jonhall

The problem is that the builder (and probably operator) won't actually make any money, even in the long run - the economic benefit to the UK comes from the users of the line (and users of the capacity freed eleswhere WCML or M1/M40) become more economically active, and consequently the level of unemployment benefits is reduced, and the tax take is increased - the beneficiary will ultimately be the government (and hopefully you and I the British taxpayers), but quantifing the 'return' is going to be tricky. Jon

Well it kept me off the streets for a while... I went into B&Q last week to buy two strips of wood, 8x18mm, and became distracted, by the time I left I had a bil for £55.06 to present to the tresurer J

Aided by the lack of RMweb to distract me over Christmas, I've made reasonable progress. I treated myself to a couple more IOW 1938 trains, so this is Hamworthy, the junction where the new cross-Solent tunnel joins the rest of the network... I haven't got any 10.5mm wheels so alas the two dinosaur sets are as yet unmotorised see thread >>> http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/46417-efe-1938-london-underground-tube-trains/page__fromsearch__1 This shows bothe the platforms and the wagons I've been working on (see a new thread) - the platforms have actually got even further, I'm still hopeful that they can be finally fixed into place before I have to take the board back on the 8th. And finally I poped over to one of our other members during the course of last week - he has had a part sheet of 4mm plywood in his garage since the last set of baseboard building, so we turned that into some strips, and I've spent some time knocking up the branch fiddleyard. Jon

With a sudden rush of activity both before and after Showtrain, my enthusiasm is somewhat restored, so with no meeting next week due to a clash of hall bookings, then two more lost to Christmas and New Year, I've brought a board home with me to work on. The aim is to have installed the subway and platform surfaces to both platforms by the time we reconvine on the 8th January. What you see in the earlier photos is a bit misleading, as the surfaces were only card templates to aid cutting the final surface, but the island platform has now got a sub surface of white plasticard, and a top surface at one end of black plasticard. Three quiet evenings this week have allowed the stairwell on the island to have been mostly built - as a sub-assembly so that it can be detailed up later. I suspect that the steps are rather too large, because the tunnel is rather deep, but as thats a function of baseboard depth, it's not something I feel inclined to fix. Jon

SNCF Hfs? http://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/6504847119/in/photostream

I guess it rather depends what Mersey Rail want to do with these units - Replacement of 507/508, or growth build, or OHLE capability or a combination. It seems unlikely that the 313's are to be like for like replacements because they cannot be all that much younger. If its a straight growth build for capacity, then is a 313 without a pantograph able to couple (functionally) with a 507 to give an effectively homogenous fleet. If is a duel-voltage unit that required, to say run to Preston or Manchester or wherever, is there a way of divinding the existing routes up so that there are either DC lines, or Duel voltage lines, and split the fleet into two, so that 507's run the DC only and 313 run the dual voltage requirements. It seems likely to me that the 508/313 (and I can remember what the scotish version is numbered as 314 perhaps?) probably only have another 10-20 years of life left in the bodyshell, so once the electification of the routes is done, they may only have 10 years of life in them anyway. Jon

A couple of veiws before and after a quick spray of primer - not sure what i'll do with this - probably stick it on the secondhand at DEMU next June if I remember, but I doubt it will even recoup the cost of materials - never mind, I've had a few evenings of enjoyment building it, and I might get back to the original railiner project if I can verify the wagon length and wheelbase.... J

The best way to encourage a Maunsell Push-Pull set might be to support the Swanage Railways heritage coach appeal, I understand that a 2 coach push pull might jump the queue if a grant (and match funding) can be achieved. http://www.swanagerailwaytrust.org.uk/index.php/heritage-coach-fund with a full size one running round behind their M7, whats the betting Hornby would want to bring one out? Although Swanage still aren't promoting a drip-feed fundraising campaign - if everyone who will buy a Kernow gate set also put a pound into the SR fund every month, then the 12"=1' Maunsell set might be up and running by the time Kernow start shiping their little ones. Jon

Thanks Martyn, thats exactly what I had in mind. Jon

Can anyone point me in the direction of photo's of the van to 'covered open' conversions done for BRT cable laying trains? I've just chopped the sides off a Hornby 'railiner' curtainsider to use to build the ex-tank chassis curtain side van, but have become distracted with the possibilities for the remaining bits of chassis/ends/roof for the BRT wagon. Thanks Jon

Jonathan, Whilst browsing at Warley I found an interesting supply of Italian kits, that might provide some parts for building ferry vans... the one that caught my eye was the refrigerated van showing the contents, a couple of sprues, a set of transfers and a colour set of instructions equivilent to 3 sheets of A4 I have wondered if the entire body might be reusable or just remove the ice doors but then I noticed the springs - I think we have talked about these before! I have the guy's email adress who said he could do mail order, and there are other kits in the range, although he didn't have any in stock. http://www.duegieditrice.it/kit/ shows the range - some of the vans with and without brakehut might also have some potential? Jon

Without wishing to start the whole copyright arguement, making a copy of the original would, but modifying it then copying *probably* wouldn't - it rather depends how much work goes into the modifications. Jon

B52 SAC (Strategic Air Command) used to live on a luton Transit round here - perhaps the Hull MRS boys have it to move a certain 009 layout around?? Jon

Do you still have the left over Hornby bits? I was looking at a club members VEP at the weekend, and thought that it should be possible to cut the corridor door from the front, and mount it inside of a sanded down 'retracted' corridor, then put both into a rubber mould and produce a drop on replacement in resin - it dosn't fix the windows, but would seem to be a relatively quick win? Jon

No it's a 4VEP, just for the contrast we combined 2 coaches from the Hornby VEP with 2 from one of our members MJT. We had quite a lot of questions including how do you open the windows on the Hornby one - I'm sure a lot of people didn't twig at all. Jon

to answer my own question... http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=2008 7579 Watford, or 7588 Hereford both match that configuration, When I visited the Gwilli last year I could only find the jib of this crane... Jon

According to the platform 5 'track machines' published in n1984, it was ADW 225/060976 cs #7595 a 1944 built 6.5t If you point me in the direction of the photo you mention I can see if I can get a match on the little lifting lugs in the back of the counterweight. Jon

Well Tolworth Showtrain is over for another year, and I'm pleased to report that we actually made some progress whilst demonstrating secenic techniques... The terra firma at the London end is more or less at it's final shape, has been skinned, and given a quick spray over to give some ground cover, and the platform surface is well advanced. Jon

Well they never asked me anything about it... so I've no idea. J

For those that sent me a PM - I have had a delivery - once I've finished with Tolworth Showtrain, I'll send out some more PM's, or if you are at our show tomorrow you might be able to pick them up. Thanks, Jon

My virtual Aldwych tour http://www.metropolitanrailway.co.uk/aldframe.htm I also had a Down Street tour as well, but I don't seen to have swapped it onto my domain... Aldwych is open to the public for a few days soon, more details to follow if I can find them... Jon

Another little update, as ever the last minute rush to get ready for an exhibition... one of the drawbacks of meeting in a leisue centre is that everything you see has to be unpacked before we start, and packed away at the end of the night - we probably lose 20% of the meeting. regretably most of the action is still taking place underneath, but we are getting there slowly. Through wiring has gone into conduit under the boards, and the inter-board plugs are being wired - this is one of the easy mainline boards with only track feeds. Unlike this one, which has all the pointwork as well - its all getting a bit busy The other major development is that we have finally started to brace the legs to the baseboard - I've never been too bothered by this, as once the layout is up, the legs arn't parallell, so it dosn't tend to sway, however they are quite vunerable when the layout is being set up. the solution to this has been some joist braces from B&Q - seen here in the flat. One of our members has fitted a riv-nut to one end into which a handwheel bolt is screwed, through the flat plywood leg so that we get a sturdy, but lightweight diagonal brace. Until now we have only cut the first hole in the leg, to allow the wires to pass through, but now we know where the brace will fit, we can cut a few more holes to save a bit more weight. The other activity last night was to prepare the cement terminal board to accept the lever frame that will operate the points. This is rather easier than the other frame, as the board is somewhat triangular, we have space to extend it out behind, and not muck about with retractable frames. Here the first couple of tubes are just visible in a slot in the backscene/baseboard frame. Not a job thats required for Showtrain, but as nobody else needed that board to work on, another job that could be ticked off the list. Hamworthy will be the centerpiece of the Hampton Court MRS club stand at Tolworth Showtrain www.tolworthshowtrain.co.uk next weekend - please come and say hello, and we will be more than happy to show you what we have done. See also the Tolworth Showtrain thread on RM web here - http://www.rmweb.co....__fromsearch__1 Jon

RfD Leyland Roadtraion with Freightliner container http://www.flickr.com/photos/carrickman/5603635622/in/photostream Jon

I'm really looking forward to seeing these at Tolworth - probably the biggest gathering of scratchbuilt ferry vans ever! www.tolworthshowtrain.co.uk Jon