luke_stevens

In the Pannier Papers they mention that as boilers were changed loco's that had top-feeds could loose them if fitted with a boiler that didn't have a top-feed. So just because a loco got a top-feed didn't mean it would have kept it... Frustrating for us poor modelers! Luke

Because the tooling still existed... I've often wondered what would have happened if in the Luftwaffe had dropped some of their munitions differently. Would we have have started again from scratch in H0 or would they just have restarted in 00? Probably the latter... Luke

The Railtour seems to have been 2nd Dec '62. So between mid-Sept and early-Dec all 3 locos were at Eastleigh being "examined"? I'd be very surprised if there wasn't a great switch-a-roo of parts to ensure that the best 2 locos was provided for the Railtour and, in 587's case, into preservation. All we need know is a selection of photos from Eastleigh in the autumn of '62...

Thanks for this. V.interesting! I suspect you're right and there may have been some door swapping between the 3 BWT's. That would explain the door lamp irons suddenly disappearing. I also wonder about boiler exchanges... If 30585 and 30587 were prepared for rail-tours I wonder what the position was of 30586? Was it in service or was it used for spare parts? (and I just though I'd buy a BWT and run it, but now I'm getting all technical!) Luke

Thanks for the list! I was wondering what was being done and the Dapol website isn't exactly overflowing with information! Luke

Hi Guys, I've got a question about 30587 and lamp irons and the late lion I can find lots of in-service photos of 587 with smokebox door lamp irons, I can find some with smokebox front lamp irons, but I can't find any with no lamp irons. When I chatted with Kernow on Sat at Ally Pally they said the no-lamp-irons-no-shedcode version of 587 was the one they had modeled and there was a photo. I can't find any. Anyone know where there might be "that photo"? (nothing on ColourRail) Thanks Luke

Still V.impressed with Kernow! Replacement arrived in return post! It's spend some time on my DCC Concepts Rolling Road and now potters back and forth in near silence. Luke

I'm sure that almost all BWT's were fine. I suspect I was just unlucky. I only realised there was an issue when I ran it track that wasn'the as clean as it should have been. It went back to Kernow this lunchtime. Luke

Yes, I should have said wiper pick up! The electrical path wheel - bearing - chassis is fine but there is no connection between chassis and motor, so it's boxed and going for a rest cure in Cornwall... It is a bit of a struggle to get the geared wheels back in once you've got the out isn't it! And yes, roll on the 02 and the 1361 (and the 14xx) Luke

Positive e-mail from Kernow already! It will be making it's way back tomorrow. V.impressed with Customer Service from Kernow (Again!) Now I just need to be able to put it back together... Luke

I now know the answer. I very carefully started to dismantle my BWT, checking electrical continuity as I went.I now have a organised pile of bits but I know what is wrong: The left hand side of the chassis is electrically dead. The pick up to the sprung un-powered front wheel is fine, but there is no electrical connection from the driving axles on the left hand side. The problem is exactly the same as the Hubble telescope suffered from: there is a layer of paint where it should be. In Hubble's case it made the mirrors focus wrong, in the BWT it insulates the sprung pick up from the left hand side of the chassis. I know how to repair it but I don't have a small enough screwdriver to release the pick up and clean the paint away. I've contacted Kernow and suspect it will be winging it's way back to Cornwall. But it is a beautiful model! Luke PS the Kernow website sell as a spare a smokebox door for 30587 with a 73F shedcode plate...

Hi Chris, ColourRail have a photo from above of 6400 itself at Seaton, but it's been raining so it isn't too clear. http://www.colour-rail.com/Preview.ashx?Cat=6&Ref=392299 have a look and see what you think. http://www.colourrail.com/Category1.aspx Luke

Hi Guys, I hope this is a silly question but... on how many wheels should the BWT pick up? Looking frm the cab to smoke box my one picks up on both wheels of the front axle and both driving wheels on the right hand side. There is no connection from the driving wheels on the left side, except to each other. Has mine got a loose pick up? Thanks Luke

But it's clearly there in your photograph (Front.jpg)... Luke

And fifth to e-mail to other manufacturers with a note saying "This is good customer service from a responsible manufacturer" (You wouldn't need to send one to Jason from Rapido as I think he also understands...) Thanks for all you're doing Dave, much appreciated! Luke

Like Micky in Fantasia as the Sorcerer's Apperentice? Luke

Now due east of Cadiz bearing 285 degrees. Can there have been a ship so eagerly awaited by railway modelers? (It will only be when it gets to Southampton that we'll discover it actually on a different ship!) Luke

DC Kits have a specific one for the VEP http://www.dckits-devideos.co.uk/shop/dcc_digital_loco_sounds/diesel_electric_digital_loco_sounds_includes_the_all_new_xl_v4_decoder_/class_423_4vep_southern_region_emu_dcc_dck003_.php Luke

Yes, I remember it well. It wasn't every day by any means but once in a while I'd be going home on a 4Sub and it would be a wonderfully warm and tasty smell. At the age of 8 I didn't realise what it was actually caused by... Luke

The correct web address is http://oxfordrail.com/. shouldn't make a difference but it does. I wonder what we'll get next Tuesday? Luke

Easily done! I only have a small shelf layout but have rigged up a couple of active speakers in the pelmet and use some of the tracks from http://www.fantasonics.com/. It's an american company but I suspect lots would be useful to a British modeller. At the Nescot show last year there was an amazing n-gauge layout of Penzance. But it was slient. I had on my phone a sound of a beach with waves, seagulls and the like. I played it just loud enough for me to hear it. It made an amazing layout an even better experience. I got my cd from DCC Supplies. it really makes a difference! Luke

Their website seems to have been dead for the last week or so. "The site is temporarily off-line for track maintenance. We apologise for any inconvenience caused" Hopefully it will be back up soon and some of the recording are of interest. Luke

Please be aware that the sandwich is NOT yet part of the moulding! According to Kit is is something to do with difficulty in tooling the crusts... Luke

Only one?!? There were two in the cabinet this morning! Thought with a quick glance I couldn't tell what the difference was... Luke

I thought they got reused as Mk3 brake pads... Luke