john flann

Rob, I think fiddle/staging yards are a very important part of any layout. Yet we rarely see them pictured. I've often wondered about yours-and now I know. Thank you.

John, St Enodoc suggested Charford and I agreed recalling it from RM of many years back. It too influenced my thinking on Hintock.

But I had forgotten all about the branch to Bridport. Now that is an idea for it means I can introduce a service from Port Bredy via Hintock and Charford to Yeovil. And it would make a nice working for the Radial and its rake of ex L&SWR coaches.

So thankyou St Enodoc and John for creating the opportunity.

BTW, beautiful cold and sunny day here today. The mountains have a deep covering of snow and look superb.

Regards,

Martyn, in reference to your earlier post two of the photos I referred to were of the K&T, and the two and three coaches respectively seen appear to have a degree of shine. The photos were taken in August 1950. The loco also has a reasonable shine too. I think it's a J67.

Another photo of small branch line coaching stock interest is of the Framlingham Branch in 1952. There seen in nice shiny condition are two coaches captioned as "..ex GER main line vehicles painted in the unimaginative dun brown of the L&NER secondary line stock." It might be as described but they look newly painted, clean and fresh. There are no signs of grime or wear.

With this further evidence would you consider perhaps using a lighter touch with your coach weathering? I only weather one side, if it's successful I leave it; if not I try again on the other side.

And quite right about that ease of getting under the baseboard, I have had recent need to do some electrical work on PB, and whilst it was built in sections I have subsequently secured them altogether. So getting at the underside is extremely difficult. To avoid that effort I am having to excavate a cable run on the top.

Oh dear, I do seem to have put the cat among the pigeons, I agree weathering is a subjective matter (and I do prefer what some may regard as a chocolate box result) but I do respect the effort that goes with it. I just think that some results are "over the top". They don't just seem to fit for all sorts of reasons, not least the locale in which the stock operates.

I don't comment without some reason: at the time of my initial comment I had in the back of my mind photographs I had seen of E Anglian  railways of 1940/50 scenes and last evening checked my sources, (thinking that some response such as yours Rob was possible for you are of the same school as Martyn is here).

The two books I have handy reference to are Gammel's The Branch Line Age, 1976, and Whitehouse's Branch Line Album, 1962, together they show fourteen photograph of E Anglian passenger trains and in none are the coaching stock in that extreme condition. 

I agree that in the photo you select the brown coach does appear drab, and I think it's quite definitely brown, but the red one in comparison appears in quite reasonable order.

PS, just seen your post Martyn, need to leave this now, but I'll comment, as required,later.

No, Edwardian, apart from occasional visits. And, on those occasions I was very conscious of the wind straight off the N Sea. It was that I was thinking of, whereas in and around Leeds it was dank and smokey with a settled gloom. Now there I would expect to see local coaching stock in that condition but I was surprised at the thought distant stock in a coastal rural atmosphere could attract so much grime.

But I always stand ready to be corrected..

I applaud the effort but not with this result.

Thanks Martyn I accept all you say as to decrepitude-which is correct-but even so it looks a bit heavy to me given the fresh clean airs of E Anglia rather than Leeds, for example.

Martyn, you've certainly achieved a "grimy" look-maybe a bit overdone for a rural locality?

Adrian: I see you are bemoaning the cost of brass windows for your custard factory.

What's wrong with plastic? See the variety offered at http://www.tichytraingroup.com

I'd be surprised if you didn't find something that will suit. I use them and am satisfied.

John, you are a master with :"improving " Metcalfe kits, Alma MIll takes me back a few years and I'm sure I came across its namesake somewhere in the Bolton/ Accrington/ Blackburn/Preston localities!

And whilst have only a hazy memory of Wrexham, I think, it reminded me more of E Lancs, as was, rather than N Wales.

Port Bredy is not yet open to traffic but the next few months will get me there in time for when your through train coaches start running. Meantime theyand their passengers are welcome at  Hintock and onward travel by GWR motor omnibus to the company's renowned Pennsylvania Castle Hotel..

Lovely sunshine here-drying off my river rock very nicely.

Ray, long time since I looked in last. Very impressed with the progress. My regards.

Nick, very well done and very well deserved. Congratulations.

I understand the decision was not by popular vote of the attendees but judged by experienced persons on certain criteria, In other words it won on its merits-not popularity.

Thus all the more reason for being proud of the justly merited award.

Entry cancelled.

Martyn, taking your perfectly reasonable conclusion another step, coaches were only lighted when passing through longish tunnels and during hours of darkness

Following that do you have  any tunnels and do you wish to operate in the dark?

John, very neat solution that. For all those good reasons I've looked at the underside of my Prairies on many occasions, shaken my head in puzzlement and put them back.

I now ask myself the question,why didn't I think of that!

And whilst commenting Granby does look so very well. Its come together nicely.

My regards,

....or if you prefer colour.

                                                              Hintock. Joint GWR/SR, c1937.

 Just found your holiday snaps. There's no place else quite like the Rocky Mountains! Glad you had a good trip.

And returning to topic I think you are very courageous in your coach bashing adventure and in your revelations. I know my limitations-I'd never even contemplate it..

My regards,

AndyR. thanks for the progress report, the method seems to work and I'm glad you found it. Trial and error is the way in these matters.

But those short radius points are really the nub of the matter. Until you use larger radius you will  suffer one frustration after the other. Changing to medium will make a world of difference both aesthetically and operational.

I commend the notion. It's a good investment.

Hope things go well at the exhibition.

Martyn, when I went American in 1990 I got rid of my OO stock I had brought over from the UK; I wonder now what they were and if I could find a place for any on Hintock as you are happily doing here. I do nonetheless have some locos from those early days-sentimental value only and not runners.

You've caught the SR green-as I recall it-very well.

A question: what do you use to remove the paint?

I'm trying to strip some American stock but the paint seems most resistant to oven cleaner (terrible stuff to use and has to be done in the open air) and Pinesol-a kitchen and bathroom cleaner and disinfectant.

Rick, reverting back to post #1407, the load to me looks rather insecure, I don't think the chocks and what chains you have are enough; fore and aft too would assist.

Loads on four wheel stock get a pretty rough ride, and on a flat too there is nothing to contain it if it comes loose.

I also had the notion that con-flats were restricted to carriage of containers only.

AndyR, I only spent a week in the UK and got no further than Porthmadog. Seeing Nick at the LHR hotel on the return leg, was a bonus.

Nicholas and I got done what we set out to do, and though tiring, well worth doing.

I hope to post a couple of pics and say a little more on my Hintock thread.

Andy, just seen this post and like what I see.

I see you refer to boredom, well that's inevitable after a few hours-and I well know the feeling-but is it perhaps because there is no structure to the operation and shunting is not organized. (see my card system for random and systematic shunting and the virtue of a sequence for operation.)

These do not necessarily take care of the "boredom" but go some way in alleviating it. The customers too have something to ponder if what they are seeing is explained.

Nick, you mentioned this when we met last week,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

and with every good wish for more!

John.

Not been on here recently Martyn-plagued with a crashed again, new computer!- but I like the start you've made with tidying up. it's encouraging to the spirit.

And Toby's are such entertaining little beasts.