Clem

Good morning Tony. I don't know how you feel but I think it is more than sentiment that makes me prefer my own kit built locomotives (or at least full replacement chassis) to RTR on their original chassis. It's more the way they run. Even though my direct conversion (to EM) RTRs have adequate pulling power, they don't seem to transmit that feeling of mass and power that a loco with a home built (or Comet) chassis seems to. I can't put my finger on it but they just have a lightweight feel about them. I would be happier if there were replacement chassis available for all RTR types and then at least they would run in a more convincing fashion. I know many replacement chassis do exist (Comet range) but there are some big omissions..... the O4s, J11s, WDs, K1s in my area... They would save me time over a full kit build (I'm not as fast as you, Tony - an understatement if ever there was one!) and in any case, it's hard to get hold of a kit for an O4 these days. ... And finally I agree with you. I also think your kit built locomotives look better, more realistic and more substantial, than any RTR equivalent out of a box.

And here's my latest contribution to the Nucast J6 topic. It's running with its prototypical load of 23 loaded coal wagons for the Derbyshire & Staffordshire extension... It's hard to beat a good J6 or two on the layout!

Here's the scan I have, Tom. It's not the BRM annual but an earlier article. Tony, I hope you don't mind me posting this (or for that matter BRM). If so, I'll delete it. coach_HnbyGres_MJTSides_001.pdf

Tom and Peter, I wonder if Tony may be able to put you in contact with the someone from the mag in question who can get you a back copy via his contacts? Failing that, five or six years ago, I got rid of a whole pile of modelling magazines (space issue), simply because I could never read them as there were so many and I didn't know what was where. But before I got rid of them, I went through them and scanned any interesting articles in and now they're much more accessible. The Tony Wright coach conversion article is one I have scanned and saved. If you like I can send you a copy of the scan (pdf). The scans are not as good as turning the actual pages but they are easily located.

That's brilliant, Jesse. Has a real ECML feel about it.... IS that a bus on the bridge? :-)

I'm going to say something a bit controversial... A number of things struck me straight away... One: I cannot see the attraction of the streamlined Coronations. I find them ugly compared to the defrocked versions. (although the sheer size of the prototypes was pretty awesome) .. Two: I am reminded of the sight of a Hornby Dublo Duchess of Atholl running around an oval of track at full speed, with working Walchaerts in full forward gear. I cannot imagine this would give me a tenth of the joy I'd get watching the valve gear of that Duchess of Atholl as it tanked around the oval..... Three: It has a perfect finish but I can't get away from the feeling that it looks like it's made of plastic. Oh dear! I'm turning into a belligerent old git!

Beautiful work, Frank. Absolutely top class. Also a lovely prototype. I wish they had lasted into my modelling era. Best Wishes Clem

Yes. I particularly like the K3s (61841 and 61842 if I remember correctly - the latter on the 'Great Central' album and the former on 'Trains in the Night' album) starting out from the slow line at Princes Risborough. You never hear that sort of effort and rhythm on preserved steam lines, welcome though they are. I think I've got most of the albums but I'll check the site out.

' Evening all.... It's about time I posted something of what I have been doing, rather that what I feel bad about not doing... So, I'm getting close to having a spring clean of the workshop as present projects are nearing an end. Just a 3 or 4 wagons to complete. I posted a picture of Colwick's last J5, 65498 just before Christmas. Here first, below, as you can see, she is very close to completion. Built once and painted twice having had an attack of the peel of the Donald Trumps.... The second photo shows her in the yard on a pick up. All the wagons in this train have been built or modified since Christmas. Just two are RTR - the second cattle wagon (Hornby) and the brake van right at the back (Bachmann). My plan is to make some progress on the layout itself next which, as you might be able to spot, is a long way off being presentable and the progress of which if you've followed previous posts, I've been promising for a couple of years now. BTW the signal box is just a place holder. It's a card kit from about 38 years ago and is a little worse for wear. ... oh and a quick picture of my Bachmann K3 just to complete the K3 circle ... Have a good weekend, folks.

That is an incredibly impressive shot, Andrew. It really gives the impression of size and distance But it's the carriages to the left which catch my eye. They just look ...... well...... real!

Beautiful. It's hard to beat working Walschaerts. (and if you're me it's very hard to make!)

That's just rubbing it in!

Tony, your prolificacy puts us all to shame! That's some going!

Personally, I don't do tattoos. But that's pretty cool Jesse!

Thanks for kind comments, Tony. I feel bad because it's pleading to join it's mates that it grew up with which now run on EM lines. God, I just realised what I just said. Methinks I may be taking this anthropomorphism too far? ? Yes it is Jamieson valve gear and it was either my first or second attempt at outside valve gear. I much prefer it (to look at) to my Bachmann rebuild which somehow doesn't have the character of a kit build. But what is not so visible is the way the old wills kit mounts on to the chassis (designed for a Triang modified 2-6-2T chassis) - by a cross shaft of thick white metal half way up the inside of the cab and a very visible screw head above the front buffer beam. I have the replacement chassis (SEF) at the ready but have yet to quite figure out how to sort out inside of the cab and the chassis mounting. Anyway, I have a mountain of other work to do on the layout itself. I'm always seduced into kit building when I should be doing scenery, buildings or signals. But hey, in retirement, who could ask for a better problem!

Hi Andrew, Snap with the K3. I built this in 1980 and I've been meaning to convert it to EM for the last few years but have not got around to it. It has plenty of things wrong with it the most obvious being the cab. I built it before I fully grasped the differences between the different batches of the K3s but at least I correctly made it RH drive. It normally sits on my work bench staring at me, making me feel bad.

I can, Andrew... a K3 - such an massive omission from the preserved locomotive fleet. Then maybe a B16 :-).... ( I just want to live long enough to see and hear one again even though unlikely)

I was making the obviously incorrect assumption that he'd passed away. I know he'd been ill. It seems evident that he's no longer producing. I've got a little supply of brake gear and one or two kits in stock but unless they're hiding, no buffers. I have used them previously and I know they were pretty good.

Thanks Andrew. I agree. I think I fitted those out of impatience more than anything else. It's just that I don't want to add to the unfinished list. But at some stage in the future it'll come in for a refit. Is anybody likely to pick up the ABS brand and tooling or is it gone for good, do you know? Although many castings were a bit chunky, they certainly looked the part. On another subject... This is how out of touch I am ... It took a very good friend who is not interested in railways (in fact our last drummer in my main band) to tell me via a text that he was at Doncaster Model Railway show with his brother and how good it was. I meant to go this year. Doh!!!

Thanks for the heads up on that one, Craig. I'll look well into that before tackling it. Clem

I love this thread! Thanks for the link for your workbench thread, Ben Alder (sorry I don't know your name). Lovely collection of vans and a great set of projects on your workbench! I still have a picture I took of the trackless engine shed at Wick in 1965. Oh no. I dread to think... but I suppose we shouldn't judge it before it comes out. But having just built about 25 Parkside, Cambrian and ABS coal wagons, I've had enough of them for the moment.

No, it's me - I think I got it wrong .. It was the Bachmann BR Cattle Wagon which looked very good until I realised it was 3 or 4 mm too long - noticeably so when you realise it. RTR models can be a big saver in time if they're good enough. It gives to time to work on other things. But I buy RTR, the first thing I do is ditch the couplings, then the box then the wheels. Then it's all about customising it. I think the Hornby SR Cattle wagon is not bad but don't quote me on that.

Hi Andrew. Many thanks for kind comment. The Parkside LMS cattle is next in line for me too. Probably same as you to start with - but as per kit. To be frank, I don't as yet feel confident enough in my knowledge about variations in the prototype to go further. I've also got a Coopercraft GW W1/W5 cattle wagon and a D&S GC 10T Cattle wagon out of the kit box for building soon too. I think it was the absolute disappointment with the lack of accuracy of the Hornby RTR model turned my attention to a requirement for some cattle wagons. (I've got a couple which have now been sidelined). I might get around to the cut and shut remedy at some time.

Yes and No. The brake gear is by ABS, the safety loop is a common staple thinned out and bent to shape. It retains the original solebars. The existing rivets and other detail have been sliced off and new rivets added (not added in the photo but have now) using Slaters 0.5mm rod thinned down to about 0.35 by rolling it along the top of a flat needle file. I used the W-irons from the kit and which were connected at 9 foot scale and chopped the connecting bar and simply inserted a piece of 4mm x 1mm strip cross wise to give the 10 foot wheelbase. The wagon springs are MJT. The ABS brake gear is a little chunky and overscale but I think it captures the LNER fitted brake arrangement quite well and has the added benefit of adding bit of weight. I hasten to add that this is a Diagram 122 - one of the lot built to 10ft wheelbase as opposed to the ones that were converted from 9 foot. As such there are a couple of anomalies/compromises that I am living with. It has some strapping where there should be none but by the time I realised, I was too far on to try to remedy it for this wagon. But it's not something that stares you in the face anyway. I've been working to a photo in a little Bradford Barton paper back called 'Pre-Nationalisation Freight Wagons on British Railways' by David Larkin showing one of these wagons which has just been condemned in 1963. But the research and publishing done by Steve Banks with regard to this and other wagons has been a great help and is commendable. Clem

Already well on the case. Still some detailing but getting there.