drduncan

Regarding conversion to EM and P4… Could @coeurdelyon post information on: …driving axle diameter (please make it 1/8 inch or 3mm). …training axle diameter (please make it 2mm). …distance between the inside faces of the splashers. Thanks, Duncan

Tony, Just discovered your delightful thread and I'm looking forward to the next update. Regards, Duncan

Members of the GWSG who are on RMWEB and wish to volunteer to demonstrate, display models, bring a layout or part of a layout/WIP (any 7mm offers very gratefully received) are welcome to PM me or email me (or David Barker) on the details given in the forthcoming group newsletter. Regards Duncan

I’ll be demonstrating 3D printing at the GW Study Group members day at Didcot civic hall on Saturday 29 June. I’ll be happy to bring along pre-ordered prints for collection for anyone who wishes to avoid postage charges. Duncan

Calling all those interested in GWR rolling stock! See for details. Duncan

Saturday 29 June at Didcot Civic Hall, Burwell Rd, Didcot The Great Western Study Group will be having its 2024 Members’ Day and open event on Saturday 29 June from 1030 until approx 1430 when the members only AGM will start. The day is open to non members until the AGM part of the day and anyone interested in modelling and researching any and all aspects of the GWR and BR(W) is welcome to come along. The members day has layouts (provided by the membership) invited traders, and demonstrators. Layouts: Modbury 2mm f/s Lower Exbury EM (TBC) Traders: GWSG publications sales stand Members’ Sales stand ABS Modelstock (TBC) Blacksmith Models MRD (Hubert Carr) Osborn Models Demonstrators: Duncan Redford (3D printing)

My approach to archival research (and it’s a way of life due to the day job) is that each search has a positive outcome. You either positively know that the material you seek is not in the piece/series/archive you are visiting, so you can cross it off and look elsewhere. Or you find part or all of what you are looking for. Either way, in research terms, it’s a win. [Also take a digital camera- photograph everything that is the slightest interest and do the whole file… that way you can analyse your finds at home, maximise productivity in the rare archive visits and above all, not find out that that the last few pages you thought weren’t needed actually had stuff that on reconsideration would have been useful!] Duncan

Don’t get your hopes to high for a detailed look at the Cornish branch lines. Most of the surviving material that John had access to related to the London and Birmingham districts. That said, the articles are excellent and will help you understand the process. D

More of a tribute, really. D

On the subject of the composition (see what I did there) of branch formations and whether or not brake tri-comps or brake comps were in use, have a look at the John Lewis articles in the late and lamented GWR Journal- there is an online index that will tell you the issue numbers. Apart from that it’s a case of pouring over photos and using @Penrhos1920 excellent website to help you decipher the formation.

Just don’t set the (doom) bar too low. D

@Andy Keane @Brassey the TNA series is Rail 938. When using the TNA online search engine Discovery always go straight to the advanced search option - it’s far less painful than battling with the bog standard search options and the dross that it normally throws up. in this case tell it to search for through coaches in the Rail series and you get 49 results… Duncan

If it is it’ll be a proper job. D

Over on the GWR modellers Facebook group. William Mark Davies is the chap. Duncan

Oops sorry. Have M&H on the mind for my own line… D

I’m sure there was an article on NER slotted post signals with drawings which it said were M&H designs in a late 1970s or early 1980s Model Railways. When I get time I’ll try to dig it out. Duncan

Afraid not. I didn’t make as much progress with the track as I’d hoped. But let’s face it that’s fully in keeping with developments at Nampara! I think everything is now ready for the last panel of point work to be laid and then it will be the final two bits of plain track on the loop and platform road to go in. D

When I say cobbles it’s really random stone rubble laid as a road - like this from Boscastle and very similar to ones I’ve seen in st Ives, Mousehole and other Cornish villages. Im going to try skaters 2mm random stone to see if it looks right. Any suggestions as to a better approach? Duncan

It is similar to what I had in mind for the non-quayside infill. D

Yes that is my intention. The ballast at the moment only goes to the sleeper ends. The area between the track and the quay edge will be cobbled with stone ‘kerbs’ butting up o the sleeper ends and the sleeper ends ballasted over. The inland sections will have similar treatment but with soil not cobbles/kerbs. Duncan

One of the decisions for the quay sidings is whether to reballast in wood ash or use cinder ballast. Also to mess around with what ballasting over the sleepers might look like. Here is board one’s quay sidings with still loose cinder ballast roughly in place to see what over the sleepers might look like. At the moment I’m tempted to continue with both cinders and over the sleepers ballast. Comments very welcome! Duncan

A broad gauge ballast spreader to take some of the ballasting pain away following the less than successful use of wood ash. Duncan

The track is now down on board 2 (the right hand one). Working on board 1 today as if time permits wiring up board 2 for testing (aka playing with trains). It will be a chance to put @garethashenden’s Buffalo through its paces, and 1384 for the SG as well!

Thinking about fitched under frames and whether they had square or angle iron stanchions… Here is a lot 231 round ended example, but converted to a square end. https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrms1211.htm You can see it had angle stanchions rather than the expected square wooden ones. I therefore wonder whether as part of the rebuilding of all rounded variants they got angle stanchions. Any thoughts? Duncan

Second digit and iron frames: That narrows it down to lots 209, 210, 257. Third digit as a 5: The only lot possible with round ends is 211 (31491-600) but they had fitched underframes… Duncan