johnarcher

Thank you, I hope not too, but better that than chicken pox.

Clive, may I bother you woth a question? I had shingles about 8 years ago, quite nasty but not as bad as some here have described. Still that presumably means the virus is hiding in my spine, and could re-appear. Do you know is there any risk of it re-appearing as chicken pos rather than as shingles? I ask as I am not only older now (69), but have quite severe emphysema/COPD, so the bronchial effects you mention could be very serious. If there is any such risk maybe I'll talk to my doctor about the vaccine.

It's about the results of science, which has nothing to do with political correctness. The fact that increasing gases like CO2 in the atmosphere has a warming effect has no more to do with political correctness than the fact that you drop if you step off a high building

You're right of course, we still do some making, and I believe in some cases manage to do it in a cleaner manner than once was the case. But the fact remains that a lot of manufactured items bought here, that might once have been made here, are now made in China or other parts of the world. Each of those is a bit of our pollution that is counted as someone else's, indeed, considering what you say about cleaner manufacturing here, if they are produced somewhere that hasn't made that improvement then the pollution is not just exported but also increased!?

That some predictions in the past have been wrong doresn't mean all predictions always are. Remember saying it's not true, it will all be OK is a prediction too. What matters is the evidence the prediction is based on, and do the people making it know what they're talking about. Also, of course, we're not talking about a prediction of something that might or might not happen in the future, but rather about how far and how fast processes will go that we can see happening now. Had enough of experts? Well they are, of course, not infallible (nobody is) but someone who has studied something for years is less likely to talk uninformed twaddle than somebody who knows much less about it. Actually it takes more than a few years to establish a position in climate science. Anyway someone who studied something for a few years is actually likely to know more about it than someone who has never studied it at all, maybe not wise just better-informed. 'We've had enough of experts'- who's 'we'? Not everybody obviously. Still those who have had enough of experts no doubt would prefer to fly in a plane piloted by someone with no training (but he has made a couple of Airfix kits). If the untrained shouldn't control a plane, why not base running something far more complex like the climate on the best-informed opinion?

As an ex ship modeller I was going to suggest that. There's also https://www.model-dockyard.com/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?WD=rigging&PN=Amati_Rigging_Cord.html#a4124_2f63

As someone generally of a more western disposition I must admit I do like J69's (and 68's and J15's). And that's enough shameful secrets for tonight.

I think you're right, but also think that it would take a lot of government support and intervention to get the shift to EV's happening on a big enough scale soon enough to really help. There are the infrastructure and generation issues you mention which would need serious investment, also the cost of vehicles. Think how many people could not consider buying a new car (of any type), so EV's will need to be around for some years presumably before there are affordable second-hand ones?

In other words we don't make stuff anymore, just buy it from China - we import the stuff and export the effects of making it.

She did, and people should. But that doesn't stop some using the approach I quoted as an excuse for ignoring them.

That's true, look at all the over-hyped stuff about positives or negatives of certain foods, when the original researcher would probably be a lot more measured. The other problem is it gives some who prefer not to see the problem a way out - the "why should I believe it because a 16 year-old girl says so" line, obscuring the fact that what matters is the work of thousands of scientists.

If you mean the ones who are in complete conflict with the overwhelming scientific evidence it's not only easy to dismiss their views but sensible to do so. The crying wolf effect comes when warnings are given but nothing happens, in this case there is abundant evidence that things are happening. Though I wouldn't deny that over-dramatic warnings may have an effect as you say, it would be better if the media quoted actual scientists a bit more often rather than celebrities or politicians some times.

If one viewpoint aligns more with the science that seems a pretty crucial difference to me. I haven't actually heard many saying "we're all going to die", that would be a bit beyond the evidence, but it's pretty clear that "there's a serious problem that we need to do something about pretty urgently" is a lot better than "everything's fine".

Obviously population growth is a large part of it, but so also is the level of use of resources per capita. I'm not sure why you say there is no more reason to have belief in one position than the other. Surely, whoever may be advocating something, one can wonder what is the basis of that view and what the evidence for it is. Then you can look past the speaker and see that one view is suppoerted by the vast majority of climate scientists, summed up in studies like the IPCC report, while the other view has, perhaps, less visible means of support. After all we do that on other issues, or we'd end up saying that the view that the Earth is flat is as good as the globular outlook, or that young Earth creationism makes as much sense as evolution and geology.

Thanks Bill, what sort of price would they be? Which raises a question. I've not used the Mashima 1015 either, but have occasionally read some less than enthusiastic comments by those who have. Is the Mashima sufficiently better than the other three to be worth the extra cost? (Which, when you live on not a lot of pension, is a real consideration).

If some people have now used some of these Chinese etc motors, may I beg the benefit of that experience. I shall need a 1015 size motor before long, there seem to be three possibilities The 10mm square 6 pole on eBay The N20 (also eBay) The N-drive 1015. Any suggestions which would be preferable (with 54:1 High Level gearbox)? My concern is not really with power or even longevity, but being for light use on a light railway more for smooth starting and slow running.

No doubt there are hypocrites among climate campaigners (what cause hasn't got some?), no doubt also in some ways they are forced to be somewhat hypocritical as nobody can live totally independently of how their society is organised. But the case being made doesn't depend on the consistency or virtue of campaigners, or on sandalled people with beards, but on the consistent and near-unanimous findings of a lot of knowledgeable climate scientists, whose results are open to scrutiny if anyone has any real science to contradict them. If things have got to the point where the suggested cures sound intolerable to many people, isn't that because the accumulating evidence has been ignored or dismissed for decades, allowing the problem to grow?

I'll revive this ancient thread to ask, as there is no kit, does anyone know if a decent drawing of these has been published, preferably in a magazine. IIRC there is a basic drawing in Russell, but I no longer have a copy and can't buy one for the sake of one drawing.

Thank you, I certainly couldn't think of doing the printing myself (not just the cost of the printer, but also being too much of an aged Luddite to get to grips with the necessary CAD or other software). I'll bear your kind offer in mind, if I do try this (and you are incre\asing the temptation by removing that hurdle), I will certainly be in touch. Thanks again

Thank you, I'll see if I can get hold of those issues. The thing with boiler fittings is not so much not having a go, but feeling that one really needs a lathe. I'm quite happy to use a lathe, have done in the past, but nowadays I couldn't afford to buy one, and would have nowhere to put it if I could. I appreciate the words of encouragement though.

Do you happen to know which MORILL issues that was, I'd like to have a look? Nice work with the wagons, I'm tempted ny S, I think boiler fittings are one thing that makes me hesitate. (That and natural indecision!).

I was going to click 'like', but that's not strong enough. That is simply wonderfully excellent, not only the valve gear but the smooth slow running too. I had to add a PS - as I was just considering the actual size of all that neat pipework. You have a trained flea with a microscopic soldering iron?

I would add from personal experience (long ago when I had more space) while it is probably a good idea having tracks no more than 2' 6" or 3ft from the front it's no problem having wider boards if they are separable boards that can be worked on from both sides (making scenics etc), even if the back can't be reached in normal use. I just thought that worth mentioning because less than 3ft width is a bit limiting for 7mm scale, especially if you are interested in modelling the setting as well as the railway, which, from your mention of a model village you seem to be. Some sort of terminus to fiddle yard set up on quite wide boards would fit well I should think, and give some scope for the buildings. A through station would be possible, thou an extra fiddle yard loses a fair bit of length in that scale. Just a thought - Culmstock was a smallish through station, with attractive buildings close to the station.

While on the subject of cathedrals, a nostalgic excursion. Does anyone else remember an article in RM (early '60's?) re a cathedral made from cigar-box wood, called Minford or something similar? Vaguely recalled as a decent piece of modelling I think, but especially as an engagingly-written article.

Their weathering is often not so good.