Ohmisterporter

Try using a primer before applying the top coat. A can of Halfords grey primer should help, and there will be enough in a can to do several models. Geoff.

Strange situation with the Scottish referees. When I used to shout for the ref to get his eyes tested it never dawned on me that he would book the test for same time as a scheduled match. So what is the real story? Geoff.

It certainly builds up into an attractive little engine. Geoff.

He's winding us up. Geoff.

Blackpool face a fine over fielding a weakened squad. In case anyone doesn't know the story here, Blackpool played Aston Villa on Wednesday evening and lost 3-2. There are rumours that the Premiership will fine Ian Holloway for fielding a weakened team, because the starting lineup saw ten changes from the previous match. Obviously I'm biased here but if a team has a squad of 25 players then it's up to the manager to decide as and when the squad members play. IMHO it has got nothing whatever to do with the directors of the Premiership, it simply is not their job to decide who should play and when. Ollie had confidence in his team and they were beaten by a last minute goal after a thrilling game. A precedent was set last year when Mick McCarthy received a suspended £25000 fine for fielding a weak Wolves team against Man United which they lost 3-0. If a manager cannot be allowed to pick a team from his squad where does it end? Will there be an Premiership selection panel at every club demanding that certain players are picked every game? The Prem have made a rod for their own backs with this and should let the matter drop. Also withdraw the suspended fine for Mick. Geoff. Still proud of the lads.

Just to clear up something regarding the lorry deliberately parked on the level crossing. Who is responsible for dealing with this, is this an offence for the local constabulary or BTP? Or does BTP only cover Network Rail property? Geoff.

To confound all the critics and doom mongers Blackpool have amassed thirteen points so far and therefore cannot set a new record for the fewest Premiership points. Mightily relieved I am too. Oops! I meant to write I never doubted them for a moment. Geoff.

The really mystifying aspect of the Liverpool saga was the interference from a court in Texas. What was that about and why should we over here take any notice of it? Other than that I'm glad it is all settled now. Apparently. Geoff.

I was basing my tongue in cheek comment on the fact that Arsenal are the only team to have been in the top flight without a break since before the World War Two, at least. Speaking of which, is everyone aware that during the War the FA Cup still operated, though teams often contained players from other clubs who were in the forces and stationed near to their 'new' club. Because of this the wartime cup winners are not credited with the wins. Arsenal and Blackpool reached the FA Cup final early in the War and the Arsenal were so confident of winning that they had their team photo with the FA Cup taken before the game, while their strip was still clean. Blackpool won. Geoff.

I saw the Liverpool v Blackpool game on telly. One team looked like they thought they should win, the other team worked damned hard to achieve a win. No team has a divine right to be in the top flight, though Arsenal have come close. I well remember we thought that about the all conquering Leeds side of Don Revie. Perhaps the occasional drop into the Championship helps teams to get a reality check. It never did the likes of Barnsley, Oldham, Charlton, Southampton, and Swindon any harm did it? Geoff.

The building that houses ATS and others was originally the Lancaster Railway Carriage & Wagon Company works. That closed in 1908 after a 1902 amalgamation that formed the Metropolitan Railway Carriage & Wagon Company. A railway recession resulted in the smaller units closing, including the Lancaster site. Geoff.

Arsenal 6 Blackpool 0 Ah well, normal service has been resumed. Geoff.

The last time I was in Blaenau I was standing in a queue in the fish shop and the two women behind the counter were working away but having a rather animated conversation in Welsh. In the middle of this one of them said to the other "If looks could kill" and then carried on in Welsh. Perhaps there is no Welsh equivalent, but it made me smile. Geoff.

I have been hearing reports of bookies offering odds of 500/1 against Blackpool being at the top of the Premiership at any time during the season. Seeing that they were top yesterday, for a couple of hours at any rate, there are lucky punters expecting a payout. This is one of those stories where everybody has heard of someone else having a win like this, but nobody who actually has won. Even so, if bookies offer ridiculous odds for a sporting event it may be woth risking a quid. Remember that Ashes test when Bob Willis bowled out the Aussies cheaply? IIRC the odds then were 500/1 against an England win. Even the Aussie players bet on England winning! Blackpool are 10000/1 against winning the Prem, and I'm still not risking a pound. Edit : I just watched MOTD2 and the host stated that bookies had paid out £50K so it must be true! Geoff.

Well, seeing that you asked so nicely. I'm obviously delighted, not to say amazed, but pleased that Olly wants to continue with the attacking style that got 'pool promoted last season. I know were are going to get thrashed occassionally or maybe regularly but at least we can play the game how it should be played. IIRC Blackpool hold the record for the most goals conceded in the top flight, 130 I think. But whilst the defence was leaking goals the forwards were scoring enough at the other end to ensure the team was not relegated. I'm smart enough to know that it's where you are after the last game of the season that counts, not the first. So far so good, as the captain of the Titanic said. Geoff.

I hope the dome and safety valve cover are not glued in place on the 2F. In your other topic 3F to 2F you have them both ways! Other than that you are making good progress. Geoff.

Shock announcement of Martin O'Neill's resignation today. Can't say I blame him, no manager can build a successful team if the best players are sold off every year. He might have had the decency to wait until the season had started, though I doubt that many would have had bets on him being the first Prem manager to go. And none of the crap at the press conference saying "While we have great respect for manager X we felt that the time was right" or "Manager X has done great things at this club, but three games into the season without a win is worrying and the Board feels it has to bring in new blood". Bl**dy hypocrites the lot of them. Geoff. Blackpool supporter. Stop laughing at the back.

James, isn't there a short word missing from that sentance? Speaking of rebuilt engines, there are plans afoot to 'restore' Welsh Pony to working order. Makes me wonder how they find the time, what with engines from two busy railways to maintain, Lyd near completion and 134 restoration started. Plus all the other stuff I can't think of as I type this. IMHO behind every preserved railway there are hard working people that get forgotten about. And while wish listers say "Why don't 'they' do such and such" it is those people that actually have to do the work. Good luck to them and a big thank you from me. Geoff.

Something like this you mean? Incidentally, Lancaster City are still called Town by the locals despite changing the name to City in 1937. Things take a while to catch on up here. Geoff.

A strange thing you may find out about carbide tips is that while they will happily remove plenty of material with a deep cut, just gently winding the tool up to the face of the job can result in "ping" as the cutting edge breaks off. I am writing about deep cuts on bigger lathes of course. For the lathes we are discussing here, smaller cuts are prefered. As you build up experience you will get to know what you and your machine can do together. Geoff.

Thanks for the drawings Bertie, that's the way to do it. Just to clarify, I was working in a corrugated iron hut on a lathe that had been worn out in the main workshops and passed down to the construction site for odd jobs. It was possible to get the bolts running within a thou, which was good enough. For some reason the threaded portion, nominally the same diameter as the shank, entered the holes whereas the shank would not. Under the circumstances I though I'd done rather well. Geoff.

I once had to turn down about a thousand hex headed bolts that had a plain shank that was to big for the holes they were meant to go into. The three jaw chuck just wasn't accurate enough to get them running true, the four jaw was the only way to do the job. The power station hasn't blown up yet so I guess they worked. Sorry I don't know how to post a drawing, must have a think about this. Although I agree with your statement that using the correct tool for the job is important, my story is just one example of how flexible a lathe can be. Geoff.

This invention could save a lot of fingers in time. Designed for use on a saw table, not a usual modellers tool, but still interesting. Do not try this at home. http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=E3mzhvMgrLE&NR=1 Geoff.

Two jaws grip on two flat faces and the other two on the angled edges. Obvious when you see it done. Geoff.

Good idea OzzyO, let's start with some really basic advice. Machine tools can be dangerous. Do not ever use one without eye protection, and if a guard is fitted to the machine use it. I have seen guards removed 'because they get in the way'. They are only fitted in the first place because there is a proven need for them. I am a time served fitter/turner and can tell some horror stories about machine tools. Treat them with respect and you should be safe. If we ever meet and you want to see my shortened little finger, where it was crushed in a lathe accident, feel free to ask. My other hobby was model engineering, and a debate our club occassionally had was with regard to which machine tool was the better buy for for the beginner? Lathe and milling machine both had advocates. A friend who built a superb 5" gauge Britannia reckoned that a milling machine was the better choice, as he had had to do far more milling work than turning. Bear in mind the scale he was working in. For modellers up to gauge 1 I would think that there is possibly more turning than milling to be done. Once you get past the frames and spacers how much more milling is required? It would be interesting to see the views of others on this. Geoff.