John Isherwood

Not since Brexit - but I can't see why this should affect imports from non-EU China. Delivery from China - I generally allow a couple of months and am not often disappointed. Patience is a virtue! John Isherwood.

If there was anything there that I could justify, I might just have given it a whirl. Aliexpress do offer an Ebay-style refund policy, which I have used successfully when I received an item not as described. I have also made multiple purchases which have arrived - in due course - exactly as described. John Isherwood.

Are there not more recent Bachmann models amongst those illustrated? Some of which are post the split chassis era? John Isherwood.

Is it likely that a factory has tooled an unauthorised duplicate model for the relatively few sales that Aliexpress will generate. I feel that these are probably over-production from the original tooling. John Isherwood.

The 50' turntable kit looks as if it could fit the bill, thank you - I will investigate further! Regards, John Isherwood.

Deleted- duplicate post.

Right-ho then - if he can't be bothered to answer e-mails, he can do without my business! It's back to converting an Airfix kit into an underbeam turntable, I suppose. Totally unbelieveable !!!!!!!!!!!!! John Isherwood. PS. Anyone know of another source of 4mm. scale turntable kits / models - other than Midland Railway Centre and Greenwood Models? Preferably someone who is contactable!

Precisely - I post a bold notice on my website, in advance, when I am going to be away for more than a weekend. Even then, if I get e-mail enquiries, I reply the same day - including from Australasia! It only takes a couple of minutes, after all. John Isherwood.

This isn't just a one-off seller, though - see https://gdmodel.aliexpress.com/store/910324060?spm=a2g0o.detail.100005.2.6fe0679fYkOo9x They have, or have had, a significant proportion of the Bachmann UK range of steam locos available - all a bit mysterious, unless it's Kader selling direct. John Isherwood.

I came across https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002220918204.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.14da3d12ooT6Z9&algo_pvid=910eca63-7a4e-4337-a8be-d4e6bd1d4a19&algo_exp_id=910eca63-7a4e-4337-a8be-d4e6bd1d4a19-33&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id"%3A"12000019336714187"} Pricing aside - which is not cheap - what do we make of these? They look good - too good to be motorless shelf ornaments. Any ideas? John Isherwood.

What is it about turntable kit producers? I too am very interested in Greenwood's kits; I have left several phone messages and sent emails - but have received zero response. I am a potential purchaser of a not inexpensive kit, but Greenwood Models seems to have no interest in selling it to me! Soon - it'll be back to adapting an Airfix turntable kit, if I can't make contact. As a small trader myself, I cannot understand why producers ignore communication. John Isherwood.

Does anyone have a reliable means of contacting Greenwood Models? I have left several phone messages and sent emails - but have received zero response. I am a potential purchaser of a not inexpensive kit, but Greenwood Models seems to have no interest in selling it to me! Soon - it'll be back to adapting an Airfix turntable kit, if I can't make contact. As a small trader myself, I cannot understand why producers ignore communication. John Isherwood.

IMHO, anyone who buys 'limited edition' models primarily for their 'exclusivity' takes a risk, in the same way that buying antiques as an investment is a risk. Model railways are to be used and enjoyed; not hoarded and gloated over. CJI.

I couldn't agree more - I must have spent a fortune over the years, directly with Adrian and via Mainly Trains. Cast, pack and advertise a good batch of components, and the the income will flood in whilst sorting out the rest of the range. CJI.

Some three months since I last posted - an indication of the intense activity of the intervening period! The layout is now fully operational, though lacking any scenics other than a few unpainted buildings. You will see that my builder has done a superb job and that, quite apart from providing an ideal basis for the layout, the room provides storage for all my DIY tools and clutter plus all of my stock - in such a way that I can easily find anything. (It has to be confessed that the lap-top seen in some photos provides the stock storage index)! You will also see that each board is hinged to the wall, and they are each clamped down at the front by two recessed hex-bolts. The lifting flap across the doorway is heavily hinged at the RH end, and secured by a pair of draw-bolts which carry the LV DC return current, such that nothing will move on the boards immediately adjacent to the flap when it is raised. Each board is an electrically and physically separate mini-layout; the inter-board rail joints, which are merely cut through with a slitting disk, provide a satisfying 'clickety-click'. Each rail end is soldered to a brass panel pin, and this enables them to be 'tweaked' as necessary to provide optimum alignment. So far, such 'tweaking' is largely eliminating derailments, but no doubt further refinement will be occasionally necessary. The linear, geographically-located control trunking carries the section switches, point control slide switches, controller sockets and 12V DC sockets for modelling power tools. Whilst such an arrangement precludes operation from a single point, a little exercise is no bad thing, and the controller flexible leads can be plugged-in at any of four locations; (there are flexible lead extensions available if needed). Currently, rolling stock on the tracks has been selected mainly from North Cornwall locos and stock - in deference to our local friends who will celebrate the inauguration of the layout this forthcoming Saturday. (The chemical train, largely composed of ICI stock, is not really appropriate - but it is colourful and should appeal to the ladies)! Anyway - that's it for the present; I feel that I am constructing a suitable 'roundy-roundy' on which to exercise the wheels of a lifetime's accumulated stock. The builder's handover of the railway room and baseboards was in early April, and the layout was commissioned last weekend. Not bad, I think, for some five months - I had set myself the target of trains running by Christmas! John Isherwood.

I've a feeling - and may be wrong - that you get two cranes in the kit. The WD prototype came as a two-crane set. CJI.

Correct. Regards, John Isherwood.

A perfect example of why I won't / don't do post-TOPS decals - Alps technology is totally unsuited to 'graphics' - as opposed to lettering / markings. I can fully understand why John Peck struggled with your commission - using Alps legacy technology, I wouldn't have gone near it with a bargepole! 'Do what you know you can achieve, and stick to it' is my motto. John Isherwood.

If you want decals that go on in one layer; are opaque; are not affected by water (ie. don't bleed); and have good / excellent resolution, I would be extremely interested to learn of any alternative to Alps technology FOR THE HOBBYIST. It is an inescapable fact that the ALPS system has a limited range of solid colours; (see below) - all other colours, especially pastel colours, will be dithered - probably to an unacceptable extent. (The colour chart is just a scan of my chart, printed on an Alps printer; do not take the image to be fully representative of the actual output). Alps printers were / are NOT the answer to a railway modeller's prayer, but they do have very good capabilities when it comes to decals for the periods up to privatisation. For more recent / complex liveries, their suitability is much more limited; that is why I only produce decals for the BR pre-TOPS era. As I say, the only reason that I use, and have a small stock of, Alps-technology printers is that no-one has yet been able to suggest any practical alternative by which to produce print-on-demand model railway decals, at a price attainable by the hobbyist. ..... over to anyone who knows different! John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers.

If they're fully working, and you want to sell, PM me. John Isherwood.

The only Oki printer that utilised the Microdry principle was an Alps rebadged - the DP5000. These are legacy technology nowadays. Unless the printer retains the paper between print passes, you will never get acceptable registration of white and colours. Don't waste time trying to reinvent the wheel - the ONLY solution for the home decal printer was Alps Microdry. CJI.

I have clear memories of pink Brush Type 4s test-running on the Midland Mainline; apparently because the paintshop couldn't keep up with the rate of loco production! CJI.

You'll never achieve an opaque decal on clear paper without an underlay of white. This can be achieved with an Alps / Oki / Printiva / Kodak Microdry printer, or by applying a translucent decal over an opaque white decal. IMHO, the Alps etc. Microdry products were the only practical / affordable home decal printers. John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers.

I'm not aware that a Hornby Dublo "original spam can" ever existed. CJI.

It would seem that we are both confident in our assertions; for what it's worth, I only posted in the first place because of the implication that rails remained in roads primarily because those responsible couldn't be ar*ed to remove them. I do know, for a fact, that removal would cost very little more than a few year's ongoing maintenance. Traditional railway track is intended to 'flex', whereas roads are not. That is why roads and rails are incompatible, and why level crossing require a lot of maintenance. CJI.