AJCT

A tip I got from somewhere (possibly originating from Tony Wright) was to use sections of used (ie clean) biro inner tube which is 2mm ID and cuts easily - see attached pic of the bogie from my Bachmann BR 4MT 2-6-4T converted to P4. HTH. Alasdair

I like this a lot, and will be following your progress with interest. As well as having had late-1960s family holidays in the area, I was part of the team dismantling the 60' turntable in 1977 for removal to Aviemore on the Strathspey Railway. I think I read an article in a back number of Railway Magazine which mentioned the use of LMS Class 4 2-6-4T locos on Kyle Line services while the turntable was being replaced. Tiny tip... yellow snowploughs didn't appear until well into the "Rail blue period", circa 1972 from personal recollection: prior to that they were black/grey/dirt - see the colour pic of the green Type 2 in Portchullin Tatty's post above. Alasdair

This is a dead easy P4 conversion - I just changed the wheelsets on mine. No form of compensation, even with the 12'0" WB - it ran fine round my circuit and I wouldn't claim my track is any better than "reasonable". Alasdair

The pros and cons of P4 are probably for another topic, but suffice to say I went P4 in about early 1988 and as I seem to have got it to work successfully (largely using RTR conversions) I've never regretted it. The only drawback is bringing home a new RTR 00 loco (eg Hornby or Bachmann) and not being able to give it a good run right away.... But to get back on topic - I can't comment on Comet cylinders, but I have done 3 successful P4 conversions of big outside cylinder RTR locos: a Bachmann WD 2-8-0, a Bachmann BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T and a Hornby Britannia. The WD was inspired by the Dave Booth articles in ScaleFour News 148-150 and the 4MTT by the Tim Shackleton articles in MRJ 133 & 134, while the Brit conversion I devised myself using the experience gained with the other 2. They are the most relevant here as the leading drivers are right behind the crossheads: as Michael Edge says, you need zero sideplay on the leading axles. I used Gibson wheels and crankpins/bushes/nuts: it's been quite a while since I did these conversions but it doesn't look like I angled out the slide-bars or widened the cylinders, though I did use reversed nuts on the leading axle of the WD and may have filed down the nuts on the 4MTT a bit.... HTH Alasdair

Umm... unlikely, I'd have thought. I haven't checked the respective underframe lengths and wheelbases, but the Mainline BR Standard 4MT 4-6-0 has the BR2 or BR2a tender and the tender from the equivalent BR Standard 2MT 2-6-0 is the BR3. Alasdair

I got one shortly after they came out in the 1970s. I didn't like the overlong tender (I think the underframe moulding was meant for a Black 5) so I shortened the tender body and built a new underframe from plasticard with metal wheels and whitemetal axlebox/spring castings. The loco got new Romford wheels and a turned brass chimney, with sprung buffers, screw couplings and vacuum and steam heat bags fore and aft. The shortcomings of the original valvegear and the "skirt" under the boiler are all too obvious and as stated it doesn't compare with the Bachmann version. Since I went to P4 in the late 1980s I doubt I'd rebuild this one from 00 to P4, so it's sat on my display shelf for sentimental reasons because it was one of my first upgrading projects way back when and I was quite pleased with it ! Alasdair

What motor/gearbox combination did you use, Eric ? Alasdair

What did you use for washers on the driving axles between the new wheels and the original chassis block ? Alasdair

With the tablet-catcher recess under the nearest cabside window and the number at the far end only, it would be one from the Eastfield D7611-7623 batch, so D7616 is highly likely. Alasdair

Maybe I missed something as I've only just picked up this thread, but isn't that what Brassmasters do with their EasiChas range http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/easichas.htm ? Alasdair

Not "Scottie Dog", please - they're the black ones. The Eastfield logo is a "West Highland White Terrier" or "Westie". Alasdair

My order (placed 28 November) arrived this morning. When I heard about the accident I'd sent a message saying that my order was for a couple of long-term projects so there was no rush, and wished them well. Alasdair

Quite so ! Alasdair

Any possibility of the retooled Thompson ex-LNER corridor stock in BR lined maroon ?? Alasdair

Hi Eric - What's the origin of your D49 (62719?) in the first of the 2 latest series of pics ? Alasdair

I don't think I've seen this one before - https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/71/484/ - but I'm a bit suspicious about the the date - another image dated 1968 https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/23/830/ shows that the track to the east of the box had already been lifted. A few other points of interest: that looks like a Diesel Brake Tender behind the Type 4, and it's the first pic I've seen of a Down train recessed on to the stub of the Border Counties line or perhaps dropping off a vehicle with a hot box. What do the experts think ? Alasdair

OK: it was a rather dull day so I've lightened the pics a wee bit. Looks like the pug could do with a little TLC, though. HTH - Alasdair

I'd be interested to see that too, to see if my assumption holds true that the sidings could be worked by both Up and Down goods trains...! Alasdair

Yes, I think I bought my first whitemetal kit from Homecrafts in the 1970s - a Gem "Glen", which Mr.Julian thought should be within my then capabilities.... Sorry, don't know anything about the E&DD rail connection, though I've often wondered about the purpose of the siding referred to in this pic from RailScot - https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/50/881/ Alasdair

There's this one from RailScot - https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/33/953/ - athough it's dated 1968. HTH. Alasdair

David Cross has produced at least one photographic album of his father's pictures: one I have is "Last Years of the Waverley Route" published in 2010 by Oxford Publishing Co (an imprint of Ian Allan Publishing Ltd., Hersham, Surrey KT12 4RG) so they may be prepared to forward an equiry for you - a course of action I've successfully used with another author. HTH. Alasdair

Thanks for that: all useful info squirrelled away for when I get "a round tuit"...! It's not a very high priority project just now, but as motor, gears and P4 wheels were all included it looked like a good bargain at the time I got it. I can certainly recommend High Level gearboxes from personal experience (usual disclaimer). I'll be interested to hear how you get on with the plunger pickups when running the completed loco on a layout. I tried them on a small tender loco some years back but found that they imparted too much resistance to the driving wheels, so I replaced them with top-mounted tread-wiper pickups in the tender, a method I've now used successfully on at least 3 locos. Regards - Alasdair

I'm following this with much interest as I've acquired a pre-owned part-built example of the kit. It's got a Mashima 1420 and what appears to be a High Level 60:1 Loadhauler+ gearbox: perhaps I missed it, but what is the gear ratio of the Branchlines one you're using ? Regards - Alasdair

Well, mine (possibly the BR standard version) definitely has one red and one white glass - but the type you describe with the slide arrangement may be an earlier design (eg LNER, LMS etc). Alasdair

Do I detect some venerable Kitmaster BR Mk1's among your coaching stock fleet, Eric ? Alasdair