2750Papyrus

Revell kit of USS Forrestal - 56 years.

Not rules but two guidelines: My first trainsets were a Trix bakelite tracked 3 rail electric set and a Hornby 0 gauge clockwork set. Both employed 0-4-0 locos hauling short tinplate coaches and wagons with little detail. So whilst I read the criticism of the latest RTR model or a kit or scratch built model, I don't lose sight of how far we have come in my lifetime. Similarly, I try generally to follow reasonably realistic practice when building my layout, but it also needs to look attractive to my wife and myself and to be interesting to visiting grandchildren.

Please has this rang been reviewed in the model press?

"Old ones, new ones. Loved ones, neglected ones."

That sounds realistic and brings back memories of my youth in London. Personally, however, I think I might quickly become bored or annoyed with it all the time and save it for visitors. When I was young, I don't think I ever heard a tube train blow it's whistle. Not until about 20 years ago when alighting at High Barnet to take the car back northwards was I able to ask the driver if tube trains were fitted with a whistle or horn, so he gave me a personal demonstration!

Sister Rita was sitting by her convent window one evening as she opened a letter from home: Inside the letter was a £50 note from her parents. Sister Rita smiled but as she continued to read the letter by what was left of the last glimmers of daylight coming through her window, she noticed a shabbily dressed stranger leaning against a lamp post in the street below. Quickly she took a piece of paper and wrote, "Don't despair - Sister Rita". She then wrapped the £50 note in it and having got the man's attention, she tossed the wrapped note out of the window to him. The stranger picked it up and read what was on the paper. He looked up, tipped his hat and slowly made his way down the street and into the darkness. Meanwhile, Sister Rita returned to her letter hoping he would use the money wisely. The following day, Sister Rita was told that there was a man at the main door of the convent insisting that he should see her so, she made her way down the stairs to see what the commotion was all about. True enough, she found the stranger, who she had last seen standing in the street, waiting for her. Without a word, he handed her an envelope stuffed full with £50 notes. "What's this?" she asked. "It's your winnings Sister," he replied, "Don't Despair came in at 80-to-1." Comment

I worked for a Company in the 70's whose IT manager was from the area and found the postal address amusing:- Wigan Wagon Works Wagon Works Road Wigan

I believe that my maternal grandfather used to drive a horse and cart for the Midland Railway. I have a small stable block already but could use a set of grooms, and have previously advocated a motorised shunting horse. So 3 out of 4 for me, please!

We're looking at a printed illustration reproduced on a computer screen, so perhaps not authoritative. Having said that, it doesn't look too dissimilar to Precision LNER wagon oxide. Were you expecting a bauxite shade? That wasn't introduced till 1938, with the change to small lettering.

A re-tooled N2 would be good to celebrate the centenary of the preserved loco (with a £5 donation to the overhaul fund for each one sold?). Similarly, a retooled J13/J52? More examples of long-lived pre-grouping rolling stock would provide scope for numerous livery variations. I'm not a great fan of sound-fitted locos but there has to be scope for some form of Synchro-Smoke if the market for steam locos remains large enough and can afford the likely prices. Remote uncoupling for DCC fitted locos? Semaphore signals as robust and reliable as the old Hornby-Dublo ones but with more detail and working lights.

The Hornby con rod nut spanner I ordered from Amazon last night following Ian's post was delivered this morning and I was able to replace 10000's lost crankpin successfully. She has completed a number of circuits on my layout and, as previously reported, is quiet and powerful. Dan at Derails had offered his usual assistance but fortunately it was not required on this occasion.

I agree - I guess any service is as good as its staff. We are lucky enough to live in a village and hence have got to know the local Hermes girl and her predecessor quite well. Polite and helpful, and uses her common sense about what parcels may be left where when we are out. She's just been on holiday and both delivery and collections went awry in her absence but following her return are now back on track.

Thanks, just ordered from Amazon for delivery tomorrow.

I spoke too soon. On the second circuit this afternoon, the loco suddenly stopped dead. I spotted a small screw on the track next to it which, on investigation, revealed itself to be the crank pin from the RH front driver, releasing the coupling rod. The first two pairs of driving wheels had locked solid (cause or effect?) but I did manage to free them. The crank pin appears to be undamaged and about 1.6mm in diameter, with a hexagon head. Unfortunately I don’t have a nut-runner or spanner small enough to fit. Has anyone else experienced this problem?

reminds me of the back seat of the coach returning from a youth club outing.....

My Hush-Hush was delivered this morning. I had ordered from Derails and asked them to delay shipment until I could be at home to receive it, which they were happy to do. Well packaged by them for Royal Mail shipment, excellent customer service and a competitive price. The model has a little bit of a tight spot at low speed, which I am sure will disappear with running in, and seems to be powerful. It is certainly an impressive beast and looks almost sinister in it's dark grey livery. But best not to look at the rear carrying wheels too closely, especially on a curve - Hornby could have done better here. What a shame the LNER did not persevere with the original locomotive. I must re-read the William Brown book.

Sounds interesting but plse can the sources (Roger Amos/NGF) be identified?

I have a friend who is an emeritus professor of history, who conducted some deep historical research on this – ie googled the Malvern Gazette website and searched for references to Elvis Presley’s teeth. Apparently, a dentist in Texas fitted a crown for Elvis back in the day. The mould (complete with crown insert) was later sold to a dentist in Canada for $6500 and he lends it out for fund-raising events. So it’s always on the move. Beacon Dental Surgery in Malvern put it on display for some charitable purpose back in 2014.

sounds more like a hopeful Princess than a Duchess!

Thank for the photos, humour and continuing tales of South Devon in the last year of the Gone Wet and Rusty. May I express my best wishes to you for Christmas and the New Year, hopefully better than the last two!

Shame!

"It won't happen to me" - a view held by many generations of young men and women, perhaps most famously Bomber Command and Merchant Navy crews.