Mike 84C

Hi Castle, please never put your fireirons in the coal space, always on the rack with the loop on the upstand. I was a fireman at 84C and never saw the "fighting irons" on the coal! I would have got great grief from my driver, not " Western" you know. I enjoy your work, keep posting. Mick

Good morning Tony, Just thought I'd add a little something different to the stew on your thread!

Good Morning Tony, Just a thank you for inviting me to your home and taking the time to show how to put an etched chassis together. I also splashed out on the Poppies loco builders box and whoope! the wheels go round and in parallel! Your explanations and guidance was the spur to sail the uncharted, for me, waters of etched loco construction. Regards Mick

Love the photos Jim but I'm glad you post captions, I just don't recognise the railway I worked on. The west midlands. Keeep postin!! Mick

Any unwanted Directors and or C class at a sensible price? I do not want the magazine.

Good morning Tony, I very much enjoyed your photo's of some excellent layouts, Maindee East brought back memories of my early working life. All these layouts are to a standard I can only aspire to but I shall continue to climb the mountain! P4/EM/OOFS we all do things for different reasons, at 69yrs I just do not have enough lifetime let alone energy or money to pursue all that interests me, which is why this modeller of C.I.E. steam & diesel 5ft3in and the obscure American Colorado Midland uses Peco code 75. As long as they both run well look good in my eyes and give pleasure to me and visitors that's fine. Some items are kit built, some kit bashes, ready to run modified. I have had fun doing all of them and I hope improve, plus the people in the hobby and the hobby itself helped me through dark times in my life. I do enjoy Wright Writes! I fired 9f's on the iron stone trains from Banbury O.I.C. down to Gloucester, they ran part fitted and Tysley they ran loose coupled, all ran much faster than 25mph, near 40-50 mph if you had the road. The fast goods train was not exclusive to the GC! Western men could get a move on plus an added incentive was the PPS bonus 6/8d for the driver & 5/4d for the fireman each way Banbury to Tysley but you kept the running time!

Daddyman and Focalplane thanks for the advice, I printed off Jim McGeowns booklet, looks like a useful read. Thanks again.

Thank you Tony and CME for your advice about broach sizes. I shall be at Pontifract overt weekend with my list and enjoying a rather good exhibition if last year was anything to go by. regards Mick

Tony, a question. I have bitten the bullet, bought a Poppies Loco Box and have all the usual tools except for broaches! what sizes would you recommend for starters? I would probably buy sizes I shall never need! Thanks Mick

They are looking rather good Kieran, I have to admire your tenacity in batch building, I vowed never to do it again! finish one before I start the next! I do not envy you having to do all those interiors.

Thanks to all who replied to my musings! I'll muse to myself for a while.

Totally off modelling topics. This morning I watched an EWS cls 66 on the GN/GE joint, purr over Rowston crossing at about 50/60 mph with a container train. What price a 9f? could one after starting, time a train like that? I can imagine a very busy fireman! But I muse about it every time I see one!

Hello Steve, good to see you posting again, your modelling always inspires me and others. 2017 is a new year, untouched , I do hope you and your good lady's problems are sorted out this year. Please keep posting. Mick

I also thank you Tony for showing those photos. The Western 38 took me back to my teenage years as a fireman on BR. On one night shift we were rattling towards Oxford I was on the seat looking out for the up distant for Fritwell. My driver "Aye Aye" Bill Wrackley took it into his head to walk around the footplating to my side of the cab and stick his face in front of mine! That was close to a brown trouser moment! but he told lots of people what he had done so I got a huge amount of leg pulling. But what a capable engine a 38 was, like most things GWR. The 9f on the embankment with the natural light and blue sky is classic, a model but, a fantastic photograph.

Tony, I love South American railways, they are totally freelance prototype. Thank you for posting and can we have more please?

I admire your tenacity! Glad I got a Silver fox one via ebay. You need one of Wheshtys detail kits I'm a satisfied customer.

Hi Robert, just browsed your GC album thanks for sharing, it brought back many happy memories, Nott Vic, Woodford and the Joint. Where have the years gone?

Thanks for posting, the track flows beautifully.

Thanks for the pictures Jim, an amazing railway through staggeringly beautiful scenery. My wife and I have been up there for the past five years running. It never fails to thrill.

My very own baker of cakes Mrs 84C, thought your wedding cake looks marvellous as I also do. And congratulations on your marriage. Mike

Looks much better Nile are you going to replace the bars in the top openings? I'm interested how you will detail the underframes as I also have one to do!

Happy Birthday Tony, and I hope you are having a happy day in good company. I also hope you and Mo are in the best of health. Re little used bridges I also trundled over them on a Five or a Brit, nearly always in the dark! Tragedy the GC closed. Regards Mick

Jonathan,how did you know I had a green tank top like that? and the short trousers! Thank you I am honoured to be on your railway. But your depiction is not how I remember Bloxham Ironstone; I remember a huge,to a small me!; electric dragline and the workings with the railway on a bench above it to the left. Also a very large compressor for blasting holes? not sure about that. Kind regards Mike Whittle

Thank you Manxman1831 for the reference to the Reid-MacLeod its good to know that weird and wonderful prototypes are having models made of them. I had to Google its history !

Unravelled's post 1365 of Clun Castle at Princes Risboro" I have consulted my oracle, who is 91 now! he thinks the driver is Percy Prescott and the fireman is Roy Hedges both form Banbury. I wondered if the chap in greatcoat and beret plus bike clips is Pat Whitehouse who probably owned or nearly owned Clun by then. I seem to remember him in a similar get up when he rode back from Salop with me and Dick Powell when we worked the last steam TRPS special with Clun and he owned it before then. Perhaps Station Master could throw a bit of light on it?