Wright writes.....

[bbishop]

Yes, it's going to Andy for his Great Eastern area layout.  It not only provides a second brake van but also a modicum of 1st class accommodation.  

 

I thought it was of NER origin.  Lodged near the back of my brain is an idea that a firm produced vacuum formed plastic kits, especially of NER "prototypes".  If that is the source, then it has been really well made, but time has bowed the sides.  I'm sure that Andy will report on progress.  Bill

[thegreenhowards]

51 minutes ago, bbishop said:

Yes, it's going to Andy for his Great Eastern area layout.  It not only provides a second brake van but also a modicum of 1st class accommodation.  

 

I thought it was of NER origin.  Lodged near the back of my brain is an idea that a firm produced vacuum formed plastic kits, especially of NER "prototypes".  If that is the source, then it has been really well made, but time has bowed the sides.  I'm sure that Andy will report on progress.  Bill

That makes sense. Probably Highfield Models as in this post.

 

I have a couple of their vehicles already. A NE milk van and an LNER bread van - both bought second hand. They are a little basic by today’s standards but IMHO make very respectable layout coaches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[zr2498]

Interesting, especially if you are into bridges

 

 

[Bucoops]

Great video, but don't think much of Youtube's (owned by Google) auto-subtitles!

 

[Geep7]

On 12/10/2022 at 09:55, Tony Wright said:

Good morning,

 

I think many shows might well have gone forever, or are heading that way. 

 

My observations in more recent times suggest attendees are dropping off to the point where holding shows becomes non-viable. Couple that with the disappearance of 'specialist' traders at such events, and the proliferation of 'box-shifters' to take their places, and, to me, it's a recipe for doom for many exhibitions. 

 

It could be that the 'salvation' for exhibitions are the smaller, 'home-spun' events (Nottingham for one, next month), where costs are strictly-limited (no overnight accommodation needed) and the exhibits are local. That then leaves a few 'larger' shows, often sponsored.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Hi Tony,

 

Sadly, I think you may be right. The club I belong to (the REC), sadly made the decision to no longer hold any more exhibitions, mainly due to the increasing age of our membership. It was becoming increasingly difficult to get enough people together to man the show.

 

I also noticed that, I believe for the first time, Kernow did not have a stand at the Farnham exhibition this past weekend. There wasn't really any other big box shifter there, but I guess most would have been at GETS instead.

 

I'm going to a much smaller show this weekend in Beckenham to help operate a friends layout. It'll be interesting to see what the attendance is.

 

Regards, Chris

[Barry O]

@Tony Wright.. if you refit the dcc gubbins please do not try to power it up.. it cost less if they work before they are returned.

 

 

Baz

[Tony Wright]

37 minutes ago, Barry O said:

@Tony Wright.. if you refit the dcc gubbins please do not try to power it up.. it cost less if they work before they are returned.

 

 

Baz

Thanks Baz,

 

They'll be handed over to you having worked properly on DC. I'll remove the wires from the motor to the pick-ups before you get them. The decoders and speakers will be with the models for you to fit them. The owner would much rather you install the DCC than me (he's obviously got lots of sense!).

 

Speaking of the owner, he couldn't live with the wrong-way-round chimney and the truncated handrails on the C7............

 

 

So, I've fitted a new chimney and formed the handrail describing the arc above the smokebox door, patch-painting as required. 

 

Were it my decision, I'd strip this, rebuild it to 'accuracy' (the safety valves are too early and the tender top is wrong for the period), then, once 'rebuilt', I'd hand it over to a guy who knows how to paint it properly. 

 

Should all this be necessary on a 'professionally built/painted' loco? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[thegreenhowards]

1 hour ago, Geep7 said:

Hi Tony,

 

Sadly, I think you may be right. The club I belong to (the REC), sadly made the decision to no longer hold any more exhibitions, mainly due to the increasing age of our membership. It was becoming increasingly difficult to get enough people together to man the show.

 

I also noticed that, I believe for the first time, Kernow did not have a stand at the Farnham exhibition this past weekend. There wasn't really any other big box shifter there, but I guess most would have been at GETS instead.

 

I'm going to a much smaller show this weekend in Beckenham to help operate a friends layout. It'll be interesting to see what the attendance is.

 

Regards, Chris

I’ll also be exhibiting at Beckenham on our club’s 00 layout, Oakbourne. If any of you are going, do pop over and say hello.

 

Andy

[Tony Wright]

With Iain Rice's death, I've looked through my photographic library to see if I had an image of anything built by him. I have some on film (which need to be scanned, which is beyond me), but had nothing digital. 

 

So, I borrowed this from Ian Wilson this afternoon.........

 

 

It dates from many years ago when Iain was living with Ian and Elaine Wilson, and was part of Prototype Models. Part of Iain's role was to build/modify models on commission, and this much-altered Tri-ang B12/3 was one. It must be near 50 years old (or even more).

 

Seeing this, I'm reminded of another B12/3, this time a kit from much the same period; a McGowan one for the same class. 

 

 

Though the kit might be about 50 years old, I only built this three years ago. There's a startling similarity.

 

What it shows is how much Iain Rice must have developed over the last five decades, while I've remained (quite happily) a Luddite.  

 

 

Edited October 13, 2022 by Tony Wright
to add something

[Tony Wright]

And, now for something really, really different............

 

It's a scratch-built C9, made in tinplate, brass and nickel silver. It was donated to me yesterday by a friend. He'd acquired it (in a box of junk) from the estate of a deceased modeller. 'See what you can get for it' he said. 

 

I wonder what it might be worth? How old is it? The box some of the parts were in might be an indication. 

 

There are some other small parts, but it'll obviously need some further bits making/acquiring. 

 

Should I make a donation to CRUK and finish it myself? I've never seen a model of this articulated 'Atlantic' type (of which there were two); their tenders were rebuilt after the locos were scrapped and eventually went behind a couple of new B1s - including 61039). 

 

Any thoughts, please? 

 

 

[jwealleans]

Go for it, Tony.  One more C9 won't make the world any worse.    The only one I've seen that I recall was Malcolm Crawley's on Thompson's End.

[Guest Simon A.C. Martin]

Probably my last update - to bring my contributions full circle. 
 

The repaired eBay purchase Hornby W1 bodyshell is now powered for the first time, and running beautifully on the older (much modified) five pole motor chassis.

 

There’s a lot still to do (add front frames, modify rear ones, other small details like the steps, and similar) but happily it is now ready to be run on track. 
 

There’s a bit of bodgery I employed to enable this chassis to be used and run smoothly. I am hoping once painted, no one will spot it. The question is, is it noticeable now?

 

[Jon4470]

Hi Tony

 

Yes - go for it!

 

It will be a very interesting loco to build.

 

Jon

 

 

PS.  If you don’t want to build it ….let me know…..it’s on my wish list to be built one day🙂

[PMP]

On 12/10/2022 at 07:55, Tony Wright said:

It is indeed.

 

Interesting, isn't it? That when we pass horses in the road we (should) slow down to walking pace and give them as wide a berth as possible. 

 

Judging by the exhaust on that 'Royal Claud' (coming Up from Cambridge on a 'beer train'?), it's belting along! Railway horses must have been very laid-back.............

 

Regards,

 

Tony.

I doubt the Up train is travelling very fast. Looking at the picture the wheels of both bogie and drivers aren’t showing any spoke blur. The date of the image would mean that fast shutter speeds wouldn’t have been available, so I’d expect to see much more ‘movement’ on the image if it were moving at a significant pace, also the smoke would be ‘smoother’ too. The smoke for an experienced printer could be dodged and burned in at time of print. It’s nice to see where I used to commute from to ‘Kings Cross models’ though :)

[nzpaul]

If a part built C9 like that arrived on my doorstep I think I'd find it irresistible. Worth a go I'd say.

 

Paul

Edited October 13, 2022 by nzpaul
Correction

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, jwealleans said:

Go for it, Tony.  One more C9 won't make the world any worse.    The only one I've seen that I recall was Malcolm Crawley's on Thompson's End.

Of course, Jonathan,

 

Thanks. 

 

I should have remembered Malcolm's C9 when I photographed Thompson's End.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

55 minutes ago, PMP said:

I doubt the Up train is travelling very fast. Looking at the picture the wheels of both bogie and drivers aren’t showing any spoke blur. The date of the image would mean that fast shutter speeds wouldn’t have been available, so I’d expect to see much more ‘movement’ on the image if it were moving at a significant pace, also the smoke would be ‘smoother’ too. The smoke for an experienced printer could be dodged and burned in at time of print. It’s nice to see where I used to commute from to ‘Kings Cross models’ though :)

I'm not sure Paul,

 

Regarding contemporary shutter speeds, a glance at Irwell's latest pictorial volume on the A4 Pacifics reveals many pictures of this great class, taken in the '30s in their LNER prime, in some cases travelling very fast and there's little or no evidence of 'spoke blur'.

 

The quality of that Welwyn North image suggests an official photographer's picture to me, taken with a very high-quality camera of the period.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, Jon4470 said:

Hi Tony

 

Yes - go for it!

 

It will be a very interesting loco to build.

 

Jon

 

 

PS.  If you don’t want to build it ….let me know…..it’s on my wish list to be built one day🙂

I'll think about it John,

 

Some of the hard bits (the smokebox/boiler/firebox, footplate and splashers are already done, as are the articulated bogies).

 

I've already got bits such as chimney, dome and safety valves, plus all the necessary wheels, and a better tender body; so, here goes!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

3 hours ago, Geep7 said:

Hi Tony,

 

Sadly, I think you may be right. The club I belong to (the REC), sadly made the decision to no longer hold any more exhibitions, mainly due to the increasing age of our membership. It was becoming increasingly difficult to get enough people together to man the show.

 

I also noticed that, I believe for the first time, Kernow did not have a stand at the Farnham exhibition this past weekend. There wasn't really any other big box shifter there, but I guess most would have been at GETS instead.

 

I'm going to a much smaller show this weekend in Beckenham to help operate a friends layout. It'll be interesting to see what the attendance is.

 

Regards, Chris

Good evening Chris,

 

The same thing has happened at Southwold. 

 

Rather sad, because they were two shows Mo and I thoroughly enjoyed attending.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[Jol Wilkinson]

4 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening Chris,

 

The same thing has happened at Southwold. 

 

Rather sad, because they were two shows Mo and I thoroughly enjoyed attending.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 The Southwold show was probably the best "local" show I had ever attended. The Gauge 1 live steam layout was always an aromatic delight.

[micklner]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Baz,

 

They'll be handed over to you having worked properly on DC. I'll remove the wires from the motor to the pick-ups before you get them. The decoders and speakers will be with the models for you to fit them. The owner would much rather you install the DCC than me (he's obviously got lots of sense!).

 

Speaking of the owner, he couldn't live with the wrong-way-round chimney and the truncated handrails on the C7............

 

 

So, I've fitted a new chimney and formed the handrail describing the arc above the smokebox door, patch-painting as required. 

 

Were it my decision, I'd strip this, rebuild it to 'accuracy' (the safety valves are too early and the tender top is wrong for the period), then, once 'rebuilt', I'd hand it over to a guy who knows how to paint it properly. 

 

Should all this be necessary on a 'professionally built/painted' loco? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

It looks like something from 40 plus years ago , there is very little correct about the poor thing  . The livery is totally wrong including the colour !!  What era is it supposed to be?,  the Safety valve Bonnet would have been polished brass .The Cab area  is lined out as in NER days, or it is a a copy of the Raven A2 layout ? I havent checked. Letters and numbers look very old/undersized/poorly printed on the Cab .

 

Photo of my DJH C7 , pulling a Dave Alexander Tender (DJH effort is simply horrid). This is a very old poor kit , a great shame a modern version hasnt been produced so far.

 

Hopefully Arthur Kimber is producing a C6 at some point , sadly he hasnt been well recently.

 

 

 

[TrevorP1]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

And, now for something really, really different............

 

It's a scratch-built C9, made in tinplate, brass and nickel silver. It was donated to me yesterday by a friend. He'd acquired it (in a box of junk) from the estate of a deceased modeller. 'See what you can get for it' he said. 

 

I wonder what it might be worth? How old is it? The box some of the parts were in might be an indication. 

 

There are some other small parts, but it'll obviously need some further bits making/acquiring. 

 

Should I make a donation to CRUK and finish it myself? I've never seen a model of this articulated 'Atlantic' type (of which there were two); their tenders were rebuilt after the locos were scrapped and eventually went behind a couple of new B1s - including 61039). 

 

Any thoughts, please? 

 

 

I think we’d all like to see it finished by you Tony and running on LB.

[Tony Wright]

2 minutes ago, micklner said:

It looks like something from 40 plus years ago , there is very little correct about the poor thing  . The livery is totally wrong including the colour !!  What era is it supposed to be?,  the Safety valve Bonnet would have been polished brass .The Cab area  is lined out as in NER days, or it is a a copy of the Raven A2 layout ? I havent checked. Letters and numbers look very old/undersized/poorly printed on the Cab .

 

Photo of my DJH C7 , pulling a Dave Alexander Tender (DJH effort is simply horrid). This is a very old poor kit , a great shame a modern version hasnt been produced so far.

 

Hopefully Arthur Kimber is producing a C6 at some point , sadly he hasnt been well recently.

 

 

 

Thanks Mick,

 

As I stated, were it up to me I'd rebuild it and get Geoff Haynes to paint it properly. 

 

Your C7 is very nice indeed, but I see you've also had to fit under-sized bogie wheels. I tried the correct size, but there was no clearance. This seems to be a problem with most model NER locos with outside cylinders and bogies.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

Just now, TrevorP1 said:

I think we’d all like to see it finished by you Tony and running on LB.

Now, that's a challenge, Trevor.

 

Please consider it accepted.

 

When complete, I have an idea it might end up in the Antipodes.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

[micklner]

18 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks Mick,

 

As I stated, were it up to me I'd rebuild it and get Geoff Haynes to paint it properly. 

 

Your C7 is very nice indeed, but I see you've also had to fit under-sized bogie wheels. I tried the correct size, but there was no clearance. This seems to be a problem with most model NER locos with outside cylinders and bogies.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

There is not much option on the Bogie Wheels, the Battleship thick castings are so thick there is barely any clearance above the wheels , let alone the lack of  space behind the Cylinders as well. She needs big curves !!.

 

I think the C9 will be even more of a challenge !!

 

Good Luck !

Edited October 13, 2022 by micklner