BR traction instructor

I started using Railtec 4mm rivet strips cut from sheet 9226 today and have been very pleased with how the carrier copes with being sliced very thinly along each side of the rivet lines and still holds together whilst being wetted and then adheres well to the models (diagram 1/161, 1/162 ex ironstone hopper wagons). One question, are there any plans to make these sheets available with greater rivet gaps/spaces between rivets? This would allow me to switch completely to Railtec rivet sheets and not need to source wider spacings as imports from the U.S. BeRTIe

More head down and just get on with it progress with the four production diagram 1/161, 1/162 hoppers, each has brakegear/levers/guides and safety loops now...drawgear next. The prototype hopper has taken all of my remaining Archer rivet strips and the Railtec ones are now being used. I find the Railtec ones better in several ways...the carrier doesn't keep fracturing, allowing much better positioning of long rivet strips. The strips adhere to the model better, ready for sealing with matt varnish and I'm more confidently slicing close to the rivets on each strip, meaning that there is no carrier overhang on narrow sections. The benefits of the closed cell foam lined cradle can't be overstated in terms of holding the model securely at the various angles needed to apply the lines of rivets to enclosed spaces...without it driving you nuts! BeRTIe

A vessel that I've not seen in Silloth port before, moored where the molasses boat generally moors/discharges to the tanks ashore... BeRTIe

Mostyn, North Wales 1977 in P4 is a product of Barrowmore model railway group nr Chester and attends exhibitions twice yearly with its crew of ten. Newly constructed/detailed/modified rolling stock worked on by at least half of the operating team is routinely to be seen at each exhibition. We have gathered together considerable reference material inc. period pictures/Working Timetables etc over many years and use these to inform which stock to add to the layout and how to prototypically operate it, next. The following pictures demonstrate my own additions to the layout for recent exhibitions... ...the Penmaenmawr to Sandhills stone hoppers debuted at the Macclesfield exhibition last year and consists of heavily upgraded Peter Heald (later 51L Wizard) ex ironstone variants built by Richard Oldfield and myself. The vanfits (courtesy of IAK of this parish) provide brake force, a typical period use of spare fitted stock. There are five diagram 1/161, 1/162 ex ironstone hoppers currently under construction to add into this consist. ...the Penmaenmawr to Hope St Tippler/rebuilt mineral opens consist of modified Parkside Dundas kits with Rumney etched underframes debuted at Spalding in November last year and is a growing rake of the wagon types typically seen in this traffic. Each of the numerous freight/parcel/passenger/engineers/newspaper consists on the layout has a similar story to tell. We're at Railex Aylesbury this month and at Perth exhibition in June...hope to see you there... BeRTIe

Grampus is certainly there... BeRTIe

...have a look at the appropriate wagon diagram on the Barrowmore mrg site...it'll tell you there. Alternatively, which old underframe were the new Rudd bodies put on...the speed of the original underframe indicates the likely speed of the Rudd. Looks like HTV 21t hopper wagons...50mph the quoted speed on the diagram below... New diagrams weren't always issued after rebodying. BeRTIe

A bit bigger than the average lawn but a satisfying couple of hours keeping the grass in order for my parents this morning. It'll be 12 o clock somewhere...cheers 👍🍺😎 BeRTIe

...no surprises there Jim...you should have left the demic on the junction at Stone...you'd have had a red carpet and a Police escort then. BeRTIe

...standard headcode for a move to clear the line, it makes sure that everyone involved understands the urgency of its progress and purpose. BeRTIe

BRITISH RAILWAYS written in decals across the tender would have worked for me...the double arrow symbol spoils the overall effect. BeRTIe

A foray to the former Roughton gill mine (copper & lead) from Fellside, nr Caldbeck in the lovely Spring sunshine earlier today... BeRTIe

More head down and just get on with it progress with the four production diagram 1/161, 1/162 hoppers, each has brake gear/levers/guides and safety loops...drawgear next. The prototype hopper has taken all of my Archer rivet strips and the Railtec ones are now being used. I find the Railtec ones better as it is easy to slice close to the rivets to create narrow strips of rivets without the carrier keeping fracturing as they are applied to the model and then having to chase/align small pieces into a straight line. The Railtec ones also adhere to the model better ready for sealing in place with matt varnish. The benefits of the closed cell foam lined cradle for holding the model securely at all sorts of angles to allow the rivet strips to be applied to fairly inaccessible places...without it driving you nuts...can't be overstated... BeRTIe

Dozens of these young moths are emerging from under our slate top dressing in the garden...ruby tiger? BeRTIe

First swallow that I've seen in Silloth this year just arrived...still plenty of yellowhammers on the Solway plain cycling circuits...blackbirds picking off the hundreds of spiders that live under the slate top dressing in the garden...flock of house martins circling over our lodge too... BeRTIe

Rivet work on the prototype diagram 1/161 hopper continues slowly but surely whilst progress on the production batch of four 1/161 & 1/162 hoppers sees them at the rolling underframe stage... BeRTIe

Rivet work continues slowly but surely on the prototype diagram 1/161 hopper whilst progress on the four production 1/161 & 1/162 sees them at the rolling underframe stage... BeRTIe

...at the point at which you may decide to place an elbow, tripod, hand or other such appendage onto someone else's beloved project you have no inkling of the work/effort involved in creating same/importance attached to it by the creator, or the potential damage that you may inflict. If you can't remain upright/unassisted whilst briefly attending such a feat then go and recline in the cafeteria until you have the energy to resist denigrating the efforts of others with your bulk, BeRTIe

...easy...DON'T BeRTIe

Birthdays, Father's days and Christmas's are when children and grandchildren are always going to buy railway enthusiast dad/grandad something train related and cynical companies pedalling tat know it. The offspring usually know very little about railways but have probably heard the name Flying Scotsman...thus dad/grandad ends up with some useless item with Flying Scotsman written on it somewhere and has to appear grateful for it. Similarly, I long ago stopped friends/family trying to buy railway books for me, just for the same hopelessly broad spectrum/mass market aimed titles to be carted off to the charity shop and added to dozens already there. BeRTIe

Glorious evening cycling around The Solway plain just now... ...the flood defences on the marsh road from Skinburness to Calvo protecting Silloth... ...Skiddaw to the left between Wolsty & Lowsay... ...from Beckfoot towards Dalbeattie across The Solway... BeRTIe

...that'll be down to driving too many 66s Jim...the very definition of all the bleedin' same. BeRTIe

...plenty of yellowhammers to be seen on my cycling circuits around the Solway plain just now. Oystercatchers & turnstones on the seafront section through Silloth too. BeRTIe

...D8591 was a Thornaby loco in early 1966 and is pictured with ploughs in the Modern Locomotives Illustrated title on the class. This would be a safe loco to model given its allocation and plough bracket fittings around your chosen date. It could even be the one in your picture. BeRTIe

...oops!...well spotted. Three of the four production underframes already have the original Bill Bedford fittings removed from the W irons and the Rumney plate style W iron version didn't have them to begin with. Oh well, only a few mins work to remove and refit the tie bars from the prototype. Thankyou 👍 BeRTIe

Rivets everywhere is the order of play with these hoppers, any added as surface decals needing to be similar to the moulded ones on the body. The stock of Archer resin rivets is quickly being consumed by the prototype hopper and fresh stocks of a couple of Railtec variants are now on order to provide for the four production hoppers. Matte varnish is used to seal the rivet rows in place and everything allowed to dry completely between riveting sessions. The Railtec rivet detail arrived the day after ordering and looks to be a good match for both the moulded detail on the wagon and the Archer style already in use... BeRTIe