Keith Turbutt

Hi Frank, I can only speak from my own experience with drop in RTR conversions and can say that I have not had any problems with them. As previously mentioned I converted a pannier tank but also a class 24 diesel, a hymek, a GWR railcar and a class 08. I also converted a number of Bachmann Mk1s which also ran ok These conversions were done to provide additional motive power for a friend's exhibition layout. They were quick and easy to do and were very reliable. So long as the track has been well laid there shouldn't be a problem. If there were serious problems with such conversions why would manufacturers like Ultrascale and Gibson offer them?

When I spoke to Accurascale at Alexandra Palace about their upcoming buckjumper they said that they would try and make the internal clearances suitable for EM/P4 but had no plans for providing alternative wheel sets as they have done for their deltics and 37s. Ultrascale do replacement drop in wheel sets for some RTR. I have converted a Bachmann pannier to P4. The bearings drop into the existing holes/slots but the replacements are wider to take account of the wider gauge. If you are really bothered about the narrower frames you could always fit dummy frames behind the wheels.

Rather than butcher a perfectly good B1 body an alternative might be to use an early tender drive Hornby B17 body. This easily comes apart in three separate pieces - boiler, running plate and cab - no cutting required That is my plan B if the Moussa body does not materialise soon The cab will be a resin casting of those parts from a Little Engines 01 kit I have.

While on the subject of LNER 2-8-0's Rails have recently shown decorated samples of their Heljan 02/2 inc. GN cab which we might see by the end of the year. I don't think there is currently a kit available for this loco.

Further to the 04/8 topic Bill Bedford, who must have read our earlier posts, has PM'd me to advise he still intends to do the 04/8. Like the earlier 04's that he has done it will be a conversion of the Bachmann model. There is an update on his website under the heading 'up and coming' , showing the stage it is at, that I was not aware of. I would suggest anyone interested should contact him which might speed things along!

Yes, I had hopes for an 04/8 from Moussa and even paid a small deposit to show interest but nothing has ever come of it. I think Bill abandoned resin casting and has moved on to 3D printing. I found this link for an 04/8 : https://www.shapeways.com/product/KYYMUFD6T/b-76-gcr-o4-8-loco The design is by Recreation21 I have no idea about quality or whether the price of nearly $60 ($48.05 plus shipping) is reasonable. A pity Little Engines kits nolonger available. Does anyoneknow what happened to them as they did a number of 04s which occasionally turn up second hand. Dave Alexander kits was another sad loss to the hobby.

Interesting detail I hadn't noticed before. The bunker first photo shows the raised top edge of the side tank, around the condensing chamber, to be a separate piece and not part of the rest of the tank side. The other photo shows quite a large patch where the tank has been repaired.

I'm afraid I find all this discussion re Hornby's new TT120 and speculating about Hornby's marketing strategy REALLY BORING and I think it has become repetitive and done to death. As far as I can make out none of the contributors on this topic have any intention of purchasing any of these models so what's the point. As has already been said we are not the target market. Let's move on to something more interesting to discuss and wait for Tony's review in BRM. I used to enjoy my daily read of the discussions on Write Writes!

Thanks Mike for the further photos and your memories. Also I'd like to add my apologies for the digression on Richard's thread which is one I always enjoy reading.

Mike, Lovely atmospheric photo. Can you tell us a bit more about it ie which shed was it ? I did 'bunk' Old Oak a couple of times and I recall that the 4 turntables were boarded over so you could walk across them while the turntable was rotating. I did get to Tyne Dock as part of an LCGB coach trip to the NE but not until July 1966. Photos attached of a Q6 coming into the roofless shed. Keith

....... and then one for Tommy ?

Very interesting to see an 'unclothed' accumulator tower. I always wondered how they worked. My local station, Witham Essex ex GER, had an accumulator tower which I believe worked the station lifts but possibly also capstans in the nearby goods yard. Presumably the water was supplied from the adjacent water tower. I don't know of any others at passenger stations. I attach a cropped photo from the Windwood collection, held by the GER Society & NRM, of GER photos taken in 1911.

Hi Andy, I have added these photos to my OP. I like your conversions bye the way. Cheers Keith

Hi Tony, Did you notice in my earlier post, a few pages back (!), that Blue Peter's tender has spoked wheels. Was this unusual as I would have expected 8 wheel tenders to have disc wheels? Keith

Re the different shades of umber between Hornby's older Pullmans and Backmann Mk1 Pullmans a 'quick fix' - for a 'layout' coach is to use self adhesive overlays from Precision Labels -see these links:- http://www.precisionlabels.com/sl20.html http://www.precisionlabels.com/sl6.html The umber overlays can be ordered for either the Hornby Pullmans to match the Bachmann Mk1s or visa versa depending on which shade you believe to be more correct. For my Master Cutler I chose to buy overlays for the Backmann Mk1s to match the Hornby shade of umber. The order form allows you to request the coach names or numbers which you require. There is also information about the Mk1s used to make up the various Pullman trains. With a little care they can look ok. There is still a slight difference between the Hornby and Backmann shade of cream but I can live with that. I still need to paint the Mk1 roofs dirty grey as they are presently white. Falcon will haul the train. The Master Cutler was only a six coach train and only required altering four coaches. To complete the job the coach ends and doors should be painted in the darker shade of umber.

I don't think Dr Ian C Allen has been mentioned yet. He was a GP based at Framlingham and took many photos of East Anglia - an area not very well covered by other photographers except perhaps Dick Riley. It was also an area to loose steam very early so not many steam colour photos. He published a number of books showing his work. Unfortunately he did not keep very good records of his photos such as dates and locations. My meagre photography was done using my dad's Agfa Silette 35mm which I could borrow provided I had been on my best behaviour! Unfortunately, although I used a light meter I set the exposure based on the ambient light when I should have gone down a few stops for darker ie dirty locomotive subjects. It took me quite a while to realize what I was doing wrong. Hence many of my photos are under exposed. I guess these days they could be digitally enhanced. So returning to an earlier thread re Tudor Minstrel here is my effort taken at Dundee Tay Bridge August 1965. I think the three A2s 60528/30/32 were kept reasonably clean but I'm not sure how much work they had by that time. I could occasionally get it almost right but that ws more by luck! Thornton Junction 1965 I also wish I had done more lineside photography such as this one taken departing Coupar Angus in August 1966 on a Aberdeen Glasgow service which I had travelled on .

....... and then on the Southern Region at Vauxhall in March 1967 you could see this - Maroon, Blue Grey and Green !

Some photos of my visit to the NW, August bank holiday 1967 showing Blue Grey stock. We learned that the Belfast Boat Express was still rostered for steam. Here it is awaiting departure from Manchester. I was lucky enough to have a cab ride from Manchester to Bolton. The train appears to be all blue grey. A ride behind a Brit with all Blue Grey set which we joined at Carnforth. I think it started at Barrow. We went as far as Preston on this service where we were staying in a B&B that weekend But not all services were 100% Blue Grey. Here is our train about to depart from Windermere Apologies for the poor quality of the photos but I hope you will find them interesting.

Hi Tony, I really enjoyed your selection of photographs of layouts that you had recorded. It brought back lots of happy memories of exhibitions visited over the years. A couple of others that you might have photographed and were quite memorable for me:- Happisburgh 7mm Bath Green Park 4mm Keith

Hi, I use flat office box files with suitable foam packing for protecting models and stop them moving about. You can store about six tender locos in one file. Weight can be a problem if they are all white metal kits. Keith

Interesting to hear your comment about the A3 slipping as I can't get my A4 to slip. This could be a problem if it stalls as there could be a risk of motor burnout if the power isn't shut off quickly. The A4 does seem very heavy. Is the A3 lighter?

Hi, It seems I have been lucky with my one. Please see this YouTube link https://youtu.be/pcs8ndg8Fuo To be fair it only managed this train on dead level and stalled on al slight gradient. I subsequently had it running comfortably on an indoor test track with 6 coaches on a tighter radius.

I don't think Digitrains are doing themselves any favours with these irritating videos. I think people will get p***ed off and be reluctant to do business with them.

Hi Tony, First, I would like add my congratulations to your reaching 10 years of entertaining us with your RMWeb thread. This was particularly valuable during COVID lockdown to keep us all sane. Moving on to your photo of LB, besides the interest in the hut - is it true that a layout is never finished? - my attention was drawn to the train. I noticed that the guards brake compartment was not leading and wondered how common this was. Most modelers form a train with guards compartments at the outer ends of the rake with additional intermediate brakes if the train is to be split en route. Shorter trains sometimes had the guards brake in the middle of the train. Keith

Kirk did both types of quad diagrams.