Stanley Melrose

The technology has probably moved on somewhat since I left the car industry in 1973 but the drive for new models back then was related to the lifespan of press tools as much as styling of the product. As I recall it, press tools wore to the extent that after 250,000 "bangs", some remedial work was required so a car that was produced at that rate per year (e.g. the then Cortina) would have its press tools dressed for a minor facelift at the annual shutdown, a more radical facelift after 2 years and complete replacement after 4 years when the tools were well and truly knackered- hence the product life cycle was a matter of convenience for the manufacturer in that the latest styling ideas could be incorporated as the press tools would need replacing anyway. On the other hand, BL just replaced the press tools without changes . . . Stan

Hi, I hope you are aware that there's an error in the panelling on the Jidenco etch for the carriage sides? If you check with the attached drawing, you may find it possible to correct the small fault with the panelling - or not - if you consider it immaterial. Cheers, Stan PS Bill Bedford used to do an etch for the trailer carriage . . . Platform 15 P6.pdf

Many thanks, Les! Now if only they were available commercially . . . Stan

Hi Les, Can you tell us a bit more about the corridor connections, please? Thanks, Stan

Somewhat off topic, I recall a headline above an article in the Liverpool Echo many years ago: NO WATER SO FIREMEN IMPROVISED I always wondered if they used their "tools" . . . Stan

Seems as if Keith is a realist . . . Stan

It looks as if it may be possible to remove some of the intermediate gears to leave only the drive to the centre driving wheels . . . Stan

The modified bogies on mine do have the additional front member but the slop in the wheels is still excessive. I realise that the metal strip/bearings can be bent inwards to take up the slop but the bogies are still very skinny and cannot be used for wider gauges (EM or P4) because of the unfortunately narrow axle (23.55mm on one random sample) used by Bachmann. I hope that decent replacement bogies will eventually become available to enhance the splendid upper parts of these coaches for those of us who have adopted wider gauge trackwork. Stan

I made my comment on body-only availability simply because in a phone conversation with Bachmann Spares Department it became clear that Bachmann ensure there are extra bodies produced. Once the 12month warranty period has expired and therefore any damaged parts replaced, they will supply bodies and related spares - admittedly these are not cheap but for the modeller adopting wider gauges, they are certainly cheaper than buying the complete model and trying to dispose of the 00 chassis. It was on this basis I conjectured that KR Models might wish to follow suit. Stan

I think Mike may be wondering if he will be able to obtain just the bodies of the loco and tender to mate with the HighLevel chassis so he can build his model to P4 (or perhaps) EM standards. Those who model to the wider gauges (especially P4) usually find that the 00 chassis is surplus as adding springing/compensation to improve running and current collection and replacing the wheels in the 00 chassis is not possible, Stan

I think you'll find that production runs in China today are based on a single day's output. By this I mean that the parts bins are stocked overnight with sufficient components for the next day's production. The workflow is planned so that painted parts are readily available to stock the bins and similarly for those that do not require any painting. The workforce is trained on the relevant assembly procedures and when the bell rings in the morning, production commences. If all goes according to plan, the requisite number of finished models comes off the production lines and the staff go back to their barracks. Any left-over parts are gathered up and thrown away or saved as spares (perhaps) while the bins are replenished for the next day's output. Any testing (!) is carried out and packing follows before palleting and shipping. That's why everything is a limited edition today, unlike the inventory rich days of yore - and why there are often too few spare parts. Anyone tried to get a set of cylinders for a Hornby Pug? Think about it - that's just about the only way the system can work. It's not as if our brand names are our manufacturers any more. Production slots have to be booked months in advance and if any part is not ready, that slot will be re-assigned PDQ to ensure that cost targets are met - hence delays and even cancellations. It also explains why what may seem to be common components do not exist, e.g. tenders or loco chassis may seem to suit two or more locos but each product will almost certainly have been designed ab initio by a different team and they could not care less that a previously produced product's parts' could be re-used. That's what just-in-time manufacturing means and why there is so much angst at present in the European car industry as the B-word looms. Stan

Just north of that area abutting Regent Road and Grove Street was a timber yard in the 1960s. I worked for the company that operated from there, Hunter Fowles, during 3 Summer holidays in my student days. It was strenuous stuff but did wonders for my physique and visits from Jinties on shunting duty maintained the railway interest. Stan

I phoned Mark Ascott yesterday to discuss details of a couple of his Markits products and then placed an order around 4pm. The goods arrived in today's post - truly excellent products at good prices and the best possible delivery timing. Wow! Stan

I've just found an etch labelled MORGAN DESIGN 1998A Horn ©. It contains 4 small outlines for hornbocks for 2mm axles and 6 larger ones for 1/8th" diameter axles plus washers for both sizes of axles. Can anyone provide any further details of the product? I'm thinking I've had this for about 20 years but suddenly it was there on my workbench and that's all I know about it. There must have been turned axleboxes to match the etch but whether I had these or the etch was intended for use with another supplier's products I've no idea. Any help gratefully received. Stan

Those were the days! I worked on Euston Road so lunchtimes could see visits to Hamblings (re-located from Cecil Court to Euston Road), W&H, Kings Cross Model Shop and Victors - not to mention Collectors' Corner in Eversholt Street. My memory tells me there was also a model shop in Neal Street, off Shaftsbury Avenue, as well but the name escapes me. Sorry this isn't helping with anecdotes about Victors but the OP set the little grey cells in motion . . . Stan

Still smiling when I see in my mind's eye those 4 excellent goals at Goodison yesterday. Glad to be there just 3 days after the 70th anniversary of watching Everton for the first time on my 5th birthday. Stan

Besides the anti-gravity problem, unfortunately they're not the more common version with a round top link, rather than two straps bolted through the hook. I'm not sure how many, if any, of the type available from Accurascale were fitted to rolling stock in the period you are modelling, Mike. Happy to find that they were extremely common back then but as far as I'm aware they were not. I understand that if Accurascale produce something with rounded top link screw couplings, they will be available as spares at that point. Stan

Perhaps - "A command (of English/grammar/punctuation) is not a prerequisite for being a (writing) journalist"?

Wow - that brought back loads of memories! My aunty was a stewardess on the New Zealand Shipping Company liners and every time she came home she took my sister and me on the Overhead to see her ship in dock between trips. What a loss it was when the system was destroyed and lost forever. Stan

Does anyone have a copy of the instructions for these bogies? I have mislaid those that came with the kit and would appreciate a scanned copy of the instructions so I can build them properly! Many thanks in anticipation . . . Stan

If the original artwork is available, it would be straightforward to scan it and import it into, say, Inkscape then scale it to ensure dimensional accuracy. The original could be copied (and tidied up), re-assembled as desired, i.e. separate images for each product and saved as a PDF file. At least one etching company (the one I use) will accept PDF files and etch from them, after separation into front and back copies, which they do for me. It all depends whether the original (hand-drawn?) artwork is available or whether access to the etching tools is possible. Either would make a suitable starting point. Stan

OK I'll bite and add a plea for Period I and II LMS non-corridor stock to complement the Period III stock that's been around for a while and is clearly still selling even if the latest offering is a bulk pack of 4 (R4927) at a discount. Stan

My replacement copy arrived today and although I haven't checked all the way through, it is clear that the missing pages from the faulty edition are available in the copy delivered. Regarding an online database, that would be my preference but clearly unlikely to pay royalties to Mr Longworth, whose heroic endeavours resulted in this printed version. While I might pay for access to an online version, it would soon be passed (if not by me but by others with less scruples) to other interested parties without payment - hence the online business model fails as there is almost always a way around most protection systems that limit access to a single paying customer. If anyone has concrete ideas of a business model which would simultaneously reward Mr Longworth while making all the data he has assembled available to all interested parties, now is surely the time to speak up. Whatever the way forward, I await with interest the ex-LMS story. Stan

Today's news is that a replacement copy is on its way and I've received a pre-paid label to return the faulty copy. Profuse apologies from Blackwells and Crecy so full marks for custom service from both! Hope Vol 2 delivery is on time because that's the one I'm really interested in perusing in depth. Stan

Hi All, Crecy have indicated that they believe the problem is restricted to my copy and advised that I seek a replacement. That is already in train but it does seem very strange that this unfortunate problem is restricted to one copy. I would have thought that the presses ran with a consistent input so to find that a single copy is affected defies belief. Nevertheless, if that is the case, I shall be very pleased to hear it - as no doubt all other purchasers will! I'd still love to have all the data in this book (and Vol 2) in an online searchable database! ATB to all, Stan