Brinkly

Hi everyone, Just a quick question. Looking at some photos of Mogo vans and in Atkin's book, it would seem that GWR 1'6" buffers with 2 ribs and 13" heads are used. Before I order a set of B020 from Lanarkshire Models, can someone just confirm this is correct. I know some had replacements over time. Thanks in advance. All the best, Nick

Evening all, We have had a look at designing the padlock and bar representation. Apologies about the image (a bit rough and ready) but you can see what we have done. Matt and I are going to have a night off and sleep on this one before we make a final decision. All the best, Nick.

Gents, Thanks for all your interest and feedback. I'm not going to answer every individual comments with regard to the lock. First of all, we know what the machine can and can't print. Including the lock is something that we were apprehensive about for a number of reasons. Primary reason being that the chucky nature of the front would detract from the overall finished look of the model. As I said earlier, my plan all along had been to add a separately fitted item and naturally, if anyone wants to customise, or modify their building further, we would be delighted! It makes it a unique item for your layout. What we want to achieve with this first model is a solid starting point from which you can accept onto your layout as is, or modify further. It isn't ever going to be perfect and we acknowledge and accept that. We don't have the resources of a large-scale firm - we hope to achieve that (keep taking the tablets Nick), but are pragmatic that this is our first major project item. Moving forward, Matt is looking at tweaking the design further but we can state now, a key will be something you will need to add yourselves! All the best, Nick.

I do like that plan. Go for it Rob! Best wishes, Nick.

Evening all, I pushed Matt's arm up his back and we have looked at designing a bit of bolt detailing. We don't know how well this will print: it is quite small! We would be interested to hear your thoughts. All the best, Nick.

Top stuff, sir! I can see Sir Henry alighting here on his way to Baskerville Hall. All the best, Nick.

Hi everyone, Thank you all for your interest and comments: both Matt and myself have been really inspired to push on as quickly as possible with certain projects. We had a bit of a shake down session last night, discussing some of the points and observations you fine fellows have mentioned. Potentially, we are going to look at bolt and padlock detailing tonight, although, the original idea (this is what I will probably do) was to add a slither of plasticard or brass strip to represent this feature. We know we can produce this on cad, however, it might not look quite as fine as a separately fitted piece when it comes to the final print. I've taken delivery of some further engineering prototypes today and have checked dimensions and measurements to ensure these are as accurate as possible. We are almost ready to launch our new website, so look out for that. Exciting times! All the best, Nick.

Hi Alex, Thank you for your support. Of course I can put you down for a hut. Milk crates are certainly high on our production schedule, as is a platform trolley. All the best, Nick.

Hi Mikkel, I've really enjoyed reading your post and watching your videos! Such a clever idea: I really like it. The scene just looks beautiful. All the best, Nick.

Such an annoyance that it doesn't work satisfactory. I do like the track plan though. Will you retain that idea with the new project? Best wishes, Nick.

I do like Iain's designs, even if the pointwork can be a little optimistic! I commissioned him to design my Horrabridge layout plan as I couldn't get something to work. Iain did a cracking job with it. I do find his work very easy to read: he has a lovely style. All the best, Nick.

I'd also just like to say thank you to everyone who sent messages to me over the past few months: it really has meant a great deal. I really did appreciate it. Good bunch of b***ers on here! All the best, Nick.

Something else I've been working on with a close friend, is producing some 3D printed models. This was one of the early prototype models for our GWR 8ft x 6ft lamp hut. This first model was full of errors (I blame Matt!) but it was a good exercise in learning what we could actually produce on CAD and print. This model now is part of Conor's (Matt's son) Brio trainset: I just need to convert him over to rugby now... The door was waaaaay to big, as were the corrugations but it proved what we could achieve. I painted the hut using Precision colours and weathered it to look fairly run down. The updated (and far more accurate) model is shown below. There are a few things to tweak; however, we are really pleased with what we have produced. We are hoping to sell these on in 2, 4 & 7mm scales (4mm first) fairly soon. More information can be found here. We have also produced our own 10-gallon milk churn, which again we are hoping to sell shortly. I'd be interested in seeing what people's thoughts are! All the best, Nick.

I can't believe it has been well over a year since I posted anything on here... So, first of all, this year has been a bit of a write-off so far. I ended up being admitted to Derriford for 10 days back in April with what turned out to be a gallbladder infection (packed with stones and a couple of cysts) and a trio of stones stuck in the common bile duct and liver, causing awful pain and jaundice. Two further stays in Derriford between then and June led to the sodding thing being removed. It has been a tricky recovery, as I've had a ton of nerve damage to contend with and learning what foods I can and can't eat anymore. Modelling has been something that I've done, but just not that often as I felt really unwell for quite a long time. However, the mojo has returned and I've been looking at completing some little projects. First of all, a few long-term things have been finished (well pretty much finished). A trio of steel mineral wagons have been completed: these are Bachmann repaints, converted to P4 using Ultrascale wheels. Some other wagons also underwent weathering over the summer. A Bachmann SR brake van, again converted to P4 using Ultrascale wheels, underwent some airbrush weathering. I used a limited pallet of colours from the Precision range, coupled with some Ammo by Mig pigments. Lastly, a SR CCT (P4 again) had a bit of a refurb with new cast buffers and some light weathering. More to follow shortly...

Dartmoor Model Services Hi everyone, I thought I would share with you the journey of what a good friend and I have been up to over the past couple of months. Not long into lockdown, Matt and I were discussing various models we had, or were making. Matt is a very old school friend and, back in the day, he used to bring various Airfix models over to my parent’s house to build on our kitchen table, while I would plod on with a railway related kit. Having discussed various things we would like to make, Matt made the decision to purchase a 3D printer and the rest is as they say history. Initially, I thought I would share with you our first prototypical railway models. These are all our own designs and it has been great fun learning how to design models, not just make them. Lock it up... First in our building line up is the 8ft by 6ft GWR Standard Lamp Hut, based on the drawing in A Pictorial Record of Great Western Architecture. This structure was a lot of fun to design and several of our early prototype models have become part of Connor, Matt’s son’s, Brio train set. The model is true to scale, being an example of this common structure during the steam and early diesel period. This is one of the engineering prototypes, but as can be seen (just), rivet detail, hinges and door fittings are nearing completion. We are particularly pleased with the overall shape and look of the model. Churning about... Continuing with the steam era, we are very proud to announce the first in range of milk churns. The first is based on the 10-gallon Totnes Creamery churns. True to scale, and featuring a wealth of small detail. Take a seat… Moving into the modern era, we have designed some platform and bus shelter seating. Based on one of the examples at Ivybridge station, this seat captures the look of this common resting point. We are very pleased with the overall look and shape of this model and once painted and weathered, it really comes to life. Painted example Load of rubbish… Another item in our modern era range is another every-day item: a rubbish bin! This is the first of a range of different modern-day high street clutter. The examples seen here have been painted by myself to give a flavour (or smell) of what’s to come. Based on types seen in South Devon - we won’t go in to how we measured this! Hopefully this announcement gives you a taste of what is to come. We are currently in the final stages of designing an extensive range of further products, including platform and station structures, station and good shed items, high street clutter and other household items which we will reveal in due course. Exact prices to be confirmed, but we know the lock-up will be priced below £5 for a 4mm model, with 2mm and 7mm yet to be confirmed. We also hope that the milk churns will be less than 50p a unit, but again, exact confirmation will follow shortly. The bins will be around the £0.50 mark and platform benches are also yet to be fully priced, but will aim to keep the price below £2.00 a unit. We plan to make final adjustments in design very shortly, with a view to taking orders soon. However, please do feel free to express any interest either on the thread or via a PM. At this stage, we would like to thank the volunteers at Staverton Station, who very kindly allowed us to check some measurements. Thank you for reading and stay tuned for further announcements shortly. Kind regards, Nick.

Hi Alex, I'm hoping I can continue to make a steady recovery. At the moment, I've had a huge number of complications with nerve damage to bits of my stomach and liver caused by the stones getting stuck in various bits that they shouldn't have been in! I'd like to go to the show and am hoping to pop along to see Yelverton. I had to miss our local mini-Scaleforum as we had Covid cases in class. Just the joys of it all currently! Take care and all the best, Nick.

Hi Brian, Getting there! Long old processes at the moment, but I am back at work and enjoying just being a 'teacher' again. I dropped all my leadership roles and responsibilities when I returned. Anyway. I think the turn tables were used a little more than just for turning trains with snow ploughs. To reduce wear on the wheels, I've seen 4410 running smokebox and bunker first to Princetown, so I suspect on lighter loads (or when no one was looking) the locomotives were turned on them. Officially, crews were meant to turn their locomotives at Launceston for the return run to Plymouth, but that certainly didn't happen the whole time. I'm also not sure when the turn table at Tavistock was taken out of use - I think that was still available for crews to use through the 1940s and early 1950s. It is an area of the station that wasn't particularly well photographed, so one can't even look at the general state of repair or rust on the rails, to determine if it was still used post-war. I know the coaches allocated to Princetown were run down to Laira once a fortnight for cleaning and turning to prevent the wheels from having uneven wear. All the best, Nick.

I meant to say in my last post, Alex. Watch the Kingdom book - it is very inaccurate in places. A better one is the Oakwood Press book: The Launceston Branch (Oakwood Library of Railway History) and articles in GWR Journal 101 (Yelverton station operation), 41 (Launceston Branch operation) and 17 (Tavistock South operation). Regards, Nick

Hello! Sorry for not keeping up with your thread, Alex. I've been a tad unwell since Easter and most things have dropped off the radar. Tim is right. All freight traffic to and from Princetown went to Horrabridge until closure of the branch in March 1956. There were three return freight workings during the BR period. The early morning Laira Junction to Tavistock South was the first movement on the branch and only served Tavistock: this departed Laira at around 5:10am and was usually worked by a 45xx It would get into Tavistock a little after 6:00am. Bar pinning brakes down at Yelverton tunnel stop board, the train would run non-stop to Tavistock and was generally birthed in the middle siding at the station. It did, however, convey some vehicles destined for the Launceston half of the branch, which would be worked on later by the late morning goods. This train had to run to time, as the 6:20am Tavistock passenger service, which worked up from Plymouth as an empty carriage working, was following on behind (literally one station behind I understand). If the service was running late, it would be shunted into the refuge siding at Horrabridge. Once the Plymouth auto working had taken on water at Tavistock South and subsequently departed for Plymouth, the freight working would undertake shunting in and around the station. Pit Cleeves was also worked by this service when needed, with the wagons propelled up the line (around a mile or so from Tavistock station), exchanged at the sidings and then brought back. It is also stated in a couple of books that this service sometimes took freight on up to Lydford, undertake brief shunting (as this was really the afternoon good's duty) and the head back to MaryTavy and shunt that siding - although that siding was taken out of use shorty before, or during the war, so I don' think it happened often during the BR era. The second freight working on the branch was the Bickleigh and Horrabridge working, which also conveyed vehicles destined for Princetown. This service departed Laira Junction at around 7:30-8:00am and would remain at Horrabridge for a couple of hours to shunt the yard as required and place any wagons destined for Princetown in the 'up' siding in the yard. Until closure of the Princetown branch, the freight was worked via a mixed-train, with the carriages marshalled at the head of the train, wagons behind and the allocated Toad brake van at the rear. I believe, but am not totally sure, that once at Yelverton the coaches were meant to be left at Yelverton and just the freight was worked on to Horrabridge, but this would obviously create a few headaches at Yelverton as I don't think the headshunt siding to access the turntable at the station was long enough for a pair of coaches. It is possible that the coaches could have been shunted into the siding behind the signal box, but this would have been a bit of a headache on the return run. I'm quite convinced that the whole lot would have worked on to Horrabridge as it would have been easier to reform the train there using the two refuge sidings. The train would then work back to Yelverton and then form a mixed working from there to Princetown again. I think this was three times a week. Up until WW1, I think there was provision for a dedicated freight service, as Eggworth Sidings (Walkhampton Common originally) was operational then, and there were the sidings at Swell Tor Quarry. There were some sidings at Foggintor, which were called Royal Oak Sidings, but these were taken out of use in around 1904-5. I have seen Edwardian era photos of freight-only trains with half a dozen wagons or so working down from Princetown, which was probably stone traffic coming from Swell Tor quarry. However, the site was mothballed when the quarry closed in 1938, so again, no traffic there during the BR era. Between the Wars, the rulebook stated that any traffic to the quarry could be worked from Princetown to Swell Tor, shunt and then be propel back to Princetown again under the supervision of a 'capable guard'. The last goods train on the branch was the lunchtime Plymouth to Launceston service, which would shunt at Tavistock if needed before proceeding on to Launceston. This service carried goods for MaryTavy, Lydford, Coryton, Lifton and Launceston. This service departed Launceston at 3:00pm (ish) and worked back to Plymouth. It did pick up wagons on the return run from Tavistock and Horrabridge, but only when required. The only other freight working was the milk, which came from Lifton Creamery. This was handled on a passenger service, which dropped the tankers off late morning/early afternoon and another working collected the full tankers late afternoon/early evening. This was a maximum of three 6-wheeled tankers. Once Princetown station closed, all freight was worked on to Tavistock and was worked on to Princetown through BRs zonal lorry service, going out via Mount Kelly and Merrivale on the B3357 daily, which was a better service than the direct rail service as that only ran three times a week. The only exception to this, was the stone workings from the Swell Tor quarry. I think these were independently worked before WW1, but the site was mothballed when the quarry closed in 1938, so again, no traffic there during the BR era. Hope this is of some use. I think it's everything! All the best, Nick.

As many others have said, I am shocked and saddened to hear this awful news. Over the past months, I’ve read a huge number of Mick’s posts and watched his video tutorials on the Missenden website. He truly was an incredibly skilled and gifted modeller, as well as a true gentleman. His death is a huge loss to the hobby and RMWeb. The tributes and words expressed by others shows what a lovely chap he was and how he will continue to be remembered and his skills passed on to others. May he rest in peace. Nick.

Hi Alex, Haha yeah, I do like that photo. If I needed a bit of 'generic Launceston branch scenery' that would be the bit I would use! Failing that, the stretch between Grenofen Tunnel and the run into Whitchurch (photo below). Thanks for the dimensions - I think you have done a cracking job making the layout to that footprint. Your weathering is looking really good too. I'm hoping now I've had my operation that I can get back to some form of normality and get on with some modelling over the summer. All the best, Nick.

Really great stuff, Alex. I've enjoyed catching up with your progress. Out of interest, what are the overall dimensions for your Yelverton layout? All the best, Nick.

Fine with me, but I doubt that’s what they are doing - it certainly wasn’t stated that was their intent.

I notice that Hattons have these on their website for £202. Some might disagree with me, which is fine, but it doesn’t feel right to me I have to say. Nick.

Nice to see you cracking on with Callow Lane again, Tim. All the best, Nick.