Wright writes.....

[Tony Wright]

I never realised Little Bytham had its own McDonalds...

Neither did I!

 

Until now.....................

[APOLLO]

Some Acro info on rmweb here Tony

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/65524-kings-cross-model-shop/page-9&do=findComment&comment=1336148

 

Brit15

[gr.king]

Neither did I!

 

Until now.....................

I hope the unpleasant experiences were not aggravated by staff with a respect deficiency combined with inability to use proper English, addressing you as "guys". I'm quite happy to walk out and go hungry if I again encounter that, especially if there's unwillingness to accept a firm correction.

[LNWR18901910]

Back to model railways.................

 

A question, please. Does anyone know anything about this kit?

 

Acro 4F kit.jpg

 

Over the weekend, Richard Wilson brought down boxes of ancient model railway stuff which must have been living in a shed for decades. We set up 'rummaging' boxes at Quorn, and just about everything went. However, I donated some dosh for a few things, including this Acro kit for a 4F. Someone had started construction of the tender, and I couldn't resist finishing it off yesterday (adding Comet etched steps, because such 'super-detailing' is not included in the kit). It's very similar to a Jamieson kit; indeed, various EAMES bits are included. I'll build it, because it's just the sort of project I enjoy (perversely?). 

 

J6 001.jpg

 

In between times at Quorn, I did a bit more to the SE Finecast J6 I'm building. I'm substituting the much more common symmetrical-wheelbase GNR tender, building it from a LRM kit. This is the second J6 I'm making. A report on the first one will appear in the RM later this year. 

This locomotive is undoubtedly a GNR Class J4 or 521 0-6-0. I just looked it up.

[Tony Wright]

Some Acro info on rmweb here Tony

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/65524-kings-cross-model-shop/page-9&do=findComment&comment=1336148

 

Brit15

Many thanks,

 

I wonder why brass was banned in the manufacture of loco kits in 1951? 

[John Isherwood]

Many thanks,

 

I wonder why brass was banned in the manufacture of loco kits in 1951? 

 

Probably a post-war shortage - brass was / is? used quite a lot in armaments.

 

When exchange controls were in operation, expensive imported copper to produce brass would not be something that could be spared for frivolous use in 'toy trains'.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[Tony Wright]

Just to let readers know......................

 

I've just been speaking with Mark Arscott of Markits and he tells me that he has several Britannia chimneys. He has many other chimney types as well in 4mm. 

 

The reason chimneys aren't listed on his website is that 'when they're gone - they're gone'. As I mentioned earlier, the chap who used to turn the chimneys for him is, because of a severe stroke, incapable of making anything any more.

 

I suggest e-mailing Markits with your requests. There is one caveat (which I can quite understand). Individual chimneys do not cost more than £10.00 each, and it isn't cost-effective for Mark to process an order for less than £10.00 (ex-postage).  May I suggest, ordering a Brit chimney (or two - I think he's got about a dozen), plus whatever else is tempting from his (large) range of products, to take the order over a tenner? 

 

I should point out that I have no connection with Markits, other than as a satisfied customer (who does not, nor expects, to get preferential treatment/service). He is a good friend, though. 

 

I hope this helps. 

[Lecorbusier]

Just to let readers know......................

 

I've just been speaking with Mark Arscott of Markits and he tells me that he has several Britannia chimneys. He has many other chimney types as well in 4mm. 

 

The reason chimneys aren't listed on his website is that 'when they're gone - they're gone'. As I mentioned earlier, the chap who used to turn the chimneys for him is, because of a severe stroke, incapable of making anything any more.

 

I suggest e-mailing Markits with your requests. There is one caveat (which I can quite understand). Individual chimneys do not cost more than £10.00 each, and it isn't cost-effective for Mark to process an order for less than £10.00 (ex-postage).  May I suggest, ordering a Brit chimney (or two - I think he's got about a dozen), plus whatever else is tempting from his (large) range of products, to take the order over a tenner? 

 

I should point out that I have no connection with Markits, other than as a satisfied customer (who does not, nor expects, to get preferential treatment/service). He is a good friend, though. 

 

I hope this helps. 

Do you think it might be an idea to save one of the chimneys and see if it could be used to make a mould to allow lost wax casting? just a thought.

[davefrk]

Do you think it might be an idea to save one of the chimneys and see if it could be used to make a mould to allow lost wax casting? just a thought.

Or even cast white metal, I do chimneys for 4 and 7mm kit manufacturers so it's not a problem, apart from the time factor.

 

Dave.

[Tony Wright]

Do you think it might be an idea to save one of the chimneys and see if it could be used to make a mould to allow lost wax casting? just a thought.

It could be Tim - industrial plagiarism on the small scale? 

 

I think the problem for manufacturers with such relatively low-value items like chimneys is that, even if they're just part of a much larger range, the proprietor will need to sell dozens and dozens to make it worth his/her while. 

 

After the discussion about chimneys took place, I rummaged through my chimney box. I must have hundreds, the problem being that with at least 75% of them, I'm not entirely sure what they're for. However, in the case of the Brits, I found two. One from Markits (direct order, so no price on the pack), code: MaChBR70Ch, and the other from DMR (priced at £3.95), code BR2. Both, as they should be, are identical (70036 will be getting one of them). To some, £3.95 might seem a bit high for a piece of turned brass, but how many of us out there could make one for ourselves? I bought the DMR one off Mike Russell at the Southampton Show a while ago, when he was moving his 4mm range on. The various bits and pieces he sold were adjuncts to his kit range, which, obviously had a much higher price. The problem is (or was) for him was that he'd invested in producing two LNER/ER loco kits; one for a K1 and the other for an L1, and, lo-and-behold, Hornby then announced their RTR examples. The L1 never made it to the market!  This sort of tale has been told before, and it's on-going. 

 

The downside is, for the likes of me (and others who post on here) who'd rather build things rather than open boxes, is that the kit-market is in danger of dying, and with it all those wonderful little extra bits needed to upgrade those RTR items (remember Crownline?). Time and again at shows, I hear the same thing - fewer and fewer people are making things any more. Where some metal kits exist, instructions suggest glue because too many are afraid of soldering (I've heard this from the horse's mouth), and it's even advocated in the media.

 

Talking to Mark Arscott this morning, we mused over our formative days - struggling with K's kits, re-wheeling Tri-ang chassis, brandishing a gas-fired soldering iron with our first Jamieson kits and so on. What a wonderful learning experience. You either did it, or got nothing apart from crude RTR. 

 

It makes me wonder how much 'richer' the hobby really is these days, especially in observing many layouts in the media and at shows. Populated by RTR items of great wonderment they might be, but they look nothing like a real railway - too much crammed in, too sharp curves, vehicles (including water-born) in places where they couldn't have reached (apart from via the hand of God), stations which couldn't be worked, signals which (assuming they worked) could only lead to disaster and a complete lack of observation of 'the real thing'.

 

Or, am I just too cynical?   

[Headstock]

A pity we can't train 'em to spin their threads between our telegraph poles.

 

I'm teaching mine to solder. Things are going well, only two incinerations so far.

[Headstock]

It could be Tim - industrial plagiarism on the small scale? 

 

I think the problem for manufacturers with such relatively low-value items like chimneys is that, even if they're just part of a much larger range, the proprietor will need to sell dozens and dozens to make it worth his/her while. 

 

After the discussion about chimneys took place, I rummaged through my chimney box. I must have hundreds, the problem being that with at least 75% of them, I'm not entirely sure what they're for. However, in the case of the Brits, I found two. One from Markits (direct order, so no price on the pack), code: MaChBR70Ch, and the other from DMR (priced at £3.95), code BR2. Both, as they should be, are identical (70036 will be getting one of them). To some, £3.95 might seem a bit high for a piece of turned brass, but how many of us out there could make one for ourselves? I bought the DMR one off Mike Russell at the Southampton Show a while ago, when he was moving his 4mm range on. The various bits and pieces he sold were adjuncts to his kit range, which, obviously had a much higher price. The problem is (or was) for him was that he'd invested in producing two LNER/ER loco kits; one for a K1 and the other for an L1, and, lo-and-behold, Hornby then announced their RTR examples. The L1 never made it to the market!  This sort of tale has been told before, and it's on-going. 

 

The downside is, for the likes of me (and others who post on here) who'd rather build things rather than open boxes, is that the kit-market is in danger of dying, and with it all those wonderful little extra bits needed to upgrade those RTR items (remember Crownline?). Time and again at shows, I hear the same thing - fewer and fewer people are making things any more. Where some metal kits exist, instructions suggest glue because too many are afraid of soldering (I've heard this from the horse's mouth), and it's even advocated in the media.

 

Talking to Mark Arscott this morning, we mused over our formative days - struggling with K's kits, re-wheeling Tri-ang chassis, brandishing a gas-fired soldering iron with our first Jamieson kits and so on. What a wonderful learning experience. You either did it, or got nothing apart from crude RTR. 

 

It makes me wonder how much 'richer' the hobby really is these days, especially in observing many layouts in the media and at shows. Populated by RTR items of great wonderment they might be, but they look nothing like a real railway - too much crammed in, too sharp curves, vehicles (including water-born) in places where they couldn't have reached (apart from via the hand of God), stations which couldn't be worked, signals which (assuming they worked) could only lead to disaster and a complete lack of observation of 'the real thing'.

 

Or, am I just too cynical?   

 

There is a definite connection between the rise of RTR and the lack of sartorial elegance in model railway geeks. Real modelers have tats, long hair, shady looking burn marks on their left-hand index fingers and 10 BA bolts through their noses. In contrast, the RTR crowd look like they have been dressed by their Mum.

[Lecorbusier]

It could be Tim - industrial plagiarism on the small scale? 

 

 

Not sure about that .... the form is that of the original loco chimney and I don't see how you could prevent anyone from turning their own identical copy in 4mm. If the maker can no longer turn them and they are not available elsewhere, he might be amenable to having a mould taken from one of them anyway .... after all kit building is very much a hobby based cottage industry. A white metal or brass casting would be different from a turned chimney come what may.

[Lecorbusier]

 

 

The downside is, for the likes of me (and others who post on here) who'd rather build things rather than open boxes, is that the kit-market is in danger of dying, and with it all those wonderful little extra bits needed to upgrade those RTR items (remember Crownline?). Time and again at shows, I hear the same thing - fewer and fewer people are making things any more. Where some metal kits exist, instructions suggest glue because too many are afraid of soldering (I've heard this from the horse's mouth), and it's even advocated in the media.

 

   

Hmmmm! .... we've been here before. Still don't agree.

 

Maybe things are more focussed and  not as far ranging .... but new kits seem to be popping up all the time.

 

Within P4 and EM people are definitely modelling. In 00 its a mixed bag but there are some really great layouts and modelling out there. ..... and that's just 4mm scale.

 

Even K's/Nucast are making a welcome if slow return under the care of Branchlines/SE Finecast.

Nucast current releases 14th Feb 2018.pdf

[Andy Y]

 

It makes me wonder how much 'richer' the hobby really is these days, especially in observing many layouts in the media and at shows. Populated by RTR items of great wonderment they might be,

 

...

 

Or, am I just too cynical?

 

 

 

Possibly so Tony and I look beyond the balance of RTR/kitbuilt motive power/coaching stock in assessing whether a layout is good, inspirational or worthy - a good layout is far more than that when the environment and essence is considered. I'm sure the era (and probably location) would fill you with corporate blue angst but this budget modelling utilising RTR items (he does get on to kits in another entry), which I have neglected to notice before, gives a real time and place which no amount of kitbuilding would improve upon - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/810/entry-20737-perry-barr-blues/

 

 

Am I guilty of stereotyping here?

 

Do you think I'm prejudiced? 

 

Possibly so too on this score Tony (well you did ask! ) and whilst I wholly agree in terms of anti-social traits it's dangerous to make assumptions about skills, knowledge, value or kindness based on adornments. One of the best OLE modellers I know sports quite a few piercings, our next-door neighbour who has more tattoos than Edinburgh is one of the nicest sorts we've ever lived by - modelling skills are certainly not correlated to social standing, dress sense, BMI or social skills in my experience. I know we haven't brought swearing and cursing into it (you're good at that too) but I have worked my way through an entire profanisaurus today in the context of work but some would regard that as a measure of a person. I say ******* to them.

 

Not everyone has the same desire to do things the harder way even if it can be proven to be a better way; I don't have a problem with the 'modeller' who places disparate unadulterated stock from a box onto a trainset oval and goes 'toot toot' but I suppose I do have a problem if he tells me that his trainset is the best or greatest. Maybe I am dismissive when confronted with a lack of humility?

[Beechnut]

Many thanks,

 

I wonder why brass was banned in the manufacture of loco kits in 1951?

 

Tony

 

It was the Korean War which caused the restrictions on certain metals, chromium was another, with motorcycle wheel rims painted for the duration.

 

Brendan

[Headstock]

 

 

Possibly so Tony and I look beyond the balance of RTR/kitbuilt motive power/coaching stock in assessing whether a layout is good, inspirational or worthy - a good layout is far more than that when the environment and essence is considered. I'm sure the era (and probably location) would fill you with corporate blue angst but this budget modelling utilising RTR items (he does get on to kits in another entry), which I have neglected to notice before, gives a real time and place which no amount of kitbuilding would improve upon - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/810/entry-20737-perry-barr-blues/

 

 

 

Possibly so too on this score Tony (well you did ask! ) and whilst I wholly agree in terms of anti-social traits it's dangerous to make assumptions about skills, knowledge, value or kindness based on adornments. One of the best OLE modellers I know sports quite a few piercings, our next-door neighbour who has more tattoos than Edinburgh is one of the nicest sorts we've ever lived by - modelling skills are certainly not correlated to social standing, dress sense, BMI or social skills in my experience. I know we haven't brought swearing and cursing into it (you're good at that too) but I have worked my way through an entire profanisaurus today in the context of work but some would regard that as a measure of a person. I say ******* to them.

 

Not everyone has the same desire to do things the harder way even if it can be proven to be a better way; I don't have a problem with the 'modeller' who places disparate unadulterated stock from a box onto a trainset oval and goes 'toot toot' but I suppose I do have a problem if he tells me that his trainset is the best or greatest. Maybe I am dismissive when confronted with a lack of humility?

 

Yuck, I can remember the smell! A time when people on American TV progs would still wear flairs and we used to laugh at them. Why wouldn't a bit of kit building improve the model?

[Andy Y]

Yuck, I can remember the smell! A time when people on American TV progs would still wear flairs and we used to laugh at them. Why wouldn't a bit of kit building improve the model?

He has gone on to model an AM4 kit for the scene (essential for the era) but it does not make the scene any more plausible than it already was.

[Headstock]

He has gone on to model an AM4 kit for the scene (essential for the era) but it does not make the scene any more plausible than it already was.

 

Essential is essential. Otherwise, it could be any generic early 80's horrible railway landscape of the type that I remember as a youth. My overriding impression back in the day was 'I think i'll get the bus', so it works on that level. However, if it purports to be a specific location, yet a key part of what makes that location true is missing, then it fails. Good on the builder for going against the grain and making the extra effort.

Edited June 21, 2018 by Headstock

[Andy Y]

However, if it purports to be a specific location, yet a key part of what makes that location true is missing,

So Little Bytham is inauthentic unless there's a Pacific in sight?

[grahame]

. . . it could be any generic early 80's horrible railway landscape of the type that I remember as a youth.

Hmm, horrible, of course, being a personal opinion - not everyone will agree with it.

 

To me it's a fascinating model railway essay that captures the atmosphere and period with plenty of humility. I like it. It's alive with period detail.

 

G

[bbishop]

So Little Bytham is inauthentic unless there's a Pacific in sight?

 

So where is the groan button?

 

Bill

[NHY 581]

There is a definite connection between the rise of RTR and the lack of sartorial elegance in model railway geeks. Real modelers have tats, long hair, shady looking burn marks on their left-hand index fingers and 10 BA bolts through their noses. In contrast, the RTR crowd look like they have been dressed by their Mum.

By your observation, I am in the RTR crowd. I consider myself to be quite dapper at times but I do not consider that I appear to have been dressed by my Mum.

 

 

Could you supply details of what kind of garments would feature in such a wardrobe. I am anxious to avoid being mistaken for a member of one of the finescale societies.

 

 

 

Rob.

[Enterprisingwestern]

By your observation, I am in the RTR crowd. I consider myself to be quite dapper at times but I do not consider that I appear to have been dressed by my Mum.

 

 

Could you supply details of what kind of garments would feature in such a wardrobe. I am anxious to avoid being mistaken for a member of one of the finescale societies.

 

 

 

Rob.

 

Avoid leather patches.

 

Mike.

[Headstock]

And pipes.