Skinnylinny

Hi Peter, Unfortunately, while the SECR ones were decidedly in the style of the Midland brakes, there are quite a few differences: The Midland ones didn't have the heavy end stanchions on the veranda ends, where the lamp irons are mounted on the SER/SECR ones. There are other details such as the different number of side planks between MR and SER/SECR design, different side handrails (the horizontal MR ones were split into two sections, where the SER ones were one continuous rail; also, the MR vans had an additional, lower handrail.) There were other minor variations as would be expected given they were being built by different companies: Axleboxes (MR and SER using their own patterns), different suspension mountings, no rainstrips on the SER/SECR ones... It all adds up! For me, the most obvious changes would be the ends (the lack of vertical stanchions on the planked section of the end of the Midland brakes, plus the wooden support in the middle of the veranda end "window" opening of the Midland brakes. An additional, lower, side handrail would also add much more Midland styling.

Well, I suppose that's another cat breaking (or should that be "braking"? No, this is the pre-grouping section...) out of the bag. Personal modelling time has been restricted a little by work (although given the prototype, I don't really mind!). I'm just heading home on a train from Sheffield, after a fantastic but thoroughly exhausting day at Rails of Sheffield's new shop launch. It was great to meet customers, and I finally got to see and handle the 3D print from an early version of the CAD for the Wisbech & Upwell tramcar. It's very different holding the model in my hands, rather than seeing it on-screen, where I can zoom in and make things H-U-U-U-G-E! The SE&CR brake van project kept me busy for a while, and it's something for which I'm very much looking forward to seeing the finished product. After all, I already have a C class in Wainwright livery, and a partially-built O class in SER lined black. That's two brake vans I'll need straight off the bat! Then maybe a double-ended one just for variety's sake... I can't resist, I'm sorry - I'm going to share one of the renders of the CAD work so far... To say I'm rather pleased would be a bit of an understatement! It was great to meet the team at Rails, and to talk to customers. It took a lot of self-control not to spend lots of money in their second-hand section, but I think I got away with it!

Regarding the couplings: When most people who work in 00 or H0 say "NEM pockets" what they mean is the rectangular pocket to the standard NEM362. The standard specifies various things including the height, width, and length of the pocket, its location, and how far back from the buffer faces it should be. Unfortunately, following the standard exactly would require the NEM pocket to occupy the same space as the outer axles (!) so we looked at the NEM363 standard (intended for use in restricted space) - which most people know as the triangular dovetail often seen on the end of the NEM362 pockets in the UK. Unfortunately, Kadee don't seem to offer an NEM363-compatible coupling yet. As you can see, it was a bit of a case of "danged if you do, danged if you don't!", but we wanted to strictly follow one of the standards rather than have something "close but not close enough for compatibility". Edited to add: Taking off my Rapido hat and speaking just as a modeller, while I'm not aware of Kadee offering an NEM363-compatible coupling yet, a French company called AMF87 appears to offer a kit which uses the coupler head off a Kadee NEM362 coupler, and provides a NEM363 attachment. I have no experience of this kit, though, so purchase is at your own risk! https://www.amf87.fr/prestashop/attelages/917-a265-interface-d-attelages-nem363-kadee-4000000012078.html

Not much of an update. The funeral is next week, and I'm planning to pop into the office while I'm visiting. A little modelling has, however, been done this week. Just a little. Two more Andrew Stadden figures have been painted for the layout. Not perfect, but certainly good enough to only need a little touching up before going onto the layout. Seen here with an out-of-the-packet Model Scene porter. I'm not sure he'll end up on the layout at all, but if he does, he'll be getting a repaint and probably hidden in a dark corner of the goods shed! I think the chap in the blue waistcoat needs a trip to the barbers, his beard is rather raggedy! Ah well. Eventually they'll join this lot on the platform: The waitress came as something of a surprise when she arrived - I was a little short of getting free postage on an order from a model shop, and they were offering "get one random Noch figure for £1", and she was the one that arrived. I wonder if she could appear in the window of one of the nicer houses, maybe adjusting the curtains or something. She certainly seems nice enough that it'd be a shame to hide her away like that rough-and-ready porter!

Hi Mikkel, The buildings look wonderful, as ever. It's reassuring that your approach to the platforms (Peco sides, brick plasticard and Wills paving) is the same as mine - means I can't have gone too far wrong! This may be digging things up from many years back, but I don't suppose you happen to have any close-up photographs showing the relief and detail on the Langley retaining walls? I've been considering using these for Linton Town, but the lack of any decent photographs to be found makes me cautious, as I'm picky about such things as brick bonds, which restricts me from using the Hornby Skaledale or various laser-cut options, and I'm not a huge fan of printed card for brickwork. Thanks! Linny

Really glad to hear you have somewhere wind-, water- and vermin-tight. Moving sounds like it was one of those "Wouldn't have chosen to do it, but it's for the best" things. Besides, if the new home is that much drier, that can only be good for the longevity of Castle Aching and its card buildings.

Those I have I've listed in bold, ones in the club library are in italics, and I'm currently negotiating a price on the underlined. I also have Railway Mechanical Engineering (vol. 1 & 2) from the Gresham Publishing Co (published 1923 but still useful!), and Private Owner Wagons of the South East by John Arkell, and various magazine articles. Plenty of information, just need to sift through it!

I've just had a look through that, Chris. That looks fantastically helpful, thank you! I'm fairly certain that 1887-spec wagons would have been plentiful in my time period, and I reckon with enough poring over photos, given the details in that document. The 1907 specifications I have mostly been able to glean from the Ince book, but the document suggests that there are more complete specifications in the Essery, Rowland & Steel book, so I shall look into getting that.

Thank you - I've come across this page before, but unfortunately all the drawings are 1923 or later. Thank you - I've a couple of these kits and they do provide a lot of variety, but it's not a specific wagon I'm wanting to replicate. With the layout being based in a fictional town, I'd like some local private owner wagons, but I'd rather like to have them be accurate models of real designs rather than the Cambrian approach of a Gloucester underframe under everything! The 3D printer beckons...

Hi all, I've been fascinated by wagons and carriages for a while now, and I seem to be developing something of an interest in earlier private-owner wagons. As my layout is set between 1900 and 1910, that really discounts most of the ready-to-run wagons out there. From what I can work out, the Hornby 6-plank wagons are reasonable approximations to Gloucester 1907 15' 6-plankers (at least on the old chassis, before they gained bent V hangers!), albeit with no internal detail. The 3-plank dropsides on the same chassis seem reasonable, also. In terms of wagon kits in 4mm, there are the Cambrian kits for various builders' bodies (albeit all on Gloucester underframes!), and the Slaters ones (again, Gloucester!) to represent RCH 1907 wagons, but! I'd really like to get some variety in my wagons. I'm aware that dumb buffers would still have been about in 1900-1910, but in rapidly-diminishing numbers. I'd really like to model some of the earlier wagons. I imagine there are also plenty of variations in bodywork between builders. References-wise, I've got my hands on the four Bill Hudson Private Owner Wagons books, Private Owner Wagons from the Ince Waggon & Ironworks Co., Private Owner Wagons from the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Co., Ltd., Private-Owner Wagons by Peter Matthews, Private Owner Wagons of the South-East by John Arkell... There are some questions I still haven't been able to find concrete answers on, though: - What are the differences between 1887 and 1907 RCH specifications/designs? - Are there any visible differences between 8, 10, and 12ton wagons, other than potentially the number of leaves in the springs? - Are there any useful sources of drawings of pre-1923 PO wagons beyond the above-listed books? I'm aware of the Pope/Turton Private Owner Wagons, a {n}th Collection books, but from what I can tell these are mainly photo collections. Anything that shows different styles of bodywork, internal details etc would be much appreciated! - Which were the "biggest" PO wagon builders? I know there's a lot of reference material on Gloucester wagons, but that doesn't necessarily translate to them being the most common. Charles Roberts, Gloucester and BRCW seem to be the most common builders in my references, but it also seems to vary depending where in the country one is looking. Hurst Nelson doesn't seem as common in southern England, for example. Many thanks in advance!

Hello all, It's certainly been a rollercoaster of a month. Modelling has been happening, albeit slowly. I've had another go at the lining on the LB&SCR G class. Still not perfect, but I'm getting happier with every attempt. The current state of affairs looks something like this: It's certainly a vast improvement from when I first acquired the model! There has also been a little more On30 stock acquired (two boxcars, a coach and a "combine" (luggage brake, roughly translated!) although these have all arrived in various "Christmas" liveries, and are gradually being repainted into something more sombre. The coach and combine may be shortened somewhat as they feel very long. https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/710042704884793414/960133323810807828/20220331_190009.mp4 The peak of the month came with the arrival of some SE&CR open wagons from Rapido. I was a part of the team that designed these; indeed, they're my first RTR product, and I'm rather proud of being part of the team. Reviews have generally been positive, which is always a nice confidence boost. However, some bad news arrived a few days ago, of the passing of my grandmother. I've taken some time to visit my family, which is doing me a lot of good. A nice gentle trip out into the Scottish borders, and even their cat remembered me and came running down the stairs to greet me (which, given I've not seen the cat in at least 3 years came as a surprise!). Things are starting to settle down a bit now, at least.

I think the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway pips it to the post, with locos available from Heljan, carriages, wagons, and brake vans from Peco, and even some RTP buildings by Bachmann. All in pre-grouping guise! But as for standard gauge, maybe? Does pre-1923 GWR count?

I think the Linton & Barnstaple Railway pips it to the post, with locos available from Heljan, carriages, wagons, and brake vans from Peco, and even some RTP buildings by Bachmann. All in pre-grouping guise! But as for standard gauge, maybe? Does pre-1923 GWR count?

Interestingly, the research I've done actually suggests the double-cross-rail is at the end that previously had a veranda - the drawings show the end wall being rather lower at that end than the new "standard" double-ended ones, so it looks as though the second, higher, cross-rail was added to bring the old end up to the same height as the others! I assume this is because as built, they only had hinged bars, rather than doors, over the veranda sides. Once the doors were added, they'd want to bring the end up to the same height. The stove and handbrake standard positions pre-and post-rebuild support this, as do the T-shaped strapping on the rebuilt vans, where the new veranda had to be attached to the existing bodywork. This is at the single-crossbar end.

The Midland ones didn't have the heavy end stanchions on the veranda ends, where the lamp irons are mounted on the SER/SECR ones. Plus other details such as the different number of side planks between MR and SER/SECR design, different side handrails (the horizontal MR ones were split into two sections, where the SER ones were one continuous rail; also, the MR vans had an additional, lower handrail.) There were other minor variations as would be expected given they were being built by different companies: Axleboxes (MR and SER using their own patterns), different suspension mountings, no rainstrips on the SER/SECR ones... It all adds up!

Down at the club tonight. I also picked up a Hornby LB&SCR full brake for the princely sum of £22.50. It's 8 feet too long, but with some chopping... The panelling still won't be quite correct but it should look rather better! Now for lots and lots of sanding to get neat joins!

There were indeed two W&U bogie carriages, no. 7 (a composite, later downgraded to all-third) and no. 8 (all-third). We're modelling both, with appropriate variations between vehicles. The bogies are designed around standard 2mm diameter, 26mm long axles, so you shouldn't have too much trouble there. You may need to shave a bit off the brake blocks, though. As for compensation, with the short wheelbase of the bogies, I don't foresee any problems there, although you'll want 2'9" disc wheels (with 6 segments on the rear, if you want to be really picky!).

Well, I've nearly recovered from Model Rail Scotland (two 1.5 hour naps yesterday, followed by falling asleep at 7:30pm and not waking until 8am the next day!). Lots of fantastic layouts and very helpful traders. Glendevon ran smoothly, which was a relief for the club's first show in two years. I've picked up a few more bits for Linton Town - various figures and details from Langley Models (including a large rack of meat to hang up outside the butcher's shop, and a Brougham carriage to go on the LSWR carriage truck), a Slaters wagon kit, and some miscellaneous bits such as pinpoint bearings and handrail knobs. I also picked up a built Coopercraft W1 cattle wagon, which will get repainted and weathered to go with the rest of the Titfield stock I plan to acquire. Speaking of which... This is something I'm working on - there's a fair amount of work still to do, but I'm rather pleased so far! Several separately-fitted detail parts didn't make it onto this print, as its main purpose is to check the fit of the larger components for now. Anyway, anyone fancy a pint at the bar? May I trouble you, sir? I'm afraid you have my corner...

Well, the past nearly-a-month (goodness!) has been quite busy with various things, but some modelling has taken place: I found an old, unstarted Dapol Rocket kit, so that's been a gentle build over a week or two (still a way to go) - I was then kindly gifted two Hornby L&M replica open carriages to go with it. This isn't an attempt at an accurate L&M train, but more of a memento of the time my partner and I went to the National Railway Museum and had a ride behind their replica Rocket. Still a fair bit to do on the tender, and the loco needs a few paint errors tidying up, and substitution of wire for the moulded chimney and front step supports. I've also been playing a fair amount of the multiplayer game "Railroads Online!" with @BlueLightning and some other friends. It's a game set in the US around the turn of the century, with the aim of building a 3' gauge logging railway. You start with a little Porter 0-4-0t loco (named "Betsy" and a single flatbed wagon, and a 3-siding yard. We now have 9 locomotives, over 70 wagons and have connected 7 industries. I saw a cheap Bachmann On30 model of the Porter 0-4-0 on eBay, and couldn't resist. With some repainting to represent the polished wood cab and front bufferbeam pilot, Betsy is well on her way to being completed. Strictly, she needs her sand dome replaced with a round-topped one to be more accurate to the in-game version, but that may have to wait for now On30 is definitely satisfying chunky compared to 4mm standard gauge, and I feel myself being drawn towards the dark side... although it is still pre-grouping in era! I've also dug out my ruling pens again, and am having another go at the HO brass LB&SCR G class I acquired from a club member a few years back. It was originally a rather horrible beige colour, so I've repainted it and been having a go at the lining. There are a few rough bits on the splasher, but this is the first attempt. Once I'm happier with my ability it'll probably get sanded back to bare metal and redone properly, but I am rather pleased with some bits! I am still figuring out exactly the right consistency of paint needed though. It's getting better with every use of the pen, so I'm hopeful of still more improvement. Anyway, probably there won't be much update-wise for a little bit, as I will be resting up a lot to save my energy for Model Rail Scotland next weekend. If you're attending, do say hi - I'll be the purple-haired one behind the Edinburgh & Lothians layout (Glendevon) or wandering about in my blue club fleece.

Looking forward to this year's show - I'll be the purple-haired one behind the Edinburgh & Lothians MRC layout as usual (Glendevon this year). Several excellent layouts going this year - looking forward to seeing Arun Quay and Beijiao, as well as a few others.

Aha, yes - I have never had much joy making my own pickups, so these are DCC Concepts' very neat ones - I do find they need a little tweaking, as they bear on the back of the wheels quite hard, but they have saved me *so* much time and hassle with bending bits of wire. Of course, they're a fair bit more expensive than fiddling with bits of wire (£16.95 for a pack of 12 pickups), but a much more consistent, and, as you say, neat result. I've also used their decoder wire in black - it's fine, flexible enough to be easily routed, but then stays in place rather than springing all over the place when the bodyshell is removed. https://www.dccconcepts.com/product/pickup-wiper-12-pack/ https://www.dccconcepts.com/product/wire-decoder-stranded-6m-32g-black/

Very nice! Thank you for sharing. I'll remember that for future projects. For now, I've put an order in with 247, who replied to my email to confirm that yes, they could do me an LSWR Adams oval numberplate for 529. I'll also be picking up a couple of other detail parts from them, so that works out well! Any chance of a picture of said T3? I do love a nice Adams design!

No need for a tank wagon - stick it in churns and put 'em in the guards van of the branch passenger train!

Both are excellent, although I find Kit Kats better for a break - custard creams tend to crumble rather than snapping cleanly! ...Oh, different kind of break!

I meant "not in any of the catalogues". Narrow Planet don't have any LSWR number plates, neither do Roxey. Brassmasters don't have the oval plates listed anywhere on their site, nor can I find them in the instructions for any of their Adams-era kits, so not really any point asking. 247 do offer the oval plates, but not with the correct numbers. However, I didn't know they did commissions, so I will ask them. Thank you.