Tony Teague

Andy Your suggestion is a good one which I will explore. I haven't yet looked too hard at the S11 as I have been focussing on the L12, but I have a 2nd set of etches and parts for the L12 so I need to explore what else, other than the wheels, needs to be changed. It may not be very much. One interesting point is that the differences in size between these models in 4mm is so marginal that unless they are standing next to each other it may be difficult to spot the differences! Tony

Andy A good question - could it be over exposure to Tony Wright's anti-RTR crusade perhaps? - No, it is because if I want to move on to build the S11, then I will need smaller wheels with different spacings, set lower within the frames (to achieve the same height), and I could not do this with the Hornby chassis. So, there is madness in my method! Tony

Scarey!! - you must be a bit of a coffee stirrer connoisseur to spot them! - but can you identify which branch of Costa??? Tony

Longer term followers of this thread may recall my preoccupation with adding to my fleet at least one of every class of loco that the Southern Railway owned at nationalisation; although I have seemingly exhausted all known kits and RTR classes I have not been idel in terms of securing the last few classes that remain. A while ago I persuaded my good friend Arun Sharma to get involved in producing a 3D printed body for an LSWR Drummond L12 - which is a T9 variant, having a larger boiler but identical wheelsets to a T9. Our aim was to produce a body that could directly replace the Hornby model, so that the loco would run on the Hornby chassis. The first print looked good and proved that it could be done, but we quickly realised that the Hornby T9 boiler was metal and that without significant weight our loco would not be balanced - so we changed tack. Arun then used the 3D print to develop white metal castings for key components such as the firebox and smokebox, some brass castings for splashers etc, and nickel silver etches for the footplate and cabsides. Whilst this is a far more complex approach, it is also much more robust. I have now commenced building the "Mk.2" L12 and will post updates as the build progresses, but in the meantime I have also decided to look at whether the new body can be mounted on a SEF T9 chassis, so I shall be exploring this at the same time. Incidentally, if this all works, then the LSWR Drummond S11 is next - same boiler as the L12 but smaller driving wheels! Tony

Adrian Fabulous modelling as ever. You might like to consider something like this "coaling stage" that I built from coffee stirrers about a year ago - it was inspired directly by your own efforts on this thread! Tony

Chris / Dave That's very helpful; I doubt that many of us know much about the difference between WTF WSF and FUD and I probably would have paid the extra for a FUD model had I known - or had it been available. Tony

Fascinating - especially for someone who merely attends exhibitions, rather than exhibits. It shows just how much really goes in to a quality exhibition layout. Tony

The question of whether 3D printing will soon take the place of kit-building has been raised here a couple of times, but with Tony's permission, I'd just like to share my latest experience which I hope may be of interest to others. I noted on another RMWeb thread (that I now cannot find!) that someone had very kindly drawn and 3D printed the body for a slightly obscure SE&CR 20T 6 wheeled brake van (SR d.1558) and that it was available from Shapeways for just over £30: https://www.shapeways.com/product/L6DEMGDN4/a-76-secr-6w-brakevan-1?productConfiguration=63882627&etId=168957135&utm_source=automated-contact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=order-shipped&utm_content=2 I thought that this would add a bit of variety to my fleet and so, even though the body has no floor and will need a chassis to be built, I sent for one which duly arrived a week or so later. Unfortunately part of the step board was missing on one side and the tie bar between two of the axle boxes was broken on the other, and so I reported this to Shapeways who agreed without any fuss to replace it. The replacement arrived yesterday and although the step boards are complete, one of the tie bars again has a gap in it; in neither case were any broken bits inside the very secure packing and so one can only assume that because this part is extremely fragile, there has been a fault in printing it. A picture showing the two prints is attached. I can't fault Shapeways service, and the 3D drawing is clearly excellent, but having decided that both the step boards and the tie bars are way too flimsy I shall not ask Shapeways for a third print, but will replace these parts with more robust materials. Turning to the surface quality of the print, this is in a material called "white strong & flexible" and it is certainly white! I am not going to put the other two qualities to the test but I can only say that it appears to me to be rather more flimsy than I would like, and as others have found, the surface itself is considerably less smooth than that of a plastic injection moulding - but I knew that before I placed my order. So yes, I have got my model of an unusual prototype which is not available RTR or in kit form, and I do not regret my purchase; whether the model will actually appear on my layout or stay in a stock drawer probably depends on how much effort I put into completing it and whether I can put up with the relatively rough looking surface texture. For me, 3D printing is still very immature and not yet a viable alternative to brass, nickel-silver or plastic injection moulding! (Just my opinion!) Tony

So I believe!

One major issue that I have yet to deal with is that almost none of my locos or stock is weathered - and I certainly intend to remedy this but it is a big job! I mentioned a couple of posts back that I had attended an excellent weathering course at Missenden Abbey and since then I have acquired a new spray booth and set things up to start the weathering job so, at great risk of being told I should do it differently - or better!, here are a few of my first efforts! I don't regard any as finished, all are "work in progress", some are air-brushed, some dry-brushed and some use a mixture of techniques including powders. Most require a bit more attention / rust, to the underframes. I started with the local Private Owner stock: Tom Chinnery is the Stowe Magna Coal Merchant The Stowe Magna Gas Light & Coke Company operate the local gas works, which has a private siding just beyond the station. A local builder also makes use of the goods yard: I also attended to one or two wagons from further afield: Finally, one of those white Belgo-Anglais Ferry Van coal wagons that I first showed in post #47 I'll add some further pictures as I make progress and get more practice! Tony

Apologies! Must be recent as the front page was updated on 3rd October. I last placed a successful order almost exactly 12 months ago. Let us hope that the problem is temporary. Tony

Still going strong? - http://www.pdkmodels.co.uk/ Tony

I recently discovered this amazing thread, having exchanged mutually supportive posts with Alan on another thread (belonging to a certain Mr Wright). Since then I have diligently worked through every page - until, imagine my horror! - I found that Kingsbridge was to be destroyed. What a shame! I must say that I was impressed throughout with the standard of modelling and what I especially liked was the way in which Alan worked through the timetable, showing in one post after another, the arrivals and subsequent departures of each train as the day progressed. Whilst this may seem an obvious way to report things - mingled with a smattering of progress reporting - I had not seen it done so well elsewhere and will now certainly steal it as an approach for my own thread. Despite my recent arrival at Kingsbridge, I shall miss the layout and it is certainly good that it will be preserved through RMWeb and this thread. I wish the new layout every success and will be following with interest. Tony

Speaking as one of those errant modellers who has chosen not to model a real prototype location, I must say that I agree entirely with what Tony has said. I have been researching the signalling requirements for my Southern Railway 1938 - 1948 layout, and not only do I need to establish where the signals should go, I have to specify what function each should perform, what type of post, bracket or gantry should support each one, how tall each signal post should be and so on. Of course no-one can tell me that I have got the railway fence in the wrong position, but I can't help thinking that an actual prototype location might have been easier...! (By the way, good to see you today at Warley Tony, and all good wishes to Mo for a speedy recovery). Tony

Thanks Alan After responding to your post on Tony Wright's thread I am just working through your own - right from the beginning, and it is certainly most impressive. I'll make further comment over there! Tony

Apologies for my very late response on this but I have been playing catch-up. I just wanted to say that you are not alone! I am a great fan of this thread and get a lot of inspiration from it, and LB in particular, but I certainly used to feel a bit inadequate in the loco-building department - despite building my own baseboards, doing 90% of my own wiring, building & painting wagon kits, coach kits and until recently all of my scenery, I either bought RTR or commissioned the loco kit-builds from others. Tony then very kindly gave me a lesson in loco-building and I have now almost finished two - but to be honest it is never going to be the favourite aspect of railway modelling for me - plus I really have to admit to having far too many locos! So, do I now feel inadequate in any way, or that I am not a 'proper' modeller? Not at all, because I am doing what gives me the most pleasure and using what skills & competencies I have, plus when I buy RTR or commission work from others I am helping to keep the hobby alive. Tony

What about switching to DC and leaving the decoder out? (Only a suggestion from an old Luddite!) Tony

North Norfolk Railway, yesterday. WD 90775 approaching bridge 303. Tony

Congratulations on the article Graham; the pictures are excellent, however, I find the MR house style irritating - especially the "3 things we like", "what makes this layout great" & "Things you may have missed"; I have recently cancelled my MR subs! None of my prejudice takes away from what you have achieved - the level of detailing is excellent and I look forward to seeing the layout at an exhibition soon. Tony

Sounds good! Will be in touch. Tony

Andy Great video! Makes me wish that we had found time to run your stock here when you paid a visit - next time perhaps? For the future - I have found personally, that it is easier to upload videos to You Tube and then paste a link in here. Tony

Adrian Thanks - its an idea - I see this pond as being rather contaminated by oil and coal etc, although it is not quite as black as the picture represents. Tony

Thanks fozzy, that sounds like a better idea! Tony

Between Stowe Magna station and Stowe Magna shed, a small drainage ditch or stream emerges from underneath the railway and then flows alongside the entry road to the goods yard into a small dirty pond, before disappearing off the baseboard edge. I have been working to finish this area and with some scenic help from friend Mike, plus some Aqua magic, the stream and pond are now looking pretty good, however, I have hit a small problem at the baseboard edge where I have failed to get a neat finish. I have explained the problem in a separate post and asked whether others have experience and / or a solution to this problem, as I have two other places on the layout where I want to use this approach. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/127994-using-deluxe-materials-aqua-magic-at-baseboard-edge/ All thoughts appreciated! Tony

Does anyone have a patent method for blocking off the edge, where a stretch of water comes to the end of the baseboard? I have a small stream that starts next to my loco shed and opens into a pond that lies along the front edge of the baseboard. I have used Aqua Magic to fill it and it looks pretty good, but I have struggled to get a clean line at the board edge. I decided to wrap a length of mount board in cling film and then I staple gunned the board to the front of the baseboard; I then sealed the bottom edge of the join with Maskol and this arrangement certainly ensured I had no leaks! Over a period of about 2 weeks I added 3 or 4 layers of Aqua Magic and once it was all completely solid I removed the staples and mount board, however the Aqua Magic had stuck to the cling film and pulled it inwards, away from the mount board in places. Although I have cut it free with a scalpel, the edge of the water is not as neat against the board edge as I would like - see pictures: I have another similar area of water elsewhere on the layout to deal with, and so any suggestions as to how I might better seal the edge would be appreciated. Tony