John Isherwood

Not a lot of call for triple- or quadruple-heading on UK-based layouts. Regards, John Isherwood.

.... and why? I have an Insignia that came without a spare wheel - but was zero-rated for road tax on account of its fuel efficiency rating. It was suggested to me, by a person who should know, that the car would not have been within the zero-rated category if it had to carry a spare wheel. Nonetheless, I paid for and was supplied separately with a spare wheel, which the car has carried since new! Nonesense, isn't it? Regards, John Isherwood.

Heresay! Those of us with proper modelling skills, and actual experience of building these kits, know that excellent models can (sorry could) be produced from them. No longer, sadly. John Isherwood.

Well done - satisfied now? We went through all this very recently - it's all there to read for those who can be bothered. Thanks to you, anyone wanting some of the more esoteric loco etches (formerly) on the market will have to do without. Is there really so little going on in your life that the non-arrival of the bits to build a new plaything assumes the proportions of a full-blown world crisis? Had you bothered to read a few back posts you would have been aware of what to expect when you placed your order. Falcon Brassworks has never pretended that it offers Amazon service, and most of us have sufficient patience to accept that proviso. But - as is so often the case in the current I-Want-It-Now !! world, it only takes one insensitive person to spoil things for those with more consideration. Thanks a lot !! John Isherwood.

Andrew, I am really pleased to learn that you have picked-up where Dave was obliged to leave-off. I would echo the sentiment concerning Markits items - as these seem to become ever more difficult to source directly, a well-stocked alternative source would be very welcome. A word to the wise, though; before re-ordering the Mainly Trains etches, take a close look at the scale; some of the frets were WAY over-scale. I think particularly of the lamp-irons; the 4mm scale ones would not have looked out of place on a 7mm. or even G1 scale loco ! All the best for the future. Regards, John Isherwood.

Couldn't say - it's a bit of a drive from Bodmin to Spalding ! Regards, John Isherwood.

No - even earlier than that - The Model Shop in Lincoln Road, Peterborough; (what a goldmine that was - they even had brand new spare screw jacks for the Hornby Dublo breakdown crane)! Regards, John Isherwood.

.... otherwise known as the flying crate !! My recollection is that it came in with boxed-style numbering - whenever that was; (I lost interest in full-scale railways at that time).

Thompson BZ = 6w passenger brake van. (See above). Regards, John Isherwood.

I built my Comet Thompson BZ two or three decades ago - in fact, I think that I bought the sides / ends etch only, which was all that was available then. I do recall having to produce the inside-spring axleguards by cannibalising available brass etchings and cast springs / axleboxes. It may well be that the correct items are now available, but I can't recall seeing them in a list anywhere. Regards, John Isherwood.

I'm afraid that I don't have that information to hand, but I can see no reason why the solebars could not be sawn off, the inner chassis narrowed, and then the solebars refixed in place. The sausage / milk van bodies are pretty accurate for width; I suspect that the Mainline chassis were made over-width in order to allow the bogies to turn on tight radii. Regards, John Isherwood.

This issue all hinges around an apparently widespread conviction that 'I can't / won't solder'. I know that this is a genuine belief / fear, but it is extremely limiting for the individuals concerned and, frankly, is not going to be overcome by any amount of wishing for Airfix-type kits in injection moulded polystyrene. The financial considerations just don't add up for locos, and to a large extent, coaches. If a fraction of the mental energy that is devoted to wish-listing alternatives to assembling etched brass kits was devoted to facing up to the fear of / aversion to soldering, there'd be a lot more varied locos and rolling stock around. Threads such as this one are all very well, but they're never going to come up with a magic bullet that will change the fact that metal kits will always be the only viable method of producing short-run locomotive kits; (at least until 3D printing becomes MUCH more sophisticated - and even then, you can't produce a functional chassis without soldering). Regards, John Isherwood.

Perhaps there should be a "BRM adverts" thread - which we could ignore or read at our discretion. The banner ads are to be expected but, BRM, please don't try to disguise advertising as instructive posting. I find it mildly insulting that you think that we'll fall for it. Regards, John Isherwood.

You'll find loads of them on my transfer sheet C89; see https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm . Regards, John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers.

You'll have Tony after you - it's either unique or it's not; you can't have degrees of unique. Regards, John Isherwood.

Let's hope the journey wasn't too long, then !!! Regards, John Isherwood.

Interesting, (and unknown to me), detail of the correct proportions of the Double Arrow at https://thebeautyoftransport.com/2015/03/18/the-full-xp-british-railways-corporate-identity-1964-1986-part-1/ ; (about 1/3 of the way down - large red double arrow). I wonder how many model double arrow transfers have the top and bottom diagonals with the correctly 'flared' ends? Regards, John Isherwood.

Oops - for Rail Blue and Monastral Grey read Monastral Blue and Pearl or Rail Grey. Regards, John Isherwood.

When the corporate livery was first announced, I had a period of painting my Tri-ang Mk.1s in Monastral Blue and Rail Grey; for the bogies and underframes I mixed GWR chocolate with LMS Crimson Lake. Regards, John Isherwood.

.... well, marketed anyway - whether successfully is another matter; it didn't last long. The motivation behind UK CKD was avoidance of purchase tax. Regards, John Isherwood.

Really? I must have missed that - which ex-Kitmaster coaches were / are available from Dapol? Regards, John Isherwood.

I've got two to build - I'm thinking in term of (very carefully) milling glazing recesses into the cast sides. Regards, John Isherwood.

In BR days, I seem to recall that some of the crimson-liveried Duchesses carried lined crimson lamps when 'bulled-up' for special occasions. I definitely recall that MR 1000, after restoration, had a set of matching lined crimson lamps. Regards, John Isherwood.

WD 2-10-0 90774 was also named - NORTH BRITISH, I believe. Copyright M. Morant. Regards, John Isherwood.

Wot !!!! No-one got an opinion / response to this? ..... not even Dapol? Regards, John Isherwood.