Arthur

Which might suggest that Kernow have the experience and ability to choose a partner who will deliver a successful product. They certainly have more experience of actually dealing with DJM than any of us do.

Re. the professional builder building a kit to match a particular locomotive at a particular time, that should surely be a discussion which takes place when the commission and costs are agreed. Be that paying the builder for research time and costs or the customer agreeing to furnish the required information and specifications. It shouldn't just be expected as part of the basic kit build costs. As ever, good communications are the key.

Yes it is, another feature of RTR. On a real locomotive the reversing lever raises or lowers the rear end of the radius rod. The radius rod has a trunnion which moves up and down within the slotted link. As the motion from the eccentric crank moves the bottom of the slotted link to and fro, that motion is transferred, via the sliding trunnion, to the radius rod. That, in turn, drives the piston valve spindle to and fro admitting steam to the cylinders. The curve of the slotted link varies the amount of travel of radius rod and, therefore, piston valves varying the volume of steam admitted into the cylinder. By raising or lowering the rear end of the radius rod the driver can vary the 'cut off'. This motion is absent on RTR models though it can, with extra work be built into kits, though unless, moveable you're stuck in forward or reverse gear.

For info; Just checked the Invicta site for my pre-order. There didn't seem to be a way to track it down? However, I was reminded that these aren't Hatton like pre orders, you express an interest and Invicta email you when they're available and only then do you give payment details.

I think that £260:00 is for a kit built A1 so you need to add in the cost of the kit.

It's not the slotted link, it's the Eccentric Crank, which is fixed in relation to the axle. In the diagram it has a four bolt fixing, other applications see it with a split end and fitted over a square boss with a clamping bolt. With the crank pins at bottom dead centre, the eccentric will be fixed with either a forwards or backwards lean. That is the aspect RTR often gets wrong. Edit; post crossed with Nick's.

As can be imagined, the problem of ore frozen into wagons was even more acute in the northern states of the U.S. Some works had the entire unloading gantry under cover and steam heated along with steam lances into the wagons.

True, the blast furnaces, and the coke ovens, would have operated throughout the shutdown however, because they cannot just be 'switched off', the works would have held a considerable stock of ore on site to guarantee it's constant availability. During the shutdown the works could have managed with reduced, or even no ore supplies, allowing maintenance time for the wagon fleet.

Well I never thought that the day would come when I could tell Larry Goddard that he'd got a coach livery wrong but you've got those chickens facing the wrong way....... Hat, coat, gone.

Email from Hattons this morning states that the BR maroon version is 'due in stock soon'.

What shocking and desperately sad news. After the initial shock of hearing of Dave's diagnosis, his ongoing good humour and spirit seemed to hold such promise. However, I know from close personal experience, this is a disease which can take cruel and sudden turns. What a dreadful end to a brave fight. Dave Shakespeare RIP. Condolences to Julie and Dave's family.

What a disappointment (whinge), never worked in the Manchester area (grumble), never shunted a steelworks (grizzle)..... So why the hell have I just ordered one!!! Well, they're kinda cute.

I do like Rob's images, I've ticked many a 'like' button, I have a folder in which I save many of them, and I still marvel at the skill in producing them. However, at one point, this thread in particular, seemed to become a constant stream of, essentially very similar, images. I got to the stage of thinking 'not another' and then to not even opening the thread. I would have felt exactly the same had somebody posted endless photographs of their wonderfully detailed, improved and weathered model. Two or three photos great, thirty? Just a bit too much. No matter how good the modelling. Posting a few photo manipulated images in the relevant model thread, that's great, but after that, I see no harm in suggesting that others, as many as you want, are posted in a separate images thread. It's just a question of balance.

Good Grief man, we're British. Rorke's Drift, Dunkirk, Taunton Modules.....there's nothing we like better than muddling along and snatching victory from the jaws of defeat!

A couple of recent acquisitions, Played yesterday, an oldie; Uriah Heep - Demons & Wizards And for today, a newie; Yes - Heaven & Earth

Pure Colin Gifford, sublime modelling and photography.

Thanks for that clarification Colin. I couldn't see any offence in Simon's joke and was wondering what the fuss was about. Edit; thanks Mod4, too.

And if they don't make a profit the days of RTR manufacturers are numbered.

Hi Dave, hope you're well, Yes, it's a traditional, open topped, hot metal (iron) ladle used to transfer iron from blast furnaces to the steel making plants, in the north east they'd be open hearth at that time. It'll be bound for one of the Dorman Long plants. It doesn't have 'wings' so wouldn't serve a pig casting machine. The reference in the caption to cupolas is wrong. Cupolas re melt pig iron for foundry use and generally produce only a few, or a few tens of tons, per cast. That ladle would take 70 tons or so. Head Wrightson were UK agents for the U.S. Company Treadwell and it's one of their designs. Steel ladles, rarely, if ever moved by rail, have a mechanism to allow the steel to flow out of the bottom. They are never lip poured in order to keep the floating slag out of the mould.

Or just unnecessarily pedantic perhaps......

There weren't any mines close to Patricroft, well, not that hadn't closed pre 1900. Nor any other industrial steam operations which were that close, I know, it was my local shed. Do you mean Agecroft perhaps? Agecroft Power Station (CEGB), immediately adjacent to Agecroft Colliery, operated three RSH 0-4-0ST's. I cannot recall when they went out of service there but they were certainly in use in the late 70's, probably longer.

They are, for sure, elusive beasts. I've posted this link before but you may not have seen it Paul. https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnneave/3962190245/ Two, more vague, references; There is also a photo in one of the old Bradford Barton albums, 'Steam in the Peak District' (something like that) showing a Crab at the head if a train of them on their way to Irlam. I also seem to recall a photo of a train of them behind a Stanier 8F, passing through one of the CLC stations close to Irlam, in an issue of Backtrack. The Lancashire Steel Corporation themselves, certainly post WWII, didn't do much in the way of prompotional materials. Having worked there, it's one company I've particularly sought info on and there's not that much about.

They're what I used on my module for Taunton (the modules sit on tables).

A young guy playing golf takes a high speed ball right in the wedding tackle. Dropping to the ground he writhes in agony. Within an hour he's at A&E desperately seeking reassurance. Doc, he says, will it be okay, I'm getting married on Saturday and my fiancé is a virgin, a sweet, innocent girl. I really don't want to spoil the wedding night. Well, looking at the bent and bruised member, we'll need to splint it, replies the Doc, but it should be fine by then. The doc takes some medical glue and some wooden tongue depressors and fashions four splints, top, bottom and either side. Some cut down bits form a nice framework around it and he even fashions a panel to protect the end. Rest it, he says, and you should be fine. The man keeps the incident to himself, not wishing to worry his fiancé as the big day approaches. Come the big night his new bride tears off her blouse revealing a perfect body. Darling, she says, no-one has touched these, I've saved myself for you! Grinning wildly, the groom drops his pants, And look at this he says......still in the crate!!

Thanks Rob, just pleased that you found the info. of some interest. I did some similar calculations for the steel carrying fleet on the BCB project layout and have done some for steel tube for the forthcoming 4mm Bachmann tube wagon.