mervyn Posted June 11, 2017 Share Posted June 11, 2017 Think I forsee a road trip to Milton Keynes coming up!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted June 13, 2017 Author Share Posted June 13, 2017 Not much has happened at Birlstone lately, largely because it's nicer outdoors than in, but today one of the trains took a breath of fresh air itself. Location is the garden line of a friend, whose wife is a seriously good horticulturalist. I'm tempted to post a stack of images of their garden, whether or not they've got trains in shot; it's a real gem. 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted June 14, 2017 Author Share Posted June 14, 2017 And, one of the group has posted an excellent video. Look out especially for 'Cock of the North', which is a seriously good bit of deliberately old fashioned modelling, a replica of a Maerklin model, made by a chap called Hehr in Germany. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervyn Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Cracking video !! thanks for sharing.... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted June 14, 2017 Author Share Posted June 14, 2017 In case people missed them, these two films of the layout owned by Ace Trains leader Allen Levy are real treats. Standing in the centre of the layout is an amazing experience, total immersion in the sights and sounds of 'tinplate'. It's utterly different from looking at a finescale model railway. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc8ImP_FXcg https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KXa_fiSBTvo 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockershovel Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 Looks like fun Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Not much has happened at Birlstone lately, largely because it's nicer outdoors than in, but today one of the trains took a breath of fresh air itself. Location is the garden line of a friend, whose wife is a seriously good horticulturalist. I'm tempted to post a stack of images of their garden, whether or not they've got trains in shot; it's a real gem. Love it. It may be coarse scale, but it is a rather better rendition of Drummond green than my Hornby! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted June 16, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 16, 2017 Love it. It may be coarse scale, but it is a rather better rendition of Drummond green than my Hornby! And it's the proper size! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 And if you hadn't said, I wouldn't have known. Bit like S7 really.... (Ok, if you're up close & personal, it's pretty b....y obvious, but it looks like the "three foot rule" applies here) Best Simon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted June 16, 2017 Author Share Posted June 16, 2017 Recent "tinplate" is all pretty similar, in that it is modelled on particular prototypes, with well-proportioned, if not always dimensionally absolutely spot-on, "upper works". The 'coarseness' is below the footplate, in that GOG coarse, rather than fine, wheel standards, or very similar, apply, the wheel sets have a lot of sideplay, and brakegear is omitted, all in the interests of squiggling round 2ft radius curves (yes, in 0 scale!), which is the de-facto standard minimum radius. These compromises allow locos as big as Duchesses and 9Fs to do the apparently impossible, smoothly. The formula is really the same as that which was used by the likes of Bassett Lowke from about 1905 to 1955, and is distinct from "toy" tinplate. Hornby, of course, started 'toy', but were producing 'model', and things that were a bit of each, too within ten years, then regressed to purely 'toy' in 0 gauge after WW2. The Ace Trains M7 is visually very good, and runs like a Swiss watch (well a Czech watch, really, 'cos that is where it was made). The only slight blooper is the smokebox door, which is ever-so-slightly too big, as a result of commonality of parts with their equivalent NER model (A5 class??). It was produced as a tribute to the very rare pre-WW1 German-made BL model of the same thing (photo below), which was among the top-few of r-t-r items in its day. The thing that most finescalers don't get, and probably never will, is that a subtly different aesthetic applies in coarse scale ...... some of us actually prefer the slight hint of the toy to absolute dimensional accuracy ....... we deliberately choose inaccuracy over accuracy, if you like. Ramble over; feast your eyes on this: 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted June 16, 2017 Author Share Posted June 16, 2017 PS: The coaches of my train are by Darstaed, and I think they got the brown too pale. I've also got a short rake of LSWR six-wheelers by Ace, which have the right, very dark, brown, but the "salmon" is a bit lurid. Also a Terrier in LSWR green, which seems a bit too "garden pea", whereas the "mushy pea" looks better. Application of the three foot rule AND wearing dark glasses makes everything blend harmoniously! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Metropolitan H Posted June 16, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 16, 2017 ....................... The only slight blooper is the smokebox door, which is ever-so-slightly too big, as a result of commonality of parts with their equivalent NER model (A5 class??). .............................. Not quite the ACE NER tank is what became LNER G5. G designates 0-4-4 wheel arrangement. The A5s were the big exGCR 4-6-2Ts. I've now put the batteries in the GWR Autocoach and switched the lights on at dusk - looks v. good running round the conservatory floor, either Pulling or Pushing. Regards Chris H 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianusa Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 Being an old (!) Hornby fan from way back as well as Lionel in more recent years, I have to agree with your comment "The thing that most finescalers don't get, and probably never will, is that a subtly different aesthetic applies in coarse scale ...... some of us actually prefer the slight hint of the toy to absolute dimensional accuracy ....... we deliberately choose inaccuracy over accuracy, if you like". Both these makers of toy trains used similar concessions to cut costs and make O size fit more space. Sharp curves, smaller drivers and shorter locos were the order of the day as well as similar changes to rolling stock, while all the while pretending it was 1/43, or close. Of course, the kids to whom all this was intended didn't give a hoot and had fun just the way it all was. Presumably Dad started to change all that when he realised that something didn't look right and before long Hornby realised that too. About the same time Lionel caught on and by the end of the decade both companies had near as dammit realistic toy trains. It would appear that Dad won and recently all toy trains have been scale oriented approaching the fidelity of their scale two rail brethren, which have been quite well received especially in the absence of Hornby O gauge. However, I have trouble mixing the two; I would love some small modern example, which must be able to go around the 2' curves and possible even small Lionel curved track. My main problem is that the new stuff shows up my Hornby, some/most of which is not in mint condition but perhaps I shouldn't be so particular! Brian. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted June 26, 2017 Author Share Posted June 26, 2017 (edited) Another travelogue, rather than a report of progress, of which there has been none. Northants and Rutland 0 gauge group meeting today had a GWR theme, but, as usual there was a lot more besides. Castle Aching devotees would have been interested in the free range chickens from the neighbouring farm, two of which were signed-in on the attendance log. The CR 0-4-4T is an Ace Trains 'maybe' prototype, and the Chuggington loco cost someone a whole $39.99. It has a superb mechanism, but maybe just a bit too entry-level for some. Edited June 26, 2017 by Nearholmer 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 Tone down the colour a bit, and it could look good on my forthcoming K&ESR layout. Shame the wheels are too course for O-MF! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Metropolitan H Posted June 27, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 27, 2017 ........................................ The CR 0-4-4T is an Ace Trains 'maybe' prototype, ............................. I understood that the CR 0-4-4T is initial prototype that goes back to the makers today with a long-list (full A4 sheet) of comments for attention. ACE seem to want to get it looking right and a reasonable number are proposed - in a number of different, but relevant (real), liveries to suit different eras. I was rather taken by it, but it doesn't quite fit with either my Metropolitan or GWR collections. Regards Chris H 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted June 29, 2017 Author Share Posted June 29, 2017 (edited) There is a bit of a story regarding the above, which I will tell you when I see you. Being in deep need of a bit of train therapy at lunchtime, I gave the earlier Aces a run. These have no pretence to realism, being effectively replicas of 1920s Hornby No.2 tanks, but they do bear a resemblance to ex-LBSCR Atlantic tanks, and, just as importantly, they look pretty! Toy trains, for toy trains sake, really. Edited June 29, 2017 by Nearholmer 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 PS: The coaches of my train are by Darstaed, and I think they got the brown too pale. I've also got a short rake of LSWR six-wheelers by Ace, which have the right, very dark, brown, but the "salmon" is a bit lurid. Also a Terrier in LSWR green, which seems a bit too "garden pea", whereas the "mushy pea" looks better. Application of the three foot rule AND wearing dark glasses makes everything blend harmoniously! IMHO, CR Phillips, a professional builder/painter, has the Drummond green perfectly. Examples on this site, http://www.crphillips-models.co.uk/srmodelspage11.html, scroll to the T1. Definitely the mushy variety. Another travelogue, rather than a report of progress, of which there has been none. Northants and Rutland 0 gauge group meeting today had a GWR theme, but, as usual there was a lot more besides. Castle Aching devotees would have been interested in the free range chickens from the neighbouring farm, two of which were signed-in on the attendance log. The CR 0-4-4T is an Ace Trains 'maybe' prototype, and the Chuggington loco cost someone a whole $39.99. It has a superb mechanism, but maybe just a bit too entry-level for some. Excellent. I hope the chickens had a good time. Like the Caley tank. If that diesel had been OO, I can think of certain manufacturers who might pass that off as a Deltic! It really is caveat emptor in RTR these days! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted June 29, 2017 Author Share Posted June 29, 2017 "I hope the chickens had a good time." Mildly disappointed, I'm afraid. They'd heard that "Cock of the North" had been present at the previous meeting, and had misunderstood what this meant. K 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 "I hope the chickens had a good time." Mildly disappointed, I'm afraid. They'd heard that "Cock of the North" had been present at the previous meeting, and had misunderstood what this meant. K I dedicate this song to your mildly disappointed hens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hQhi4oyH6k Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted July 3, 2017 Author Share Posted July 3, 2017 I'm now in the throes of converting Paltry Circus to its intended Island platform configuration, by means of ply and hardwood strip. My fretsawing isn't up to the standards of the old-timers, but I'm getting there. 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 I'm now in the throes of converting Paltry Circus to its intended Island platform configuration, by means of ply and hardwood strip. My fretsawing isn't up to the standards of the old-timers, but I'm getting there. An excellent start. I look forward to seeing this shape up. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted July 6, 2017 Author Share Posted July 6, 2017 (edited) Not really relevant, but I managed to cycle through a time-warp today, to discover that the little market square where I was intending to stop for a sandwich was in about 1948. The whole article place was set-dressed for a film, but I could only sneak one photo. Someone was being deliberately old fashioned to a serious degree! Edited July 6, 2017 by Nearholmer 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted July 6, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 6, 2017 So they said "please stay, that penny farthing is just right". 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 Is that a genuine 1940s fluorescent tube in the left hand window above the RS Evans sign? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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