Mark C

Tony Those M&GN shots are to savour and you definitely get the feel of that railway from them. My version is still some way off yet, but here's a taster...a Crownline kit (one of two) that stalled when Bachmann's Mucky Duck emerged all those years ago. It will get finished one day, but my two (plus a D16/3 and a couple of brake vans) can be seen on Tom Foster's page elsewhere on this site - the RTR competition is tough to beat, let alone match, for certain types. Regards Mark

Tony There's a cracking colour photo of 62589 in that condition/livery in this month's Steam World. Please keep photos of the M&GN end coming... Best regards Mark

Hello Tony I think it does work - especially as the bridges integrate so naturally with their surroundings. I'm probably biased though: the M&GN section is my favourite part (even though I live on the ECML) - I am about to start a layout based in Norfolk, for which Tom Foster (at your recommendation) has expertly weathered two Ivatt 4MTs, a D16 and two brake vans to get me started (see his page on here for photos). The self-isolation/working from home regime has generated a resurgence in wagon building too... Keep the photos of that end of the layout coming please. Best regards Mark

Hello Tony I whizz through Welwyn North twice daily on my commute and I can still make out what I believe to be the structures for coal drops - which would fit in with 21t hoppers and their bottom discharge doors. Like most other locations, comparing days gone by (goods yards, loading docks, signal boxes etc etc) to today (nothing!) shows a stark difference and Welwyn North is a good example. Best wishes for Christmas. Mark

Tony Many thanks - today's purchase of November's RM confirms that the J6 article will be in December's issue (along with a free grounded wagon body (Ratio GWR))... Best regards Mark PS: Happy Birthday!!

Tony I'm eagerly awaiting your (RM?) write-up of the J6 - or have I missed it?!! I bought the last one of the first batch based on this thread which was enough to persuade SEF to make more...! Many thanks Mark

There is another pitfall...the wagon in the photo looks like a Parkside PC78 21 ton rebodied hopper - as with the other 21 ton hoppers, the clearance between the wheels' rear faces and the hopper chutes is minimal (1mm or less), especially in the 'narrow' 00 gauge. Ensure that, whilst the wheels might correctly be to gauge, they are also 'central' to the axle. This is not such a problem with other types of wagon. Hope this helps. Keep at it!!

What a splendid layout - how did I miss this for so long??!! I like your variation on the 'bus on a bridge' feature... Mark

KMRC had already done this when I originally placed the order back in January...it's a good reminder for me to find out what's the latest....

...and it has the important (but often missed) tie rods between the axleboxes. Nice job!!

Possibly quite soon: my credit card was debited on 11 April for the cost of this loco, so here's hoping.....

Sneaking in under the radar is this set of three weathered bauxite MCV 16 ton mineral wagons...the finish has to be the best factory weathering I have seen...check out their website!! Mark

For me, as much as the Mopok vac-formed body lacked any panel detail, that on the Hornby/Dapol version appears overstated (although subsequent perusal of Paul Bartlett's excellent website suggests that prototypical heavy weathering could diminish the effect). A big improvement (noted elsewhere) is to replace the RTR buffers. If nothing else, this has reminded me just have far we have come with research and take for granted the instant access to reference material and - especially - photographs that simply weren't so readily available at the time of these golden oldies. I checked Hornby Magazine's website and eBay - no sign of the model. Was its' release really 18 months ago...where has the time gone...?!! Best regards Mark

Hello Clive I like what you've done (sorry, are doing) with yours. I'd forgotten about the Crownline/PDK version. It doesn't seem that for diesel brake tenders, at least, the world hasn't really moved onwards and upwards with the RTR offering... There's a danger those flying pigs will get another airing if I were to suggest I've done much more productive modelling since those days...(I always did like Pink Floyd though). Best regards Mark

Some golden oldies - both from the mid-late 70's: first up a Mopok diesel brake tender - comprising a vac-formed plastic body, whitemetal bogies and a wooden floor(!). I'm surpised the Araldite (no solder) and transfers have survived... Next a Class 03 from MTK and a Peco Wonderful Wagon conflat as a shunting runner - the loco is mainly whitemetal (Araldite again) with plastic chassis overlays, absolutely no brake gear with Romford wheels and a Romford Bulldog motor. None have seen any real layout action and all now superseded by RTR but carefully stashed away like treasure!! Mark

Didn't I spot a familiar face complete with red fleece sporting a KMRC logo about to be interviewed as part of the BBC's election campaign coverage earlier in the week...? TV was on in the office but the sound turned right down.

Check out B&R Video's latest release - volume 208 Great Western Steam Miscellany No.3 - which shows 1420 doing exactly that. Great stuff and a real 'modellers' freight train'!

Ah, I remember it well...1B66 was, amongst other things, the Cambridge Buffet Express which - in my blue spotting days - produced Classes 31, 37, 40, 46 and 47. Where did the intervening 40+ years go...??

Yes, Owlcombe (Scale Model Trains?) definitely...

Gary If all else fails search 'Caprotti' on eBay within the next 5 days...almost tempted myself... Mark

I'm fairly certain that the origins of a secondhand (when I bought it) high running plate Caprotti Black 5 were a Crownline conversion and an early Hornby base model. Here's one of the photos I used when I sold it on eBay at the end of last year - I wish I had an used conversion kit to do it myself...no worries, as soon as I find one then someone will release it as a RTR model no doubt... Mark

Phil You star!! That was quick and looking good, and - with Parkside's helpful approach to supplying specific mouldings to order - mixing and matching is fun! You're on a slippery slope now... Looking forward to more. Mark

MJT's range of axlebox (and spring) castings are still available through Dart Castings and they include the RCH and flat-fronted types shown in post #1978. I have used both, but have not been entirely happy with the final look. I'm impressed that Airfix's tooling still stands the test of time....

Many thanks Mark. I preferred Airfix's rendition of the split type axleboxes (as good as any, especially considering the age of the original tooling) and I have yet to successfully carve axleboxes off the W irons and replace them...not quite got the knack! I also had some spare Airfix kits to hand at the time. I usually retain Parkside's underframe and moulded axleboxes - their plate type (an example of the type can be seen in post #1978) are excellent. Mark

This could easily be in the "Have you ever lost a model..." thread: - built soon after Parkside Dundas released their kit of the Diag.109 riveted body 16t mineral, but in an extravagant show it has an Airfix (two bob) mineral underframe, ABS brakegear and Alan Gibson wheels (originally to EM but since re-gauged to 00). The only other additions were to substitute turned steel bufferheads and add 3-link couplings. I think the markings are from Modelmaster. The wagon was put into store soon after and forgotten - I've recently re-discovered this and a number of other contemporary wagons for re-instatement.... I've caught the bug again and just purchased another two (plus (now) Dapol mineral wagons for the underframes and I've dug out more ABS brakegear) - I feel a slippery slope....