wagonbasher

8 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

An RT in LT speak.

Just looked it up Cliff went touring in an RT, an AEC Regent III.

Andy

Is there a specific reason it has to be a routemaster?  The RM’s carry an purchase price premium due to their fame.  There are lots of double deckers that cost a lot less.  Single deckers as well.    I suppose it matters what you want, a practical motor home or a vehicle with some significant provenance?  Rule 1 respect as ever.
 

I know that you didn’t say it was, but…. Cliffs summer holiday transport was not a route master, the RM’s  were the new kids on the block and Cliffs and his chums restored (on screen anyway) a bus that was being withdrawn. I’m going to stick my neck out and say it was an AEC Regent 5 but I suspect that is a too simplistic observation.

Andy

On 31/12/2021 at 22:01, Andy Kirkham said:

Railway Street Saundersfoot. From the collection of Mark Crombie

 

 

 

I am on holiday in Saundersfoot now, staying  in railway street (now called the strand).  This is a place .I know well from many family holidays.  Looking at these photographs you can see railway street is a normal late Victorian street with housing and shops oh, and a railway in the street… no fences.  When you look at the Wisbech and Upwell and the Glyn Valley Tramway the locomotives have ‘skirts’ covering their motion and have live guards (cow catchers etc).  As with steam tram locomotives these were requirements of the board of trade.  The MW locomotive in the shot that followed this posting and others of the Saundersfoot Railway show Saundersfoot locomotives with exposed wheels and motion? Any ideas?

by the way, note the woman on the mobility scooter in the first photo.

Andy

The use of a reversing triangle into a side street would work.  Birminghams Summer Row would be an example.  Often the triangle at the terminus would be into a one or two road coke yard.  Here, the locomotives could be watered, take on coke and if necessary sand, and the fire can be raked.  These coke yards resolved the running round issue but also there were many complaints about mess on the road because the locomotives were being serviced in the street.  If modelling the sort of steam tram trailer that became standard (Dundee example preserved at Crich, There is very little overhang as the bogies are at the extream ends of the vehicle, beneath the platform.  
 

Andy

13 hours ago, jwealleans said:

... and a superb layout it is.   That scratchbuilt Long Boiler is worth the admission on its own.

Clicked on this from ‘new content’  and it opened on that statement.  I knew immediately it was Paul’s ‘The depots’, no more to say.

Andy

On 15/08/2022 at 14:13, PaulRhB said:

The crux is if you choose to include references to historical events, practices or figures then you should already have a reasonable argument for doing so. It may be intended to be provocative, in which case is a family show really the place to do it or would a more focused event on that theme be a more appropriate place to show it? 
 

Ventnor West was at Railwells this weekend, it displays a realistic collection of military vehicles although I’m not sure the Sherman and Churchill tanks would have been stationed there? 
it also features this,

It carries a Swastika and shows compassion as the injured pilot is being taken for medical help. Now what do we read into this? Is this glorifying the downing, displaying contentious images or showing the compassion in the heat of war? There was no info board attached. 
To me it was a more feasible cameo than the tanks, on my admittedly limited knowledge of tanks on the island, but what was it saying? I just took it as a well modelled cameo showing there could be compassion for an injured enemy in that time. I’ve read many accounts of prisoners being treated extremely well on both sides as well as the atrocities committed to others. Not everyone has that context in their head so should it include more? 
When I was in the IWM and a father was telling his child a V2 was probably a space rocket, as the info board was over twenty foot away and not obviously linked, I did point out where the info was to read about it as it was actually a different kind of rocket. I left the choice on what was appropriate to tell a very young child to the father. 

One current slow project is to model the Darjeeling Himalayan Rly and I’m struggling to find suitably dressed figures let alone colour tones of skin. I have amassed a good collection of photos so will modify and repaint figures to show a realistic representation of the community, do I also make sure to be inclusive and put in a few UK and Japanese tourists as diligently researched? The railway itself is a product of Colonialism so is modelling it in modern times in need of context to tell that story or is it just a model of Indian railways? It wouldn’t still exist without the people who’ve made it their own and their choice is to keep it as a world heritage protected railway so they look at it as a thing to be treasured not decried for its origin. 

 

Couldn’t help notice the reference to figures on the Darjeeling Mountain Railway.

I have an interest in abusing model figures, changing their clothing to suit period, place or social standing, so I just flicked through google images of the Darjeeling Himalayan railway to see what you might do to represent the local population in present day (I take it you are talking modern day with references to tourists etc).  I was surprised to see so many people where wearing what I might consider to be western clothing, although, short sleeves as standard.    I had imagined women in saris and men in Kurtas.  That’s where assumptions get you. A quick look as to how to spell those garments led me into a world of traditional and contemporary Asian fashion, the topic is vast, as most things are when you look.
 

To model something accurately we have to know so much, we burden ourselves (I do) with a requirement to be Uber accurate and research is essential if we are to get it right.  There will always be someone that tells you when you get it wrong.  
 

of course you don’t have to do that, you can do what you like.

Andy

On 29/07/2022 at 14:30, Ruston said:

Faded and shabby but still working. An Andrew Barclay 14-inch Special saddletank with dropped footplate and cut down boiler fittings.

 

 

Suspect the driver is a Modelu example. That layer of realism makes the difference.  
 

Andy

What we like, changes with time, although a little too young to remember steam that was where my young interest lay, dismissing the dirty diesels.  As I grew older I grew to tolerate and even like the classic British diesel locomotive.  Then came the sheds and some very ugly looking things.  I didn’t warm to them compared to a 37 or a 47 and I was sorry that the transformation was so quick.  
 

Now..  I am just pleased to see something with a locomotive on the front.

Andy

3 hours ago, pete_mcfarlane said:

 

The 4-8-4 is at a place called Kingman in Arizona. It must be a standard stop for tour buses going to the Grand Canyon. This was it in 2019.

Someone has written Santa Fanon the side of a shipping container!

Andy

On 17/07/2022 at 14:25, 298 said:

 

I thought I was being smart by building a night-time layout that would have looked fantastic in post-apocolyptic peachy gloom, thankfully such venues are getting rarer but I still need to find a way to reduce the ambient light hitting the layout. 

 

I also agree that lighting is a necessity and easy enough to do now with LED strip, but I'd make it and the backscene removable to use mother nature's own for photos.

 

The previous posts make it all sounds like exhibiting is very easy, but that is assuming you get invited to them in the first place. An article written by a seasoned exhibitor that appeared in a magazine a few years ago said once you're at your first one all you need to do is hand out layout information forms (basically everything you think an exhibition manager wants to know on a sheet of A4 and a few weeks after you'll get a letter inviting you to xyz show and asking for the same information again. 

That's the theory anyway, from what I've seen of post-pandemic shows they still rely on existing contacts and word of mouth, in fact I haven't had any bookings from shows or eLayouts for about three years.

I believe most layouts are booked for exhibitions as a result of being seen at exhibitions.  I was involved with the Stafford exhibition for decades and we simply wouldn’t book a layout unless someone had seen it.  Today with so much imagery via a variety of media that is not so necessary.    I can see that if you haven’t been to an event recently  it may be hard to get a booking.  I think most of the post Covid shows are basically the 2020 show deferred with some changes to reflect circumstantial drop outs etc.  Drop out replacements will inevitably be sourced via existing contacts.   I suppose if you are keen to exhibit and need to promote the layout you could make a video for you tube, certainly create a leaflet with pics and get a thread going on RMweb, layout seeks exhibition - no time wasters please.

Andy 

On 05/07/2022 at 10:08, Roger.s said:

Don't tell the little man with a stick (and a high vis jacket) at 1min 46 sec that he isn't there because he might disappear.

 

Roger

Ok, I’ve got him…
 

good to know irs nothing too technical.

Andy

It is hard to believe that after 80 posts, that I have anything to add but I do.

I have burnt many candles into the night before exhibitions trying to finish something.  It might be a couple of wagons or part of a building.  This precious time before a show is for testing, checking and cleaning.  You have dozens, maybe hundreds of wagons better to check the back to backs and couplings on those than add two more, the punters won’t miss them, they don’t know about them.  
 

Andy

On 13/02/2022 at 22:10, kevinlms said:

Here's a Grand Junction in operation in Melbourne. Not sure of the radius, but must be tight.

 

 

A great video, do you know what controls the points, there is no little man with a stick.

Andy

1 hour ago, divibandit said:

Afternoon all,

I'm interested in local PO wagons but have a few questions.

I understand that some firms leased wagons from the likes of BRCW and MetCam but who decorated them with the users details - the owner or the user? Also, if they were purchased, did the builder supply them painted or in primer?

I should add that I'm interested in pre-privatisation wagons used by local colliers and dairies.

 

Steve

I am reasonably confident that the wagon manufacture painted the wagons.  There are a lot of formal official photographs of wagons taken by the manufacturer, all painted.  They are usually accompanied by a small notice or two stating builder, date and then key dimensions and wagon body and text colour ( in words).

Andy

27 minutes ago, Darius43 said:

I too read that list and wondered why “The Train” wasn’t on it.  Also “Von Ryan’s Express” might have got a mention…

 

Cheers

 

Darius

The train, as Papa says “Four francs is four francs”

As I scrolled down it counted down and I was beginning to worry as there was no sign of Buster Keatons, ‘The general’ no fear it was relaxing at the Number 1 spot. 
 

Andy

I thought I had a book, and I have.. dug it out.

Cardiff Electric Tramways by David Gould.

Quite cheap second hand from what I see.

Andy

29 minutes ago, Penrhos1920 said:

 

yes 4mm,  1915 - 1925ish

 

thanks

so the KH Trams kit probably fits the bill, as on of the first 20 Dick Kerr cars albeit with curved stairs as per some of the modifications  and then if you want another tram, KH do sell spare parts, you may be able to cobble together an open top version with balcony.

Andy

6 hours ago, xliverpoollad said:

take a look at KW Trams website.......under OO scale a  search for "Cardiiff "  shows an open top double decker kit..........hope this helps.

Alan

That is the Dick Kerr tram I was picturing.  All Cardiff trams were challenged in height due to some railway bridges in the city.  Dick Kerr provided 4 wheelers, bogie cars and single deckers,  Originally they had straight stairs with a reverse and a landing but many were changed to conventional curved stairs later.  In the 20’s many cars received balconies and enclosed vestibules, but remained open top (presumably because of the low bridges) Brush developed a low bridge design car and towards the end of the 20’s Cardiff took delivery of fully enclosed 4 wheel cars and bogie single deckers from Brush.  Some bogie open toppers ran up to 1946 and all done and gone by 1950.

sorry, don’t know much about Newport trams, other than there was an electric tramway, closed early, pre war.

Andy

6 minutes ago, wagonbasher said:

can I assume that we are talking 4mm / foot ?

 

what period are you thinking or doesn’t that matter?

 

Andy

I think Cardiff had some Dick Kerr standards, 4 wheel tram cars and they have been produced as kits in a number of forms.  Hopefully some 4mm modellers can help. 
 

Andy

6 hours ago, Penrhos1920 said:

I’m thinking of building some South Wales trams to go with my South Wales railways.  But where do I start?  Cardiff appears to have had the bigger system but as far as I can see there is only one kit for a Cardiff tram.  On the other hand there’s kit for at least 80% of the Newport fleet; although it appears that some of the earlier trams were rebuilt with enclosed top decks at some point.

 

But I’d prefer to model Cardiff trams as they fit better with my existing modelling.  Does anyone know of other Cardiff tram kits or kits that can be altered to suit?

can I assume that we are talking 4mm / foot ?

what period are you thinking or doesn’t that matter?

Andy

Hi

i always find these things fascinating.

if the flashing beacon flashes because something is moving, do things only move when they ‘enter and exit’?  Is there no scenario where things move that are not ‘entering or exiting’?  
 

Any idea how the prototype would have worked, would the flashing light have come on at the same time as the lights changed from ‘enter to exit’, who is pulling that lever, flicking on the hazard light.

if the flashing light is an independent switch then the game is over.

sorry to question the brief.

Andy

At the risk of being controversial, the locomotive colour looked nothing like any of the purples I have seen supporting the jubilee's events - to my eyes.

The Jubilee imagery I have seen, including here on RMweb have a muted purple colour, not unlike Wimbledon purple.  

The loco seams vivid purple

Andy

9 hours ago, rogerfarnworth said:

A comment by an acquaintance brought to mind the horse tram which served Fintona. I thought it would be good to look at what was a very short branch line. .....

 

http://rogerfarnworth.com/2022/06/01/the-fintona-line

 

 

 

Fasinating, as always.

Thank you

Andy

I have some experience here.  I found that the cut foam track bed was not smooth/ accurate enough to mount the track directly onto.  I laid the track on strips of 1/8th ply that was then bonded the ply to the foam.  The layout features curves and gradients which were mostly set by the foam but corrected and adjusted by the ply.

does that help

Andy

At first I should say, I don’t know.

As Stephen says bricks or stone sets are more likely.  
 

So logically this needs to be a robust, hard wearing surface. Not slippery either I would have thought, don’t want tonnes of cattle sliding around.

The South West geology is very complicated and colours of aggregate vary dramatically but I lean to Grey.  Cornwall has granite and basalt that vary from light Grey to Black, granite is a go to material for setts, they used to make slate setts in Cornwall as well and again that would be dark grey.  If Brick it will be very hard engineering bricks which I think are more likely to be dark grey. If you are thinking of Bristol  / Devon the rocks are not very hard (There were granite quarries on Dartmoor, also Grey) and so imported Cornish or South Wales stone is likely, South Wales would also be dark Grey.

hope that helps

Andy