LaScala

Try these

If not posting fluff, irrelevant chatter or misplaced opinion was a criteria for continued membership, there would be very few left. There are worse than JeffP, much more annoying in fact, but for the life of me I can't see why PAD is so incensed by a seemingly non productive modeller who gets wound up about tiny thumbnails.

Yes, I do. Well used but intact AFAIK. PM me

A tiny bit of progress with the back dating of 57xx to 1854. Shortened at front, sand boxes ground off and replaced by casting, new rear buffer beam in brass with Archer rivets, tapered Dean buffers from Slaters and new valance. Still needs handrails, tank step, rear pipes and front buffers. Will always be compromised but a little different to break the pannier monopoly.

Having same troubles now. Website contact form leads nowhere. You wonder why small suppliers go out of business. I did have an email MercianModels@freenetname.co.uk but that is dead too.

Excepting his abilty to play at all in the near future with his health issueshttps://globalnews.ca/news/3348047/eric-clapton-seen-in-wheelchair-after-cancelling-shows-due-to-severe-illness/

Mike is still around and grumpy about the modeling world ignoring his huge range on top of strangely conflicted FB views (why have a FB page if you hate being contacted). I think I'm correct in saying by his own admission, he sold 3 kits in his last year of 2015. The tip from modelers on the Agenoria thread on this platform seems to be that kits not designed by him are pretty good but quality declined above, I think, around code 40 ish. He might be persuaded to help, but the cost is high to my mind at almost 200 notes for a 0-4-0 with wheels/motor/gearbox on top. Makes a Minerva Peckett look mandatory at little over half price RTR

Just received the full hills and dales here in Australia Terrific service and even got VAT refund before i realized. What a difference this makes to the "natural" setting of pipes, bricks and stuff.

A lot of cutting with Dremel but the 9" have gone. Just Blutacked in place today. New valances and sandboxes will neaten it up. Yes, I know the castings are iffy. Any tips on replacements welcome.

Yes, indeed. I also have to make new valances and sandboxes

Pressing on with tank. Seems to match up with Dapol boiler bottom. Will have 5 sections so shims

Pressing on with tank. Seems to match up with Dapol boiler bottom. Will have 5 sections so shims will have to go over the top in due course

Definitely nothing under the green cover in my dismantled non sound version above.

it will be brass with plenty of Archers rivets.

All comes apart easily cab front and bunker are separate. Even tank fillers and dome can be pushed out.

On the way to becoming 1854 saddle tank. Looks like everything will fit and leave lower section of boiler.

That would be this one https://www.Dapol.co.uk/GWR-57XX

Keith drove down to challenge me and was in an unpleasant combative mood but alas no dog! Reason enough not to become a supporter anytime soon and that's before taking the unforgiveable tragedy of Dorrigo into account. The only thing that will change things is natural ageing taking its course, but will anything be left to save? Probably the worst case of hoarding you can imagine, worse than even these who only upset their families and neighbours https://www.ranker.com/list/best-hoarders-episodes/reference?utm_expid=16418821-388.8yjUEguUSkGHvlaagyulMg.0&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

Bit of a highjack, but partially solved my issue. Turns out i hadn't tightened rear chassis to body screw so front was dropping down taking weight off rear driver. I don't have more bogie coaches to test it but it now handles two easily even in reverse. Could do with a bit more weight in firebox i think. Back to you Ken.....

I also stuck with full size bogie wheels and it seems to have worked out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzDIrmlRCHc No way 5 coaches is possible although I have not altered weight over drivers yet. For a DNS look two is enough.

Not to mention working motion for Dapol and no jarring join in cab sheets as in Minerva 8750

Good to see one of the three ROD survivors getting some love. The other two seem stuck in a time warp with nothing done in 25 years except more and more black goop slapped on. I swear I stood in the same spot in the late 80's and only the tragic extent of decay has changed. This was 5 weeks ago.

Having re-entered the world of modeling about 10 years ago I managed about 10 kits by others. These varied from pretty good (Andrews/Gladiator) to OK (Springside/Agenoria/Warren Shephard) to almost unbuildable (Gateneal). Then I cracked and went to JLTRT. What a step up! Everything there, great fit and actual instructions. A huge loss and I guess I won't be getting the long promised Dukedog.

These from yesterday. The greatest disgrace in preservation. I was there in 1981 and the only change is that everything is crumbling at a faster rate and the ownership is in one despot's hands. This isn't the Barry of the southern hemisphere because it IS a graveyard.

Don't complain, I'm happy with gifts of socks AND underpants never mind a stellar stable of top notch kits...........