Jamie

Terrible news, and my heart goes out to you and the family Graham.

Only crossed paths fairly infrequently over the years due to distance, but his generosity (at a time when he didn't know me from Adam) and the inspiration of his modelling has had a huge influence on me.  It was always an absolute highlight of an exhibition to catch up with Ken, hear the news and inevitably various entertaining tales.  

Rest in peace big yin, and get the new workbench set up wherever you are. 

Nice one Mark.  I imagine the exhibition will be beyond my reach but I will keep an eye on progress and I hope it goes well.

Good show @Jim49 et al.  Glad I decided to go for a look as there was plenty to see and a good selection of trade too.

Garlieston is looking promising and running well John - good to see another bit of Galloway take shape in miniature. 

1 hour ago, Dunsignalling said:

Thanks for the link, I'd not come across that before and it looks like a useful set of notes.

 

I've managed to find an image of the Dapol van (unpainted) on Hattons, who have a few in stock. It definitely looks a little less crisp than my Airfix originals, but I think that may be partly due to Dapol moulding at lower pressure with a softer grade of plastic.

 

 

Any comments?    

 

Doesn't quite look as crude there as I recalled, and in fairness the airfix planking isn't brilliant either.  Here's a side-by-side with Airfix body on LHS, Dapol body on RHS:

I can see why people might choose either, but the deep dark plank lines are too much for my taste.  And yes my lettering is just about as bad!

Both are shown running on Parkside chassis with Lanarkshire buffers.  

2 hours ago, Headstock said:

When I typed in Airfix sliding door van, I got this.

 

But seriously, isn't the Airfix van the same as the Dapol one?

No, the body seems to have been retooled in Dapol days, leaving the newer examples suffering from over-pronounced detail.  From memory these include planking lines which one could drive a bus through, and oddly shaped corrugations in the ends.  Both purport to represent the BR built diagram 1/204 van - in body at least.

Some very useful notes on 4mm LMS (and LMS-derived) vans from the Airfix/Mainline/Dapol, Parkside and Ratio models can be found here: https://windcutter.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/the-lms-van/

Some info here: 

My reaction to the unfolding Covid situation last year, despite being of good health and in my mid thirties, was to make out a quick crib sheet of what I had and where my family could seek help in either selling or finding good homes for my models if the worst happened.

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

My thanks to all those who've expressed an interest in the list of kits I posted. Interestingly, anything by Comet or DJH has proved to be of more appeal, but the Brassmasters' stuff has elicited only two expressions of interest.

 

Potentially too expensive? Or, too difficult (or should I say complex?) to put together?

Yes, both.  As far as I know the Brassmasters kit is the 'best' route to a long firebox Jubilee - a loco that is very conspicuous by its absence on my layout.  Too difficult for my skill levels (now and in the short to medium term) and too expensive to break into a source of parts to mix with other kits or models.  It seems Corkerhill will continue to be sending it's Jubilees out on other diagrams meantime.

2 hours ago, class26 said:

This view will be spectacular.  I love the generous use of space and how the scenery is going to dwarf the train - the only way to really capture this prototype location I guess.

1 hour ago, checkrail said:

One unusual thing I noticed about the two Hornby Stanier coaches I bought were that the bogies were different at each end of the coach.  Mid-way along the bogie sideframe at one end are two pairs of double rows of vertical rivets; at the other two vertical reinforcing steel struts.   Anyone know what that's all about?

 

 

Yours,

Puzzled of Stoke Courtenay.

Hi John, Hornby seem to have produced both the rivetted and welded variants of the LMS bogies, and you've got an example of each.  

I'm pretty sure they've always issued their coaches with matching bogies at each end, but I dare say stranger things happened on the prototype.  The books lead me to believe the LMS built coaches with each type of bogie concurrently.

The recent 'bookazine' (effectively a compilation of what would otherwise form individual articles) from the Hornby Magazine publishers on the subject of modelling engineer's wagons is the first publication I've bought in a long time, other than the MRJ.  It opened my eyes a bit as to what the mainstream publishers can still produce, and I would welcome further similar works.

Somehow, I don't feel that the internet has yet equalled the printed press.  Forums and facebook type sites offer piecemeal content frequently thinly spread amongst in-jokes and off topic discussion.  All the interesting information may be in there, but the presentation of a well-written article would make it far more coherent. 

One interesting side effect of 2020 and its lockdowns is the advent of the virtual exhibition.  These videos offer an opportunity to see a layout in action but with the possibility to be as informative as a written article by narrating what is happening on camera.  Such apparent anomalies as double-headed 4MT/5MT locomotives on two-coach trains or loaded coal going in both directions along a stretch of line could be explained and understood rather than potentially written off as just sloppy modelling.  I have seen a lot of marvellous modelling at exhibitions without having a clue about what was being represented.

1 hour ago, jchinuk said:

Perhaps Tesla could be persuaded to build suitable wagons containing batteries and drive motors.  Hitch one to the steam trains to power the whole thing along?

 

jch 

Take the mechanicals out of crashed Teslas etc and fit them within locomotive tenders, consulting some Hornby and Lima designers from the 1970s-80s if necessary.  That should still leave space for a sound chip and speakers within the redundant coal space.

20 hours ago, Legend said:

Wow . Never realised they made one . Did you get it direct from Silver Fox?  I’ve previously trawled their website and found no mention of it . 
 

Just bought a periodical  Heavy Freight Diesel and Electric, there is a picture of a Class 45 D65 Grenadier Guardsman on a vehicle train for Northern Ireland . I never realised Peaks made it to Stranraer . The picture is at Pinmore . Is that the line in from Girvan rather than the Port route? 

https://railphotoprints.uk/p968868046/h24EEB274#h24eeb274

Presumably the same train, just a few miles south beyond Barrhill.  It's a lovely photo.

2 hours ago, Wheatley said:

 

No evidence of car trains on the Port Road (so far !). 

Several 67B Hurlford crews seemed to have great pride in 'their' 2Ps, with smokebox door hinges polished or painted, or even in one case outlined in white.  Similarly the buffers.

Other exGSW sheds seemed less mad with the paint and polish, from a quick straw poll of my (parochial) library I don't see any Ayr or Ardrossan examples embellished in the same way. 40608, 661, 665 and 688 fall immediately to hand.

I have a pic of 40621 on shed at 67A in less run-down condition (can't post due to copyright) the smokebox is in shadow but it doesn't seem to have any 'decoration' at that unknown date. Could we be looking at chalk-art as with the replacement shed plate?

Not to rain on your parade by any means! - I have my own homage to the GSW's 2Ps in the form of 40661 c/w polished steel embellishments half-built upstairs.

On 16/10/2020 at 15:35, Steamport Southport said:

Don't forget the lettering and numbers.

 

Even the BR ones had BR written on them. Probably to stop people nicking them, they were an expensive bit of kit. They also had to be returned and logged after use.

 

In respect of tarpaulin lettering and numbering, does anyone know a source of suitable transfers to assist in this task?

I don't really see any problem at Stranraer per se.  

Sure it's at the wrong end of the pier to the town centre, but few people will be commuting into the town by rail, as the next station is Barrhill.  People choosing to head out of Stranraer by rail probably aren't fussed too much if there's adequate parking and if the town bus services link the station to the town centre and housing areas.  As there's little else on the pier now, one would hope that parking was available.  Surely rail could be an attractive "easy option" compared to driving or being rattled around in a bus to the central belt and back?

A lot of NI supermarkets seem to be served from Scottish distribution centres, could we not see the likes of the Inverness "Tesco train" where road transport starts on the Irish side of the ferry?

As mentioned Girvan - Maybole - Ayr sees more passenger traffic, in part due to a woefully slow circuitous bus service and reasonable onward connections to Glasgow.  Stagecoach Western could readily take chunks out of that if they ran a direct bus service up the A77 from Girvan.

Galloway seems somewhat 'forgotten' and remote from the central belt.  Removing infrastructure would just make it even more remote.  Railways are easily lost but murder to reinstate if demand increases in future.

OK, so most pics turned out to be St Enoch-Ayr/Girvan workings but on shed at Stranraer I found pics of 73077/079/102.

Caprotti 73145 seems to have been south of Girvan a few times towards the end of its days.

73100 possibly the only one I've seen recorded on the PP&W, coupled inside a black 5 on Stranraer Town to Dumfries which I think was in one of the books on your 'bedspread'

and possibly my favourite for your scenario

73009 allegedly standing in for a DMU in the bitter cold of February 1963 at Barrhill - that's in 'On G&SW Lines'.  There's a couple of howlers in that book, so I don't know what to trust - that particular caption is plausible though.

Looked at troop trains yet?  Those could keep your Clans busy and throw a curve-ball into your operating sessions.

There's another pic on Railscot of the same train at roughly the same position headed by a GSYP Class 27 and similar Standard 5 - so that dates it quite well as, what post yellow panels so 1962 approx and pre singling of the Hawkhill curve quoted as 1965.

Additionally, many references to the closure of the Port Road describe Anglo-Scottish boat trains being diverted via Mauchline. Which implies Ayr Hawkhill Jct - Annbank - Mauchline and regular workings over that curve.  I can't immediately recall seeing a picture of such a working actually on the Ayr-Mauchline line, but there may be one in a Derek Cross book.

All very interesting.  I'm finding the discussion on Jubilees and Boat trains very useful - I get these things straight in my head then gradually it all fades into confusion again soon after!

There's a few Std 5s pictured on Glasgow trains, don't think too many are Caprottis, fewer photos on the PP&W line.  The Stenlake/WAC Smith books would be my first port of call - I can have a look later if I get a chance.

11 hours ago, danstercivicman said:

 

Ah ok, maybe I’ve misunderstood- would that mean a 21:30 departure for Carlisle TC to Newcastle but terminating at Carlisle then the N.Irishman at 22:00 again with TC to Newcastle arriving at Carlisle switching loco to a 7MT or Class 45 then running to Euston?  

Dan, I could be wrong but I read it as the N.Irishman being through coaches for London, whereas the other columns in the timetable are showing connections with departure times from London and Glasgow to meet each train at Dumfries.  

Could be wrong though.

There is a sensitivity about taking on a layout as a 'second owner'.  I understand it, having been in that position for almost a decade now albeit without having the added complication of the high profile nature of Retford.  

I've done a fair amount of work and upkeep to the layout since it came North, but I have always been careful to respect the original modellers' design and creation.  Whether my input has been driven by a desire to improve accuracy or just through personal preference, anytime I've written about my progress I have been careful about how it may be read as a reflection on the (invariably high quality) original work.  I can see how an occasional loose turn of phrase could have potential to ruffle feathers and I would hate to risk offending the original builders who I still count as distant friends.

I'm sure everyone's intentions are good in respect of Retford and it will be marvellous to see it back in action if only via the web nowadays. It is good that the layout has a future, and I expect the desire to do justice to the previous work will push new contributors to also do their very best - a situation where everyone wins really.

On 09/10/2020 at 11:48, 26power said:

As said, a slippery slope although quite a few of the Parkside range are also now available RTR.

 

I don’t recall seeing pictures of fish trains or vans at Stranraer and I don’t think it has a history of being a fishing port, although I have’t researched it.  However, it is your layout!  I wonder if Portpatrick might have been more for fishing, I  think it still has a bit today?  If you are imagining the line from there to Stranraer still being open for your layout then perhaps an option would be to have a fish van or two from there being brought down to your harbour station to be added to a passenger train, rather than having a specific fish train?  These presumably only really ran from major fishing ports.
...

Or there is the Five79 range ( was Chivers Finelines).  There is a topic on this forum for it.  The LMS 6 wheel fish van, when it is available again might be of interest, see: https://five79.co.uk/4mm-Standard-Gauge-Kits/.

 

Six-wheel fish van to the rear of this goods train - no saying it's actually carrying seafood but certainly seen on the PP&W and there's all the justification you could want:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/39601597742/in/album-72157689678658815/

As for Stranraer - was pleasantly surprised when I took a wander round town a few months ago, the town centre much healthier than I expected.  The station and harbour are rather sad looking though.  Plenty of nice villages and coastline nearby too, just make sure you get the weather right.

Beautiful work as always.  What workings will this be employed on - is this for the convoluted passenger and parcels diagram?

Regards,

The not-quite-so-old yin

Funnily enough, my partner's classed as a 'key worker' and this morning went out to find the car wouldn't start to take her to work.  We'd spotted the battery being on its way out, but I think some safety critical stuff took priority on funds, and the poor battery was forgotten... oops.

So my permitted daily exercise this morning took the form of pushing a dead Micra up the hill and onto the drive so that some life can be coaxed into the battery - enough to take it for a replacement later anyway.

Good fun (!) and some entertainment for my self-isolating neighbours watching me struggle, no doubt. 

If you've got a driveway Coldgunner and the main concern is the battery, what about getting a trickle charger to keep it topped-up?  Won't help with brakes/tyres etc, but unless it's sitting for months I'd be less concerned about those.  Not much use if you're in an upstairs flat or similar, I know.

Buildings demolished and site cleared last time I passed.

On 25/02/2020 at 07:47, Mophead45143 said:

Noticed on some other threads for Heljan projects that there were a couple of cl. 25 EP's on the stand at Model Rail Scotland. They were in the background of the photos so couldn't be sure, but they looked like the same EP's we've already seen. Can anyone confirm? 

I didn't ask the question but it certainly looked to be the same, blue painted example.  May have been an unpainted body shell there too, can't quite recall.