robmcg

I presume Jeff that it is 3.45am or something in the West Midlands, while here it is a grey breezy warm spring afternoon, however I hope you have seen my edited post above and will understand that I could easily post my previous rant about difficulties in hand-work in the more appropriate section. However I am not disposed to talk of my injuries to a wide audience, and there is a friendliness in this thread which is somewhat comforting... I hope that makes sense Rob

Thanks Jeff, have been there done that, the importer in Auckland didn't or doesn't stock ready-made track, it would take forever to obtain even if he chose to, with attendant airfreight costs. Very high costs for rare intermittent orders. I only wanted 10 or 12 250mm lengths of code 75 bullhead rail which he kindly cut and supplied with chairs and fishplates and sleepers AND eventually, after I gave up, installed the chairs onto the rails gratis.. Thankyou Paul Woods of Woodsworks! Still have to attach and gauge the rails to the hardwood sleepers though. I have made myself a cardoard 'female' pattern for lines of 21 spaced sleepers, having traced the section I made in the photo, cut out using scissors, and with patience can set the chairs to approximately correct positions, the with blobs of glue should eventually have something to paint and ballast... I should have made the female pattern very accurately with a ruler and some pleasantly simple arithmetic, but where's the pleasure in that? edit; in any event here is the female pattern, with section no.2 begun... rails still require chairs to be adjusted and so on, but after the photo taken were removed and the pattern replaced flat under the book for PVA to set... Rob

In the above vein, gentlemen readers of this thread, I have some ability in woodwork but am now driven to despair and ruin by my efforts in hand-craftng C & L code 75 16.5mm gauge track. I have lost the use of my right arm and hand, at least in terms of fine touch, I can grip a handle but not move accurately, and my left hand was never very good. In spite of this I devised ways to manufacture quite good workbenches, and have always enjoyed other people's joinery. So left hand only, and from a wheelchair only... all this the result of a very serious crash in 1974 but moving quickly back to the case-in-point, ... I thought in my infinite optomism that hand-building track would be just a matter of thought, planning, templates, maybe jigs, glue and assembly, but it is not so, at least not without manufacturing jigs with female housings for correctly spaced sleepers... so offer this dilemma; do I try to make a female template for 250mm lengths of track, so I can insert sleepers at 11.8mm centres 5.5 at each end, as per my photo... if so, would plaster of paris do it? in a baking tray or similar? Or do I give up and purchase pre-assembled track of some description, if so, what kind of code 75 bullhead, who makes it and how do I get it posted undamaged to NZ. I have been trying to build this track now on and off for about two months but the hand-building with in my case PVA, after general-purpose glue was hopeless on sleepers which weighed about 1gm each... I have no suitable clamps, jigs, pliers tools of any kind, and cannot solder at all partly because left hand alone is tricky, and partly because of the usual dangers of hot things on paralysed skin. The other option is to give up, it is so so difficult to continually have maybe six sleepers in perfect position, track in position, gauge perfect, and all perfect, when the surface tension in drop of glue, even after dilution and a drop of detergent, is sufficient to derange the geometry of the assembly, and when you try by careful finger-touch to adjust it, maybe 0.5mm, everything does askew.... sometime horribly. Essentially, I want to buy pre-assembled track. Unless I am missing something (probably am). Picture shows my acheivement so far. If I could find a way to hold 21 sleepers correctly spaced and secure, then I could lower the chairs suitably spaced and with touches of glue , down onto the sleepers, wait for glue to set, and lift out, hey presto, hand-made track ready for painting. All ideas welcome. Rob

Good grief! I recall 'BrickPlayer' sets around 1959 in toyshops here. They had individual bricks and suggestions for building anything like houses and structures, very appealing to me at the time, aged 9yrs. Don't remember if there was a cement, but I think so. I think it was the 'set' and the box and creative pleasure of building which hit the mark for me, until something else along and diverted me, like Meccano or Hornby or a new Kodak 'Box Brownie' camera... Just contributing thread drift Jeff... sorry. Rob

I've taken a look at the LNER Encylopaedia forum model railway section and find no reference to the B17 ... only a general thread about 01s ... am I looking in the wrong place?

Well, we have seen Simon Kohler with a production LNER B17 ... one presumes these are part of a delivery by air? ... and that at Warley we might see more. Certainly there will be pristine 01s. My own attitude has been to pre-order models with major box-shifters and hope. The B17 prices are still very reasonable. The many and various delays caused by Kader / single-supplier issues and inadequate production capacity has certainly whetted the appetite! Rob

Having really only just discvered your blog, I am very pleased.. I too have bought many Hornby and Bachmann 00 BR steam locos since 2004 and have had a similar mix of new and s/h., and can concur with your opinion that it's a bit of a lottery with assembly and running qualities, both Brands having a share of 'errors' or faults, mostly however, like you I just enjoy the models. I would guess that from 100 models maybe half have some fault or other, about 10 have serious faults which can usually be repaired, and 2 or 3 need to be returned to retailer. I think given the prices and margins this is to be expected. I do wish the A1/A2 class by Bachmann didn't droop at the cab! Not an easy easy fix, that one... I just photoshop most errors like that! Rob

I am so so relieved to hear that we are not the only ones to have exerienced difficulties with the BP... and thankyou so much for the clear photos and excellent analysis. We have a few minor delairment issues too... probably due to back-to-backs on Peco code 100 set track and points. We sueezed a couple of wheelsets and now running seems perfect. Thanks again. Rob

Not sure if Hornby has ever done a late crest single chimney Castle... maybe one of the trainpacks? Otherwise it might be necessary to buy two.

Yes Jeff I just went and gazed at my collection and saw that I also have unrebuilt Bachmann Patriots 1 LMS Crimson 1 BR green (superb!) , a GW 30XX in weathered early BR, and in Hornby 3 sets... Irish Mail rebuilt Scot and three new-type Staniers, Flying Scotsman A4 in LNER blue and three new type Gresleys, and a Stanier BR Duchess + 3 Mk1s... also an SR Schools, a compound Derby 4-4-0 in BR black, and a Clan class Standard...! I enjoy buying and sometimes selling, but mostly I can photograph almost any 1930-on steam era express of my choosing, within limits, and that is my great pleasure. I look forward to progress on Kirkby Luneside no matter how fast or slow, so long as it is enjoyable. edit p.s. I admired Peppercorn's A1 but the A2 not quite so much, it never seemed to find its place in railway operating needs, would have been good for very heavy freight at speed perhaps (V2s did that better) but like the Bulleids used a lot of coal and made a lot of steam, not always used very efficiently on lighter trains. In many ways I admired Thomspon, for different reasons, not least the appalling state of railways and workshops in the 1940s and the need to keep things going... it was a world too easily forgotten when rail was almost the only transport... Rob

Just borrow money Jeff. That's what governments do. The banks do. Some individuals seem to have this curious idea that money has to be earned before it is spent. Outrageous old fashioned thinking... As to my list of locos, it isn't easy to write down a list as my hands do not hold a pen very well, so a general idea will have to do... so from memory the contents would be; Hornby Southern N15 10 various incl SR BR (3 weathered) T9 2 SR 2 BR (1 weathered) WC 2 unrebuilt BR 3 rebuilt (2 weathered) BoB 2 rebuilt BR MN 3 rebuilt Western Castle 1 GWR 3 BR 23/38xx 3 GWR 1 BR Midland Scot/Patriot 6 rebuilt (3 weathered) Princess 1 BR green 1 BR maroon Duchess 1 BR green Black 5 1 LMS Eastern A4 1 LNER 4 BR A3 1 LNER 4 BR B1 1 LNER 2 BR L1 3 BR (1 weathered) Standards Britannias 4 4MT 75000 2 weathered Bachmann Standard 5MT 2 (1 weathered) Standard 75000 3 (2 weathered) ROD 2 weathered A1., A2., (2) S&D 7F weathered., G2a weathered., 3MT 2-6-2., carriages required to make authentic trains behind all of the above. many wagons mostly weathered,. probably several I've forgotten. I sold about 80 last year by online auction when running two houses in the aftermath of the ChCh earthquake, many were more-or-less irreplaceable, like weathered Black 5s and end-of-steam sets of 44871/44781 but NO DIESELS except a Dapol LMS 1001. Cheers, Rob

btw very dark here sunny but like looking at the world through sunglasses...

Ah yes Jeff I have collected maybe 100 or so post-2001 models mostly Hornby and mostly the larger BR steam engines which I really like, will make an approximate list sometime soon... time matters though as I have certain other pressures like being a T5 paraplegic and all that has involved for 38 years in a wheelchair (crashed a Triumph bike through inattention in 1974 when I was 23yrs old) I live with my partner Jan fairly quietly and privately near Wellington ... in any event you can assume I have or can get just about every engine made in 00 RTR by Hornby or Bachmann since about 2001 in style and type if not exact number at least express steam types and yes Hornby do a weathered 8F...

Ah, the images are always a mix of digital camera photos of models with or without scenery and various 'selections' from digital images of my own and public pictures with over-painting with brush, colour, brightness, contrast and dithering tools, mostly simple painting, but some track in particular is more-or-less copied, usually from a 6' x 15" diorama I made in 2008 but was lost after the Christchurch earthquake. I am working on a section of code 75 bullhead rail which I hope will improve things, but I am terribly lazy! here is a two-picture 'stitch' from which the recent A3 60093 'Coronach' pic was taken. Camera is Canon SX150is or SX130is (I only bought the 150 because it was under 90 pounds and the 130 rattled after being dropped a few times, but they are both great) using a mix of indirect window light and a bedsde lamp 60w tungsten bulb, delayed release, F8, ISO 80 , about 0.6-1sec with several tests with various focus points and hand-held lighting changes ...

The individual point levers are an excellent way to do things. I have several rebuilt Scots and Patriots by Hornby, 46140 'The King's Royal Rifle Corps' is a favorite, being weathered, also I have 46102 'Black Watch', both with 66A Polmadie shedplates, I'm not sure whether they frequented the Settle and Carlisle. The only Patriot to hand is weathered 'Bunsen' shedcode 12B Carlisle Upperby so that might have be useful for these trains... but one thing at a time...! Also a Bachmann late BR unrebuilt Patriot 45543 with 10K shedcode , Midlands? Skipton? Acrington? I will have to google that one, might suit a fitted freight. I hope your sore mouth is recovering. In any event here is Coronach doing what Gresley might have enjoyed... Rob

Yes back on topic.... but I couldn't resist a look at the shed to see what is being prepared at Carlisle for the 'Thames Clyde'... oh dear it's one of them interloper Gresley machines! with a begrudging double chimney which Ivatt perfected 15 years before .... dear oh dear, it'll never equal a rebuilt Scot even if it does ride better... edit; bloody 'ell it's got an A4 boiler, probably arrive 10 minutes early if certain drivers get hold of this one... edit 2; note it has Carlisle Canal shedplate, bravo Hornby. pic is a draft only better to come sometime after I have eaten and slept. ... done to Chopin Piano No.2 and other pleasant sounds

>>how is this relevant to railway modelling? I bet you're going to tell me that the Jaguar V8 and V12 were descended from research on the engines used in Warship-class diesel-hydraulics or Deltics... C'mon, humour me - I'm trying!(VERY) << Thread-drift is an art form in which I am considered highly, um, talented. For me Jaguar lost the plot when they moved away from straight six engines... but even around 1980 they had stayed true to all the principles of British Design, whereby if an air-conditioning valve leaked in the dashboard the entire car had to be disassembled and reassembled.... shades of automatic gearbox Minis which were my specialty, with hand controls. Now there's a story.... <g> Back to wiring Jeff...

7am UK is 8PM NZ time courtesy our summer 'daylight saving'... yes changing a fan belt on a BMC Mini was a challenge if the radiator was hot, and/or the lower radiator mounts were bent or the various set screws were rusty and filthy as they usually were... blimey you are making me nostalgic for the damn things!

Oi Oi that starter saved Austin/Morris the cost of a key-switch so the car could be bought by almost anyone. On the other hand I too would have enjoyed a Rover 105.. We drove Minis 400+ miles from Wellington to Auckland and an 848cc version with three+bags could stay at around 70mph on the flat, just like an ECML express! These modern young people don't know they're alive... mutter mutter the roads back around 1965-1970 were rather empy then too... we had a law which required all goods over about 50miles to go by rail... Rob p.s. wot's all this about soldering and switches? I re-wired a 1957 Jaguar a few years ago and to save money bought all the wire in pink... it was in the bargain bin so the whole job cost about 20 quid. An ohm-meter (ohmeter?) wasd rather useful!

Soldering the wiring for Kirby Luneside may be a fraction 'forward' in the achievements of mankind, but compared to Lucas distributors, is it ART? I have owned a large number of Minis... the proper BMC Issigonis type, and greatly enjoyed making them go well, not least by playing with the vacuum diaphragms and advance springs in the distributors. I think they bore more resemblance to steam locomotives than cars in that no two were ever exactly the same, good ones, bad ones... Americans didn't understand them either, just as they didn't understand Sir William Lyons' Jaguars from Coventry, expecting cars to sit idling in traffic on hot days when they were built for the 1957 M1 in winter, or Le Mans... but I digress, the list of A3s likely to appear on Kirkby Luneside will be interesting... 60074 Harvester, 60084 Trigo, and 60086 Gainsborough are listed as Leeds Neville Hill in 1963 and 60038 Firdaussi as Leeds Holbeck at a quick glance at the Modelmaster shed book, but whether that relates to workings on the S and C I cannot say.. 60036 Colombo was a Leeds engine, 60095 Flamingo is described as 'always a Carlisle Canal engine', 60080 Dick Turpin was at Leeds Holbeck from about 1959 .. hmm, this gets quite interesting 60091 Captain Cuttle, 60079 Bayardo, 60077 The White Knght all spent time at Carlisle, the latter available Hornby super detail 'as new' s/h at Modelfair... no excuses now! I sold one of these s/h last year for about 70 quid in your money, now it is 115 pounds ouch, also 60068 Sir Visto, 60093 Conorach listed at Carlisle Canal... didn't Hornby do the last in double chimney last year, sans deflectors.... I might even have that one must check if so a photo will be certain, maybe with Stanier carriages... ahh the possibilities Rob

I'm shocked and amazed by the posts here. What ever happened British Pluck, working in the cold, repairing Lucas distibutors on side-valve Morris cars in the freezing rain... soldering flux, pah... oh, by the way, I did that pic of the Britannia in a bit of a Saturday night hurry and it was a bit darkish.... at least in the bright light of dawn, so I edited it into a lighter hue just now. Sorry. Rob

well here you are.... 100 tons making easy work of a grade near Kirkby Luneside, those Derby boilers really could steam! Have a nice Yorkshire morning. I have seen The Last of the Summer Wine and it's always sunny...

Thankyou Mike, I think only one Britannia got an unlined green repaint late in BR days and it quickly turned to ash soot and rust colours so memorably recorded in so many photos of the class in 1965-67, but I cannot recall where I read that, thus I took liberties with the appearance of 70033. Also 70034-6 all received smooth-sided deflectors, not sure about Charles Dickens. Some of the photos I've seen show various of the class in very sad condition externally. The photo was of the pristine black 70000 so all the tones and effects are by way of experiment. I have half-done the same view of the engine in a wide valley not unlike West Yorkshire at the head of a line of maroon Mk1s also Hornby, and will post that here in a day or two. I have a Hornby model with flush deflectors in pristine Brunswick green, as well as a Bachmann unrebuilt Patriot for a fitted freight, so I shall be busy! Also want to build my bullhead rail track, and might for Xmas give myself a TMC weathered engine... a Brit certainly would be nice, or another Spam Can... ah what a hobby. Marvellous. Rob

Thankyou Jeff, Yesterday I made a picture of Hornby's lovely Britannia 70000 and I turned it into an unauthentic unlined green 70033 'Charles Dickens' which was a Carlisle engine after I think about 1964, certainly by 1966. 70035 might be possible in the same style in a suitable country scene with lots of rain cloud and/or sunshine. Working on it! Here is the shed scene I did yesterday, Bachmann 4-road shed, Hornby other bits including track, my bullhead rail is still under construction. Also posted similar pic in Hornby profit warning thread. Best, Rob

Thanks Jeff, it's a pleasure to see progress on Kirkby Luneside, and I will think of something in the line of pictures which might have a bit of the moorland atmosphere instead of recent southern counties softness! An unrebuilt Patriot on a fitted frieght is likely. Did the Standard Britannia class work over the S & C in the 50s or early 60s? A lot were shedded nearby in their last years. Also an A3 would be nice in a pic., I shall have to choose number name and detail to get it close to authentic (I don't aim for perfect authenticity...!) Rain and grey weather here, but a luxuriant 10C ... Rob (NZ)