being covered by warranty) and was told it was out of warranty, they couldn't help (wouldn't help?) no spares were available from them (mine has thrown some valve gear) and I could try Heljan in Denmark.
I was civil about it and offered to pay for a repair as I knew it was out of warranty.
Disappointing really, I haven't managed to carry out a decent repair, but am lucky enough that a certain Mr. Wright who writes on here has offered to have a crack at it.
Thing that concerns me is, so yes, we can get it running again, but for how long?
As I say, disappointing, but there you go. Not sure if I'm being a bit petty, but I haven't purchased anything from Hattons since.
Regards
Lee
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More progress to report.
For several years, the booking office on LB has been represented by no more than a mock-up (a most impressive one to be fair). It's rear was no more than a blank piece of card and its front a flat photograph. In this view, the blank rear is visible, though it is (was) work in progress.
Today, Ian Wilson brought along the completed booking office. What a difference it makes to the scene.
Seen from the front, it really looks the part. Geoff West's little sweeper carries on as normal. The brick pavement is yet to be blended in and the footbridge is still just a mock-up. Ian is working on that. There's also the station sign to put in and a couple more telegraph poles.
MRJ 35 A1 passing through station.jpg
I've not been idle, having bedded-in Bob Dawson's station platform buildings and represented the tarmac surface on the Up island.
All of this progress is to meet the MRJ publication deadline. It all goes off tomorrow for publication later this year.
My thanks to those who've contributed so much to the LB project. It really has been worthwhile.
Tony,
This looks great, can't wait to see Bytham with the buildings finished.
Would be good to get an aerial view, or as high as you can, for an overall view of the whole station
Regards
Lee
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Well, that was lost, edited before I could press 'Post'!
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God causes indeed Tony, especially if it's some old Stodger I've purchased that needs your devine intervention
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I have been delaying buying one of these, mainly because of the problems I have read about on here, but also because my Garratt is playing up again and is now out of warranty.
However, having seen one running at Tony Wright's this morning on Little Bytham, I have one back on my list.
We had one running there with 40 plus wagons on and it never missed a beat. Amazing slow speed performance as well.
Cracking looking model really. Sorry, should of taken some photo's.
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Plonkers or not, this is one bespoke model which will never be available RTP.
Today, Bob Dawson brought with him the model he's made for Little Bytham - the 'signature' building, the Willoughby Arms pub. This sort of stuff is way beyond my capabilities, and it's not the sort of structure which lends itself to Ian Wilson's card/brick-paper techniques. I'm absolutely delighted with it.
In case folk think that I've abandoned any principles I might have (though there are few), though I've made sure Bob didn't produce work of this quality FOC, I've horse-traded by taking pictures for him for future articles and also pictures for his most talented grandson, Scott. Scott's work is to appear in BRM next year.
As I've said in the past, I count myself immensely privileged to have such a large circle of friends, all actively contributing to the model railway.
Tony
That is excellent, really looks the part.
I don't know Bob, but well done, it is superb
Merry Christmas to you & Mo, hope to see you soon
Lee
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The bridge at Little Bytham was very strong, dating from the last decade of the 19th Century. The GN dictated its width because just over a decade later the main line was quadrupled (in fact, five tracks ran beneath it).
As for the route restrictions, I think it was the flimsy fenland structures over the numerous waterways, including Sutton Bridge itself (though that now takes huge lorries). The heaviest locos must have been the Ivatt 4s and K2s, though during the last month or so of the line's existence a B1 was used on the Leicester, causing no bridge collapses at all. B12s were also common in earlier BR days on the through train.
Towards the end, 9Fs ran from Saxby to Wymondham on the MR bit, but not as far as Bourne. However, I'm told that 8Fs ran from Saxby into Bourne; can anyone confirm this.
I think I'll be ever so flexible with the time-scale on my small railway. Post-War, I could run the B1, B12s, D2s, D3s, D9s, D16s(?) a variety of GNR 0-6-0s, K2s, plus the LMS types - 2Ps, 3Fs, 4Fs, Ivatt 4s, 8Fs and what have you.
Coaching stock? Almost anything that could turn a wheel!
Interestingly, for such a small place, Little Bytham saw several periods of intense railway building/demolition. First there was the towns' line in 1852, then Lord Willoughby's railway some years later, then its lifting (though some bridges still stand), then the M&GNR at the end of the century, then the widening of the GNR main line in late Edwardian times, then 50 years later the end of the M&GNR. Apparently, fights between the navvies and local labourers were quite common!
Good Morning Tony
Hope you are well? I notice the question mark next to D16's, I thought I had seen a few photo's of them on The Leicester over 'this' way, but I may be mistaken.
As for the navvies, I could do with a few of them today to help with my fence repairs! God, I hate digging.
Bytham (the model one) looking great in the photo's by the way.
Bytham (the real one), well that always looks good. Would love to have seen the MR/M&GN running, although to my grandparents, it was always ' The Midland', simple as that. They wouldn't have been put off by technicalities like end on junctions.
Hope to see you soon
Lee
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Is that Kelly & Oddball parked on the suspension bridge in that M4?
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And now the end is near (oops it's not karaoke it's RMWEB)
I have a few locomotives that I bought on a well known online auction site called eBay that I will not name. I'm posting them on here incase they give inspiration to some of you wondering what to do with your collection of £8.99 cupboard fillers. These have been converted from airfix and kit master kits. Along with scratch built parts and bits from who knows where. I don't know who made them but they did a nice job of them. They are all static and have no motors and the wheels don't turn. Some unusual locomotives anyway and they look nice in the display case.
No doubt some of the clever people of this parish could attempt some of these or similar from parts of GBL locos.
Now I know where 4479 went!
You beat me to the Buy It Now. Well done
Regards,
Lee
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Just about there................
This is the first production sample of Heljan's forthcoming O2 in the guise of an O2/4 (ex-O2/3). It performed impeccably, hauling over 40 kit-built wagons. Any previous comments have been acted upon, so it should be on sale
Looks very nice Tony
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Hi GraemeI'm way off the main topic here but with mention of powder coating above, it is perhaps relevant for me to mention my experiences with powder coated steel wheels for cars. Lovely looking and easy to maintain PROVIDING that there is no breach in the coating and no residual rust hiding in awkward corners under the coating, where blasting does NOT get it all out. Once rust gets under the coating it reveals the inability of the powder coating to prevent rampant spread of the stuff. Worryingly, the outer surface can still look sound at a glance when the situation beneath is becoming dire. I think there's no substitute for good quality primer and good quality top-coat paint of the kind that really annoys the environmentalists. Thick zinc electroplating or thick hot galvanising are all the better.
I hope you are well? I would agree with you on powder coating, we use the process on some machines at work.
If the preparation work is done correctly, it's a great coating, but if not, it can be dreadful.
We had a machine less than a year old, where the finish lifted off 50mm steel section in slabs. Most embarrassing.
In an ideal world, and one where the 'bottom line' is not scrutinised to the last penny (!), the correct way is degrease, shot blast (to give a good key) clean, then powder coat.
A lot of the big 4 Japanese motorcycle manufacturers powder coat the main spars of their chassis.
It is as tough as anything.
As for the A2 to A2/3 conversions I purchased from you, let's leave that one until winter!
Best Regards
Lee
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I'm intrigued by this stainless steel vehicle. Anyone got any photos?
Type 'Silver Princess Railway Carriage' into Google and some old posts on this forum are the first articles you'll see.
One of the links has a photo
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Just a short, but very sincere, 'Thank You', Andy, for producing such amazing shots. In my time as a professional model railway photographer, I thought I achieved some 'reasonable' results. However, it's a wise man (sorry to boast) who knows when his time has finished and it's time to retire! You, and your contemporaries have taken the genre to a level I couldn't possibly hope to achieve.
Something else I cannot achieve is the insertion of images to a previous post, so perhaps you can put these in in time.
This is the prototype shot of 60128 BONGRACE, taken in 1951/'52 by the late Wilf (sorry, don't know his surname) using a Kodak box camera. Apologies for the poor quality, but he was a member of the Bytham track gang, not a photographer! Note the differences in the appearance of the loco (the same one), but the model represents 1958. I did my best to replicate the train, but it's obviously not the same.
The next two shots were taken by the late Noel Ingram in the summer of 1962, post-dating the station's closure by two years.
In this view, 60067 LADAS heads southwards on an Up express (I don't have 60067, so 60049 GALTEE MORE - a detailed/modified Hornby product - had to suffice). The train is mainly Mk.1s with a Gresley leading.
This time it is the same loco, 60136 ALCAZAR, heading a Down express. The train is almost all Mk.1s, with a Gresley Catering Car (which I should have turned round to show the side with more white windows). I built both the A1s (painted by Ian Rathbone) and the trains are mine and Tony Geary's work. Any weathered wagons apparent show Rob Davey's expertise. I can see I'll have to do further work on the telegraph poles. The tall repeating signals were removed in 1959, when the station was closed.
I think what pleases me the most is how the open nature of the site has been captured by Andy. Norman Solomon's trackwork is peerless and Mick Nicholson's and Graham Nicholas' signals look the part absolutely. Some little time ago I caused concern by stating that trying to cram too much in (selective compression?) on a model of a prototype main line just doesn't 'work', and realism is lost. I still stick by that view. Real main line station sites, however cramped they might be, come in two sizes - large and vast! Little Bytham is a small station but its site is big. Thanks Andy for reproducing that effect so well.
I also shows how lucky I am to be part of a band of skilled modellers who've pooled their resources to produce something of 'worth'. We've all actually 'made this' (though I abstract myself from the 'skilled' category when I see Norman Solomon's trackwork), helping each other out by trading skills in the main (I assisted Norman with a DVD).
Hi Tony
I hope you are well? Bytham looks to have really progressed since the last time I visited.
Well, it's a hell of a trek from my house to yours.....
Wilf's surname was Stead, or Peter Windsor would just call him Steady
Just got back from week in North Norfolk, sadly only had briefest of visit's to NNR, but did pick up a copy of their M&GN quarterly magazine
Nice article on Bytham junction, couple of photo's of the line, one looking east and one looking west, plus a photo from north side of overbridge on ECML with a V2 heading north. Sadly, the smoke prevents a clear view looking south. They all show good detail of girder bridge.
Will drop off sometime if you haven't seen it.
Standard 4MT 76084 looked impressive at NNR. I understand that was a north west engine, but did any of those 2-6-0's get through Bytham?
Regards
Lee
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Michael,
Thanks for posting.
I've never built the Westward T9 but I've built one or two other Westward locos in the past. Lumpen, I'd say, and, if my memory serves, one or two had a solid milled-brass chassis with an XO4 cut-out. Hopeless for altering and impossible to solder brake rigging to! The best of luck..........
DJH are the best all-round kits in my view, similar to SE Finecast, though with more etched parts. This is the Klondike being built in EM for Paul Bason in exchange for his building of the Willoughby Arms. It's now been completed subsequent to my taking this picture, apart from the motion - that'll go on after painting. A mate grit-blasted it today (thanks Ray) and it came up beautifully - all the soldering/flux residue came off, making my work look unusually neat. It gives a good base for painting, too. I'm now well-on with the OO version for Grantham.
Good though they are, beware the DJH pitfalls. Such as the tender having one too many coal rails. I merrily soldered all the rails on, then examined the prototype picture with Ian Wilson. Three coal rails are rare on the C2's tenders. So, out with the mini drill and slitting disc; heart in the mouth time!
This is Paul's progress so far. I know I've got the better end of this deal.
The Willoughby will make a great centre piece Tony, not sure if the butchers shop was still next door then? You'll have to check with my folks, they will know.
Hope all OK with you?
Lee
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Three others to choose from............
Is there plenty of stock left of LNER version?
Thanks, Lee
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Paul,
You most certainly did not come across as being critical of my team approach - far from it.
Talking of the 'go-it-alone' approach, as I've intimated, I find that worthy of the greatest praise. With that in mind, I've put together a few shots illustrating the 'do it yourself' philosophy, which I hope will prove of interest.
Firstly, there's John Musselwhite's rendition of Bourne in OO - sadly never completed and now dismantled.
Perhaps the most famous of the lone modellers, the architectural work of Peter Denny representing a bit of Leighton Buzzard in EM. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this will be at Expo EM next week.
I don't think one can get much more self-sufficient than this - part of Keith Greave's fantastically-entertaining OO system, showing a most-ingenious double-deck fiddle yard, designed and made entirely by himself. He even built the room (with his wife's help) in which it's situated.
Graeme King A2 3 conversion from Bachmann A2.jpg
Well know as being described (in print!) as mad by me, Graeme King must be one of the most self-sufficient modellers currently plying their trade. He makes all the add-on parts for conversions such as this - in resin and etched nickel silver (with just a twitch of professional help with the etchings). He's made a conversion such as this for me.
Though Graham Nicholas now has a growing band of 'helpers', the initial construction (and the subsequent majority of the work) on Grantham was entirely down to him, including the building and painting of this rather attractive B17 - from a Cornard kit with a Jamieson chassis!
All Ray Chessum's work on Guildford, in EM. I've been asked to return and do some more photography.
John Houlden's Gamston in OO - all his own work, including the building of this O2.
More ECML in OO, this time all the work of Norman Venus - and outside! It should feature soon in BRM.
More up to date, this time in Scale Seven as well, by Simon Thompson. I think I've got the correct spelling of Y Crae.
These represent but a tiny fraction from my collection of model railway pictures, but they all illustrate vital components in their builders being truly described (in my book) as railway modellers. All display self-reliance, self sufficiency, self-belief and, above all, personal creativity. Folk can commission as much as they like, pay as much as they like or be part of as many 'teams' as they like in the creation of their model railways, but it's guys like the above to whom I take my hat off the most. Yes, as I've mentioned already, the teams I've been involved with have all been formed of most-accomplished modellers (with my adding my bit, I hope), but I've had to rely on the likes of them much more than the guys whose work is illustrated above.
Hi Tony
I hope you are well? I have not seen the layout of Bourne before, real shame it was lost.
What was the story behind it disappearing?
Like your visitors P2 by the way
Lee
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Hello Lee
Thanks for the positive feedback and to Dan and Keith also.
When the P2 first came out I had the idea of a 'what if' and decided to go down the BR Brunswick green path although others on the forum beat me to it.
I started with a common or garden (railroad) version.
I replaced the tender with a corridor type from a Hornby A4. Theory being that these locomotives should perhaps have been used on the non-stop London - Edinburgh trains. However, the drawbar on the Hornby A4 is attached to the loco and that on the P2 is attached to the tender. Fortunately the drawbar pin on the P2 is a 2mm screw so a replacement was relatively easy to make from a strip of brass, although not to the same length as either from the A4 or the original P2. It took several attempts to get the spacing correct.
I then removed the moulded on handrails from the cab sides. I suspect that if using a scapel to do this the chances of taking a gouge out of the cab side is fairly high so I used a small fine file and some premium sanding sticks, which I think came from Eilean's Emporium. The sanding sticks also removed the cab side numbers as well in the process, bonus!
I also removed the beading from around the rear of the cab sides and then partly filled in the cut out to match that on the A4 tender. I believe this was an early modification on the original (12 inches to the foot scale) P2 to combat drafts that the crews complained of. I used some 40 thou / 1mm thick plasticard, which I glued in place. I made these fillets oversize so that I could file to shape once the glue had set. I used good old Humbrol model filler to fill any slight gap followed by much smoothing with a fine sanding stick. This later process took several attempts to get an acceptable finish with no obvious join.
The next task was to drill the holes for the handrail knobs and attach the wire (Alan Gibson products - small handrail knobs and 0.45mm wire.).
I then turned my attention to the front end. That moulded on smoke box dart just had to go and was replaced by a turned brass item.
I was however tempted to leave the moulded on hand rail alone as its not easy to get at, but after much thought it just had to go. I used a scapel initially to remove as much as I dare and then finished off with a sanding stick whittled down to get into the confined space. The moulded on lamp bracket got the same treatment as well. Small handrail knobs and wire were duly applied.
I made a replacement lamp bracket out of a piece of 1mm diameter copper wire, hammered at one end to flatten it and then bent and filed to shape. Drill hole in smoke box and attach with glue. Sounds simple, but the lamp bracket is very tiny and when attempting to fix in place with tweezers it duly pinged across the room never to be seen again. I think I got it in place on the third attempt.
You could if you so wish replace the plastic whistle with a turned brass item, but I chose to leave the original in place.
That concludes the modifications
Next job was a full repaint. Not processing an airbrush and not wishing to spoil the plot with a brush I called the professional in. Parcel up the model and send off to Steve Johnson (Grimy Times) for a full repaint including the tender in BR Brunswick green complete with lining, etched nameplates, works plates and BR late crest. Although the tender was in excellent condition (an ebay find) I had it repainted in order to get an exact colour match with the engine. Steve also applied the weathering.
Cheers
Eric
Hi Eric
Thanks for the rundown, very interesting. It will no doubt sit in my never decreasing project list as a 'must do'
Kind Regards
Lee
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A slightly modified P2
That's come up well. Would be nice if you had time to give some instructions as to how you went about it.
Preparing the Horny paint job, BR green used, lining used, etc
I have got a Railroad model awaiting such a makeover, would be great to have some pointers
Thanks, Lee
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It's always a great pleasure to invite visitors to run the railway.
Rob Blackburn visited on Wednesday and brought with him a delightful gift. A pair of platform barrows for Little Bytham. Though it's not expected nor required that visitors bring things with them (though is a pattern emerging?), I count myself immensely privileged that this is taking place.
Rob, my most grateful thanks.
Hi Tony
I can just imagine my Grandad (Clarence Birch) moving some cases & parcels about there with the barrows whilst on porter duties, most probably with a fag hanging off his bottom lip. Think that was part of the uniform then.
Nice scene
Lee
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One from the 1940's A2/1 Waverley a mixture of G King resin front end and etched valve gear , Hornby A3 boiler and footplate, GBL A4 Cab and Bachmann A2 Chassis and Tender.
That's nice Mick, you must have a decent fleet of LNER loco's by now.
I have got a shopping list on the go for some of Graeme's stuff, but I don't expect to do them the justice you can.
Shame Bachmann don't do the A2 chassis on its own, would save some headaches
Lee
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Like the K2 Graeme, was that much of a fight to put together? I have a V3 chassis kicking around somewhere, so if you do knock anymore up, would you bear me in mind please?
Just going through your list again to see what I may purchase. Some really interesting items in there by the way
Lee
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Thanks Larry,
Very enlightening indeed.
Your prices seem to be very good value indeed, especially having seen the quality of your work.
It's interesting that you mention the need for some builders to out-source painting. I was one such who needed the services of a top painter to complete my models to the standard expected of my clients. I used the talents of Steve Barnfield and (mainly) Ian Rathbone. Ian (and his wife) spent the last weekend with us, operated the railway, talked trains and took delivery of five more of my locos for painting. When we ran my ten-car 'Queen of Scots', we mused over how much each car would cost to make and finish now for a hypothetical client. I made the set from Hornby donors, MJT bogies and bits and Comet sides, over 20 years ago. Today, with Hornby's announcement of these 1928-built cars, it made an interesting comparison. Ian's painting would be £150.00 per car. With a 'cheap' Hornby donor, Comet sides, bogies and bits and pieces, each car would cost around £30-35.00. Then, with my time in butchering, adapting/making new interiors and finishing, each car would come out at over £300.00 complete, maybe £325.00 . So, well over £3,000 for a ten-car rake. What'll be the cost of Hornby's new cars? How much is a Golden Age car (if you can find a loco to pull them!)? Yet, folk still bleat about the high cost of mainstream RTR items. I'll bet the latest Hornby cars will be the equal of any alternative, at least as a 'layout train'. How many more adaptations will need to be created then? Precious few.
Many enquirers appeared aghast when I used to quote for making a loco for them, including painting. One, whom I'd built for, said he couldn't afford my prices any more, and went elsewhere. He returned two years later, having tried cheaper alternatives. These didn't run. Yesterday Paul Bason (who's started on the Willoughby mock-up) and two mates from Spalding ran the railway. In over three hours extensive (and inexperienced) running, we had just three layout/stock faults. A J6 bounced on a double slip (tight BtB, investigated), a new-built coach derailed (checked and adjusted) and a 'Brit' became derailed because its cylinder drain cocks had been pushed (in careless handling) into the leading bogie wheel. I mention the above (not to boast, I hope) but to to explain my apparent zeal with regard to running. Since every recalcitrant item was made by me, running on track laid (in the fiddle yard) and wired by me, I had the cure at hand. It's my case for making/doing things myself, and for helping others. Yes, I admit to being less-than-satisfied with my painting, but that doesn't affect the running (unless paint's all over the wheel tread.
On Monday, two more-experienced mates and I ran through the whole sequence - some 80-odd train movements in around three and a half hours, including some fairly extensive shunting. Other than operator errors (the mutual abuse flew!), there was not a single layout/stock fault. Thank you gentlemen.
I mention the above because a suggested, further (longer) DVD is to be made of Little Bytham during the spring, where running will be paramount. Please, watch this space.
Hello Tony
Will look forward to the new DVD. The progress of Bytham from the original DVD should be really interesting I would think.
Wright writes.....
in Modelling musings & miscellany
Posted
Footbridge looks good Tony. What did the signs above each platform entry read?
Regards
Lee