Dave John

A useful tip, many thanks Dava. I'll keep an eye open for one.

I was browsing for some modelling materials and I came across a Tamiya kit for a 1/48 scale Opel Blitz military lorry at a knockdown price due to a damaged box. So I bought it. My thinking was that it might be suitable for this project if I could convert it to a civilian version, the difference in scale might not offend if it was a background object. If not I could just enjoy making a plastic kit for a change, a long time since I did one. A bit of research provided plenty of photos of both military and civilian versions, large numbers of each produced and some well preserved examples. Examination of the excellently designed and moulded kit showed that conversion to a civilian version is simple; leave off the military bits, remove a few lugs and fill a few holes. A couple of photos, I think it has a certain charm. While I had a lot of paints out I did a few of those cheap ebay figures, Crude when you are used to Andy Stadden ones but they are less than 10 p each and will do for a start. My first 1/50 scale scene. Where next? Well, more rolling stock, maybe another loco. Oh, track. any point in looking for ready to lay 20mm gauge track? . Nope, so thats a scratchbuild then …

I find using whole layers seems to reduce the tendency of unsupported areas to bow inwards as the assembly sets, so it isn't really wasteful Mikkel.

Indeed , Blackfivesmatter is right , Join the CRA . Latest issue of "The true line" has a good article by Duncan McLeish on the railways of Strathmore with 4 excellent pics of Blargowrie in its later years . Previous articles have covered the early years and the soft fruit traffic. The signal diagram is available, as are many drawings of stock and locomotives.

True Skinnylinny, and the Glasgow subway does have a rather nice Gilbert Scott church over it. https://gilbertscott.org/st-marys-episcopal-cathedral-great-western-road-glasgow/ As it happens I can see the top half of the spire from my kitchen window, though the church was built 40 years before the subway was tunnelled.

I tend to use 5A fuse wire for reins. Sits where it is put.

A cracking build magmouse. Well worth the extra effort on the brakes and compensation. I also use a transverse buffer spring, not quite as elegant as that, but I find its less prone to jamming than coil springs in the buffer casing for wagons.

Go for the highest ratio you can fit in , 60:1 in this case. What you need is a loco that is as controllable as possible at low speed for accurate coupling up and running round, the short model railway distances make maximum speed a bit irrelevant. That little 670 class 0 4 2 I made a while back has a 60:1 HL box , goes like a rocket above about 9 V but it is still very controllable.

Would the mitsumi motor fit? I have used several, runs well, 1.5 shaft.

I had issues with a traverser on drawer runners and eventually replaced them with proper ballslides.

I have used double transfers with reasonable results ; The lowere transfer is applied and bedded in with microset. Allow to dry well then the upper transfer. In the case of the lettered panels only the upper transfer is lettered, the lower is plain white.

I have used the Masterclub ones, both rivets and boltheads. However they are made in Moscow so I don't know if they will continue to be available.

To be fair Johnster quite a lot of folk have been quietly pushing forward some techniques for battery radio control. Giles and Corbs have made some wonderful stuff , and I have had a go using basic rechargeable batteries and radio control over on the 1/50 scale blog. ( batteries and r/c gear for under 30 quid ? ) Motors are another point you raise. Although geared I have used axle hung traction motors with some success. Expensive ? Nope 6 quid a go from China. Removeable lamps ? Hmm, I haven't cracked that yet. However I do have easily removable bodies held on with magnets which also conduct the electricity for body mounted lighting. Test show that low currents don't harm the magnets. I accept that I'm playing with close to 6mm / foot rather than 4 mm and that some of my scratchbuilding might be viewed as crude. But with modern manufacturing techniques some of the ideas I am playing with ( and which you suggest ) could I think be scaleable to 4mm by the specialist rtr manufacturers.

I think so Compound. The rules require that "special care should be taken" so providing a couple of wagons with handbrakes either side of the unbraked trolley is likely.

The Diagram 6 brake vans are now in service. I tried to give them the look of vans approaching 20 years in service, used but still kept in decent running order. The Caledonian often allocated brake vans to a particular branch or section and lettered them accordingly, several examples are shown in the wagon book. I have lettered one for the Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire section which is the line I model. Although I cannot be sure that is correct there are pictures of other vans lettered for the L+D so it is a reasonable assumption. So, some photos; Oh, go on . A bit of video too; I must fix that bit of droopy point rodding.

Agreed Mikkel. Additionally some companies repeated the number on the end of the wagon. Defeats the double sided idea for a lot of wagons.

Older types of fluorescent lamps did emit a small amount of UV, more modern fluorescent lamps emit less UV. They are being withdrawn from sale as of last year and will no longer be manufactured in time. White LEDS used for lighting only emit a tiny amount of UV, the manufacturers have developed phosphors which give high yields in converting the blue light from the LED chips to the white spectrum. Strong sunlight is the serious problem for colour fade. Blocking it with film or blinds is really the only answer. Even so, some pigments are more prone to fading than others and can fade due to oxidisation without UV. Note also that the Lumen output of LED lamps does reduce over the lifetime of a lamp and there may be a shift in the colour from the lamp. More noticeable in commercial applications where lamps are on for long periods, but something to bear in mind over time. One last simple point. LEDS last a long time but they do accumulate dirt. A rub over with a damp cloth works wonders.

I used Ghiant inkjet fixative on backscenes and other inkjet prints, it is UV protective. No fading so far. Time will tell.

WARNING : Tunnocks wafers are highly addictive. Entire housing schemes in the west of Scotland are full of folk who eat vast quantities of them. They used to just enjoy a small rollup but the idiocy and greed of politicians means that obesity and heroin are cheaper than tobacco. ( Political rant, just ignore me ) I have tried wagon sheets on tunnocks wrappers, far too much ink bleed for my inkjet printer, might be less so for a laser printer. I did try using cigarette papers taped down to ordinary paper as a carrier but it just ended up as mush. I do think wagon sheets are important for the pre grouping modeller, I continue to experiment.

I think that is a CR Dia 67 van Wickham Green. Wonderful photo , it must be about 70 years old. The D 67 was built in various lots but that one seems to have its original CR 3 bolt buffers. Axleboxes might be a replacement. I wonder what happened to it .

Perhaps a silver lining for the loss of pics on rmweb is that some excellent modelling is revisited as the pics are restored. I do like the colours you chose for the horse.

First build 1904-1905. No. 34, allocated to Cambuslang.

No I'm not put off by them. Quite the opposite. If I am placing an order with for instance Alan Gibson then I enjoy writing a letter that starts "Dear Sir," contains a concise list of components and ends "Yours faithfully,". Why? Well this might sound utterly pretentious twaddle, but I am a modeller of Edwardian railways. I consider writing a letter and enclosing a cheque to be in keeping with my modelling style, I can enjoy doing so as part of my overall modelmaking experience. I should of course type such letters on an Underwoods typewriter, since that was the preferred supplier to the Caledonian Railway from 1911.* If I ever get hold on one. On the other hand I am quite happy to order electronic components direct from China via ebay with paypal. One of these days the chap in China will get a properly written letter in Mandarin. Maybe. * reference "Operating the Caledonian Railway, Vol 1 " , Jim Summers.

Very nicely engineered. I like the spring hangers, so much better looking than a cast approximation.

The latest kit from True Line Models is for the CR Diagram 6 brake van. Build dates range from 1883 to 1889 and cover three known body styles across possibly 55 vans. Kits are available for two body styles, the narrow and wide panelled builds. So a pic of the bare etch. You might think that these look very like the NB D33 vans. Well, the link is that man Drummond again. So since NBR developments do an etch for that it seems sensible that TLM asked them to do the etch for the very similar CR versions. It is an excellent etch, well designed and very accurate. Very little adjustment needed, the parts just fit together perfectly. The main sections soldered up; Roof is held on with a 3mm cube magnet. A pair complete, a joy to build. Painting next.