stewartingram

I'd rather not!

There used to be a lovely photo of HMQ in the cab of the opening special. It was hanging on the wall in the Supervisors Office at T123, might still be there.

Why on earth redo all those?

Much as I abhor the wrongs of Jimmy Saville, and others, it really irks me that the likes of him get totally blanked from society. Sorry, his (their) good side shone through at the time. That should still be remembered. Its rather like rewriting history, with no mention of Nazis & Hitler.

I've had a small number through my hands.

I'm not sure the Norden bus is really a viable option, the car must win every time. I don't know what bus they use, but even if it is a d/d, thats only 70 seats to fill it. And only apparently once an hour. Useful but only up to a point.

Awful. All of them.

In my Roundtuit pile I have an unbuilt Kitmaster kit. If I can be bothered, I can make the small tender from that.

Looks like made in cardboard to me.

I've sometimes taken the "surface must be heavily scored" to an extreme, by actually drilling holes into either of the 2 surfaces, or both. Theory being theat the glue can't penetrate the flat surface, or have much to grab on to with a scored surface, but in passing through holes it actually sets through the surface/material..

Where on earth do they get the idea that it bears any resemblence to the Capri? I'm no lover of Fords anyway but that is just blatant propaganda!

Greed, but my inclination was towards cheaper job; I've always done all my own maintenance. The real point of my post above was the way of financing it. Again tough, I don't swap my cars so frequently, it is usually cheaper just to maintain them to keep them going. Having said that I've had a a couple of unfortunate incidents where I replaced the cars with identical models but of a highe detail spec so it was really a win-win (and gained lots more spares to stash away).

I can't help with your 'wants', but a long deceased pal of mine made a passable model of the rebuild using a Bec J17 body on an 0-8-0 chassis backin the early 70s.(00 of course). Unusual model.

I know you said you can't install it, and would have to get in done professionally, but bare with me for a moment. I've always done my own installs, since 2000 with a professional certification afterwards. I've had 2 systems, one on the old Rover 827, one on the replacement Rover 75 (in 2007) which is of the later multiple injector system (more efficient). Both have been transferred to later cars of the same model. Costs of either averaged about the same (allowing for inflation). Only quoting the later install(s), I sourced the parts for about £600, and install was free over a leisurely 3 days. The car mostly remained mobile over this period. Certification cost £25. At the time paying someone to do the job cost about double that. A quick check recently showed similar difference in cost. But paying for it is quite interesting. Don't forget fuel costs are approx. 1/2 the cost of petrol, so instant savings. The old joke about 2 disadvantages of lpg still stands - 1) less boot space because of the tank; 2) an uncomfortable drivers seat because of the money saved being in the wallet you sit on! Seriously, there was a way of doing it for free, with payback in under 12 months (diy) or just over 2 years (pay someone), based on average 10-12k mileage. I don't know if they are still available (haven't checked) but you could get a credit card with free interest for 12 months. So buy the kit with that and pay back monthly with the savings. So £50 worth of petrol was now £25 of lpg - the latter going to the monthly card payment and effectively costing you nothing. Obviously the extra expense of paying someone extended the 'loan' a bit longer, so you did pay a bit more. However if you did more mileage payback was quicker. Anyway, just my resoning. I've certainly been doing 20k a year for 15-20 years before I fairly recently retired, how have I saved......

Nobody mentioning better seats and improved riding?

When I built my MTK 109 (the one I eventually sold) there was no (or limited availability) superglue, so I used a then new 2-part glue. I forget the name but wish it was still available **. 1 part was in a tube similar in size to Araldite, the other part was in a small bottle (with a brush in the lid?). I found a wonderful glue, with a claim that it could even be used underwater!. I used it on a few aluminium/whitemetal kits with success. Nothing else seemed so successful in use, and easy to use. Sadly I either used it all or it went off. Whether superglue has superceded it is debatable though - maybe? ** A few months back I did remember the name, and googled it. If it is the same stuff, it is still available, but in industrial use quantities, with prices to match! Does anyone know what I'm talking about I wonder? (lol)

I had one, sort of completed, but sold it on years ago. I now have a 3D print version, reaching completion. I've used a Replica chassis which is ideal.

So does this answer my question many moons ago about operation on the W&U? Basically was the brake coach ALWAYS at the rear of the train (what we would normally call conventional practice?), which would involve shunting at both ends of the line? I was scouring many pictures months back, and noticed that tram engines were always chimney leasdng in one direction only (I think without checking, towards Upwell). Also I checked the passenger brake, and this I believed changed ends in different pics, not sure if it was in different years though. Something I may have to return too! If they never shunted it, it makes fitting different couplings easier....

My W & U fleet consists of J70 x2 (kit + Rapido) Y6 u/c (kit) 4w tram coach (kit) modified 04 diesel bogie tram coach (Rapido in Hattons trunk) bogie tram coach kit u/c brake coach 3D) the coach used for accounting on freights (3D) plus of course normal freight wagons!

For the Millenium Bug night, I got paid a £1000 bonus on top of a normal 8hr night shift rate. I didn't start at 10pm as I should have; I had to drive from Cambs to Bedford and got there at 11.50. Watched the fireworks on TV (whilst monitoring (cough) the comms systems of the Fire Service). Just gone midnight they broke out the champagne in the Control Room (I didn't partake. I'd left by 00:20 and drove home. Hardest night shift ever! And we had done ALL the checks on ALL the equipment weeks before with no failures, but as a contract firm to the Fire Service it was support as a goodwill gesture.

Just a thought (and I may have to wear a tin hat and protective gear after admitting this), have a very close look at the tip of the screw thread. I'm thinking they may be "Taptite" screws which I have used on a number of occasions (I had a bagful gifted to me at work when they were in vogue with our company). In layman's terms they are a bolt which can be screwed into a blind hole and tap its own thread, and I have used them in the past in this same situation. You will note that thr first few turns of the thread taper slightly; also looking end-o of the shaft, the latter is not circular at the end but chamfered off in (I think) 3 'corners'. The tapered thread allows the screw to tap its own thread, with the chamfer letting it feed into the hole. If I am right here, this may have been one of my 'rescues' and I there owe you an apology! BTW, Tapties are metric and Triang are Imperial (BA?) threads.

Have any subscribers received their issue yet> According to my records it is now 8 days overdue, has their been a delay somewhere? Time was when subscribers uused to get the copy on the Saturday or Monday before, just lately it has been erratic and not coming until after the publication date. I'm not actually complaining about that, more worried that my issue has gone astray. Edit to add that I actually saw it in Tesco & WHS at the beginning of this week.

My BR brown one is in my trunk.

WD40 - the ultimate bodger's tool. Penetrating oil should normally be used, though I'm not sure whether it will affect plastic. The tip of tightening first is a good one. Also, more important with the screwdriver and a cross-head screw - USE THE RIGHT ONE. There are/were 2 main types (especially back in the era of this model).Generally everyone seems to think Phillips head, this has only 4 slots. But more likely it could be a Pozidrive. This has 8 slots, and a different angle to the point. ((Of course nowadays there are a number of far East cross-points to complicate matters). Also BTW 3-in-ine oil also affects plastic.

I'm certain that the reulations covering drone usage ban it, but there are occasions when it has to happen (like NR) where permission can be granted.