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It is the highlight of the 7mm world year! Possibly the largest single scale show in the world and well worth the entrance fee which as Rob says is for both days and includes partners. If anyone is attracted to the scale by the wonderful trade offerings these days then this is the event which will show the plethora of offerings from the dedicated traders. With 4mm prices creeping ever upward the 7mm RTR scene looks very economical! Martin

I have no experience of this kit but one of my friends did buy one. He found a number of issues with the connecting rods not lining up with the wheel centres as the main one. In the end he abandoned the chassis for a Premier models one which after a lot of work has produced a nice loco. Sir Brian has showed that it can be done but then he is of a different planet to most of us! Martin

Jeff Pick up on tender no problem . Plenty of space. I would short out one set of the tender wheels which is east to do and eliminates the necessity for pick ups. Martin

Jeff I have taken some pictures of the mods required to stop the wheels fouling the firebox. Firstly I apologise as writing from memory I thought the difference was 7mm but it is 5mm which is slightly better! I glues 60 thou plasticard onto the frontof the resin firebox to make up the difference. (I do not have a wizzy phone so had to fing the camera. Must be toi only person in the world without one!) The gap was filled with Isopon and rubbed down. It could do with more tidying up. Anyway you will get the drift. As to drawing there was a 7mm one in the Model Railways Magazine a few years back under the article "Portrait of the Britannias . Well worth looking out for.. Regards Martin

Sorry Horsetan but the link is correct if I try to edit it. However it seems that the RM web software truncates the full link address when saved.. Cannot deal with that! Martin

Jeff Sorry it was not Nigel Reed who wrote the article (http://www.gauge0guildarchive.com/gazette_archive/Vol11-9/files/26.htmlw) but he was the one who identified the problem and came up with a solution. I can try and post a picture of what is required if you like, I Know Nigel well and he was a first class engineer. Regards Martin

Hi Best of luck with this. There is a fundamental flaw in the kit in that if you assemble it as per the instructions the wheels will not go round! You will be face with having to carve back the firebox/ashpan to get them to fit. The reason is that the boiler is 7mm too short. The answer is to add the 7mm to the front of the firebox in plasticard or somesuch and then fit the boiler barrel to this. The valances will need extension too by the same amount. This is easy to do with scrap etch. There was an article on doing just this in the GOG gazette a few years back by Nigel Read who detected the problem when building one and suggested the solution. (Article on GOG website Gazette Archive.) I think his model was 70036 too. I have done this on my one but there are other issues with the cab which has stopped progress for the moment. As the Brits are my favourite locos I was disappointed with this turn of events.I am also dispensing with the chassis/underframe as it is difficult to get this to work too! I am using a Premier components underframe with their milled rods. Martin Long

Thank you for the lovely pictures and for the information. The locos are very impressive and beautifully weathered which is something our continental cousins seem reluctant to do! I really love the size of these mighty machines and would happily model the Germany system given different circumstances. (This comes from an early introduction to Marklin models in the 1950s which seemed so much better than my triang plastic models. The annual catalogue from Taylor & McKenna of Harlesden was required reading thenceforth. I dreamed of those wonderful locos and the layout I would ,make time and money being no object! It seems odd to me that Marklin have still continued with the stud contact system all these years but I guess it works for them! I hope to see some steam when I go to visit daughter who lives in south Germany in the summer. Martin

Pardon my ignorance but are you able to clarify who owns the various locos used at these events? Presumably there are stringent rules in place or perhaps not as H&S seems to be treated more realistically in Europe. (Perhaps the lack of no win no fee lawyers there helps!). Any background info greatly appreciated, Lovely pictures too of a lovely area in Germany. Thank you. Martin

At the risk of being accused of sacrilege, I have backdated one to represent the first ones which replaced the J70 trams at Ipswich docks. The mods include reducing the cab by a scale foot and rebuilding the windows. The buffers need replacing as the early ones were large round ones. There are additionally two large air tanks on each side and the front steps need replacing. Then sprayed black all over. All done pretty easily but the wheels are still too big as the early ones had smaller ones. I am quite pleased with the result. Martin

I too enjoyed the York show and felt the effort of getting there was worth it. I did feel however, that there were too many demonstrators as, in addition to our Leader's corner, there were others around mostly on the scale society's stands basically doing the same thing. I spent some time watching the 2mm stand as it was near Jol's layout, and they did not talk to the public at all! That is a good way of getting your message over! The 2mm layout St Ruth was simply stunning and was working well all the time i was watching. Perhaps this is the way forward for space starved modellers in the future. I have to say I was tempted but doubt my eyes could cope with it now. I did winder how the chaps with small shunting planks would preserve their sanity over 3 days of operating. That is real dedication. On one 7mm one . one of the operators was so tired he spent 15mins trying to couple a set of wagons which were equipped with 3 links chains. Also went to the NRM for the first time in many years. Still a good experience though some of the small exhibits in the side display areas are looking very tired. Perhaps it is time to put some of the current stand models on display rather than the rather crude if charming items currently in the display cases. Thank you to all involved for a great show. Martin Long

Sir I must protest at the insinuation that my home town of Ipswich which is where your DMU is going is absurd! It does have some de merits like all places but absurd it is most assuredly not! Lovely pictures again thank you. One facet about all the pictures of LB you have shown us is a consistency as to colour and texture and subject matter. It really is a great layout in the total scheme of things. If only (sigh!) Martin Long

On the subject of using thread and springs for signal operation on fixed layouts, I recall there was an ingenious system described in an early MRJ where this was done using units made out of tube. These gave a bounce to the arm every time. (Was it one Peter Squib who created these?)I suppose these days the servo option has made it a lot easier. Some lovely pictures being shown here thank you. I admire the collective talent and ability! East coast based layouts? You have not mentioned Fencehouses (is that allowed?) Wallsea, the one based on Waverley Station, Bert Collins line, and there was another by a chap called B. Van Meeteren(?) who had an extensive collection of hand built locos. I am sure that there are others that we know little about. At Ally Pally Hattons had specimens of their 7mm A3 & A4 and Gresley coaches. I think these will cause a lot of folk to turn to the true path! Martin Long

I was around when DMUs were introduced and we loved them as they gave us a drivers eye view which hitherto had never been available. (Though some drivers came into the cab and immediately pulled the blinds down! ) I have to say that at no time did I observe a DMU with headlights and tail lights lit. They always carried separate lamps. Similarly, the main diesel locos also used lamps rather than the indicator lights they were built with. One of my (many) current model railway "hates" is the RTR models that display intense white lights to the front and bright red lights to the rear even when hauling a train. As for those that have cab lights well we had better not go there! I wish manufacturers would provide a switch whereby these things could be permanently disabled. I am writing about the green transition period which in East Anglia started in the late fifties sadly for us. Is anyone going to York this weekend? Martin Long

Ally Pally was a great show so well done Mr Freezer for an excellent selection of layouts to inspire and motivate. Addison Road cut the mustard for me with its wonderful buildings and rolling stock all hand made. Harlyn Pier is another superb example of a layout made to exacting standards. There was always a crowd around Grantham too. However, the biggest crowd was consistently around the 0 gauge tinplate tracks which were laid on several tables and the trains rattled around to the delight of all. I saw this several times with folk often 3 deep made up of all ages and sizes. So really why do we bother with hi fidelity models running on realistic tracks in believable scenery when the public want a 4-4-0 with a big bulb in the smokebox door hauling a train of very short coaches? Have we got it so wrong? (some of the retailers were looking a bit fed up on Sunday. Sales not so good?) Martin Long

Interesting subject this chaps. My Grandfather suffered in the trenches and lost a leg as well as being gassed from which he suffered a lot. My Father also had a time of it in the second unpleasantness and to keep the family tradition up I had rather a good time of the Cold War in Germany and elsewhere. I am not averse to layouts portraying the troubled times though I would balk at any attempt to "glorify" was a scary era of history. What really gets me is the Heritage Sector with the 1940's re-enactment scene where folk dress up as Nazis and have mock battles etc. I do not have an issue with the dressing up part (though I find it difficult that everyone involved seems to be an Officer and overweight at that!) but fortunately, apart from the Channel Islands, Wehrmacht soldiers did not set foot on our national soil excepts as POW's. Therefore "battles" such as those fought at Horstead Keynes and Highley and elsewhere just leave me cold as to me it trivialises a time of history which though perhaps necessary, was not a time for enjoyment by either sets of protagonists. My Dad had a rough time of it seeing mates killed and I do not feel that his generation's sacrifice is honoured by these events. Sorry if I have caused offence to some but I hope you understand. Martin Long

Arrgh under the baseboards! An uncharted land where dragons and worse roam and there are so many traps for the unwary. I often think as one is stuck there trying to get wire and solder and hot irons to work their magic and defy the laws of gravity, how much easier it is for the folk down under where the laws work in reverse. That is why the Australians developed the magnetic track thingy so their locos would stay on the rails! Of course with DCC it is all so much easier with only two wires under the baseboards. Martin Long

Thank you for the pictures of the B12's. Mr Holden's wonderful locos for the GE as modified by the marvellous Sir Nigel. Wheels apart, they look the business and are portrayed in the state that I remember them. However, I noticed a green diesel lurking in the background. What is happening on LB? Is the dark side taking over. Firstly we had GW stuff and now diesels. Can we put this down to new medication or is it the start of a trend? I do not envy you chaps your problems with wheels in 4mm. Is it not possible to use those sourced by Hornby and Bachmann suitably re axled? Perhaps the answer to all the problems of removal would be to have axles that are in two parts joined by a central muff like the 2mm chaps use. Thank goodness for Slaters in 7mm! Martin Long

Fantastic reading thank you. Greatly enjoyed learning about the efforts being made in what seems to be a sceptical public domain. All credit to your "Boss" for his enthusiasm and foresight. Martin Long

Many years ago, i used to make 4mm locos as a sideline. My main efforts were using Nucast kits particularly the B1 which was the most requested at the time. I reckoned I could do one in about 3 weeks using evenings etc as I worked full time. I used to sell the locos painted etc for about £50! This was in the 1970's. I was in a stressful job and regarded the loco building as a therapeutic relief so was not worried about the financial return as long as the costs were covered. I often wonder what happened to the locos as I guess not many survive now. I used Romford wheels and MW005 motors. The motors were good and then came the Japanese ones advocated by Ian Rice who was at that time rather dominating the modelling media with his articles which then advocated push on wheels and can motors which wobbly chassis. I have to say I never got on with them being of the Roy Jackson persuasion that is to say keep ot all square and level! Martin Long

Fascinating to see a continental model show. I was aware of their modular approach to things as I have seen these in Germany but I had not appreciated the way the modules are strung together without some sort of plan. The Germans have this all prepared including timetables etc. The show looks not to have been too well supported but perhaps you were able to take the pictures during the slacker periods. Not too many families either it would seem. The trade support seems to be very good and their stands look very "professional". Do they actually sell from them or is it all a PR exercise like it is in Nuremberg and elsewhere further north? The narrow gauge modules look to be of a standard that would hold up anywhere so there are some talented modellers about. I wonder if the further south you go, the better the weather, and the attraction of sitting in the warm is better than fiddling with soldering irons etc which is something we in the north do as we cannot get outside as it is too dark and cold. (On that measure Norway should have the best modellers in Europe!) Thank you for the pictures and stories. Martin Long

I can recall that one "expert" in the 60's advocated some strong action with wobbly Romford wheels. He rotated them until the wobbly bit was at the top and then clouted them with a hammer. I have to say his models always ran well but I always thought it was a bit drastic. We used to sort through the wheels at the local shop to select the best but then the owner did not returm the rejects to Romford so as time went by they were all suspect. They were very generic but the best we could get at the time. Martin Long

Ah Mr Slater and the Plasticard demos. He smoked all the time he was wielding the brush full of solvent. I was told that this meant he was in danger of inhaling the chemical results (Phosgene gas?). No safety considerations then. The same applied to the shows in London and Manchester where workshop processes were shown using small lathes and milling machines. Those shows also used to have rows of static models on display shelves but we never knew if they actually worked. I recall admiring one loco with exquisite finish to be told it had been spray painted a technique that up to then had not seen or heard about. I think it was a GW King made by the modelling group called Fourmillade or some such. Not many working layouts then and some of them were 3 rail or outside third. How we looked forward to those rare and infrequent shows whereas today most weekends seem to have several taking place. We are better off today but to read some comments elsewhere you would not thing that was the case. Martin Long

Amazing how this thread has morphed into the role of education in model railways. I feel that Jol is on the right track here and I have to say that I do not think that in the context of a "generalist" public exhibition (and not the likes of the specialist shows), that the need to educate is a paramount one. I would prioritise the "entertainment" aspect as the main function and in this context, the circular style layouts where a procession of trains pass in an unrealistic rapid order win every time. The smaller layouts are often less complex but often require a high degree of concentration by the operators which is tiring over a two (or more) day event. I would cite the exquisite scale model which we dare not speak its name as one where operation falls a long way short of providing entertainment for the public even though folk like me are wowed by the detail and calibre of the modelling. In fact I would be happy to watch the branch train simmering in the platform try to imagine myself settling back and waiting for the off to take me to Waterloo. My grandson would have a totally opposed view! On the question of talking to our leader when he is on his pulpit at shows, perhaps a confessional type box could be erected around him and an orderly queue formed as we seek forgiveness for our manifold model sins! "I hate those Thompson A2's!" " Well my son you must build 3 of them for your penance". I think the educational role lies firmly with the accredited demonstrators at these shows who of themselves must be excellent communicators or in current parlance "people persons". Martin Long

If you have to have the GW on "our" LB then Andy's models are excellent examples. I have to say that I think the Hymeks are quite handsome and the weathering on this one is super as is the Western which looks as though it has done several hundred miles to Penzance and back. Well done sir! Perhaps now we can get back to our regular diet of the mass production of Mr T's ungainly locomotives. With reference to the recent Huntingdon show and the operation or lack of of the layouts on display there, I do feel strongly that layouts which are put in the public domain should work properly. I get less excised about appropriate trains etc. as the public who are the ones who bank roll the show, do not really care about authenticity to the extent that our Leader does (closely followed by me!). It is show business after all. The 7mm S&C line was awesome and so well designed that you were there in the fells and felt the tingle of excitement as the signals dropped........what was coming next? It was a fantastic show as a procession of trains passed by so much so that there was no time for fruit pies and fizzy pop! I doubt that there are any other portable 7mm layouts where you could see a Duchess (and later the Turbomotive) hauling a 17 coach train at speed, the whole not dominating the scene it being a perfect railway in an landscape. I just wished that I lived nearer to Yeovil so I could go along and play too! (Imagine my GE Brit running over that!) Is it not true that the best display layouts are usually group efforts where the focus is on the production and presentation of a believable scene? Martin Long