Wright writes.....

[Tony Wright]

9 hours ago, 2750Papyrus said:

It certainly  looks good on your Pullmans.  With  the cast footplate, how did the haulage capacity compare with a kit-built A3?

Not quite as sure-footed (as expected), but an improvement on the earlier RTR A1s/A3s.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

Today, a very old friend and his grandson came down to run LB. We had a great time (thanks Dave and thanks Jack).

 

Jack has access to a site which is running an 'A4 day', so he asked to see as many A4s as possible.

 

I didn't realise Bytham has as many as 12!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moving footage was taken, including by a miniature camera sitting on a propelled flat wagon. With luck, we might see it on here.................

 

 

[CF MRC]

I’m currently on my way back from Australia, where I was privileged to see Ross Balderson’s superb rendition of Newcastle, NSW, as it was in 1899. It has to be one of the best observed large harbour scenes that I have seen. The layout is to 1:160 scale at the front, although the vehicles along the road are to 2mm scale. The locos and stock are really small.

The visible frontage is about 10’ long with a depth of around 6’ to the far side of the harbour.  The photos do not do it justice. 
More detailed images in the 2mm scale section. 

 

Tim

Edited April 10, 2022 by CF MRC

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, CF MRC said:

I’m currently on my way back from Australia, where I was privileged to see Ross Balderson’s superb rendition of Newcastle, NSW, as it was in 1899. It has to be one of the best observed large harbour scenes that I have seen. The layout is to 1:160 scale at the front, although the vehicles along the road are to 2mm scale. The locos and stock are really small.

The visible frontage is about 10’ long with a depth of around 6’ to the far side of the harbour.  The photos do not do it justice. 
More detailed images in the 2mm scale section. 

 

Tim

Ross built a superb model of Sydney Central station too, a few years ago.

[CF MRC]

34 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Ross built a superb model of Sydney Central station too, a few years ago.

 

 

Tim

 

[sandra]

Hello Tony,

 

A few days ago there was some discussion on B1s. I realise that this is not terrible relevant but I thought I’d post a photo of a B1.This  is a photo I took of 61013 “Topi” at Chester General. I don’t know the exact date but it was probably in the summer of 1964. I do know that a week later I saw 61022 Sassaby on Chester LMR shed.

 

This photo was taken with a very cheap Ilford camera but for some strange reason I used colour film which was extremely expensive at the time although you would hardly notice that this is a colour photograph 

 

B1s we’re not regular visitors to Chester General but I think they occasionally worked excursions to North Wales in the summer.

 

Sandra

 

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, sandra said:

Hello Tony,

 

A few days ago there was some discussion on B1s. I realise that this is not terrible relevant but I thought I’d post a photo of a B1.This  is a photo I took of 61013 “Topi” at Chester General. I don’t know the exact date but it was probably in the summer of 1964. I do know that a week later I saw 61022 Sassaby on Chester LMR shed.

 

This photo was taken with a very cheap Ilford camera but for some strange reason I used colour film which was extremely expensive at the time although you would hardly notice that this is a colour photograph 

 

B1s we’re not regular visitors to Chester General but I think they occasionally worked excursions to North Wales in the summer.

 

Sandra

 

Good afternoon Sandra,

 

It's very relevant, especially to a Cestrian.

 

I, too, remember see SASSABY on 6A (I have an idea it was 1963), and I took its picture (which has been published in my book A Lifetime with Locomotives and Layouts. What an NER-allocated B1 was doing on Chester shed, I have no idea.

 

Many decades later, I built a model of 61022..........

 

 

 

Though its presence at Little Bytham is probably just as remote a possibility as its being at Chester.

 

B1s were regular visitors to Chester on summer Saturdays (on their way to the North Wales coast). There was at least one each time, working a West Riding-Llandudno service.

 

 

61039 appeared on a ramblers' special one day. It came into Chester from the Manchester direction, stopped at Platforms 13/14, uncoupled (if my memory serves), turned on the triangle, then took its train out towards Crewe, where it then branched off at Tattenhall Junction, taking the long-closed route to Malpas/Whitchurch.

 

Wonderful days!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

[31A]

Yesterday @Chuffer Davies mentioned building locos using the 'American' system whereby the wheels are live on one side on the loco and on the other side on the tender.  I have recently rejuvenated an elderly Bachmann J39, and one of the things I was keen to try out was the 'American' system, in order to avoid having wiper pickups.  As some may have already seen, I have written some words about how I did it on my layout thread:

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/83030-train-spotting-at-finsbury-square/page/36/#comments

 

I was quite pleased by how it turned out.  So far the loco has worked very well.  I think having sprung centre axles on both loco and tender has helped with current collection.  One thing that stopped it was a 'dead' point blade in the loco yard which had previously gone undetected; all the other locos in the yard had passed over it but either had twelve wheel pickup from all loco drivers and tender wheels, or were Diesels.  Not that that was the J39's fault - the blade shouldn't have been dead in the first place.  It has already proved its worth as a fault finder!

 

In order to achieve this system, I had to break the insulation of the Romford driving wheels on one side - am I correct in thinking that uninsulated ones are no longer available?  I couldn't see any listed on the Wizard Models web site.  Not that it was difficult to do.  Also, I couldn't find a source of disc tender wheels with metal centres and hub insulation (which can be easily bypassed), so initially I used incorrect spoked Romford ones until I eventually realised that the Bachmann ones I had taken out were actually exactly that, so after breaking their insulation I put them back in!

 

The mere act of replacing the original mechanism with the Comet frames and correct Romford drivers alone makes for a significant improvement in the appearance of this elderly model, regardless of any performance improvement.  Apologies in advance for the tension lock coupling on the front; it will have to pull trains backwards as well as forwards on my layout!  The model I happened to have was a 'factory weathered' specimen which wasn't great so I've gone over it with weathering of my own, which means it isn't very clean.

 

 

 

[St Enodoc]

16 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

61039 appeared on a ramblers' special one day. It came into Chester from the Manchester direction, stopped at Platforms 13/14, uncoupled (if my memory serves), turned on the triangle, then took its train out towards Crewe, where it then branched off at Tattenhall Junction, taking the long-closed route to Malpas/Whitchurch.

That would make a nice special working on Bob's layout!

[Tony Wright]

37 minutes ago, 31A said:

Yesterday @Chuffer Davies mentioned building locos using the 'American' system whereby the wheels are live on one side on the loco and on the other side on the tender.  I have recently rejuvenated an elderly Bachmann J39, and one of the things I was keen to try out was the 'American' system, in order to avoid having wiper pickups.  As some may have already seen, I have written some words about how I did it on my layout thread:

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/83030-train-spotting-at-finsbury-square/page/36/#comments

 

I was quite pleased by how it turned out.  So far the loco has worked very well.  I think having sprung centre axles on both loco and tender has helped with current collection.  One thing that stopped it was a 'dead' point blade in the loco yard which had previously gone undetected; all the other locos in the yard had passed over it but either had twelve wheel pickup from all loco drivers and tender wheels, or were Diesels.  Not that that was the J39's fault - the blade shouldn't have been dead in the first place.  It has already proved its worth as a fault finder!

 

In order to achieve this system, I had to break the insulation of the Romford driving wheels on one side - am I correct in thinking that uninsulated ones are no longer available?  I couldn't see any listed on the Wizard Models web site.  Not that it was difficult to do.  Also, I couldn't find a source of disc tender wheels with metal centres and hub insulation (which can be easily bypassed), so initially I used incorrect spoked Romford ones until I eventually realised that the Bachmann ones I had taken out were actually exactly that, so after breaking their insulation I put them back in!

 

The mere act of replacing the original mechanism with the Comet frames and correct Romford drivers alone makes for a significant improvement in the appearance of this elderly model, regardless of any performance improvement.  Apologies in advance for the tension lock coupling on the front; it will have to pull trains backwards as well as forwards on my layout!  The model I happened to have was a 'factory weathered' specimen which wasn't great so I've gone over it with weathering of my own, which means it isn't very clean.

 

 

 

Good afternoon Steve,

 

What a good-looking J39. Thanks for showing us.

 

Markits wheels are still available as 'live'; it's just that Wizard doesn't stock them (Comet never did, either). 

 

As you say, making insulated Romford/Markits drivers 'live' is dead easy. I just drill a hole at the tyre/insulation/wheel rim interface, friction-fit a piece of suitably-sized wire, then solder it in place forming a permanent link. 

 

I'm sure the 'American' system of pick-up has merit. However, I dislike it for its inability to just test run a chassis without a tender. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

28 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

That would make a nice special working on Bob's layout!

It would John,

 

The only thing would be the extra need to alter a 'normal' B1 tender for 61039. There was no central footplate flange between the tank and the soleplate (a rebuilt tender).

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[31A]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Good afternoon Steve,

 

What a good-looking J39. Thanks for showing us.

 

Markits wheels are still available as 'live'; it's just that Wizard doesn't stock them (Comet never did, either). 

 

As you say, making insulated Romford/Markits drivers 'live' is dead easy. I just drill a hole at the tyre/insulation/wheel rim interface, friction-fit a piece of suitably-sized wire, then solder it in place forming a permanent link. 

 

I'm sure the 'American' system of pick-up has merit. However, I dislike it for its inability to just test run a chassis without a tender. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Thank you, Tony.  That's exactly what I did to make the drivers 'live', although I used a brass pin that was force fit into the hole I'd drilled.  That seems to be OK so far.  Is it possible to solder to Romford wheels?  I think I've read that the tyres are of stainless steel, and presumably the centres are Mazak or similar?  I agree regarding the difficulty of testing without the tender; I found the terminals of a 9v battery would reach the heads of both drawbar pins at once, until I had fitted the plastic brake rodding to the tender!

[Tony Wright]

1 minute ago, 31A said:

 

Thank you, Tony.  That's exactly what I did to make the drivers 'live', although I used a brass pin that was force fit into the hole I'd drilled.  That seems to be OK so far.  Is it possible to solder to Romford wheels?  I think I've read that the tyres are of stainless steel, and presumably the centres are Mazak or similar?  I agree regarding the difficulty of testing without the tender; I found the terminals of a 9v battery would reach the heads of both drawbar pins at once, until I had fitted the plastic brake rodding to the tender!

More-recent Markits tyres are made of stainless steel. I must admit, I've never shorted-out a set yet - only nickel silver, which does solder. As does the mazak (if you get enough heat). Solder is really 'belt & braces', the friction-fit wire/pin being enough to conduct current.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Dunsignalling]

On 06/04/2022 at 17:28, Dunsignalling said:

Strangely, almost all manifestations of the split gear syndrome seem to come after a period of disuse, I've only had a couple of cases where one has "obviously" let go when a loco was running. 

 

Of course, it may be that they began splitting whilst running but only parted completely on attempting to run the next time.....

 

Replacement gears for the 4MT don't seem to be available at present. I attempted a chassis mod to fit a West Country set, that appear to be the same but on a longer "axle" and which I had to hand. Not going well so far..... 

 

John 

After conspicuously failing to get the partly reassembled Hornby 4MT to turn a wheel three weeks ago, I took it apart again and had another go this morning. 

 

All went completely swimmingly and the loco is now back in one piece and running better than it ever has!  No idea why it didn't work before and did today, I'm pretty certain I didn't do anything differently!

 

Judge Murphy presiding, I suspect!

 

I seem to have got away with my WC gear bodge (this time), but the more I look at it, the more it seems a very high risk strategy using the tools I had available. I wouldn't try it again or recommend anyone else to do so.

 

John 

[robertcwp]

On 09/04/2022 at 15:59, Steamport Southport said:

 

Can't see it being the FA Cup as that was Preston v West Ham.

 

The Rugby League Challenge Cup was Widnes v Hull Kingston Rovers so that definitely fits with a locomotive allocated to Immingham.

 

9h May 1964.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1963–64_Challenge_Cup

 

 

Jason

Several specials from Hull that day came down the GC. I have images of some in my collection, which were diesel hauled, including this one:

 

D6732_Hull-Wembley_Rugby_9-5-64 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

[robertcwp]

20 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Not quite as sure-footed (as expected), but an improvement on the earlier RTR A1s/A3s.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Good to know the new model is an improvement. I have seen them on sale and was slightly tempted by an early 1950s 60103 even though it is a bit out of period as it would go with a set of crimson and cream stock I have in the formation of an early 1950s Marylebone-Manchester train, 60103 having been on the GC in the early 1950s.

 

On the subject of haulage capabilities, on my most recent visit to Retford, I tried Sandra's Hornby A4 on the Elizabethan. The loco has been re-gauged to EM and lots of extra weight has been added but there have been no other changes of note. It had no difficulty hauling the train, which has ten heavy metal kit-built carriages and one Bachmann carriage in the formation. It handled the train up the gradient over the GC fiddleyard (off scene) at least as well as Merlin.

[Michael Edge]

2 hours ago, 31A said:

 

Thank you, Tony.  That's exactly what I did to make the drivers 'live', although I used a brass pin that was force fit into the hole I'd drilled.  That seems to be OK so far.  Is it possible to solder to Romford wheels?  I think I've read that the tyres are of stainless steel, and presumably the centres are Mazak or similar?  I agree regarding the difficulty of testing without the tender; I found the terminals of a 9v battery would reach the heads of both drawbar pins at once, until I had fitted the plastic brake rodding to the tender!

You can't solder to mazak, which is what they are made of and you'll have difficulty with stainless steel unless uou are using a sufficiently strong flux (at least 12% phosphoric acid I think). Pressing a wire in is doing all the work of breaking the insulation, solder isn't adding anything.

[Tony Wright]

3 hours ago, Michael Edge said:

You can't solder to mazak, which is what they are made of and you'll have difficulty with stainless steel unless uou are using a sufficiently strong flux (at least 12% phosphoric acid I think). Pressing a wire in is doing all the work of breaking the insulation, solder isn't adding anything.

Good evening Mike,

 

I have got solder (145 degree) to 'grip' on to the mazak. What I do is use fusewire of the correct diameter or tinned brass wire, which is (just about) an interference fit in the drilled hole. I then flood the whole lot with (12%) phosphoric acid and apply the iron. The solder seems to 'flash' through, with some depositing on the mazak wheel. 

 

Best acquire non-insulated wheels, however. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony

[andytrains]

I believe that you can solder Mazak.

But this was just adding pickups to the sides of a Mainline 03 chassis, that was a rubbish intermittent runner,  going back well over 20 plus years ago.

I presume the 03 chassis was Mazak?

Anyway I cleaned up the sides, just enough to where I wanted to solder to.

Tinned the Mazak with a Bakers Fluid type flux and low melt solder.

Cleaned the area thoroughly to get rid of the flux with washing soda, several times, thoroughly drying between applications and making sure it does not get into the motor ect. 

Tinned the Phosphor Bronze pick-ups with 145 degree solder and flux paste.

Fluxed the two and soldered them together after adding more flux. (9% Phosphoric Acid).

 

 

 

[Pebbles]

Many years ago there was an article in MRN about soldering Mazak, from memory I think it was about converting a GWR loco body.  Resulting from this, around about 1977, I obtain a sample of suitable flux from Fry's and can confirm that it worked.  As generally the Mazak is a casting, with a substantial heat sink, a prime prerequisite is a high wattage iron and a substantial bit.

[Chas Levin]

On 03/04/2022 at 02:07, Iain.d said:

I don’t think I do enough modelling to warrant a thread of my own and I’m not even sure if what I post here is of particular interest or I'm just filling space and time. I’m not sure if others like seeing models in the process of being made or prefer completed ones. For me anyway the offline time allowed a little food for thought on what I do and why I do it.

 

Kind regards,

 

Iain

Hi Iain, a bit late to the party on this and I know others have already responded but I'm sure a great many people like seeing work in progress - I know I do - not least because it helps us think about and work on our own projects; also because there's an inherent beauty in anything done well!

[Tony Wright]

Friend Geoff West came for his customary monthly running session yesterday, along with another old friend, George Stephenson (whose parents must have been railway enthusiasts themselves). The Irven family also 'descended' and trains were operated by the three, beautifully-behaved boys (I hope you all have a good holiday).

 

Geoff brought along some of his model locos to run. Including...............

 

 

This Hornby J50 which he's detailed/weathered. I'll be selling this for CRUK; if anyone is interested, please PM me. The price is £75.00. 

 

 

A detailed/weathered Hornby B1 (ex-Gamston Bank). I popped this on to a 13-car, heavy express, and it merely polished the rails. A Bachmann/Comet one of mine handled it (with a bit of slipping), but an ancient Nu-Cast one (on Comet frames) just walked away with the rake. So much for the efficacy of modern RTR locos; most of Bytham's trains are well beyond them! 

 

 

Another ex-Gamston loco is this John Houlden-built/weathered DJH Austerity. 

 

 

It was rather nice to see it again, a few years after I'd taken its picture on Gamston.

 

 

As was this ex-Gamston DJH A2/3, also John's work.

 

 

 

I suppose the most-interesting loco Geoff brought was John Houlden's A1/1, again ex-Gamston. 

 

 

 

This was built from a mixture of DJH, Comet and scratch components to represent this singular locomotive. Despite its only being a one-off, no latter-day ECML southern area steam depiction should be without it. 

 

 

Bytham certainly isn't (Crownline/Wright/Rathbone). 

 

 

An eBay-purchased K3 (SE Finecast, though builder unknown, detailed/weathered by Geoff). 

 

 

Bought originally from the estate of the late John Brown of Spalding, Geoff has detailed/weathered this Nu-Cast O2/2. 

 

 

Another Houlden/Gamston loco, this DJH 9F. 

 

 

And another Houlden/Gamston loco, this DJH A3.

 

 

And yet another ex-Gamston loco, this detailed/weathered Hornby A4. This did (just about) take a heavy fitted freight, but nowhere near with the same assurance as a kit-built equivalent. 

 

 

And, finally, an ex-Stoke Summit/Charwelton O4/1. Built by Rob Kinsey using a K's body on 'proper' frames/mechanism. I weathered it (though some of it seems to be coming off the chassis). 

 

It was fascinating to see again all these locos, knowing they're all in good hands and will be used. I sold a load of John Houlden's OO locos/rolling stock after he changed to O Gauge, and Gamston Bank was cremated. I'm delighted Geoff bought some of the items, and it's also rather good to see an old Stoke campaigner again as well (actually a Leighford loco originally).

 

Thanks for bringing these, Geoff. See you next month with some others..............

 

 

Edited April 12, 2022 by Tony Wright
to add something

[Clem]

Hi all, 

I've just been appreciating Tony's photos of Geoff West's models on LB. What a lovely collection of locos photographed superbly by Tony.

 

A quick update from me, as I've been having a bit of fun with the new camera. Still learning the ropes on it but I thought I'd post a few of the results:

 

 

Colwick's WD 90000 on an up coal train

 

 

Followed by a couple of up locals. A J6 64215 on a Pinxton and...

 

 

 

J39/1 64762 on an up Derby.

 

 

 

Still lots to learn but I'm pretty pleased with it so far. I'm starting to get down to some of the modelling that I started in the last couple of years but remained unfinished (prime example, the signal box which wants a nameboard, interior fittings, roof tiles and guttering.). The new camera certainly gives an extra incentive to get on with it.

 

I'll post one or two more soon. I'm still experimenting.

 

Clem

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 12, 2022 by Clem
pictures in wrong order

[copleyhill007]

Many thanks to Tony and Mo for our visit on Saturday. It was a brilliant day thoroughly enjoyed by Jack and myself. It seems to get better every visit!

Hopefully linked will be video using a miniature camera. Soon!

[Chuffer Davies]

2 hours ago, Clem said:

Hi all, 

I've just been appreciating Tony's photos of Geoff West's models on LB. What a lovely collection of locos photographed superbly by Tony.

 

A quick update from me, as I've been having a bit of fun with the new camera. Still learning the ropes on it but I thought I'd post a few of the results:

 

 

Colwick's WD 90000 on an up coal train

 

 

Followed by a couple of up locals. A J6 64215 on a Pinxton and...

 

 

 

J39/1 64762 on an up Derby.

 

 

 

Still lots to learn but I'm pretty pleased with it so far. I'm starting to get down to some of the modelling that I started in the last couple of years but remained unfinished (prime example, the signal box which wants a nameboard, interior fittings, roof tiles and guttering.). The new camera certainly gives an extra incentive to get on with it.

 

I'll post one or two more soon. I'm still experimenting.

 

Clem

 

 

 

 

 

Inspirational stuff Clem.  Thanks for sharing.

Frank