JamesSpooner

To be honest, once you hit Templot (which I did on Elmham Market some years ago), it is immaterial whether you go 00FS or EM as any design that requires non standard points will need to be scratch built anyway. I took the view that I wanted track and pointwork which flowed properly through the curves and, if I was going to do that, I might as well go the whole hog and do it in EM.

Thanks Stuart (also for a very enjoyable and satisfying day on the EMGS stand) and I can only echo your comments. At a base level EM is not difficult and it is relatively easy to convert most RTR locos to the gauge. Obviously one moves up the scale from there into kit building and then scratchbuilding. But if you are moving up that ladder, then EM is absolutely as easy as ‘fs00’, because the builder is starting from bare bones and it is immaterial whether one is building in 00 or EM (I still maintain that P/S4 requires that extra bit of skill and time, although I know others will disagree). Yes, overall it might take a bit more time than laying Peco streamline, but I have found it extremely satisfying and worth the effort. Nigel

You certainly brought that coal tank back to life very effectively! cheers Nigel

Richard, Those GER bogies look good. Where could I order some from? best wishes Nigel

I agree that the 3D printing process has progressed a lot over the last few years but I think it is still difficult to achieve the same results as is possible with etched brass. A couple of years ago I made two Gresley ‘shorties’, one a brake third, using Bill Bedford sides, MJT underframe, roof, ends etc and some Hornby Gresley bogies, regauged to EM. So, a real ‘bitser’ but fun to make. Nigel

What is also strange, looking at this photo a little more closely, is the nearest third (?) compartment, which seems to be placed at the very end of the carriage, with no space for a vestibule. If it was originally a corridor coach (as looks likely from the style), how was the vestibule fitted in? Nigel

The EM gauge society, through its trade officer, sells a range of washers to suit 2mm and 1/8” axles and I believe Alan Gibson sells a range of washers too. As far as I am aware, neither have square holes… cheers Nigel

Yes Tony, I am in sympathy with all of that. I have been happily putting my through station secondary route layout together for about fifteen years now (and comparatively recently added a previously started branch terminus ‘plank’ to give extra interest to what would otherwise have been a ‘roundy roundy’) and have enjoyed creating something that is believable (in my eyes anyway) but I have been happy to pull together anything that fits into the overall design, whether it be RTR, kit built or scratch built, to complete the overall project. It still isn’t finished but, by using these different methods I can see a way through to completion and that helps keep me going at it. Mind you, modelling in EM means nothing actually gets into the picture without some work, even if it is just regauging and weathering… Nigel

A friend of my father collected a number of early Dinky toys, including some rare die cast boats they made. All were beautifully presented in a glass showcase. Imagine his consternation when he came down one morning and several prize possessions had collapsed in a heap because the mazak was unstable…. I guess that just made the remaining ones even rarer and more valuable? Nigel

I did the same and I think I still have the tapes (as well as something to play them on!) Nigel

Tony, This is quoted as a photo of Manston apparently when new and the wrinkles are quite clearly apparent in it. I know Bulleid was a comparatively early exponent of welding and even in the 1970’s BREL was building wrinkles into its Mk3 coach sides, due to welding distortion, so maybe there was an element of that in addition to the hand formed sheets? best wishes Nigel

On the matter of offerings to the great god carpet, I saw a short video clip recently of a jeweller at a workbench and he was wearing an apron, the bottom of which was attached to the workbench. Obviously, it’s not a good idea to get up and walk away, but I guess it is a useful way of saving and recycling precious metals. I was thinking that a Velcro base to an apron, with the other side of Velcro stuck to the workbench might reduce the offerings being made to the aforementioned great god… Nigel

Tony, I’ve been Googling a bit and it looks at though the LNER official photographer took a number of photos of the Coronation carriages under construction. The images are held by the NRM and some are available commercially. If your friends are sufficiently interested, it might be worthwhile asking the NRM whether it holds any further images of the trains under construction, which it could make available. Best wishes Nigel

Tony, Although an Eastern man myself, living in Surrey I do mix with Southern people and through the NW Surrey EM group know of several layouts covering the LSWR main line. Swaynton is owned by one member of that group (and will be exhibited at Ally Pally), Semley is a superb P4 depiction and I think I saw a model of Brookwood in 00 in the RM a month or two back. They are out there and one should also bear in mind the South Western main line was much shorter than the ECML… best wishes Nigel

Would that be because Sir Launcelot was withdrawn in April 1959?

Andy, I’m guessing it is a Southern 4-6-0 tender loco with an eight wheeled tender, to be converted to EM for Swaynton’s appearance at Ally Pally. On the basis it is an RTR conversion, I’m guessing something like a Hornby King Arthur? cheers Nigel

Tony, it’s funny how sometimes different threads in different places coincide but in the Great Eastern Railway Society email thread there has just been reference to ex Coronation BTO-TO twins working in a York, Lowestoft (Central), Yarmouth Vauxhall service from 1949. There is reference back to an article on the subject in a recent GE Journal and that has a photo of such a twin set (1738 and 1737) at Norwich Thorpe. The photo does show roof boards but I’m not sure whether those coaches were from the spare set or one of the dedicated ones. best Nigel

As someone whose main standard gauge interest is East Anglia, I would note that Hornby has done another LNER 4-4-0, in the form of the Claud Hamilton D16/3 and made a pretty decent fist of it too, with significant elements of cast bodywork providing acceptable haulage capacity. I have a couple regauged to EM and have repainted one as 62614, the Royal Claud without decorative splashers carrying LNER green livery but BR logo. Seen here crossing a Blacksmith model of the other Royal Claud.

Like everyone else I seem to have drawn a blank on photos of models made by Robbo Ormiston Chant. The nearest I could get was a copy of an article published in the MRC in February 1972, which had some demonstrative photos, but I am pretty certain the photo of the Wills D1 tank is straight from the Wills catalogue (unless, of course, he was building kits in the 1960’s for Wills?), so no further forward, I’m afraid. Nigel

Mentions of Robbo Ormiston Chant got me Googling a bit, as I also remember his articles and letters as a youngster. It seems he was a member of the Manchester MRS who passed away in 1994. There are references to him being the kit builder for a model shop in Deansgate; one thread has a piece from a contributor who apparently bought a Jamieson Jubilee built by him. Enough time spent trawling the net; back to wagon building… Nigel

Hi Martin, I think one of the great things about our hobby is that we have the freedom do go about building out our projects as we personally think fit or enjoy. On my BR East Anglian 1950’s layout, I put together a core of RTR carriage sets to get myself going, then built out using a range of different kits, to get to the full complement of my requirements. I am now in the process of building some more kits to replace those RTR carriages either that I am not comfortable with, or which don’t strictly meet my requirements. But that was just my personal way of tackling the matter and I’m sure there are many other equally valid ways of approaching it. Enjoy! Nigel

Yes, I would agree with that comment. The thought of a quad or quint set would fill me with dread! I did complete twin art earlier this year, based on an Isinglass kit but that was at about the limit of my enjoyment factor. Below is a photo of it leaving Elmham Market behind a modified Bachman Ivatt, converted to EM and with a Darlington chimney as befits the Cambridge allocated locos.

I can only echo what others have said with regard to running. The standard and quality of running on LB on Thursday was something we should all take note of and aim for, if only because it adds to the pleasure of the operating session by removing much of the frustration. To see four trains (regularly changed by Tony) going round so consistently smoothly and reliably was a joy to behold. Thank you Tony for a very enjoyable day.

From memory there is also a good example of a belt driven workshop at the National Slate Museum at Dinorwig, Llanberis. It was originally driven by a large water wheel which is still in place and turning.