Scalefour Forum

Some years ago I bought a can of Mek-Pak, opened it and decanted a little into a small glass bottle I keep on the bench in a holder. Actually it is an original Slaters bottle from about 1966, but the contents remaining in the can turned brown as the can went rusty inside. Slaters were very kind in r...

I didn’t know that, Keith. I always assumed it was the cigarettes. But then I guess George didn’t know about the fumes either. Strange that such a lovely smell (the old Mek-Pak) had such unfortunate consequences.

Philip

Slightly off topic but on the safety thing: one of my favourite memories of the old Easter MRC shows was watching dear old George Slater demonstrating using his Plastikard and Mek-Pak, happily puffing away on a succession of ciggies at the same time! And it was probably the good stuff in those days,...

I have, in the long distant past, built engines to go around a 24” radius curve in P4. This is far from suggesting it was desirable, but it was only a light railway. The thought of trying to get anything of any size and associated coaching stock around such a bend as a means of space saving strikes ...

I think the Society does promote badges and has done so for a few years now; a little before our events something comes up on the Forum telling you how to apply and where they can be picked up. Short of insisting Society members don’t get in without wearing a name tag there’s not much more you can d...

There are, unfortunately for a manufacturer, differing opinions on frame widths. It depends entirely on the radii you wish to negotiate. For me, 16.5mm is far too tight; once bearings are in (or hornblocks) and depending on the thickness of the boss on the back of your chosen driving wheels, there w...

Seeing all these discussions have led me to think about the two contradictory attitudes I have in these respects! The first is that when building a chassis (whether ‘flexible’ or not) and got it running smoothly, I never want to take it apart again. I think Guy Williams wrote once that if it was pro...

I’m not that familiar with steam engines from the East (as in Anglia) but I always thought that Alan Gibson did a B12 driving wheel. If so there is probably a set with the correct axle size available. If not, then assuming that the chassis has brass bearings they can probably be reamed out to 1/8”. ...

David, interesting reading. I am still convinced that the xylene (in ‘Spray Away’ airbrush cleaner) was what did for my respiratory system all those years ago. And I certainly didn’t recover reasonably quickly, it took years! My doctor reckoned that I had most likely sensitised myself to something i...

For years I used Radiospares Electrical Cleaning Fluid. No longer available, I guess either because it was full of nasty ingredients we didn’t know about then (in the early 1990s) or because people had started drinking the stuff. Not having had a layout since then (hopefully soon about to change) I ...

I was in our local chemist this morning and they confirmed what I suspected, that they cannot supply phosphoric acid or IPA at all now. They suggested online, so thank you, Steve.

Philip

Steve, sorry I’ve no idea where to get it. It was a long while ago. I shall try our local chemist first. I seem to recall the iso alcohol was more of a problem last time.

Philip

I have used a home brew of about 7-12% phosphoric acid and distilled water (with a touch of isopropyl alcohol) almost for ever and it is still my favourite. It’s getting low now so I need to brew some more sometime. Doing it yourself is hugely cheaper than buying little bottles of the stuff.

Philip

Chris,

Have you tried Mike Day and the Southwark Bridge group? It’s a bit modern for them but you never know. I don’t think Mike is on here but I could put you in touch if you would like. Email me if so.

Phil

It does seem (at least from the pictures on here) that an overhead gantry, US style, was used for the wiring on such tables. I’m intrigued, though, as to how it might be powered without a gantry. By the way, what’s the prototype location?

Philip

My observation on several 7mm layouts was the tendency to run trains too slowly. Yes, its good to see slow, smooth movements but prototype running round and station departures were not usually so leisurely... I agree with Paul. Some layouts shunted or ran round far too slowly, and creeping about th...

Thanks Les, I missed that. Something in one of the local papers in Spalding has appeared where a trust fund is mentioned as well. As you said, a way to administer the funds and to help other clubs faced with rising expenses as a result of this. https://www.spaldingtoday.co.uk/news/market-deeping-mod...

Where did the ‘charity’ comment come from, Les? It’s just that in all the things I have read on RMW and elsewhere, including comments from the club chairman, nothing has been said about it being a charity event, merely the club’s annual exhibition. Perhaps I’ve missed something?

Philip

This strikes me as a slight worry when insurance assessments are made. Could it possibly affect how insurers view the loss? Just now it was over £36K...

Philip

I’m with Martin here. I model the LSWR in the South West, so stock rail joggles should not feature, but I think I am going to put them in because I think it will be more reliable and easier to build. Anyway, from side on you can hardly tell. The blades will be a trifle more robust as a result, becau...

David, I agree, but in this case the main donation page was set up by the club itself. There is a limit to what one can do from a distance, but from the amount raised some it does seem that the modelling community has a lot of caring people in it. Which I guess we knew anyway.

Philip

The just Giving page I looked at said clearly that ‘no fee would be taken for this page.’ Whatever, it’s as good a way as any of co-ordinating donations.

Philip

The club’s page on RM Web has a link to a Just Giving site set up by the club.

Philip

I thought that a bus service was not going to be offered this year owing to losses in previous years?

Philip

I was staggered by the price of the CMX cleaner, and if the Sharge is as effective and cheaper, it seems an interesting way to go. Regarding conversion, the bogies look like Bachmann GWR 9ft bogies; if so, slipping in P4 wheelsets should be no problem. If more weight is needed there looks to be plen...