Tony Teague

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

I am delighted to confirm the arrival of the K10 on Churminster Shed and also to report that it is performing impeccably. I have attached two pictures of it on the Chuminster test train but can advise that since then it has also hauled 12 Hornby Maunsells without wheelslip - excellent performance to match its stunning looks! All thanks to Dave! Tony

A most enjoyable day at Pendon with thanks to Andy and Mick (& team) for their efforts. Here are my first two focus-stacked images: The first is made up of 23 images and the second comes from 18: These are quite low-res / small filesize versions but I am pretty happy with the larger ones that I can see. On reflection, it is clear to me that the camera I used is no match for my DSLR - but it has other strengths like focus stacking and is a better size for this particular job. Tony

I had meant to report on the K10's "pulling power" earlier, but I have now conducted a simple test, on the flat: K10 12 x Hornby Maunsells T19 16 x Hornby Maunsells - but the T9 has traction tyres Given that my longest train is currently 11 coaches, and that I will more likely want the K10 to haul about 5 or 6, this is pretty impressive! I will also do a test on the fairly steep incline up to my top fiddle yard, where I find the T9's very poor and report back in due course Tony

Thanks - edited to correct!

And so to "N". We start with the ex-SECR Maunsell N class, of which there were 80, and a pretty reasonable model has been produced for some time & in several liveries by Bachmann; No.1404 is in lined olive: Whilst No.1847 is in malachite. There were only 6 of the three-cylinder ex-SECR Maunsell N1 class; No.1379 is from a South Eastern Finecast kit: The LSWR under Urie produced 20 'King Arthur' N15's, whilst the SR under Maunsell then delivered a further 54 of these locos in several batches; the 'Arthurs' rank amongst my favourite Southern locos. Hornby have produced a fine model with several livery and tender variations, whilst it was also one of the earliest products from OO Works; I'm not sure that I yet have all of the detailed variations sorted out correctly (discuss!), but here are a couple of examples: No.790 'Sir Villiars' is by OO Works, whilst No.740 'Merlin' is a Hornby model; both have 8-wheel double bogie tenders. To complete the letter "N" we come to the Southern Railway Maunsell N15X class; No.2332 'Stroudley' is from a NuCast kit: Tony [Edited to correct Urie's employer!]

Thanks Javier - I shall certainly be ordering. Tony

Andy Regret yes, these pictures are copyright, but I think that DLT has provided a link to some others. Dave There is no intention to make a kit available although Arun who produced the etches and castings for me has said that he has a small number of sets of parts which he may be prepared to make available to interested parties. I agree that the cab does not look right, however, the etches are not from a T9, they were drawn specifically from L12 drawings and so I suspect that as Denbridge has pointed out, the boiler maybe sitting too high. I will work with Andy to check all of the key dimensions before we go any further. Tony

Hi Jack As mentioned in posr #203, "having ... consulted...Locomotives Illustrated...all of the original cab roofs were changed by 1938"; it also says that all 17 of the class were altered between 1935 and 1939, however, it does not give dates for each loco. Perhaps Bradley might help - if I could find it! Tony

OK, back to the A-Z and on with "M" and to the humble ex-LSWR Drummond M7; the current Hornby model is really pretty good, with both long and short-framed varieties in multiple liveries: Nos 242 & 249 are both short-framed and in malachite & wartime black respectively An SEFinecast kit is also available, represented here by long-framed No.28 and short-framed no.251: I'd have to say that lined olive is my favourite livery for these locos! On now to Bulleid's MN Merchant Navy class - incidentally I somehow missed out the Battle of Britain class under "B" and so we will have to pick them up under "W" for West Country! Nos. 21C1 'Channel Packet', and 21C3 'Royal Mail' are the only two Merchant Navy locos issued so far in SR livery by Hornby from their new tooling - and very fine models they are! No.21C18 'Orient Line' is from a PDK kit - an equally fine model: And that completes the letter "M" at which point we are half way through our A-Z of Southern Locomotives - so still a few to go! Tony

Thanks Nick - given that I model 1938 - 1948 I think that means that the only ones fitted with a double dome that would be right for me would be 407 and 411 - but I shall stick to a single dome which will be right for all four E5X's until 1945. Tony