Re6/6

22 minutes ago, PMP said:

 W&H on the times I went in looked like it had been turned over, which may not have helped with prompt trade and mail order despatch. 

I seem to remember that they were notoriously grumpy?!...or was it Hamblings! 😜

7 minutes ago, Gilbert said:

Have they gone all 16.5?

Certainly not!😜

17 hours ago, John Besley said:

".The down side was myself and Pete Roach had to empty the pit which was also now full of water as the drains where now blocked"

 

Hey ho, oh the fun we had as 14 year old school boys - scary to realise that was 50 years ago...

Ah yes, the pit.  Derick Evans and I built it one winter shortly after DVR (TSR) took over. I think IIRC Geoff Thopson and Fred Heath (ex- Newton Shed) were also involved....Memory is not what it used to be!

Regarding 4472s visit to Paignton, my wife became George Hincfiffe's temporary secretary and some 'interesing' conversations were noted between him and the TSR. Ken Hoole was also there with Scotsman.

Indeed frightening to think that that was all those years ago!🤕

Yet another ignorant junk dealer.

B

On 16/01/2024 at 15:21, Colin_McLeod said:

A lovely angry sky George....brilliant!

20 hours ago, woodenhead said:

 

And I also have one of these (this is N, other flavours are available of these in different scales)

https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/p/13142/66623-Trix-Loco-Wheel-Cleaning-Brush

 

It sits on the track so it works with DCC!  But I do also have all my locos capable of DC running as well for the rolling road as on DC all the DCC fangdangled acceleration curves are disabled.

I use one very successfully (CK hates the thing!). I widened the base track slots to P4 and soldered a pair of wires so that it can be 'hand held' as well (a Baron Harrap modification!)

50 minutes ago, DaveF said:

Blaenau Ffestiniog Class 120 July 82 C5731

 

David

An interesting curio there Dave in this picture. Note that the running rails are flat-bottom but the checkrail is bullhead. When I visited there back then the chairs were a sort of 'half and half' IIRC! Never saw this anywhere since!

Lovely things Rob!

Sad that Rick is retiring. It comes to us all so a happy retirement to him and Mrs Rick.❤️

A visit to stock up with essentials is now essential. There will be no town model shops in a good part of Devon any more. Sadly, it's way of things nowadays.

In past times, his prices for a lot of models were only a quid or two more than from 'box shifters' when p&p is included. 

One has to feel for the first farmer on this piece with the way the Government and HST Ltd have conducted themselves after the disasterous cancellation of the northern link.

We can only hope that the route land is safeguarded for a future completion but one has to fear not with the present government.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001vfkv/countryfile-tamara-way  17 minutes in.

A big and unexpected shock. I was in contact very recently with Nigel discussing Fareham and Bristol. He was a lovely chap.

Condolences to his family and friends.

PM sent.

40 minutes ago, John Besley said:

 

I have plenty more like that from the late 60's to mid 70's of both lines.... just not sure where to post them... depends if anyones interested...

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/forum/133-the-railways-of-devon/

On 05/01/2024 at 08:59, John Besley said:

Class 25 on the fissons weedkiller train at Churston May 12 1975, comprising of 25.219 - 2 x BR 20 ton brake van 3 x 31 ton tank wagons, 2 ex LMS coaches for the pumps and spray equipment and crew, 3 x SPV. it then went onto Buckfastleigh where it was hauled by 4555

 

 

 

Photos - JR Besley

 

 

Splendid pictures John. Memories of the time before all the track additions after the TSR took over.

My fascination with trains started with Dad's Bowman live steamer hurling around the tinplate track on the lawn or falling off indoors scorching the parquet floor in the hall!

My 'beginnings' were with an HD goods set bought by my father (ostensibly for me!) and some extra points and wagons all from Hattons, who will be much missed, I still have it all complete with Hattons price labels!

Post Honby Dublo, two rail was next after a gap of some time with all things GW. The delights of ERG cardboard coach and wagon kits cut with razor blades and glued with 'Seccotine' ! I think that the whitemetal under gear came from Hamblings  or maybe CCW or Bradshaw Model Products of Brighton. Next came teaching myself to solder with resultant lumpen joints (not enought heat or insufficient amounts of the very corrosive Bakers flux) in order to build a Jamieson nickel-silver 'kit' which are still fun to build. Back then, if one wanted to go beyond HD and Triang , you had to make most things including track. Travelling to school each day from Egham to Waterloo (on BILs, HALs or CORs) on the way home, I would call in at W&H, with the grumpy staff(!), maybe Hamblings or Allan Brett Canon to buy their 'Chairway' track. It was grossly overscale but at least it did look like bullhead....happy memories!

Other things took over but many years later interest was rekindled by a visit to a Westminster show and was captivated by the P4 layout 'Heckmondwike' . Nothing for a few years then came  the building of 'Matford'. 'Balcombe' and the viaduct came next in 2010 which is still to be completed! Next came 'Parkend Marsh Sidings' which started out as a lockdown project which I thought would only take a few months to build but was only completed last year!

There's still a Welsh colliery layout to continue building, 'Rüthi' a Swiss museum layout to start and the late 'Grahame (BGman) Hichens' Italian layout 'Lisanno' to continue with what we thought was in his mind. He left us with some exquisite buildings which need a layout to complement them.

Much still to do before decrepitude sets in!

12 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening the oldest man in creation,

 

I've just received an email informing me of the closure. 

 

I find it hard to believe. 

 

It must be over 60 years ago that I first walked down Smithdown Road to number 180. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

In 1951 my father bought an HD trainset (ostensibly for me!) for my Christmas present which came from Hattons. I still have it all with additional wagons and points in boxes with Hattons price tickets attached.

A sad day that they're going.

25 minutes ago, Reorte said:

As always when "train station" gets brought up I'll ask "When did you last fly from a planeport?"

....but I've trvelled on a bus from a bus staion..........hat...coat!😜

Will do Peter!

That's impressive Peter. I've ordered some!

2 hours ago, swisspeat said:

I have recently been playing around with glues for static grass. Surprisingly I found that one of the best is Elmer’s School Glue. 

Peter, I've yet to try 'school glue' but I heard from someone in the business (can't remember who!) that the commercial base glue sold by them is a very sinilar consistency to 'school glue' and not PVA. Apparently PVA is rubber based and proprietary basing glues are polymer based. Quite what the effective difference is, I don't know, but in my experience  the proprietary stuff works better for me. Much as the difference between hairspray and layering spray! 

Yes, there is rather a lot of grass so a large quantity of fibres required! The picture shows about 20% that is needed! I'll look into trying some 'school glue' which is probably much cheaper than the commercial stuff.