Captain Kernow

Good to know another area group has started up. Of course, we know we're not alone when we come on RMWeb, there's always someone with the answer on here, too!

This looks very interesting...! I didn't realise the barrel diameter on these models was wrong? Given the time period I'm planning to operate on Callow Lane, I've realised that I could probably get away with one or two being shunted in to the yard, now and then....

Yep, this is gonna be g o o d!

Robin - I agree with Bristolian - it's looking wonderful. Lino was very common on Western boxes too, and 10+ years into nationalisation and then the take-over of the ex-M.R. parts of Bristol by the W.R. would have seen a gradual increase in 'Western' habits, as some boxes acquired new floor coverings or an internal repaint. I'm also giving Callow Lane box a lino floor covering. Train Register desks next to windows were not uncommon on Western boxes, where there are more windows than wall space - Par is an example of a still-open box like that.

Completely and utterly agree with you! I now tend to take not just the Friday before off work (for obvious reasons), but also the following Monday. Given the increased rate at which this uses up my Annual Leave allocation, I tend to do fewer shows these days.

Bah! That's probably just some groovy 1960s-style tower with a rotating restaurant on the top, staffed by waitresses with outrageous bee-hive hairstyles!

This is one of the most atmospheric model photos I've ever seen on RMWeb - it just shouts 'Last train to xxxx in 1965' to you! Absolutely convincing!

That's very nice, Pete, seems a bit outside of your normal sphere of activities - what's the prototype please?

Very nice Robin, and the advantages of modelling an actual location amply demonstrated! I have yet to decide what goes on my block shelf, not totally sure to be honest, given that the double track in one direction would have been Permissive Block, whilst in the other direction it is electric token (which will probably generate a scratchbuilt W.R. token instrument)... I see that your block shelf was the kind supported from the floor - presumably the supports went through the frame? At least, that's how others appear to have been supported from what I can tell in photos. Some other M.R. boxes did appear to be suspended from the ceiling or roof beams, as many Western boxes were.

I do like the gates, Chris, from what you describe, it sounds a bit like what I've got on both BHR and CL... And, as for forgetting to open them to rail movements - well, just don'! (forget, that is...). One of my operators once forgot on BHR, and we saw the results of a whitemetal loco footplate hitting the delicate innards of a semi-scratchbuilt gate - it wasn't pretty, nor was my language when I found out!!

Steady,... steady! Yes, an Official Spokesman will be making an Official Announcement about the line-up for Taunton next April, but as you can see, someone has leaked something to the press!

I would have found the dust extremely annoying on the layout. Pity they couldn't have been more careful?

And I organised exactly the same thing to a Class 50 on the Up Penzance to Bristol 'Perishables' at Taunton one night, when the driver would otherwise have failed the loco, due to lack of coolant. A bucket chain from the upside gents to the loco solved the problem!

My comments on the earlier thread refer. I am glad that Robin has demonstrated that the Masokits etch is versatile enough to represent frames other than that which was originally intended. Indeed, by sinking the frame into the floor of a box, so that only the top shows, I suspect that a passable imitation of a typical GW frame could be achieved (although for that, I would still prefer the Smiths etches, if they can still be found!).

This is looking very good indeed, Robin, and full marks to you for the research and clever adaptation of the Masokits product. I would no doubt have been very tempted to use this product for my Callow Lane box, had I been aware of it's existence when I started!! Glad to see that Mr Seal is giving satisfaction!!

Well done and well-deserved, Graham!

I've got one of these myself, and have always considered that something needed to be done to strengthen the frames where that awful motor cut-out is located. Will watch this one with interest - perhaps the R-T-R manufacturers are waiting for me to start on mine?! Will it be Em or P4, btw?

The topograhpy in the first photo in particular, is very convincing, Al - really nice stuff.

Well, DOH! Apologies for an outbreak of impreciseness, but I did mean Brassmasters, not Comet, Horse. And... it was an A1 chassis, not an A2! (well, it's big, it's green and it's LNER, what more can I say?!... )

Cheers Larry - that's a nice mix of stock and perfect justification for a mix and match approach for those of us who are partial to a bit of NPCCS...

Paul - I'm wondering if we shouldn't start 'propaganding' Comet for a fold-up chassis as per the A2 currently featured in the latest issue of MRJ - wouldn't that be fantastic?

Yes, they are already somewhat shorter than the original etched levers...

Here are a couple of photos of the new M.R. style lever frame, which I decided I ought to build, following some discussion last night on whether the GWR-style frame was really appropriate for the Midland box at Callow Lane. In short, it was not appropriate, so I built the basics of the lever frame base from plasticard last night, and added some modified etched Smiths levers today. The levers are set at 6" centres, which is how earlier M.R. frames were arranged. My thanks to Keith Norgrove for helping with some very useful data on the Scalefour Society forum. Once I've painted the main base of the frame black, the individual levers will get painted in accordance with the signalling diagram. Here's the prototype photo I took a few years ago in Settle Jct box: Due to the levers now being at 6" centres (as opposed to 4.5" centres on the GWR-style frame), the overall lever frame is a bit longer, but still (just) fits in the space between the door and the gate wheel. However, to my mind, the effect is a little cramped, so I'm minded to move the gate wheel assembly back a few millimetres. Due to it effectively being part of the floor assembly, this will mean cutting it out and re-positioning it, and using spare plasticard and filler to make the floor area good.

See my first comment above, you would have to rebuild the box structure as the frame supports are completely different.RegardsKeith Just as well I decided to go for a Midland type frame then! That's still potentially useful, however, should anyone else find themselves in the same situation. Thanks for you help over on the S4 forum, Keith, as mentioned there, I'm happy with the new frame and will post some photos of it here, when the primer is dry (probably dry already) and once I've decided whether I need to move the gate wheel in the signalbox (the new frame is a few mill longer than the first one, due to the M.R. frame depicted now having 6" lever centres, rather than the narrower centres of the GWR frame).

Please excuse me if this has already been explained, but has someone already spelt out the dismantling procedure in easy-to-understand steps?