2mmMark

And just underneath them were the Loftwuffe.

They were obviously up against an utterly roofless enemy.

Re the ZAG Unimat lathe discussion, I found this for sale http://www.lathes.co.uk/advertphoto/201126-unimat/ The electrics need sorting but it would be a good buy for anyone starting lathe work

That's very nice. As you say the lining is outstanding, possibly one of Ian's best jobs in 2mm. We'll have to arrange a photo session for it once we're unlocked.

Close! Staines West. A greasy, wet & rusty penetration into LSWR territory.

Been out wasting petrol this sunny and crisp afternoon. I wonder if anyone recognises the location? Clue - the 350 Bullet definitely isn't the building's one time owner's nickname.

I will very much miss Roy, he's been a huge influence on my modelling, plus a wise and helpful counsel when I've had occasion to call him. His recent book on The Crowsnest Tramway will stand as a great epitaph for his own modelling.

Nice! I bet a lot of people think that's a twin. The primary chaincase on your J2 is a dead spit for the one on my S2. I had the S2 running this morning. I just managed to catch the clutch at the point before it slipped and it fired up. Fresh petrol and a clean projected tip (BHP6S) plug did the job. Being a member of the motorcycle team at Brooklands has given me the opportunity to get familiar with a wide range of pre-1939 machinery. My favourite of the collection is the 1931 Douglas EW 600. incidentally, a 10 part documentary about the restoration work at Brooklands has been filmed and will be shown on the Yesterday channel sometime in the new year.

It's indeed much better than you'd think. It's very much like an old fashioned sprung bicycle saddle.

A recent acquisition, rescued from being a static exhibit in a proposed but covid-aborted coffee shop. A Royal Enfield S2 250cc, in very tidy condition but needing some recommissioning. The Type 74 Amal carb is doing its typical leaky thing, the clutch slips and all the control cables need remaking. Nothing major and I've had the bike running this morning, nice quiet engine. According to the dating certificate, it left the factory on 30th May 1938, dispatched to the Royal Enfield agent Bob Sergeant in Liverpool. It still has the correct engine and frame numbers. I have the correct speedo to be refitted but I'll need to find or remake the necessary drive gears. It's missing the valve lifter but I've found some of the required parts available for sale... in Australia!

I happen to know where online one-to-one video tuition in English grammar can be obtained... ;-)

The J94 chassis is rather unsatisfactory in my experience. I have a Ballantine rewheeled J94 and while it runs, it's not what I would call a happy mechanism. It originally had turned down wheels as it was converted for the earlier editions of the 2mm Beginners Guide. This long predated the chassis kit, which I feel is now the right route to a very much better loco in the long run, particularly as we now have accurate wheels in the 2mm shop. The body does require some work to improve it. RT Models have an etched set of parts to upgrade the cab. The chassis kit will require some work to provide the visible part of the boiler under the saddle tank. Quite few of us had high hopes for the N scale DJM J94 being an improvement on the Farish model but it seems that avenue is now closed off for the foreseeable future. Mark

We have some beautiful London Plane trees made by Shirley on Copenhagen Fields.

The "letter from Towcester" made me re-read the article on Copenhagen Fields in MRJ 279. The description of the article and by assocation, of Tim, is one that I completely fail to recognise. I'm wondering if there are maybe two different editions of issue 279... Yes, Tim took a somewhat provocative stance in order to make what I think are valid points about layouts in general but knowing Tim as I do, he would never deny anyone's enjoyment in building whatever type of layout they choose. Considering the opening paragraphs referred to in the letter, I've got a foot in both camps, having worked on CF since its inception and concurrent with CF, built a number of the "two sidings, two buffers stops" layouts Tim mentions. Some of those layouts have gone to new homes, one or two are still in my possession but they have their flaws and don't get used much nowadays. The fact that 36 years later, CF still holds the attention of its builders speaks volumes for the concept. People will no doubt make up their own minds about the criticisms levelled at the layout in the letter. It's still unfinished and can absorb almost any amount of detail we make for it so yes there are areas which are indeed sterile. What seems like a reasonably significant bit of work on the workbench just disappears into the overall scene on the layout. Colouring is a subjective issue. My personal view on this is that 2mm scale benefits from subdued colouring because the eye takes in a wider view than the larger scales. Items with more intense colouring can then be used selectively as highlights. The uniformity of buildings is a odd thing to mention as many streets in the area modelled did have identical "spec-built" housing. As an earlier post describes, the buildings are taken from the real life locality. Far from being "priggish and self-righteous", the team who work on CF are their own sternest critics. If we're guilty of anything, it'd be a certain amount of irreverance for the chosen subject.

I think it's a great idea, building a good solid long lasting baseboard from scratch is a non-trivial activity. Especially considering some of the rubbish quality "timber" in the big DIY sheds. A simple kit that can be cleanly assembled in a domestic environment is a winner, I think. Perhaps one day we'll see some of these layouts at exhibitions? If so, the height of 950mm is about right for the type of layout it's likely to accomodate. Personally, I'd be cautious about building a solid 6 by 4 or even 8 by 4 board in a domestic environment. I think there's a case for encouraging potential users to think more modular. Maybe that's to come as the range develops. mark

What you might have seen was Les Brown's 2.5mm scale EMU. Les worked in TT (at 2.5mm/ft) before moving to 2mm scale. Mark

I'm half expecting to see the face of Bishop Len Brennan...

Here's how I did it. As I wasn't cutting close to the can motor, I was a little casual about any protection for the bearings. A 1mm shaft, as on the Association's can motor and many others, won't take long to cut through or make a lot of swarf. An open frame 1.5mm shaft motor will need some more protection. I have been successful in pressing the shaft through the motor on open frame Tenshodo (Hanazono) motors, converting a double ended motor into a long shaft single ender. You can't do that on a Mashima.

I'm just setting off for the 2mm AGM. I don't expect the traffic to be too bad once I get past the lounge. I may have to step over one or other of the dogs. See you later everyone.

That's looking very good Julia. I've definitely seen similar formations with timbering like that.

Courtesy of Phil Copleston, who sent me the link.

At 07:51 in this video, there's a good view of a standard/2ft gauge crossing which might offer some ideas.

I wonder if they have any Hungarian customers?

It's the best way to build them! mark

I don't think Chee Tor was dismissed lightly, the Copenhagen Fields team are very good friends with the Chee Tor team and there have been occasions where the two have been exhibited in the same venue. Having helped move Chee Tor, it was very heavy, due to the weight of the carved plaster scenery. I believe it didn't really have the crating and portability that Copenhagen Fields has been forced to adopt. Maybe that took its toll on the enthusiasm and motivation to exhibit? I believe it now has a permanent home in Canada. Both Chee Tor and Chiltern Green & Luton Hoo reached a point where further development gave diminishing returns. I feel this is a characteristic of, for want of a better term, countryside layouts. Even now, after nearly 40 years, Copenhagen Fields can still absorb just about any detail that's worthwhile incorporating. Earlier this year, I made a couple of vehicles (pre-war Reliant and Austin 7 vans) which are admittedly both tiny. On the layout, they will become quite insignificant little items. Before that, I produced some advertising hoardings which seemed quite large on the workbench but simply became part of the overall scene. Perhaps this is why the layout has been able to sustain the team's interest for such a long time. Mark