30368

I will try not to be blinded sir. To suggest that the Schumacher Years and all the success was down to one man, Todt, is a little simplistic. There must have been many people contributing to all that success both at the circuits and back at the factory. Schumacher was a truly great driver, Brawn was a great Technical Director, Jean Todt was a great General Manager (he joined in 1994) and so on. Oh and the car was eventually (after four years) good enough to win the Constructors Championship and so on. I agree that Ferrari, like many teams over the years, are good at shooting themselves in the foot, for example Mclaren or in the distant past BRM, thats the way it can be with any human activity. I look forward to Ferrari making a big step this year and competing with Red Bull for the title, however as Murry Walker* would have said, "I am probably wrong, I often am". * I met the wonderful Mr Walker when I worked at Salisbury NHS Trust Hospital and he was, as we all suspected, a truly lovely chap. Kind regards, 30368

If I may, whilst Ferrari, like all teams, have their ups and downs, I beg you to consider that you may be mistaken in your view. 16 Constructors titles and 15 drivers titles suggest otherwise. Mr. Hamilton is no fool and, as many have said, has nothing to prove but possibly he, like many in the sport, feels that Ferrari are at the very core of Grand Prix Motor Racing and he relishes the thought of winning with them. If he moves to Ferrari then I look forward to him and Charles Leclerc racing together in the greatest team in F1. Kind regards, 30368

Just a thought, and sorry to interrupt the flow Tony, but the more I look at images of all the 04 2-8-0 derivatives going about their business, almost to the end of steam operation, with so little fuss and not much maintenance one has to conclude that Mr Robinson and his team came up with a real gem of a design. I know that they were selected by the ROD for largescale manufacture and class volume aids survivability but even so one of the great designs in my view. As you observe above, one could often see an 04 with the front buffer beam and running plate pointing towards the track following a smack with something hard so I think you should drop one to create this fairly common damage, after all, the prototype should inform our modelling. Didn't stop them running on and on and I wonder how the other vehicle or stationary object faired? Idle chat I know but all part of our collective memories... Kind regards, 30368

Yes it is, thanks very much for correcting me. I have ammended my post and my apologies to LRM. A palpaple "Senior Moment" I think! Kind regards, Richard B

Tender is now complete and has been painted. Lining and a few bits and bobs to do. Whilst the tender is drying I started to review the many pictures I have of the loco's I have built over the years and I could see how my work has improved over the years due to experience and all the great advice I have received. I also gave some thought to which build I was most proud of. That is a tricky question to answer since I tend the admire my latest build as the best so far, not absolutely true I know. With one or two recent builds I have struggled a bit. Having said all that, my provisional answer to the to the question posed above is: The reason's for my decision are: 1. This is a ACE Models "kit" that was very difficult to build and led to some amicable if contested discussion with the supplier. 2. The N15X rebuilds of the Brighton Baltic Tanks is a somewhat obscure prototype and that is always an incentive to the loco builder - having something that is not available RTR is great. 3. They are a well balanced design although a bit of a "sheep in wolfs clothing". 4. My layout is a version of Basingstoke Engine Shed (70D) intended to have an example of every type of engine ever shedded there (and many never shedded at 70D!) during BR days. 5. All the N15X 4-6-0s (seven of them) were alloocated to 70D and finished there working lives their in the 1950s. Therefore I HAD to have an example or fail with my objective so lots of pressure. No doubt a manufacturere is even now planning a run of N15X loco's RTR......... Kind regards, Richard B

Thanks very much for taking the trouble of updating the list and my best regards to your father. Kind regards, 30368

Can't see PDK mentioned? They have a great range of etched brass kits, some have resin boilers. http://www.pdkmodels.co.uk/ I have built a number and they are well designed kits for all of the "Big Four" railway companies. I would also recommend Judith Edge Kits, however these often need some scratchbuilding too (they are very reasonably priced and are very well designed.) so perhaps not for a first time builder. I don't think Mike and Judith have a web site but email is: edgmd@aol.com Tel: 01226 722309 I have built a number of these too and the results are very, very good. My (largely) PDK based H15 builds, paul at PDK built 30489 and the chassis under 30491 and the body of 30333. I built the remainder. All at rest on my 70D layout. Judith Edge B9 4-6-0 built by me a few years ago. A very pleasing model. Good luck with your plans and don't be put off, you can build a brass ket - start with an inside valvegear type (4-4-0 or 0-6-0 say) and then progress to something like the B9 before going for full outside valve gear. Kind regards, 30368 PS - Very sorry if I have got this wrong, was it just rolling stock you were interested in????

I was getting concerned by her absence, I thought we had lost her, the nice lady I mean not 60505. Kind regards, 30368

Really interesting Clive - from the Netherlands I think? You have very good taste in music, particularly where it coincides with mine, as does this one. Kind regards, 30368

Lovely work on the valve gear/cylinders and smokebox saddle. Kind regards, 30368

Tender coming along well, due largely to good kit design. I decided not to use the etch provided for the tender beading and instead used 0.45mm wire which looks good. The beading is one continuous legnth of wire which I progressively soldered in place from the back of the tender tank side and then bent the wire to suit as I progressed. The tender valance is designed to be fitted to slots in the tender tank base and then soldered from the inside. This would have resulted in the slots for soldering the tank to the base being partially covered so I have not done so. I think I should be able to solder the valances from this side. I could be wrong, and often are, but no attempt has been made to model the coal space on the tender tank top so a full load of mini coal will be required! Kind regards, Richard B

Yes agree as there are for many of Mr Robinson's locomotives. It is rather fun to consider what might have happened if John Robinson decided to be the first LNER CM&EE and not defer to the younger Mr Gresley! A Robinson pacific, now there is a thought!! Did he not consider a 2-10-0 at one stage? Kind regards, 30368

Tender is going together nicely. It is all, apart from a few white metal castings, brass and is very well designed. Wheelsets retained by a keeper plate so easy to paint and to maintain as required. Simple pick-up on trailing wheelsets, wheels protrude into what will be the tender tank, just the right amount for simple wiper pick-up. Kind regards, Richard B

I have a G-Train GCR 9Q/LNER B7 kit to build so many thanks to all who have taken the trouble to post all these images of GCR "Standard" tenders. A fair bit of variation in the LNER B7 4-6-0 too. Modeller beware! Despite the variations and possible pit falls, I am looking forward to the build, it will join my Judith Edge kit B9. Kind regards, 30368

Yes agree, I recall much the same approach in many of the factories I visited well into the 1980s. It is, perhaps, a reflection of a wider malady that prevents the UK for moving forward instead of continually looking backwards to a "golden age" when we all knew our place. It never existed.... Kind regards, 30368

Yes agree, and rather expensive compared to many European circuits. I recall standing in the mud looking over the fence and seeing the cars for a few seconds. Many European circuits provide stepped banking, often made of concrete, for those that can only afford the entry ticket. This enables a better view and you can also sit down in a measure of comfort. Kind regards, 30368

One of the least interesting circuits, Brands was always prefered when the British Grand Prix alternated between the two circuits. Kind regards, 30368

31901 now weathered. My poor images don't do the thing justice, it looks much better in the metal. Tricky build Phil but we got there in the end. Hope it is to your liking and now on to the tender.... Kind regards, Richard B

Phil, Yes it is, it has the "step up" frame as does the kit - detail check later. Loco is now weathered - pictures later - looks much as it would have looked in 1962 - pretty mucky. Kind regards, Richard B

Well Phil, 31901 is complete now apart from careful and extensive weathering, oh, and a tender. One thought I had concerned the overhead line flashes, which by 1962/3, many loco's had. As far as I can tell 30901 did not, at least during the summer of 1962. KInd regards, Richard B

Re discussion of Hornby A4. Back in 2020 I recall a similar discussion, sorry, can't recall where, but I had recently bought a Hornby Miles Beevor (it was very heavily discounted and in my view no layout, including an SR one should be without a streak) and was immediatley struck by the slab sided cylinder valance so I set about improving it (I had a Brassmaster detailing kit too). Gently filing away the valance to creat a curved profile. It is a very simple modification and improves the look of the model a great deal. Kind regards, 30368

My comment re timings was not really serious - rule 1 and all that! Keep up the good work. Kind regards, 30368

Interesting video SR Man. When I was Resident Engineer at Crewe in the 1980s, class 37s were overhauled at that location. I mention this because most of my diesel loco expereince was on the SR so 4SRKTs, 8LDA and shunter engines so I do not claim to be an expert on the EE 12CSVT engine. In my opinion the first example sounded very accurate although I guess a hot start is an advantage. Of the next two cold starts the last loco sounded ok. In contrast, the first (or middle loco of the three) sounded as if it needed new injectors! Perhaps it was very cold...By the way, with the cold start loco's the air pressure regulator (or perhaps vacuum reg if fitted) would not have allowed you to move that quickly..... Kind regards, 30368

Phil and Co, I assume that you are all aware of "From Devon to Dorset - The story of the Lyme Regis Branch" by Martin Smith and George Reeve, Published by Railway Bylines ?If you are all aware and have already discussed then please accept my apologies. When we lived in Fovant, Wiltshire our friends next door had a lovely appartment in Lyme so we spent some time down there. I managed to enthuse our non model railway friends (He was a Consultant clinical Psychologist but not too bad...) into being keen researchers about the branch. The book is full B&W images and has track/signalling plans for each station. Good luck with the idea. Kind regards, 30368

HI, Brake valve casting is from Branchlines and very good they are too. Kind regards, Richard B