Wright writes.....

[MJI]

 

This is my proposal lines tucked behind backscenes for the not shown layouts. Black would be backscenes hidden lines MAY even be under, not sure yet.

 

Technique is to play with one at a time, see my big expresses piling past on the blue, the small prairie and D63xx on the green, a mix on red such as green DMUs and my 2P.

 

Sidings on the top one I hope.

 

Blue will be code 100 concrete, red and green probably code 75 flat bottom.

 

Bottom right blue SHOULD be red.

 

I MAY merge the two transisiton eras and just use one at a time, with other for storage.

 

2.7 across, 3.5 to 3.8 down (depending on door.)

[Tony Wright]

3 hours ago, rodent279 said:

Does anyone ever model opening doors on kits? Maybe not practical für passenger stock, but for vans,a couple of double doors open in a platform would look good. I'm sure with DCC it would be possible to add a small mechanism to open & close.

Good afternoon Rodent,

 

I've never ever contemplated making 'working' doors on models, but I have built some wagon/van kits with open doors...........

 

 

 

A standard Parkside 12T van with its door modelled half-open. Geoff West's little porter will have to open the door a little wider to get that barrel in. 

 

 

Bytham's coal was delivered in a wagon, and then dumped on the ground to be bagged by local merchants.

 

 

 

The coal merchant's name is a piece of sheer self-indulgence (courtesy of a friend).

 

The wagon once stood on the end of a siding of John Houlden's East Ranford. 

 

As a birthday present on one occasion............

 

 

 

 

I modified a standard Bachmann 16T mineral wagon for Ian Wilson, just cutting out part of the floor.

 

 

To see service on his Edenham branch. I also cut out one side door.

 

 

As with all these examples, they're just static models.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[Brinkly]

5 hours ago, Iain.d said:

I have just completed the rebuild on this pair of long-ago purchased Parkside Dundas box vans.

 

 

The left hand van is a BR 12T Van with corrugated ends, based on a GW diagram. The one on the right is an LNER 12T Fruit Van. The main builds and painting were completed a while ago, I was waiting on the buffer shanks coming from Lanarkshire Model Supplies.  LMS Dave posted them on 11 January, which must have been very early on in the Royal Mail ransom aware attack; they arrived yesterday!

 

 

They were originally built in about 1992 or 1993, not particularly well, and over the passage of time (almost all of that in store) much of the glue had gone brittle and they came apart easily. I’ve taken off all the flash and cleaned up all the burrs and so on and re-assembled them reasonably square and true.  I’ve improved them with the LMS pre-drilled buffer housings, Gibson buffer heads, screw/instanter couplings, brake pipes, better brake detail, vents on the fruit van and transfers by CCT. They weigh about 50g each.  Next up will be a couple of NE region brake vans.

 

Kind regards,

 

Iain

 

Lovely work, Iain.

Do you brush paint, or airbrush your freight stock?

 

All the best,

Nick.

[Tony Wright]

The 'lads' are on their way back from Ally Pally............

 

 

I've started on the motion for the C9 (Jesse will complete the other side). 

 

I've used Comet LMS-pattern cylinders and crossheads, modified to suit. The slidebars came from a Jamieson valve gear kit - from donkeys' years ago!

 

No doubt I'll get a report on the show..................

 

 

[DenysW]

5 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

To see service on his Edenham branch

Is it a creepy co-incidence there was a private branchline (earthworks still visible on OS maps) from Little Bytham (GN) to Edenham (Lincs)? I was looking to see if there was any trace on the OS of the authorised GN/M&GNJ loop, only to find GN had never built it.

[Tony Wright]

49 minutes ago, DenysW said:

Is it a creepy co-incidence there was a private branchline (earthworks still visible on OS maps) from Little Bytham (GN) to Edenham (Lincs)? I was looking to see if there was any trace on the OS of the authorised GN/M&GNJ loop, only to find GN had never built it.

Good evening Denys,

 

Ian Wilson 'altered' history to assume that the GN took over Lord Willoughby's railway, which then became part of the LNER and finally BR. 

 

In actual fact the line was closed in the late 19th century, though bits of the formation remain; as does the coal office at Edenham.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Chas Levin]

11 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Right now he's on his way to Ally Pally, going with our elder son, Tom. I bottled out; when there's a 50 year difference in our ages, capabilities tend to differ!

 

No doubt they'll report on their return. Say hello if you see them there (both have long hair!). 

I said hello to Jesse today at Ally Pally as I recognised him from the recent photos on here Tony, but I'm afraid I didn't know who Tom was to say hello to him too, and they were on their way to have lunch so we didn't stop and chat.

I'd thought the show might be a little quieter than usual because of the National Rail strike; it definitely wasn't!

[Clearwater]

4 minutes ago, Chas Levin said:

I said hello to Jesse today at Ally Pally as I recognised him from the recent photos on here Tony, but I'm afraid I didn't know who Tom was to say hello to him too, and they were on their way to have lunch so we didn't stop and chat.

I'd thought the show might be a little quieter than usual because of the National Rail strike; it definitely wasn't!

We went today as well.  Quite busy when we arrived and not great for viewing layouts for 7yo in particular.  However, when it thinned out around 3, was quite pleasant and enjoyable as could get easily to layouts.  Some good ones but perhaps lacking a biggish 4mm roundly layout.  Slightly too much too similar trade in my view.

 

Boys wanted scanning by Alan at Modelu who remembered scanning older son a few years ago.  He pulled prior scan up and found it was over 5 years ago..

 

Some excellent layouts.  Particularly Plumpton Green.  Fully signalled, 1910 p4 LBSCR so all non-rtr.  Loved the block signalling mechanic to work the crossing.  Owner /builder justifiably proud and nicely chatty.  Also like Westcliff.  EM, again exclusively non-rtr .  Great use of forced perspective on the cliffs.  Like how they have their fiddle yard open to view which allows the stock to be admired.  I liked the phantom over a Scottish layout.  Equally I generally like the 7mm layouts even when smallish.

 

David

 

 

[Chas Levin]

31 minutes ago, Clearwater said:

Slightly too much too similar trade in my view.

Yes, I thought that. I don't think I've ever seen so many RTR boxes in one room at the same time... Did you see Norwich Central and St Etienne-en-Caux? I thought they were very good too.

 

 

Edited March 18, 2023 by Chas Levin

[Chas Levin]

33 minutes ago, Clearwater said:

Quite busy when we arrived and not great for viewing layouts for 7yo in particular.  However, when it thinned out around 3, was quite pleasant and enjoyable as could get easily to layouts.

 I left at 3.10 - glad to have helped 😁!

Edited March 18, 2023 by Chas Levin

[Clearwater]

10 minutes ago, Chas Levin said:

Yes, I thought that. I don't think I've ever seen so many RTR boxes in one room at the same time... Did you see Norwich Central and St Etienne-en-Caux? I thought they were very good too.

yes.  The narrow gauge was good.  I also liked the 1870s Blackfriars Bridge.  A quality layout.  The Brooklyn dock layout was unusual and good too.

Edited March 18, 2023 by Clearwater
Extra info

[Iain.d]

6 hours ago, Brinkly said:

 

Lovely work, Iain.

Do you brush paint, or airbrush your freight stock?

 

All the best,

Nick.

Thanks Nick,

 

All the wagons that I've done to date are brush painted, for both the base colour and varnish. Once the base colour is done I put a bit of gloss varnish where the transfers will go and once they are on its a coat of matt varnish. And then some level of weathering.

 

Kind regards,

 

Iain

[Tony Teague]

10 hours ago, Clearwater said:

Some good ones but perhaps lacking a biggish 4mm roundly layout.  Slightly too much too similar trade in my view.

 

 

I didn't go, but I felt exactly the same at Doncaster - no large, star layout(s) and far too many box-shifters.

I'm hoping this desn't become the norm.

[Tony Wright]

55 minutes ago, Tony Teague said:

 

I didn't go, but I felt exactly the same at Doncaster - no large, star layout(s) and far too many box-shifters.

I'm hoping this desn't become the norm.

Good morning Tony,

 

I think it is becoming the norm (as has been debated before). 

 

It was part of the 'plan' for me to accompany Jesse at Ally Pally, but I'm not as 'up for marathons' as I was, and elder son Tom proved to be a much-more-suitable substitute (apparently, they walked a few miles, ending up in a boozer in Central London afterwards!). From what others have described, your comparison with the trade at Doncaster seems pretty apposite. 

 

But, what can show organisers do? 'Specialist' traders (those I'd much rather see) can't afford the stand rents and all that goes with it, so the organisers 'sell' space to those who can (one assumes that competing box shifters feel that it's worth it). In fairness, 'specialist' traders can happily trade from 'home' now, without those heavy overheads. As an example, I phoned Comet on Thursday, and everything I ordered arrived yesterday - thanks Andrew, for such excellent service! 

 

There are still a few shows in the calendar (other than the society ones) where traders of interest to the likes of me attend - the forthcoming York Show (how great that it's back) and Railex spring to mind, but row after row of traders selling new and second-hand RTR stuff seem to be the norm nowadays. Maybe that provides for the majority in the hobby, anyway. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[jwealleans]

If you want to see the specialist traders these days (with the honourable exception of 247, who do a lot of shows) you have to go to the specialist society shows like EM North (in my case).    York is very much the exception in still having a significant element of that kind of trade.

[gr.king]

The specialist society shows also tend to feature those layouts that depict unusual prototypes and include the greatest proportion of items that have actually been hand-built by the layout owner / operators too. Far more interesting and impressive than a clone RTR train set with scenery.

[MarkC]

Definitely agree with Tony & Jonathan regarding specialist suppliers. Yes, there are one or two exceptions, but from what I've seen since normality started to return & shows came back, generally it's the box shifters, bric-a-brac and, if you're lucky, a bring and buy area, usually run by the hosting club to raise funds - and good luck to them for doing so.

 

I'm scheduled to return home within the week, so roll on York Show, I say - although the wallet is already twitching and shaking...

 

Mark

[polybear]

2 hours ago, Tony Teague said:

 

I didn't go, but I felt exactly the same at Doncaster - no large, star layout(s) and far too many box-shifters.

I'm hoping this desn't become the norm.

 

When Dave Ellis was running SEF he told me the reason he stopped attending A.P. was because despite good sales it became a box-shifting exercise for him, with little or nothing to show for it.

As an example a small-ish stand at the Model Engineering Exhibition at the same venue was around a thousand pounds for the three day show; bearing in mind the stallholder had fuel, accommodation(?), wages(?) and food on top then he needed to sell a lot of second-hand tools just to break even.  A stall holder told me yesterday that the Ally Pally fee for using a credit card reader (or signal?) was £78 for the weekend; one can only imagine what the costs for the Huge Bachmann Stand must've been; Hornby were quite noticeable by their absence.

 

I didn't spot Jesse - but thought I was imagining things when I saw someone bouncin' up the hill on the back of a 'Roo.......

 

 

Edited March 19, 2023 by polybear

[westernviscount]

On 18/03/2023 at 10:54, rodent279 said:

Does anyone ever model opening doors on kits? Maybe not practical für passenger stock, but for vans,a couple of double doors open in a platform would look good. I'm sure with DCC it would be possible to add a small mechanism to open & close.

 

Forgive me for chiming in with what I think is a previously shared image, but here is a model I did with permanently open doors. 

 

A mechanism would add the excitment I must say!! 

Edited March 19, 2023 by westernviscount

[Iain.d]

Continuing on the door hinges topic of a page or two back.  Below is how Roxey do theirs, I’m guessing similar to MJT from commentaries that have been made, although I’ve never done a MJT kit / sides. A small tab is bent over, passed through an etched hole and soldered from the back.

 

 

Middle and upper hinges are represented by etched recesses. Door frames, unlike most etched sides I’ve experienced, are raised etch lines. I think they are very effective.

 

 

This is a Roxey LBSCR Brake Third I’ve just started; door vents and droplights next.

 

Kind regards,

 

Iain

[Barry Ten]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

 

When Dave Ellis was running SEF he told me the reason he stopped attending A.P. was because despite good sales it became a box-shifting exercise for him, with little or nothing to show for it.

 

 

 

 

I don't quite understand that - if the sales were good for him, wouldn't that make it worth attending?

 

I went for a few years on and off but the lack of specialist trade support became off-putting so I haven't been back in a while. I think the last time I was there may have been as an exhibitor helping PMP with Bawdsey.

[polybear]

5 minutes ago, Barry Ten said:

 

I don't quite understand that - if the sales were good for him, wouldn't that make it worth attending?

 

 

Not if the profit made didn't (a) cover the costs involved in attending the exhibition, and (b) plus a worthwhile bit on top to make the time and effort in attending worthwhile.

 

It's worth remembering also that many of the sales that Dave would've made during the show could/would quite easily have occurred anyway, either at much smaller shows where the costs for the Trader are a lot less or alternatively via mail order, where the costs for the Trader are pretty much zero (well ok, a little bit).

[Compound2632]

7 minutes ago, Iain.d said:

Middle and upper hinges are represented by etched recesses. Door frames, unlike most etched sides I’ve experienced, are raised etch lines. I think they are very effective.

 

I think on those aren't you supposed to add a short bit of wire or rod to represent the hinge, the recess being for ease of location?

 

The raised lines for the doors on the lower panel represent the beading that was usual on a carriage of this type of construction, just about visible here:

 

 

[James E. Petts, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.]  

[lezz01]

One of the problems with specialist traders not attending shows is that some of them have woeful or non existent websites. EG Branchlines, even Gibson's is not great having to phone or email an order in.

Branchlines don't even have a website at all, not even an online catalogue.

Regards Lez.   

[Compound2632]

1 minute ago, lezz01 said:

One of the problems with specialist traders not attending shows is that some of them have woeful or non existent websites. EG Branchlines, even Gibson's is not great having to phone or email an order in.

Branchlines don't even have a website at all, not even an online catalogue.

 

They may not see it that way, if they have as much business as they want or can handle. Why spend time trying to do something they may not be very proficient at, or not enjoy doing, when that time could be spent meeting current demand?

 

As for Alan Gibson, I find a good old-fashioned letter with cheque enclosed works perfectly well every time; I suspect it may also be the most efficient method for Colin too.