Clem

Wonderful film. Some of the hard working A2 and V2 shots... Papyrus which I saw at Carlisle Canal in 1961....The 2P on the freight at the beginning... but the final shot of Earl Marischal pulling a lovely selection of carriages behind with un-named D40 2269 giving it a push was the coup de grace! Thank you for sharing this.

Been there... got the T-shirt. (too late 'Ah now I remember....' moments)

Witchcraft!!

Ha ha!! Come on Tony! You out-skill me by miles! :-) ... It's not skill it's what works for you. And I've seen your locos and also Tony G's engines at exhibitions and I totally agree with you. They all run beautifully. I think we all get there by our own preferences and devices.... And one thing is for certain: in the time it takes me to produce 1 loco you've done about 5. So yes, it does take more time to do sprung or compensated chassis (although I get too lazy and distracted sometimes and don't get on with things as I should). How does the saying go? .... You pays your money and makes your choice.... (is that right?)

Just to add a post-script on Maygib hornblocks, Here is a K's O4 on a coal train. Scratch chassis using Maygib hornblocks, high level gearbox and mashima. This was one of my first EM conversions in 2001. I've never had a problem with the springing and it's performed faultlessly since.

Yes Tony, I couldn't agree more. I think most people look for a way to get a good running chassis and stick to it when they feel they have found it. You stick by what works for you. On the Maygib hornblocks my reasoning was that if you glue and pin a skin on the inside of the chassis, there will be less likelihood of them coming adrift if they are welded on using Butatone (carefully not getting any near the inside of the guides). And where I employed that method, it has worked well. I would never contemplate glue individual hornblocks on to a brass or N/S set of frames. George must have had a foolproof method of fixing them if they were part of his main way of chassis building.

That's a very good shout. I've just checked the OO ones and they are probably nearer the correct size in diameter (although they are twice as long... 2 springs for 1?). Definitely worth an experiment. Thanks Tony. I will pursue that line. I have used the maygib hornblocks on a number of locos and still have a small supply left. The down side of using them from my point of view is that I'd never trust a simple plastic-brass glue joint and where I have used them, I've skinned the whole inside of the frames with thin plasticard, screwed and glued and then welded the hornblocks plastic to plastic. But it's quite a long process and a bit of a ball-ache. Yes, that may be true but I've used this method on several locos, the first of which was built about 1989 and is now my only original P4 engine left. The others being converted to EM. The springs on that loco still work perfectly. Of course, although it employs a spring, it is not true springing as on a level surface, the hornblocks ride on the bottom of the screws which are adjusted through the top of the horn guide and only employ the springs when there is a dip or unevenness in the track. But for me, it's a simple way of getting better running. In any case, Chris Pendlenton's use of rubber sheet, although closer to true springing, will presumably be just as unreliable as the rubber deteriorates.

I think I may have found my future method of (semi) springing my locos, using High Level hornblocks, a piece of 2mmx 1mm brass strip, a 14BA screw and a spring: Right. All I need now is either: a) a source for tiny springs that fit snugly over a 14BA screw, or b) The knowledge of how to make them (presumably out of 0.0013 steel guitar strings) - i.e. how to get them to retain the required shape. I have to admit to completely nicking the idea from Maygib hornblocks which however are plastic. But if this works, it will be a quick and simple way of achieving a chassis where all the driving wheels touch the rail for picking up current no matter how bad the trackwork is (within reason). It also improves the ride over point work.

Yes, I've completely gone over to them too. They're not perfect - the tommy bar is fixed (I always make sure it hangs down!!) - but they are very robust and don't fall apart over the years like some of the others.

Another example that it really does pay off if you work from photos. You just have to make sure it's the right loco, particularly where there are detail differences within a class. But that is what it is all about. Trying to get it as right as possible. That's why I'm in awe of so much of the work shown on this thread (and others).

I agree, Andrew. I was frustrated to find that on mine, after I'd built the cab and put it in place, that I'd missed it off. I wasn't prepared to attempt to drill 4 tiny holes perfectly in line on the front of a cab already in situ. Seeing it on Michael's lovely rendition does give me a pang of regret. Being forewarned, my next one will include them. We live and learn.

I knew someone would 'hi-jack' this thread eventually! Hi Frank, I hope you are well. Looking forward to seeing you and Clayton (eventually, when all this lockdown/virus episode is over).

Hi Mike, Please count me in for one of the Comet* ones. It's not a loco I need particularly quickly so would be happy to be near the end of the queue and allow others whose need is greater first bite. BTW I think you've done a lovely job on it. It looks very good indeed. *Having read your reply to Andrew, I'll go with that and change to one of the Bachmann ones and do the mods myself for the Comet chassis a la Tony.

Sounds reasonable. But if that's the case, it would be nice to know which ones were allocated there. :-) . I've always had a soft spot for this diagram.

Hi Andy, Looking at photos of the E. Mids, I'm fairly certain the firsts were re-instated on the D210s. For example, if you look at this 1956 shot at Sutton-in-Ashfield, you can clearly see the '1's on the first class section. It could be that in some cases they weren't restored but the examples I've seen where it can be distinguished, have the firsts labelled on the doors as in this photo.

Yes, thanks Andrew, I've found it. 69824, at Breadsall.

That's tremendously interesting and useful information, Andrew. Something I noticed in the Hugh Longworth book that I didn't know about was that a number of the D210 twins were converted so that the firsts were redesignated as thirds so it became a BT(6)-T(7). It makes it a little more complicated to know what was running and where... The BT(6)-T(8) twin - do you know what diagram? Incidentally, you mention the GN set - it wouldn't be this, would it? This is on the Annesley dido and I don't have a date. Like mentioned, it's an articulated twin-set Nos E44071E (Brake Third) and E44072 (Composite) built by the GN in 1922 to diagram GN218RR. I've just noticed your comment on the shadows. It looks some time during the afternoon but probably not later than 4pm - more like about 2-15.

Thanks Andrew, now you've pointed it out, I can see clearly that the first carriage is a BT. The train is in one of the North bays at Nottingham Victoria and as such probably either a Mansfield or Pinxton train - or just possibly one of the short lived Sutton-in-Ashfield trains that just lasted a few months in 1956.

Good morning Tony, Andrew and all. A quick question. The first carriage in the photo below. Am I correct in thinking it's a GC 60' non-corridor third? The second two are a diagram 338 and, I think possibly a diagram 246 (but the destination boards make me wonder whether in fact it may be a Gresley corridor). Thanks. Clem

Guilty on both counts. But I'm extra careful with the glass fibre pencil and try to catch the loose bits on kitchen paper which then gets wrapped up and chucked. Having said that, I wish I had a £1for every sharp needle pain in a finger. It's worse when they stick out a bit and catch sideways but not matter how you search for them on you finger with a magnifying glass, they remain invisible. The only consolation is that it's usually in the side of the finger and not on the end where I play. But the skin is much tougher there anyway.

We've all been there! To be honest whilst being completely empathetic (as I said, we've all been there.. and in my case on many occasions), I have to admit that I couldn't help a chortle when I read it. It put me in my of the Father Ted episode where he spots a tiny dent in the brand new car he is looking after and decides as it's only small, he can knock it out himself. Needless to say, it ends up a write-off.

Not exactly sure when it went lighter but around time of the introduction of the new style of numbering. Probably around 1965-7? My minerals haven't in the main been properly weathered yet. But to some extent it is due to the date of my layout (1954-5) when new steel minerals were coming on stream, many still pretty new, so the weathering has to be more subtle. In this period, a majority of the coal going into Colwick yards would have been in wooden 13Ts but by 1956-7 the position was reversing quite rapidly and from then onwards steel minerals start to predominate.

Hi Andrew, For a long time I was uneasy about the shade of grey used by the paint suppliers for BR early freight grey. I look at photos alot to try to get the right feel for a colour. It seems to be a very controversial subject, but I'm happy with the shade I now use. I have purposely gone a shade lighter than the so-called official colour because the amount of light reflected on a model is so much smaller that it has the effect of darkening it to the eye. On the real thing, the expanse of area lightens the colour to the eye. On top of this, out of doors in the sun, paint fades with time, and again, in photos I think this shows up. I suppose these things are personal decisions, but I'm happy with their present shade. It works to my eye.

Good morning Andrew, Very good point. And one I must admit I wasn't aware of. (Not being in the habit of opening/closing smokebox doors). But having just done a visual inspection of my locos, I am pleased to say that all but two comply with that and those two will be remedied as soon as is practicable. This thread is so brilliant for the finer points of railway knowledge. Thanks Andrew. Once again, I have learnt something very useful from a modelling perspective. It's important when attempting to emulate reality (as was) that the models have to be credible in every way possible. BTW, looking at photos of trains in action, I have noticed that the six o' clock is very slightly variable either side of vertical on some photos. See (below) the corrected J69.

Brilliant. You've got the lighting perfect. It just oozes realism.