cctransuk

They certainly ran after Nationalisation, and well into the BR steam era. Regards, John Isherwood.

Regards, John Isherwood.

I've got yours - I got it twice !! Regards, John Isherwood.

For myself, I don't foresee a joint marketing exercise. All of the component parts are or will be available; surely it's not too much trouble to source them from the respective suppliers? We are talking very small volume here - as with all my transfers, I print when I have an order, not before. I would anticipate that all the suppliers in question will, at best, hold stock for the immediate short-term, but some may well only order etchings, etc. when sufficient expressions of interest are received. Sourcing these niche items will never be as simple as buying an RTR model. Regards, John Isherwood.

I have now received clearance to give some limited additional information concerning a new product under development, to assist in building a better GT3. The product in question is a dedicated etched chassis kit; currently at the test etch stage. This has been designed to be straightforward to build, but is NOT currently a commercial product. It WILL have a correct scale wheelbase and coupling rods; something that none of the RTR options can offer. If you wish to build an accurate GT3, a little more patience may be well worthwhile. Regards, John Isherwood.

That would accord with my research - and explain why I have a Bachmann tender chassis standing by ! I checked out various prototype steam loco chassis for a match - and the GWR Grange (or was it a Manor?) is remarkably close. Regards, John Isherwood.

Gordon, I can reveal one of the mystery items - see Sheet BL149 at http://www.cctrans.org.uk/latest.htm . As to the other item - not at this time, except to warn that the RTR chassis recommended for this kit does NOT have the correct wheelbase. Regards, John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers.

The method that I use - albeit at the present just for a small ng layout, is garden fleece. This is so lightweight that it can be draped over the most fragile of detail, and is fluff-free. When the projected loft layout materialises I shall use the same method, with one edge stapled to the roof battens and the free edge to lightweight battens(canes?) that can be hooked up out of the way when the layout is used. Regards, John Isherwood.

But that is the point that I am making - we spends our money and we makes our choice !! There are countless things that I think are a total waste of money - and Premier League footballers are at the top of the list - but that is just my opinion. Since what others do with their money is their choice, and affects us in no way whatsoever, why do some of us need to constantly point out the 'madness' of these transactions ? It has ever been thus, since a caveman somewhere was prepared to swap his wife for a particularly snazzy flint axe. Fortunately, they didn't have e-mail groups in those days so the world was spared endless, outraged postings about his folly. No doubt some of his neighbours had something to say about it though !! Regards, John Isherwood.

I would refer the Honourable Member to my previous posting #14963. An item is worth what someone is willing to pay for it - if it goes to £1,000,000, that is what it's worth. I really can't understand why posters get so het-up about selling prices, (as opposed to starting prices). It's someone else's money and it hasn't cost you anything ..... or is there an element of jealousy that he / she has had the luck to make a lot of money from what we perceive as nothing special ? As to starting prices - if it's too silly it won't sell; end of !! Regards, John Isherwood.

I think that the perceived value of this item is not the subject as such but, and I quote, "This item was the last loco to come off the production line when made in Margate before production moved to China". On that basis, it will have enormous historical value to the collectors amongst us. Regards, John Isherwood.

.... that'll be because the RH one is in green with yellow markings !! Regards, John Isherwood.

Bear in mind that the bulbous nose is reflecting the light in all directions. Compare the LH cab side, with the double arrow, with the EMU; not that much difference, if any. Regards, John isherwood.

No chance - the weird and one-offs are the sole preserve of Heljan !! .... and whilst they're at it - 10800 (though I've already built Dave Alexander's kit version), 11001 (not really - I've got Mike's kit), 18000, 18100 / E1000 / E2001 and 20001-3. Regards, John Isherwood.

Now don't start me on Jetex ! Suffice to say that the results, back in the 1960s, when we attached one to a balsa glider, were spectacular to say the least. We never did find it again !! Regards, John Isherwood.

Clive, I did consider this, but felt that a 'brute' such as this needed the inertia provided by a flywheel - and a big one at that !! If the spliced shafts within the flywheel don't run true I might have to consider your arrangement. However, I do have a Unimat lathe so, if necessary, I could turn up a flywheel and ream it to be a precise fit on the two shafts. Of course, I'll not find out until the kit is forthcoming. I can see that this model has at least as much experimental potential as the prototype - so long as it doesn't end up in flames as did the original !! Regards, John Isherwood.

Nope - if it did, you could get away with three rods on an 0-6-0. Even though the wheels are quartered, you need rods both sides to keep the wheels in sync. through the full 180 degrees. Regards, John Isherwood.

Why not buy on-line from http://cambrianmodels.co.uk/ . Simples !! Regards, John Isherwood.

In the light of the debate around producing a model of 10100, and in the hope that it will stimulate the production of Mike's kit, I reproduce below the drive arrangements that I developed for the A1 Models kit. The motor is a Mashima 1620 and the gearboxes are High Level. The main flaw in the design, IMHO, is the use of the flywheel as a splice between the motor shaft anf the drive shaft of the RH gearbox. This may well result in the whole caboodle shaking itself to bits - but then that might be prototypical too !! The green outlines are the A1 etchings, and a quick study of the area around the cab windows will indicate why I didn't proceed using that kit !! Regards, John Isherwood.

Because he thought of it first, and you haven't made the effort to identify the market. Find something that people want / need, regardless of their reason, and produce it at a price they are willing to pay. Don't be mislead by how ludicrous the price may seem to you; if enough people are willing to pay a certain sum, that's its market value. End of story. Regards, John Isherwood.

Not the cheapest of options, but mine will have a pair of High Level gearboxes on either end of a Mashima motor; that way, as a 4-4-4-4 the rods will remain in sync. Originally I bought an A1 Models Dinosaur Diesel kit of 10100, but the etchings were so far out, especially around the cab windows, that I sold it on. You told me some time ago that you have one of these in your 'to do' list; hope that it arrives whilst I am still of this world !! (Only kidding, Mike). Anyway - there's nothing stopping me from getting on with your 11001. Regards, John Isherwood.

Then it almost certainly is. However, is it laid with the groove uppermost to take the flanges, or with the groove below as per Brunel bridge rail? Regards, John Isherwood.

Having seen several sections of tram rail, it looks nothing like that - more a flat-bottomed profile with a groove for the flanges in its head. On the other hand - Brunel bridge rail is exactly like the photograph, but heavier section. Bridge rail in lighter section was widely used for industrial and temporary railways - for bridges, etc. Regards, John Isherwood.

My guess is that it was put there to stabilise that part of the embankment - much as gabions are used nowadays. In NZ they did things on a grander scale - whole locos were dumped on river banks to deter erosion. Some of these have even been recovered and restored, I believe !! Regards, John isherwood.

It is bridge rail - you can see the recess in the rail foot. Lots of it down here in Cornwall, thanks to Mr. Brunel - the GWR was a waste not, want not railway and used the old broad gauge rail for everything from fence posts to embankment reinforcement. Regards, John Isherwood.