Scalefour Forum

That's terrible news. Is there really a need for such drastic actions? Your presence on this board will be sorely missed Jim.

Hi all

I went to a funeral of a friend from the world of model railways yesterday and it's kind of drawn things into perspective.  I've had an awful lot of support over recent events from many members of the scalefour society and the simple realisation is that I like being in the scalefour society and it seems a lot of people do find some value in my comments and contributions. So why should I leave?

So with that in mind I have changed my mind and decided to remain a member of the society.  I've been a member for getting on for 2 thirds of my life and I like it here.

I would like to thank all those who have kindly taken time to contact me and help me change my mind. I would also like to appologise for my role in the recent disruption and I hope normal service will now be resumed.

Cheers

Jim

Good to hear Jim

Great news. I'm sure many of us will look forward to your inspirational postings Jim.

Well done, Jim. We don't all have to agree with everything you say (what a dull world it would be if we did!) to welcome you back.

Hear, Hear

You've got nothing to apologise for in my opinion Jim, great to see you back.

Len

Good to see you're staying Jim, life's too short for the small stuff.

Cheers,

David

dal-t wrote:Well done, Jim. We don't all have to agree with everything you say (what a dull world it would be if we did!) to welcome you back.

Thanks all

As you put it we dont always have to agree and if we all did, what would be the point? However just because I might not agree with someone on one thing, doesn't mean I wont agree with them on the next.

Cheers

Jim

Good to have you back Jim.

This is excellent news and it is very good to know that you are back with us Jim.

Terry Bendall

Good to see you back again Jim, and looking forward to further installments!


So, back to modelling then...

Best Wishes,

What saddens me is the fact that men can get so heated over something so trivial as model railways. What hope is there for the world when it's faced with real conflict situations?

Nous sommes Charlie

Thing is Andy, yes model railways are trivial but if you won the lottery tonight which would you give up, your hobby or your job?

Are the things we choose to do really trivial or is it the things we have to do that ultimately don't matter?

Cheers

Jim

Ps. Let's not forget that one of the police officers tragically killed in France was a Muslim and was killed defending the right of his countrymen to take the mick out of his beliefs.

Pps, thanks to all those who have kindly commented. Feels like a family not a society

Trivial in some ways - but an essential part of my life!

Although it appears after this posting (thanks to the ability to edit these things), I'd like to thank JFS for simplifying his post above.

Members are reminded that the 'report this post' button is the most effective way to allow issues to be dealt with, and threads to move on as a discussion of the modelling that this place is, I believe, best known for.

John McAleely wrote:I think Howard's (JFS) posting sails very close to handling the man, not the ball, in a partisan fashion, and if he chose a simpler sentiment: "welcome back", without attempting to take sides, I think it would sit better in this thread.

A later posting from another member has been moved for further discussion among the moderators.

I have edited it - apologies.

Hi All

Some may remember the discussion on improving the Lima 101, on my website last year, turned to the windscreen problem as this is the only area (at least in the body) where the Bachmann model scores over the Lima one. Well a kind-hearted soul sent me some window frames to fix the Lima model and the results are presented below.



I was never that put out by the Lima windscreens but side by side it's quite a difference. I'm now thinking the destination box is too small as well.

Cheers

Jim

One of the first kit wagons I built was the Cambrian Turbot. Back then it had super fragile bogies but was, and still is, a decent kit. The current version comes with one piece bogies so they don't tend to disintegrate as soon as you look at them anymore.

A while ago Justin Newett of Rumney models produced an upgrade kit for the Lima bogie bolster E and since that where the Turbots came from it seemed sensible to use one of these to update my ancient and small fleet of Turbots. (Kind of the reverse of what BR did.)


Above is a comparison of the new underframe and the old. Because of the good design of the kit its dead easy to build although I did have to cut the baseplate in half as my solebars were closer together than the Lima model's.


The view no one will ever see! These are the newer type of one piece bogie which Cambrian do as a spare.

Cheers

Jim

One of my early class 47s featured a Lima body on an Athearn PA1 chassis as below.



This was done before I settled on the windscreen modification for the Lima 47 (I don't think Shawplan actually had done them at the time) so I wanted to revisit it to make the face match the others on the layout. Along the way I had been collecting cheap ViTrains 47s so while it was in for an overhaul I swapped the chassis too. The results can be seen below.

As coach building continues for New Street, much of it is more of the same and to some extent so is this

Another Bachmann mk1, fitted with replica bogies and the usual details. Like the rest of my Bachmann based NSE liveried stock I repainted the blue to something lighter which I feel better matches the early vehicles so painted. The IC liveried coach behind was completed at the same time.

A few years ago I was working on a fleet of grampuses (yes that is the plural before anyone asks) for New Street but the project stalled when I decided i wanted to etch new baskets, door bangers and steps for them. This has been on my to do list for a long time but things have changed in that time and when Justin at Rumney models said he was thinking of looking at the same I dropped my plans in favour of just waiting for his. I don't see a lot of point in duplication in this hobby (although some of the RTR chaps seems a little obsessed with it at the moment) especially when I'm just doing bits I want and someone else is doing bits as part of their business. I'm more than happy to let the guys doing this for a job get on with it basically.


Justin has kindly sent me a test etch to try out and the results of which can be seen above. There is, of course more detail to add but a this point if what you see is plastic it's from Parkside. If its metal then its from Rumney models.


The wagon the right way up (I've straightened the bent door banger). Justin is hoping to have these ready for September so keep checking his website. I'm going to need a fair few of these!

Jim,

how is progress on New Street?

I know you've been working on Brettell Road, but you've left us in suspense with your articles in the Finescale magazine.

regards

Apart from very repetitive stuff like coaches progress on the layout has been oh hold for a while. With Brettell Road planned to be kinda finished for scaleforum attention should be turning back to new street after the end of September.

The door bangers and footsteps will be very useful. We run a rake of Grampuses on Ravenscroft Sidings and they also appear on Elcot Road, although not typical of the Southern but they serve for a placeholder until something more appropriate is put into service. Door bangers and footsteps have to be checked for being in place on every outing and several wagons have scratch built replacements.

Terry Bendall