LaScala

Same with my Springside 45xx. I used piano wire so the inevitable waste was low cost.

There's a lot to be said for laundry marker.

Kay gave it away this year, but ABS stopped using her at least two years ago. She was certainly efficient. She went to great lengths to explain some obscure ABS brake parts for me years ago; well beyond the call of duty. I got my kit from Tower, but Adrian dropped them at least 5 years ago. As an Aussie, attending a show in the UK on the off chance is not an option until teleporting becomes affordable!

Talking of "missed", ABS are all but invisible since they ditched Keykits as their marketer. I would happily buy a couple of Zero Zephyr kits if I actually could! I built the 2021 PT a few years ago and it's a great kit though unlike yours has an etched footplate. The last catalogue I had from ABS had more items not available than available. Posts elsewhere on RMW suggest Adrian Swain has been quite ill. Would be a shame to lose his enormous lists. At least the demise of HOOG has removed the dreaded Gateneal kits from the market!

Assume this must be the Underhill/Zero Zephyr kit then?

Instantly recognised as H-W, not least because I was born there the year before. This could be be one bridge that does need a traffic jam on it coming down the hill: a green LT RT double decker on the 363 from Amersham perhaps?

A handy album showing the delights of the one that still sets the standard........... Pendon, of course

Wasn't this a thread about a Ratio kit? Isn't there something faintly ironic about defending small suppliers not using the internet and Paypal on a web forum? Can I remind Bernard & John that I was actually praising Adrian's products and keep an old cheque book to deal with the situation? Obtaining modelling materials in the southern hemisphere from the UK or anywhere else is incredibly easy, inside a week more than often without leaving home. A far cry from twenty years ago. How are your solebars Brian?

Whilst I can all understand Adrian Swain's reasons especially if he's been sick, I'm afraid not being web savvy in 2009 is pretty much the kiss of death commercially. Luckily I still have a 25 year old Lloyds' cheque book and can snail mail the few remaining dinosaurs producing essential bits and get them sent to Australia. Net of VAT, the postage often seems to cancel out, even for loco kits. Ironically the last one I bought was from Keykits via Paypal when they handled ABS. No complaints at all, on the contrary the Zero Zephyr kit was very much to my liking. Would be a shame if that line died out.

I'm pretty sure John Hayes has written several articles in MRJ where he carved off the integral solebars on several different GWR Ratio kits and replaced with the appropriate excellent Evergreen channel. He then used Masokits W irons (I think) and either ABS whitemetal or suitable etched brake gear to achieve finescale models. As the fold-up W irons set the distance between the back of the channels, there is no issue with length of axles. You may ask why bother virtually scratchbuilding a chassis, but old as the mouldings are, they are still good and more than hold their own. Just found the reference:- MRJ 124 Pge 23