2750Papyrus

Dyslexia rules KO!

Does anyone know what the roadworks at the A1/A14 junction will be like tomorrow?

On ‎17‎/‎05‎/‎2019 at 21:50, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Tim,

 

I'm making up for lost time - about two years out of doing things in this great hobby some little time ago because of mental illness. 

 

Speaking with Steve Flint the other day, it would appear nobody has taken offence at what I've just written in the RM. Perhaps that's what my 'retirement' means.

 

Anyway, I need the money. Returning at dusk from Stamford last evening, some bl**dy little munchjack deer decided it wanted exactly the same bit of road as me. The result - probably its death and my car needing £1,300.00 to fix it. New radiator, new air conditioning unit, new bumper, new trim, some expensive engine-management system wrecked and all by a small deer! I hate killing things (though the species is not indigenous) and they're rather attractive little creatures. What can one do, though? Yes, I'm surrounded by lanes, but they're good roads - good enough to travel with ease at 50 mph. Negotiate a curve, and a couple of them are in the road. Brake, congratulate myself on avoiding them, and another just bolts out from the hedgerow, right in front of the car! 

 

The perils of country living I suppose.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

I hit one some 35 years ago (in my Ford Zephyr V4 estate!).  I quickly backed up to determine the state of its injuries but it was very dead.  Driving home, I became aware of a banging or knocking sound and thought at first it was front end damage.  However, investigation revealed that the rapid reverse had in fact caused the disintegration of a prop shaft UJ.  An unusual way for the animal kingdom to get its revenge and not the easiest of jobs on the front drive. 

23 hours ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

Blue tit clutch up to 9 eggs now, she appears to be steadily laying one a day. It is necessary to wait for evening for 'the count'. During the day the eggs are covered in down, it's only when she arrives for the night and shuffles the scenery around that you can quickly get a count, before she settles down.

Very few blue tits around either in Bedfordshire or Devon gardens this year, I wonder why?

Also very few frogs or toads - for the first time I can remember there is no frog spawn in the local gravel pits.

10 hours ago, micklner said:

Is this not beautiful ??  The GN version is miles behind in looks !!

 

A drawing of a "Z" class appeared in one of the first Railway Modeller magazines my Dad and I bought (April 1954?).  Aged 7, I thought it to be the best looking loco in the world and pleaded with Dad to build me one! 

Many years later Mum & Dad contributed to a birthday purchase of a kit-built example from a model shop near Goodge Street.  However, by then I was a Gresley convert, especially the S shaped running plate when compared to full depth splashers.  So for me, it would be A1/A3 followed by B17. 

But it makes a change and my excuse for one on the southern end of the ECML in 1938 is a football or Thomas Cook special.

5 hours ago, Headstock said:

 

A possibility. However, a fog bank would be much more of a challenge. Perhaps cotton wool on lollipop sticks?

Dry ice?

I saw a production of Swan Lake in the round at the Albert Hall a couple of years ago when the dry ice mist reached the dancers' chests.  A bit counter-productive for a ballet!

I fear proof reading of the printed edition has declined over recent months and in this issue, the article on "First" contains two copies of the same photo instead of one showing the loco cassettes.

We're getting regular visits to the feeders from reed warblers - up to 6 or 8 at a time.  In previous years, they've only visited when there was lying snow.

19 hours ago, Ohmisterporter said:

An interesting article from The Drive/The Warzone about anti-ship missile decoys used aboard Royal Navy and US Navy ships.

 

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26899/us-navy-destroyers-and-royal-navy-ships-use-these-big-blow-up-anti-ship-missile-decoys

Interesting, though not quite 100% accurate.

Great Way Round?

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Jesse,

 

Apologies for being flippant, but what might an unsound P2 cock look like coming through, especially wreathed in smoke? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

One rebuilt by Thompson?

Please, pretty please, can we have some coaches to go with the Stirling single and Ivatt Atlantic?

A comma in the garden today.

2 Brimstones and a brief sighting of what looked like a Tortoiseshell  in the Bedfordshire garden yesterday.

5 hours ago, dibber25 said:

Yes, you're quite correct. The 'J70' does have a coreless motor, so feedback controllers should be avoided. We have no experience of using the 'J70' with trainset controllers but Rapido's latest North American products have placed great emphasis on not using trainset controllers with their products. Controller and motor technology has advanced considerably and it is necessary from time to time to upgrade to a new controller. I use a 20-year-old Gaugemaster (non-feedback) controller on my British layout and I have test run and run-in several 'J70s' with no problems. (CJL)

According to the Oxford N7 thread, though it is fitted with a coreless motor, it is also fitted with a sizeable capacitor and at least one post says it runs on a feedback controller without problems.  Assuming the theory is sound, could a similar approach be adopted with the J70?

In view of the delays in update of the Bachmann model, maybe the NRM could commission a more modern prototype from their collection - "Green Arrow".

But not to the exclusion of coaches to go with the Stirling single and C1.

On ‎14‎/‎02‎/‎2019 at 16:12, Atso said:

 

Thank you Andrew. I've removed it from the CAD file now and I think that its omission is far less noticeable than the wavy version pictured above.

 

I've also been working on the next coach in the formation, a GN Diagram 183 lavatory composite brake. I'll need two of these and I've found that its length is just about the maximum I can squeeze onto the build plate for my printer.

 

 

Having had the privilege of examining  some of your models and talking to you in TW's corner at Biggy today, I must offer my congratulations on some lovely pieces of modelling.  I would agree with Tony that 4mm versions could well be popular if they could be made available.

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

This do?

 

I am impressed by the depth of collections and knowledge here!

I have a Hornby LMS TPO and also a teak LNER one built from etched brass sides. In Grouping days, were TPOs and their tenders formed into discreet trains for security reasons, or were they sometimes included in passenger trains, eg overnight sleepers?

I haven't followed this topic all the way through. Has there been any news on the V2?

J27.....

It looks good. Will be seeing it in the painted metal later today once the layout is erected at St Even Age.

 

Wonder if the place has changed much since I was last there? Suppose so..its about 37 years since I left my rocket scientist job there.

 

Baz

So you are about to make your re-entry?

I've still got a rubber from 1977 with Star Wars - May The Force Be With You on it. 

 

No idea if it's any good at cleaning track though.

 

 

Jason

Do you use the word "rubber" with the UK or US meaning?

Some years ago we combined a trip on the "Rocky Mountaineer" with an Alaskan cruise.  Disappointing overall - a freight derailment meant we had to take the bus replacement for the RM and the cruise ship was a cross between Maplins Holiday camp and the Pride of Dover cross channel ferry. 

However, the Alaskan scenery is spectacular and I did earn the Whitepass and Yukon teeshirt.  MP makes Alaska look most attractive but the Indian narrow gauge and some of the South American steam tours are ahead on the list, if I could ever persuade Mrs 2750.

I have an old set (solid chassis?), which I could scan if you pm me your email address.