Tony Teague

Hi Dave Had the top off and to my surprise it has a Mashima motor - not sure what the gearbox is but looks pretty OK. In fact the build doesn't look too bad under here, it's just that the finish is not pretty and it doesn't work! I'll take you at your word if I may, and box it up and send it to you for review and potential surgery! Best wishes Tony

Guys Of course you are both right; I do have one but did not include it as it is out of the range for the era that I model. It is a great hulk of a loco: It is from a Langley kit, but I have no idea who the builder was as I got it 2nd hand, again, at a time before I had decided upon the precise era that I wanted to cover. I think the N15X is far more attractive! Tony

I have the 4mm Judith Edge kit for this little electric shunter and whilst I can locate some prototype pictures I can't find ANY that show any markings, nor any indication of livery other than general filth! I model the SR pre-nationalisation period so any help on livery and markings would be appreciated. Tony

Now before we dive down into "V", a small diversion into weathering. Some months back - well last autumn actually, I mentioned that I had been on an excellent airbrush and weathering course at Missenden Abbey, which was run by the very capable and highly skilled Mick Bonwick. Later, I posted a few pictures of weathered wagons, and later still I complained about the amount of weathering still to be done (bucket-loads), and the absence of time that I had managed to find to practice my new-found weathering skills. Well it just so happens that Mick had been following this thread and very kindly offered his help in reducing this problem - and more or less immediately he started by weathering a short milk train for me - and an excellent job he made of it - thanks Mick!: and a close-up of the M7 loco (with apologies to Mick for using his picture!): You can see more of Mick's excellent weathering on his Flickr stream: https://www.flickr.com/photos/laughinglobster/ Subsequently, I managed to spend some time with Mick getting some further guidance and coaching, as well as putting in some practice; later, I managed to complete the weathering of my "Kent coalfields" coal train. Here are the results: now, before anyone points this out to me, I do know that of all of the Kent collieries, only Tilmanstone had their own wagons; the others were obliged by the Southern Railway to use SR wagons - but I didn't know that when I started to collect some of these varied limited edition wagons - nevertheless I think it makes a plausible looking train - and I am not planning to tell anybody - so Rule 1 applies! Some further wagons: There are a couple of good pictures of the Tilmanstone wagons within John Arkell's fairly recent "Private Owner Wagons of the South East" (Lightmoor Press): (The white thing under the brake van is a track cleaning pad - I find these very effective). Needless to say, Mick has already given me some feedback on how I can improve these wagons - and I shall! And no, I have not yet summoned the courage to weather the loco, a Q1, but it will follow shortly, along with others; now that I have got the weathering bug I am just going to have to find the time! (oh, and I have re-booked on this autumn's Missenden Abbey weathering course, so if you happen to be there, please say hello!). Tony [Edited to correct opening sentence - next letter in the "A-Z" is V not U. Doh!

Phew! / Relieved. Me too (crazy that is!)

Dave No idea! I'll take a look and report back. Tony

Hope I didn't offend! Not intended! Tony

Dave You are welcome to take a look at the T6 - it is pretty much worthless as it is, so there can be no downside! I'll send it in due course to add to your "heap". Thanks! Tony

Not sure about sad - after all, who am I to say??? Brave, certainly, and maybe just a little crazy - but then that's what keeps us all going - isn't it? Tony

Am I alone in thinking that it is just too hot for modelling? I know we Brits always complain about the weather but really! I have had to switch from DC to DC + AC (air-conditioning) - but it is even too hot for the AC to cope. And so, time for "T" (and probably "U" as well)! First is the ex-SECR Kirtley T class, represented by No.1602 from a Q Kits kit: The camera is always cruel, but in this case I really must do something about that awful golden bolt under the front! Next up is the ex-LSWR Adams T1 class; No.6 is from a Craftsman kit: The T6 class is out of my time period, but a long time ago, and before I had settled on what I was trying to do, I bought an old, second-hand Jidenco kit for a T6 and sent it to an alleged "professional" kit builder. He will remain nameless, but his work was quite appalling - the lining is wiggly, various parts are not straight, it has no weight in it, the central driving wheels are the only ones it picks up through and they don't touch the track because the front bogie is set too high, etc etc! It taught me a lesson, but I have kept it as a sharp reminder that not everyone who advertises a service is capable of delivering on what they say: One day, when I need to let off steam I will perhaps hit it with a sledge hammer! Back to more pleasant things, and to Drummond's elegant ex-LSWR T9 class of which I have more than a few; No.312 has an 8-wheel water-cart tender and is from an SE Finecast kit: Once Hornby released their T9 model it became unrealistic to build, or have built, further kits: No.708 is a Hornby example in wartime black, whilst No.338 (below) is in olive and hauling the Imperial Airways Empire Flying Boat Train; each of these also has a watercart tender - for some reason I couldn't seem to find one with a 6 wheel tender when I as taking the pictures! On to a further Drummond ex-LSWR loco, his massive-looking T14 'Paddlebox' class, represented by No.460 from a Nu-Cast kit: Forgive my repeating this shot which was requested by a follower of the thread before we had quite reached "T" - which it now concludes - and so to "U", where we find Maunsell's U class, represented by No.1622 in olive, and No.1624 in wartime black - both from DJH kits: Next is the 3-cylinder version of the U, the U1; again No.1901 is from a DJH kit: and to conclude today's post, we have the wartime USA class, and this is represented by No.68, which is a Model Rail / Bachmann RTR model: and by No.72 which is from a SE Finecast kit: I hadn't really noticed before but the lettering on No.68 looks a bit small, whilst that on No.72 looks a bit yellow! Feels like some weathering is required - and that will (very neatly) be the subject of my next update! (As before, kit built locos were put together and painted for me by Chris Phillips - except the awful T6!). Tony

Just received an order from Dart Castings - about 2 weeks after placement.

Like Tony I use DC, however in my case large parts of my fiddle yard have been automated such that after the front train is released, the second will move up after a short delay, triggered by Heathcote IRDOT detectors. This does give rise to the braking issue on arrival in the fiddle yard that Tony describes, and additionally as each train moves up to the front. Because the yard is automated, my solution to the braking issue was to have a separate "yard power" supply, set to a relatively low voltage, so that as trains cross into the fiddle yard they are slowed to a crawl. In this way, when they eventually stop dead, the effect is minimised - but not eliminated! Of course there are some issues related to trains of different weight and / or locos with different characteristics; RTR locos with traction tyres stop dead, whilst those with flywheels take time to stop and could run through the "stopping zone". Trains made up of heavy kit-built metal coaches take longer to stop, whilst those comprising long rakes of lightweight plastic wagons may derail if stopped too abruptly. The level of "yard power" is controllable, but over a long learning period I think I have got it about right; 20 roads containing 40 trains are controlled in this way and there are few casualties (unless of course Mr Wright walks through the railroom door!). Tony

I like the suggestion made yesterday, that a book of these images - the models of Allan Downes - would be an excellent idea, AND preserve this amazing work. Please take this as my order! Tony

Thanks this is helpful to know, although it may not help get my order delivered! Tony

Chris Thanks; I probably didn't understand that when I bought the kits - and these are not the only ones that I have that are out of range - but at least they were there during my '38 - '48 era, so I think they can stay! I have got to take a few more pics before I can finish the alphabet, but it won't be long. Tony

Ho, Ho, Ho!

Back to the A - Z, and to "R" where real confusion reigns! In fact I had to think hard before posting this as I normally don't know my R's from my elbow! During the period modelled there were two R and two R1 classes, all of them originating from within the former SE&CR fleet. First we have the Kirtley designed, ex-LCDR classes R and R1, and of the R class, I do not currently have a representative, however, the R and R1 are so similar - excepting the bogie wheel size, that I am currently trying to build an R from a SE Finecast kit. I will report on progress in due course. Here, however, is No.1710 representing the R1 class and built from a Q Kits kit: Turning to the Stirling designed, ex-SER R class, we have No.1124 with a short chimney and rounded cab: and then representing the Wainwright modifications that produced this particular R1 class, we have No.1336 having the taller chimney but with the rounded cab: and finally No.1047 with the tall chimney and angular cab: The last three all from SE Finecast kits, and one of them, No.1336 being the only loco in the whole fleet built by me personally! (The rough finish gives it away). In fact of these, No.1124 had gone before nationalisation. So, on to "S" and the sole ex-SECR Maunsell S class, No.1685, again from an SE Finecast kit: I always think that this along with the SR Crane Tank (No.1302) look very odd against the rest of the SR fleet! Next is the S11 class, another T9 variant and which like the L12, is currently missing from my fleet. I have hopes of achieving a model of this larger-boilered, smaller-wheeled loco from the same castings that are currently in hand for assembly as the L12. Finally under "S" we have the more numerous S15 class, with versions by Urie under the LSWR and then Maunsell for SR: No.499 is my sole Urie variant, from a DJH kit, whilst Nos. 826 and 847 are SR / Maunsell versions by Hornby and DJH respectively: As before, all of the kit-built locos are by Chris Phillips, excepting my dodgy looking one, as above. So, returning to an updated "missing" list, there are updates on both the D3X and E6X, so that it now looks like this: SECR Wainwright B1 (16) LB&SCR Billinton B4X (12) LB&SCR Marsh C3 (8) LSWR Drummond C14 (3) - potential solution = CSP / Agenoria kit announced years ago but yet to be delivered LB&SCR Marsh D3X (1) - potential solution through indication of a forthcoming 3D printed body, chassis to be sourced LB&SCR Billinton E4X (4) LB&SCR Billinton E5X (4) - 3D printed body + SEF chassis kit held for assembly LB&SCR Billinton E6X (2) - 3D printed body + SEF chassis kit held for assembly SECR Wainwright F1 (9) - solution = Jidenco kit held but not yet in build SR Maunsell I1X (18) LSWR Drummond L12 (20) - solved, 3D printed, etched & cast by Arun Sharma, now in build on Hornby RTR chassis SECR Kirtey R (18) - solved, build in hand from SE Finecast R1 kit LSWR Drummond S11 (10) - potential solution to use cast L12 parts and modified SE Finecast T9 chassis So we are left with the letters "T" to "Z", following which I will cover the small number of numerically classified class such as 0395 and 0458, plus odd diesel shunters etc. Tony

I seem to be alone in having problems with Brimal. Order not received, no reply to follow up e-mail, brushed off with an implausible answer on the telephone, still no delivery and still no response to a 2nd mail. Still time for them to put it right but at this rate my first dealing with them will be my last! Tony

Back to our A-Z, and I'm beginning to feel that the end is in sight as we cover "O", "P" & "Q" ! Having got this far I can see all sorts of future possibilities - locos by pre-grouping company, locos by chief engineer, Maunsell, Wainwright, Stirling and so on, locos by running number, locos by wheel arrangement, or simply locos by livery, who knows! Anyway, on to "O" where we have two classes, named imaginatively O1, and O2 - albeit by different engineers and companies; first the ex-SECR Wainwight O1, represented here by No.1370 which was built from a Branchlines kit: This is closely followed by a pair of Adams, ex-LSWR O2's, pictured on the Stowe Magna turntable: No.207 is from an Alan Gibson kit, whilst No.225 is a ready-to-run example from Kernow / DJM. Moving on, I think we'd all like to have a "P" - and so here to represent the Wainwright, ex-SECR P class is No.1556 from a SE Finecast kit: followed by No.1555, one of the recent and exquisite Hattons RTR models: Bringing up the rear for today are representatives of the two SR "Q" classes, Q and Q1; first Maunsell's Q represented by No.531 from a Wills kit and built by Dave Taylor (DLT of this parish): and this is followed by Bulleid's Q1 represented by No.C1 from a SE Finecast kit (built for me many years ago by somebody called Temple), and by No.C8, a RTR offering from Hornby: So that's it for O, P & Q - and my apologies of some of the pics were a bit blurred - I shall try to do better! On - and no changes to the "missing" list! Tony

Thank you! I much prefer trains to be available "on call" than to be in a drawer if possible and so, given the available space, I deliberately chose to fit as much storage as possible. The main yard has up and down sides that feed to main "roundy-roundy" loop, whilst the upper and lower yards face opposite directions on what is a large overlaid figure of eight. Tony

Colin I too prefer Helicon as a stacking tool and I justify it as you say, through use on my own layout. I do quite a bit of photography but I can't think of another application where I would use it. Of your two pictures of the almshouses, I prefer the stacked one but would probably agree that a few more shots would have ensured that it was clear throughout. Best wishes Tony

A progress update: I hate to see good siding / fiddle yard space wasted, and ever since I installed and tested the top fiddle yard I realised that I had made it far longer than the longest train that was ever likely to make it up the incline and into that yard! Max platform length on the layout will accomodate 6 coaches plus a tender loco, but there are longer roads in the main fiddle yard beneath, for longer through trains of which the two longest are each currently 11 coaches plus tender loco - so I decided to make better use of the space and split some of the roads in two. So, last week, with help from Giles Walburn of Elite Baseboards, I took the bull by the horns and we split six of the longer roads within the top yard, so that each will now take two trains; this involved a certain amount of re-wiring, addition of diodes and IRDOT boards so that the second train in each case will move up automatically when the front one leaves - as per the main fiddle yard underneath. Here is a shot of the result with 5 of the split roads occupied: The three roads nearest the front (and one other in the centre) are shorter than the rest and so could not sensibly be split, whilst the road at the back is linked to a separate section of the layout and has to perform some other functions. In addition one road (the eighth from the back wall), performs as a 'light engine' road and has already been split into 9 sections each of which can accomodate a loco and tender. At some point I will post a video showing how these move up one at a time when the front loco leaves! Following this work, the layout now has theoretical off-scene / fiddle yard storage for 79 complete trains (of varying length) plus 15 light engines (on two dedicated fiddle yard roads) - which sounds great until you think about the complexity of the operating schedule..... Tony Edited to add: - I should explain that the brwon squares on the ceiling are to prevent false "occupied" readings from the IRDOT detectors via infra-red reflecting off the ceiling!

I'm slowly working through my images and getting used to the photo-stacking software; here are a couple more: Tony [Edited to add a larger version of the 2nd image as I felt the original small one did not do it justice]

2 great sequences Colin! Tony

Managed to process a couple more of what is essentially the same shot with different processing - each comprises 38 images: Tony