john flann

Jim, I've been wondering how things were with you and I'm happy to see the progress made. All most admirable.

Thanks Jules, I inquired because even with Bachmann rtr wagons-on which I tend to standardize-I get better running weighted. The kits seem far too light as built. Here I can get 1/40z weights sold to weight American HO stock and I add one or two, when in the UK I used fishing weights. They fit nicely into vans.

Nick, I don't think they were painted, as I recall the cast iron ones appeared a blackish/grey. That I assumed was as cast.

As might be expected from you Nick, a clever piece of workmanship. What colour will you paint the pipes, are they cast iron or earthernware? And what length, cast iron pipes-for water mains-were generally longer and the earthernware for sewers or drains shorter. Spun concrete was also used. Plastic pipes (white) would be out of your period. But I'm sure you've already thought about this.

Very well done Jules, do you need to weight the wagons to get any better running?

I really like post #2510-very smart indeed. But Robin, I think you've opened Pandora's box here.

Adrian, I assume that's Slater's plasticard you are affixing to card (and if I'm right it's nice to see card being used) and I use either plain old cement (I remember the smell from building aircraft kits when a boy) but better still an American product-Pacer Formula 560 Canopy Glue.

Adrian, that really is clever. Views through bridges onto a back scene are so difficult to do successfully. That's about the best I've ever seen. Very well done. Regards,

Rich, I use a sharp razor blade, but no doubt Rob has his own methods.

I'd like to see more of this. i thought I recognized the Ashburton element - and nicely captured.

Rick, I take that as an Encore!

Clever stuff that, Rick. Thank you. There's always something new to see at Penhayle Bay. Regards,

Hi Nick, I'm glad all went well (not quite, perhaps) at MM's outing. And Janet helping too, it's good when one can share these things. I wouldn't have expected anything else about MM's performance considering the quality of your workmanship. Regarding the closeness of the customers and their annoying habits and bad manners the solution to that I found was to have some distance between them, the layout and me particularly where there was no barrier. Because of this you may recall that elsewhere I advocated the use of a table (or tables) to sit the layout on rather than being dependent on its own legs. These give the opportunity to place the layout to the rear and leaves open table at the front on which they can lean, place their bags and baggage and so on as well as keeping prodding fingers further back. Alright I know table heights aren't good operating heights or for the best viewing but I got around that by raising the layout by means of 'I" beams made out of 6" timbers. It worked well and gave space underneath for spare stock, cups of tea and the like. All good wishes,

Adrian, I covered my baseboards with 1/'4" plywood glued down and then where track was to be laid for the top surface glued 12" cork flooring tiles. These sit flat and do not curl. I then drew on them with a marker pen a 9" grid to aid setting out. And I added triangular hardboard corner pieces underneath at the corners for bracing. This works nicely for me. It's looking good.

Adrian, a lot seems to have happened here since I last looked and is very interesting. Regards,

Rob, I don't know for sure but like bauxite I think, as seen on the open steel coal wagons built for the MOWT during the war and offered by Bachmann. It's at the back of my mind I've seen photos of them. And just another thought is there any justification for running a train of that length, where from/where to.

Rob, I was going to make the same comment about barrier wagons, but another point, at that stage would they still be in PO livery. I had the notion that during WWII these wore a MOWT colour.

Rob, I fancy I'm flogging a dead horse here and I accept you may not wish to sully the body sides but surely roof, ends and bogies could receive some attention.

Yes Rob, I understand and that was the answer I anticipated. Everyone to their own taste, however, isn't it a little anomalous that the vans on the same train are pristine. I was also going to 'edit' to that same effect and add that my grandchildren are now up to the minute American teenagers but yet still when they visit, a view of (and 'play' with) Grandpa's trains always appeals to them.

Rob, why do the tanks have to be quite so filthy? OK, I know the response but need we follow the prototype so slavishly? And reverting back to the earlier post can't we laugh, just a little, at ourselves. More so if youngsters get interested earlier they'll probably come back later. Further when my grandchildren had Thomas et all, I too enjoyed playing with them and it.

Nick, I hadn't seen this when I responded to your post on "Hintock', as ever you have that masterly yet light touch. I like it, my only comment would be to go easy on the brown. It maybe me, but I think it gets overdone. And as regards on an another thread, I never get around to looking at those. But again that's just me. And as I said elsewhere enjoy the show.

Rob, I have one of these and very nice too. I don't think much of the 'weathering' though. However, that and other matters can be readily attended to including painting out 'Derby' that looks, to me, a bit incongruous. I've got it to accompany my GWR fruit vans that work to Granby, this van will continue on to Crewe where the contents will be sent along the N Wales coast, Manchester and Liverpool.

Thanks Jules, that makes a lot of sense. It's the 'escaping' that concerns me and rotating 3'0 long cassettes can't be easy. I have tried them but prefer in my old fashioned way the ladder I have.

Jules, your cassettes look impressive-and simple-but do you have any problems with the stock wanting to escape as they are lifted and rotated? And where do you keep them when not connected?

Thank you, that seems a nasty wiggle in the track, is it not possible to site the point(s) further along the curve and so avoid it?