Clem

'You could well be right, but it's actually an implication, not an inference. It's you who infers, it's might statement which implies.' Tony, I couldn't understand the meaning of the above statement. Taking the apostrophes out it reads, " You could well be right, but it is actually an implication, not an inference. It is you who infers, it is might statement which implies." Did you mean the final " it's " to be a possessive pronoun? If not, shouldn't either a definite or indefinite article article be included before the word " might"?

Hi Andrew. Yes, I've done a few, mostly with Parkside underframes, cut and shut a la Geoff Kent. But to be fair, the hopper shape is close to being correct at the ends but it is just elongated to fit on a 10ft wheelbase as the RTR boys always used to do. Cutting and shutting to correct the length is not too onerous. The main difficulty with them is getting the height down to correct level.

Which one is that, Andrew? - Do you mean the Charles Roberts 24T?

Hi Andrew, Thanks for the heads up on the Masterclass models D210. Thanks also to Jonathan, Polybear and Simon for further info on Chris Higgs. I'd certainly be most interested in getting an etch or two of the D210s if they're still available. At the moment, I have Bill Bedford's etched sides to do for my next D210 when time allows but as they're sides only, I'll have to cobble together the rest - i.e under frames, ends, roof etc to complete them. A whole kit sounds appealing.

I believe I did based on this photo amongst others. The D210s are in the siding to the right and the slant of the upright vac pipe is the same as mine indicating the side of the pipe. Incidentally, the A5 is pulling a couple of D310 steel panelled twins which as a class were split between Notts and West Riding areas

I wish I'd witnessed that!

Woodford was pretty well a staging point in the same way Wellingborough was, particularly where coal is concerned. The majority of the coal continued south to London and Woodford had a stud of WDs for that purpose. The difference with the GC was how it was run from Annesley. The runners were tightly timed fast coal trains not the slow lumbering trips you found on the Midland. And yes the GC, constructed after the other lines South, didn't pass through the major towns as much only passing through Aylesbury whereas the midland had Kettering, Bedford, Luton and St. Albans. But the GC had the potential of a very modern line for its time with no level crossings and gradients no more severe than 1 in 176 and with through lines radiating South and West from Woodford and Culford Junction, it provided a versatile long distance through route.

Hi Phil. I agree with your sentiments with regard to the GC. Just one slight amendment here. The 9Fs came to the GC in 1956/7 before the LM takeover and were absolutely loved by the Annesley men by all accounts. They came from March or new and were the Eastern Region version with the BR1F tenders. They certainly preferred O1s to 8Fs and but were forced to withdraw the remaining O1s at Annesley in November 1962 one of which had just returned from Gorton, fresh from a general overhaul.

I have a saying... If it works and looks good, then it is good... and that'll look fine... as long as you don't leave the connectors white :-)

When I started my D210, I was still modelling in P4 so it was built compensated. This meant that each of the two carriages had to work independently on the 3 point principle. The articulation method therefore had to be a little more sophisticated than hooking both carriages into the heavy duty articulating bogie. So this is what I came up with (see photo). When I converted it to EM some years ago, I kept the original P4 inspired compensation and articulation method. Each of the 3 bogies is fixed to the carriages - two on the CL and one on the BT. Each carriage can follow the contours of my slightly dodgy (in places) track, but it's the wheels that follow the track, rather than the bogies tilting into and depression. Even though I say it myself, it does ride very well. On the third photo the 2 compensation beams can be seen just inside the wheels.

Morning Andrew, I've long been a fan of the D210s, the 55'6" articulated twins that were used mainly by the GN lines in Lincolnshire and Notts. I've built one set so far - out of Ian Kirk kits. Yo need three to do it. A brake third, an 8 compartment third and a 7 compartment first. The main problem doing it this way is matching up the beading which seemed to vary a little on the 3 kits used for components. I've got a small number of Bill Bedford sides for the D210 also, but his earlier ones had an error on the Brake third since corrected. I think it will be much easier doing the Bill Bedford ones but the Kirk ones can give you a reasonable result, too. I've shown this recently so apologies for the re-run. Also apologies for the slightly blurred early version but it shows quite well the different components cut and shut together. The darker section in the middle of the CL is from the full first and is actually 3 pieces - the middle section is 2 complete compartments plus half the window of the next compartment on each side, and the outside two are each made up of a dividing panel and half the window of an adjacent compartment. Outside of them, the third class compartments are made up from parts of the 4 compartment brake third kit. The full third kit makes up the 6 compartments of the brake third with the van section coming from the brake third. Right that's everyone confused now! Finally at this stage of the build, I was still intending to use the Kirk roofs but in the end I opted for MJT roofs. .

It is now!

Oh no it's not!

Thanks, I'd love a copy Tony.

Lovely Model of a J88. Whenever I see a picture of a J88 I always think of the following incident. 68341 was I think the first one withdrawn. The caption explains all... I wish I'd managed to see one before they all went by 1962? Clem

Hi Andrew. Certainly no apologies required regarding Spalding. Leicester South Goods was excellent and I could see that you were extremely busy but it was nice to put a face to a name. I had a nice long chat with Frank and in all that time I could see that you completely had your hands full with the operating responsibilities. I enjoyed watching B16s, V2s, J6s, K3s etc - it really brought it all back. I will have a natter with you perhaps next time. I want some tips on how you produce those lovely teak Gresleys you put on the thread in an earlier post. Yes, to repeat myself I do agree with what you say about wish lists. I almost stepped into very dangerous territory by comparing it to a referendum (i.e. the people get what they want but not necessarily what they need) but that would have been a step too far and I thought better of it . But many take it seriously and I'm sure it is very useful to them and the industry and allows modellers who don't build locos or stock an outlet. regards Clem

Hi Brian. Guilty as charged. I still lapse back into the incorrect use of 'corridor/non-corridor' and 'coaches' terms - picked up when I was young - in spite of knowing the correct terms. I'm sorry if the posting irritated or angered you at all. It was not in any way aimed at you or the fine job you do creating and annotating the wish list each year. It was just a post where I was agreeing with someone else (Headstock - Andrew) on how the general modelling public as a whole often choose their desired models and on how sometimes the choice is not likely to be that useful for many who model a layout in a prototypical manner. But as you suggested in one of your earlier posts, the wish list is open to collectors and modellers who will happily run anything on their layout. That is their interest. Good luck them.

Yes I thoroughly agree Andrew. I also looked at the results of the wish list with a mixture of baffled bewilderment and amusement. I'm picturing the flood of West Highland exhibition layouts featuring K4s and Hush-hushes pulling Gresley Quad-arts and that's only looking at the ex-LNER side. The truth of the matter for me is that I have the intention in the future of replacing the chassis of any RTR locos I have with my own as I simply can't get them, as converted to EM, to run as well as the chassis (plural - is that still chassis?) that I've made up myself - and if any of my kit or scratch-built chassis doesn't work well then it's up to me to redo it better. It's true that in the past, these lists have encouraged the likes of Hornby and Bachmann to produce some very good and useful models - the Gresley non-corridor coaches and the O4/1 come to mind - but the wish lists have what I call a 'Flying Scotsman' bias where the extra-ordinary and sensational is selected by the majority amongst the modelling populace who are generally less informed of the real railway . Blimey - I'm coming across like a bit of a snob here! Of course, to be fair, RTR has had a big impact on my layout. The RTR models on my layout save time for me to work on other more specific projects which (I hope) will themselves never be a target for RTR.

Well we had a 'fab' time at Spalding in spite of being shouted at and generally abused by one of the parking attendants who informed us that we were stupid in a most charming way (not!). Good to see and chat to Tony (photo courtesy of my good lady Chris). And great to see the guys on Leicester South which was excellent. It certainly evoked memories of time spent watching 9Fs, V2s, B16s, K3s etc on the GC as a child. Very nice to put a face to Andrew (Headstock) who was busy operating and to have a very rewarding chat with Frank (Chuffer Davies). Frank, if you read this, I've dug out my old Mike Sharman Flexichas book :-) . There were a number of other exhibits which took my eye. I liked the sheer scratch built quality of Trowland, built in 'S' scale 3/16th inch to the foot. It's a lovely size being something like half way between 4mm and 7mm and everything is built pretty well from scratch. I agree Portchullin was very good as was the sheer locomotive elegance of 82G layout . Many of the other layouts were pretty impressive in their own way but I think it was the diversity of the layouts which we enjoyed most. All in all a very good and enjoyable show and if I was going to find a small down side (apart from a certain parking attendant), it was the lack of fine scale traders so I had to spend my spare cash on more tools ('not more tools, surely') from Squires.

Hi Tony, I should also have mentioned that we're hoping to come and say 'hello' on Sunday at Spalding. Also looking forward to meeting a couple of the guys on Leicester South Goods. Clem

Great video. The hand-held nature of it really gives you those 'helicopter' type shots which can be so effective when the loco and train is approaching and then moving in parallel with the engine. I know the girder bridge is being replaced soon, but the layout looks so complete and full of life. It is to one heck of a high standard which I think inspires us all. PS. I like the sound and you can leave it in from my point of view.

I fit windows in from the front with Kirk kits. It can be a bit tedious and you've got to be in the mood to make steady slow progress, but results can be worth it.

Hi Andrew. I very much like the way you make and finish coaches. The Thompson was beautiful and this is also. A GC corridor third is on my list to build one day, too. I was wondering.. who produced these kits? Perseverance ? Clem

It wouldn't be stealing.... It would be observing and interpreting. It's what we all do. I play lead guitar in a couple of bands and do lots of 'interpreting' after watching other guitarists.....

Hi Phil, I'm relating to the small loop via which the safety bar is fixed to the brake van cabin end at the outer bottom corner of the windows. Another 'U' which I make out of plastic strip is used for the other end of the safety bar to sit in when it is across the entrance. I must admit that I don't bother with the retaining loop which holds the bar against the side when it is in the dropped vertical position. I try to make my vans capable of having all safety bars either closed or open. But (no doubt, to Tony's horror) I've yet to fit lamps - my excuse is that until I have working signals and the correct signal box, there is no signal man looking for the tail-lamp when my trains run by ;-)