Phil Traxson

Cars blocking the track are a lot less likely once the new Porthmadog By-Pass is open and the traffic isn't queuing to get round the Island at the other end of the High Street. Unfortunately it will kill the free publicity of the main road running right past all the stations as well, unless a train is running under or over the By-Pass as they cross it most folks won't notice any of the railways are there. Phil Traxson

It isn't a model railway, you can't just put a set of points in and run to a different station. The cost of the legislation and inspections to do this would eat up finances that could be better used elsewhere so negating its usefulness, particularly as it would only be a temporary arrangement. Incidentally the alterations to harbour station involve extending to the wet side not the road side! Phil Traxson

I believe that the reason is that until Harbour station and the adjacent part of the Cob have been modified the station cannot cope with the full summer time table from both lines. Phil Traxson

I was thinking along the same lines, even that ain't cheap though! Phil T.

Very accurate but again not cheap due to the cost of the machinery in the first place. Well worth investigating though. Phil Traxson.

It's not quite as simple as you make out to make tooling for injection moulding plastic, and for low volume sales, which the chaldron will be, will almost certainly be uneconomic. Just consider the quote for a wagon wheel centre to fit an available rim, which I needed, was over £300 and go from there, patternmaking is not cheap in any medium. Just think how long it takes to research and scratchbuild one side, one end and the chassis of a basic wagon, which is what is needed for a simple wagon kit, and then multiply that by around £15 per hour and you will have a rough idea of the cost. Remember you are paying for the skill of the patternmaker and the cost of the machines he is using, for simple plasticard masters this will only be a rule, square, knife and glue plus the research and ability to read(and probably make) and work to a drawing, still not cheap, but not as expensive as the thousands invested in machine tools for making injection moulding tools. My offer to look at resin casting the kits still stands, but I will need some one to provide the patterns as I no longer have the time to do this. I think it would be best if the patternmaker and I met so that what he made was compatible with my production methods. Phil Traxson Port Wynnstay Models

The only 0-16.5 one I know of is the Sentinel Steam railcar that I produce, see EDM Models, Port Wynnstay pages. But it is a large model even though it is based on a 2' 6" gauge prototype. Phil Traxson Port Wynnstay Models

Do they have to be in brass? If you scratch built one as a kit of parts, in any material you feel happy working in, I would be prepared to look at them with a view to casting them in resin. Twenty is an ideal run for one set of moulds and if more were needed you've still got the masters. A quick thought is separate sides and ends and a one piece solebar/bufferbeam/chassis with separate 'w' iron/axleboxes. I'll be away from tomorrow until Friday but think about it and if you are interested get back to me. Phil Traxson Port Wynnstay Models

Given that they are standard sizes it is possible to cast complete single compartments in resin, I already cast a 7mm compartment for Alphagrafix for one of the Irish narrow gauge coaches. The alternative is a seat plus thin compartment wall unit which glue back to back, which I already cast for other retailers in gauge one and gauge three, plus all the ones I do for the interior of my own 7mm narrow gauge coaches. The internal corridor wall would be a simple flat casting, effectively a flat coach side, contrary to popular opinion it is possible to cast flat detailed sheets down to .020 inches thick (or thin!). The only problem with this is that I am flat out casting at the moment ( a great feeling in the present economic climate), and would need patterns making anyway as that is something I very rarely have time to do. (Except in the evenings when I'm away on holiday!) Perhaps a nice little hobby business here for someone? I don't mind showing you how and can put you in touch with my materials suppliers. Phil Traxson Port Wynnstay Models

I think you will find that the 'pathing purposes' were due to the fact that the timetable allows for running into Porthmadog, saves working out new paths when it eventually happens, the same thing happened on the FR in the run up to opening to Blaenau but the long layover happened at Tanygrisiau then. Phil Traxson

Not in the guards van but it might fit in the bicycle wagon they have! Phil Traxson

I'm pretty sure I have a couple of the 'K's K14 kits unbuilt in my pile, will have a look later. They are the last batch which were sold with plastic bogies and wheels both of which will need replacing(they weren't even state of the art when they were released!). I have a built one with the whitemetal bogies and decent wheels too which I might be persuaded to part with. Price to follow when I make sure I still have them, the unbuilt ones will be very reasonable PM me if you are interested. Phil Traxson

Peter, Are you going to be at Southampton Exhibition at the end of January. If so I will (try to remember to!!)bring along some 009 slate wagon kits I built some years ago before I moved up a scale, there are probably only half a dozen but they may help you out a little. They are serving no purpose sitting in a box for the past 10 or more years and I'm sure we can come to an agreement over them that suits us both. Phil Traxson (Port Wynnstay Models)