DavidLong

16 hours ago, montyburns56 said:

 Dowlais High Street 1974 by Andy Kirkham

 

 

 

Absolute classics from Mr Kirkham, especially the first one. Does photo 2 show the Valleys' version of 'gentrification'?

David

19 hours ago, russ p said:

 

I didn't realise those tanks were that old. Hasn't some company just announced caustic tanks in oo

RevolutioN ?

David

20 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

Learning the road presumably.

Perhaps I should have been clearer. As far as I am aware the only freight business west of Plymouth is the china clay which is operated by DB. 59003 is a GB Railfreight loco which led me to wonder if there may be new freight business on the horizon.  However GBRf do specialize in route learning so they could be training drivers from another company who need to learn the road which may or may not be for freight business.

David

15 hours ago, Helstonnorthroad said:

GBRF no.59003 at Penzance working 1Z64 Plymouth to Penzance driver training run 14/07/21

Anyone know what these training runs are for?

David

Good to see it coming together, Angus. Braver man than me. The wobbly loco footplate to come!

I think that you are right about the buffers. Generally steam age loco buffers are notoriously weedy.

Do you have a copy of 'Steaming in Three Centuries'? It tells you everything that you need to know about the 101/J15 class and very well illustrated. If you haven't i could lend you my copy.

David

Those 16 tonners are starting to show signs of wear and tear. I seem to recall (it may have been in the MBT articles about them) that the maintenance interval was extended in the early '60s and that's when the rot, literally, started to set in. Photos of the 1/108 diagram in the 1950s show them to be still in a reasonable state although some of the early company and MOWT vehicles were already starting to show signs of a hard life.

David

Rob,

Your layouts are an absolute delight. Your eye for subtle details and the ability to reproduce them in such a satisfying way is truly remarkable. Despite my seventy years on the planet I have never managed to acquire the observational skills which you seem to have but I live in hope!

Looking forward to the 'bubble car' making an appearance!

David

On 02/05/2021 at 11:51, Killybegs said:

Our local beach this morning.

 

Delightful, John. thanks for posting. I'm missing Ireland and especially Dunmore East, desperately. Eighteen months since we've been and not sure with quarantine restrictions when we will be there again. We only got back into Wales last month!

David

I do like 0395s but very rare in modelling circles. Well done, Jack.

David

Go on, Jack, you know you want to and we'll all be here cheering you on!

David

Colwyn Bay and Rhos-on-Sea from Old Colwyn. 

Not great art but today is the first time that I have been able to see this view since 13th September 2020. 

David 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-56716708

Could it happen here? I don't think I'll be holding my breath!

David

Some good work in 2FS here, Simon. I expect you're glad that we now supply 3D printed axleboxes and springs!

David

16 minutes ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Erm, trolleybuses?

 

Mike.

They use overhead wiring otherwise it is an electric bus! VLR doesn't use wiring which is part of the lower cost. Steel wheel on steel rail will always be more efficient than rubber tyre on tarmac without mentioning rubber residue.

David

Specifically to Coventry the details are here:

https://www.coventry.gov.uk/verylightrail

There was a presentation by the Coventry City Council project manager on a recent webinar from the West Midlands branch of CILT.

Coventry was half the webinar, the other half was about the reopening of Darlaston and Willenhall stations and associated passenger services.

The Coventry project is really interesting as due to the lightweight nature of the vehicles the idea is that that the rails only have to lie within in the tarmac without the need for the expensive part of utility diversions. It's all in the above link.

Apparently there is quite a lot of interest from other smaller cities and larger towns who would like a light rail system but on a much cheaper basis than the conventional tram systems.

David

Very nice too! John Smith still coming up with interesting ways to paint a loco. 66793 (and 794) are two of the Beacon Rail locos from Germany. According to the current issue of TRUK they have modified gear ratios and a 65 mph maximum speed, like the Freightliner 66/6s and are expected to work out of Tonbridge.

Could anyone tell me why the ex-European owned 66s have a larger than usual horn housing such as can be seen on 66793?

David 

22 minutes ago, Bryn said:

 

a class 25/3 as I can't see Farish doing it anytime soon

 

I know, tedious, isn't it? I think they've lost interest in N. They are onto 24/1s in 4mm. Grrr. . .

David

18 hours ago, Bryn said:

What started out as a quick weathering job turned out to be a complete underframe rebuild job. Inspired by the Jim Smith-Wright modification carried out in 4mm scale.

 

- Chassis block machined to remove all metal below solebar level 

- Plastic solebar under the cabs cut back and replaced with plasticard sections tapering in towards the centre line of the locomotive

- New fuel tanks and battery boxes scratch built

- Original water tank reworked into a three dimensional shape

- I beam cross supports added to attach the underframe parts to the body 

- Buffer beam detail with missing plough blade

- Modelu driver 

- Weathering with oils, acrylics and powders

 

I'll add a full write up on my blog eventually.

That's brilliant, Bryn. You may just have given me the push to try the same thing. I have JS-W's article about his 4mm conversions and they certainly change the look of the locomotive.

Interested in your choice of 25043 which was a bit of a celebrity before it got a makeover at Derby works. Here it is at Carlisle in March 1976:

The last green Class 25. Two months later Derby got their hands on it!

David

Another church poster simply stated "Jesus saves"

Underneath: "And St John knocks in the rebound!"

One of the best football photos that I recall is one showing St John horizontal off the ground heading in the winner in the cup final against Leeds. Possibly rivalled by the similar action of Keith Houchen for Coventry City against Spurs.

David

Yes, that's the one. I was trying to work out the time line for it as it doesn't seem to be present on the pre-large logo 37 photos. I think that @Nearholmer may have the right idea about what it is there for. Having checked Google Earth it isn't there now, just a large expanse of nothingness like the rest of the area around the station.

Thanks for putting the extra photos up.

David

What is the structure behind the platform in the photos with the two Class 37s? It doesn't appear in any of the other photographs.

David

Edit: Just noticed that it seems to be present in some of Ernie's b/w photos

19 hours ago, polybear said:

Any guesses as to whether or not these will be subject to any VAT & collection charges post-Brexit?  If so they start to become somewhat more expensive....

Thanks

These aren't coming from the EU. I've bought a number of motors from Chinese suppliers with no problem. They just drop through the letter box! There may be some consideration of the total value of the order but so far this doesn't seem to have applied.

Having read about some of the new rules concerning VAT with the EU I suspect it may be easier to buy from China than from Germany! It seems that suppliers have to register for VAT with HMRC, charge VAT to the customer and then claim it back from HMRC. There are already some tales of European suppliers declining orders from the UK as they don't want the hassle.

David

Oh dear, more sweat shop working on the coaching stock front for John Aldrick 

"Drop the Great Western, John, we need teak, more teak!"

David

Hang on, isn't the quickest route Falmouth - Truro - Newquay the one via Chacewater? What's that? It's closed! Ah well, it must have slipped by me when I wasn't paying attention. I guess someone must have decided it wasn't needed any more . . .

David

Delightful work, as ever, Rob. Certainly doesn't look rushed to me!

David