34theletterbetweenB&D

It is a very handsome loco, one of the rare examples where the 'rebuild' is both harmonious with the original features, and if anything results in a yet better looking machine. I have been waiting expectantly for the NRM to cotton on to the idea of steam era Royal train vehicles. What could be better as a 'universal train' to go with various old express passenger locos (in sparkling livery condition): accompanied by some Pullman cars appropriate to the period for courtiers and household staff, which might give a hint of which manufacturer to approach for this project. Just don't speak to my wife, who is forever saying in accusing tones "Oh, you have taken that lovely model apart".

The cloning is by scanning. If a mould were taken that would be theft of intellectual property. (And yes, it is totally bizarre that one technology is acceptable for copying and another - inferior - technology isn't.) Why not scan a real loco? Compare the costs. A team of at least two people have to physically travel to the loco site with the relatively large and expensive equipment (which cannot be used for anything else while it is out on this job). Permission has to be obtained to have the subject accessible in free space for the time required to obtain the scans. The owner is going to charge for all this access. Then the scans have to be both cleaned up, compiled and analysed, to break them down into suitably scaled components for the production process to replicate, to arrive at a set of CADs suitable for tool cutting. By comparison, obtaining a model and sending it to a location with a desk top scanner, where one operative can quickly dismantle the model into large components suitable for the production processes - exploiting the work of the model designer - make the scans of these components (and the scanner is immediately free for other jobs once this is done), and then clean up the CADs to production ready status to cut the tooling. That's a fraction of the money to perform. It does surprise me a little that none of the manufacturers have thought to challenge this process, on the basis that it is their investment in analysing the prototype form to produce a model from a set of components that is being ripped off. The three I have looked at in any detail slavishly reproduce the model component structures that the RTR manufacturer has devised to suit the capabilities and limitations of the reproduction processes. That aspect of the process is intellectual property theft, very clearly.

The K1 has a flywheel, turned integral with the worm. Visually, I'd think the K1 motor unit could be substituted into the D16. Getting the K1 mechanism seated in the body correctly is a slight trial on mine, it needs to drop in slightly at an angle to get the valve spindle mouldings under the footplating and then usually sits with the footplates at the front flying about 3mm above the valve chests. After half a dozen times offering it up to the body it clicks in properly. Quite where it catches at the front end escapes me, or I would have filed off the obstruction. Perhaps best left assembled.

Does look that way going on general appearance. My K1 motor has (what I take to be a serial) number 140912 in the same style on the can side. Now, no mention in the Hornby sheet with the K1 that this is a coreless motor, just a 'sealed long life motor'. Does it say any different on the D16 service sheet? Runs beautifully whatever the internals may be. (Should it ever stop on me, we'll see about the 'sealed', yet to be beaten on can motors!) That flare of the spokes from the protruding boss of the wheel centres is good. I think Hornby first incorporated this feature on their Castle release a few years ago, and it much enhances that model.

Technically, all the Brush type 2 were built as what became TOPS class 30 with the Mirrlees engine, the class 31 is the re-engined unit. As early pilot scheme machines built against a BR spec which included steam heating gear and a very restrictive axle load requirement, they came out 'heavyweight', much as the BR and EE DE type 4s, and the NDL DH type 4, all machines also with unpowered carrying wheels. The BR spec. was somewhat revised as experience was gained and later pilot scheme type 2's could just be squeaked onto an acceptable axle load for the BoBo format to be used. (There were some mutterings at the time that 'special weighbridges' had been used to get some of these designs to qualify.) But the truth will out in the long run, as a look at what survived longest in service confirms. All the BoBo type 2s with pilot scheme origins are long gone, and all but one of the pilot scheme origin types in power classes 1, 3, 4 and 5 come to that; while the Brush class 31 plods on, alongside the EE class 20. The other long term in-service survivors are second generation designs, classes 33, 37 and 47, designs which benefitted greatly from the first generation experience.

So, crystal ball on, just let it stabilise, ah, here comes a clear image: - and the series will be called 'Railway Traction'. Just to add a little excitement it will include the LMS Beyer-Garratt, GNR Ivatt large atlantic, GWR 72xx, SR N class, and BR's F-C 9F. ;-) More seriously, haven't they got the GBL series currently on distribution in Australia, from a start about a year delayed from the UK series? Just so long as there is no Amercom series titled 'All the World's nerve agents and other chemical weapons' , is it safe to assume you won't be rolling over any national boundaries?

It's the right general layout (for both 4-4-0s and 4-6-0s) to allocate the space over coupled wheels for weight and have the motor in the smokebox. And a void between the worm and the cast weight for more weight. Looks like that void was originally intended for a flywheel; why else tool it with a radiused base that looks concentric with the motor shaft?

Well worth trying. I would far rather have loco and tender coupled at or close to scale separation, so that if the fall plate is also present it covers the gap between cab floor and tender step. A fall plate also conceals removed intermediate buffers - these typically have to go to enable the loco and tender to get round curves - but look out for other features like the high front of the 9F tenders fouling the corners of the cab roof. From memory, a Bach 9F I fiddled with for a set track layout needed the loco to tender spacing to be set 1mm greater than scale - and that still looks good - and the intermediate buffer mouldings filed flush, and then could 'go anywhere' including R2 curves and standard set track points. I should think the same is possible for the Hornby.

The black intermediate stripe is too narrow on the double red stripe of the boiler bands. But the visual weight of the boiler bands is a decent representation, when compared to a prototype photo of 8835 in 1939, just out of works following conversion to D16/3. The single lining on the model is underscale in visual impression compared to the photo. Not a subtle lining scheme at all. (The Big Four in Colour 1935 - 50, a book I cannot recommend highly enough.) Perhaps Hornby are a little concerned about how an accurate model might be perceived, compared to the old tooling? This is one loco where they have deviated from their usual 'repeat popular older model subject' playbook.

It certainly isn't, because the Hornby model is incorrect in the coupled wheelbase department, spaced 22+21+21+22mm. (Look at the picture in post 664 just above, and the effect is visible.) This makes the brake hanger and shoe fit both sides of the flangeless wheelset very difficult. The Bachmann 9F axles are spaced uniformly - as the prototype - but steals a little more space, ending up 6" overscale for coupled wheelbase: a compromise that I assume the designer incorporated to aid getting the brakegear in as a practical commercial production job.

Since the Metropolitan was not part of any of the Big Four groups until the November 1937 acquisition by the LNER, I would vote for 'pre-grouping'. (The 'Big Four' did not get revised to 'Big Five' when the LPTB was formed, therefore the LPTB was not a railway group, QED.)

If Hornby were to choose one of the more numerous, widespread and long lived GER tank loco designs as a model subject, might that do the trick? The choice of the J50 was something of a surprise to me - and very welcome - because there are similar size and exceedingly attractive Stratford tank engine designs going begging. Choose well and there is the potential to produce something that does all of: integrate well with all their last five years of LNER loco and stock releases; tie in to a national collection item; carry a drop dead gorgeous pre-group livery never yet seen in OO RTR; offer many variations in external fittings; carry late LNER and BR green; carry a version of the gorgeous GER livery as used in BR form; and of course regular LNER and BR black. It looks like a pile of money just waiting to fall into Hornby's lap, but what do I know?

In the densest night time fog I have ever driven in, I could see a red glow ahead, and slowly closing this resolved into a pair of tail lights, which I kept at a distance where I could just see them as two separate lights. The movement of the lights was strangely disconcerting, but on an unfamiliar route, it was the best I could do. After some miles of creeping along like this at 10mph, we suddenly broke out into near clear air. And I was tailing the offside lights only (nearside not working) of an HGV at about 4 yards.

All the best to those recently 'ambushed' by health problems. Moving on from which subject; A doctor friend of mine insists that she is going to have the crucial information to refer to tattooed across her chest, once she reaches an age where she feels 'no resus' would be the best option; having seen any number of elderly folk kept alive by large scale interventions, when they would far rather be allowed to die. As she puts it, once the medical profession has 'invested' on keeping you going, it can be quite hard to persuade them to give up on you. "Now if you are planning on sending me on that stupid route along the beach, I would rather have a meltdown here, I am simply not going. It's nothing but corrosion, corrosion, corrosion, I cannot imagine what that Brunel bloke was thinking of."

If one did, then probably descended from Dr John Lightfoot, who's famed commentary found in many earlier copies of the 'KIng James' or 'Authorised Version' of the Bible commences at the creation: 4004 B.C. 23rd October, 9 a.m.. Well of course it was 9 a.m., that's when any self respecting Englishman commenced his day at the office. Among other matters, he had the exact date and time when Cain caved in Abel's head; I am sure the Noteden Constabulary CID would have appreciated this information to assist in their enquiries, if only he could have provided it a little earlier. As indeed it would appear was the slack tart's fare,

Possibly. The tool making process is to copy the model, so even features that are model only rather than prototypical get copied. Look at how the two bogies have been copied, revealed in the photograph in post 6014. If there was any concern for economy of effort, only the simpler one requiring less material to make(unpowered) needed to be scanned to create the CAD, and then two identical tools cut. (Which tells us that the process is so cheap, that no thought need be given to economy!) What material was used for the exterior bogie frame in the GBL product? If metal - rather than plastic per Lima - that may make them more difficult to use.

The cylinder exhaust is still used to entrain the flue gas and thus create the draught for the fire as usual: but instead of being ejected immediately via the smokebox chimney the flue gas was first drawn through the heat exchanger by the entrainment created by the cylinder exhaust at the side chimney. It is the moving jet of cylinder exhaust that is at lower pressure than the surrounding atmosphere that leads to this entrainment. This is the source of the smokebox 'vacuum' (and the reason why enough 'vacuum' to create draught for the fire can still be created in smokeboxes with fair sized holes where they are not supposed to be). Most of the heat recovery was from the flue gas. Most of the corrosion to the preheater elements was from the flue gas too. The usual UK coal had high sulphur content, which burns to sulphur dioxide. Condensation of water in the preheater resulted in the sulphur dioxide forming sulphurous and then sulphuric acid, with entirely predictable results on ferrous metal construction. To minimise this effect it would have been necessary after ash removal to thoroughly purge the preheater with live steam from the boiler whenever the loco was going to stand cooling after running; first to flush out all the acid gas, and then to leave the preheater hot, well above the atmospheric boiling point of water, so that it then dried out. An ICI process chemist pointed this out to BR when the F-C experiment was announced, BR predictably ignored this advice. For sure it wouldn't have been a popular addition to the disposal tasks at the end of the turn for the crew ; half choked as they were by a cab full of exhaust all too often when running. First paragraph edited for clarity.

And you also learned the value of comic juxtaposition. Alan Coren did it slightly better in his 'Great American Novel of whenever it was'; but yours is an honourable effort.

Weather returned to more like normal for the time of year, now Bank Holiday is past. Evidence of two pigeons that bought it in the garden this morning. One definitely by fox I think, judging by the honk of the dropping it left on the remains of one wing, with many other heavily mauled parts lying around; and I suspect an avain raptor for the other, very neat circle of plumage on the ground, nothing else left except a foot. (With a total of three pigeon feet on the ground, I am confident that two were done in.) Happily I was spared Latin by a modern curriculum arranged on the principle that subjects of current relevance were perhaps rather more valuable. Never yet been stumped by lack of Latin, but would have been seriously embarrassed by inability to read French and German. Japanese would have been useful but the need wasn't foreseen, just as Mandarin might well be handy today. What will it be tomorrow? The explanation of Latin master's legendary viciousness was given by a friend, ex Rugby School, Trinity, HM armed forces, fine upstanding chap, etc.. His view was that since Latin had been the mark of a grammar school or private education prior WWII, these people typically achieved commissioned rank in the war. Post war those with no real abilities to offer in civilian life were 'reduced' to teaching the one subject they knew which had some rarity value: Latin. The drilled in institutional authority over other ranks, was turned on the pupils. (Those among the Latin masters who been NCO's doubly so.) As it dawned on the educational establishment that Latin was of significantly diminished value, the tension within these poor s.o.b's. increased, and the outworking of this further piled on the pupils. There's a good spread of schools still offering classics, both Latin and Greek; it is now seen as an exercise in mental development rather than possessing much material value. One of my nieces progressed from school to a Classics degree, and was quite impressed with just how much material of dubious worth has the tag 'classical literature'. If nothing else she reckons it has taught her discrimination between the worthy and the worthless. But start from a common sense evaluation of your own: the power consumption rating of all the devices on the circuits, the state of the sockets and all visible wiring, likewise the state of the appliances. All electrical devices with water in are top suspects, washing machines, dishwashers, immersion heaters, electric kettles, in addition to the iron already mentioned.

Simply not true. Never yet had a decoder destroyed by a short in the track supply on or off the loco. It just stops on losing track supply due to the short, and restarts on track supply being resumed. If you read what I posted, you will notice I have satisfactorily operating DCC decoder equipped metal kit builds. But some models are very difficult due to the design of the prototype, a good example my all brass Ivatt C12 4-4-2T. The flanges of the bogie wheels run a bare 0.25mm below the brass footplating, and any applied insulation gets worn through by the flanges - I run my models a lot - and there's the short circuit potential. The only cures that occur to me are: Plastic bogie wheelsets - yuk, and I need pick up on the bogie anyway, Undersize bogie wheels - degraded accuracy and appearance of the model. A very thin non-conducting sheet material replacement for the brass footplating and complete rebuild of the front end to install. Likely the flanges will quickly wear clean through this...

BH Monday has been quiet for me after a weekend of general socialising, enabling visits today to a couple of elderly friends in declining health. Happily the one with the most severe problems has been put on a hefty morphine dose regime, and is now mentally in better shape as a result of being relieved of practically all pain. He's 'hanging on' for the birth of a first child, to two young friends whom he introduced and who subsequently married. Be good if that comes off well, baby due circa five weeks from now. In other news my favourite toddler of the moment - all of 18 months - succeeded in breaking his arm, and is now the proud possessor of a shoulder to hand plaster cast of extremely massive proportions relative to his own frame. I thought present day splinting was all lightweight, but apparently not. He's delighted with it, a 'built in' very potent weapon with which he can assault his older sibs, and any adult he wants to have a go at. Fine bruise on my kneecap. This one's going to go far, having given me a good belt he treated me to the biggest gummiest grin imaginable, radiating innocence. Just wait until you get the 'Barely Ambulant Club' out for a trip. At one time there was a London Underground driver in our church congregation, and he once told the tale of an 'event' involving a group of a couple of dozen elderly folk going to a funeral. Two of them sustained injuries attempting to board and getting struck by the doors, one of them multiple times having fallen in the doorway. Ended up with the line service suspended before it was all sorted out.

It is quite impressive enough if the yokes on the ends of the piston rods, the yoke guides, the connecting rods to the wheels and the coupling rods are represented, and all the moving parts move. A P4 layout which was exhibited for the 150th anniversary in 1975 had most of this tackle in rigid wire, only the coupling rods were mechanically functional. The valve gear drive proper comes off eccentrics on the axle at the driver's end, the eccentric rods go up to a frame above the firebox, and there are the gabs and valve rods running to the valves adjacent each cylinder. The movements are tiny, can all be done rigid in fine wire in 4mm unless feeling truly heroic would be my suggestion.

Likewise, that's soft and 'blobby', I wouldn't have guessed that came from the same shop that produced the Pepp A2. Considering the mountain of s/h class 47 bodyshells out there already, of limited modelling value; now we wait for a hero/expert of the 'silk purse from sow's ear' school.

You might get much of the effect of the brake hangers and blocks, by fitting them ahead of the leading coupled wheelset only, to eliminate the expanse of tyre on view when the loco is viewed approaching. Modelling on the Pareto principle: 80% of the appearance for 20% of the effort.

For any impressed with the Cardington hangars, may I suggest reading 'Slide Rule' by Nevil Shute (Norway) if it has so far escaped your reading list. A very informative read, in so, so, many ways, covering in part what went on in these edifices. Today I are been mostly cooking, as we are entertaining a crowd this evening. I have my new see through Wellington cooking boots to show off, essential for those tending to exuberance in culinary matters resulting in major floorward excursions of sloppy stuff. I have been watching the price come down over a couple of years at a nearby stockist, from outrageous to well under a tenner, and the latter price was much too much tempting. With a little negotiation on other items being purchased at the time they were thrown in as a sweeetner, clearly sticking to the shelves, cannot imagine why. Good to read positive reports from those dealing with health issues, as they do encourage me in pressing the point with some acquaintance who are neglecting themselves. 'Much can be done, you might even get close to normal service can be resumed'.