John Isherwood

This style of turned brass, one-piece buffer dates right back to the early days of 4mm. scale modelling. Keysers supplied them with their cast whitemetal kits, as did most of the other early kit producers. The inception of more detailed, cast whitemetal buffers rendered the simpler brass ones somewhat 'basic', but Cavendish (I think) supplied a range of these brass buffers in the 1970s / 80s. Though I use mainly the cast whitemetal ones nowadays, it cannot be denied that turned brass ones are more robust, and still have occasional use. Regards, John Isherwood.

It is my understanding that the later Black Fives had a wheelbase of 27'-6'', as opposed to the 27'-2'' of the earlier locos. However, the prototype notes which accompanied a Brassmasters Black Five kit indicates that the LWB locos also had an extended smokebox. Can anyone tell me how these ESB smokeboxes differed visually / externally from the standard smokeboxes? Was the overall length of the smokebox / boiler / firebox the same in both cases or, if not, what was the difference in length attributable to the extended smokebox? Can anyone point me at a drawing of a LWB / ESB Black 5, please? Many thanks in anticipation. Regards, John Isherwood.

Wish I could claim the same ! Our central heating boiler has gone kaput and, whilst a replacement could be sourced in 48 hours, an installation team was not available for four weeks ! No heating beyond a trio of Dimplexes and, worse, no hot water except that which comes out of a kettle. Ten days to go - we are trying not to socialise too much at present ! Regards, John Isherwood.

Is this kit not cast resin, rather than 3D-printed? If so, sanding should not be required. Regards, John Isherwood.

Just thought !!!! There's an ideal opportunity for greater DCC realism - they've got smoke, sound, flickering firboxes, headlights, cab lights, coach lights, headcode boxes, MU destinaton indicators - why not smell?!? Just imagine; a Crosti passes through - cue sulphur; then a cattle train in the opposite direction - cue slurry; then the Grimsby fish - cue FISH; whilst, due to the dairy adjacent to the station - a continual smell of rancid milk. .... oh, and don't forget the glue factory with its delivery of bones; the petfood factory receiving offal; and the brickworks chimney poring out goodness knows what. Now, combine several layouts doing the same at an exhibition - there'd be little call for refreshments !!! Regards, John Isherwood.

My strongest memory of milk tank wagons was trainspotting at Likeard in the 1960s - the smell of stale spilled milk from the milk bay siding made my stomach turn !! Regards, John Isherwood.

I don't think so - to the best of my knowledge, only the 4-4-4-4 version is being produced. Regards, John Isherwood.

Not a kit for the less experienced; (said he - having just built one and having another to do). Nothing wrong with it whatsoever - it's very nicely designed and produced, and runs a treat - but there's a fair range of skills needed in its construction. Regards, John Isherwood.

With respect, PMP, you're making a mountain out of a molehill. Somewhat out of context, I pointed out that the 2P was to have traction tyres. I believe that 'the Johnster' said that he hoped that the 94XX would not have them - (note; nothing about it having them). So what's the problem? No-one has said that the 94XX would have traction tyres. End of story - nothing to see here - let it go!!! Regards, John Isherwood.

I was the first to mention traction tyres, but not in relation to then 94XX; it was in a reference to the MR 2P which had been mentioned in the same post as the 94XX and coreless motors. So now can we stop the 'he said it first' bickering? Regards, John Isherwood.

Mike, Knowing how Adrian Swain (ABS) liked his variant kits, I'd guess that the kit was designed to allow him to produce a road van variant kit - perhaps he did? Regards, John Isherwood.

Looks like a 4-6-4 or, as the French would have it at the time, a 232. Also, we're surely looking at just half of a twin unit - with one 2200hp Sulzer engine in each unit. So, strictly, it was a 4-6-4+4-6-4 or a 232+232; that's quite a bit of hardware, even if the twin unit was rated at 4400hp. Regards, John Isherwood.

I was sufficiently miffed to cancel mine! Regards, John Isherwood.

..... and the Midland 1P has traction tyres! Regards, John Isherwood.

I don't know about see it - but I can (unfortunately) hear it ! Model railway exhibitions are noisy places at best, without the added cacophony of several competing sound-tracks. Each ups the volume to overcome the background hubub, to the point where the sound is positively disturbing. Humans are provided with a valuable resource - imagination. We don't need actual smog to envisiage a 1950s industrial area; the foul stench of a sugarbeet factory; or the 'aroma' of a gasworks. Why do we need spurious soundtracks to be able to recall the background noise of a railway station / locoshed / beach / bird-filled meadows? It's just an unnecessry gimmick and an attempt at one-up-manship. .... and as for sound-fitted locos !?! Regards, John Isherwood.

Nooooooooooooooo !!!!! Sound effects at exhibitions are anathema !!!!! Everyone who does it thinks it's the bee's knees - and everyone who hears it thinks "B*ll*cks - what an infernal racket" !! Regards, John Isherwood.

Not surprised they've being doing the rounds for ages - give the guy first proze for optimism !! Regards, John Isherwood.

It wouldn't work - the half axles are cast with the wheels, and fit into a nylon muff; (one of which incorporates the gear wheel). Thus you'd need split axles and uninsulated wheels. Regards, John Isherwood.

Engerth? Regards, John Isherwood.

That's what worries me - will the AI perception of the 'ideal' solution accord with the human perception? Remember HAL in '2001, A Space Odyssey'? When AI gets to that stage of development, be afraid - be very afraid! Regards, John Isherwood.

I'll no doubt be accused of unnecessary posting - but I wish to emphasise that this is not a localised problem. Surely it is not beyond the whit of man to isolate the cause of the problem? ..... or is the cause known, and the solution not acceptable to the list-owners? Whatever, it would be nice to know what is being done to resolve a problem which seriously undermines the value of this once reliable resource. Regards, John Isherwood.

I think that Iltman was being somewhat ironical, rather than seriously suggesting that this might happen. Regards, John Isherwood.

The Mitsumi can be superglued to the gearbox - it too has a mounting collet around the motor bearing. The diagram below shows how to mount it on a High Level gearbox with screw fixing. This template is supplied when motors are bought from me, along with the necessary screws. I am using these motors exclusively now - even in preference to Mashimas that I already have in stock. The Mitsumi is MUCH quieter - almost silent - and is slower running, so that slow speed control is exemplary. Regards, John Isherwood.

Setting aside the fact that I sell them - by all means source your own - the Japanese Mitsumi motor now has an excellent reputation as a slow-running, reliable workhorse with proper carbon brushgear. I and my clients have use literally thousands ; I've had no problems whatsoever with all kinds of loco installations, and I've have had no complaints from customers. Indeed, several have expressed their admiration for them here and elsewhere. Screw mounting holes are present, and I supply suitable screws and instructions on where to drill extra mounting holes in gearboxes - particularly High Level. Regards, John Isherwood. https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm

Sorry - I rarely put my earphones on when watching those Youtube clips. Regards, John Isherwood.