mike hughes

I've finally come up with the prices for the Salmon. Kit is £85. At the moment can only offer the 8' plate bogie, well once can get hold of buffers (once available again the LMS compound lever bogie will be an option) RTR is £140 with the crane version RTR £165. I will update the price list in due course. I still need to make a master for the bolsters. Will make when get a chance. Work is going through changes (not conducive to modelling) at the mo and also doing a few extra hours there. Do have some good news in that got some of my bogie moulds back, haven't had a chance to try them all yet (didn't help melting pot heating element died which I replaced Sunday) Michael

I've finished casting a D1663 van and now its ready for some paint. I've also got the LNER dia 116 van master ready for some primer Michael

Looking into it, there's 2 types of 10' unfitted brake gear. The 4 shoe type and the 8 shoe clasp brake (Minus the vacuum parts). I haven't done a lever for the 4 shoe part. Michael

I was doing a couple of COR motor coaches for a commission and tried the motor bogie underneath and found the floor needed to be raised by about 1 mm, so in fact it will fit under the floor. The mounting piece is 18mm from the wheel centres to the top. Michael

Yes i’ve had the same issue (building some as a commission), put plastic strip on the ends then had file it to fit Michael

W irons are no problem but have limited supply of certain brakegear Michael

Yes can get hold of cast axleguards for them, which diagram Tippler is it as there was both 9’ and 10’ wb unfitted Michael

It’s got a fold up mounting piece. The wheelbase can be adjusted between 8’ 6” to 9’ Michael

Unfortunately almost certain yes, it won’t sit that much above the floor level, I’ll put on here the measurement from the wheel centres to the top of the mounting plate Michael

I can supply the 10’ wb LNER clasp underframe parts as these pics for example. I haven’t done the linkage bar for the other length wb’s but that’s no problem to do https://www.flickr.com/photos/milesperhour1974/50904593497/in/album-72157635177969582/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/milesperhour1974/50904470001/in/album-72157635177969582/ Michael

The W irons and brake gear are my own etches/castings Michael

The price for the motor bogie kit will be £80 plus p&p and this includes a 1532 motor, gears (pictured are 13:1 but can be 26:1) and choice of wheels (3' 0", 3' 3", 3' 7" etc) Michael

I do try to do simple things, then at least I can build them. Michael

I managed to the other week warm up the workshop to do some paint spraying, so got the wagons sprayed up then painted loads of black etc. Also got the CCT's in primer. Michael

I've received back the revised Salmon and also the motor bogie etch and got so far with the build. I thought on the Salmon that I'd put some half etch holes on the rear of the solebar in the wrong places so drilled them out in a different position for the securing chain shackles but nope I'd had the half etch in the right place all along. At the same time also had the 305/1 driving car and the 304/1 TC (also suits 302, 305/2 and 308) etched. Prices to be advised. Unfortunately you can guess where the buffers and bogies for the Salmon, maybe a while before can obtain some more. Michael

I’ve got primer on the control desk of the 124 and also done last bits on the body of the LMS D1663 Michael

Graham had done several bogies for me as well and incorporated them into his range. Sadly missed Michael

I've added the first class and no smoking signs along with the buffer heads for the 124 I've done the castings for the 104 and driving end for the Derby L/W Also done the castings and stuck them on the 105 and also over the New year break done a bit more at last to the Hawksworth coach Michael

Graham sadly passed away from Covid last Saturday. Only found out he was on a ventilator the previous Wednesday and was informed by one of my customers on last Saturday. I knew he was employed by BR but only found out by his last telephone call to me he had worked in the same department as me (S&T) He’d also had something to do with the NMT train (flying banana) Michael

Very much looks like one. Definitely still use ones about 15/16v output for charging batteries for signals and in signal boxes for such things as for the lever locks Michael

Belated update due to being at work over Christmas then late few weeks off from business stuff to get some mojo back. Anyway got some wagons and CCT’S finished and ready for spraying. The 8 planks are modified Parkside with new solebars as needed them as 10” wb and the tarp bar is spare parts from Parkside. Michael

Yes meant crepe paper, just can't spell, be thankful it started with the right letter. Anyway I've suck the tops of the curtains in the 124, next is to move the bottoms a bit to give a bit more shape. Also at last made a start on making the moulds for the driving ends. As the 105 had support pieces behind the buffer beam added 10th plastic around the back so it lay flat. Michael

I'd brought some creche paper just before you'd posted, so will try that first. Don't seem to have achieved much recently but have done a conversion of the Parkside SR 8 plank open into a 10' wb with lift link brakes. The sheet rail was made from spare Parkside bits Michael

I’ve been about for 20 years (mostly with late father) range is slowly expanding when get a chance Michael

Have got there with the glazing, just the toilets to go on that part. Found the hardest part in making sure when in there if needed to clean up not pushing too hard as then crease which meant new piece Michael