doilum

Now I have got my head round the idea that some modellers have to work in an totally domestic environment I see two options. First, there is the friend with a workshop so budget for a generous thank you present. Second: you have a vacuum cleaner? A little sawdust will not be an issue. Invest £10 in a jacksaw from B&Q. This will make perfect cuts in softwood and has a built in set square for marking out. 38x38mm timber for the legs can be fitted with adjustable feet intended for kitchen units. A simple ladder of 38x18mm supports the layout with triangles of scrap ply reinforcing the top of the legs. If the floor isn't too precious, a small screw through the plastic adjustable foot will prevent it wandering. My late father taught me this method of carpentry whilst I was still in primary school and before we had the power tools and workshops that so many of us take for granted. A variation on this theme has a second ladder at floor level instead of adjustable feet. This can support a piece of MDF as a raised shelf for stock boxes. The jacksaw is silent and Henry/Karcher/Dyson takes care of the rest.

A visit to a friendly metal recycler might produce Dexion at a reasonable price. Alternatively look on Gumtree or Freecycle. At my previous house I built a pair of shelving units from chipboard and the layout lay on a pair of 3metre 4x2 beams .

If it helps: this time last year I finished my Slater's K class. I bought it back in the early 90s. In the intervening years I have kit/ scratch built over twenty locos of all shapes and sizes. There was nothing wrong with the kit, just my skill set needed to develop. Don't be afraid to box it away and try something easier or focus on the layout or rolling stock.

Lockdown has given me the chance to scratch a few long standing itches. One is to build a 7mm tribute to Dave and Shirley Rowe's Under Milk Wood. Step one: a zero cost loco from a battered Percy and scrap brass offcuts.

The moment the paint dries on your five years in the making scratch built Seagull, Hornby announce their special box set " 1948 Loco exchange" collection. My first A4 was Seagull. A rescued three rail non runner from the Wakefield show bring and buy, it ended up with a Triang A3 chassis and plastic tender. It stood up pretty well against the contemporary RTR or kit offerings. I did a similar job for Merlin. All sold as I committed to 7mm in the early 90s.

And this is the fun that underpins our entire hobby!

And that is the money shot!

A veritable tangle of tenders. Were the cut down top valances ever restored?

The fuzzy wiki photo seems to show a non corridor tender with the rear panel cut down.

I haven't my books to hand, but you would need to start by checking which tender was fitted. I seem to recall that some modifications had to be made to allow coaling on foreign lines. A Google search on the exchange should provide some details.

Back in the day the fire would be needed all year round as the only means of cooking and warming water. The kitchen would be warmest! The miners concession was a ton each month but that was more than ample as I have described elsewhere.

The book on the subject is " The British Travelling Post Office" by Peter Johnson. Although an interesting read with a chapter on the complexity of operational diagrams, it doesn't directly answer the question at the top of the thread. That said, as I put the book down, I notice a photo on the back of the jacket with an ex LMS Pacific approaching a drop off point at the head of a long train of mk1 and ex LMS stock.

Not sure about the mk1, but the Gresley TPO had offset gangways and could only be accessed from the similarly equipped sorting vans.

Shildon I think. This was late July / August 1975 just before the 150 celebration. I seem to recall being told at the time that they had been stored overnight west of Methley Junction on the stump of the line up to Newmarket. There was a truly eclectic mix of locos, wagons and coaches both ancient and almost recent in each train.

Just wish I had a camera back in the day. I spent that summer working at the maltkilns. Every morning we pushed open the doors on the disused rail loading Bay and had our 8:30 break in the fresh air. One Monday we were suprised by this amazing train of ancient shiny stock heading north. This spectacle was repeated each morning in the same spot for a week.

They have just five years to organise the Stockton & Darlington 200. The sad thing is that unlike the 1975 event, when all the exhibits arrived in rail convoys, any exhibits will almost certainly be delivered by road.

Maybe if we all wore a 5G mast..........

Almost certain that United Glass used tractors in Castleford to move individual wagons of sand and soda ash into the plant. Rockware glass did something similar in Knottingley that involved crossing the main road.

And don't forget some serious buffer stops. The thought of an overshoot is unbearable!

Looking forward to an answer. I have found that the grain of wheat bulbs give a soft yellow gaslightbut LED are a harsher bright light.

Agreed. Look for the old school type as new health friendly versions have been introduced and I cannot vouch for them. If it smells dreadful and is covered in toxic warnings you have the right stuff. One caveat: it attacks polystyrene so avoid using it on very thin sheets and spread thinly but evenly. One solution is to use a layer of 30 thou sheet as a barrier layer. This method has been proven over many years by myself and on club layouts. In the UK Wickes homebrand contact adhesive is "old school" whilst Evostick ( the original go to glue) has gone eco friendly and reminds me of the Copydex we used in school 60 years ago.

One day someone will discover a tape of Hills of Heaven?

About 12.5 ,to be accurate.

Used by Ferrari enthusiasts to describe those who really know!

You might have started something here. I have found an ancient Hornby Percy. Despite vast amounts of crud it appears to be a good runner, especially on feedback. Question for the cognoscenti: is a gradient of 1:36 too much for this little beast? It will be on 34" curves and short trains. Thinking of a roundy roundy in less than 15square feet! The modelling challenge will be 16+ buildings.