2750Papyrus

Do I recall a tale that the use of initials instead of Christian names was dictated by the perceived limited space on the smoke deflectors? As I'm not a fan of the renaming of A4s after relatively unknown directors, I have no guilt in expressing similar sentiments regarding union officials/Railway Executive executives. So W P Allen is my nomination. Much better to have been J G Robinson!

I have always thought that Stamford shed had a great deal of character. I built the 4mm scale Prototype Models kit some 20 years ago. I retrieved it from a storage box last year and decided to refurbish it with regard to gutters and downpipes, and to scratch build the wooden extension, rarely modelled. The only snag was that, in my original build, I overlaid the printed roof with slate paper strips, using PVA adhesive. Whilst in storage, this had turned green, so the extension is roofed with different coloured slates from the original build. I have heard of ballast turning green due to the use of PVA but not previously building papers. Has anyone else encountered this?

I am finding this difficult, it seems like asking us to betray an old friend! Given that a policy of naming the class after winning racehorses had been established, my choice is for the politically expedient though loyal Prince of Wales. Much better saving it for the largest express locomotive class - the P2!

Pasty wouldn't have been a great name, either!

I think a Bamford Wuffler might prove popular.......

Some wonderful names and some curious ones but naming express locos after racehorses was an inspired moved likely to turn up some curiosities. As a child, I was enthralled by Henry Charles Webster's book "Legend of a Locomotive", so I have to cast my vote in accordance with my forum name, Papyrus. A great shame she was not preserved, though I believe her driving wheels still turn but under 4472.

I have always found the choice of names for the A4s to be a curious selection, not really in keeping with the locomotives' image. However, the worst have to be those of directors and officers not well known at the time and now virtually forgotten. Lord Farringdon and William Whitelaw had given many years of service to the LNER and its predecessors but some of the others would have been better contained in the B1 Director name series. My pick for the worst A4 name goes to Andrew K. McCosh.

I have assembled 4 of the GN printed wagons in 00 to date and am very pleased with their appearance. I did find the springing arrangement fiddly and a challenge to my eyesight, and experienced some axlebox splaying through using top-hat bearings. I'm afraid I chose not to spring the buffers. Some simplification would probably suit me but I received another kit as a Christmas present and will procure more if suitable prototypes become available, whether to the current or a simplified design.

Hi Dan, will you be taking pre-orders and stocking the recently-announced Heljan O2's with GN cabs, etc?

Has to be the only one I have driven and fired 20+ years ago. My nominated charity on Amazon Smile - Sir Nigel Gresley.

Moel Tryfan. Single Fairlie from the NWNGR/WHR scrapped by the Festiniog Railway in the early days of the preservation era.

You could make it the naughty corner...

Somewhere I still have a motorising kit for the Kitmaster model of the L & Y Pug. From memory, there were metal bearing shells like eyelets to fit to the plastic chassis and metal tyres to fit over the wheels. A worm/gear set set was included to fit a Romford 7 pole Terrier motor but I can't remember what one did about the axles. One reason it never got finished was because I tried to adapt it to 00-9 but I think the thickness of the frames and gearwheel prevented this!

The latest copy of the Gresley Observer has a picture of a small fitting above the front number of the rebuilt W1, its purpose being unknown. Now there's a challenge for Hornby! The article also recalls the electric lighting fitted to the rebuilt loco, including that fitted under the driving wheel valances for easier inspection. An interesting challenge for DCC?

I have to wave the flag for the steamy southern end of the ECML. Next year will see the 100th birthday of the N2, which hopefully will be back in steam soon. The first Hornby-Dublo model was made more than 80 years ago and there was even a GW liveried variant! Maybe a set of quad-arts to go with it? 0-6-0s currently seem to be popular and the J6 has featured strongly in polls for a number of years. An alternative coach shout would be a Silver Jubilee or Coronation set to partner the A4. Wagons: another traditional Hornby model was the bogie brick wagon, whilst it would be good to see a mainstream manufacturer produce the various RCH open wagons, which could appear in numerous different liveries. Further forward, the FS centenary will surely precipitate special editions if not an updated model, and if there is no proprietary V2 release next year....

S

I'm very impressed. Are details such as the handrails and grab handles part of the 3D print? I would have thought they would be too vragile.

I love carols but I find the tune of this one depressing. In the early 70s I worked in an open-plan office who would whistle it year-round. I tried retaliating with "Summertime" but it went over his head.

Thanks for your detailed reply on lining. Yes, the 12 wheeler is one of those featured on the LNER forum. I'm not quite ready to post a photo yet but can confirm that I have enjoyed the build, even if it has been time consuming. My eyes will only focus close-up for about 20 minutes and I seem to have "clumsy" days when it is best to put the model aside! May I suggest you drop Graeme a pm to check availability?

Chas, I like the lining on the ECJS 6 wheeler. I have never tried lining a model but have one of Graeme's 12 wheeled clerestories nearing completion, which really should be lined. Plse did you follow the Mike Trice videos?

Not normally a great fan of sound but this did add an extra dimension to the WD. Nice signal box!

Depends partly on whether the Bachmann V2 ever sees the light of day. I think perhaps SR fans may deserve new models of the King Arthur and Schools classes. I wonder what Hornby will plan for the FS centenary. A new model to latest standards and facilitating the various changes made during her life?

I superglued the original Mainline/Bachmann type couplings to the bogie stretchers on my build, such that the bar is in line with the buffers.

Tony, I expect "Lockdown 2" has stopped you from visiting Edenham, but was there a decision on the size and style of the station building? My fancy was for one similar in style to the Willoughby Arms.