Mrkirtley800

That is a very nice model, Tony. My effort is very similar. I used the tank sides and footplate from the kit, fashioned the boiler out of tube to give me a model of the engine as built and running in 1907/08, with a round top firebox and a saturated engine (smokebox flush with the front of the tanks). I scratch built the main frames and made the mistake of making them almost scale width, so the engine tends to squeal when taking the curves approaching Kirkby Malham. It runs much better in reverse, a bit like the prototype. Like yours, built for EM gauge. Derek

and highly rouged cheeks to go with the bright red lippie.

It is early evening of Thursday 4th June 1908, and Amelia Watson is waiting for a train to take her back to Skipton, where she lives with her mother. Amelia comes to Kirkby Malham on Monday’s and Thursdays to visit old aunt Emmalyne, her only rich relative, who lives in a cottage just round the corner from the station on the Malham road. and here is the train, just arrived at the down platform. After a suitable interval, the engine will propel the carriages over the outer crossover on to the up line, then draw the train into the up ( departure) platform, before running round. The timings allow the engine to cross into the locomotive yard to top up with coal and water, if necessary

I think we are all a bit mad Al. We slave away building baseboards, then cover up our work with coloured grit or floc. We.lay track carefully then watch our trains falling off. It would be so much easier to sit in a nice warm car with a picnic, by the side of a railway line and watch full sized trains go by. Derek

Agree with Chris116 Al. Your backscene needs a makeover ——- only joking. Looking forward to any new developments, all the best. Derek

Stunning modelling Derek

Oops, it’s fallen off. The foreman waits impatiently as men with crowbars re-rail a hopper wagon, on the narrow gauge tramway between the canal basin and Kirkby Limes. Hanlith Force

Good to know you are recovering from your operation, all the best for the future. Derek

Here is my Flatiron, built to represent the original saturated locos. I used the side tanks, cab and bunker from the kit, and made the boiler out of tube. The running gear is scratch built. The mainframes are nearly to scale width, which doesn’t give much clearance for my EM gauge. The front two driving axles are beam compensated, but it is still a bit iffy on the layout curves,even if they are quite generous, especially running in the forward direction. Running in reverse is reliable, just like, we are told, the full sizes engines. having said that, it is a powerful beast.

Thanks for that Barry. The hardboard is stuck to a piece of copper clad, which has two bits of rod soldered to it. They run in tubes stuck to the van floor forming guides. Iwill try dispensing with the spring, might make life a bit easier. Derek

The. Track cleaning seems to work . The problem arises in getting the balance between the springing and loading the vehicle with some weight. If the thing is too heavy, the loco will not be able to push it, yet if too light, the sprung hardboard “rubber” will lift the van off the track and derail. Derek

Actually, the two shades of red don’t seem too far apart, at least in photos.

Now that I have difficulty cleaning the trackwork of Kirkby Malham, I have had to bring my old track cleaners into use. We do not have any 00, so now both vehicles run on EM track. Rather than have two vehicles of trans Atlantic origin, I rebuilt one into something resembling a British van. The felt pad was replaced by a piece of hardboard sprung downwards and rubbing on the rails. one end has a loop of wire to engage with the AJ couplings, the other end still has the Triang coupling in case I need to run both vehicles in tandem. The track cleaning will be powered by my old 3F, a MPD kit from about the 1970s. I never use it in normal times, it is way out of my period.

How many RMWebbers remember the introduction of these track cleaning vehicles They are pure 1960s Triang. I bought two, one for my sons 00 layout and one for my EM, by replacing the wheel sets. The idea was to soak the felt pad, in the middle of the vehicle, with meths and run it in a train, with varying results.

In addition to Mr Wolfs shopping list, how about some lights on a head band. Derek

It is an off centred scissors crossover. Fascinating. Derek

I put a few pics in the ‘Get Britain Modelling’ section of RMW. I had no idea it was some sort of a competition, until I received an email from BRM. I must admit, the picture chosen is not my favourite Derek

superb modelling with some really lovely stock. I was very interested in the LNW and nearly became a North Western modeller, but chose the Midland instead. Although I have built a few LNW locosand a couple of carriages. Derek

Beauty in repose. one of Samuel Waite Johnson’s designs, a Midland Railway 2183 class. Just brought in a passenger train from Bradford (Market Street). Kirkby Malham is too small to have a station pilot, so train engines have to shunt their trains. On arrival, the carriages are shunted overthe outer crossoverto gain the up line (departure). The engine is uncoupled and runs down to the stops before crossing back onto the down line and into the loco yard where it is turned and coaled and watered if necessary. Then back into the down platform ready to cross onto the departure line to propel the train into the departure platform. Derek

That viaduct is stunning Jef, just imagine a Midland 4-4-0 with a train of clerestory carriages on it. Superb. Derek

Is it in EM gauge Paul, and do I see a three legged ‘oss. Derek

S

Thought the railway had closed and the track bed sold off to developers. Derek

You have to be joking. We have three,aged 55, 52 and 47 and we never stop worrying about them. They are all on good salaries, but guess who pays when we meet up and go out for a meal. Yes, perhaps more fool me, the pensioner, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Derek