Jeff Smith

It's interesting that the company featured apparently did no model design work, just general outlines plus all the detail differences and livery details. The impression from the Hornby programmes was that Hornby did much of the design work..... Also interesting that all the parts were painted prior to assembly, and that the motor/flywheels are balanced - I doubt that many if any kit builders do this! I've certainly never considered it necessary even if I could.

Yes, we travelled on that some years ago, also stayed in a coach (car) at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo Hotel.......

Interesting video - I'm sure basically similar for British models.

Has this venture finished? I have not been able to get an email reply from Branchlines recently and ended up buying motors and gearboxes from High Level.

Thanks, the SEF version is a centre pivot bogie but seems to fit between the frames however until I fit the compensation beam between the rear driver and the bogie I won't know whether it will clear the frames or not.

With reference to the trailing wheels on the E Class, does anyone know if it is a centre pivoted bogie or fixed wheels on the prototype?

I was really only thinking of the momentum to overcome occasional power interruption.

I have generally fitted fly wheels when there is room but must admit that that I cannot prove or demonstrate the advantages. Being an old fashioned DC modeller I have also not experienced DCC stay-alive chip performance....

I have just received a couple of HL 1020s which I have not yet run or installed. I was a little surprised that the shafts aren't long enough for fly wheels.

I have to say it seems rather a bizarre design. I'm sure the K's pannier I built many years ago had the top, two tanks and front in one casting. Anyway, good job fitting it all in.

Peco 0-16.5 coach and wagon kits use metal pin-point axles and nylon top-hat bearings - they run very smoothly - perhaps you could print in nylon, at least the axle boxes.

Being lazy about doing the research but any two or three 0-6-0s that have approximately the same wheelbase would logically be candidates - including maybe some tender engines.

Compare the Peco 7 plank wagons to the Hornby ones......

Wow, with all this speculation it's a wonder people have enough time to do any actual modelling......or maybe not until the boxes arrive!

As mentioned above, SpaceX works differently to traditional aerospace companies but considering the great success and reliability of the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy (over 300 launches) it's only a matter of time until they get it right!

I'm not sure whose responsibility it would have been to lift the rails past MHE, BR or LT after Edgeware closure in 1964. But LT might have been involved in lifting rail in the headshunt opposite MHE platform when the MHE yard and gas works closed in 1962.

Scale centre lines will put the rolling stock in the same place regardless of gauge. In OO the 6' way is wider than 6'. A scale 6' from running line to running line is only correct in P4.

Magnificent in flight too!

The various colour pictures in books I have of E and F Class can be confusing due to lighting and level of dirt or lack of cleaning. Some appear to show the boiler, dome, etc in black. Some show wheels and coupling rods in black...... However I generally finish my models ex-works! You could open rmweb in safari on your iphone and then upload the picture.....

We have sand cranes wandering about - they are fearless and just stand in the road letting cars drive round them.....

Saw 23 white tailed deer on a dusk ride around our neighbourhood golf course the other night. They are very skittish and run away as soon as we come into sight.

SpaceX works on the iterative principal. They learn from their failures but it's an expensive way to do it. I think it was pretty obvious that control was lost of the booster return when the 'paddles' started rapid back and forth movement!

The colour used for L45 and L54 is Milwaukee Maroon (Badger) this seemed good but looks too bright in photos. I bought a new bottle for the F and E but on reflection is a bit bright so substituted DM&IR Maroon from a very old Accuflex bottle. I think this is what I used for the BoBo which was scratch built. The first L91 was painted by Swindon before delivery to LT and is a brighter red than subsequent panniers painted by LT - reference, pictures in 'Red Panniers' show it next to L46 in mid 1957 as well as standing on it's own. I have no pictures of the cab interiors but cream sounds good. The Vallejo black gray is very matt - one of the air reservoirs on the F has been painted with Vallejo satin varnish which will look good for all the black.....

I will post a couple of pictures of the underside which may help. I have not received the wheels from Gibson yet but the size is 5'2" 16 spoke (4S62E, P4). The motor for both locos will be 1020FE and g/b Road Runner Compact, both from High Level. On the F it will be on the fixed rear driver, with the centre and front compensated on a simple centre beam. The rear wheels will be sprung downward in axle slots.