Mister Rusty

Having just spent the weekend at The Great Electric Train Show at Gaydon, I feel qualified to pass a few comments. lt was the eleventh exhibition that I have done with our club in the 4 years since joining, and this excludes any punter visits to other club's shows. I came back into the hobby after a lapse of 30 years and have met contacts from the past, enabling yarn-swapping over coffees etc. The friendship that develops is just brilliant, both within the club and with suppliers, organisers and other exhibitors and helps one's pleasure gained from the hobby to grow. Just hiding behind a layout, displaying it for nothing more than a free pass to get in to the show as l see many doing, not talking or explaining their layout to the public is not the way to get pleasure from the hobby, nor to learn nuggets from others' lives and experiences that often help to improve one's layout. At a show, I try to spend most of the time available to the public to answer questions on the layout whether geographic [even a mythical layout is somewhere] technical or operational, then I will also get around to see others on their layouts. I agree about layout size to an extent. l have just bought an end-to-end 15' layout, it fits into my Peugeot Partner, with room for 2 passengers and their luggage for a fortnight. Why so long? The 3 of us have been invited to exhibit some way from home, the south of France to be precise. Oh, it fits in my lounge between the window and my wall of book-cases with 3'' to spare. The layout that we have exhibited this weekend is one of four that use the same rear boards, including the 16-road fiddle yard. It sounds monstrous, but it isn't really. 5 of us put it up on Friday in under 2 hours, and 6 dismantled it into the van in minutes over an hour and a quarter. This I feel is reasonable for a layout that displays 24 trains without removing/replacing stock and handles 10-coach trains, double-headed on occasion. It is 25 years old and runs with few issues every time that it is assembled, as do the other alternative front scenes Yes, it is beyond an individuals' ability really to achieve this, but as part of a team, it is not. The sociability of a club environment also benefits an individual in the current electronic communication age, where society is trying to stop face-to-face contact. It is getting more and more like Orwell's 1984, albeit apparently more benevolent at present. Several of our club are seniors and have lost partners, others' partners are glad to get rid of their's for a show or several, other partners help the club with catering at our shows and share the interest anyway. Sadly some partners do not take time to understand the hobby, and think that we should grow up, maybe they are right, but what l do know is that since l restarted my modelling, my stress levels have fallen through the floor and my general health has improved greatly due to being better relaxed, my doctor's opinion. To sum up, if you do not enjoy the hobby anymore, then pack it away for a while, but do not get rid of it, it will be there, waiting patiently for your return in the future. Remember that we create a small part of a world and it has a life. It exists and always will, even if only in memories, but you will have touched others in the process of your exhibit, and that is something of which to be proud. The major problem with the larger layouts is of course their footprint. Our club gets around this by building modular boards, that can be worked on without needing the whole layout to be erected, this means in turn that we can use smaller premises, reducing overheads and also the desire to just run trains on the layout and not get on with building/ improving the layouts is quashed. We have built a three-oval test-track on a castored table, this gets rolled out and usually has something running-in or being serviced for the less nimble-fingered amongst us. It works for us. I do have a partner who insists that my having an interest helps our relationship not be too enclosed, outside interests are essential to a healthy time. As for criticism, don't let it bother you. [Tell'em b**l-x] The layout is what you want, built with the skills that you have. Most critics, when pushed do not have a layout at all, and would not build one in case they were criticised. if they are persistent, they will get the message with a few choice words. It takes a lot to rile me [about 1/2 hour of needling and nit-picking], but l have had a great education in the ancient language of Anglo-Saxon and will use it when I feel appropriate. Don't get disillusioned, but if a rest is needed, find a nice, dry dark cupboard and either put yourself or your layout into it. Pete

I've just bought a layout [http://www.redditch-mrc.com/Buckshee%20-%20Photographs%201.htm]from a friend at the club. In my view, it was a good price and, noting its name, the club's constructional ethos, Buchanan's nationality, the layout's fictional base just south of Oban, then I must be turning into an honorary Scot myself. i am certainly having to be extremely abstemious at the moment. So, by moving its time-line slightly, it can be run as a preservation line, this means only number and name changes and I can run anything and hopefully get away with it. So the stud mentioned above can be justified on the layout. As Buch is part of the layout's exhibition crew, I am able to run his stock, returning it its original theme. Now, that's what l call cost-effective modelling!! Pete

Also Thanks to:- Mike, l appreciate your advice. l do not expect manufacturers to have any excitement, just hard-headed business sense, without this, they will not stay in business. However, scaled basic manufacturing items, whether steel sections, meshes, checker plate, wood shapes etc, etc. should have good life and marketplace to all and any scratch-builders. Our club seem to make everything themselves, and will use what can be found or adapted, much being re-cycled other-use components, a bit like Allan Downes using empty personal hygiene containers and the like, so a specific item can sometimes beat their initiatives. Jonathan, Thanks for the lead, I shall try contacting Pete Harvey. And to others, thanks for reading the post, in case you could help, it's what our hobby is about. Pete

Persistence pays off. 1 - found some plastic card in the Evergreen range on Eileen's stand that should suffice for HSDT cant-rail and other grilles - ladies 2 - some bass wood that will work well as a steel bar load on BEV wagons, again Eileen's. Thanks Derek for your help on this topic. < www.eileensemporium.com > 3 - found mesh that will be acceptable for walkways on the Anhydrous Ammonia tankers and other modern image applications, thanks for this go to Aspire Models < www.aspiregiftsandmodels.co.uk > So, now, forward once more on these projects, pictures will follow. Pete Rust Yes, lads [Redditch-mrc.com], l now promise more time on the layout downstairs. the tea-boy says so!! to all.

Posted 08 February 2017 - 22:03 Back to kit bashing, ah well it had to come, nothing like a bit of progress back to the dark ages I suppose. I agree with Delticfan. I have to agree with Delticfan I have been building the prototype set between other projects for the last couple of years. Shane has been helpful with advice over the years and had multiple train sets on display at Warley. Many thanks Railway modelling - or - collecting Collect by all means if you've got the money, but by choice, I model. The HSDT is a minefield as we all know. The coaches were not designed for the HSDT, but as loco-hauled stock, hence them having buffing gear. the power cars were not thought of when the coach design was signed off, so l was informed, the power cars being a development or second string in case K9 failed, which it ultimately did.Let's face it all that the ATP-E needed was 2 radar scanners on top. Back to the HSDT, when speaking to Rapido at Warley, I pointed out [and probably not the only one] that whilst the power cars started out as a pair, they became mis-matched when they went through Derby and were re-numbered prior to joining the western region. The changes have been listed elsewhere, but Rapido will not compromise on their quality [rightly so], so their tooling costs would go up considerably, necessitating slide sections for the differences, or 2 sets of tooling and all the associated checks and tests prior to production. They will not win as too many whingeing ... will nail them for any compromise, or the cost [just read all this post, then disagree with what I have said, if you can. People want absolute fidelity [i do] at ''Railroad'' prices, it's just not possible wherever items are designed and made in the world. So, post-74, 2 different power cars. As for the coaches, 10 were indeed built, 4 first, 4 second and 2 catering cars. The bodies are unique to the batch, visibly so in 4mm. Painting Lima or Hornby is just not on as the roof vents are of a later pattern, used on both loco-hauled and trailer cars, the doors are different as well, even more minor details need to be changed/ modified to be authentic. The closest to date are the Jouef coaches, correct roof at least and probably the most prominent error in using Hornby models. Oh deary me, the bogies have electrical conduit on both sides instead of one only. Window frames, when sanded off to create a flush side panel, leave a fine lip that effectively places the glazing recessed to the correct amount. The paint livery moulding line can be useful on the doors when shaved elsewhere as it forms a neat recess for the door handles, needing just a little model filler to be okay. ln all my research, I am yet to find any photos of a 10+2 consist, not saying that it did not happen, but it was not a design intention to run regularly in that formation. Test photos show the power cars running from 1+2 to 8+2 in service on the western, indeed there is evidence of the power cars running with no coaches at all. I have built my power car noses from Hornby nosecones, fitted with Genesis valances [cut from full pewter castings], the nose change is the easy part, just get the rest of the details done as well. All that needs to be done is to study available photographs, do not follow any of the line drawings, I have not found one that I could not criticise, some of them having major errors [how can you get the number of roof vents wrong? They match the prototype Mark 3s exactly, as do the power car rear edges, being shaved in a similar manner. So to sum up. If you want to run an HSDT in the near future, buy and modify 2 EARLY Hornby power cars [ you need the rear driver's cab moulding] and 8 Jouef mark 3 coaches. Then just sit and shave to your heart's content. Once you've found some decent shots of the catering cars, that's more kit-bashing. And boy, are those images rare! It is possible to achieve a 99-point model with pretty easy work and it is likely to be more accurate than any potential production models, as I fear that any manufacturer will only produce power cars accurate to pre-74. Having looked at the Oxford tooling options [the funny blue print with weird window lines], they have designed every option in that I can see, so let's be optimistic and not whinge or knock. If I was a manufacturer that received some of the comments and generalisations that fly around in our hobby, I go and mould Tupperware. Let's be grateful for what we get.

I've had a quick look around Gaydon Show this evening, cannot see any brass that would make my cat-walks. Spoke to one stand, and as usual, no one seems interested in providing even a discussion about production. And they are complaining of going out of business. The fundamental principle of any business is to provide what a customer needs, is there anyone out there doing cost-effective brasswork these days? I'm happy to use a flat sheet, also maybe draw up a fold-up design, but at what cost? Anyone else interested in some? Either sheet or full etch design? Who stocks a decent range of etches these days? Please help.

Another point of building's close proximity to rails is in Glo'ster, where a tramway meandered from the docks by The Whitesmith's Pub, horse-drawn originally. and not forgetting Welshpool where the line ran ''Indian'' style through the houses from Raven Square to the main station Just my two penn'orth, bound to be many more of course.

Thanks for the encouragement, folks Mike, - yeah, even suggested them to makers a couple of years back, but no one took the bait or the hint, so................................. Paul, already have several downloads from you, thanks. Will be double-checking and buying more when it comes to weathering / rusting the stock. It must be correct at my club, otherwise they will keep ribbing me over my surname. What is it? RUST !!!! Gordon, yes, There is a plastic laboratory tube of the correct diameter, but it's more expensive than kit-bashing,. The piece I bought will probably make 3 tanks, it's an area still under review. The other option is to use the latest tanker wagon release, absolutely perfect, but an expensive way to go, cutting 2 into 1, but the catwalks are the most realistic so far. I try to build my stock millimetre-perfect and with minimal compromises from other peoples' junk and throw-outs, it's cheaper that way.

Hi everyone, For a new club layout, I have been requested to build a train of 4-wheel Anhydrous Ammonia [AA] tankers. Having researched Paul Bartlett's site [thanks Paul, for a fantastic resource if you're reading this], pestered most club members for photos of the 1970's version [with the collar and walkway around the valves on top] from their book collections . I have finally sorted out [after 18+ months research] the type and shape of the valves, the size of the collar and have been able to guestimate all the major dimensions not available from Barrowmore's fantastic archive [thanks to you, as well] I have created a couple of prototypes that are looking good [in my eye anyway], but I wish to use see-through etched walkway material, not plastic diamond sheet. The final fleet vehicles will be better finished , this photo being a proof-of-concept stage model. Any ideas of source would be much appreciated. Also, as I need a dozen or so, I am thinking of possibly using a 3-d scanner-printing service the barrels. The consist of parts to create one wagon are 2-Hornby TTA chassis, cut and shut appropriately and 1+1/3rd Airfix tank barrels with scratch-built parts for tank support and collar. So, I have gathered 24 Hornby TTA/ Kellogg/ Weetabix/Cadbury long wheelbase wagons [same TTA chassis is on the cheap vans] and 18 Airfix barrels/kits, most of the chassis having now been made. Surprisingly, they run through Setrack points both pulled and pushed without trouble, the wheelbase having been extended from 60mm to 70mm and the wagon overall from 120 to 140mm. Photos will follow if anyone is interested. All the best Pete

Let's face it ,the real world restorers are at exactly the same game to recreate long-lost classes. I too am an inveterate schemer wishing to create what my better-half calls ''iffers'', pinching the name from Pete Wilson on Radio Glo'ster's show. I am currently creating an HSDT set with correct coaches, sound both ends, wi-fi camera fitted inside looking through the cab, works well, being rebuilt and finished. HST to the same spec I am also maintaining and updating the Buchshee layout for exhibition [any show invites? We are based near Stratford-upon-Avon and are members of Redditch MRC I am researching what bits are needed to create the following BR standard 2-8-2 using Brit and 9F parts BR standard Crosti Caprotti class 5 using cl.5 boiler, cab,Duke Caprotti valve gear GWR 4-6-2 ''super-King", using Princess and King parts as well as wire-handrails and wipers onto an Airfix cl.31 At our local club last year, I was offered a box for £40 of crudely de-chipped and non-running locos which included 2 Warships, cl.25, cl.31,cl.37,cl.47, A3 [skiving flotsam] with tender sound, remember that?, A4 [fat-nose], Royal Scot [rebuilt], GWR 4-4-0 County, BR standard 4MTT and some bits [some even identifiable]. It took me 20 hours off and on to get them all running, some noisily with iffy gears. How much for parts? £2 for red and black wire. 50 penn'orth of solder. The gears will be sorted as parts can be bartered / sourced at the right money. 11 locos and spares for under £45. Why I have put this in? It is not to brag ''look how clever I am'' but to confirm others' comments on cost-effective modelling. Since then, I have picked up a cl.44 for £15 that took 10 minutes to fix, a[nother] Royal Scot with tender sound that just needed a new battery in the tender [£15], a Lima BR 0-6-0 94xx [ a fiver]. These have all been acquired for the simple fun of super-detailing. All have / will have full front-end details, some will even run on the club's new layout. Surviving on only a standard pension, the new £200 locos are nice to look at, but I manage not to covet others' purchases that will never come out of the box. Mind a nice cheap Clan would be appreciated. Let's face it even Lion [the diesel] got dirty once or twice, but photos to show its weathering pattern have been hard-to-find. And as for actually dirtying it [brand-new, no less], well it had to be done. After all, I'm not called Sun Street for nothing. A 60s Wulfrunian knows the spot at the back of The Great Western public house, and l went to this spot most days after school if it was not raining. A great spot to watch both levels of Wolverhampton's stations' approaches. Ah!!!! And the sun always shone and all the engines were polished, yeah, right! I'll shut up and go away now Pete

Well, well, So it is worth doing it yourself after all! I see production has been deferred indefinitely, so it's out with the glue and files again. I will post some shots of how I have created the catering cars out of Jouef 1st/2nd cars. Also it's not too bad shaving off the window frames. If they are sanded off, there is a very fine flange left, which is ideal to maintain the aperture to be correct and not oversize [i ruined 2 before finding out]. The glazing then sits perfectly, in my view. More to follow. it's the next personal project after various items [buildings, vehicles etc.] for our new club layout. i have also become custodian of one of our exhibition layouts, which has needed detailed refreshment and other t.l.c.. It has been out 3 times since my last post and is due on the Continent in the autumn. Tararabit ! [translation, good-bye for now. Anyone else a Wulfrunian?]. Go on, admit it!

Having done quite a bit more research into the power cars [and probably re-inventing the wheel created by Shane], the differences that I have spotted between the 2 power cars appear after a visit to the works when the 2 were re-numbered. I suspect that the 2 were a pair until then. As I am modelling the unit in 1975, the running numbers will be 43000 [41001] and 43001 [41002]. 43000 dampers angled on the bogies, 43001 were vertical 'AP' [As Production] 43000 main grilles have around 50 slats, 43001 has around 28 per grille [AP]. 43000 cant-rail grilles are similar to those on a Deltic or Brush type 4 [class 47]. Those on 43001 are half'n'half [similar to 'AP'] Both have a different spacing to the cant-rail grilles when compared to the production units, as well as differences in exhausts and roof louvres. The easiest part is the changing of the Guard's doors, using a sharp scriber. The rear sides also are profiled similarly to a coach, not so on the production units. As I am ''kit-bashing'' my pair for observation at around 3', full rivet-counting is not critical in my view, but never-the-less, I am trying to minimise my compromises. The chassis on both have DCC chip and bass-reflex speaker ported through the bottom of the equipment boxes and fuel tanks. There is also another device, of which more in future within the body. Why am I doing it when there is an intention for them to be modelled in the near future? Cost! So far, the speakers and chips were the price of a Garrett, and the power cars were £10 off e-bay. I admit to also buying both a Deltic bodyshell and a class 47 for cutting up. Any advice, help, observations gratefully received. Next, the coaches. They need to be flush-sided as the frames were on the inside, not outside as modelled by Hornby and Lima, then again some were at some point. The roof vents differ from proto to prod, so do the door shapes, but that is one compromise that I will be making. I'll post again soon as I get further on, if anyone is interested. All the best to you and your projects. Pete

Well, at least they will have patterns off which to work, unlike most re-creations. albeit at the other end of the train.

I too am modelling the HSDT. The photos of the catering vehicles are not numerous, that is certain! It has taken me 12 months to amass sufficient to model them to my satisfaction, with support from one of our club members [thanks Melvyn]. Working from the line drawings that are published is also complicated, as most do not show the corridor side of the vehicles, also most shots of the set are running 1st class first, obviously all ''up'' trains. Assessing what and where the prototypes varied from production is as Wolf 27, very interesting, to say the least. Note; the 2 catering car bodyshells are different, small details, but if we're doing it, why compromise? Also the 2 power cars were not a pair, there are small detail differences, the most obvious being the side main cooling grilles, 41001 being much finer and appear vertical, whilst 41002 was modified to pretty much the production variant [but when?]. I am modelling the set in 1974, just before going on to fare-paying services. I am dubious to copy any photos because of accidental infringement of copyright, and I cannot remember all my sources. If anyone wishes to pm me with a specific query, I will try to help. I started out using Genesis nose cones, but have re-shaped the Hornby nose and used the Genesis valance and buffers. It's coming along, but is not yet photogenic. I am using early bodies with the separate cab moulding, I used MekPak flowed into the joint with a brush to release them from the main body. The Genesis nose is designed to fit this main body. Also these early bodies are easily and cheaply available from E-bay when you make a mistake. The Hornby body was also apparently drawn off 41001, several errors on the production body are in fact correct for this prototype, drawings printed onto kids' tracing paper on my scanner/copier and overlaid onto a class 43 drawing show many of the subtleties. if doing this, remember to reduce the copy size to allow for Hornby working to 3.75mm to the foot [i think], the drawings being to 4mm scale, I reduce by 93%. This allows the components to be matched to the drawing without resorting to rules, calipers and squares too often. Hope this above helps, and I hope that I have not led too many of you astray. Pete