John Isherwood

.... and perhaps I may be forgiven for pointing out that, if you are minded to build the 4mm. scale Genesis kit, or scratchbuild the Birds Eye containers, I can supply the transfers - see Sheet BL52 at http://www.cctrans.freeserve.co.uk/products.htm Regards, John Isherwood.

As Pat at MREmag points out the Trix model was, correctly, a Conflat B - ie. very significantly longer than the Conflat A. The real things were built on 12' WB pipe wagon underframes. The real Birds Eye & Macfisheries containers were not of the AF type at all; they were longer AFP containers. As such, two would not fit on a Conflat A, hence the building of the longer Conflat Bs. Mainline did, (incorrectly), livery their AF container in Birds Eye livery. If TMC are merely to re-market the inaccurate combination of Birds Eye liveried AF containers on a Conflat A, we have not progressed very far in a couple of decades, whereas Trix were getting it right half a century ago! Regards, John Isherwood.

No - unfitted light grey was later. The model is correct for the BR steam era - the unfitted grey was *very* variable in shade. Leave well alone! Regards, John Isherwood.

East Kent Models list :- X8053 Macaw bogie bolster load securing pins (16) 1.00 Regards, John Isherwood.

A while back, I got a nice stock of stanchion stanchion mouldings from one of the Hornby spares retailers - probably East Kent Models. Regards, John Isherwood.

...but Esso did have Class A tanks to the same design which would have been light grey with red solebars. Not quite - the tanks were longer on the Class A. You can cut & shut them from the kit, though. Also - see Sheets BL8 - BL12 at http://www.cctrans.freeserve.co.uk/products.htm for more ideas for the kit. Regards, John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers.

Unless there has been some major colour distortion in this image, I'm sure that this isn't either BR DMU Light or Dark Green. Rather, I would suggest, it is W&M's interpretation of BR DMU Dark Green. I didn't see any of these railbuses during BR service so I can't comment further, but perhaps those that did can say whether this photo matches the colour in which they ran in service. Regards, John Isherwood.

The March issue of BRM prints the now familiar photo of the blue pre-production version of the Heljan Co-Bo. Beneath it are a couple of photos of what I initially took to be the green version - and I was much reassured. Now THIS looked much more like the Metrovicks that I recalled on the Midland Mainline. Subtle, understated curves in all planes instead of the 'punched on the nose' slab-fronted appearance of the blue version. But wait !! A closer look at the lower photos revealed them to be of an O gauge kit-built model. This only served to accentuate my feeling that the 4mm. scale model fails to catch the character of the prototype. Have a look and see what you think. Obviously, we can't make a valid judgement until we see the finished product, but I'm not confident that we're going to get a Co-Bo to the standard of Heljan's preceding diesel prototypes. Regards, John Isherwood.

Kenton, Believe me - if I never supplied another sheet of transfers it would do wonders for my modelling output. I have a demanding fulltime career and providing transfers to other modellers competes with my own modelling - to the point where the latter is an endangered species. As many members will know I bought an Alps MD1000 printer some years ago because it could print white. I mentioned the fact in MRJ - the same month that the printer was discontinued it turned out! I was inundated with requests to print transfers - the rest is history. Yes, I try and let as many modellers as possible know that I have a range of transfers available - but for their benefit, not mine. When my last-but-one Alps MD1000 gives up the ghost, or I run out of ink cartridges, then Cambridge Custom Transfers will cease to exist. At which point my huge stock of kits and other projects, not to mention my long-promised model of Evercreech Junction, may finally get built! Bottom line? My customers don't seem to have any prejudice against Hotmail, and we communicate just fine! Regards, John Isherwood.

I second that - even though it may affect my sales! Regards, John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers.

Oh yes they do !! See Sheet BL90 at http://www.cctrans.freeserve.co.uk/products.htm Regards, John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers.

I have not - nor will I ever - advertise my transfer sheets. I notify the model press of any new sheets and word-of-mouth does the rest. A good product will sell itself. Besides, Cambridge Custom Transfers is not a business as such. I produce transfers for my own use, and let it be known that I am willing to supply them to other modellers who do not have my ability to print transfers. My web-site is there merely to save me having to respond to numerous enquiries as to what I can supply. Regards, John Isherwood.

Well - all I can say is that I cannot recall a single instance of a customer complaining that I did not respond to their enquiry. I will bear what you say in mind in the event that I might need to order your products. Advertising? I just ignore it - be it in e-mails, via my letterbox, on TV, on hoardings, or any of the other myriad media that bombard us daily. If businesses are conned by the ad-men into believing that they have no option but to spend billions on advertising then that's their problem. I'm not going to get worked up about it, though. Regards, John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers. http://www.cctrans.freeserve.co.uk/

Your opinion, maybe - but I conduct business with no problems whatsoever via a Hotmail account. Yes, some of my Inbox content is spam, but it is easily recognised and simply deleted unopened. Regards, John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers. http://www.cctrans.freeserve.co.uk/

Sheet C64 - BR steam era horsebox and other NPCS lettering. Includes horsebox lettering for :- exGWR diagram N16; exLMS d.1952, d.1956, d.2125; exLNER d.4, d.5; BR d.751 (all four regions); exLNER bogie brake d.327, 4w van d.120, 6w brake d.358; exSR special cattle van d.3141; BR bogie CCT d.817 on LNER underframe; bogie CCT (no diagram) on GER underframe; bogie CCT (no diagram) on LNER underframe; bogie PMV (no diagram) on GER underframe. Lettering for 24 vehicles. 2mm., 3mm., 3.5mm. & 4mm. scale price is £6.00 S scale price is £12.00 7mm. scale price is £18.00 Gauge 1 price is £24.00 Regards, John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers. http://www.cctrans.freeserve.co.uk/products.htm

From the length of the individual words, I'd hazard a guess at RETURN TO NEWMARKET. This is, of course, a Diagram 4 example, not a Diagram 5 as per the forthcoming Parkside kit. Regards, John Isherwood.

Sorry - I have no knowledge other than that quoted from the LNER diagram; beyond the fact that many of the names had been subsequently crossed-out on the copy (of a copy) that I have. There is no indication when they were crossed-out. Regards, John.

Again, from the diagrams :- Diagram 4 : 50 built at York 1936 [Nos. 2227 to 2276 incl.] 59 built at York 1937 [Nos. 2277 to 2335 incl.] 2233 demolished in mishap at Bow 11-7-45 14'WB., 22'OH., weight 10-17-0 5'-1.5" luggage compt., 9'-9" horse compt., 6'-2" groom's compt. Diagram 5 : 30 built at York 1938 [Nos. 2336 to 2365 incl.] 14'WB., 22'OH., weight 11-12-2 3'-8.5" luggage compt., 9'-9" horse compt., 4'-6" groom's compt., 3'-0" toilet. Regards, John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers.

From the LNER diagram :- DIAGRAM No. 5 CODE No. 8005 No.OF VEHICLE /SPECIAL LETTERING 2336 RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2337 RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2338 RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2339 REG DAY RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2340 B.JARVIS RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2341 G.B.BARKING RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2342 J.L.JARVIS RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2343 J.L.JARVIS RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2344 FRANK BUTTERS RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2345 J.L.JARVIS RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2346 FRANK BUTTERS RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2347 FRANK BUTTERS RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2348 CAPT.G.BOYD ROCHFORT RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2349 FRANK BUTTERS RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2350 HON.G.LAMBTON RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2351 C.P.KIRK RETURN TO KENNETT 2352 CAPT.G.BOYD ROCHFORT RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2353 GEORGE R.DIGBY RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2354 LORD GEORGE DUNDAS RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2355 LORD GEORGE DUNDAS RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2356 RETURN TO LEYBURN 2357 J.G.THOMPSON RETURN TO ACKLINGTON 2358 RETURN TO MALTON 2359 'EGERTON HOUSE' RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2360 RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2361 CAPT.P.WHITAKER RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2362 THE EARL OF DERBY RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2363 THE EARL OF DERBY RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2364 R.J.COLLING RETURN TO NEWMARKET 2365 MAJOR W.V.BEATTY RETURN TO NEWMARKET Regards, John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers. http://www.cctrans.freeserve.co.uk/

I will very shortly be adding this to my Parkside-dedicated transfer Sheet S1, and transfers for this horsebox are also on my transfer Sheet C64 - see http://www.cctrans.freeserve.co.uk/products.htm . Regards, John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers

Unless I'm missing something here, the OP is referring to PO timber wagons, similar to salt wagons, that were used for grain traffic in the Leith area. These lasted surprisingly late - at least into the 1970's I believe. Parkside have produced a 4mm. scale kit for many years. Regards, John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers. http://www.cctrans.freeserve.co.uk/

.... taking a vehicle without the owner's consent? Being involved with highway works, I know that only the police may legally move an obstructive vehicle on the public highway. Regards, John Isherwood, Engineering Projects Manager, Cambridge City Council.

Those of us who are interested in the Hawksworths that were used to strengthen DMUs, there is a nice photo of one in the November issue of Traction magazine. Regards, John Isherwood.

Well - as I've just discovered, you can polish them away with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton bud; (lighter fuel works too - but not as quickly). The glazing is unaffected by this treatment and the reassembled coach is immensely improved. I have even been able to fit Peco / HD couplers into the NEM pockets. Regards, John Isherwood.

Well - in the days when Airfix Pug kits were two bob (10p in today's money) I think I must have done pretty much all possible variants - but as un-powered models for 12mm. gauge. The Fairlie looked great, as did the 0-4-2ST and 2-4-2ST. There were several other variants that I can no longer remember precisely. Suffice to say they all went into the scrap box years ago. The Airfix Drewry 0-6-0DM kit was the same price and so was similarly butchered - a chunky 0-6-6-0 inspired by the Claytons is one I remember. Good modelling practice for a then-teenager. Regards, John Isherwood.