Simond

Looking good. I cannot recall when, but I do remember that there was an article on building one of those kits as a Black Maria in an MRJ some years back. There might be some hints or tips that will help, in any case I think it was an interesting article. postscript. There aren’t any “usual reasons” not to work in 7mm. You just choose your model to suit your space. It isn’t any more expensive than any other scale, on a £ per square metre basis either. enjoy!

When we returned from our sojourn in India, all my modelling stuff was in storage, and all our other stuff was in a container somewhere on the high seas. We were temporarily living in my late M-i-L’s house. She had been quite keen on picture framing for self, friends & relations, so I was happy to find a cutting mat, lots of card and a few scalpels. A bottle of good quality PVA glue, download plans, and the result was a 7mm Clyde Puffer. Saved a good deal of thumb-twiddling. Some time after the above photo, it was blessed with a carvel dinghy, much fiddling with card, and more recently, it has acquired 3DP navigation lights, ventilators, binnacle and wheel.

I see these are currently unavailable, but you could give Barry a call. http://www.metalsmith.co.uk/rolling-bars.htm

I was at Didcot last week, Drew was busy shunting with a Gronk, so I didn’t get the chance to say hello.

that bolster is particularly lovely, it has the “airiness” of the real thing, often lacking in models which I find can look a little chunky.

Michael, I can sympathise with the tooth. One of my upper central incisors broke a few months following post-Covid fillings. Doesn’t hurt, but looks horrible. I’ve been told to budget £3100 for an implant :( As I live closer to France than to London, I’m making enquiries about getting it sorted across the channel, it may be cheaper, and I consider the quality will be same or better. Good luck! Simon

Wikipedia gives min radius for the prototype as 80m, so 1.84m. More or less the “six foot” that the G0G recommend, life imitating art? Peco settrack 2nd radius is 1.028m. Not sure whether these are centreline or inside or outside rail, but it’s a big difference anyway.

Interesting point. Odd number of material layers means even number of glue lines, not sure if that is important or not.

Whilst I can understand the logic of odd layer numbers in plywood, which has a very evident grain in each layer, I’m not at all sure the same is relevant whilst considering homogenous materials, such as plasticard, or indeed the conventional wood-pulp based stuff. I’ve not tried it but my assumption is that it’s not necessary. atb Simon

That list is reminiscent of all the things that can go wrong when playing golf…

I know it has the right wheels & all, but are you sure that’s a 9F? It looks far too clean. Happy birthday Simon

When the time comes, mine’s getting married in jeans & a t-shirt. I just haven’t told her yet…

I like the look of the wagon, I don’t like the look of the plank…

Yes, I’m interested!

All the loose boxes I’ve any recollection of have outward opening doors/gates, but the buildings may have inward opening ones, I guess. I’ve seen a few buildings with sliding doors too, but they’re probably more modern. from the BHS website: Stable doors Stable doors should open outwards or slide across and must be able to fasten securely shut. Depending on the design, a stable door can be fastened securely with both a top and bottom bolt (known as a kick bolt). These fittings are needed to help ensure the horse doesn’t escape or get a leg stuck between the door and the frame. Stable doors should be a minimum of 1.25m (4ft) wide. The height of the door and roof should allow the horse or pony to look out with their head comfortably over the door to be able to express natural behaviours maintained by visual stimulation. a Google image search for “best practice stable design plans uk” gives lots of suggestions, all the doors open outwards. I don’t suppose much has changed over the last century or so, but the GWR were always a little individual…

Most excellent! More photos please. it must be truly lovely on a calm summer’s evening, and utterly perishing in mid January!

If all your power supplies are in a closed box, I’d check that it doesn’t get too hot. You might want some ventilation slots top & bottom.

Well, it would be if the Folkestone boys got hold of it :)

I’m surprised, I never thought that “watching paint dry” was actually a spectator sport…

The PW gang - one supervising, one watching, and one doing…. :)

If I were tackling the rivetted strips, I think I’d take some thin sheet, and put a few double rows of rivets in it, and then cut out the strips, and sweat them on. Doing it the other way about will not work out, I feel. As an aside, the GW press is an excellent bit of kit, but I can’t help thinking it’s a bit old fashioned. There’s a picture somewhere of a lathe with a rivet press clamped to the main slide - the main & cross feeds are much easier to use than the GW press handwheels, and you could, in principle, use the top slide too. Of course, this isn’t helpful if you don’t have a lathe…

Whilst they’re undoubtedly “stainless”, I’d bet at least a whole round pound that they’re aluminium, not stainless steel. if you can cut them with snips, score them with a Stanley knife, or bend them in your fingers, they’re ally. theyre damn useful. I’ve a couple of boxes of them modified into all sorts of weird and wonderful shapes. other rivers exist https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hairdressing-Beayuer-1-8inch-Alligator-Hairpins/dp/B091T8Y3XG/ref=sxin_16_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.cf6bdaba-4695-43a2-98b8-bc679540d4a4%3Aamzn1.sym.cf6bdaba-4695-43a2-98b8-bc679540d4a4&cv_ct_cx=metal+hair+clips&keywords=metal+hair+clips&pd_rd_i=B091T8Y3XG&pd_rd_r=e84cd035-8897-4cce-be28-d1a316038417&pd_rd_w=lOA2R&pd_rd_wg=EsNvT&pf_rd_p=cf6bdaba-4695-43a2-98b8-bc679540d4a4&pf_rd_r=XSX51YR0D6XK0JSB38GA&qid=1684949286&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sr=1-2-1c12e6fc-61d1-41ee-8e02-a6ca5f2da604-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1

thanks Nigel, I have never owned a ZTC controller, but was aware that there are some limitations - I guess the hardware is practical, perhaps rather nice, even if the internals need to be revised, to, for example, connect the brake to F2 - but of course, screwing down the brake is not the same as pressing a button. atb Simon

I think it’s safe to say that all early aviation pioneers died, it’s the manner of said departure under consideration. :) Schooner’s question is interesting. I’ve contented myself with knobs and buttons. DCC allows quite a lot of Lego style assembly. I purchased a Lenz system some 25 years ago, and am still using it, which has to be some kind of recommendation. Lenz decoders, on the other hand, have not enjoyed the same longevity, and my go-to is Zimo, with KA. My experience with my pal’s NCE is that I’d buy something else, ideally fully NMRA compliant. There is/was a cab simulator some years back, the ZTC 511/611 which had a brake, gear lever, and throttle control, but no water gauges, injectors, blower, fire, handbrake, lubricators…. And there are lots of rail simulators with cab views, and cab controls, which are in many cases extremely accurate representations of their prototypes. I’m not active in that arena at all, but I understand that such models are generated by individuals, so are presumably traded and comply with some form of interface standard. Building on what’s available, if you were to use the ZTC hardware, and a screen for your loco cab, the cab can change dependent on loco / decoder number selected, the gauges (steam pressure and water) can work, a decent hifi connection (turned up loud) for the safety valves, and you can spend the next thirty years learning to program to make it all work on JMRI… not sure what you do about shovelling coal! Following with interest Simon

Metalsmith do angle of various sizes, I have used that in the past. footboards on JLTRT coaches were thin copperclad glassfibre PCB, cropped to width - about 10” or a foot. you can buy sheet brass & NS from lots of places, Bill at Premier for example. You can buy a scrawker, and cut slices off the side. It says “plastic” but it’ll cut brass.