jcredfer

Interestingly, that looks like warm moist air from the tunnel rising quite slowly and condensing in the cooler air over the cliffs top fields. It doesn't seem like a particularly effective system, compared to other ways that ventilation would naturaly occur. I rather suspect they were called Ventilation Shafts as an excuse for not bothering to fill in what were Navigation Shafts. Nice book, too. Those new trees do look very good, they will look the business once they have got exfoliated. [Perfect timing for Spring, over here.] Did you pre-mix the grass types before using the Static Grass Applicator? Kind regards Julian

Thank you for the link, Paul. Like the man said, in my original question, these EP Points would certainly have scooted across and probably made a noise. Having said that, I'm not sure that they would be quite as quick and noisy as Peco solenoids. The link shows them to be quite widespread, yet not many people seemed to be aware of them. I must ask my neighbour if there are any remnants still at Salisbury, although the pictures in the link seem to show the Salisbury system being removed. It is interesting too, that some of the mechanism is housed in boxes similar to modern electric powered point motors. More problems options for modellers, there then. Kind regards Julian PS. I'm still sticking with Servos and probably running the control rods from under Peco dummy point motor covers. {It occurs to me that I can then put any speed on the Servo and lie about claim either system.}

Wow! Fantastic! I will have a good look for those. Westinghouse had so many, unsung, innovations. A visit to their Chippenham works was a real eye-opener. Thank you for the head-up, I will definitely look that up. Kind regards Julian

Hi, I have a question, raised by a comment in RMWeb on the topic of removing springs from OO points. The main jist was that Tortoises and Cobalts were better without the Peco spring interfering with the "intended" smooth action. There was a certain amount of disagreement discussion around whether the springs should be left to ensure better location at each end of the throws?? I was looking because I am proposing to use Servos, which, if the very simple geomety is right, will lock the points at each end of the throw, without Servo buzz. However, I also intend including some very light spring pressure to that locking action, which would be jerked by the Peco spring and look rather nasty [to my mind]. NB. The springs on this test have more throw than will be used on the build, as this is a test to see if one set of points on the Crossover can be moved, then followed by the other set of points. It can, apparently. Right first then left first Whilst looking, one comment said Quote "Except if you are trying to model a layout with EP points, in which case a snap action is prototypical." Unquote. I have heard of EM, but googling EP Points came up blank. Does anyone know what EP Points are and why they have a snap action? Kind regards Julian

When I read this, a thought occurred. Ventilation shafts were a very good way to keep the tunnel in the right direction when it was being constructed. ............ However, were they particularly effective at ventilating the tunnel, when complete? Whilst I see that warm loco exhaust would tend to rise up the shafts, the replacement air still has to enter at the tunnel ends, which would happen naturaly due to weather conditions. Would there be any significant increase in replacement speed and would that be very relevant given the time between trains passing through? Given the piston effect of the close fit of a train in the tunnel, which would largely pull/push replacement air with them, surely ventilator effectiveness would be minimal by comparison. Kind regards J

I have been thinking ... again ... must be that time of the year - back so soon! The plan for the 6 x 4 [ish] train set, involves a couple of curved points [Peco - ST 244 curved T/O], which look quite reasonable on the layout. More to look at, I would think. Loose laid to check lengths and fit, it looks something like this. There have been a few adverse comments about the curved points, as these are Setrack ones, but they are Peco, which seem to fare better than H ones. I wondered if splitting the route, to the long Terminal Platform earlier, might solve that problem, so looked at a slightly different idea using SL-80 Single Slip, to leave / rejoin the loops, at the top station. I thought about a Double Slip, but there seem to ba as many adverse comments about them as the curved points. The Single Slip seems to provide a route from the Terminal acros to the inner line and the Slip will take traffic from the outer line to straight on, or the Terminal Platform. From the Goods Shed to the outer line is slightly more complicated, with a move to cross the outer line and then reverse back via the Slip onto the outer line. A few other things are easier with the second plan, such as Cant on the curves at the right hand end, although I have constructed a Canted board to fit the curved points, which I could use. I would appreciate thoughts from those more experienced then me [which includes everyone reading this] on whether the curved points are really all that bad, and whether the Single Slip might also be a bit of a problem, plus any operating matters I may have / probably missed. Kind regards to all. J

Good moaning all, Recently arrived, the Bachmann LMR Austerity 2-8-0 Maj Gen McMullen. It was running in the Salisbury Model Centre window, when I picked it up, very smoothly too. Out of the box I fitted a #17 Kadee to the NEM pocket on the Tender - but the front doesn't have NEM, retaining the old 3 hole fitting Tension Lock, with those inconvenient little posts and insufficient room behind the screw fixing hole for any of the Kadee Draft Boxes. Inconvenient posts After some Calliper measuring I lopped the legs of a #20 NEM Kadee and drilled a 2mm hole at 3mm centre from the rear end. The original Bachmann screw was used to fix through the Kadee bar. Fixed It may need some further adjustment to allow easier sideways swing and removal of the magnetic actuator arm, but I'm not in a hurry for that, as it is unlikely to be pushing much anyway. It's good to see a spring to hold the front bogie down, particularly as the bogie is so lightweight. Spring over the Bogie Seems like a very nicely detailed model and certainly looks the part, with [supplied] nameplates to come next. Kind regards Julian

Hi Marcus, I was looking back over a few pages and noticed that the points are mostly have Ground Levers by them. Are the points actually operated by the levers? Kind regards Julian

While on the subject of trees - what's this? With apologies ..... Julian

Scott has an interesting idea there, I might put a proposition to my 12 yr old daughter, as she loves her Hot Glue Gun. I don't know how many will remember Jas and Kal, back a while, here-abouts and she used Copydex, for much the same reasons. Kind regards Julian

It is?? Gracious me, all those years berating pupils in the classroom was not entirely wasted then. Are you ready for this [seated, seatbelt on, cup of tea/brandy at hand] ....................... now I know that ..................... it all becomes much clearer ..... :locomotive: Kind regards Julian

YOur English is just fine Armin ... however I must confess that my "abreviation" isn't anywhere as good as your English and I have no idea what"OHF" is [unless it is Over-Head projector Film??] Kind regards Julian

Blimey, look at those FILFY windaas!! ..... "Well, don't just stand there Corp, Orf ye get to stores to pick up 3 buckets of Windowlene and take a couple of Airmen from "See C" Filght, wiv ya. Shouldn' take more than half a day." Kind regards J

On reflection, after the event, that Brush Washing Jar was a considerable improvement on my attempts at the culinary arts .......... The jar is a truly great idea 'though ................... Noooo!!! ........ not for dinner! ............ Oh? ... Well maybe? ....... J

I was just about to go and cook dinner, when I looked at those pictures ............................................................ was!!!!! J

I reckon on the West Country area, wiv a woppin' class 37 at front and back. Still can't justify it ........... J

You might get your chance to buy one yet, have you seen the RHC sets that Hattons are soon to Beleaguer our wallets with? I have to admit that, having not the slightest real reason to buy a set, I found myself working out how it might be possible to fill one of the water tanks with cleaner fluid and fit a weighted slab for fitting corduroy cleaning pads too!! J

I did, but the one before the 732. I would have put a picture, but I only have a video, which seems a bit excessive. However if you imagine a 66 with the same colour scheme as the one in David's picture, the number one less than that and called Europorte, your'e pretty much there. J

Did you buy the loco from UHWEBO, resprayed by Lees Locos? Kind regards J

New word - "multicons" ... J

OR .......... maybe add some more ore tint to some of the others ..... Kind regards J ​PS. Not too much ore, otherwise those Gov't prospectors will feel they are obliged to pay you a visit.

Really good to see you back again. I'm looking forward to seeing the progress on the layout. Fantastic news. Kind regards J PS. How did you get 12 cylinders firing on your V8? Ducks and heads for the door ............ [again!]

How about putting some similar looking low profile scale buildings in place of the photo ones, in front of the Castle bit? Kind regards J

It all looks to fit together very well, dt. How does it look scale-wise behind the station? Kind regards J

Looking at where you are thinking of putting the trees, with the steep bank behind, it might be appropriate to put some decorative, non-triangular, form of conifer. If you want tall, then Cedars of Lebanon get tall and are sparce branched, so the layout behind can easily be seen too, scenic but not a barrier. We had 2 in the garden which were over 100ft tall. You would have trouble modelling them, but they had to grow through from ground up, so could be any height you prefer. Interesting mix of trees by the track. I'm no tree expert, but my parents were obsessed by gardening, with field sized gardens. The firs, in the picture, look a bit like the Douglas Fir shape, rather more foliage than most, but that may be a function of location and climate. The other split chassis ones, mainly visible on the right of the track, look distinctly Beech like with smooth bark and sort of knobbly knees, which might explain why some look distinctly dead. That must be the sum total of my tree knowledge, except they don't look like Oak, Plane or Holly. I expect someone with a proper understanding of trees might come along and educate us all. Kind regards Julian