Wright writes.....

[jwealleans]

52 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

It's believed that Larry Goddard painted this scratch-built B3. 

 

It's known he did, as it's signed.  The loco is the work of Mike Edge and now belongs to me.

[Tony Wright]

Finally, on this topic........

 

Far more-complex subjects for articles.................

 

 

Building an EM set of frames so that this V2 can run on Retford.

 

 

Turning this...........

 

 

Into this.

 

 

And, the most-infamous of my articles.

 

Building a Pro-Scale V2!!!!!

 

Let's see some other 'easy' conversions, please. 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

1 minute ago, jwealleans said:

 

It's known he did, as it's signed.  The loco is the work of Mike Edge and now belongs to me.

Thanks Jonathan,

 

I thought we couldn't find a signature.

 

It's certainly a beautiful locomotive...........

 

 

 

The work of two master craftsmen at the top of their game!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

[polybear]

12 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

 

And, the most-infamous of my articles.

 

Building a Pro-Scale V2!!!!

 

Do you still have the Proscale V2 Tony?

[jwealleans]

17 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

I thought we couldn't find a signature.

 

I think you're thinking of Mike's builder's plate, which we believe Larry removed.   He has very kindly made me a replacement which is now attached.

Edited Wednesday at 16:41 by jwealleans

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

Do you still have the Proscale V2 Tony?

No Brian,

 

It was built for a customer.

 

Ian Rathbone painted it, and the bloke was delighted.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[sandra]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Finally, on this topic........

 

Far more-complex subjects for articles.................

 

 

Building an EM set of frames so that this V2 can run on Retford.

 

 

Turning this...........

 

 

Into this.

 

 

And, the most-infamous of my articles.

 

Building a Pro-Scale V2!!!!!

 

Let's see some other 'easy' conversions, please. 

 

 

Hello Tony,

 

60826 is a regular on Retford and is a very useful locomotive as the real things were. She’s usually used on a fast fitted freight. This is a photo of her together with the Millholme Ivatt 2-6-0 which you mentioned some time ago.Unfortunately the Ivatt has been temporarily withdrawn as it has failed in service. It is fitted with plunger pickups which have ceased to work and once they have failed it’s virtually impossible to service them without dismantling the whole locomotive. I have fitted wiper pickups as replacements but I’m not happy with the motor in the locomotive as it’s a DS10 type and rather underpowered so it’s going to be replaced. I’m not sure what with yet.

 

Also some time ago there was talk of B16 locomotives. A photo did appear of a B16/1 built by Roy Jackson. I pleased to say that this engine has now returned to Retford on loan from Pete Hill to which I offer my sincere thanks.Here she is on the long goods. One of the attractions of Retford is that it can easily absorb a scale length goods train without the train dominating the scene. Younger people probably don’t realise how long some goods trains could be in steam days.

 

Retford also has a B16/3 built by myself from a DJH kit.This is a model of the B16 as rebuilt by Thompson. I’m not an expert on these locomotives but I understand that the kit is not totally accurate but it looks OK to me. There is a photograph of this engine on Retford shed in GN locomotive sheds volume 2.

 

Sandra

[Michael Edge]

3 hours ago, jwealleans said:

 

I think you're thinking of Mike's builder's plate, which we believe Larry removed.   He has very kindly made me a replacement which is now attached.

Built 1988, here's a photo of it before painting.

Mostly built from steel sheet with brass boiler and n/s firebox. Larry painted a lot of my work back then, here's his signature on it - unusually there's no date on this one.

 

 

[Northmoor]

4 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

 

 

 

 

Ooh doesn't Sir have lovely skin?  You can hardly see any of the soldering burn and craft knife scars.......

Edited Wednesday at 20:38 by Northmoor

[manna]

G'Day Folks

 

BR, Bachmann K3, backdated to a GNR built K3 in LNER livery, scratchbuilt cab and GN tender, a not to hard a conversion, it's waiting coal rails, like most of my GN tenders, I'll get there one day.

 

Terry, aka manna.

[DougN]

10 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Good afternoon again Doug,

 

'Tony you have done the "cheap" modelling articles what about the starters articles on how to rename and number with contacts for say "Fox" to get people to have the confidence to "have a go". '

 

I've done loads of such articles.............

 

 

 

Renumbering/renaming/detailing this Bachmann A2 (beautifully-weathered by Tom Foster).

 

 

 

 

 

And this Bachmann Patriot........

 

More to come when I can find them.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.

 

 

 

 

 

 

These type of articles seem to have fallen out of favor is what I was suggesting, yes, we have the long winded articles in how to weather, install sound chips with massive speakers etc. But the simple ones which, even as you semi suggest with your "cheap" modelling we can all do with easy modelling to build confidence or steal time to do some modelling in a increasingly busy life. Sorry I dont like the word "busy" as some people use it as the excuse to not do things. We have all heard the "busy off" in coffee shops or from friends, "I am sooo busy... I have  XYZ today", "Oh yes, we are soo busy too, we have ABC and DEF" but it is nice to catch up for 5 minutes. 

 

We all would love to have 2 to 3 hours a day to do modelling or what ever but we all end up having to do other things... So the 5 minute modelling ideas could be useful for the time staved modeller!  They have just fallen out of editors views at the moment. I have noticed with some magazines there has to be a 30photo and description, lego instruction style article, on weathering, making a building, trees etc I could see a similar quick modelling page being a series that might get some arm chairs to the table!  This is also a issue with a lot of the youtube channels where the presenter is building massive new layouts and has time to both film, edit and do the modelling. The quick and easy things some times are more enjoyable but wouldnt excite the audience or maybe get the views! 

 

I will say Tony you are one of the few authors who do both styles of article the massive V2 build from Nucast with a Branchlines/ Comet chassis etc to the quick rename. I apologize if I came across in any other way. 

[Tony Wright]

3 hours ago, DougN said:

These type of articles seem to have fallen out of favor is what I was suggesting, yes, we have the long winded articles in how to weather, install sound chips with massive speakers etc. But the simple ones which, even as you semi suggest with your "cheap" modelling we can all do with easy modelling to build confidence or steal time to do some modelling in a increasingly busy life. Sorry I dont like the word "busy" as some people use it as the excuse to not do things. We have all heard the "busy off" in coffee shops or from friends, "I am sooo busy... I have  XYZ today", "Oh yes, we are soo busy too, we have ABC and DEF" but it is nice to catch up for 5 minutes. 

 

We all would love to have 2 to 3 hours a day to do modelling or what ever but we all end up having to do other things... So the 5 minute modelling ideas could be useful for the time staved modeller!  They have just fallen out of editors views at the moment. I have noticed with some magazines there has to be a 30photo and description, lego instruction style article, on weathering, making a building, trees etc I could see a similar quick modelling page being a series that might get some arm chairs to the table!  This is also a issue with a lot of the youtube channels where the presenter is building massive new layouts and has time to both film, edit and do the modelling. The quick and easy things some times are more enjoyable but wouldnt excite the audience or maybe get the views! 

 

I will say Tony you are one of the few authors who do both styles of article the massive V2 build from Nucast with a Branchlines/ Comet chassis etc to the quick rename. I apologize if I came across in any other way. 

Good morning Doug,

 

There is no need to apologise at all. In fact, I share your views. 

 

I think the biggest shift with regard to articles in the model railway press has been the development (sorry for the pun) of digital photography. The first 'layout article' I wrote was published 40 years ago, after Brian Monaghan had taken pictures of WMRC's Fordley Park (I'd penned a few notes in the MRC before that). After that, I did my own photography, writing articles on locos (which were completed at the time), and then 'constructional', 'step-by-step' pieces. The thing about these were that there were few steps, because every one was recorded on film (latterly, medium format). This was expensive, and slow; slow, because after a few of the few 'steps', it was develop the film and print the results (I had my own home darkroom), making sure they were what I wanted. If not, it was repeat the process. 

 

The end result was that any articles were 'text-heavy', and 'meaty' because of it; no more than five or six pictures spread over four pages. With digital photography, it's totally the opposite. No mucking about with chemicals and Stygian gloom, but an instant image in the back of the camera telling one if the result is satisfactory. Take one shot, do a bit more, take another, do at bit, and so on and so on.......... The finished article then becomes 'picture-heavy', often with a few brief captions, whereas the captions in a 'text-heavy' article are often extended. Some have suggested that this has a 'dumbing-down' effect - people would rather look at pictures than bother to read! I suppose the old adage of 'a picture is worth a thousand words' comes to the fore. 

 

My writing of articles (I can't recall how many, but it must be over a thousand by now!), has (out of professional necessity) covered a very wide spectrum; from a description of how to build a complex metal kit for a big loco, to how to fix nameplates on or add lamps. There was a time, not so long ago, when I was told by one past-editor that my writing a piece on how to build a large Pacific was 'way above' the readership (whatever that meant). Thankfully, that 'dismal' and 'defeatist' view has gone, though, time was when I was writing reviews almost once a month about new loco kits which were appearing, from a wide range of manufacturers. 

 

I'm quite happy writing 'simple' articles now. Articles on 'cheap' modelling or about very simple projects. Whether these will 'turn the tide', and encourage more folk to 'have a go' themselves might be a vain hope. My perception is that there are fewer folk in this hobby prepared to actually 'model', other than open boxes and place their most-recent acquisitions on the track. Aren't there some videos describing just how to do that? Groan...............

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Captain Kernow]

I prefer to use epoxy (the 5 minute type normally) in preference to 'Superglue' (although I do use the latter), so if I only have a few minutes for a quick modelling task, I find it useful to epoxy some item or component in place (such as a lead weight in an otherwise light piece of rolling stock). This kind of task doesn't take more than a few minutes and I can then go off and do something else, whilst the glue goes off.

 

I am the kind of person who is often uncomfortable with having too many projects on the go at the same time. I like to 'knuckle down' and get each individual project finished, before proceeding to the next one but if I want a 'quickie' project, I usually find that a Parkside wagon kit or similar is sufficient...

 

[30368]

16 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

My perception is that fewer and fewer 'modellers' are prepared to undertake such relatively simple jobs. They're 'timid', have little confidence, scared of ruining an expensive purchase and either don't bother or pass on the work to someone else. 

 

Agree Tony, splendid work! It is a shortish step from improving a RTR loco to building a white metal kit.....

 

PS I have not done so yet but plan to replace the too thick A2/2 smokebox mounted "wing plates" in addition to your improvements.

 

Kind regards,

 

30368

 

Sorry - bit slow off the mark so this comment a bit out of place!

Edited Thursday at 08:47 by 30368

[Captain Kernow]

1 minute ago, 30368 said:

It is a shortish step from improving a RTR loco to building a white metal kit.....

Indeed and possibly the main thing here is to actually 'have a go'...

 

People are probably more likely to have a go with a cheaper RTR model, perhaps something second hand, than a brand new release that cost around £200...

 

As for whitemetal kits, there are some unmade DJH kits being actioned by Vectis at the end of the month - https://www.vectis.co.uk/model-train-auction/2024-07-25?attr_val=e30%3D&cat=W10%3D&display=grid&el=1009316&header_id=0&hest=1800&keyword=&lest=10&lo=ASC&pn=6&pp=96&scat=W10%3D

 

[Tony Wright]

14 hours ago, sandra said:

Hello Tony,

 

60826 is a regular on Retford and is a very useful locomotive as the real things were. She’s usually used on a fast fitted freight. This is a photo of her together with the Millholme Ivatt 2-6-0 which you mentioned some time ago.Unfortunately the Ivatt has been temporarily withdrawn as it has failed in service. It is fitted with plunger pickups which have ceased to work and once they have failed it’s virtually impossible to service them without dismantling the whole locomotive. I have fitted wiper pickups as replacements but I’m not happy with the motor in the locomotive as it’s a DS10 type and rather underpowered so it’s going to be replaced. I’m not sure what with yet.

 

Also some time ago there was talk of B16 locomotives. A photo did appear of a B16/1 built by Roy Jackson. I pleased to say that this engine has now returned to Retford on loan from Pete Hill to which I offer my sincere thanks.Here she is on the long goods. One of the attractions of Retford is that it can easily absorb a scale length goods train without the train dominating the scene. Younger people probably don’t realise how long some goods trains could be in steam days.

 

Retford also has a B16/3 built by myself from a DJH kit.This is a model of the B16 as rebuilt by Thompson. I’m not an expert on these locomotives but I understand that the kit is not totally accurate but it looks OK to me. There is a photograph of this engine on Retford shed in GN locomotive sheds volume 2.

 

Sandra

Thanks for showing these Sandra,

 

Regarding 60826; it has a most-interesting history (if I can remember all the facts in the correct order).

 

 

It was built/painted by John Houlden, originally to run on his OO Gamston Bank. He used some DJH parts and built the rest from scratch, employing a DMR tender. 

 

After Gamston was cremated, he lent it to Roy, and Roy made an EM set of frames for it (what happened to the OO chassis is not known). After Roy died, John got it back (but minus any frames). 

 

For my selling most of of his OO locos/stock, John then gave me the 60826's body and tender (the tender frames were missing as well).

 

So,

 

 

I built a set of Comet OO frames/motion for it.

 

 

And it ran for a while among my other 16 V2s on LB.

 

Now, I know Retford was short of V2s, so, as my (very small) contribution to the heroic project, I put together an EM set of frames for 60826 (a set I'd previously sold to a friend, who then, having learned of what I was doing, gave me them back - thanks Ray), using Comet motion to complete it. 

 

And...........

 

 

Happily she's now running on Retford. Which means she's had chassis in OO, EM, OO again and EM again. I wonder how many other locos have run on four different chassis? 

 

The end result meant I ended up with a spare set of V2 OO loco/tender frames. 

 

What to do?

 

 

Well, build another Nu-Cast V2 to go on top of them! Which I've done, and Ian Rathbone painted it.

 

I think I've got the above chronology correct, but the memory crumbles.............

 

As for the B16..........

 

 

I think it's the one I showed some little time ago. It's nice to know it's running on Retford again.

 

Bytham has four B16s............

 

 

Of all three types (two B16/3s), respectively the work of (top to bottom) DJH/scratch/Geary, Nu-Cast/scratch/Wright, PDK/Edge/Wright/Foster and Nu-Cast/Wright/Haynes.

 

In Bytham's early days, there were just two.........

 

 

Tony's B16/1 and my original B16/3.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

 

 

[polybear]

5 hours ago, DougN said:

I will say Tony you are one of the few authors who do both styles of article the massive V2 build from Nucast with a Branchlines/ Comet chassis etc to the quick rename. I apologize if I came across in any other way. 

 

Was this in BRM, and if so do you recall what issue(s) please as I'd be interested in obtaining a copy? Many thanks.

Brian

[Tony Wright]

5 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Was this in BRM, and if so do you recall what issue(s) please as I'd be interested in obtaining a copy? Many thanks.

Brian

Good morning Brian,

 

It was in BRM (in the last century). It was published in conjunction with my review of the Pro-Scale V2, but in which issue, I can't recall. Other than some of the books I've written, I never keep issues of any mags with my articles in.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

12 hours ago, Northmoor said:

Ooh doesn't Sir have lovely skin?  You can hardly see any of the soldering burn and craft knife scars.......

Good morning Rob,

 

'Lovely skin', I might have - and I also have non-chewed fingernails.

 

In one book I was commissioned to do the photographs for (a 'how-to' book), the author would set up all the constructional steps, then my hands were substituted (I'd set up the shot, then he pressed the shutter). Why? He bitten his fingernails down until they were virtually non-existent! His hands would have looked ghastly in the pictures.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[MikeParkin65]

36 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Was this in BRM, and if so do you recall what issue(s) please as I'd be interested in obtaining a copy? Many thanks.

Brian

Appreciate it would be a massive undertaking (not as massive as Peco's with Railway Modeller!)  but it would be so useful if BRM could complete their digital archive so that we could access the goldmine of information from 'the classic years'. How about it @Phil Parker?

[St Enodoc]

11 minutes ago, MikeParkin65 said:

Appreciate it would be a massive undertaking (not as massive as Peco's with Railway Modeller!)  but it would be so useful if BRM could complete their digital archive so that we could access the goldmine of information from 'the classic years'. How about it @Phil Parker?

That might even tempt me to "go for gold" if that were the price to be paid!

[Tony Wright]

In the latest issue of BRM, there's one of my articles on 'cheap' modelling, included in which is this B1..........

 

 

It was a dud Bachmann one, bought for very little from the model shop in Grantham. It ran, but only just - characterised by the typical split-chassis lumpiness and wobbling. By securing the plastic driving axle muffs, I actually got it to run quite well, making it real bargain.

 

However, for consistency, I've replaced the original chassis with a Comet one.

 

 

Which makes an interesting comparison. 

 

This one runs far better, anyway. 

[30368]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

Was this in BRM, and if so do you recall what issue(s) please as I'd be interested in obtaining a copy? Many thanks.

Brian

 

HI,

 

I built a Proscale V2 too and someone (can't remember who) sent me a copy of the article.

 

BRM June 195 Proscale V2 Construction Reviews.pdf

 

Hope this helps,

 

30368

 

Edited Thursday at 09:52 by 30368

[MikeParkin65]

6 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

In the latest issue of BRM, there's one of my articles on 'cheap' modelling, included in which is this B1..........

 

 

It was a dud Bachmann one, bought for very little from the model shop in Grantham. It ran, but only just - characterised by the typical split-chassis lumpiness and wobbling. By securing the plastic driving axle muffs, I actually got it to run quite well, making it real bargain.

 

However, for consistency, I've replaced the original chassis with a Comet one.

 

 

Which makes an interesting comparison. 

 

This one runs far better, anyway. 

Perhaps worth noting that more recent Bachmann B1's have a conventional chassis that runs very sweetly (albeit very light so needs additional weight in the body) and has a DCC socket. 

[30368]

A few snaps of my ProScale V2. The rea;l difficulty with this kit is the firebox wrapper - it does not correctly register with spectacle plate or boiler. Some scratch building is required for the front of the firebox to boiler area and in my case some filler too!

 

 

 

It does have a tender too!

 

Kind regards,

 

30368