pete55

Thanks for that very useful picture, any chance of a similar one of the tender chassis?

The Bradwell kit now comes with a completely re designed chassis that makes EM or OO straightforward in comparison to the original design, which as Porcy said was designed primarily for P4/S4.

Agreed, it was fun to see Retford again, and meet Sandra, Tony, Tom and others. Sorry I couldn't stay that long, but no doubt we'll be back before too long. Pete

I would have thought the society would put the content onto its own website as well as You Tube

My memory would agree with you Tony, I'm sure they were D&S, although I seem to recall Roy explaing once how he removed the raised lettering. Pete

No mystery as I have said before, it wasn't Roys, so the owner reclaimed it!

Hi Bob, I thought it was a modified version of an old RTR one. Possibly Triang, or Triang Hornby, done by Rich Pete

The 24's were probably mine...…. The trainset is the work originally of the Stainmore Summit group, but has since expanded as time has gone on. Pete

Yes, that is Jazz!

Tony is quite right, the footbridge is the work of Buccaneer John, who designed, drew, and had the one off etches made. The supporting columns were cast resin I believe, again John's work, and the column tops were turned brass fittings also by John, and was really only finished to the state of Tony's picture shortly before Roy passed away.

Hello Tony, with regard to the early Retford pictures, my estimate for the first 3 would be about the year 2000, and the last one would be approximately 2003 or 4. If you have pictures without the "shed in the shed" (Roy's enclosed workbench) in the background, they will be prior to October 2003 when I built it during that half term. I always wanted to paint it, but Roy was content with it as it was. I think the control panels were moved from the front of the layout to the inside in early 2003. As for Mallard, if it is no longer there, I would suggest it could be with the family in memory of Roy. I know the replica nameboards and headboards along the back walls, some of which I made, understandably went with family. Pete

Probably Roy, he showed me that trick!

Half round brass wire can be sourced in sizes we need from MetalClays. Cannot find it on their website, but it is listed in their Ebay shop https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jewelers-Brass-Half-Round-Wire-Half-Hard-NuGold/223791302002?hash=item341b004572:g:wLcAAOSwpDdU3lTw&var=522535891521 The only downside to using drawplates in my experience is the edge where the flat you file with your method meets the round portion is not always as crisp as you probably achieve by careful filing! Pete

The Deltic and rake of Mk2 coaches belonged to John Phillips, and would indeed hurtle at full tilt around the GN section and then onto the GC and back to the GN via Whisker Hill curve in excess of 160 scale mph; hence the "silly use only" switches at the back of the GC yard. Gordon and Thomas were converted by me when Dylan was born. Thomas had been my daughters and continues to amuse my granddaughter, as it was doing this afternoon! Pete

As far as I am aware no one was building this signal. Could be wrong though! Pete

Hello Sandra, there is also my Anglos Scottish Car Carrier sat here doing nothing waiting to return if it is wanted. Slightly out of period too! Pete

Hi Tony, I might be wrong, but I think they were originally the 7mm range of 07 Kits, produced by K Dales in Cottingham, and they ended up with George, possibly after going somewhere else in between. the artwork was either re drawn or shot down to 4mm I think. Pete

Hello Tony, I would think that the Retford weathering you referred to would be the work of Tim Shackleton, he used to do a train at a time as I remember. There were at least 3 Hornby A4's on Retford that I converted, and latterly we re-converted some if not all of them with the Brassmasters etches that fit over the Hornby chassis. We found that they ran steadier and had better traction with the form of springing the Brassmasters system used. The main advantage to using the Brassmasters etches was that the centre driven axle was supported properly on both sides, whereas the Hornby chassis in its' original form only has one large supporting bearing with the driven gear offset to one side. Over the years, with the distances covered by these locos on Retford working as hard as they do, we found that the centre axles developed a distinct fore and aft wobble, which is why Roy decided to go with the Brassmasters etches. If I remember correctly, the rebuilt W1 which is a Graeme King body conversion done by Graeme, also has a Brassmasters chassis etch over the Hornby original chassis, and we found the traction much improved too. Pete

Good evening Tony, Mons Meg certainly was Roys work, although it originated from Chippy I believe, and passed to Roy when Chippy passed on. Roy completely re-worked it, Geoff lined and numbered it. If it is not there now, I could make an educated guess as to where it may have gone, but I think that would be a family matter.

Nope! As far as I remember they were custom designed for Retford by Buccaneer John, the same chap who did the etched footbridge down near the goods shed. There were definitely at least two large sheets of them.

Not sure what Tony(W) meant by the B17 wouldn't run properly, but it did have its driving wheel tyres treated with some Bullfrog Snot to enable it to pull the boat train up the gradient out of the yard. If that had been cleaned off the wheels, then it probably wouldn't climb out of the yard with the train. Pete

Good afternoon Tony, how many miles have some of them run indeed! As I said, some will hark back to pre Gainsborough Central days. Incidentally, part of the backscene of that layout were still under the GN fiddleyard last time I looked! Lamps certainly do improve the look, I agree, and I don't think Roy would disagree either. The problem was I think that the only lamps available back in time were the very chunky ones, which he certainly did not like. Definitely looking forward to being able to return to Retford when the situation allows us to once again. Pete

Hello Sandra, some go back a lot further than High Dyke, particularly the K's Robinson 04's, but yes, they do run well! Pete

To reply to the original question of converting the Heljan Class16 to EM, go to the Alan Gibson website and look at the guide there on how to do just this. http://www.alangibsonworkshop.com/orignal-index.html Under the "downloads" heading, look for rtr conversions and you should find it.

Hello Tom, I think that sounds wise. I'm sure that a T1 would not be allowed in the real location around Humber and Railway docks because of weight limits on the bridges over the dock entrances, not to mention the sharp curves in the track, some of which still exists in the cobbles around there. Pete