2750Papyrus

The way the middle figure has turned to look at him, I suspect a bad case of flatulence.

I much enjoyed watching the Team Grantham layout on the web exhibition yesterday.  The use of identical trains to present a "mirror image" and instant change of height was innovative and would keep a child guessing, and the gallopers and "Ring the Bell" sideshow were fun.

I sometimes think we take this hobby too seriously and view operating features as toy-like, and I am encouraged by the introduction of motorised road vehicles and the potential horse and cart on Grantham itself.

How about a shunting horse?  If it hasn't been done before, maybe a motorised wagon permanently attached to the horse?

The train, signals, track and telegraph poles are so convincing.

The only improvement might be some form of background?

52 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

by geaneology, the A4s. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

the study of sweet cherries?

2 hours ago, Il Grifone said:

Unfortunately there never was a 'scale' version of the Ruston Shunter. AFAIK it used a similar drive to the AC Trix locomotives, with teeth cut into the back of the thick driving wheel flange. The result would only run on deep rail sections and meant that finer wheels are a no-go. Trix coarse wheels will run on Dublo 3 rail plain track (code 125), but come to grief on the pointwork. The fine* wheels are more or less to Dublo standards (as adopted by Triang/Hornby). It was sold together with the shunter's truck which was quite a reasonable model of its prototype (provided the coarse wheels were replaced). Unfortunately they were moulded in some sort of rubbish (acetate?) plastic and now invariably are warped.

 

*'Fine' as opposed to 'coarse'. They certainly aren't to NMRA or BRMSB standards

We moved from Trix track, through Wrenn, to a PECO product using fibre sleeper units on which a FB rail sat and was spiked every 4 or 5 sleepers.  I can't remember what this was called, but the sleeper4 spacing was better than code 100 or 75 Streamline. 

Our Brit and class 5 were re-wheeled by Trix to the finer standard, whilst the EM1 had a rubber or plastic deep tyre/flange pressed onto the finer wheel profile - I think the Western 0-6-2 tank came with this profile.  The EM1 is not happy with code 75 and I think the Ruston-Hornsby shunter would need something like code 125!

Is Sparky currently employed?

1 hour ago, railroadbill said:

 

However, it was subject to mazak rot and not many survive.  Apart from that looks a good model, very advanced for its time.

I should still have ours somewhere, so I need to check.  Sadly, I don't think it will take to code 75 BH any more kindly than the Ruston-Hornsby shunter!

On 18/11/2021 at 23:52, Il Grifone said:

The Trix uncoupler relied on a electromagnet (hence the noise) operated with the reverser and was only fitted to the 'Scotsman' in the UK (post war - pre-war it was also fitted to the Princess and Coronation and was to be a feature of the still-born 2-4-2T*, but operated the pre-war hook and loop coupling similar in operation to the 'standard' Continental coupling). The high price of this locomotive ensured it's lack of popularity.

Mine is rather temperamental, a  normal feature of the Trix sequence reverser in my experience.

 

*I understand this actually appeared in the Trix Express range.

The German-styled 2-4-2 tank was also sold in this country with a modified version of the Peco/HD/Trix coupling fitted at each end, with reverser controlled uncoupling.  It actually worked quite well and shunting could be good fun.  However, a break in the supply due to dirty track or excessive speed resulted in the train becoming uncoupled - the same circumstances would cause a non-fitted loco to stop. 

I'm rather disappointed that features such as this have never been more widely available.

40 minutes ago, hayfield said:

 

 

BBC or papers reporting that there is a shortage of flu vaccines, apparently the amount or vaccines used to date is more that the whole for last winter.

 

Certainly this week we were able to book the booster on Tuesday for yesterday (Friday) so around here plenty of supply, hopefully the same elsewhere  

The flu vaccine ran out locally about this time last year, so my wife never did get hers.  This year we booked back in September at the local pharmacy as soon as they had any.  Our surgery has cancelled their appointments due to the shortage and is advising patients to try and book through a pharmacy.

Had my booster jab a week ago at a very efficient site locally, with a total of ten vaccinators in action.

I am assembling an old McGowan models' kit of a GN brake van, and am tempted to fit a Train-Tech rear light.  However, this could call attention to the absence of working red and white lights on the sides.  Has anybody fitted such lights to their brake vans?

Just as long as they don't slip in a further delay to the V2!

11 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

I've just had to google 'Bayko' - must have been a bit before my time? Mind you, I cheered up when I saw the word 'Meccano' 

You youngsters!

My sister had a set.  It was quite good fun making various buildings but didn't actually do anything when you had finished.  I think my Mum preferred it though, she got fed up with extracting Meccano nuts and bolts from the Hoover.

Assuming there was no "calldown" for the Bovis money, has it been ringfenced or swallowed up by other council expenditure?

6 hours ago, Jesse Sim said:

I agree completely, I’d rather have a bud on a bridge then some of the other stuff you see. It’s more natural. 

I'm surprised you're drinking Budweiser, especially where you can be seen!

5 hours ago, 2750Papyrus said:

I have just read the review in Model Rail, which states that the Bachmann manual for this loco recommends the use of a smoothed supply when using analogue control, and speculates on the possible fitting of a coreless motor (not mentioned in the BRM or RM reviews). 

 

My layout is an oval with hidden storage sidings, so has gradients at each end.  I therefore use Gaugemaster feedback controllers to maintain reasonably constant speeds.  I have had a V2 on order for many months and have not previously been aware of this potential problem.  Please can anyone advise?

I raised this issue with Bachmann, who advise that the V2 is fitted with a 5 pole motor.  They are not aware of issues when using such motors with most proprietary analogue systems but their recommendation is that all Bachmann products are used with a controller giving a smoothed output to provide a single, consistent message irrespective of product/components.  They do not envisage problems with the new V2 but suggest contacting the controller manufacturer for total peace of mind.

I have just read the review in Model Rail, which states that the Bachmann manual for this loco recommends the use of a smoothed supply when using analogue control, and speculates on the possible fitting of a coreless motor (not mentioned in the BRM or RM reviews). 

My layout is an oval with hidden storage sidings, so has gradients at each end.  I therefore use Gaugemaster feedback controllers to maintain reasonably constant speeds.  I have had a V2 on order for many months and have not previously been aware of this potential problem.  Please can anyone advise?

13 hours ago, great northern said:

Some engines seemed to turn up at least once every time I visited the ECML, and this was one of them.

 

 

60123 would be in my top five most seen, and thus got booed regularly. I don't think I saw it at Peterborough, but then I only remember going there twice.

I like the detail around the water column.

Have only just found this thread.  Very interesting and the shots at Ruddington look great.

12 hours ago, Colin_McLeod said:

 

 

Is that a bicycle designed by a committee?

54 minutes ago, 1466 said:

Dear2750 Papyrus

I apologise if this question has been asked before  , but have you read that marvellous book “2750 the legend of a loco” .? It must be 60 years since I found it in the junior library and I remember bits of it still .

Yes, like you I found it in the junior library when I was about 9, and it was a major contributor to my love of railways and my choice of pen-name.  It took me many years to source a copy through the specialist book-sellers but it has been recently reprinted as a paperback.

In 2017, a biography of the author was published, "Henry Charles Webster Man of Steam", by Dorrienne Roughley.  If you are interested in the life of a railwayman in the steam age this is "a good read" and the source of some of the stories in the earlier work.

18 hours ago, gwrrob said:

 

I would suggest a 45xx class prairie and B set would be more aesthetically pleasing.

I have a soft spot for the Kingsbridge branch as some of our favourite walks in Devon are along the trackbed around Loddiswell and Gara Bridge.  I asked the question about the GW railcars as a single BR unit was used in the last days of the branch whilst in the 1900’s a steam railmotor worked round trip from Saltash.  Maybe history could be manipulated so that in 1947 this service was operated by one of the GW diesel units?

I agree that a prairie such as 4561 hauling a B set would be very typical, but to my mind the most aesthetically pleasing locomotive to have worked through Brent was in the 44 number series.

4474 Victor Wild!

Is there a specific reason why the railcars did not work on the South Devon branches?  Or just lack of consideration for modellers!

3 minutes ago, rob D2 said:

You do what you must do and I'll do what I must do 

What you choose not to do dictates to other people what they can and cannot do.

13 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

 

 

N2. Hornby (running-in on its way back south after shopping at the 'Plant').

 

Can that justification be extended to include a J50 from Hornby, a sweet runner?

I wonder if the preserved J52 ran through LB?