Metropolitan H

Regarding the Graham Farish "Prairie" tank, I had one new circa 1960 - did have wheel pick-up (no sliders), with the pick-up mounted of a motor brush tag. More importantly, the steam pipes / chimney top and other brigt parts were as shown in your picture from new. Consequently I suggest the GF "Prairie" tank body is in as supplied (by GF) condition apart from a loss of paint. Regards Chris H P.S. - The GF Prairie tank was the worst performer of all my early OO locos and often derailed. My old Gaiety bodied Pannier - on a Tri-ang / Rovex mechanism with non-see-through wheels - was much better and much loved, but now long departed. CH

Brian, Agreed. However, the thought of trying to pass off a Hornby No.2 tank as any real loco type offends. By the way, I don't usually bother to add - or count - rivets, but I do like my locos to have a recognisible outline and face. I have owned a Hornby No.2 tank, but while it might have pleased a very junior me, its charm very soon waned. I happen to like the A5 as a good looking and very capable suburban tank loco design that deserves better representation. But each to his own. Regards Chris H P.S. - I look forward to seeing more of you layout picture postings. Keep them coming. CH

Have you thought about mutilating two of the Hornby bodies to make a Whitelegg G&SWR or Billington LB&SCR 4-6-4T? - Might look better than maligning an A5 4-6-2T. By the way I do have the Yeadon's register book which includes the A5 - in both the early cab version as in your picturesa or the later side windows (2 off) version as mainly built for use on ex NER lines. Hope third rail work is satisfying and still leaving energy / time for layout progress. See you soon - I need a chat, following a pivotal day trip to P'boro. At least I got to see where Grandfather used to park his bike (in the Bishop's garden) when he went to watch the football - a comic story, but all true. Regards Chris H

Really, I think JG Robinson might be spinning in his grave. I'm not aware of any real loco that could recogniseably be made from the Hornby 4-4-2T - however, I have seen one or two very major rebuild that produced much better looking models. Regards Chris H

Ere Nearholmer, I thought your desires mainly stayed sarf of the river! Although it won't happen before the N7 is finished - and a J52 - an A5 is definitely on my probable ones to do list. Probably using an ETS mech and an Ace Products kit for the upper works. its one of the reasons why I bought the Dastardly LNER coaches. Regards Chris H P.S. - The A5s were definitely too big for the Widened lines - just like all the larger Met Railway tanks from Classes G, H and K classes, none of which ran south of Finchley Road. CH.

Cor! - I shall look forward to coming round to see the revised arrangements. but that must wait till some of our immediate tribulations are more settled. Once you have Paltry Circus and the new FY in place, you must get the Birlstone platform(s) in place, along with at least one overbridge - for the positioning of an omnibus or two etc. Then we need a timetable operation session with other friends, or are you going for the garden extension first? - I assume that is what R's gardening instruction alluded to? Chat soon. Chris H

Sir, Please look closer at the section of the dome. The regulator valve is clearly shown - at the top of the "J" pipe - it being a vertical slide plate, with holes, driven by a crank and link from the shaft that exits the boiler on the backhead. All the working parts are inside the steam space so just the one gland needed on the backhead. The same bits can be found on Met No.1 - and caused us some heart-ache the other year till we realised that someone - in the past - hadwrongly machined the sliding plate allowing it to tip off the port face - and so blow-by. Skimmed flat the problem was solved. Regards Chris H P.S. - Met No.1 dates from circa 1897, so should not be too modern-image for CA purposes. P.P.S. - I prefer the "Muddle and Go Nowhere" small Hudswell Clark 4-4-0Ts to the larger 4-4-2Ts. The 4-4-0Ts are real stunners in my book. CH

K - I already have a set of lithos and a body etc on order with Bruce - but don't hold your breath re completion. Chris H

Before Brasso, one used the dust from a rubbed "Bath brick" mixed with meths to produce your metal polish. I met characters on the Talyllyn Railway in the late 1960s that still did it that way - the rest of use were too lazy. Chris H

But is it Vac fitted - sorry for GER that should be "Westinghouse fitted" ? CH

Northroader, Thanks for the info regarding the earlier LNER No. 88. An interesting loco, but not quite what Nearholmer needs / wants. Nearholmer, We must differ regarding the coaches, but when finished the N& might demean itself a act as motive power on ocassion. Looks like you have the following options regarding "Home" motive power - - An ACE G5 0-4-4T - if you can find one in the LNER lined black. Some did move to exGER lines but mainly the more rural areas. - A scratch-build to taste - or kit-build - J65 or similar 0-6-0T / F4 - F7 2-4-2T (see https://www.lner.info/locos/F/f7.php ). - An appropriate LMC Model, there are some - including a G4 0-4-4T. - An alternative modern electric mech for your present No.88 - keeping the untamed clockwork mech for special events. Regards Chris H

Blimey. Those LNER coaches arrived very quickly - have you checked for "hot boxes"? Still have my reservations regarding the clerestory roofs and think they would be better as a articulated bogie set - but they look rather good. Regards Chris H P.S. - LNER loco number 88 was A3 4-6-2 "Book Law" under the 1946 renumbering system! CH

Ere Nearholmer. I hope you are not suggesting that a certain unfinished model of an N7 should be associated with scruffy old GER cattle trucks? I'll remind you that it will be specically a Hatfield (GN) shedded loco and as a well brought loco will expect to haul bogie coaches - at the least a Quad-art set. Also what is all this about putting the "Paltry" board on the smokebox? If the loco is going downhill into Paltry it will go bunker first, so it can come up the hill from the stygian depths with the water comfortably over the firebox crown. Talk later - I have a plan. Chris H

That last bit is not just due to the width of the wheel treads. The use of rigid single link couplers of the B-L / Hornby / ACE / etal. type has a very significant - probably greater - influence on the ability to propel vehicles through curves / crossings / reverse curves. Whatever, I have become very happy with the ability of "O" gauge "Coarse / Standard" scale trains to get round the 27inch (equivalent of 15inch in OO) radius curves and turnouts - I can enjoy running the trains round in a relatively small space, while sitting and watching / doing something else. Regards Chris H

Kevin, Thanks for that. I gather things went well, I look forward to a full report when we meet. Flying Scotsman to Carlisle and back to York was very good - as was the trip on the Tyne valley line over to Carlisle from Newcastle this morning. Off to the West Country tomorrow - so not available till Thursday. Regards Chris H

"Gazelle" would be in period and is locally built for CA - Dodman, Kings Lynn, 1893. Not sure where one would put a motor? Regards Chris H

Nearholmer, I have a A4+ sized piece of 2mm picture glass in the car ready to give you tomorrow lunchtime. Found in a cupboard at Mother's today - thought you might be able to use it? Regards Chris H

I was thinking that the lady in the door-way looked a bit under-dressed for 1948 - sultry heat or not! Too hot for much this p.m. - so spent a couple of hours gently titivating the garden railway ballast bed, with a train to take away the arisings. Looks a lot better. Regards Chris H

Mansell and other disc wheels all have a lip about 1/2 inch deep under the edge of the tyre - on the outside face - which is gripped by what are in effect a set of "inside" jaws on a face-plate to transmit the drive. At least they were on all the LU wheel lathes (apart of course from the Underfloor lathes when the drive comes from the rollers supporting the tyre with adhesion supplied by a hold-down dog acting on the axlebox. I'll explain further when we meet later in the week. CH

I understood that the CR 0-4-4T is initial prototype that goes back to the makers today with a long-list (full A4 sheet) of comments for attention. ACE seem to want to get it looking right and a reasonable number are proposed - in a number of different, but relevant (real), liveries to suit different eras. I was rather taken by it, but it doesn't quite fit with either my Metropolitan or GWR collections. Regards Chris H

Not quite the ACE NER tank is what became LNER G5. G designates 0-4-4 wheel arrangement. The A5s were the big exGCR 4-6-2Ts. I've now put the batteries in the GWR Autocoach and switched the lights on at dusk - looks v. good running round the conservatory floor, either Pulling or Pushing. Regards Chris H

Grandfather was a signalman at Westwood Box - they lived in a railway house on Lincoln Road - so he knew a lot of drivers and what was going on. We went from London for a weekend and I had had a brand new "light" coloured coat - took lots of coupons (still on rationing). As we arrived Grand father took Father and me - with pushchair - over the bridge into New England Loco and along the path to the Coal-Hopper where 60103 was. Then we were invited up for the ride round the triangle. Memory of the event is vague - but details filled in by parents - but I have two reliable snippets which have been confirmed: - On the path alongside the track to the coal-hopper a loco started to move, enveloping us in the steam from the open draincocks. Quite an image when you are only knee high and a little bit. I've tried to paint this memopy, but it is probably unreliable! - Being lifted up and told to grasp the big leaver. Then being pulled to make the loco go - magic. I don't have any memory of the subsequent state of the new coat - but I have been advised that Mother was not best pleased. Regards Chris H

Do I take it you were following proposed tramway routes again? I gather Dodoantiques.co.uk is now as dead as its proverbial namesake. Regards Chris H

Nearest triangle was the loco turning one at New England Loco - location of my first footplate ride in early 1953, on 60103, I was not yet three years old! Regards Chris H

Regarding the air-smoothed visitor - back in the mid-1950s there was a Model Engineering club track (raised 3.5 inch etc gauge) in a recreation ground just south of the bridge where the M&GN line crossed over the GN Main Line north of New England Loco. The loco I remember seeing and admiring as a short-trousered boy was a 4-8-2 with Air-smoothed casing in the style of a stetched MN. Is this a precedent for your visiting loco at PN? Regards Chris H