John Isherwood

At the end of the day, we live in a (sort of) free country. If people wish to, and are able to, provide services and goods at commercially impractical cost, they are perfectly at liberty to do so. It may get up certain people's nose - but tough! CJI.

Just to be clear, my friend uploads his files to Thingiverse, in the knowledge that they might be used for profit - he has no objection to this. He simply enjoys the design process. I can see no problem with this. CJI.

A very cynical and uninformed appraisal of what I do with my own time. Firstly, I am retired, and have no pressing need of a secondary income. Secondly, I make no pretentions to run a business - where did you get that idea? Thirdly, most of my transfer range comprises designs which I have undertaken for my own purposes - though I do respond to requests from, funnily enough, 3D and etched kit designers to produce transfers, in order to assist downloaders / purchasers of their designs / products. My prices cover my costs, and provide a small but welcome income - which principally covers my railway modelling purchases. Let's be clear - I could not make a living from my transfer activities; but then that has never been my intention. You deride me for under-charging for my output; so what is your view of people, such as a very good friend of mine, who puts his superb 3D wagon designs on Thingiverse, for FREE download? You seem to be incapable of seeing the value of anything, unless you have to pay through the nose for it - you have my sympathy. As for being a 'mug', I enjoy what I do - especially when it is clearly appreciated by my 'customers'. What I do with my time, and what I charge for my output, is my own business. I do not undercut more commercial enterprises, and fellow modellers are able to benefit from my skills and equipment. I really think that you might be much happier if you were to review your personal values, and avoided criticising others' lifestyle choices. John Isherwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers.

Unfortunately, any thoughts of achieving an hourly rate recompense - even spread over a considerably greater number of sales than are likely to be achieved, are unrealistic. I offer the decal designs that I do for myself, ready printed, at a price that covers my printing and despatch costs, plus a small but useful margin. I have never bothered to calculate what the price would have to be to pay me a reasonable hourly rate for the time taken in the design process, because it would never generate any sales. Work out a price that will cover your costs in distributing the designs, and a modest but useful bit of pocket-money for yourself, whilst still being low enough to attract customers - that's all that you can hope for. CJI, Cambridge Custom Transfers.

... or try to find the exit for your hotel from the cross-city tunnel under Sydney, Australia! We went through three times - and it goes on for ever - (paying the toll each time) before we managed to leave where we wanted too!!! Surely there must be some technology that permits Satnavs to function in tunnels? CJI.

Still widely available in the UK, in my experience. CJI.

Have you seen the current price of MUs? You'd have to be very confident of a very well-heeled potential market for a Cross-country DMU before committing to such a project. CJI.

Each to their own - but, in my case, once the money is spent, it's gone. Those that dispose of my models will get what they can for them, but I can't bring myself to worry how much (or little) that might be. CJI.

I seem to recall that, when these Dapol milk tanks were first released, derailments were almost universal. I think that the ultimate conclusion was that the wheel profile did not conform to anything conducive to staying on a rail! CJI.

Totally OTT - if I bought them; (which I won't, having SP kits); the box would go in the bin. Apart from anything else, I could store two or three times as many models in the space that box would occupy! CJI.

Has leaded solder gone away? CJI.

Odd - I must have used several hundreds of tins over the years, and currently have a drawer full - never a dud. John Isherwood.

I fail to see how - what aspect of such a simple assembly is likely to be prohibitive? I propose nothing that has not been done already. One of the early fixed trailing truck designs was attached with two screws - but it was still locked into position if one screw was removed, rather than being allowed to pivot. My modification merely required the removal of the part of the chassis casting that prevented pivoting. It APPEARED to have been designed to pivot, but modified to be fixed. John Isherwood.

Interesting use of red paint above the fuel tanks and below the outside - I presume that is part of the mainframe? CJI.

Yes, I arranged for all of the rail that we exposed to be delivered to the technology museum - apart from a short offcut that was put onto the Council's electric hacksaw to be sliced into mementos for certain staff!I John Isherwood

Cylinder? CJI.

Looks flat-bottomed to me! Perhaps intended to ensure that damage to the track and loco was minimised in the event of a derailment? CJI.

Amen to that !!! CJI.

I use a paperclip, bent to form a triangle with a long stem; the latter is fitted into a minidrill. WITH THE POWER OFF, dig the hardened pigment out of the bottom of the tin into the carrier liquid, and break it up as small as possible. Then, applying very little power, start to mix the pigment into the liquid - go very carefully, or you and your surroundings will receive the contents of the tin! 😠 When the pigment starts to combine with the liquid, gradually increase the speed of the minidrill - but beware centrifugal force! It may take several minutes, but the pigment WILL eventually recombine, to restore the paint to its intended constituency. ..... and, unless you leave it to stand for half a lifetime, it will require far less stirring in future! John Isherwood.

Impressive !!! Order confirmed by return; invoice sent within an hour; invoice paid seamlessly via Quickbooks; confirmation of payment received instantaneously; now awaiting delivery of order. UK traders please take note! John Isherwood.

Key word - incline! Inclines are the source of more hassle than they are worth! If you convert your incline gradient to full-size practice, I'm betting the real loco would stall, too. CJI.

I assume that you have established that there is not a solid disc of pigment in the base of the tinlet? (Prod it with a wire). Older paint that has been undisturbed for a considerable time can separate into solid pigment and liquid carrier. I find that vigorous stirring - to the point of mechanically breaking up the solid pigment using a mechanical stirrer - can be required to recombine the constituents of the paint. This done, the paint will be fine and give excellent coverage. John Isherwood.

All I can point out is that I run DC; and wouldn't consider sound even it was available for DC. Why? I have yet to hear DCC sound that in any way resembles the sounds that I heard, prior to the end of steam on BR. If those pale, tinny echoes of steam sound require all that extra electronic gadgetry, I'm glad that I'm out of it! CJI.

Well, I too have D11. The cab looks fine to me - and I was brought up on 'Peaks' on the Midland Mainline. The axleboxes do look oversized in yellow - a few dabs of black paint have resolved that. Haulage? Eleven Mk1s and barely raising a sweat is fine for me! Mine's staying! John Isherwood.

Yes - 'Sir William Stanier FRS'. CJI.