John Isherwood

Just a thought on the subject of identity - in all seriousness. We have avatars / photos as a means of expressing our personalities, but would it not be helpful to fellow members to have a selection of symbols available for our personal selection and display, representing our interests in scale, subject railway, RTR, kit-building, operation, DC, DCC, etc., etc. - including, of course, our self-identity? Just a thought ...... CJI.

I self-identify as grumpy 😡 !!! CJI.

This thread has been reported to the Moderators on the grounds that it has potential for discord. Might I suggest that we await a response from the Moderators before getting into too deep waters? CJI.

The following is NOT in anyway discriminatory! I simply wonder why we would need a special topic for a sector of society which assures us that it is in no way different from the rest of us. To date, no-one seems to have felt it necessary to declare how they identify - we just get on and discuss model railways, regardless of personal inclinations. Can we not just leave it that way - it would be far less likely to lead to unnecessary controversy? CJI.

Assuming that it is an insulated wheel - remove the suspect wheel and, using a multimeter, check that there is no connection between the tyre and the centre. It could be that a tiny shard of metal is bridging the insulation. CJI.

OCD - I can sympathise! CJI.

So are electric scooters, except in certain designated trial zones - not that it seems to worry the hoards of idiots that fly around our conurbations at the risk to life and limb! I don't recall reading of mass prosecutions under that legislation - more's the pity! Laws and regulations have to be seen to be reasonable, enforceable and enforced; otherwise they will - not surprisingly - be ignored. In this case, it could be specified that small quantities of paint must be packed in unbreakable containers, and enclosed in a leakproof bag. Blanket bans are seen as unreasonable, and a lazy way of avoiding the problem. CJI.

Being long(ish) and thin, might they have been prone to flexing / 'jumping' if involved in a sudden stop - if, say, rough shunted into a stationary wagon. I can imagine a 'whip' action in such circumstances. CJI.

'Cos it's English - none of yer Continental obeying grammatical rules r'and 'ere, mate! CJI.

In my experience, Welsh sheep look downright disreputatable! The Modelu ones must surely be from Surrey, or somewhere they are equally pampered? They need to get themselves to the outskirts of Blaenau Ffestiniog - though I wouldn' t give much for their chances of getting an animal to co-operate with the scanning process! CJI.

There is discussion upthread regarding removal of the brakegear component in order to access the coupling mount. CJI.

After all this time, what is a few more weeks? CJI.

What's wrong with Black Beetles - they're still available from the manufacturer in Australia? Greatly to be preferred to Tenshedo 'rockets'! CJI.

It looks to have common features with my ancient DeVilbis Aerograph - though mine was a bottom rather than side-feed. Try a Google search on that name - I'm pretty certain that I dumped the airbrush and all associated with it; though it gave good service in its time. CJI.

I have, for as long as I can remember, invariably fitted tender locos with tender pick-ups, as insurance against stuttering on points. (Bear in mind that, until relatively recently, I only had a 2.4m. long test track with dead frog points). The current project is the rechassising / tendering of an Airfix Standard 4MT 2-6-0 which had a free-running loco chassis and a motorised tender. The new powered loco chassis is Kemilway, and the tender is a Bachmann chassis with a GML body; back-scratcher pick-ups were fitted to the tender. The rebuilt loco ran well, but sounded as if the safety-valves were constantly blowing! The screech was traced to the tender pick-ups, as the capacious tender body was acting as an echo chamber! Tender pick-ups removed, running is virtually silent, with zero frog stuttering. I conclude that live frog points, properly operated and electrically switched via a slide switch and wire-in-tube, do not require tender pick-ups for excellent running. CJI.

Not so much Glyn Valley as Wisbech and Upwell - being located on verges and down the High Street, covered motion would have been mandatory. As most of us know, Thomas came to the attention of the Law for this reason, necessitating the acquisition of Toby! John Isherwood.

Plenty of stock built, and three buildings, but that's as far as it got in 1977! John Isherwood.

I think that your inspiration was the unbuilt Oakington & Cottenham Light Railway; the Deposited Plans for which are with the County Records collection. I traced the plans back in the 1970s / 80s. The line would have commenced at Oakington Station and proceeded via the road verge to Cottenham; thence straight up the centre of Cottenham High Street, to terminate at the side of Cottenham Lode, near the church. There would have been a branch from the centre of the village to the brickworks. I built a small diorama of a loco shed, using Tri-ang TT track and loco mechanisms, plus some stock using Tri-ang bogies and wagon underframes. Somewhere, I have a few photos and the plan tracing - I'll see if I can find them. John Isherwood.

Looking closely at the photo, I can see what appears to be an extension of the coupling socket base, between the axle and the chassis end casting fixture. I'd guess that the coupling socket base is under the chassis end casting, both fixed with the one screw. CJI.

Been there, (partly) done that - for many a long year !!! It WILL get finished dreckly! CJI. PS. I believe that it was 'shot down' from a not very good 7mm. scale kit.

Funnily enough, the only adverse medical experience we had in Cornwall was a planned procedure at a private (expensive) hospital. The procedure was cancelled because they hadn't arranged for an anaesthetist! Give me the free NHS any day! (Yeah, I know all about NI contributions)! CJI.

Treliske, Derriford, Newquay, St. Austell, Bodmin, Torpoint, etc., etc. - if it's NHS in Cornwall, we've probably been to it during the eleven years we've been here in Cornwall. WITHOUT EXCEPTION, we have been treated with the utmost civility, kindness and care on all occasions. My wife and I make a point of asking questions during consultations - indeed, we go in with a mental note of the information we wish to come out with. Far too many patients sit through consultations like zombies and then, when they come out, complain that they've been told nothing! We are both very grateful to have had the NHS, both here in Cornwall and previously in Cambridgeshire, to provide us with wonderful health-care. Sorry your experience was so different. CJI.

Let's hope that you never find yourself reliant upon the "poxy NHS" to save your life! CJI.

Perhaps they cover unannounced versions, to be released at a later date? CJI.

Ahh - those superb little custard tarts from Belem! CJI.