Devo63

A couple of railway related books that I've always liked are "The Railway-Lover's Companion" (1963, edited by Bryan Morgan) and "The History of the Great Western Railway" (1895 by G A Sekon; real name George Augustus Nokes). I've lost count of how many hundreds of railway books I have in my collection but I never get rid of anything which may be useful in the future. For light reading I have always enjoyed the late Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. I just spent the last couple of months re-reading the whole series and thoroughly enjoyed them once again. Clive Cussler was mentioned above and I've always liked his Dirk Pitt stories but I have never really been able to get into his other "NUMA Adventures" co-written with other authors. I have a liking for various sci-fi/fantasy and "alternate history" type stories and found Harry Turtledove's "Southern Victory" series engrossing. Another favourite stand alone novel is "Buddy Holly Is Alive and Well on Ganymede" by Bradley Denton. There were plans to make a movie of that one about ten years ago but I believe that the funding ultimately fell through. Dave R.

The news of Laurence's passing comes as bit of a shock. I found him a pleasant chap to deal with and really enthusiastic about both his model products and his main interest in the canals systems of the United Kingdom. A couple of times I sent him an email about possible additions to his overlays only to have him phone me (in Australia) a few minutes later to discuss the ideas. Dave R.

I have noticed of late that there are an increasing number of 3D modellers on this forum designing various locomotives, coaches and goods stock mainly for their own collections. Some of them also make these available for sale via the various 3D print companies or from their own 3D printers. A number of these modellers create models based on the suggestions from the more technically challenged (like me) members of the community so I thought that I would start this thread. I was thinking along the lines of members listing one item per posting giving the reason/s they would like to see the model made available. Voting for the item is simply based on the number of ‘Like’ or ‘Agree’ clicks the posting receives. Hopefully the subjects will appeal to the 3D model designers enough that they are happy to try their hands at drawing them up. Dave R. To start the ball rolling here is my first item. I’ve always wanted a 4mm scale model of the GWR ‘Armstrong’ 4-4-0’s. What I would be looking for is a basic body shell which could be used with the Branchlines City/Bulldog chassis. Dome and safety valve (& front bogie?) could be sourced from Lord of the Isles spares which are available from various Hornby spare parts sellers. If the 3D modeller wanted to make his own chassis for the model, all the better. A printed tender with coal rails instead of side sheets would be a bonus. Dave R.

No - a Monarch is a re-named GWR King series Star class locomotive.

Check in the 3D Printing section of the forum. Simon Dawson (user id: rue-d-etropal) has just designed a 3D scratch aid model / body shell for the observation car. Dave R.

Brassmasters sell the former Martin Finney window grills. They are part no. E7, cost £1.50. Dave R.

G'day Brian, Thank you and the team for setting up the poll this year. Also a big thanks for adding the Great Western articulated set to the passenger listing. I'll probably end up being the only person voting for it but it is nice that you listened to my previous suggestions. As they lasted for over thirty years it's a wonder more people haven't modelled them. I've always thought the set would make a great looking six coach service in roughly the same space as a normal length four coach set - just add one of the announced Dapol prairies and you're all set for you're suburban needs. Dave R.

Hi Sem, The biggest problem with the old Mainline tender drive is the height of the motor so you would need a fairly deep tender body. If you are planning to stick with the 0-6-0 wheel arrangement you could try an LNWR 18" Goods (Cauliflower) with a very big coal load. A couple of suggestions for other wheel arrangements using just the tender drive could be Midland locos such as the Johnson 4-2-2 'Spinners' or Johnson 2-4-0 type (as turned out by Ratio). The tenders on these are have taller sides so that it would be easier to hide the mechanism. Dave R.

As well as the need for modern figures staring intently at their personal communication devices while ignoring the world around them may I suggest a selection of the equally annoying "selfie" types (with or without selfie sticks). Some of the dangerous situations they at times put themselves into must surely be close to Darwin Award nomination. I was recently watching a Youtube video called something like "kids react old cameras". The first thing some of did was to try and take a selfie. Dave R.

2120 & 2140 (2021 class 0-6-0ST/PT) and 517 class 0-4-2T's 533 & 833 were fitted with the overall body cladding in about 1906. It tended to collect a fair amount of ash deposits which were hard to clean out so didn't last very long. Also the cabs were reported to get very hot and uncomfortable to work in and they were converted back from 1911 onwards. Dave R,

A couple of years ago I picked up a couple of sets of plates for my "Watford" tanks from London Road Models. It may pay to drop them an email and see if they have anything suitable for the coal tank as they have a kit for these in their range. From memory they were priced at £2.50 per set. Dave R.

Just started reading this while waiting for the glue to set on a Cambrian kit - English China Clays #676.

The "Craftsmanship/Clever" button does not give full justice to the quality of these models!

I have been using shellac on and off since the 1970's for both card models and for sealing wood for sanding and finishing. I've successfully used it on the old style BSL wooden roofs to assist in preparation for painting and on thin balsa sheets used to construct coach and wagon bodies. I think I first used it after reading my father's ERG card models book when I was nine. I found that once a piece of card had been coated with shellac on both sides you could easily be sanded with very fine sandpapers. I would sometimes emboss plank lines and rivets on the cards when the shellac was dry then give them another coat before painting. Dave R.

I'll need to skip my allocated term as PM as I have no intention of cancelling my British (dual Australian) citizenship.

Hi Jeff, The K's 2361 is the same kit as the regular Dean Goods just with the added outside frames and extended axles. These were produced in the days when "near enough is good enough" for modellers starved of variety without having to create all new tooling. The 2361's had wheel spacings of 7'9"+ 8'0" for a total of 15'9" while the 2301's were 7'3" + 8'3" for a total of 15'6". Dave R.

I've only just noticed this thread today (don't know how I missed it!) having recently used a set of the Peter's Spares replacement parts on a Mainline pannier tank. The hardest part of the operation was, as mentioned above, to get the wheels correctly quartered. I took my time with this continuously checking the alignment before pressing the stub axles firmly into place and then checking the back to back measurements. The chassis ran perfectly for the first time in years when placed on the test track. All was done in about 15 minutes. My only problem after that was that I had misplaced the body fixing / coupling screws after removing the chassis and had to search through 40 years of accumulated screws and fixings to find suitable replacements. I think it is about time to have another sweep of the railway room carpet with an extra strong magnet. Dave R

That's about the sum of it. I was looking for a livery which was a contrast from the other South Wales companies. The scheme for the coaches is as outlined above. The goods stock (mainly old Triang, Lima, Mainline etc.) is a mid grey with all ironwork in black, dark grey or white rooves and a large white G R identification mark. I have two brake vans which are painted in vastly different finishes. One is similar to the rest of the freight stock but with the lower end panels painted a pale red. The other is in a paler blue with a white roof. I haven't decided yet which of these is in the final finish. The locomotives are painted in a shade similar to LNER Garter Blue with black & white lining - the passenger engines have red wheels and the freight locos black. I'm currently hacking up a Bachmann 'Emily' into a 2-2-2 to head up my coaches. It has a GWR Dean stack, 517 class dome, Ross Pop safety valves and a modified cab and I'm thinking about using a spare Triang B12 tender. It does look a bit like the outcome of a midnight encounter by a Dean Single and a LNWR Problem class. I'm planning on naming it 'Castell Coch' but haven't yet decided whether to commision etched plates or to have a painted name similar to LBSC locos.

The paint scheme on that clerestory is identical to my fictional Glamorgan Railway except that I use Ratio Midland suburbans in that livery. I have also done "cut & shut" jobs using pairs of the Hornby four wheelers to make short six compartment bogie coaches as a bit of variety and a couple of shortened Triang clerestories as four wheelers (with the clerestory removed) painted plain blue for workers trains.

All this discussion about the eyesight of the members of this parish have led me to the opinion that CA (or the immediate environs) require the services of a Doctor of Optometry. I have it on good authority that Dr Ignatius Cuthbert Spotts is currently seeking a rural placement and would consider any approaches to this end favourably.

This all comes down to the time when Wellington was Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. On leaving Apsley House one morning he told his driver to quickly take him to the station. In error he was dropped off at Waterloo. The dash from Waterloo to London Bridge Station was "a devilish close run thing" but he still made his train for Dover.

A little vignette I've always wanted to reproduce on my 4mm scale layout was one I saw either on a 7mm scale exhibition display or in a magazine. If it was a mag I've never been able to find it since. It must be between 20 and 30 years since I saw it but it has alway stuck in my mind. The scene was set up in front of the town hall with the mayor and aldermen in their official attire, a small gathering of onlookers and representatives of the local press. The focus of the gathering were two cars parked at the kerb. One was a brand new Morris Minor van, with a well dressed (new looking overalls) man, labled "Council Health Controller". The other vehicle was a scuffy little Austin 7 with hand painted signs front and rear saying "Rat Catcher". The driver standing next to this was equally as scruffy as the car, had a couple of fox terriers at his feet and was painted with quite a sour look on his face.

My collection of RMs goes the other way. I have volumes 1* & 2 ('49-'51) bound which my father brought out to Australia when he emigrated in 1954. He left his 1952 - 1954 issues with his parents to bring out with them later that year but for some reason they left them in Cardiff. He did not start buying them again regularly until the end of 1960. We did have bound volumes from 1961 to 1976 + 1979 but '64-'65 and '72-'73 were lent to someone and never returned. I have since managed to get hold of replacements for those years but have not, as yet, had them bound. I also need to get '77 & '78 and 1980 to 2004 bound when I can afford to do so. One thing I'm planning to do before getting any of them to the book binders is to scan any drawings I may require in the future. As this facility was not available back when my father had the older copies bound he photocopied all of CJF's drawing of Great Western locos - most of those copies still survive and have come in handy at times. I would love to be able to get hold of the years 1952 to 1960 to make a nice complete run but most of those are very hard to find these days. Even when you find affordable copies the postage to Australia ends up being the deal breaker. I also have bound copies of MRC for '65, '68, '69 & '70. * I have extra copies of issues 1, 2 & 3 from vol 1. Don't know where they came from.

I had an old Superquick shop built up (may still have it somewhere) labelled "Rene Pogel - Importer of French Wines & Spirits". My mother had looked at the model for about twenty years before she finally worked out the name and declared "That's disgusting!". She still went away laughing.

The plan for Lovatt Eames is from the November 1966 Railway Modeller. Unfortunately the way the volume is bound I can't get the lower half of the page scanned. It would have looked quite colourful at the time. The livery is described as: "Dark brown and lined in gold; chimney top, vermilion. The fillet between the smoke-box and boiler, the boiler bands, firebox bands, polished metal presumably brass. The cylinder end-covers similarly. Cylinders, smoke-box headlamp appeared to be black, whilst the valve chests remained the same colours as the loco. The illustrations upon the sides of the tender depicted the Eames Works, whilst the large circular plate on the smoke-box announced the fact that the loco emerged from the Philadelphia works as the 5000th locomotive." The article states that the loco was shipped to the UK in 1881 and re-erected in the L&YR works. It was fitted with L&Y headlamps and the main lamp was moved to brackets in front of the smoke-box. The cab was reprofiled (I've seen a photo of the loco before leaving the US with a more usual squared off cab shape) and extension pieces were fitted to the buffers to clear the pilot. The driver sat in the almost totally enclosed cab with the fireman exposed on the rear as on Camelback types.