ian@stenochs

Nice model but I think you are wrong and that is a Model Wagon Co kit. I am sure D&S never did any G&SWR kits. Ian.

I am coming to this a bit late but that is not a G&SWR cattle van. The most common is this one. There were variations of the number and width of slats. I have seen photos of 6 & 7 slat versions, but they were always gaps between them. The ownership lettering was painted G & S W on one slat and also on a cast plate which also carried the number. I have never seen any evidence that the buffer stocks were ever anything other than round with 4 fixing bolts. The standard axleboxes were very plain rectangular in shape, the ones on the mystery van look to have round bottoms a bit like the NB used. Just for information the Model Wagon Co produced a 4 mm kit for the above van and the G&SWRA did one in 7 mm. Additionally MWC did a 7 mm version of the later Drummond van. Ian.

The wallpaper in Buckingham Palace was put on in Victorias reign. I tell my wife that every time she decides a room need redecorating here. Hasen’t worked very often!

It didn’t work for the SNP here in Scotland!

Where do you stand on deep fried Pizza? With or without batter?

Our postal votes were already here in our hotel in Portmadog when we arrived today. No hastle. It only needed a short phone call to our local electoral register office in Ayr on the day after the election date was known to ask that they be redirected.

NRM is certainly on a downwards spiral. However it's still kot as bad as the Glasgow Riverside museum. Cars on shelfs high up on a wall, bikes suspended from the ceiling. One locomotive peeking out a mousehole up a wall and the others hidden behind a miscellany of bits! Yesterday I visited the new narrow gauge Vale of Reihdol museum in Aberystwyth. Small but a breath of fresh air. Everything accesible all round so you can actually see, and touch, the exhibits. Some really rare interesting stuff too.

There is only one square condition and an infinite number of not square varying from a tad to a real twist. Building a wagon which is exactly square is extremely difficult especially if one is using solvents which effectively join by dissolving the material being joined. A wagon can be square but gradually warp as solvent evaporates or atmospheric conditions change. Compensated wheelsets automatically adjust so that no matter what the body does the wheels will still all touch the rail. Rigid vehicles do not run as well as compensated, or even better live sprung, ones do. Way back in 1998, Peter Kirmond described experiments, published in MRJ 101 & 104, with wagon suspension. The results reported that wagons with fixed/rigid axleboxes performed poorly, 3 point suspension were considerably more reliable but fully sprung, like the prototype, were almost 100% reliable. Ian.

Fit compensation and you don’t need to get the body square!

My most realistic models are those I see in my minds eye. Always when building something I visualise how realistic it will look when it’s finished, somehow it never quite turns out that way! However being a pragmatist I know the next one will be. Ian.

So far I have no photographic evidence that the 403s got the black livery. They did of course get painted black by the LMS.

The box will be useful! All joking aside. Having seen a few Ace kits in my time I would approach the ‘kit’ as a source of parts which may make scratchbuilding a Dunalistair quicker. Get a decent drawing and check each part, some may be correct but there will be lots which aren’t so be prepared to cut out new bits and source better castings. Sorry to be negative but if you really want a Dunalistair you will persevere. When you have it finished don’t tell anyone it IS an Ace kit but be proud of your own work. Ian

It was/is a light comedy not a documentary!

I’ve just noticed your post Jim. Not my favourite Caley engine, I much prefer the Dunalistair 1, but a superb model nonetheless. Hard to believe it’s only 2 mm scale! Ian.

Massive locomotives compared to what went before on the Sou’West. Unfortunately the ‘Pumpers’, 279 class, were not very successful in their original condition. Once the pumps were removed and replaced with injectors they were a bit better. This is my effort to reproduce one in the condition it was in just before the grouping. Still waiting the works plate to be delivered and given a bit of weathering. There is progress on the Austrian Goods kit and there should be an announcement soon. Unfortunately a we bit late for my scratch built job which is currently going through the paint shop! Ian.