MarkC

That looks to be a bargain, tbh. Surprised that it's still available at time of tryping this... Matk

Kits? RTR? Modifying RTR? Rescue someone's kit disaster? Scratchbuilding? I've tackled/used/done them all. Yes, modern RTR can be utterly sensational, but given the choice I'd still prefer to build my own model too. An example. I've recently identified a requirement for a 4-car Class 104 DMU. Now, those nice people at Heljan have recently announced a RTR set, but it'll be in excess of GBP300 for a 3-car set. After studying drawings of both the 104 and 110 units, by dint of some canny eBay shopping I've obtained a Hornby 3-car Class 110 DMU, plus a couple of extra coaches, which will, with careful razor saw use, good glue, some filler, doubtless some (free) bad language and a few hours of my time, produce a "layout" 4-car Class 104 for under half the Heljan price. There was, of course, the Silver Fox option too, but again that would work out more than the Hornby option. Having said all that, although I have some DC Kits Class 108s to build, the Bachmann 3-car Class 108 that I won on eBay at a great price, complete with correct destination blinds at each end - which I hadn't noticed when bidding for it, so that was a HUGE bonus - will take some beating 😎 Mark

Time to use other operators if possible then - I used to quite like LNER, but I'm not impressed with the way this is looking to be heading. Mark

Moi aussi... 😎 Mark

Some of my present stock is modified/repainted/renumbered RTR, but will usually be regarded as merely fulfilling an operational requirement until a kitbuilt or scratchbuilt model replaces it... ...so please count me in as part of your minority, Tony 😎 Mark

GBP138 for a D&S NER coach kit last night was a shock, to be sure. It did start at a low figure, but went mad at the death... Mark

If breathing wasn't an automatic function then some folk would be in serious trouble... Mark

Indeed so - ditto the warning etched into the glass of wing mirrors which says that "objects seen in this mirror may be closer than they appear to be". Also, on a packet of nuts - "Warning - contains nuts". There are many other examples 😎 Mark

As the saying goes:- "If you think that Safety is expensive, try paying for the aftermath of an accident..." Mark

Well, we'll know in a couple of weeks how well the teak finish will appear on my Clayton's bodywork. I'll have a go on some scrap first though. Thanks for all the thoughts & advice - always appreciated. I'd like the beast to be finished for the South Shields show in February, but we'll see how it all goes. Cheers Mark

In that case, I would still go for the newspaper & wallpaper paste layer, Mark. Indeed, if you add powder paint to the paste, that then saves having to put the base coat on once it's all dried out. Mark

You could rough out the scenery using expanded polystyrene blocks/tiles, then use newspaper well soaked in wallpaper paste to cover it. Alternatively you can use chicken wire instead of the polystyrene, but if the galvanising is damaged then you may eventually get rust stains coming through. It's all a bit "old school", but it does work. It's cheap too 😎 Mark

As I see it, setting the cranks on our models at 90 degrees (+/- a tiny amount if setting friction drivers by eye, of course...) means that it minimises the possiblity of the mechanism binding due to rod position, so yes, it's to do with turning moments. Remember that we're actually operating the rods/valve gear/piston rods in reverse; the wheels are driving these components, not the other way round. The 120 degree setting on a real 3-cylinder locomotive is to do with putting power down to the wheels in a more even manner than on a 2-cylinder loco. Mark

Hi Mick That might well work. The joys of trying to be prepared for a lot of painting when I get home! This livery thing is a minefield... Cheers Mark

Apologies if I've missed it in this thread, but thinking of the imitation teak finish with primrose lining that the early LNER railcars were turned out in, can anyone please recommend suitable paints? I'm not convinced that the Phoenix paint system of a yellow/cream base coat followed by the reddish brown topcoat which is applied with a scumbling effect is the best solution, as the photos I've seen don't really show much of a large graining finish. I've successfully used the Phoenix system on vehicles which were teak panelled, but would it work on these steel sided vehicles? Ditto a suitable paint for the primrose lining. I don't want to end up trying different finishes on the Shapeways body I have; I'd sooner do it once & do it right. Thanks. Mark

When using the ship's IT systems, which are fitted with non-UK keyboards, & don't have the £ symbol, I just use GBP 😎 Mark

Brilliant movie!

Oleum = fuming sulphuric acid. (In other words, pure & very strong). Not a nice substance - and note the lack of PPE on that chap standing on the tank... Mark

The only Jidenco/Falcon Brass kit I've built was a MR Kirtley 0-4-4WT, back in the early 90s. To my chagrin, I forgot to take it along, last time I was privileged to visit LB. Hopefully there'll be a next time... I actually found it to be a joy to build, and it's certainly earned its keep at many shows over the years. Just a shame that my lining skills weren't very good back then. Sadly the layout it ran on suffered terminal baseboard failure about 4 years ago - they were some 30 years old, so I shouldn't complain - and I'm presently modelling more NER/LNER/BR(NE) Region, so it's not getting used as much as it did. They did seem to get this one right - although I've not had the opportunity to compare it with the LRM model of the same beastie... Mark

It's often said that the worst-painted house in a street belongs to a decorator, the dirtiest to a cleaner, so... 😉 Mark

As you say, John, the wheelbases are different, albeit only 3mm in 4mm scale. The boiler on the J25 was bigger too, although not hugely so. (Diagram 69 on the J24s, Diagram 67 on the J25s; the latter were slightly longer, but the same diameter). You'll have spotted the slight differences in, for example. front sandboxes too - but working from a photo of your desired loco would show details better. Arthur's daughter has said that she hopes to keep Arthur's kits going, so you never know; the J24 might be re-released at some time. Cheers Mark

My wife told me that the package was marked SE Finecast when it arrived at home, Jason 😎 Mark

Another very satisfied customer here - very prompt service from Dave & his team after I enquired about availability of some bogie components for a project, usually part of a Nucast kit. A couple of emails to agree the details, a quick phone call to make payment & the items were delivered promptly. Thanks very much 👍 Mark

Interesting - for some reason I keep getting an error message. I'm roaming at present, but normally have no problems with attachments. Mark

I have a Silver Fox Class 124 + all the donor parts in the roundtuit collection - just the time needed... No doubt as soon as I complete it, an RTR model will appear - it's happened to me on a couple of occasions before; the last time was the RTR 76xxx 2-6-0, just after I completed construction of a Dapol/Kemilway model... Mark