wellseasoned

I was at Buckfastleigh two days back. Every item I looked at appeared to be the full rrp. I didn't buy anything from their model shop, just a few 2nd magazines of interest at 50p each Some are in a position to not be concerned about price, and don't bother to shop around. I'm not one of them anymore, not that I ever liked paying top whack for things. The internet will have wised a lot of people up to shopping around. The so called business consultants can, IMO, sometimes be detrimental to the businesses they claim to "improve" Have they actually helped the SDR, and I imagine they had a sizeable fee...unless it was a freebie? They appear to have infultrated many High St charities given how much some of them are charging for their donated stock, but I'll not digress too much. As mentioned in an earlier post Bekkra models of Newton Abbot do not carry much in the way of locos or rolling stock, but hey, what a selection of modellers sundries and at a fair price... many a tad under rrp.

Hi Dave Jones, Have I missed an update on the King class progress / payment situation? Thanks.

Thank you David71 for your link to chris Higgs posts and pics on roofs. I have a couple of kits with plastic vents that would need drilling for and fixing, something that by the sound of it several dread. I have yet to find out! The 3D printed roofs with vents incorporated sound as though they could be very popular. It appears that slowly more people are becoming adept at 3D printing, and there's a chap on the N gauge forum who is pretty close to producing a County 10xx body and tender. I have been a NGS member for several years, but of late I have become disenchanted with some of the decisions from the top. I have been spitting blood over the Modelmaster debacle, and I am not alone here. The 2mm association seems more in keeping with my modelling direction, so I will quite likely join this in preferance to renewing the NGS subscription.

I have come across a source of valuable information on many of the LMS/ B.R. built coaches. The Comet models website (now Wizard models) has some great stuff on it, dealing individually with each of the diagrams they produce. It has line drawings and each has a view of the roof showing the position of vents etc. Some of you are doubtless already aware of this website, but for those of you that aren't I hope you also find it useful. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I'm currently pondering over coach roofs, having bought just etched sides and made my own chassis. Playing around with what I have to hand the old Farish (Poole) MK1 roofs fit nicely and could be modified/adapted. Sadly I cannot find a source of these roofs from the normal sources such as B.R. lines/Peters spares. I have several of the Mike Howard roofs but these are made of a very soft plastic that doesn't take too well to cutting and sanding. I have tried bending some 0.7mm aluminium around a former of required diameter but not succesfully. I'm beginning to think about looking for some plastic or thin metal tube that could be used, maybe even some resin casting. Have any of you guys been down this road?

Canopy glue. I purchased some following advice given on here. When I looked at it's composition I noted PVA as an ingrediant. Being a woodworker my thought was heck, this is some expensive PVA, but it must surely have other stuff with it. White glues can of course all appear to be the same However, I have used it and have nothing but praise for it. It has a nice viscocity and is a joy to use, drying clear. I have been looking around the net for some current production technique/modern day decals for my crimson and cream Staniers/Porthole stock. Unless I have missed it there doesn't seem to be a comprehensive set of coach numbersets on the market, the M*****M sort of thing. I'm also getting short on my old Ultima pressfix lining...it is so delicate to use and could turn me into Victor Meldrew...lol I've sent an email to Cambridge custom transfers about said decals, as he will consider doing them if nobody else has thus far. As ever, always grateful for advice guys. Steve Falmouth Cornwall.

Hi guys, I will be looking to source some buffers for my LMS coaches I'm building. I'll need quite a few, and wondered if any of you have suggestions based on you past purchases? Thanks in advance, Steve.

Thank you guys. It just goes to show that we tend to find methods and materials that work best for us, but as the saying goes "there's more than one way to skin a Rabbit" I have etched sides that are really thin and flimsy, and others that are around three times the thickness. I feel happier using some fairly rigid clear plasticard as glazing. If others use OHP acetate sheet how well does this firm up the sides please? I have also been using impact adhesive to attach the sides to the glazing. I bought a tube of it in Poundworld. It's noticeably thinner than the market leader making spreading easier. They also had some 5 minute expoxy, virtually the same as Araldite but around a fifth of the cost.

Hi, Three questions; 1) What do people use for glazing? I have been using some fairly rigid clear Plasticard between the coach ends, to provide something for the etched sides to adhere to. I have to get the height just right so that it does not impede the fitting of a roof 2) UHU Hart glue. I have read this is a good glue if you can find it. Any views on it please? 3) Has anyone ordered from Etched Pixels since his re-opening? Thanks guys Steve Falmouth Cornwall

Etched Pixels. On another forum somebody has said that E.P. is open for business from today. Looking at Alan's website it's showing most items out of stock, but I imagine he needs time to sort out what is what and actually available. As I said previously there will likely be an avalanche of orders from people who have been gagging for the resumption of business. There are items I would like but I can hold off for now.

Ultima stock appears to have done the rounds a bit over the years. The Porthole sides I have were all in packets with a Solihull address. Was this perhaps Colin Albright? Probably around 7 years or so back, possibly more, I came across the Ultima stock, en-mass, whilst visiting family and a model shop in my home City of Bristol. In Bristol there was a chap trading as,IIRC, South Gloucester model warehouse, firstly in Southmead and later in Yate. At the Southmead shop when I visited he had just moved in, and there were numerous large boxes of Ultima stock on the floor. He moved shop to Yate but sadly experienced a life changing event and the shop was closed. I cannot recall his name but he was a regular poster on the N gauge forum. I believe the Ultima stock was joinly owned by the Yate chap and Alan Cox for a while, then passing fully to Alan Cox. Just a little bit of Ultima history as I know it, but maybe there is more? I'm sure many of us anticipate Alan re-opening Ultima in the not too distant future.

I have part two in MRJ 256, and interesting it is. I must try to get part one. It's a magazine that like all others I buy if it's got something of interest. Overlooked the first part of the article though.

Yes, what works for one doesn't always work for another. One suggestion was to use some card underneath the window area, and bend below to get the tumble. I tried it with some trepidation and ended up somehow putting a slight crease in the side. The Portholes. Well for half a Century and more I have been interested largely in anything Western region. The final reductions in the NGS shop sell-off had 3 types of Porthole N/S sides available, so I bought a total of 10 pairs. At the price they were on offer it would have been rude not to! So here I am, trying my hand at building some coaches. I already had Russell's GWR coaches, and Essery's LMS coaches, so with the Porthole sides interest has grown in the LMS, although they were built in B.R. days. I am aware of a softback book on making coaches, but I imagine most of it will be about 4mm, using the wealth of what's available in that scale. For those of us who are N gauge builders 4mm would likely be a piece of cake... To be honest I've been feeling my way, and whilst I have scratchbuilt all of the chassis I have cautiously built just one brake 3rd so far. I have avoided the batch production approach. Drop a clanger involving adhesive/s and they could all be involved.There will be tweaks when building the next brake 3rd. It's not only tumbleholmes that are a learning curve! For glazing I have been using some clear Plasticard. I fix it from fractionally above the top of windows, down as far as where the tumbleholme starts. It offers rigidity to the sides and is made a snug fit between the ends for fixing. I could probably get by with some 0.5mm thinner. As I said, a learning curve.

You make some points that are in line with my current thinking. I have always enjoyed actually creating models, harking back to the days more than 50 years ago when I would make copies of the Airfix buildings from cardboard. I was only around 10 years old but it was good training for later years. I have become increasingly rancled with the NGS ever since there was a major problem with the members shop. I won't go into details here but NGS members will know what I am referring to. I do not think it was dealt with effectively, and know others who feel the same. The thing that has really gotten to me is the "outsourcing" of society decals back to Modelmaster, their manufacturer. I may well subscribe to both NGS and 2mm in the short term, but as I get more into actual building of rolling stock the 2mm association is looking more attractive for me. Anyway, back to coaches, and creating tumbleholmes. I asked for ideas on the N gauge forum and had some intersesting replies. Originally trained as a carpenter I have made several tables over the years. With young children I always put a radius on the corners and edges, top and bottom. This is how I am creating tumbleholmes; I place the coachside parralel to the edge of the table, and with the waist area below the windows in line with start of the gently radiused table edge. One hand holds the coachside, with my fingers fanned out to create downward pressure along the sides length. The thumb of my other hand slowly and gently moves along the waist of the coach with slight downward pressure, creating the tumble. Of course the tumbleholme on different coaches can vary as to where it starts. This is working for me.

Thank you for your replies re' etched sides/ the current manufacturers. I have looked at the 2mm site a few times of late, and to be honest it's looking more attractive for me than the NGS is these days. There is so much more in the way of bits n' pieces to assist builders. Just my view, although I do know a couple of others in W.Cornwall who share roughly similer views as me. Personally I feel that more will become attracted to making things themselves, as rtr continues to rise and more 3D printed components become available.

I stand corrected...sorry I missed it.

All of the posts on this thread have been interesting and given me inspiration. I bought 10 pairs of Ultima N/S Stanier Porthole sides very cheaply in the NGS shop sale off. I reckon they'd had them for years as the address on the packets is Solihull, W.Midlands. Also bought some Ultima early B.R. coach lining...this is fun to use and has prompted more than a few little brown words. Getting the hang of it now though. I've been making my own underframes from plasticard and Plastruct "I" section. Mike Howarth trusses have been used as he's selling off the remnants of his kit parts. I've gotten the bug a bit for making coaches, although it's early days. I have always been one to actually model as opposed to open the box and plant it on the layout. With prices ever increasing I envisage more people taking to scratchbuilding/semi-scratchbuilding. Hopefully Etched Pixels will be back trading before too long. I have to wonder about B.H. Enterprises, they seem to have a lot of etches/kits listed, but I get the feeling Ray having gone through the same loss as Alan has been a bit quiet of late.I never did get a reply to my product enquiry so left it. Bill Bedford/Mousa models, does he do any N/2mm, or is it all now 4mm? Worsley works appears the only producer of etches that is currently offering stuff for sale, but please correct me if I'm wrong here. And lastly, DavidK71, what are your latest projects please?

Glancing through the latest Model Rail mag there is a small news update on DJM products. Regarding the King it says that the CAD is progressing. Good to know, but I'm sure a message on here from Dave Jones, to the very people that have expressed an interest in purchasing a model/s would equate to some good P.R.

I'm sure this will be eagerly received Dave.

Perhaps I didn't phrase it too well. My point was meant to be that it has gone very quiet on progress with the King class. Announcing the hopper wagons is of course good news, but it's been a while since any updates on the King. Maybe more will be revealed at Warley. I just happen to think that some updates on the King would build confidence in people.

Well, it's now 1st November and I'm sure many others who have said they would like a King/s would feel better / more confident for an update. You have just announced a Hopper wagon Dave. It may be that in the absence of updates on their King class people will hold back on the Hopper wagons.

There has been quite a number of posts on forums re' the curent Humbrol products. Maybe Humbrol have changed their formula? I came across some of their Authentic railway colours at a boot sale, going for a song. They must be all of 40 years old, yet given a good stir they are fautless. Not impressed with their current day acrylics though. My daughters partner does a lot of Warhammer, and he said they changed their paint formula...for the worse. Dullcoat . A couple of years back I used some of this on a loco I hade spent a considerable amount of time lining. The Dullcote melted the Modelmaster decals...sick as a pig I can tell you! Next time around I sealed the decals with...Humbrol gloss varnish, then Dullcote and no problems. I like Tamiya acrylics, and their matt varnish has been o.k. so far. I am restoring/repainting a fair number of N gauge S.D. plaster buildings with mainly Tamiya acrylics, so will stick with their matt varnish to seal them.