30368

Wow! Thanks Clive. Portishead and Beth Orton truly greats, not just for the 1990's but for all time. Kind regards 30368

My goodness some of us get so excited about the most trivial of things. The names selected for these former BR lines seem fine to me with an historical or geographical reference. People will, I'm sure, soon get used to them. I am much more exercised by the news that the three ROSCOs made £400m profit, or a profit rate of 41%, in 2022/3. Compared to the Train Operating Companies, the ROSCOs have very little risk, either safety or financial, given that the Taxpayer underwrites the TOCs. Now that is a railway news piece that is worth looking at... Kind regards, 30368

Let us hope so, big problem else. Kind regards, 30368

Hi Clive, I am very out of date now having retired from the big railway in 2006. Is the class 48 the re-engined class 47 that I vaguely remember back in the day? The Sulzer double 6LDA was never a great idea for long term relaibility. But, I guess, a cheap solution for a type 4 using common parts with type 2 Sulzer engined types. Certainly better than trying to get more power from a souped up 8LDA... Who's engine went into the 48? Kind regards, 30368

Hi Barry, Yes I built a Little Engines kit a good few years ago. I added as much detail as I could but my Hornby Q1's are an improvement on my efforts. The Q1 boiler cladding was fairly thin sheet steel made up of many seperate panels which seemed to have been bolted (rather than rivited) together. The panels were removable to gain access to the boiler fittings. Often the panels were not replaced. The kit white metal body castings had none of that detail so I scribed it on and used a fine point to replicate the set bolts. I also cut away part of the body where the cover over the two boiler feed clacks was located since often the cover was not replaced. The Q1 is really basic with most of the chassis exposed - no running plate for example - so the chassis detail is important. I've taken a few pictures for you: You can see all the pipework for the injectors under the cab on this side and the missing boiler feed clack's cover. Bit more detail. Sorry but not a great picture but at least the pipework is clear. It can't have been much fun for engine men and for fitters to work on these loco's if they didn't have ladders and platforms. Hope this is of some use. Kind regards, 30368

It seems to me that you have made a v.good job of restoring this ancient model. The wheelbase issue does not distract from the model to any real extent. I can't see from your images but lots of detail can be added to the Q1 - particularly the two injectors under the cab on the firemans side. Good job, 30368

Thanks for the effort. Much appreciated and enjoyed. Kind regards, 30368

What a great image Gilbert - just needs some water puddles to make it complete. The nice lady looks younger every time she features or is it that I am getting...... perish the thought. Kind regards, 30368

Good luck, hope all goes well, would have looked in on this great set up but can't make Doncaster this year. Kind regards, 30368

I think you may be correct Peter, Coffee Pot was surely a Southern Q1 0-6-0? A "Flat Top" was an original Bulleid Pacific. Kind regards, 30368

Yes, agree Tony looks really good and a slightly elusive prototype? Were many 04's converted to 04/7? Don't think I saw many. Do I detect a slight downturn on 63634's buffer beam? Perhaps its just the footplate return just beyond the cylinders that is missleading me.... Anyway it is a fine model and I really like the way you have modelled all(?) the 04 variations long may they thrive on LB. Kind regards, 30368

No loco builder should be without one! Kind regards, 30368

Well the U2 or as Phil calls them "U Boats" is now finished. I will trundle it around my part completed layout for a while before sending it to Phil. It pushes (As requested, no coupling on the tender) Hornby coaches easily so I suspect Phil's target of ten coaches will be attainable. The gearing is though low so it is not in any sense a speed merchant . Engine and tender are very mucky as requested. Alongside my "U" class on 70D, Alf seems to have dropped his shoval....Perhaps he was distracted by 31806 since it's pony wheel is off the track... I now intend to get back to building my 70D layout. Kind regards, Richard B

I will try not to be blinded sir. To suggest that the Schumacher Years and all the success was down to one man, Todt, is a little simplistic. There must have been many people contributing to all that success both at the circuits and back at the factory. Schumacher was a truly great driver, Brawn was a great Technical Director, Jean Todt was a great General Manager (he joined in 1994) and so on. Oh and the car was eventually (after four years) good enough to win the Constructors Championship and so on. I agree that Ferrari, like many teams over the years, are good at shooting themselves in the foot, for example Mclaren or in the distant past BRM, thats the way it can be with any human activity. I look forward to Ferrari making a big step this year and competing with Red Bull for the title, however as Murry Walker* would have said, "I am probably wrong, I often am". * I met the wonderful Mr Walker when I worked at Salisbury NHS Trust Hospital and he was, as we all suspected, a truly lovely chap. Kind regards, 30368

If I may, whilst Ferrari, like all teams, have their ups and downs, I beg you to consider that you may be mistaken in your view. 16 Constructors titles and 15 drivers titles suggest otherwise. Mr. Hamilton is no fool and, as many have said, has nothing to prove but possibly he, like many in the sport, feels that Ferrari are at the very core of Grand Prix Motor Racing and he relishes the thought of winning with them. If he moves to Ferrari then I look forward to him and Charles Leclerc racing together in the greatest team in F1. Kind regards, 30368

Just a thought, and sorry to interrupt the flow Tony, but the more I look at images of all the 04 2-8-0 derivatives going about their business, almost to the end of steam operation, with so little fuss and not much maintenance one has to conclude that Mr Robinson and his team came up with a real gem of a design. I know that they were selected by the ROD for largescale manufacture and class volume aids survivability but even so one of the great designs in my view. As you observe above, one could often see an 04 with the front buffer beam and running plate pointing towards the track following a smack with something hard so I think you should drop one to create this fairly common damage, after all, the prototype should inform our modelling. Didn't stop them running on and on and I wonder how the other vehicle or stationary object faired? Idle chat I know but all part of our collective memories... Kind regards, 30368

Yes it is, thanks very much for correcting me. I have ammended my post and my apologies to LRM. A palpaple "Senior Moment" I think! Kind regards, Richard B

Tender is now complete and has been painted. Lining and a few bits and bobs to do. Whilst the tender is drying I started to review the many pictures I have of the loco's I have built over the years and I could see how my work has improved over the years due to experience and all the great advice I have received. I also gave some thought to which build I was most proud of. That is a tricky question to answer since I tend the admire my latest build as the best so far, not absolutely true I know. With one or two recent builds I have struggled a bit. Having said all that, my provisional answer to the to the question posed above is: The reason's for my decision are: 1. This is a ACE Models "kit" that was very difficult to build and led to some amicable if contested discussion with the supplier. 2. The N15X rebuilds of the Brighton Baltic Tanks is a somewhat obscure prototype and that is always an incentive to the loco builder - having something that is not available RTR is great. 3. They are a well balanced design although a bit of a "sheep in wolfs clothing". 4. My layout is a version of Basingstoke Engine Shed (70D) intended to have an example of every type of engine ever shedded there (and many never shedded at 70D!) during BR days. 5. All the N15X 4-6-0s (seven of them) were alloocated to 70D and finished there working lives their in the 1950s. Therefore I HAD to have an example or fail with my objective so lots of pressure. No doubt a manufacturere is even now planning a run of N15X loco's RTR......... Kind regards, Richard B

Thanks very much for taking the trouble of updating the list and my best regards to your father. Kind regards, 30368

Can't see PDK mentioned? They have a great range of etched brass kits, some have resin boilers. http://www.pdkmodels.co.uk/ I have built a number and they are well designed kits for all of the "Big Four" railway companies. I would also recommend Judith Edge Kits, however these often need some scratchbuilding too (they are very reasonably priced and are very well designed.) so perhaps not for a first time builder. I don't think Mike and Judith have a web site but email is: edgmd@aol.com Tel: 01226 722309 I have built a number of these too and the results are very, very good. My (largely) PDK based H15 builds, paul at PDK built 30489 and the chassis under 30491 and the body of 30333. I built the remainder. All at rest on my 70D layout. Judith Edge B9 4-6-0 built by me a few years ago. A very pleasing model. Good luck with your plans and don't be put off, you can build a brass ket - start with an inside valvegear type (4-4-0 or 0-6-0 say) and then progress to something like the B9 before going for full outside valve gear. Kind regards, 30368 PS - Very sorry if I have got this wrong, was it just rolling stock you were interested in????

I was getting concerned by her absence, I thought we had lost her, the nice lady I mean not 60505. Kind regards, 30368

Really interesting Clive - from the Netherlands I think? You have very good taste in music, particularly where it coincides with mine, as does this one. Kind regards, 30368

Lovely work on the valve gear/cylinders and smokebox saddle. Kind regards, 30368

Tender coming along well, due largely to good kit design. I decided not to use the etch provided for the tender beading and instead used 0.45mm wire which looks good. The beading is one continuous legnth of wire which I progressively soldered in place from the back of the tender tank side and then bent the wire to suit as I progressed. The tender valance is designed to be fitted to slots in the tender tank base and then soldered from the inside. This would have resulted in the slots for soldering the tank to the base being partially covered so I have not done so. I think I should be able to solder the valances from this side. I could be wrong, and often are, but no attempt has been made to model the coal space on the tender tank top so a full load of mini coal will be required! Kind regards, Richard B

Yes agree as there are for many of Mr Robinson's locomotives. It is rather fun to consider what might have happened if John Robinson decided to be the first LNER CM&EE and not defer to the younger Mr Gresley! A Robinson pacific, now there is a thought!! Did he not consider a 2-10-0 at one stage? Kind regards, 30368