Darwinian

I do like some of these neverwozzers. Superb modelling by all concerned , that Harwich mallet is a wonderfully eccentric beast. Can't help wondering if even Hornby could get the GWR 2-10-2T around radius 2 curves .

Well done on completeing her Castle. She looks a little gem . Funny how those gremlins defy investigation. I spent an hour last night trying to figure out why my scratchbuilt Rhymney/GWR P1 was the only loco I have that derails almost every time on one particular turnout on my layout. Still none the wiser . Hope that one just goes away too. I'm sure it used to be fine! I look forward to following your progress in re-creating more of Didcot's collection. Adrian

Castle I'll be watching this one with interest too. My first kit built loco was a K's 1361 back in my teenage years, so I have a soft spot for them. Mine is still around, at some point she gained a replacement scratchbuilt plasticard saddle tank (cannot remember why i thought that was a good idea) and has a scratchbuilt compensated chassis running on romford wheels. Remarkably she still runs (although not especially smoothly) and is my daughter's favourite of my locos. Not quite as refined as I might aim for these days. Adrian

Looking really good Castle, I'll be following this with interest. I haven't been to Didcot for a couple of years but always enjoy my visits. Adrian

Thanks for confirming my impression Adrian. Some of the flat sided Rhymney railway coaches lasted into BR days so one day I'll try to scratch build some, in Chocolate and cream of course. Ah, yes photo's. Well Coachmann, if I'd had the sense to go to the National Library of Wales when I was living between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth I might have been a bit better off. Not really an option now I'm in East Anglia. I've been collecting all the appropriate books that I can find but most of the photographs are either pre-grouping or post nationalisation and very few show of the others show coaching stock clearly. I'll keep looking. I probably should join the Welsh railways Research Circle too but keep putting it off because i cannot get to any meetings. Adrian

Just out of interest, how long was the time between repaints for GWR coaches generally? I'm modelling a Welsh Valleys branch line in (approximately) 1930 so I know I can have 1928 Chocolate and Cream but what about 1922 fully lined or even 1912 Crimson lake liveries (obviously not on absorbed stock which I assume would have been repainted by 1930). I've seen a few photo's dated 1930 with lined stock, but would this still have been failry common, especially on secondary lines? Adrian

I have a 1970s H&M walkabout that I use with a range of motors from old ECM Type 2s through varius mashimas and Portescaps (dependent on how recently I built the loco!). It's a lovely controller to use but the slider knob on mine is now becoming loose so it's been retired to run my test track and rolling road. Soon after I bought it one of the inertia settings failed (the lesser effect one) and it went back to H&M. It worked properly when returned but failed again a year or two later. I went to Uni soon afterwards so it never got sorted but the rest still works fine today. The walkabout doesn't include a transformer and requires a 16v AC. supply. Mine has been superceded by a Morley vector which gives comparable fine control, has single rotating knob, with vertical off, without any "click" on the main unit but also has small walkabout units which do have a slight click when the zero position is passed. Adrian

Rught, a bit later than intended but here goes. Here are some pictures of the dingham couplers in action. I have no affiliation with Dingham I just thought others reading this topic might be interested. I think these are self-explanatory. There is a permanent magnet beneath the track to operate the lifting loop. Adrian

One option that has not been discussed and avoids the double shuffle is the Dingham coupler mentioned in one of the early posts. Advantages: No double shuffle, Fits into buffer beam hook slot, Compatible with 3-links (although fiddly), Latches in open to push vehicle after uncoupling, Coupling moves out of harms way if end of vehicle is knocked, Vehicles can be lifted out by tilting one end up and the other down, very inconspicuous at one end, tolerates about 1mm variation in vertical alignment. fairly quick to assemble. Relatively inexpensive. Disadvantages: Handed so stock cannot be turned, Hoop end looks unprototypical, Doesn't like tight radius curves, Propelling stock relies on buffers, upwards movement means it doesn't work under gangways as far as I can figure out but I haven't experimented yet. I'm trying them out as I have quite a lot of 3-link/screw fitted stock so I can gradually re-fit. My branch line doesn't use turning of stock or locos. It occured to me that if I did want to turn locos I could use the latch hook on the loco and have a double looped wagon on the back of my train (This would not work for guards vans however unless there was another converter wagon on the end of the train with hooks like the loco. I'll try to post some pictures at the weekend. Here's my Rhymney P1 with latch hook with added screw coupling on the front to be going on with;) . Adrian