airnimal

THANKS to everyone for their kind messages. Back home from Hospital after 3 full days and not the overnight I was expecting. I am still a bit sore but I am sure I will bounce back soon. Hospital has always seemed like a rich source of stories for someone like Alan Bennett. So many things happened to keep me telling tales when I can finally get out and about and having a pint with friends. I think it will be a few weeks yet before I can get backing to cutting bits of plastic, so it will be a quiet Christmas with just my better half. If I don't appear for a few weeks then please everyone have a very merry Christmas and best wishes and a happy new year. Thanks to all the staff at the NHS.

Absolutely first class model making.

So it's nearly time for my operation on Monday. I have been to the Hospital so many times over the past few weeks I could probably be classed as a regular ! When I went last week for my pre-op I was interrogated by Sister Grunpy who was in the wrong job IMHO. I was told off for not remembering all the operations I have had over the last 70 years. I tried to tell her everything I could but then was in trouble again for not declaring that I had an Ventolin Eveohaler for my Asthma. After being interrogated for 30 minutes and given blood and urine samples I was let go only having to go back the next day because the Hospital has lost my samples ! It doesn't fill you with much confidence at the start of the proceedings. I do hope my operation is not cancelled because of the rapid increase of the new covid. So the modelling mojo is not at it's strongest at present but I did clean up a set of W-irons for my Dia 2 wagon and put the corner plates on. They are cut from 10 thou plastic and bent around the corner after the sharp edge was removed from the wagon body first. Thanks for all the messages of support from fellow modellers. I hope to get back into full swing as soon as possible butchering lots bits of plastic in something resembling wagons of old.

The body parts were etched with half etched dimples. The idea was to punch out the rivets from the rear but with close to 700 rivets I made a mess of a few of them. So I made the decision to drill them out and replace them with the Masterclub rivets. This was done in stages after soldering the body together. I wouldn't like to make another this way but it came out well.

There are alternatives to tranfers rivets in the form of resin ones available in different sizes. I have been using these Masterclub rivets for some time with great success. They are relatively cheap but require a bit more work because you have to drill holes to accept them, and being resin they will not glue with liquid type glues.

After going to see this wonderful layout on Monday with my friend I decided to take one of my grandsons today. We had a great day but a long day for a 4 year old but it was worth it. I thought he may have struggled with the journey but he was great and once there didn't want to leave. I would have liked to take the other grandsons but as they don't live close this was impossible.

We went yesterday from Stockport and changed at Sheffield. Very quick change at Sheffield and in Wakefield in no time. Had a great day and returned by Leeds. All trains very efficient and on time. Brilliant layout and we had a talk with Simon as well as his very proud mother. We had a couple of pints in the Black Rock very close to the venue. Highly recommend and a great finish to a wonderful day out.

Once again it is reassuring to receive words of kindness from the members of RM. The friend I met a couple of weeks ago died 2 days later. I had known him for over 50 years through the YHA and cycling. He has put a tab behind the bar at our local for his wake and has stipulated that everyone attending must dress in there best attire. You sometimes don't know what people always think because I have never seen him in anything other than Jean's and tee shirts. Unfortunately I will not be able to attend because I will be in isolation before my operation. I went yesterday to Wakefield to see the magnificent O gauge layout Heaton Junction. This doesn't disappoint and is highly recommended and I might return tomorrow with one of our grandsons. I am sure he would enjoy the train journey as well as as the layout. Reminds me of my dad taking me to Manchester at Christmas to see the annual show when I was a similar age. Because we will not be going to our eldest daughter at Christmas we went last weekend and had Christmas dinner on the Saturday night after I had been to Wooton Bassett to the O gauge trade show. I managed to buy some supplies to see over the festive period when I will be in isolation.

Well the brownie points for decorating the kitchen didn't last long because I'm in the do do again ! What sin have I done this time ? Well having been to the Hospital again I have been offered a date to have my prostate removed. I accepted so I can get it over with but the date is Dec 20th. With isolation before and after it has thrown Christmas plans all out of the window for her indoors. This will mean spending Christmas alone with me for the first time in 38 years without any of our children or grandchildren. So my visit to our eldest daughter in Swindon this weekend has been changed from me going on the train to going in the car and taking her indoors with me and a car full of presents. I will still be able to go to the O gauge event at Wooton Bassett on the Saturday afternoon. I have had to rearrange all sorts meetings and appointments at short notice but I just want this problem out of the way to get on with life. So modelling hasn't been at the forefront of my mind but I keep getting a few things out to see if I can do a small amount of work to complete a couple of projects. But I have to admit it that my heart really isn't in it at present.

Dave, looking at the photograph that you kindly provided they do look suitable for 7mm scale with a bit of modification. Can I now ask from what material they are made from ? Mike

Dave, can I ask what are the dimensions of the lamps please. Would they be suitable for 7mm scale ? Can you provide a link to where you purchased them from. Mike

Gentleman, I have to thank you all for the wonderful comments and best wishes received regarding my condition. I went yesterday to the Hospital to see the Oncologist to discuss what treatment is available and what treatment would best suit myself. Having been given all the options and talked it over with the family I am still undecided which way to go. I was hoping that the professionals would tell me which would be better for me but apparently it will be my decision. I think I am coming the conclusion that the removal of the prostate would be the best in my case but I would like to talk with more people on who have had Radiotherapy or removal first. Not a lot done on the modelling front with Hospitals visit and decorating and family matters but I have been playing around with a couple of wagon bodies just to keep my sanity. I was sorry to hear of the passing of Bob Essery the other day who did so much for our great hobby. I talked with him many times at S7 meetings and at exhibitions about track work and Midland wagons and my bookshelves would be a lot poorer without his knowledge.

The last post said there wasn't a lot happening with models and there hasn't been anymore since. After my last scan I have been back to the Hospital to see the consultant who has said my condition has declined. He is now recommending I have my prostate removed but I am awaiting a appointment at Christie's to see if there is a alternative treatment. I wasn't expecting the decline so rapid so it came as a bit of a shock. The nurse asked was I O.K with the diagnosis and what was the worst part that I had to deal with ! My reply was going home and telling the wife and 3 daughter's because I knew that there would be much wailing and weeping. They have got over it now but the mood has been sombre for awhile. But the other news is that we have got our visas for Australia and our covid clearance as well. So hopefully we will be able to go once I have had my operation or other treatment and the Australian government allows us in. My wife and myself are looking forward to holding our new baby granddaughter as well as seeing the other members of the family. I have booked my ticket to the small O gauge show at Wooton Bassett on Dec 4. I will be able to stay with our eldest daughter who lives in Swindon. Our eldest grandson goes to school in Wotton Bassett so I will be able to kill two birds with one stone. This may bring back a bit of the lost mojo and I can get back to modelling again. I have finished painting the kitchen at last now with just 2 bedrooms to do as well as the stairs and landing but I don't think I am about to start right now, i need a bit of time off.

Bernard Lamb, yes you are mad as was my old man. Growing up we had a house full of bikes, tandems, trikes and a tandem trike. Holidays were always on a tandem or when you were old enough, your own steed to places like the Lake District or Mid Wales. My dad was a turner so wasn't allowed to go to war. He spent the war years turning naval gun barrels doing 12 hour nights, 6 nights on then 1 night off. After the war he said he would never work at weekend ever again. He never did because they were for cycling. He use to keep a cellar full of tandems for the South Manchester Blind Cycling Club and was always taking out members of the Blind Association. He was killed on his bike at 74 doing what he loved which was the way he always wanted to go and not being bedridden and grumpy. He was still getting out 2 or 3 days a week right up to his death. If he could ride up the Llanberis pass in his early 70's then at 70 I will still keep trying as long as possible. I don't consider E-bikes cheating but I know that I am lazy and if I had one I wouldn't push myself like I need to.

I managed a 40 mile round trip today with my older brother. We went to a pub for lunch that I had not been in for 60 years. I don't remember if I was allowed in side at that time or we had to eat in the garden but our dad took us all over Cheshire and Derbyshire as children. So we had dinner at the Smoker at Plumley a few miles from Knutsford. The weather was kind to us without any wind which was unusual. 40 miles 10 years ago was a doddle but it's getting harder every time I go out now. Not sure how long it will be before I look at a E-bikes but I will put it off as long as I can.

We had a good ride today on the Middlewood way to Bollington. It was only a round trip of about 25 miles but it was good to get out. We had dinner at the Poaches Inn in Bollington which serves excellent food and good beer. At this time of the year I struggle to get out because I suffer badly from the cold so any miles is a bonus.

Cycling has been part of my life more or less from birth. Dad never drove or owned a car. That's me in the chair on the back of the tandem when I was about 18 months old. You are never to old to ride a bike. When I retired at 65 my brother and myself went with a friend to Romania for a fortnight and we climbed the Transfargarasan road which reaches 7.700' in height. We have been to Cuba, Cambodia, Sri Lanka as well as many other places My friend and brother were both 68 at the time and we all still ride today. My bikes are a Bromton that I used when I was still working, a Spa steel frame tourer to used in this country and a Airnimal folder for taking overseas. When overseas travel resumes we hope to continue as long as we can and at the age of 70 I hope I have many more years left even though I can't climb the very steepest hills or go quite as far as I use to.

I went for a pint at one of my locals with a friend last night and had a couple of pints of stout. First was Milk Stout by Bristol beer factory at 4.5% and very pleasant followed by Voodoo stout at 5% from Ossett brewery. I preferred the milk stout more to my taste but my friend was the other way round. But on the bar was Sarah Hughes dark ruby at 6%. This used to be labelled as dark ruby mild but they have dropped the mild from the pump clip. Unfortunately this wasn't going on until one of the others has run out. So I am hoping that there will be still be some available on Friday when my next visit is planned.

Not a lot happening here at present. I am not a winter person at all preferring the heat and light of summer as much as possible. I have painted the lamps and fixed the brackets to the uprights. I will have to find out about the tail lamps on brake vans on the LNWR and how many would be used. With the hole on the middle of each end for a lamp, but only the veranda end has other lamp brackets. So does this mean the the vans always ran with the veranda facing outwards ? But you would still be able to see the side lamps which ever way the vans would be facing. There is still a lot of work to do on this pair so I don't expect to finish them anytime soon.

I have managed to make the bracket that swings out to hold the lamp from a small off cut of etch. The lamps are loco lamps but I have modified the base by turning the square part that goes in the lamp socket. They are quite tricky to make as moving parts because there isn't a great amount of metal to solder the pivot bar. I may end up with soldering them up solid.

The good lady has gone to lunch with the girls so rather than take it up on myself to start the painting of the kitchen ( didn't dare choose the colour dear ) I had a look to see if I could do a small job on one of the brake vans. The first ones I have made for myself have the original lamp iron brackets but for a change I thought I would model one with the second type which swing out from behind the door pillars. So I cut a couple of strips of waste etch and drilled a couple of holes before soldering a pair of turned down lace pins in. Taking a piece of 40thou OD brass tube I filed a flat edge on one side before cutting a small part off. I then soldered this to the flat strip while holding it in a pair of tweezers. It is slightly over scale and I will probably trim it down before painting. I drilled a pair of holes in the end pillar and cut the lace pins to size. When I finally fit these brackets I will fill in the fixing holes an touch up the paintwork. I now have to make the swinging brackets to hold the lamps.

This the kit that I found in my goodies box. With my history of kit making surly even I can't make a mess of something so simple to assemble. The whole body has only 4 parts to glue together and the fit looks as though the join will be invisible. I don't think I will start this just yet ( we never start a new project before we finish all the others do we ! ) because I hear grumbling that now you have finished the paintwork in the bedroom no 1 there is the kitchen and the other 2 bedrooms to dec................. Oh well !

I have just discovered in my box of tricks my prototype early pale grey casting of a brake van. I will make this up and paint it in two tone livery. Also discovered is a LNWR meat van that I took in part payment for building one of the brake vans for a friend. I wonder what other goodies I can find in my Aladdin's cave, I know I have disposed of lots of parts that I will probably never use.

WM183, thanks you for comments regarding the castings. All the casting for this brake van were made from masters by myself. The body is a one piece resin casting and all the others are in brass. This model was produced to satisfy 3 friends who wanted me to build them a couple of vans each. Instead of scratch build the same van many times ( I wanted a couple for myself ) it was easier to make a limited run and sell the surplus on privately. I didn't intend to make any money from kits as long as I broke even. There are a few castings spare if anybody wants the few remaining parts. PM if you are interested but there are only a few left.

Added the first footboard with pillars cut from .7mm nickel wire. I filed the ends before bending at right angle taking care not to cause a break at the fold. It was fairly easy to tack solder the first leg and get the hight right before soldering the other pillars.