Thane of Fife

Re: brakes getting in the way Morgan Gilbert suggests (on here and LNER Forum) fitting micro tubing to the chassis, and threading wire through the tubing, fitting the brake shoes to the wire with nail varnish, which can be removed. This way once the brake gear is constructed it can be put aside until the chassis is finished and then refitted. Thane of fife

I like the SEF etched chassis. They fit together easily and result in a well working model. The chassis with his LNER pacifics etc (A3,A4,& W1) are excellent. His spare parts service is brilliant. Almost instant delivery from the time of order. I have no connection with SEF other than a satisfied customer (and a fane). Thane of fife

It is amazing what money people want for "off the shelf items". A South Eastern Finecast J39 kit was on offer for £120. You can buy it from SEF for £94. The price has now been reduced to £100. There is a SEF SECR class D kit on sale at £150, where again SEF sell the kit for £94. Thane of fife

I think the owner of Rails of Sheffield has retired and the business passed to his son. This would explain the change of policy. Thane of fife

A well known purveyor of overpriced model railway items, does seem to be short on railway knowledge. He told me that streamlined LNER P2's had different sized wheels to "Cock o' the North" the original P2. Another vendor advertised a Articulated triplet restaurant car set without the articulation bogies, saying that the middle car was supported by the two outer cars (with one bogie each). If that was the case, the axle loading would be so high that the set wouldn't be allowed to run anywhere on British Railways. However, bargains can be found. One modeller (not me, I'm sad to say) picked up a brass LNER J73, that had been wrongly offered as a J72. Thane of fife

I have two old Kay's J50 bodyline kits. I built both (many years ago) with Horny chassis, which I rewheeled with Romfords, and fitted with 5-pole motors. They ran really well with good slow running. However, I was never happy with the overlong rear overhang. I fitted one with a Gibson chassis, Mashima 1420 motor, flywheel, and High Level 60:1 gearbox driving on the middle axle. The difference was noticeable. The slow running was improved, and it was much easier to control the loco. I then fitted the other with the same, but driving through an extender on the rear axle. The same performance improvement was noticed. So I now have two very smooth running shunters, which are controllable down to less than scale walking pace. An old BEC J52 had the Hornby chassis replaced by Mainly Trains chassis, Mashima 1024 with flywheel and High level 80:1 gearbox, with same improvement. A Mainline J72 was converted into a J71 with Mainly Trains kit, Mashima 1024?, and High Level 80:1 to become another smooth slow runner. I bought a D49 kit built loco at a good price. It was built around a Triang L1 chassis, and was very fast. I am currently building a Comet chassis with a Mashima motor etc. to fit it, and looking forward to some good slow running. It is more expensive to replace the chassis/ motor/ gearbox completely, but the end result is worth the effort and expense. Thane of Fife

AFAIK number 4431 was never carried by a compound and all the Ivatt compounds were withdrawn in GNR days and rebuilt as new simple engines. None of them ever being painted in LNER livery. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WHITE-METAL-KIT-BUILT-LNER-4-4-2-IVATT-CLASS-C1-Compound-Atlantic-No-4431-/371083311467?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item566649f96b Perhaps I should put my accurate C1's on the market if they are worth that sort of money.

A very rare BEC GCR D11 coupled to a GNR tender. Which is probably why it has been reclassified as D10. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WHITE-METAL-KIT-BUILT-LNER-4-4-0-ROBINSON-DIRECTORS-CLASS-D10-No-504-JUTLAND-/371081927378?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item566634dad2 I am awaiting the arrival of a GNR Atlantic with a GCR tender. Thane of Fife

There are several examples of kits which are still available being advertised at prices way above manufacturer's prices. I think the sellers must look at prices of the high price vendors and add the date. I spotted a book in the window of a local charity shop, went inside and asked the price. When I said that it was too expensive and I could buy it cheaper new from a specialist fairly local dealer. The manager informed me that it was on offer for more on Ebay, and didn't like it when I remarked that it was on Ebay as it was priced too high and wasn't selling. If it was priced correctly, it would have been sold, and no longer on Ebay. Thane of Fife

I've nothing but praise for the SE Finecast service. It couldn't be better and the postage charges are the most reasonable. Thane of Fife.

Vectis auctions is one source. The eBay traders buy the large lots and sell the contents individually. I recently saw a job lot at a toy auction. However, the set that I was interested in was not complete so I did not bid. It then reappeared on Ebay, posted by one of the regular dealers. I don't think he made any profit, because it sold cheaply. Auction houses like people who do not know their subject. Thane of fife

The sad thing is that some people are taken in by these misleading adverts. There was a old Kay's streamlined P2 named Cock 'o the North, which was fitted with small Romford wheels (22mm or 23mm), and no brake gear, instead of the correct 24.7mm wheels and was attached to a streamlined tender, which was never fitted to Cock 'o the North. This incorrect loco was advertised as perfect etc built by a professional. It was priced at over £500, and I presume it sold as it disappeared from the dealer's listing. I have one of the old Kay's P2's, for which I've built a new chassis with a Mashima motor and Markits RP25 wheels (which only just clear), added brake gear and named it Mons Meg (the Kay's kit only suited Mons Meg and Lord President). Perhaps I should advertise it at £600 pointing out the inaccuracies that I've corrected. However, I'll think I'll keep it as it will go with the Hornby Cock 'o the North when it finally is released. As Abraham Lincoln said; "You can fool some of the people all of the time". Thane of fife

I have just spotted a collection of ten Kirk coaches advvertised as a "Ten coach set" in fine condition with loose steps etc for £849.50. You can easily guess the vendor. If these coaches really are valued at £84 each then I'd better increase my insurance as my coach collection is worth over £3000. Thane of Fife

I have seen white metal items described as brass. Is it an honest mistake or an attempt to mislead? Finescale only seems to be used by those who do not understand what it means. I saw an A5 scratchbuild, which was obviously built from wood with little detail, described as Finescale Kit built. I have seen Kirk coaches described as brass, presumably to con viewers into thinking they were D&S models. A lot of models seem to be advertised as powered by Romford Bulldog motors, which sounds better than Hornby XO4 motors. Thane of fife

He is just one example of the increasing number of tradersselling stuff on ebay and not really knowing what they've got. As a result they give inaccurate and often fanciful descriptions. What I don't understand is where they get it all. There are many traders who know nothing about railway modelling selling on Ebay. If you ask a simple question like; "Which motor is fitted?", they cannot answer. They choose their prices by looking at other items on Ebay and adjusting up or down. What they don't seem to realise is that items that remain on Ebay for long periods are those that are priced too high. Their ignorance can lead to benefits, as I know of wrongly described items that resulted in bargains for people. Thane of Fife

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item258d8aafdf The King Arthur chassis is available from SEF for £34.50, so that leaves £15.00 for a Hornby King Arthur body. Thane of Fife

I love the gearboxes. If the chassis kits are half as good as the gearboxes then they will be excellent. Thane of Fife

I guess Stovepipe feels like me. If you are professional you oughta be abel to spel it proppa, spel checka or noe spelchecka. I would be more inclined to be taken in by those scam emails if the wording was spelt correctly in them. I cannot argue with this as I agree with the sentiment. An advert with correct spelling and true statements that doesn't use hackneyed phrases is more likely to attract serious buyers. However, I am slightly dyslexic and still have difficulty spelling. I cope with this by checking the spelling (and grammar) of anything that I post. I guess that others with spelling difficulty cannot be bothered to check, and so are unprofessional. Thane of fife

I totally agree LNWRmodeller. It seems that Ebay are not interested in advertising standards. A lot of used items seem to be "Mint". "Mint in box" does not mean the original box. "Mega-rare" means haven't sold one for seven days. "Finescale" is a term used by vendors who do not know what it means. "Kit built" is a lie used to attract more viewers. "Original condition" means dropped, bent, and paint chipped. There are so many mis-descriptions, and Ebay do nothing about them. Thane of fife

Replying to Stovepipe; Whilst there are spell-checkers on most computers, many people have difficulty spelling. So I wouldn't consider the incorrect spelling of professional too much of an error. However, proffessional may be an adjective that I do not know, and which means non-professional. Thane of fife

Just spotted this loco built by a "professional model maker": http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/00-GAUGE-KIT-BUILT-L-N-E-R-J210-6-0-N0-800-/321375014370?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item4ad3718de2#ht_839wt_1190 If this "Professional model maker" built this Nucast kit for me, I wouldn't pay him. 1) LNER no 800 was a saturated loco all its life, the model has the extended smokebox of superheated locos 2) LNER no 800 was a Westinghouse brake loco, with vacuum ejector added later, I can't see either the Westinghouse pump or the vacuum pipe. 3) The chimney has bare spaces where the black paint has missed. There is no primer showing underneath, so it was a single black coat. 4) One of the tender axle retainers has been fixed crookedly 5) Black paint is partly over the treads of the tender wheels. Who would want a loco like that in their collection? I only have one J21, and could do with another, but it won't be this one. Thane of Fife

The locomotive B12 had a 7'0+7'0 wheelbase. This is the sames as GCR B5 & B9, and NER B15. All three would need slightly lengtherned boiler, modified footplate, and outside cylinders, but not outside valve gear. Thane of fife

I used to use a Weller 40w connected to a light dimmer switch. It was Ok but a but chunky. I upgraded to a Weller WHS40 and am very happy with it. It There are the clever people who can use a ordinary soldering iron to solder white metal parts. This will tend to slightly melt the castings into each other, forming a very permanent joint. Thane of fife

There must be something clever going on; to fool Ebay??? The seller below often has ridiculously priced items. http://www.ebay.co.u...=item5d4a978aae Thane of Fife

The perennial high pricer has moved into Kirk coaches. He has listed a ten coach collection. Seven random coaches and a triplet restaurant for £795. There are two sleeping cars, a buffet car and a full brake. If one forms a rake from the collection then I suppose that passenger would be served meals at their bunks, and who ever heard of a restaurant set and a buffet car in the same rake. He advertises that handrails etc have been added, but doesn't say that only applies to some coaches. He also has a 4-quad artic set for £197.50, with a dodgy bogie. I hate to think what he'd charge for a set with a good bogie, correct couplings, separate handrails, and decent underframes. Perhaps it would be £795. Thane of Fife