Manxcat

I venture to suggest that, with the end of the Warley NEC show, Model Rail Scotland will now be the largest show in the UK

If you would like to try a new way of filling a hole accidentally made in a white metal casting you may be interested in some videos currently on you tube. All you need is some duct tape for the back of the hole, some baking soda and a tube of free flowing super glue. Search on you tube for Baking Soda and Super Glue and watch one of the videos entitled Pour Super Glue on Baking Soda. If you watch the whole of one of these short videos you should not need any written instructions other than the fact that deeper holes need more than one application, a bit at a time. The result may be even stronger than the white metal and can be drilled.

Tony, I see the York show is on for Easter 2023 and that you will be manning your usual loco doctoring stand. I really missed the show this year and I'm pleased to see they have solved the problems which scuppered the 2022 one. I have been to every York show since the 1970s and always enjoy it. Archie

The attached photos, taken in the early 1970s are of my first layout, Hatton Heath. As you will see, it was a GWR branch line terminus station. I made my locos fron white metal kits which I put together and painted myself. I was in my teens and had not been modelling long so the quality of my scenic skills was not high. I knew little about wiring a layout at that time but a close friend of mine was an expert in that subject and I gave him free reign to wire the layout and control panel as he chose. We were both avid signalling fanatics and he chose to make the panel represent the layout of a signal box, but with switches instead of levers. The switches along the blue lower part of the panel controlled the points and the signals and all of them have two lights above them to indicate the route set or the signal position. At the top right of the panel is the representation of a block instrument which we used to offer trains between the station and fiddle yard. By far the best element of the panel was that the signals and points were interlocked. This was achieved electrically by the use of relays and a diode matrix. You will see that the approach to the station had a signal with a route indicator. This meant there was no need to build a larger multi-arm signal and trains could be signalled in with the indicator showing platorms 1, 2, 3 and 4 or L for the goods loop. When the layout was first exhibited Cyril Freezer was watching it and I asked him what he thought of the signal with the route indicator. He said something along the lines of "Well the signal works but I am just wondering which engineer decided to build a fogman's hut on the bracket"! Archie

Tony, Yes, this Bachmann model of a Caledonian 812 Class. I have yet to add lamps, crew and real coal. Nevertheless, a superbly detailed loco in my opinion. Archie

My club, Glasgow & West of Scotland MRC, will be exhibiting our OO Gauge BR steam and green diesels layout Phoenix Lane at the show again this year. I have posted a few pictures below but if you want a much better idea of what the layout looks like when operating at a show look no further than a really excellent video posted on YouTube by dcc125 In the YouTube search box type in Model Rail Scotland 2020 Part 3 and, when you search, his video should be the first hit. Coverage of our layout begins at 8 minutes 54 seconds and lasts for 12 minutes. We would love to know what you think of it.

In 1977, when I was just 21, I applied for a job in the civil service in Scotland. The interview panel of three men asked me a number of general questions about why I wanted a civil service job and finally moved on to whether I had a hobby which I considered a passion. When I said I was a railway modeller they were all very interested and the questions turned, to my surprise, into whether I would model an actual prototype or not. I managed to turn this around to the fact that I was still planning my latest layout but not a week before had visited Ballachulish with a fellow club member to effectively produce a basic survey of what remained of the station and its environs, for him to make an accurate layout. I explained my secondary hobby of photography allowed me to record what was left of the buildings for my friend. The rest of the interview shot past and I left quite confident that I had made a good impression. Less than a week later I got the job. My friend didn't start building for some months, at which point he decided his interest lay more in German railways and that is what he modelled from then onwards. Archie

Tony, The layout of Lockerbie will be at Model Rail Scotland in 2023 by which time it will be complete. The guys building it do not want to rush it and there have been several visits to the station to survey the surrounding area to make the model as true to the prototype as possible. Here are a couple of photographs of just one additional item made for the layout. One of the real thing and one of the model. They are in real life just back from the platform to the North of the building.

Another photo, this time including the rather dirty platform canopy and the various advertising boards and other signs.

When a praticular skill is required the result can be very satisfying. A fellow club member of mine is building a scale model of Lockerbie station. I built the station building for him. Here are some photos of the completed building. It took over 4 months and I am very pleased with the result.

Tony, Our club is contacted every few months with enquiries about the sale of the collections of deceased modellers. We have found that sales at auction can sometimes secure a lot more than second hand dealers will offer. Some years ago now a widow with some O gauge tinplate locos contacted us and I visited her, since she lived close to our clubroom. The items were in very good condition and she told me a dealer had seen them and offered £200 for them all. We put her in touch with Warwick and Warwick, who advertise in the model press, and they fetched £800, after commission, when auctioned individually. The firm will appraise larger collections by sending a valuer to the seller's house and make an offer for them or auction them if that is what the seller would prefer. You might like to consider referring widows to them where RTR items are involved, Neither I nor any of our club members has a connection with them. Archie

Norman Colliery is the first layout I have ever seen with intentionally distressed rail alignment to give that wonderful dip in the track. One might say it looks wrong for all the right reasons.

Model Railway Engineer.com has published a list of the names of men most likely to be Model Railway Enthusiasts. It is as follows. 1. Michael 2. David 3. Mark 4. Chris 5. Robert 6. Andy 7. Matt 8, John 9. Brian 10. James Our model railway club of 16 members has seven of the ten names listed as members. I do wonder how the list was compiled. Archie

Imagine the boiler explosion in the quarry as it hit the ground, if that had been a real loco and not a mock up.

It is so good to see the numerous posts in response to my List of Twenty modelling experiences. It was only ever meant as a bit of fun and if you want to claim half a point for any of them then that's fine by me. I am however wondering if I am the only one who has done all 20 !!! Archie