Woodcock29

The photo is of course on Mt Victoria - what I thought was one of the windiest places on earth until a couple of weeks ago when I was on the top of a hill in the Lake District where if I'd spread arms with my jacket half off I could probably have flown!

Give Veronica my best wishes for her birthday John.

Regards Andrew (from Kinsale, Ireland)

22 hours ago, Jesse Sim said:

Yes you did, glad it’s done to a good home. Replacing the motor was what put me off it, not because I can’t do that, but with the amount of projects on the go, I didn’t need another one. But I’m now finding myself on the hunt for another C1..

Jesse

Did you build the DJH kit I sold you?

Andrew

On 07/04/2024 at 10:06, john new said:

The lost mid-way house between advanced beginners moving into kits and those with enough skill then become expert builders. I agree that was a past era, and yes the results had deficiencies, but it is the baby and bath water scenario.  Taking out that progression layer took out the associated learning curve for building and then painting kit built items. The key aspect once white metal bodies using adapted r-t-r chassis disappeared was building valve gear. The stopper item.

I guess I must be one of a rare few as I find building valve gear quite a pleasure. I started though not with building a full kit but with fitting Ks Black 5 valve gear to a Triang Hornby 'Silver Seal' (I think that's right) Black 5 back when I would have been about 20. I had previously built a few w/m kits from age 16 - glued at that time of course but none with outside valve gear up to that point.

Andrew (currently in Doha on my way to the UK!)

8 hours ago, Woodcock29 said:

Jesse - what did you say above?

 

Sorry about the quality of the photo - just a quick phone photo. I only renamed this loco in the last 12 months - second-hand Mallard that I couldn't resist buying for a cheap price. I still need to close couple the engine and tender.

Andrew

I've just remembered that this is actually my second Peregrine as back in the 90s I renamed a Bachmann model Peregrine but sold that on after Hornby released their new models with far superior bodies not to mention the range of correct tenders.

Andrew

On 08/03/2024 at 05:12, 31A said:

Bachmann are actually bringing out a completely retooled Thompson BG which will no doubt be streets ahead of the current, dated, model.

They've arrived apparently as I've just received an email from Bachmann announcing that.

Andrew

28 minutes ago, Mark Laidlay said:

I'm interested in anyone modelling broad gauge to higher standards, is there any on-line presence of this railway?

Mark in Melbourne

Not that I know of Mark. If you pm me your email address I can send you some photos.

Andrew

6 hours ago, 1471SirFrederickBanbury said:

I wonder if anyone in P4 has heard of Sergent/prototype couplers?  They are far superior in my experience to any Kadees in both appearance and operation.  They mainly make American couplings, but their "Sharon" type one is probably the best match for 4mm scale 3/4 size buckeyes.

 

Rohan

I don't know anything about the range of couplings (if there is more than one?) that might be available for smaller knuckle couplers from Sergent but have had experience here in Adelaide with using Sergent scale buckeye couplers on a South Australian P87 layout. I operate on this layout once a month and we mostly find they can work well or be quite awkward. The buckeyes need to be seen from above to use them as you have to line them up perfectly if using them in shunting operations which we do. If they stick either open of closed they need to be tapped with a magnetic stick - we do this from above also but it seems that can be done from the side. In my view they're ok for small layouts where you can get the above access required.

10 hours ago, great northern said:

Interesting. I feel that the first one is a poor photo, and only marginally worth showing, even though the bridge is not a problem. The second one, however, I liked sufficiently that I felt its good points outweighed the fact that the end of the bridge could be seen. What is the general feeling about this?

The one where you can see the abrupt end of the bridge doesn't really bother me much as the sky is dominated by the signals which I like. The other shot where the B1's chimney hides the end of the bridge was never going to be as good because of the backlighting but then we've all had to take such shots in real life and we do so. Tbe front of the B1 is what captures me so its not all that bad.

Andrew

Tony

The self trimming 4000 gallon GC tenders were only ever fitted to D11, B3 and B7s as far as I know.

Bachmann have made 5 differing GC tenders (6 if you count the version issued with the GWR/WR ROD). Possibly even a 7th with the latest ROD models - I've not seen its tender closeup.

Initially the version with all the O4 models, which is a 4000 gallon ex ROD tender I think. Although this is confounded by the fact the tender with the LNER version 6190 has the number plate 6202 on the front coal plate which was first coupled to an O4/1 so would have had water pickup when built. (Interestingly the tender with the preserved O4/1 has the number plate 6202 on it but was never coupled to that engine in service according to Yeadon.)

Then the self trimming 4000 gallon tender with water pick up with the D11/1 and a non-water pick version with the D11/2 (actually made before the D11/1 by Bachmann).

Two 4000 gallon versions with the J11. One with water pickup for the LNER version and one without water pickup for the BR version. This is the best model in my view as by this stage Bachmann had got around to fitting separate brakes.

Others might be able to add more about these tenders?

Andrew

9 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Probably because the flanges are overscale.

This was an issue fitting 24mm Romford wheels to the Ks P2 - had to turn the flanges down. Now I do it as standard practice when using any older Romfords.

5 hours ago, jrg1 said:

Nostalgia central!  The best Kitmaster kit and I hankered after one for a long time.  Eventually along came Heljan, and I now have my Garratt.  I still have some Kitmaster coaches waiting to be built.

 

I bought an unbuilt Kitmaster LMS Garratt quite a few years ago at a BRMA Convention in Canberra with the aim of building it with Ks frames and valve gear (Ok I know they are very basic but I had them in stock from many many years ago with the aim of rebuilding a kit my Dad had got and we built probably 50 yrs ago!). Then only last year I got a Heljan garratt (for not much) that had been knocked onto the floor (oh dear) by a local BRMA member but it's salvageable. As I run DC the fact the wiring joining each unit to the centre unit is shot I can get it running with individual power in each end. Only need to find the time and move it up the list of priorities - it's a long way down at the moment!

Andrew

6 hours ago, Mark Laidlay said:

They list Brexit first suggesting they see it as the biggest reason but how much would they sell into the EU anyway?  Maybe there is a fixed entry cost to be able to sell anything into the EU.

Heard on a YouTube video by Little Wicket that 20% of sales were O/S. 13% from Europe and 7% rest of the world. He quoted Hattons' financial statements.

Andrew

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

 

Jesse, the L&YRS has a number of members in Australia. I can put you in touch with the relevant person.

Jesse

They are generally quite responsive. I've been in touch directly with them via their website contacts. They sent me a heap of photos of the steam railmotor when I built that and several times I've got info on certain wagons from Noel Coates, their wagon guru.

Curiously I've just finished a number of L&YR wagons in LMS livery. I have 5 of the D&S 6 wheelers to build one day including the family saloon but they're a long way down the list!

Andrew

10 hours ago, great northern said:

Is it really that long ago? I will be very happy to see you in April if you are able to fit it in.

Thanks Gilbert. I actually should have said May! Hopefully it works out.

Regards

Andrew

3 minutes ago, trw1089 said:

Happy New Year to you Gilbert and to all the PN tragics like myself.  Unfortunately, I’ve had a bit happening on the home front so have only just now caught up.  Always an enjoyable way to spend some time reviewing the comings and goings of the Eastern Region through our favourite speed restricted station.

 

Hope 2024 is kind to you all and perhaps maybe even a visit to PN for me later in the year if all the Mallards line up in a row… (and if you’d have me over again Gilbert!).

 

Cheers

Tony

Happy New Year to everyone.

I also could be a possible visitor to PN if Gilbert will have me. I visited once before in 2013. I'll be around that area in April.

Andrew

1 hour ago, Chas Levin said:

Merry Christmas to all 👋🏻🥂🎁🎄

And likewise to you Chas.

Andrew

I too would like to wish everyone on Wright Writes a happy Christmas and New Year and hope you all get to do plenty of modelling in 2024.

Andrew

Merry Christmas to you Gilbert and all your readers. Thanks so much for all your postings. At least once a day if not twice a day I usually call in to check on progress on what's happening on the ECML at PN.

Andrew

20 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening Jonathan,

 

Please excuse my ignorance, but how much did the exterior of former GC catering cars alter when they were converted to Kitchen Cars? I assume the roofs received more in the way of ducts/ventilators, plus more gubbins underneath, but what about the window arrangements? Presumably any windows would be white after the conversion? If the model conversion is not too complicated, I might try it. 

 

Or, if it is too complex, I'll just sell it and the buyer can finish it in full LNER teak. 

 

Does anyone have a photo they can show of any of the prototype conversions, please?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Tony

Bill makes the comment above that by the 30s they had been fitted with sliding window vents above the main windows so that's a change to the sides.

Andrew

2 hours ago, 31A said:

 

I also have laid the track on my layout with a minimum radius of 36", but I think the curved parts of Peco Double Slips are sharper than that - about 30"?

 

Even down to 24" right in the centre I believe for about 2".

Getting models I build or modify for others to go around the Peco slips is a good test.

9 hours ago, Woodcock29 said:

U1 - one of the very few kits I built as soon as I got it - in 1983! It really needs renumbering/relettering with HMRS. It has a single RG4M1 in the bunker and will pull anything (sorry should say push!) I want it to.

 

It does get used when we operate the schedule on my layout. It has a dedicated siding just outside the main station on my fictional location on the assumption it gets used as a banker on heavy coal trains. It gets driven across to the loco depot for re-coaling late in the schedule and returned back to its own siding. This necessitates a number of back and forth movements to access  the loco depot on the opposite side of the station.

 

Andrew  

I should have said in my posting that when I built this in 1983 it needed to be able to negotiate 2ft radius which I accomplished in the building of it - just! My current layout has an approximate minimum of 3ft so it's very happy there.

Andrew