Robert Shrives

Hi Thanks to all who have been in contact . Ian at MIR also helped thanks Robert

Sadly not it is a 47 foot one normally 30219, And is painted black rather than Bauxite. A full set of transfers from SSM as above are a treat ! Robert

Patrick, I hope you have now found peace ! Loading bank looks the part . I have seen one or two layouts which were suggestive of a just past rainfall with puddles and wet roofed buildings. But you can enjoy the passing phase as it dries out . As everybody adds great layout that inspires . Robert

Summarises the IRM issue with the GSV weed spray coach- essential to the model scene but un economic for the business model. Unless the Angel investor with no interest in returns happy to give over E100K we can wish all we like for rtr but a kit or a kit commission is where you will need to visit- even a 3D print will not be that much different on the rails for a price.. Robert

Patrick - That is it perfection as you desire , it looks just like my depot at Minffordd on the Ffestiniog Railway and a bit less like an airport runway ! Perhaps a small pad on the Beet loading bank to hint at where progress in going will suffice. The angle of many phots of beet banks hint but give no details of surface and weeds - I imagine ( await to be told better) that weeds ran amok but a winter of tractors and trailers ground a clear way for a few months - so perhaps a bigger collection at the bufferstop end trailing to nearly clear at road access point . Of course some very plant unfriendly weed killer might have been used a bigger sites. If I may suggest a tree or similar to help nature cover up how the sky is fixed above the lorry trailer - or it might be a ufo... who knows but I guess we have all had an errant screw head ! Always great work and thanks for showing. Rome not built in a day and always changeable so is Glen More but I think you are as good to go with the yard. . I do not think anybody has said but the colours in the ballast and the clean sleeper tops feel just right for the era compared to the mechanised mess we have today. Robert

https://mousa-models.co.uk/product/bck6224s-4-cie-mk-1-steam-heat-boiler-van-sides/ found this linked from new website - only one left and of course not the one wanted for spray van sorry to say. Robert

Thread a bit text rich so two pics on Templedean and Poldene - this at the Dapol factory openday last year doing some on the fly repairs

Well here goes for 10 penny worth ! I have many favourite layouts but the rule is can it stand a viewing with nothing running . I enjoy looking out for animals and examples of the normal . However I have found over the years I have collected retired layouts - a sort of old peoples home. In N I have Moorcock junction, Templedean , Poldene , a circular layout based on Starcross area of the GW mainline in Devon( and have built and sold on Gould st that was an office layout until Covid 19 struck and it had to go to make room for staff spreading out.) . In 3mm I have 2 triang TT layouts one was shown at the Train collectors Exhibition in Sandy in the early 2000s. Rob Brown`s Chipping Compton sits on a living roof shelf and boxed up is the wonderful TT layout Minsterley by the late Peter Gentle. The small triang layout and Starcross are the only two not shown at some time . All this silly "big game hunting" is due to a desire to avoid layouts being broken up but all seen at shows and have been "Wow" moments for scenery, concept or simply enjoyable to watch trains go by in the countrysdie. In 4mm all I have is a shed plank I bought from a lad in Stourbridge junction and bought home on the train and a short bus ride ! If money was no object and many other impossibles lined up like ducks I would love to have Patrick as my neighbour ! and be allowed to operate Glen More.... Perhaps one day I will build an Irish layout but for now I enjoy the building of mine and reading about all the other much better than mine. Perhaps in 2021 we will all get a chance to enjoy a show somewhere and as remarked by a friend yesterday over Socially distanced tea and buns - enjoy the interaction with many friends on the circuit and fellow hobbists paying on the door. One final exhibition tale - TINGS , The International N gauge Show at the Fosse in Leamington , perhaps 15 years ago now it was the first show and being an N gauger since 1973 I was keen to see a show that headlined the best and got specialist traders under one roof. So having offered my Warley expertise I was in the hall early on the Friday, centre staff were marking the hall - it quickly became apparent that sizes and hall fixtures were not working out, so I ploughed in and after half hour Chris the hall owner came over and a friendship started after it became clear that his plan was what I had "rubbished" but was also fixing. Until 2020 fell over I had been involved if 6 shows a year for Chris around the country as a fixer and humpa lumpa cum floor steward or front of house host. All because I model trains almost too small to see . Chris even has a 12mm Narrow gauge layout of repute - Aireworth in his loft - a classic layout serialised in the Railway modeller in the early 1970s. Back to gluing bogie side frames for GSV kits - oh and the lunchtime washing up.. Robert

Just ordered some B5 bogies from Southern pride and as gone back to finish outstanding on my GSV plie (2) and of course I had some in the bottom of another box ! Did the Bredin van wotk much with the bogie wagons - lots of vid footage with the 4 wheel mounted tanks so a good use of the Provincal wagons kits or a 3D print version perhaps. Robert

Looking good ! Hard standing looks to be effective. In UK for a short while in Scotland we had log loading "over the fence" but due to a loader tipping over in the quagmire one night loading points now need to have concrete pads - so the cost of this put the rail operation into a non profit zone and now it all goes by road - no hard standing of course! Thanks for updates good to see mojo on 10. Robert

Hi PH Designs do a set as does Bill Bedford/ Mousa models for the GSV so a case of adaption. I asked about price from PHD as currently out of stock but artwork ok for more. I have Bills for one suitable for 3173 - ex BCK but not sure if he does one for 3178- ex BSK. As a possible short cut via a Bachmann BSK I came across these in Ebay land . www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Window-Fillers-for-Bachmann-OO-scale-Mk1-Coach-conversions these are 3D print blanks - I added a fine smear of filler and sanded back before fitting should be able to cut 5 and 10 thou plasticard for roof fill in panel and new window for location of the grill and following the recipe for cut and shunt on the forum. Robert

Hi RAL rail yellow is RAL 1003 but RAL 1004 to RAL 1006 all shades close BR rail yellow has a BS code 381c - 356 - called signal yellow. Robert

hopefully not ON it then !! per Wrenneire`s comment..

In UK same applies or used to as current power base has been changing legislation to protect owners and reduce their workload to provide a safe environment while making it harder to get into the legal system to mount claims, this might dissuade the odd fraudster - but much is reported settled out of court, yet prevents legitimate claims from some work groups, even with union assistance. Despite over 100 years of compulsory education adult illiteracy is still an issue and with the welcome rise in English second language residents who work hard to send monies home to even poorer family - many countries aspire to the NHS dream but until then the poor have to help themselves in an increasingly expensive word of haves and have nots. Thus signage and corporate care responsibility continue to have a place. I might joke at the amount of signage about but any warning that saves life and limb has to be worth it. A well known British industry leader safety mantra is worth a thought " home safe, everybody, every day. " Stay safe ! Robert

All good things comes to those who wait long enough for Tippex !! long live Tippex..... but good news is always good news, thanks Robert

Well to say amused by all this - the idea of picking model out by slip of polythene or in case of dapol models remove model and surrounding foam from box and then release model into the wild is really all you need and once done is a skill. Another skill is the off button and using it, I find... Still despite froth on packaging looking forward to the 121 and the class 80 to follow.

Hi I have just been in contact with Mike of Judith Edge kits about the DH class as it falls into his market expertise of Industrials and while he has noted he has not got them in his range he is now aware of the locos and interest there in. Mike does note he has lots on the go and a long customer wish list, but hopefully it will get looked at. Robert

Well first pic looks good with a bogie and No5 couplers mounted on two and two others part modified, and a roof having a first effort of scraping away unwanted ribs so far so good but lower body has a telling crack. The second photo shows after middle section first cut the two nearest show signs of a repaint, these two shattered on next cuts to remove doors , perhaps a reaction to the thickly applied paint. Luckily I cut out more than need bogie spacers and able to get two more coaches from evilbay yesterday. Hopefully this will not fall apart.. I had bashed ahead with making 4 the same - but this wrong as well as the BFK might well warrant less cutting... so defo a case of more haste less speed.

Hi all, I was on the look out for NIR loco logs - I recall some rub down ones - source unknown these I used on 112 and 101 but the MV had ones the same as 101 but my faulty brain thought the MV had tiny ones - cannot find any pic to agree with this - albeit of course I find a Hunslet with very small ones but too late as my rubdown one is on the model - albeit possibly now the wrong one! If any kind soul has any suitable dry rubs tucked away or a suitable water slide I can cross your hand with gold (or thereabouts ! ) Many thanks Robert

Hi Well hopefully to add thread value I have been involved in the little local show run by the Warley Club in Birmingham. We use hall 5 the largest indivisble hall which just fits out club layouts and some friends with theirs, I started in 2003 as a humpa lumpa but have ended up as the Construction Design manager - which is a humpa lumpa everybody loves to hate as I am responsible for construction site mangement - not the safety role but everything else. I recall a few years ago some chaps rolled up from Dublin with a bit of a stand - lovely guys all round ! Due to Safety and the clock rolling on I ended up putting barrier tape around the stand and at the 11th hour legging round the hall for white spirit. But it was ok on the day. I have moved engines around the hall - well controlled the movement which means an early start in the first few shows but now its lunchtime on the Thursday. Even had Brummie Double deck buses in the hall. As a local show we managed around 15,000- 17,000 for most years with just a bit of growth. year on year . When we had the fun TV show challenge show building model railways a big uplift of hungry new faces -which was good. One layout the futuristic scene with track on clear perspex was added to the Bachmann stand- it became clear it would not fit sticking out just too far for all concerned as as befits a model railway crafted before the camera out came the rip saw ... fitted with just one cut and nobody noticed, all in a days work. The little show consumes over 1200 chairs and 650 tables on weekend hire and as the mug responsible I get to hand an almost empty hall back 4 hours after the public have legged it and my tables and stand contractors are off home A sea of rubbish meets the eye - but is it all rubbish? Well one year I gently kicked an empty box to discover prototype models from a leading trader - for a few days I had the pleasure of being keeper of engineering one offs in N, 00 and O. These were returned and no ransom claimed but so close to being skipped it make be chill thinking about it. Absolutely cream crackered by 11.00 Sunday but ready to go with next show planning after review - but of course not this year. Still hopefully 2021 will be blast. Robert

Having seen folk who have returned models as packaging to difficult to work out then almost anything possible and of course we overlook the newbie from out position of experience but some times the length taken does make mind boggle. Still not three long to wait to see bank account reduced to a smoulding desert like black hole. Robert

In North Wales we had a version of the Olympian - the DOG by Crosville designation .... I recall one trying on the south coast trying to get to the beach having run away at Bournemouth. Hope they sell well. Robert

Well got bogies sorted and started cutting the bodies - well two shattered as soon as a razor saw got to work but two ok , so now off to find too more coaches but at least now have spare buffers and roof units . One step forward and at least two back, along with IT issue so no pics yet. Robert

Agreed it catches the remoteness well and the little hives of activity that make up rural areas at a time when most if not all went by rail. Today the line would be host to 2600/ 2700 railcars and the carparks fill up the old yards - the crane long gone ! to be replaced by yards of palisade fencing, tarmac and gratuitous miles of yellow lines and notices stating the obvious. Please keep the line "timelocked " as it is! Robert

Hi Well setting wagons aside to day to pick up on a long term project mK3a International train - liked by some loathed by others it seems. I have started 4 conversion basket cases today and got bogies from Southern pride test mounted and kaydee No5 s test fitted to two to try out curvature. I have I think found 15 or so photos to help but wondered if anybody else had a go and any pitfalls to avoid very welcome. I have a plan to order the brake coaches - two were built but it looks like neither made CIE service with a MK3 doing the van and gen works - I was working on a rule one to make a BFK into a Driver trailer but was wondering if it would have got a full width cab MK3 pp style or a half cab allowing walk through with corridor left in place. Could it have had under floor gen sets like the Mk3 pp driver or a full blown gen set in the van and some of the saloon robbed for van space or perhaps set would have had both vans at outer ends? - I guess these thoughts resulted in the MK3 gen car andMK3a brake firsts going for razors but in 4mm we can have a little fun, even with a livery "upgrade." robert