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I assume that you know about the Wild Swan book-I will follow this with interest. The possible variety of motive power makes this an ideal model project.

Perhaps you could investigate using a smoothing filter to absorb electrical spikes.

Very impressed with the photograph of the Crosti class 5 on Little Bytham-can you describe the weathering, please?

Most entertaining-please take lots of pictures of the Dapol crane, as I want to do something similar. The Dapol chassis is completely wrong for this model. Also, the NNV van-what did you attach the vents with? I found it difficult to make a good job of glueing the vents. Regards.

Hello Dave A very nice model of the Caprotti 5. I was interested to read that the motor is driving the centre axle on a P4 locomotive. Can you post a description of the chassis suspension arrangement, please?

From badly glued Airfix Shermans to P4-no reason at all not to div in!

It's never to advanced for you-have a go! When I look back at all the Airfix kits I totally screwed up, it was merely a foundation for what I do today-nothing could be easier than soldering up a whitemetal wagon, and subsequently moving on to etched brass.

I have just noticed your post-can you advise what strength solution, and is it fit for WM?

Thanks, Iain. I have been using diluted alkaline solution (Bicarb of Soda), and whilst neutralising fluxes, I have to still deal with staining. I will continue experimenting. I have started using an ultrasonic cleaner-it seems to have little cleaning effect on WM, apart from producing some sludge residues in the tank

Interesting builds. What do you use for cleaning up solder stains?

Apologies-not sure how that was mangled at all. Thanks forclarifying the wheel retracted position.

A great sample of archive film. If anyone is interested in producing the Roadrailer, I would certainly buy a batch. Quick one whilst I've got a spare 5 minutes. Most of you may have already have seen it. The prototype boxes on test. In the film the boxes have already undergone some strengthening work after failing MIRA SMMT testing at Oxford. The bodies cracked and wheel Hubs/nuts failed on their fist road journey whist being driven from Scotland to Oxford. It was also found that in road use the trailers would tip over laterally when stationary on roads with near standard cant, guttering and drainage crowns. In the film the Roadrailer is seen crossing Stebbing Road between Rayne and Great Dunmore. Zip forward to 1' 40". P XmasSmileSmr2.png Edit: B*ll*cks. Should have read through my own post from earlier in the thread before posting. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/54465-scalecraft-roadrailer/&do=findComment&comment=656938 I see from the film that the road wheels were recessed in the van-the Scalecraft model seems incorrect in this respect. If there is interest in producing Roadrailer models, I would buy a batch.

The King of cut and shuts-fascinating!

You could consider the Hornby idea of "Steamroller" wheels, ie flat, wide with no flanges.

Thanks for your intemperate observations-I actually do produce my own components. I also say that if a manufacturer produces something, at least have the commercial back up to deal with customers. A computer and pay facilities are not difficult. If you wish to see the hobby thrive, move with the times, and enjoy the increased customer base that a decent commercial outlook produces.

Andrew, I am building a Perseverance GCR tender for a B3, and can recommend it as a suitable match for the D9, instead of a plastic (Yeccch!) tender. One cure for an oval boiler is a vice with soft jaws.

I would have thought that kit development took far more time and resources. Once production is under way, things are relatively more easy. If a manufacturer is going into production, they should look at running the commercial side, or co-opt someone to do this. I find trying to chase down and order products unecessarily tedious and time-consuming. If the punters are willing to buy, let's see decent product back up in the sales department.

Dan produces first class kits, and I am sure would sell more if he had email-the same goes for other manufacturers. Living in Australia, we find it odd, to say the least, that businesses ignore computers and such as Paypal-it really does cost them potential custom

I had the cab sides etched-the cast ones were very ordinary. The DJH tender is showing it's age, and will need some work to bring it up to scratch. I machined off the boiler smokebox, and soldered a brass turning in place, as a foundation for an NS wrapper. There won't be much of the original left.

2404 was provided with a Gresley boiler that had an extended smokebox to fit on the Raven chassis. This was done to provide a spare boiler for the class. The Raven engines were inferior to the Gresley Pacifics, especially in front end design, and were withdrawn relatively quickly as their boilers needed renewal. 2404's boiler was reconditioned, and returned to the A1 pool. With an LNER tender, the total length of the unrebuilt engines was 75'101/4"-the nearest to that were the Princesses at 74"41/4", easily the longest non-articulated locomotive and tender to run in the UK. I have a DJH kit, plus SE Finecast A1 boiler and fittings, and 2404 is slowly taking shape. Apart from the frames, I may as well have scratched the locomotive, as the ghastly footplate castings are being replaced by brass and NS.

Can you have too many A1s or for that matter too many LNER Pacifics? If you modelled all the major differences, you would need a few dozen.

A pity, as I was anticipating a Sam Fay-surely the most striking and elegant locomotive class ever to run in the UK? A perfect mixture of art and practical engineering.

I just think that running 70's trains with LB as a diorama backdrop would look great-never mind that the real LB was obliterated by then. Seeing Kestrel or Deltics running through LB with Mark 2 sets would be fine by me.

Backdating a running session to the LNER is a great idea-displaying the models with LB as the background. So, how about a BR blue period running session as well?

I have seen a bus modeller form tumblehomes and roofs using a candle.