jrg1

I was a great fan of hers, and the articles she wrote were a huge inspiration for me. She suddenly stopped in the mid-seventies, and the last time that I read her, she described an SR EMU build.

The loco shed was rebuilt in the ate fifties and closed in 1964. It was derelict for many years, and then was re-purposed as a venue and concert hall for Lincoln University. Apparently, the original brief was to retain the rail lines and pits, glassed over, but this was not pursued. The old Great Central Warehouse was also re-purposed as the University library-both well worth a look inside with much original detail retained.

Royal visit to Lincoln and Lincolnshire 1958

Vivien Thompson's Eastbourne in the sixties, and her modelling articles were an eyeopener for me. A superb modeller.

Here's a perfect application for 3D printing.

What a great idea for storing brass sections.

Will these etches be available to buy?

In all the posts regarding the merits of heavy goods locomotives, why has there been no mention of the GWR 47xx class? Fast, powerful, versatile and at home on heavy mixed traffic-and only nine were ever built.

Can we have a few words on the painting of the BT7, please?

These are the works drawings for NSW Crosby whistles-I believe the WAGR whistle was the same.

Nice model-how did you apply the chevrons, they look very neat. D2700 had the distinction of being the first Modernisation Plan diesel to be scrapped in Spring 1963.

It is difficult sorting out all the variations of GNR 0-6-0s and 0-6-0T engines. I found the GNR Society publication on GNR Tenders a remarkable book, and an indispensable aid for GNR and LNER modellers, as it completely covers the entire history of the companies tenders. If only someone would would do the same for MR and LMS Deeley/Johnson/Fowler tenders.

I would like to know how you achieved such a good result with these kits-I am aware that the quality of Falcon/Jidenco varied enormously, but these are outstanding

I did a build description for TCH; if you are interested I can go into more detail. The topsides are absolute rubbish, but the underframe can be tarted up satisfactorily. I only realised recently that the end tank covers should be convex, and not flat-I never spotted that during the build. I have a series of build photographs, but these are not uploading, for some reason.

I think the time and effort factor comes into play here-spending a week's modelling time to produce an acceptable result when a plastic kit would give the same or better in a couple of hours tends to depress me. I also have a Jidenco LNWR 0-8-4T. This is half built, and looks quite good-all square and good etches. However, the bunker is a scale foot short, and the cab roof follows a profile that could be described as wistful, and needed to be drastically altered to conform to the works drawing. Also, the splashers and footplate openings are too close together for P4. apart from that, all is well.

I thought it was just me. I bought a GWR Cordon gas tank wagon, and found that Falcon suggested that the tanks were made up from dowels, with the etched ends glued on. The frames for the seven tanks, apart from being unbuildable, if opened out to the correct diameter, would have broken through each other. Eventually, new frames were cut out, tanks scratched, and that meant that apart from the tank ends-turned down to the correct size-all the topsides were scratched. The underframe was detailed, and the model was now graces a GWR layout. I also had an LNER fruit van. The floor, sides and ends were one etching-with no fold lines. Scoring these in and soldering up showed the etches to be 2D, with much additional work to make them comparable to a Parkwood plastic kit. Closer inspection showed the body had warped. Unwarping saw the body split on the etch folds. The body can be viewed by interested modellers in the scrap bin, with the underframe in the spares stores. Never again. Never again.

Weathering is very subjective in my opinion, but I do like the look of what you have done-can you provide a description, please?

I visited Roy Jackson twice-once to see Dunwich, with John Phillips, and much later to see Retford, with Geoff Kent. The friendliness and hospitality as they went out of their way to entertain and explain was outstanding, and their readiness to share their knowledge most impressive. Roy said that one day Retford would probably be broken up, much to my consternation. I suggested that a suitable home would be the Science Museum, as a historical diorama and teaching aid for future generations. R.I.P.

Which makes his Tavern Car and the Leader designs all the more mystifying

Tonks book states 235510-21 were ex-works from 8-12/1945, assumed allocated Lot 6 and built with 4VRO engines at Boultham works. Quote:- "Order numbers were issued in rotation for each financial year, so the first order for 1954 would be 540001 and so on. If a locomotive went on trials or to an exhibition, or brought back and resold, it recieved a further order number". This all became very complex, with the sheer volume of locomotives produced, and the only way to ascertain order date would be to consult the actual locomotive record card. The reason for non-consecutive numbers could be due to issues of delivery priority-12 machines in a four month period could have meant simply allocating 235519 to another customer.

This layout is so evocative of the barren areas of Wales-extraordinarily atmospheric, and a simple layout as well. Marvellous.

Absolutely great modelling and first class tips and hints-keep it up!

Can we have a few words on producing steel coupling rods, please?

The GCR was the only mainline built in the UK to continental Berne gauge standards, with the intention to run high speed trains (Count all the mail line level crossings on the GCR) from the UK to the Continent via the SECR and a Channel Tunnel. The GCR could have been developed as a major spine route for fast travel between Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool and on to Leeds plus links to the WCML. A good comparison would be the Woodhead Route and the Hope Valley line across the Pennines-one high speed and electrified, the other a steam age anachronism-and open. Leaving the GCR girder bridge intact over Nottingham Midland, and then demolishing it before the trams were introduced, necessating a replacement, is a monument of sorts. Clive's comment regarding steel movement-Steel was transported round the UK between different works for further treatment/refining. Steel trains from Scunthorpe to South Wales via the GCR are an example. BR moved coal as efficiently as they could with what they had-the Mines themselves delayed modernising, meaning BR had to use mineral wagons, and the advent of MGR had to wait-which needed diesel locomotives with Slow Speed Control.

I was amazed when Nottingham Victoria was closed in favour of the Midland station-a fast, segregated route through the city obliterated in favour of a lousy layout and a station that faced the wrong way, with inconvenient workings. The GCR frieghts were fast, profitable and reliable, with the Windcutters years ahead of their time.