Roger Sunderland

The 8F is very nice Tony. I built one some years ago. It’s married to a Hornby tender for extra pickups though not sure it needs them. Still waiting for any advice you can give me on the DJH B16/1 I’ve acquired (please see my post a little while back)

Hi Tony i wonder if I may ask for a little assistance from your good self? I have recently acquired a DJH B16/1 kit . I’ve just completed the PDK kit for a B16/3 and it was, generally a delight to build. The DJH kit is one of their earliest kits and is therefore, how can I put it, a little basic by today’s standards. I see that in their advertising DJH show one of these locos, on Little Bytham I think. Did you use the DJH frames, which are basically 2 pieces of rather thick brass. Also I note the crossheads are white metal. I think I can make a reasonable job but wonder how you approached it and if you substituted any parts. Any tips from the master would be much appreciated. (PS I am aware that PDK and LRM do a kit for the B16/1 but I like a challenge!)

The Markits issue is a strange one. I have heard that people have issues but I’m with Tony on this. Just last week I rang Mark, he didn’t answer but rang me back an hour or so later - an entertaining conversation followed and I ordered a full set of wheels for a PDK B16. I received them 2 days later, half and half drivers and a beautiful etch for the correct pattern balance weights included.

Why is it always the government’s fault? People have forgotten what personal responsibility is. You shouldn’t need to be told to respect what are common sense restrictions. Can’t people forget their selfish lifestyles for a while to protect the vulnerable? Sadly no, it seems the vulnerable will have to pay the highest price in today’s Britain.

I think there is clear evidence that primary school children have a very low incidence of catching Covid and don’t seem to pass it on. There is a clear correlation with age so same doesn’t apply to secondary schools and, most definitely, doesn’t apply to university students. ive seen from my grandkids how important going to school is. It isn’t about blaming people for socialising but , yes, that’s where the virus is passed on - and it’s the 18 to 30 age groups who are getting it and passing it on. Who thought it was a good idea to get hundreds of thousands of students to travel over the whole country for a piss up? All University degrees could and should have been done on line from home - but then it is their birthright and part of that thing called growing up, so who are we to deny them?

Totally agree, a very pessimistic opinion. We got back to normal after Spanish flu, the SARS pandemic, Aids, Foot and mouth and every other “crisis” which has befallen mankind. It may not exactly match the “ normal” we knew before but ...... Also, I don’t think this forum is the place to make overtly political comments against the present government. No government anywhere in the World has come up with a right way to tackle this pandemic yet and you can’t please everybody all of the time. We know a government advisor stepped over the line but it was 6 months ago, simply repeating it as ad infinitum will not get rid of Covid. Move on. if people took more personal responsibility rather than blame government (any government) then perhaps we may get out of this thing quicker. Sorry rant over!

Stunning. Words can’t do it justice. Carlisle just as I remember it.

No I think that’s just an excuse to behave selfishly. After all politicians are hardly role models these days . It’s more footballers and pop stars and they have behaved impeccably through all this haven’t they??? (Not)

Just some further info from the above book. In the late 50s there were 10 goods arrivals at Bournemouth Central goods And 11 departures daily. Poole goods had 17 arrivals and 17 departures. Bournemouth West has 2 arrivals and 2 departures Hamworthy goods 3 arrivals and3 departures Hamworthy junction goods had 12 arrivals and 16 departures- and was the busiest .

Hi Arctica my knowledge is fairly limited on the goods side, I’m afraid. Yo are spot on with the facilities, the main yards were Bournemouth East and Poole. The yard at West was very small and apart from the usual local merchandise, which could consist of almost anything, coal and the other commodities you mention, there wasn’t much else. Only a pick up goods called there and I’m not.sure if that was daily. To be honest the yard sidings were mainly used for storing coaching stock, especially at busy times. One thing I have seen in photos are a number of blue spot fish vans. I believe these were worked up from Poole quays and added to London trains. There are some good pics of goods traffic from Bournemouth East in the book, “ Brish Railways operating history” - Sourhern Region part 3 - Wessex publishes by Xpress Publishers, if you can get hold of a copy.

Sorry Phil but I really have to take issue on your take on this. Going out of the door is fine, the virus doesn't flourish in fresh air - but does in the stuffy crowded confines of an exhibition hall. Yes there are lots of infectious diseases out there - but for the vast majority, such as those you mention like TB, measles etc, a vaccine is available to all. There is no vaccine YET for Covid 19. If there was we wouldn't be having this debate.

Despite what Boris has said, and it’s still all “ifs and buts “, as an exhibitor of a certain age I will not feel comfortable going to an exhibition, especially during the Winter cold and flu period, until a vaccine has been delivered. Watching the news last night I see 89 people are still dying every day on average from Covid.

Hi Jonathan. Have now finished the large factory/warehouse kit you sent me recently. A superb kit, and large, there is nothing like these kits on the market. Also very sturdy. This is a photo of it on my current layout. I adapted the loading Bay Area slightly . Painting was grey undercoat followed by a suede type paint ( just what BRM said not to do) which gave a nice stone texture, finally rubbed over with a cloth and a minimal amount of Matt black. you are to be congratulated on an excellent product, beautifully packaged with excellent instructions, which fills a huge gap in the model railway market.

That’s not really the case. The large shows can book up to 3 years in advance- so those shows cancelled in 2020!cannot just assume that the planned layouts will simply turn up one year later as this will clash with bookings for 2021. Unless everyone moves everything back by a year! Then again shows weren’t cancelled till March this year so some did go ahead such as Doncaster. Tricky.

The roof was glued on, from memory. It’s just a case of very carefully easing it off with a scalpel or other such. I don’t think I needed to remove the cab. Drilled through to the side and bottom of the back head to take wires for the speaker. Chip is hardwired to motor and pick ups and sits upright at front of boiler. Had to remove small amount of material from footplate under chimney to get it to fit and all of Hornbys wiring.

Can I just add my congratulations to Andy, Phil, Howard and all at BRM. For all the hard work and effort that must have gone into this project. Thrilled with the footage of Bournemouth West and the way you’ve interspersed the photos and videos. i look at some of the layouts and just go WOw! Penmaenpool and Liverpool Lime St. in particular but the bonus is seeing layouts that would never ordinarily get to an exhibition as well, like Burnden Park- terrific. Is this the future? Sorry Andy , don’t shoot me, but I’m with the do it again brigade!

Dumb yes, of course. But maybe not that different from the 500000 (really) Knobheads who flocked to Bournemouth beach - see Andy’s pic above. Or the thousands having illegal raves and street parties in London, Manchester and elsewhere. It seems asking people to show some some restraint and think of others is a non starter. I just don’t know how you would police a large exhibition, keep people safe but still get enough people through the doors to clear costs.

Thanks mac1960. I travelled over the route many times in the 60s with my Dad but sadly, like you, didn’t keep a record of what I saw.

I think we are well catered for in 4mm scale for parcels vehicles . The 11 vehicle set I’m currently running is a fairly eclectic mix comprising of. LMS bogie CCT - Lima, rebogied Mk1 CCT - Bachmann/ Invicta LNER BZ 6 w van - Marc models (I think) Thompson matchboard full brake - Coopercraft LMS stove 6w - Comet Hawksworth full brake - Hornby LMS Stanier BG - Bachmann SR BY van - Hornby LNER pidgeon van - Isinglass models Mk1 GUV - Bachmann Gresley full brake - Hornby pics available on request!

No contest really. The Peco turntable resembles a real turntable, the Hornby one looks nothing like one.

Thanks Steven and indeed everyone who has replied.

There used to be a daily pick up goods that originated at Southport and travelled up the Liverpool /Southport line shunting the sidings at each station- long gone obviously but after the end of steam the 02s worked it for a while. I lived at Ainsdale at the time . It would trundle up about lunchtime, usually only 2 or3 wagons in tow.

Absolutely agree Paul. In my view the hobby is not really about showing something off, it’s about creating things that give YOU satisfaction. There are many facets to this wonderful hobby that you can have a go at. Our exhibition layout is 35’ long - I can’t set it up at home which is why I’ve spent the last 3 months building a small layout just for me at home, weathering and renumbering stock, making some buildings and generally playing trains. I personally can’t understand why you’d stop doing anything because you can’t exhibit it.

well said Barry. Get on and do some modelling. You never know, when it’s finished, and if it’s good enough you may want to exhibit it in a few years time!. Ive also done more modelling in the last 3 months than I’ve ever done before - everything I’ve needed has been available on line.

Bournemouth model railway centre has been shut for some time. Derek, the owner, has been very poorly recently and had decided to retire. I think he intended to move the business online but that may not have happened. Traintronics was an offshoot so not sure what has happened to that.