MikeOxon

Looking at my own models, I prefer a darker appearance for frames, especially under sky light. Of course, if I spot-lit these, they would look brighter but, to my eyes, less natural. Mike

Just Google 'Newcastle girls in snow' to get the picture 🙂

Please let us know if you find the source - it sounds fascinating!

I often enjoy putting together models of engines from different periods - it brings out the differences in proportions very clearly, I wonder how 'realistic' your engine controls are - can you for example feel the difference between the 4-cyl and 2-cyl Stars and Saints or between Stephenson and Walschaerts motion, with their different 'lead' characteristics? The thing I missed most with the flight simulator was the lack of any sense of physical movement and I guess the same is true of train sims, which cannot provide a real footplate experience. Great fun to watch though 🙂 Mike

Another reminder of how 'bare' early railways looked, compared with the overgrown line-sides that we are familiar with today - sapling trees and open country all around.

AKA a 'Lautrec' [colloquial English joke]

I notice that Welsh Disestablishment features in those headlines. It's worth reading G.K.Chesterton's very amusing poem on the subject: https://www.poeticous.com/chesterton/antichrist-or-the-reunion-of-christendom-an-ode Mike

As I recall, from discussion with my late Father who was a keen photographer from the late 1930s, ortho film was still the 'norm' until after WW2. Panchro film was much more difficult to process, since it needs total darkness, whereas ortho can be processed under a red 'safelight'. The early panchro films still had rather poor colour balance, so it took a long time before their higher cost and the difficulties of processing became worthwhile. Even the motion picture industry only started using pan film in the late 20s but mainly after 1930. I suspect therefore that most pre-WW1 railway photography was done using at best ortho materials. Mike

Yes, I wrote about it at https://www.rmweb.co.uk/blogs/entry/18267-red-wagons-experimental-archaeology/ Most of the illustrations have gone but I'll attempt some restoration, In the comments, I referred to this plot of film sensitivities:

I think that is more or less the route I followed when I started scratch building. It's much easier if you stick to an early time period. As I pointed out once, building a 2-2-2 locomotive is not that different from building a wagon - no coupling rods or alignment to worry about and, if you push it along with a motorised tender, it's just another 'vehicle'

You'll get at least two! Good photos make blog posts much more interesting. I work similarly to you but I tend to use flash bounced off a white ceiling as my main light, sometimes with an extra small flash to add some highlights. For illustrating work in progress, I now use a smartphone most of the time - quick and easy - but I like to use my Olympus for 'final' shots, usually against a plain background which I sometimes replace in processing with a back scene. It's always good to read of other people's methods. Your wagons look splendid! Mike

I don't thing that there's much odour from superglues but the fumes sting like mad if they get to your eyes! I've never noticed any lasting damage but it's something to avoid. Mike

I have found the gel type superglue survives better in the tube. The 'runny' type always goes off before I finish the little bottle. I also find the gel better for attaching very small parts as it stays in place when the parts are pressed together. Always allow plenty of time for the joint to harden though.

In all the recent discussion of streamlining, I'm surprised no-one has commented on the GWR railcars, I think the early versions were particularly attractive, before the 'bean counters' stepped in and replaced all those curves with flat panels. Imagine a 'Cornish Riviera' express based on power cars of this style - streamlined at both ends, with Centenary type carriages in between.

Every cyclist knows that air resistance is very significant at quite low speeds! I suspect, however, that the drag is mainly due to turbulence in the slipstream. A railway engine has the advantage of having a long train behind it, which plays a very significant role. The same is true with ships, where Destroyers used long slim hulls EDIT pointed out by JimC below that the case of surface ships is fundamentally different

3801 looks a bit like something I tried on a GWR 'Castle' - in this thread 18th Jan 2014

As you will have seen, the Baptist Chapel is a more elaborate building than on Richard Holder's model. The station and yard and now under Sainsbury's car park.

I note that the original Wantage Tramway office building is still in place on Mill Street, complete with its decorative frieze - image derived from Google Streetview. There's a 'blue plaque' on the side wall. Mike

Unlike this TVR 'S' class. I wonder how the fireman used his shovel? Mike

September 2013, p.735 to be precise. It's a fascinating model with lots of interesting details. Happy New Year, Mike

Apart from the crests, what struck me was that the mouldings between the panels should be black, not brown. This alters the appearance of the upper body sides. If you delve deeper into the details, there should be a fine brown line inside the edges of the cream panels, as in this example from Didicot:

It was the Hornby 2721 that set in train my movement into earlier time periods. We all know that "the devil is in the detail" but you have tackled your demons very well and set an example to us all. Sadly, my own models always seem to come to a halt after the basic outlines are completed and I always 'intend' to add details 'later'. I admire your determination to see the job through 👏 Mike

A superb place in Reading to learn about farm wagons and how they varied between different parts of England. Also with café and enclosed garden, with play area for kids. A bit tucked away but worth finding.

I know little about the design details of particular buses but I'm impressed by the improvement you have made, through the paint finish and detailing. All too often, it is the road vehicles that let down the 'realism' of model railway layouts and I think you have done very well in this respect. Mike

For anyone facing paths like those, I can recommend 'Yaktrax' walker grips, which clip over normal shoes. I bought them for a winter trip to Iceland and found them amazing on icy paths. (no connection - just a user)