halfwit

I often think of going digital. Take out all those expensive motors and gearboxes, sell the controller, rip out the wiring and operate the trains digitally, i.e. push them along with my fingers...

I found a copy of it by accident in a rather fine, but now sadly closed, local bookshop. There were two copies on the shelf and I cheekily asked for, and got, a discount by saying that they'll never sell both! I also don't mind a bit if graffiti but there are limits. The side of a JGA is one thing, a drystone wall in the Goyt Valley is quite another! With a few notable exceptions modellers never seem to get graffiti on their layouts looking right. The usual transfers that people use are of the more artistic type of street art whereas a look around any urban location shows that most modern graffiti comprises of repetitive 'tags', usually in white spraycan, and the multicoloured creations beloved of the transfer companies is actually quite rare. If you get drummed off pop round for a brew...

If graffiti's your thing...

I bet thats a Ripping Yarn!

Some scenes are so well executed that figures would only serve to spoil the effect.

I've the 'Stuck on Stucco' article in front of me. There's a photo of a row of shops - next to 'A. Downes Models' sits 'Ian (sic) C Robinson Wool Merchant'...

There were actually four articles, running from June to September 1982, the one missing from your collection is 'Stuck on Stucco' from the August edition. All superb articles which left a lasting impession on my then young mind. 'Model Railways' was going through a golden period at the time, introducing me to the work and writings of Rice for example, such a shame that the publisher soon added 'Your' to the title and dumbed the magazine down.

I picked up a slightly battered 1958 copy today for the grand sum of £2! The book features traction engines and road rollers, ships, cars, tracked vehicles (including a Ruston Bucyrus skimmer), and railway and tramways. The 7mm scale Crampton loco is particulary interesting, a Midland Railway example with double frames and enclosed valve gear. Most of the models, rail and road, are motorised.

That's in the car park of the National Stone Centre in Wirksworth. It started life as an Avonside 0-4-0ST, makers number 1913 bult in 1923, but was rebuilt as a diesel hydraulic at Tunstead in 1960.

Here's a photo of Port Maud. Paul.

RT Models make etched sandbox pull rods for panniers. Paul.

Phoenix Precision PQ1 aerosol grey etch primer and Stevens cellulose thinners to clean.

I wonder if the 'residue' that you saw on the surface after cleaning with cellulose thnners is the problem? Does anyone know if PP cellulose thinners are different to other brands?

Has the paint got a use by date on it? Phoenix Precision aerosol etch primers, which I use with no problems, are time sensitive, I'm not sure about the tinned stuff. If I'm not mistaken that's an A1 Models kit, which should be fairly new, so dirty brass shouldn't really be a problem. I always clean brass with Cif followed by cellulose thinners before etch priming. Normal primer is then applied.

Thanks for the comments and 'likes'. Julia - I'd like to see the 2mm version as well, I could even be tempted to build one. The 4mm version is a real kitbuilders kit, a joy to put together. A 2mm scale rake would look good behind a certain Peckett... Mark - weathering may take some time. I rarely rush things and I don't like weathering, there's too much that can go wrong! Paul.

I've finally finished painting and lettering these two. I couldn't decide on livery, red oxide and black seem to be the most common (or indeed the only) liveries carried so I painted one black and left the other in primer! The red oxide is simply Hycote car aerosol primer, used on both models, and the black Humbrol acrylic 21 'Dirty Black'. I prefer Phoenix Precision 'Dirty Black' but couldn't get any at the time. Before painting I blackened them with Birchwood Casey Super Blue then applied a coat of Phoenix Precision aerosol etch primer. Lettering was done with a mapping pen and white ink and the cross with a bow pen and Humbrol enamel gloss white. Practice needed with both... They now need toning down and weathering, I gloss varnished them to protect the finish and give them a better surface for lettering so a coat of matt is needed. Coupling links are also needed, I have some Smiths ones to fit, and the wheels need a coat of paint. The bodies are only placed on the chassis at this stage, I'll glue them together once I'm happy with the weathering. Weathering is a bit of a problem as I don't have a layout and I'm not modelling a particular industry and I'm sure that, for example, dirt from coalfields will be different to dirt from iron ore overburden. I'll start with a light coat of grey as these seem to get quite dusty. Paul.

BigD - note also that the outer side stanchions are set too far inwards, probably because the handrails as supplied have silly curved ends (a safety feature perhaps?, or to stop the rails coming out of the stanchions?). The inner pair are in the right place. Something to note if you're moving the rails down. They should sit 5' (20mm) above the footplate. Today I've been carving most of the detail from the firebox backplate. Which I might yet live to regret... Paul.

IKB - first of all which gearbox are you using?. Do you get the squeak running in one direction or both directions? Does it squeak with the rods removed? Paul.