Robert Shrives

tucked away in my covid wagon building page is a couple of these done for coal/oil train. But what has eluded are pics of the coal container legends - if any. I to had viewed the pic of 011 and can see white/ shiny panels on side of coals but there does not seem to any better "out there" that I have found/ stumbled upon. Thanks for the image of tank data panel , quite happy to leave mine blank! - lazy I know but will keep eye out for donor decals. cheers Robert

I was reading today in Rail Express of the continued use of the CPW wagon rake and was wondering on modelling a short version. The Dapol pocket KQA wagon does look much the same with a variation on the arrangement of brake gear. As a near enough -slightly better than a Rule 1 option what is your take ? I can see some UK second had ones how have you made use of the wagon, is it worth it? Looking for feedback or brick bats ! TIA Robert

The knowledge on the moving feast of cut off bufferbeams is fun as now spent time looking even more carefully... what a jolly mire! Thanks for a bottomless worm hole!!!! Robert

This week I had a great day working with 4 lads who had been offered to the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Co for some volunteer work in school time as a way of helping them learn life skills out of the academic environment that did not suit them. In cooperation of our outreach officer three other adult volunteers the lads worked cleaning a refurbished 1907 tin chapel that was a volunteer rebuild project. Also some work with a pressure washer working on the platform. This all part of a 4E initiative : Engage, Educate, Experience and Excel. The lads were good workers and despite the potential for being bored all worked well. I did suggest that work we were all doing could be a start in ground works or pressure wash cleaning business as there was money to be made in cleaning- get a van and a washer and off you go. The teacher was pleased to see work done and lads in good order, he explained that the 4 were on the exclusion listing for behaviour issues and anything that got them out and about was good for them. The area they come from has, despite being in a rural Gwynedd is an Industrial wasteland and carries a large unemployed and drug dependency cloud. Anybody with get up and go -has just done that. What is left carries on happy with its lot and muggles along in what could be considered a downward slide. So it felt good to offer another way but they need to want to make the jump themselves. Next week I hope to work on more cleaning, moving bags of stuff and some education on painting. Erfyl had a younger group from another school who worked on tubs and for the lads with the "attitude" some shovelling and pothole filling to burn off the energy- it is amazing how energy can evaporate ... but a good bit of work done. The tubs will end up on a station and hopefully we can work out getting the younger gang to tend them, giving ownership might work in all our favours. In short engaging youth in a world where experiences ( I would say positive experiences) are limited to near zero surely can only be a good way to add direction and support away from "mindless acts." Robert

For the Galway set I imagined the Brake driver could follow the MK3 driver trailer - easier to train staff but does loose the corridor connection . However possible that a DBSO style half cab with just one end window added would prevail - certainly easier to make from the Southern Pride/ jouef MK3 conversions. However with the likelyhood of Mk3 rtr driver I could muse on using a silver fox resin end "melded" to the SR side. Thanks for the photos and drawings - interesting the catering car doors omit the plug logo. Robert

Hi FWIW I have fitted No18 kaydees to my brake . Still looking at handrails I hope to find a suitable spare part in stocks I have access to at work. My own stocks were just too short. Robert

I like the Mk2 gen idea - like a service car on a well know NG line .. At least nobody tried to foist the Leyland MK1 conversion on NIR - quite likely as it as uber cheap it would have seen fleet production ! The Mk3 shortie shows Hornby might have been onto something! but the windows as on the 317 were dreadfully ugly. FWIW on the international coaches CIE started to look at/ cut a bit of metal to make the International brake into a driving car have you ever seen anything of a diagram in your searches? Cheers Robert.

IRC known as "Tugs". Well they can pull a mountain. DB have struggled to replace on fuel trains from Wales. Good what if model thanks for showing. Robert

Hi just to say thank you - the Brake van arrived on Saturday and now had a chance to look over and trundle up and down ! What a lovely model. The roof lightly clips on and off - to reveal a lovely interior with seats, stove and brake valve. Free running and of good weight it feels a solid model. Axles allow for 21 mm gauge with slots to allow brake block parts to move over. I am sure fun could be had adding pull rods etc for full brake rigging - if you run model upside down! For unboxing enthuiasts model comes in a blue carboard box with foam insert that holds model well There are foam inserts in cut out to protect sides - lift model in foam cradle out of box and remove top cover foam and then push through from lower side using insert to protect model - foam is too good a fit to dig model out of foam - a prerequisite to survive the best global shipping. I will look into my stocks of spare handrails and fit as these are user source and applied items - easy to make and certainly worth adding. Colours lovely and muted and in a matt finish - I am sure the rust and rot experts will have a field day! Certainly a fitting (ed) end for any freight ! Robert

Deed done 3 in varying livery inc the rail tour yellow panel. Yes class 80 but guess the easier win will be the original livery Enterprise next time the Mk 2s are run. Having retired from the remains of Crosscountry trains in August I was quite amazed by a collection by my former colleagues - a 335 euro IRM card - they knew me too well it seems! could well be an avenue to spend .. Thanks again gang. Robert

Gang, Long felt want fully satisfied. Thanks Robert

Great first shots, you must be pleased, I look forward to artwork samples. robert

Indeed loco does look good and price increase reflects model changes as well as the difficult job of changing factories- extracting intact tooling etc. And then new factory picking up project hopefully it will fulfill a big gap in market. Robert

Done the deed and some ordered. Robert

Mike, Hopefully a new slice of Ireland will appear given all the lovely stock. Robert