steve22

I've just come across this thread.  Absolutely amazing dedication and craftsmanship.  Thanks so much for letting us see your skills in action.

Steve.

On 17/03/2020 at 14:13, Tim V said:

The one I remember being exceptionally good value was the Triang/Hornby converter wagon - it had a tension lock at one end and a buckeye at the other. It was less than half the price of their ordinary wagons.

A friend of mine back when those wagons were in the shops, in the 1960s, told me that people were buying two of them and coupling them so they still had tension locks at either end.  In other words, they didn't really need converter wagons but it was a great way of getting two for the price of one.  Admittedly we were just kids back then so quite how my friend knew I can't say, but I'm sure that some folk did it.  

My vote would go for the Hornby Maunsell coaches when they were released.  Twenty-two pounds for something with incredible detail and lining.  If I recall, they were released around the same time as the Gresley Teaks and those, if memory serves me well, cost something like fifty percent or maybe even seventy five percent more. 

I bought three of the Maunsells at a shop my friend owned.  He said he would knock a bit off but when he rang them up in the till he charged me full price.  My other friend whispered, "He said he'd give you a discount."  I showed him one of the coaches telling him that I thought twenty-two pounds for a coach of this calibre was excellent value for money anyway. 

I also have a Railroad Falcon A4.  Fifty-seven pounds that at the time was forty pounds or so cheaper than the 'standard' one, yet exactly the same in every single way (same chassis, motor, etc) apart from lacking a bit of cosmetic prettiness.  

Steve.

We'll be good and not pressure you!  Maybe simply smile, contented in the knowledge that your plans just may happen.

Steve.

Gwiwer, 

it is an old friend to many of us.  Lovely to see it beyond RWweb. 

Steve.

On 06/02/2020 at 19:46, ianmacc said:

 

Beatties..... By the time I discovered them in the 90s they were the National chain you describe.  Remember their branches in Manchester, Altrincham and Blackpool and actually have a few Beatties carrier bags still. To modellers (and a lot of the general public) over 40 a legendary name but to the mainstream public almost forgotten entirely. 

On 05/02/2020 at 23:51, pippindoo said:

Worked for BEATTIES in Leeds for almost 18 years, when I started they had 4 shops, when I left they had 72! The model railway memories from back then!.....

Hi pippindoo,

I worked in Beatties Newcastle Upon Tyne branch, 1979 - 1988.  The company had about seventeen shops then, so we'll have met.  I'm guessing who you might be, but I'm open to surprises!  Yes, many memories from those days; quite a few happy ones but retail life was never an ideal existence, at least not for me with young kids growing up and them doing things which were almost always on Saturdays when we would be working in the shop. 

ianmacc,

I have just one of those Beattie bags still - I keep my Peco point templates in it!  There were various sizes, all very useful, although no thought of recycling back then.  I remember one time, somehow we practically run out entirely.  Then Mike, our Area Manager, arrived, saying he'd got some bags for us.  Whoops - they were only the very large ones, which we used to put the Tamiya radio control car kits in.  The look on people's faces when they bought something like Model Railroader and you'd put it in one of those!  

Another thing about Beatties was the shop hours which were the 'old' hours as I termed them: 9am - 6pm, Monday to Saturday.  When the computerised tills were installed in the mid-eighties you couldn't cash up the last till, until the doors closed at 6pm.  Then the cashing up, initializing the tills for the next day and banking the takings in the night safe could sometimes add anything from 20 - 45 minutes beyond closing time each day, even longer at Christmas.  No extra pay for that; it was what you were there to do.    

Many more memories, but that'll do for now.

Steve.

Very good, Sir. We model so many other things so why not this?  It reminds me of a thread on this site some years back where a guy had made a lovely row of buildings and peering into the attic of one you could see a model railway.  I believe his model also featured in the Railway Modeller one month.  Does anyone remember the gentleman's name, please, and is that thread still on RMweb? 

As an aside, many, many years ago I worked for Beatties and one night I actually dreamt that the shop was outside, situated in a local park.  The counters were on the grass and customers walked along the path to get to each counter.  The dream only lasted about five seconds - perhaps just as well; working too close to model railways can obviously do funny things to you...

Steve.

A brave venture, Les.  I hope it proves a real success for you. 

Steve.

Hippo, thanks for starting this thread off; a topic that I warm to very much!  I've got the usual Peco CJF collection of '60 Plans' (two editions), 'Plans for Larger Layouts (two editions) as well as, what was the first for me, 'Track Plans' which I bought as a teenager (including a replacement some years later when the first one seemed a bit worn).   I also admire the work of Rice, Lunn and others.  

Dave, my thanks to you too for Kipford; I knew I'd seen your development of Plan SP12* before but couldn't recall where.  It's one of those 'I'd like to build sometime' and like yours I would wish to include continuous run and reverse loop.  I've always liked the idea of a station with an incline behind and a bit of 'train appears here then disappears there' and this plan has all that as well.  The lovely photos (TW) show us how good  the completed layout can look.  A real inspiration for me now that I've insulated my new 10' x 6' shed ready for a layout sometime this year. 

Steve.

*For fellow plan perusers, the original is Plan S16 in '60 Plans for Small Railways' 3rd Ed. and 'Plan of the Month' in January 1961 Railway Modeller.

I did enjoy watching that!

Steve

Like other posts here, MRC was the first railway modelling magazine I ever purchased, back in February 1969.  I was fourteen at the time and it was one week's pocket money back then.  I still have some MRCs from that era and some even earlier that I've bought second hand.  In the 1980s I was working at Beatties, Newcastle Upon Tyne, and I would sometimes wander up the road to Fenwick's during my lunch break and browse a magazine or two.  I clearly remember picking up the MRC and reading that it was the last edition.  Now, I'm sentimental about many things, but the thought remains with me to this day that I should have purchased that last copy; and I would certainly have kept it.  Instead, I left it on the shelf and it felt like I'd walked away from a good friend.  Thanks to Chris Leigh and all the others who contributed to MRC over the years; your work remains very much appreciated.   

Steve.   

I'm saying, "That's superb!", out loud with practically every picture I view.  Thank you so much for sharing your craftsmanship with us.  This truly is amazing work.

Steve.

Hi Calvin,

I agree with all the other comments - some absolutely fantastic modelling.  I was hooked by the very first picture you posted; the bridges on the curve.  From then on I just had to continue reading till the end - and looking forward to more.  Amazing stuff!

Steve.

When I was in my teens in the 1970s I can recall my even younger brother mentioning the name, 'N. E. Preedy'.  Much more recently (2000s) a friend told me that he used to work with Norman Preedy before my friend retired.  "I still see him cycling up Barnwood Road", he used to say.  Maybe I saw him on his bike, maybe not, I never knew what he looked like, until I saw the photographs shown here but, like many posters here, I've known his name for over forty years.  Incidentally, if I recall correctly, it was his photograph that featured on the card backing of many of the 'Merit' scenic models. 

Steve.

Hi Andy,

it's really good to learn of a new model shop opening.  Wishing you every success in your new venture.

Steve.

Many fellow modellers here commenting on Allan's modelling articles in 1970s. I also remember them well.  My (then new) wife would hear me chuckling whilst reading the Railway Modeller.  It was always the same; My wife: "What are you laughing at?"  Me: "Allan Downes!" 

Within his own amazing thread here, I was always impressed that although Allan (with Iain) displayed some fantastic work, yet he was always more than ready to give very high praise to the works of others.  It was lovely to still be able to see his skills forty years or more on and to still laugh at his ever-present humour - and I'm sure that Allan absolutely loved being teased about a certain wood dye...

My condolences to his family.

Steve.

Well Martin, two whole days ago you explained certain misgivings about opening this thread.  I suspect you've absolutely no misgivings now.  Go for it, Sir; we eagerly await each next development! 

Steve.

I use Cartridge World for all the printers in our house; Brother and Canon ink jets and one Samsung laser.  I've used them for many years and never felt the need to buy anywhere else.  They seem to put more ink in than the manufacturers and at a cheaper price.  Very sad when the local store closed last year, so just recently I ordered from Cartridge World directly.  Order came the following day.  One satisfied customer yet again.  I think they supply for all manufacturers. Usual disclaimer.

Steve.

I very much wish to echo fellow members' thoughts here about John being a skilled artist, a creator of scenes and a story teller.  Indeed he was and we logged onto John's pages each time to see more creative artistry at work, more delightful cameos to inspire and prepare ourselves to enjoy the next unfolding chapter of a story we all loved so much.   My deepest sympathy to John's family.      

Steve.

Having just read the whole thread from the beginning, WOW!!!

 

Simply pure inspiration. Thank you.

No wonder you didn't post until nearly 4am!  I can quite understand though - compelling stuff, isn't it?!

Steve.

Hi John,

I don't post anything like I used to but I still follow you frequently.  I think I've commented before on how your layouts convey a sense of the railway serving the community.  I'm sure it has something to do with the many buildings you include, even in short confined spaces.  Their placement suggests that they were already there, long before the railway came.

Steve.

David C. Broad writes, "Above all it looks railway like because the builder could build what he could see."  David, this was EXACTLY my thought when I first saw this layout back in the early 1980s when a friend gave me his copy to keep.  It's a thought that's never left me, and it still rings true all these years later when I delve yet again into the Aug '63 RM to view that particular layout.  Lacathedrale, thanks for your interesting musings and for bringing this model railway to a wider audience.  I have absolutely no connection except that I've always liked it.

Steve

Hi Job,  sorry I don't get on RMWeb as often these days but I always look at your work when I can.  I remember your first posts and you've maintained that high level of skill ever since.  Excellent stuff.

Hi Adam,

welcome among us.  Some nice work. It certainly has that run down feel, hopefully it makes you happy rather than depressed?!

Steve.

I'm no real fan of modular systems but I came here out of interest as I may need to venture along narrow gauge lines as I'm about to downsize to a considerably smaller house (my vicar wife has just retired so 'goodbye' to her stipend and 'goodbye' to our large home). You've obviously done some deep thinking about all this, some excellent and clear diagrams. All the best with your progress.

Steve.

Some of us might remember that John's Noakes' first Blue Peter dog was Patch, who I think was one of Petra's puppies.  I mention this because everyone associates John with Shep, and rightly so, but Patch was also a real character.  Patch was so popular that when he fell ill and sadly died he made BBC national news headlines.  I remember that very clearly.  When John met Shep in the studio he obviously saw a similarity between the two dogs as he said on air something like, "Why do I always get the naughty one?!"