John Isherwood

Hmm - that seems to be self-contradictory! A flangeless bearing is a flanged bearing without the flange - that is self-evident. So - with a flanged bearing fitted with the flange proud of the inside face of the axleguard, the widest diameter of the bearing cone will be proud of the axleguard face by the thickness of the flange - agreed? But - with an unflanged bearing fitted flush, the widest diameter of the bearing cone will be flush with the axleguard face - also agreed? So - unless the vino is seriously compromising my reasoning - the length between pinpoints in each case differs by twice the thickness of the bearing flange! This assumes - of course - that the depth of the bearing cones is the same in each case. I have long ago concluded that the only wise course of action is the four-handed, dry assembly struggle - with all the associated bad language!! CJI.

I read nothing in that interview that cannot be said of all model railway producers at present. I also suspect that most of the more radical wording is down to the translation software! CJI.

As I suggested, offset bogie pivots are usually used to reduce the chance of body / wheel contact on sharp curves. CJI.

I suspect that is designed in this way in order to avoid contact between the wheels and the lower bodyside. I'm surprised that you kept the loco, in view of your adverse comments above. CJI.

Might it be worth addressing the question directly to Cambrian - I believe that they have a contact form / email address? CJI.

We at Cambridge Custom Transfers have always, for 24 years, offered our entire range in 3mm. scale. Naturally, this will now apply to 2.5mm. scale as well. John Isherwood.

Is that 'available' as in 'in stock', or as in 'for pre-order'? CJI.

When Cambridge Custom Transfers re-opens in mid-March, look out for new transfer sheets covering all of the SHOCVANs - pre-Nat. and BR-built; (also shock opens and BR-built brake vans). John Isherwood.

I'm not aware that anyone has suggested that the CONDOR ran with fully-loaded CONTAINERS on each trip - I have certainly not suggested that. What I, and others, are saying is that, from our own experiences, and from available photographic evidence, the WAGONS always ran loaded with CONTAINERS. What the container contained, or not, is anyone's guess in the absence of the relevant loading records. The OP asked if he could prototypically run his CONDOR CONFLATs without containers; the answer is 'No' - in normal service, anyway. The reason may have been to do with the stability of the empty wagons at speed - this would not surprise me at all, given that they were converted PLATE and BOLSTER wagons. John Isherwood.

There was no suggestion of finescale wheels in the OP, though. John Isherwood.

It would seem that I have a miracle in my garage! A ten baseboard, OO roundy-roundy, with no physical connection between adjacent baseboards and multiple tracks across baseboard joints; (my first serious layout). Sixty years worth of loco and rolling stock building; (well in excess of 1000 items); none of which are equalised or sprung. ..... and derailments occur only as a result of turnout-setting errors on my part. I'm of Tony Wright's opinion in this respect! John Isherwood.

I think we should consult a certain Mr. Mortimore of this parish - he will certainly be able to analyse how this cut-and-shut was undertaken. 😄 He may even have had a hand in it ..... ? CJI.

Believe what you choose - the personal testimony and photographic evidence demonstrates that the Condor ran with all wagons loaded with containers; empty or full. ..... or do you not believe those of us who saw the real train? CJI.

Ooooh, really? Hasn't it recently been decided that talcum powder is so dangerous that it must be withdrawn from sale? ...... after generations of slathering the stuff into every conceivable orifice of our precious offspring, it is now to be classed as highly dangerous!! What a world we live in ..... !!! 😄 CJI.

...... which is how I sometimes operate my Evercreech Junction-ish layout. Imagine a row of Hymek and NB Type 2 pilots in the centre road .... CJI.

Nonetheless, that was not the case at the time of the CONDOR - a fixed rake of containers went N-S and S-N, with full containers being swapped for empty ones as traffic presented. CJI.

Given that the CONDOR was a container train, an empty train would have been indistinguishable from a full train - the wagons would always be carrying containers. That said, I am sure that the aim would have been to balance up and down loadings, as far as was possible. Having seen (and heard - loudly) both up and down CONDORs, at speed behind a couple of Co-Bos, I don't recall any empty CONFLATs. CJI.

OK, I suppose - if you like that sort of thing; it's basically an extended advert. I can't say that I got much entertainment from it, so I now avoid it. I wonder when Bachmann etc. will get their own dedicated programmes? CJI.

It is intended for thermoplastic tiled floors. CJI.

My daughter gave me a bag of Christmas Pudding flavoured crisps as a silly Christmas present! Despite my reputation for eating anything - I felt that it was a step too far! CJI.

Agreed, tank number FWB2. CJI.

Ah - Hayle Harbour of happy memory; (the inset track only recently having been removed). CJI.

Dynamometer car? CJI.

Ice Blue was the replacement for white, on insulated wagons. It was introduced at the same time as the 'boxed' style of lettering - whenever that was! (An age thing). CJI.

You spoke? Try a page search for PMV on the Cambridge Custom Transfers 'Products' page. John Ishetwood, Cambridge Custom Transfers.