Artless Bodger

Thank you Nearholmer, the photograph I refered to was in the old days, a terrier and one coach climbing the bank and clearly routed for the main platform, BR days I think. Other old photos show for instance a Ford railcar set in the main platform and another with the O1, in both cases the single starter pulled off. I assumed there was a ground frame at the up end of the station layout (traditionally up is towards Robertsbridge), but a small scale station track plan shows a SB (signal box?) at the Headcorn end, one SP (signal post?) at the up end and two at the down end (towards Headcorn) suggesting to me that down trains could use either platform but up trains only the main platform. If I remember rightly, the original Rother Valley Railway as far as Rolvenden was built to a lighter axle load than the subsequent Headcorn extension so the bigger locos could not work throughout, services were split, meeting and terminating at Tenterden, as you say. I agree that the current preserved scheme appears to be very slick but in no way reflects the Colonel Stephens ethos, which is a shame. I haven't been to the K&ESR for decades, having spent a few Saturdays clearing undergrowth and unburying track on Tenterden bank as a teenager, and cleaning loco brasswork. It had that semi-moribund feel then, several unrestored locos stored in the bay at Tenterden. I've similar feelings about the Bluebell, Dad took me on an M&D afternoon coach excursion sometime in the later '60s, I thought it was wonderful then, last time I went it was more like Clapham Junction. Visits later in life to other preserved railways, in which I travelled in BR Mk1s, often still with Trojan upholstery were disappointing, my trips to work were in identical coaches, only the livery was different.

I used to see this happen at Reading sometimes when a bagpipe 33 took over a cross country train heading south.

Good morning, I'm a novice when it comes to signalling. I'm intrigued by the 3 arm signal at the up end of Tenterden station on the old K&ESR where both loop roads had platforms and passenger trains could be crossed. The signal has 2 arms for the approach to the station and one for departure on the same post. I presume the single one acted as starter for either road in the loop. What was the rule for interpreting the two approach (home?) arms? One photo I have seen shows a train approaching up the bank with the points set for the main platform (right hand road) and the lower arm off, so I'm inclined to believe the arms were read downwards for routes from the left to right. Would this be correct? If the left hand road in the loop was goods ony, would the arm for it be a short one? Would the priority from top to bottom be different, i.e. with the top arm refering to the primary - passenger - route and the goods loop arm moved down? (Thinking of a single signal for my light railway inspired BLT layout, just beginning). Thanks in advance.

Nice one!

Some progress in the punctuated equilibrium that forms my model making. I have patched the gouges in the baseboard, touched up the base and backscene paint and have bought some track, to do this plan. I had a pleasant surprise once the track was set out to find that I did not need such a long loop to run round 2 coaches (using Lima mk1s as test vehicles). I have rules of thumb for N gauge; 6" per loco or mk1, 6" per medium radius point and 3" clearance at each point to ensure no conflicts. However I had not any recent experience with OO so had erred on the big side. Set track separation and tighter radii mean I have altered the plan to this, with a few thoughts on scenic treatment added. With track placed and power clips attached I am able to have a play and test out some of my stock. The 2721 has been cleaned of excess oil, had the rear axle springs and the traction tyres removed, and now runs a bit smoother than before. The J83 follwed suit but after just a 'there and back' of the chassis the motor was too hot to touch. Out of the loco the motor spins smoothly on low power, on close inspection it seems one winding is much darker that the others, and turnng the armature with my fingers I dont feel the cogging I'd expect, so I wonder if the magnets have lost some strength which I think I've read increases the current draw of the motor (reduced back emf?). It hasn't lost the magic smoke yet but an internet trawl suggests it is on its way, so at some point I'll have to buy a replacement. However with two terriers and the 2721 available, I've enough to keep me amused, and priority must go towards some buildings - time to start searching the availability of kits to bash. A couple of photos. The intended N gauge 2nd radius oval looks a bit tight, so may have to be 1sr radius instead - many of my locos are old, or Union Mills, so will go round without complaint. Rule one to rule them all Rule one to find them Rule one to bring them all And in the darkness bind them

One aspect I've seen though is that lithium ion battery fires are far more difficult to extinguish. I don't think foam works.

I don't see the logic behind stopping or slowing work and thus current expenditure because of rising costs, only to do it later, when due to inflation it will cost even more.

Who needs to be beamed up if you can call up a helicopter? I suppose a fleet of EVs might be preferable to horse drawn carriages more suited to the outlook of some, Welbeck Abbey comes to mind - one tunnel for toffs the other for workmen.

Several commentators have pointed out EVs no excluding Teslas have a tendency to catch fire and burn well. One response was that the passengers would be ok in such an event as there were high efficiency filters in the car air con, ok for others stuck in the tunnel - probably not very helpful to the occupants of the burning vehicle, even getting a door open for escape seems a bit tight - round top doors a-la Met or GER anyone?

From the stuff I've seen of the LA loop system the long term plan is for extensions down the 'strip' (only) to connect hotels, convention centre, stadium etc. The selling point is / was personal door to door using robot cars (like the Heathrow T5 pods but more Tesla car), trouble is the autopilot system doesnt work for Tesla cars well enough. Cost of the short convention centre part was well over budget and did not deliver the 20 odd seat shuttle vehicles and 120mph originally posited. The tunnels as bored seem too sinuous for typical metro vehicles.

During the war (and probably after) I read the US military identified different octane rated gasolines by colour. The highest ratings for combat aircraft, lower for transports and military vehicles. I think there were something like 5 different ratings.

I'm sure someone in the govt or civil service could suggest using the whole route for a hyperloop like the one under the LA convention centre - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFWZWDqyV2I "It's more like a highway underground!" Just so. An underground taxi service. Just add a few Tesla cars and some coloured strip lights and watch them queue up.

A promotional Dinky model is detailed here https://www.planetdiecast.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=125&id=69205&Itemid=2455 May be of interest? Brown and Polson started out in Glasgow, and had a factory in Trafford Park, latterly Corn Products - CPC.

GRRRRR!

There! And I thought they were the running gear for the carriages - prototype for anything. Nice collection of matching wheel sets btw.

The squirrels look remakably like the chocolate ones we used to get at Easter as children - made by Lindt I think, they did rabbits too.

I wondered why there were empty holes in our lab balance weight box, the 10g ones evidently ideal for carboy tops.

Not much action in 2 months, mainly trying lots of plans in SCARM. For most of this time the nice clear space I'd created has become a storage shelf while other changes were made around the house. My intention had been to keep the double track N oval for 6 months or so, then decide its fate depending on whether I'd made much use of it. However it restricted my fiddle yard to a single track 27" long so it has all be taken up, potentially reusable stuff boxed up and I have the area to tidy up and restore the lumps gouged out of the cork layer. As to plans, I've concluded I'm over thinking* the new layout - it will change as I build it so I shall stick to sectional track, and start with a basic 4/5 point branch terminus + fiddle yard. The latest SCARM plan suggests I can have a 2 road FY and a single 2nd radius N oval. A month or so ago Head Gardener's sister and husband visited, bring two large boxes of my nephew's OO gauge stuff, still packed from their house move a way back. Most of it is big stuff - tender locos, Lima Mk1s etc, of the smaller items, a Thomas and coaches plus oval of track may be suitable for the great-nephew on the other side of the family in a couple of years time. Some useful bits of track, and N2, J83, few wagons will feed into the new layout. The big stuff will fill empty spaces in my display case where the terriers and M7 were. An advantage with the delay is that I have accumulated a couple of months' allowance, so have something to spend on track. Whether what follows will be of a suitable standard to publish in RMweb I suspect not. There will be some things to tackle, notably some non-corridor passenger coaches suitable for an independant backwater line (a spare brake van chassis and 6W sausage van chassis beckon, depending on getting a suitable kit for bodies). *A rather over-egged plan for the independant line, using left over N gauge track for an NG quarry line. A more likely initial attempt.

Maybe, my mother in law had a very nice prewar Leica 35mm camera which I was allowed to use - once! Perhaps another consideration by 1938 was of the impending war and espionage?

Pontcysyllte https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKR-n2civjQ

The GWR had bought the Stratford on Avon canal, one of the aqueducts had a pipe allowing locomotives passing under it to take water. https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrbj790.htm https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrbj764.htm

Crystal Palace High Level, large terminus, turntable outside the terminal end and loads of carriage sidings before the tunnel. I haven't looked it up but possibly pre-group you might get other railway's excursion trains as well as LC&DR?

Irrelevant.

Late to the party, a photo on each of these sites with a St Chamond tank on railway wagon. http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/models/vehicles/St-Chamond-WWI-Tank.html https://www.militaer-wissen.de/saint-chamond-tank/?lang=en https://www.militaryimages.net/media/st-chamond-tank-on-a-train.14871/ And the Schneider here. https://www.arquus-defense.com/first-french-schneider-tanks-enter-war-berry-au-bac

On the question of sets of valve gear, would rotary cam poppet valves have solved the problem of needing separate sets according to crank angles and room to fit rocking levers etc? With just one drive shaft (or chain) to the cam shaft, presumably the cams could be set to permit any crank angle per cylinder? I may be wrong, wasn't one black 5 fitted with a single rotary valve gear drive take off on the centre of one coupled axle?