tomparryharry

I'm starting to fill up my shed allocation of Western locomotives. I did intend to keep it a 100% tank locomotive depot, and so far, it stays that way. There's room for another 51/61xx, so I hope Dapol turn up trumps. Shapeways have a nice 17xx saddle tank at the moment, so I keep thinking about the Blackmill diagram, and a couple of 6-wheel clerestories. Mind you, if a 72xx comes along.... Or, an I'll stop now. Still costing out my railway shed. Ian.

I'm 'stood by' for a 61xx. I'd rather buy one 'good un' than the rather dated Airfix one. I'm content to await the Dapol version. If it's good, the money awaits.... Cheers, Ian.

That's ok, to a point. If you try that with a non-vacuum fitted train, you might well have had a different experience.... There is an unique sensation when you brake, and the train comes in behind, like a giant hand.... Ian.

I thought I'd look about, just to see if there were any 48xx on sale. Lo & behold, none appear to be any left. I could have swore that there were thousands of the blighters. I guess that people have cottoned on after all. Cheers, Ian.

Well, it appears the snow has made it as far as Newport, in deepest South Wales. The M4 is seeming to be ok. Ian.

That looks good to me. The upper limit should be 45 mph for unbraked, 4 wheel stock. Mike (Statiomaster) has said as such. I'm more inclined to think 25-30mph is the norm. The old saying is "your ability to stop is your right to speed". It does depend on the viewer, but I prefer seeing scale speed, train length & perception. The 72xx can deliver that in spades. Something like 80 ten tonners? Oh yes! Even 50 -on with a 56xx looks good to me. You wouldn't see great speed though, unless it's 'brown underpants' time.... Cheers, Ian.

I bought some heat sleeving this week from our local store in Cardiff. There were 8 staff (I counted them) for a sale for £2:50. Excellent service this time, but as I left, I thought "How do they cover the overheads?" Now we know.... Ian.

I never had any problems with the DJ locos I've bought. They do need running in, with about an hour both ways. Just remember to follow the boxed notes. I ended up buying a rolling road to make things easier. If anything, I'd like to get another (4825) to complete my diagram. Cheers, Ian. (No connection, just a customer). There's too many Ian's on this forum!

Yes, I agree. Having been brought up since 8 that "that's the positive, that's the negative" has worked very well for me. I don't need a smartphone; I've seen some first-rate, award winning 'gold' layouts, none of which relied on Nokia to make it go. If I want some fried chips, I'll go to the chip shop. I'll admit to being old fashioned. I still work in feet & inches (I can work in microns, if you wish).It's probably why I slightly object to:- A-paying top-whack for a locomotive. B:- Chipping the blessed thing, and give it an address (An address? More junk mail?) C:- Make it go "chuff". I don't really need a computer to hear it, and what's worse, if someone is mishandling the real thing. So yes. I'm to blame. I'm a dinosaur in an increasing world of techno. But, I do know how to put an injector on, and when to ease the blower. However, If Nokia have an app for getting a foot of clinker off the bars, sign me up! Ranting? Me? Never! Ian.

Putting on my 'Reginald Molehusband' voice, ...."P304? I think you will find it is actually P304.8, my good sir". Cheers, Ian.

I've just bought the book on Crystal Palace High Level. This could get expensive.... Ian.

Are they really necessary? In some ways, yeas they are. The shunting puzzle goes out to a local show every year. I like to ring the changes. For 2018, it will be coal wagons. So that's 8 wagons, and a nice little 6 wheeler (steam or diesel, sometimes both). Oh! The drama! Cheers, Ian.

Dear Dave. I'm building my 4th storey extension out over the front of the house. Despite the height, it's quite safe, as I've got it balanced on the streetlamp outside. My question is this:- When I screw the structural batten to next door's party wall, can I use yellow rawlpugs? Our top floor weaves about a bit, but the lady next door is overweight. I've suggested for her to attend slimmers world, but she hasn't spoken to me lately. Our electrician is pretty good, and installed a 5mm bolt instead of the fuse. Now we can cook toast on the fuseboard any time we like. Can I use panel pins to hold up the plasterboard ceiling? Cheers, L. Lasto-Plast.

I hit a mental impasse when I was restoring a house. No matter what I did, I could never get going. Finally, now the days are drawing out, hopefully I'll get going again. In the meantime, I've been pricing a railway shed. My requirements have meant that a ready to build shed is many thousands, more than I expected. So, I found that a bit of elbow grease brings the cost down by about half. That's better! Building this should get me over the stalled house project, just in time for winter 2018. Writing this makes me feel better already! Ian.

In Taff Vale days, the brake van was tucked in behind the locomotive. The logic being that the loaded train, going downhill, would close up against the loco & van. "Hey Butt! Chuck a bit in! It's gettin' a bit quick yere!" Cheers, Ian.

Hi Corbs, Sorry If I've not explained myself fully. A 42xx is far more suited to short distance work. It doesn't have a water scoop, and, more importantly, a limited water supply (1,800 gallons). The 28xx has a normal 3,500 gallons, and scoop. The ROD fares rather better, being 4,000 (4,250?) gallons). I guess you can alter the bits around, but I've never seen them. As I've said however, you probably wouldn't see a Swindon No1 boiler on the ROD. The Western bought 80-odd of them, which allowed a vast amount of spare parts. The 42xx has extra jointing on the coupling rods, to allow more sideplay on the rods. I don't think I've see them on a 28xx, or an ROD. In the valley work, the42xx is more forgiving on the curved sections. The ROD had a poor reputation on the Western (so I'm told) which was somewhat unjustified. Once again however, if the Western had a particular traffic requirement, then there's nothing to stop us seeing any particular type. Churchward is well known for instructing Harold Holcroft to "get me out a 2-6-0, and bring in all the standard parts you can." History has (I think) been unfair on the poor old ROD. There were 521 built. If it wasn't right, you can bet they would have been rebuilt by other companies of the big 4. A good second-rank (some would say first rank) heavy freight locomotive. Cheers, Ian.

The 42xx and the 28xx do different jobs. The 42 is a short distance movement, the 28 for longer distances. you wouldn't normally see a 28 working 'up' the valleys, but you would see one 'across' the valleys from, say Neath to Pontypool Road, and the long jobs from Pontypool to the Birkenhead area, on the Jellicoe Specials'. The 42xx was excellent iron ore haulage, especially from the midlands, like Banbury, down to South Wales. As we all know, the 72 came about because there was a surplus of class 8 haulage in south midlands/south Wales. The ROD came available because it was cheap! Remember that the GWR was a company, and it answered to its shareholders. The £100 locomotive had a lifespan to the point when it became uneconomic to repair. One of its advantage was that the loco had a huge field of spares. If it had a working lifespan of only one year, then no problem. Take it apart. This only became a proper problem when a locomotive failed to fulfil its expected lifespan. You really don't need to change for a No1 boiler, when there are 50-odd repaired ones awaiting the call. The longevity of the ROD is down to its sturdiness, and a vast spares base. The 28xx appears to be a bit faster. Haulage across the classes seems about the same. Certain jobs on the diagram couldn't be used, as the relatively lower speed meant longer times between block sections. Some night time jobs were specifically meant to be ROD turns, whilst the balancing day turn would be a 28xx. Horses for courses. The big railway was a common carrier by law. That's probably why you see so many different classes, doing vaguely similar jobs. Cheers, Ian.

Thanks to reading other posts on here, I finally plucked up my bootstraps, and finished off my 56xx. Whoopee! And as a further bonus, it works as well! I'm so dizzy now, I think I need to lie down for an hour. Thanks folks. Ian.

Oh dear! Listening? That old phrase springs to mind...."Hoist by your own petard......" By the way, some ones cribbing. The Hornby "Phillips, George, Aberdare" is also the Oxford "Phillips George, Aberdare" Both with the number 251, both in the same livery. Oh, I see! The tampo machine had a drink, and is seeing double! Cheers, Ian.

So, £20:80, minus £16:99, leaves me with what? £3:81? Assuming by that, and that I like 50-wagon trains, means I'm into break even by wagon 5-6. Of course, as you will note, that there is diminishing asset stock as you work through your wagons. The prospect of a prototypical wagon rake in 4mm runs in at £1,000, unless you like short trip work, where you'll see a 9f, with 3-4 on. A daunting prospect indeed. I can't crib however. My 'ideal' is a big lizzie, with the usual 16 coaches on. The piggy bank will get a pasting.... Ian.

Talking of discounts.... The 7 plank wagons.... £16:99. Really? I'm in the wrong game..... Mind you, the tampo operator gets driven to work by a solid gold Cadillac, accompanied by 2 dancing girls, and a whine waiter. Ian.

Got a discount, then!

Mrs Smith has said that when I die, she'll flog the lot. I guess that's ok, after all, I'll be gone. However, if Mrs Smith passes first, then I'll need to extend the railway room.....Quite a large extension, I think.... Ian.

Hornby Express has a certain ring to it. Perhaps Hornby might take your idea and use it to good effect. The idea of awaiting the reduced-cost model might backfire. After all, in these cost-conscious days, to wait 5-6 years will screw up the returns. Time to quietly ditch Design Clever, methinks. If Hornby stick to top-quality product, then their future is assured. Now Hornby. Let's talk about that nice 'extra full-fat, gold top' pannier to complement your very nice Great Western Guards van. Go on, you know you want to..... Cheers, Ian.

To me, the design clever concept seems a backward step. If design clever delivered to a cheaper cost, then the producer would keep quiet. After all, why need to let on? Design Clever appears to me as a PR concept that hasn't done Hornby any favours. Solid moulded pipework on what, after all is Hornby's flagship model, bit sad really. On the other hand, people will still grimble if the finished cost RRP is £12:50, hand delivered in a Rolls Royce, with accompanying Handel's Messiah.... Ian.