jessy1692

You may start off a new trend, with the introduction of the 4 and 6 wheel coaches from Hattons & Hornby (let's not get involved in that duscussion...) it does seem like the RTR world is pushing backwards in time so you could be well ahead of the curve. Maybe stamp your intellectual rights on any drawings just incase Hornby announce something so you can get some royalties haha! Thinking back I do recall an exhibition layout I saw that had some early stock, perhaps not as early as Rocket et al but certainly pre 1880, I think it had a viaduct and perhaps called 'Genesis' or something. I only saw it once so no idea of the club but it will have been up north within the last 20 years-i realise 20 years is a long time God I feel old

What I find fascinating is that there are very few camera pictures of the the very early stuff so it's all drawings or paintings. I'm sure if there is a mistake itl most likely be only you that knows it barring scholar's of the early days. From them drawings and paintingd there must have been artistic licence involved too as the technology was so new those people back then were witnessing something unique. How amazing would it be to travel back in time to witness the birth of something we take so much for granted. Truly the dawn of the modern era and you are capturing it in 4mm.

Fantastic, I don't think iv ever seen a more comprehensive selection of early traction and rolling stock before (prepares to stand corrected) Its quite amazing to see something modelled that is nearly 200 years old, infact it quite boggles my head that the concepts developed at the dawn of railways are still very much with us now. Amazing! Keep up the top work Gibbo

Funnily enough I think ill be getting back on the container band wagon again, I have a couple to make up a twin set. As you can probably tell I'm scraping the barrel of things I can do from the coffee table. If the non 1830's containers bump up the Gibbo production line I'll have a got at transfers for em. I do like your oldy worldy stuff, definitely something different

Just sound chipped my home made D1702 with a Kestrel chip from Roads &Rails. I started it just before the Model Rail announcement came out. It still needs final chassis weathering but the ongoing lockdown since November had curtailed my visits to the layout. Looking forward to seeing how mine compares to the Heljan one. Cheers. James

Now worked out how to add videos Vids taken from the layout, I wish I was there. Cheers. James

Well this year seems to be dragging already. I havnt been able to do much modelling due to lockdown so have just been building wagons as and when the mood takes me. I finally sorted the mermaids this week so they have been weathered and dropped up at Dad's for a run on the layout. Iv still got 2 Dapol presflows and a Cambria Turbot to paint here then iv run out of projects. I seem to have been able to knock the cigs on the head rather well through Jan so have treated myself to a sound chip and an EM2 with some of the money saved, I dropped it in at my Dad's yesterday for him to wire into the class 48 I made last year. Its from @Richard Croft Roads & Rails, great advice and very fast delivery. They also do an option to spread payment over 3 months which I think is very good as what normally stops me buying them is being tight thinking 100+ quid is a little too much to spend in one go. Now iv found this I can see a few more things getting sound. My class 13 may be next, in a couple of months. Here's a pic of the 48 chassis with the chip and speaker hardwired in. I got sent a video earlier from the layout, and it really does sound good with the EM2 and Richards sound file. Roll on the day I can get back up there. Also, here's a snap of the 4 cambrian mermaids after transfers but before final weathering. I did 3 in a home mix of 'gulf red' I think it looks pretty good compared to pics on the net. These kits were an absolute pain to build but they have turned out OK and miraculously the chassis a square and run really well. Oh and the curtain side PWA vans are now on their bogies and on the layout. I would say more soon, but it depends what I can tackle at home for the time being. Maybe some freightliner flats will appear soon. Hope everyone is keeping safe, fingers crossed we can get back to some kind of normal this year. I am really missing pubs and diesel galas and exhibitions.. Cheers James

Cheers Luke, iv seen the pics of it at the docks but never noticed the bogies. Makes sense it went on its original ones so it could be used to its full potential. If only a rescue mission could have been mounted to even bring the shell back, what an exhibit it would have made. Cheers James

That's the first thing I noticed too John, always assumed it left with the 47 style bogies it last ran on BR with.

Good idea, it is a striking livery, anf almost seems too good to be fictitious in my mind. Lima must have copied it from somewhere I feel.

Top job Darius. I managed to pull some enthusiasm together this aft to finish painting the bogies for my curtain side ones. I think seeing your progress has given me a boot up the backside to finish mine! Top job as ever, are you keeping your last one in Fisons? All the best James

Glad to see boards and track coming on Gibbo, looks an interesting track layout too. How long till Rocket and Sans Pareil will be doing laps with full freightliner rakes and AC electrics dragging round your Brighton Bell haha?

Nice rake you are making up there Darius, tidy job. Interesting couplings too, might try some out on some if my bits and bobs. As for the brakes, I'm pretty sure they were air braked, but I do wonder about the 1st batch if they had vac and were converted to air after rebuilding or maybe duel braked??. Havnt got much research materials to hand at the mo. Quick check on Bartlett shows air pipes on a BRT built one. Cheers James

Thanks RT, funds are primed so once they are ready I'll be straight on it. They'll take as long as they take, just so glad you have taken the time to make a kit. I never thought I'd be able to make the 'Harrogate gas works quartet' without your efforts so I'm hugely appreciative. Really, really looking forward to Barber being available! Fingers crossed it won't be too long. Again, no rush at all, just really excited with this news! All the best. James

@RThompson as an aside, what sort of time frames do etches & mouldings take? Just curious really so absolutely no pressure. If it ready when it's ready that is fine with me. I have a chassis for Barber in stock so thinking about starting the ebay hunt for one for Masham that's all. Cheers James

Evening RT, that is music to my ears! Will be ordering Barber for sure and may even jump in for Masham. Hope all is well with you? You certainly have just cheered me right up with this update! Thanks @Jon4470 for the heads up. Awaiting release with baited breath. All the best James

Same my end, didn't know the sprung ones had extra bits for mounting, may invest in some sprung ones to re bogie the previous ones iv done. Having said that I don't think ill need sprung ones, seems too fiddly for my bodging! Cheers James

Brill, thanks for the info Darius, may be a little while till I get mine mounted with current restrictions. All the best James

Looking good Darius! I don't think iv touched my last couple since mid December, need to get them mounted on the Stenson bogies. Have you just used nuts bolts and washers on yours? Cheers James

For mine i found Gorrilla glue worked pretty well but then found the 14mm wheels were dragging so used a burr in a deemed to create the extra headroom needed

Horrendous stuff is that old Hornby nylon plastic stuff

Cheers for the heads up Gibbo, been a loooong time since I built a presflow so very useful. As for the Mermaids, they could well be as old if not older than me.. no idea when Cambrian started including plastic wheels as per old Dogfish kits I've picked up, so these could be older than me as they have no wheels! That seems really weird to think about now after a few beers!

Yeah iv noticed that on the last few second hand kits iv done but these mermaids are even more brittle than I expected!

These kits might even be 35 year old!

Just a bit! The instructions aren't great and it was pretty hard to keep square. Plus the old plastic being brittle meant bits kept breaking when cutting off the sprue such as the head stocks. It was a very 'slow and steady' aproach in the end. 3 to go so ill think ill do them as a slow production line.