Hal Nail

Which size box are you thinking? I really liked Steve Fay’s builds but needed a smaller more typical branch type and had been hoping for some time Phil would do a smaller 6 window type. I suddenly noticed the other day he has one in the range now, so I jumped in for one yesterday!

I bought some bike parts which were clearly faulty some years ago and opened a PayPal claim which was found in my favour. I was then told there were no funds in the seller’s PayPal account to replay me so the account was simply blocked until more funds went in (which is unlikely to happen if a company isn’t trading). In the meantime I had contacted my credit card linked to fund my own PayPal account, and they had refunded me instantly. Having said all that, unfortunately if a company ceases to trade and is being officially wound up or similar, there will be protocols on the order that people get repaid out of any funds freed up (which is why an independent liquidator is appointed in the first place) and PayPal and credit cards may not be able to intervene anyway. I’m sure in due course all creditors would be contacted and invited to lodge a claim. It is quite possibly too soon for that at the moment given we haven’t confirmed it has actually happened yet. If anyone has better info feel free to correct me but this is my understanding of how these things generally work which is merely intended to help (albeit not very positive) anyone in this situation.

It was that one which originally prompted me to enquire about a smaller version - just checked again and he has the 6 window type I'm after now. Thanks for the heads up!

I looked into having a 5 or 6 window standard box done but couldn’t really justify the design cost in the end. Was rather hoping you might opt for a more common one for this! Do you know what area it controlled? Presumably not a lot given the small size?

Do you always ballast your fiddle yards? Now that is high standards!

I rather glibly stated earlier I was going to do the usual bogie mods to recess the springs. This turned out to be slightly harder than anticipated although has speeded up considerably with practice. The top photo is as bought (which if nothing else has identified that the mystery part will launched across the room the other day was the speedo cable). To get the side frames off - which are blocked by the D shaped piece hanging down from the chassis itself, I originally released the bogie undoing the retaining piece shown in photo 2. It didn't dawn on me at this point that I was about to move the springs to completely block access to these screws. Photo 3 shows how to avoid this by simply levering off the chassis side piece! Cutting the springs off the bogie requires a blend of care and crude language but remounting them is simple. My methods have become increasingly less sophisticated and by No. 4 I simply welded several slabs of crudely cut plasticard together and filed down to size after it had set. While it was all apart i did a lot of fettling to the side frames which, as supplied, taper towards the front and add to the generally undesirable low relief effect - not really apparent in the photos but filing things so all edges are perpendicular to the face, does improve things to the eye. I will, at some point, probably drill out the low relief inside brake hangers - oddly the outer ones are separate pieces mounted in line with the wheels but not the inners.

I was under the impression they didn’t have weights as well but plenty of photos of vans with short running boards and weights on Paul Bartlett’s (again indespensible) site.

Surely ice hockey? Masterpiece aren’t going so I’ve just stood the chauffeur down for the day.

Whatever the opposite of halcyon is.... https://www.networkrail.co.uk/feeds/network-rail-statement-dawlish-update/

I had a call from Tower today to say they won’t be attending (I had arranged to pick up an order). Have to say despite me somehow surviving the slippery platforms which caused Paddington to shut just after I got through this morning, I was beginning to think the risk of being stranded north of Watford was a little on the rash side.

Hang on a minute.... students got paid????!!!!

Thanks David - very interesting to hear from a manufacturer's angle. Good point above: I think we all rather assumed that each kit sold did at least make some positive contribution - however you may well be right! Having said that it isn't just their diesel kits of course - we've also (at least currently) lost some other ranges as well and I still hope that the likes of the ex Malcolm Mitchell etched kits can be salvaged in time.

Some very valid points in support of kits but the point he was actually making, whether we like it or not, is clearly there aren't enough of us buying them!

Top left photo above is missing the bottom of the front - I presume that's accident/corrosion damage rather than a regular modification? Don't recall noticing others like it. (Also just out of interest, same photo, on the right, they've got the line of the yellow all wrong!)

I read elsewhere the published financial accounts have shown cumulative losses running towards £2m. Can speculate all day but perhaps they sold off discounted stuff at a loss, simply to generate cash flows to pay the staff. A great shame.

I would try the appointed liquidator direct. It mentions a name in the Gazette announcement posted earlier. We liquidated an old (dormant) company at work recently and if I recal correctly once they take over, the existing staff have no powers over bank accounts etc anyway. Edit: I’m not clear if it has got as far as actually appointing yet but as least you’ll get an answer! Good luck.

Model railway satire is a minefield! Anyway I shall go back to just looking at the pictures.

It was a joke - referring to the way the spats mentioned develop - but total apologies to anyone if that wasn’t clear!

What a stupid opinion! This thread is worryingly like a relationship at times. One minute everything is pretty cosy, pleasant to look at etc then suddenly, from no where, I’m in all sorts of trouble, completely out of my depth and hoping If I close my eyes it will all go away. I’m still getting used to the idea I need to make points, I’m not ready to worry about loading frogs when I rebuild point motors yet!

I have been to plenty of cafes where that was clearly not deemed an obstacle.

Chin up! Take a break and come back. Don’t mean to be glib - just whenever I have a set back it seems totally off putting but often when you come back later, a lttile progress helps and you are away again!

I presume you used Thinkoprint? I’m amazed we all messed about making stuff with that just around the corner...

I’ve deliberately not got involved in this thread as these things are emotive but one thing I would say is that compared to, say, a class 47 cab (!), surely a mk1 coach is not the hardest thing in the world to capture?!

Mock up of the first coach - the other side and far end are both off at the moment, hence the see through look. The intention is to respray the other side unlined maroon but I'm waiting for warmer weather for that.

I see there is a part built 1366 on eBay which made me think of you. Fancy a second to keep you going when you finish the first? Hat, coat....