5050

1996 ancient? It was only a few months ago wasn't it?.............................................

Why would you need thinner rods? Coupling rods are hefty things and most model ones are to thin in the first place.

As we say in the cycling world - "all the gear(s) and no idea"

I turned a set down for my P4 Dean Goods and made a new 'axle' from an old knitting needle. As they're metal they are OK for a split frame tender current collection.

They're whitemetal with a brass etching for wheel bearings. I've got 3 different ones.

All I ever do with buildings is paint the inside Black. If anyone gets close enough to see inside then they're to d*mn close!

I've gor several of the Chilton chauldron wagon kits in the different varieties. Might get round to building them someday if I ever have a suitable layout!

The rendered images for the parts/assemblies of the Dapol model are available on line. I found them useful when building my 4mm one. Beware though that the top of the bunker/water tank on the Dapol model relates to a preserved example and is different to the ex-LNER ones. If you look on my my build thread there may be links to photos not found by you and some posted photos also. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/154037-next-si-project-sentinel/

I remember that, during a trainspotting trip between Chester and Crewe when I was a lad (late 50's), I spent the journey sat in a ducket in an empty guards compartment. Certainly made spotting the number of approaching locos much easier without having to stick my head out of the window. They were also more visible from a longer way out too.

ex = hasbeen spurt = drip I am sure you would be able to build this to a satisfactory standard. Remember it uses the Hornby Peckett chassis so it's only a simple body to clean up, detail and paint.

My original post was to basically find out if Colin is OK and that there is a perfectly valid reason why people haven't been able to make contact. Holidays and illness both fall into this category so hopefully we'll all find out soon and normal service will be resumed. No criticism of Colin's usual excellent service or products was implied in any way.

I don't use the Gibson 'nuts' until I'm virtually finished but instead use short lengths of wire insulation screwed on between thumb and finger. In contradiction to the 'approved method' I also don't tighten the nuts fully onto the bushes, just 'nip' them, allowing them some potential movement and then, after snipping of the excess pin and filing down so it is just projecting from the nut, dab some nail varnish on to hold it. This method has raised some hackles in certain circles but it has worked for me for many years and many locos. BTW, never heard of the length of Gibson pins being a problem with GW wheel press. I'm just about to fit some wheels to axles so I'll check this out first!

I've used several of them on different layouts, seen here on my 'Enigma Engineering' layout. I raised the height of the walls with some courses of Wills stone sheets. And on 'Braynerts Sidings', the building on the right is Walthers parts. the others are mainly Wills sheet.

Thanks for the reply Chris. Don't worry about the time taken, I fully understand your situation - and I won't be doing anything until I get the body anyway (which may take some time!). I've had a look at the instructions and I reckon I will have to make some frames but that's OK - I've made plenty a lot more complicated (he said with total confidence......................)

On my American small switching layout, which occasionally gets exhibited with public being offered a chance to operate, I don't power the track directly from the controller but have a centre off sprung loaded DPDT switch in the feed (mounted in a small angled fascia box positioned in front of the layout) to change direction of travel and set the speed as a slow constant on the controller which is tucked away behind the layout. No manic shunting with this method!

I made my cab removable with a full floor and soldered nuts. I think the bonnet is located on the cab front with wire pins and screwed to the footplate at the front. Makes painting a lot simpler! I also made the handrail assembly at the rear out of brass wire, using the etched one as a pattern. Have a look for my thread on the build - but it's a lot longer ago than you might think!

Interesting. I spoke with one of my friends this lunchtime and he tells me he still hasn't had any response or contact.

A quick question for Chris - which may be of interest to other modellers - do you know if the 48DS chassis will fit into the Hornby body? I'm getting one from a clubmate who has used the Hornby chassis to power something else and the opportunity of availing myself of one of these little beauties relatively inexpensively (for P4) is very tempting!

A couple of friends of mine have told me that they are unable to get any response from Colin either by 'phone or e-mail. Has anyone else experienced this? Is he on holiday - or even ill? I don't need anything myself in the short term but my friends do.

Tumbleweed............................................

Something I do remember about MRC was that there was occasionally a 'free' centrefold pull-out in thin card. The one I specifically remember was one of signs - especially some of the obscure ones like the red and white limited clearance 'chequer board' found on some narrow shed doors etc. I'm sure I kept mine for years intending to use it when I got round to building a 'decent' layout but, as usual, when I tried to find it - it had gorn!

Missed this thread at the start but I will also add that MRC is sorely missed by me. It was the first magazine I bought regularly in the late 50's and the first to feature one of my layouts (Ceriog Vally Line, built with fellow members of Wakefield RMS - Steve Stratton was an honorary member) and my first P4 layout, Preesgwyn. Brian Monaghan took the CV photos in his usual 'aerial' style although some of them are relatively close up. It was also on the cover of one of the MRC Annuals - complete with a foreground containing my coal merchant Ivor Bygunne. Always raises a chuckle when I see one on sale on a 'pre-owned' stand at an exhibition.

Perhaps the idea was generated from the 'Dean Goods' 3F conversions that were offered by someone BITD. Basically this was a bit cut off the cab roof and a repaint. Prototype fidelity wasn't always a strong point back then! Provided the wheel arrangement and the livery were about right the imagination speedily took over!

I had a look this morning to remind myself of the content and, now that I'm deeply into the build and understand the relationship between the various elements involved, am perplexed as to how they've fitted the 'outslung' pickups without any interference from the footplate when the chassis is attached. I've got a piece of very thin double sided copper-clad sheet and even with this I don't seem to have sufficient clearance for the board, never mind the wires etc. Perhaps I should contact them to ask how they've achieved this! I'm building mine with the kit's compensation parts and, to enable the wheels to be dropped out - including the driven wheels and attached gearbox - have thinned down the motor attachment 'ears' to enable it to be slipped in from below. I don't think that this will in any way affect the integrity of the attachment of the motor.

57xx. I bought 2 intended for the FoD layout I started a few years ago. Going under a Bachmann 8750 body and I have a 5700 body from Replica as well.