Leamington Spa the Model

If you have been involved in this hobby for as long as I have, you will have witnessed all sorts of dubious trading practices. Sadly, with improvements in technology, I am now seeing some practices that I had hoped were consigned to history, but which are becoming mainstream.

At this time, I’m not going to name and shame the offenders, but I want everyone to know that if they use any of our parts, components or designs in any other kits, this Company will use all available legal remedies to put a stop to it and to secure appropriate compensation in the form of damages. This notice therefore serves as a final reminder that it is illegal to copy or re-produce our parts without our prior written agreement.

It is against the best interests of all those dedicated and honest people that make up the modelling community to sell parts or components that erode someone else’s commercial interest. This company’s policy is continually to invest in new product design, which is an expensive business. We will not stand aside and witness others profiting from our investment. Practices such as this contributed to the downfall of some of our best 4mm kit makers and it would be shameful if this was to happen again. We are taking a stand against the pirates! They have been warned.

I also question the ethics of the Gauge O Guild for allowing such practices to take place under their banner. Surely they have a responsibility to all the trader members to protect their interests, but this I question, as it appears to be a matter of whomever pays the most for table space is right in the eyes of the Guild.

Product I know has been pirated are kits belonging to Slater’s and Connoisseur, both being major contributors to 7mm.

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When we went to test a new loco today we found that the coal train would not move. After geting round that back we found out what was wrong.  A HOT BOX OR IN FACT TWO! Just goes to show how real we can get.

At Halifax this weekend i picked up the first part of a new coal train. The hoopers are made from Parkside Dundas Kits and are built by Clin Foster.

Ill just sit here and start that empty coal train i’ve been going to start for some time!Thats what i thought the other weekend when the weather looked as ity might be good to us. So i set up to do outside in the Sunshine. Then on Sunday had to nip up to Bury to name a Tram. Then back to work to get a book to the printers by the end of the month! Oh i did isay i’m doing a program about Churchill for the BBC.

For all the signal fans here they are ! All built for Leamington and Brinklow all built by Roger Markland.

The boys from Leamington came up at the weekend  for a visit and brought Brian Roberson along with them as a guest. He  is all about sound and has done a couple of steam chips for Simon-  a Std 5 and a West Country. They are quite complex sounds to achieve so we spent quite a bit of time discussing them.  Brian Daniels  brought one of his 40s with him which sounded great with the addition of  Brians sound.  Brian kindly  did two of mine -  and I can say is -  there’s 40 sound and then there’s  Brians?!  A whole new approach to the subject now you have to remember that sound is where I made my name  so I understand that where you put the mic makes a big difference,  also understanding the way it all works. The 40 sounds  like a box of spanners when starting up and as for when  the compresser kicks in -  FANTASTIC!   But this is not the end yet, not even the begining of the end,  there’s still a long way to go as we need to lengthen the sample, a bigger speaker to get a better  bottom end and a chip with a graphic equalizers. If you ask me there’s one guy who will get there  and that’s Brian Roberson – you can buy his product  at Howes of Oxford.

Just thought i would show you what Gordon is saying works even when there 7mm. 2mm wow.

7mm Trees

I’ve sent two locos over to Fred for some of his excellent weathering and he asked the question ”want to do you want” ? A reasonable request but not something I had given a lot of thought to. ”Well light I guess ”  was my response. Fred went blank at this. Let’s be honest what is light? For that matter what is heavy?  Fred referred me to the book GWR 4-6-0s by Derek Penney pub by Ian Allan in 1997 which I dug it out of my library to have a look at. I ‘d forgotten how good this book is. What you see is great photos, in colour,  of locos in their day to day life just before they were let go. And these would have been some of the last good shots in colour that show us what we want. The Barking Bill photos are fantastic but show a period that I dont wish to remember.

You must also think about the actual  film the photographer used as the films themselves change the colours due to the emulsions on the film -  some have a blue tinge and others yellow. The key is to  pick one thing in the picture that you know well and use that as your rule to blue or to green! One thing you will see on all locos in the 50s is a black sheen which was caused by the cleaners using parafin, it also gave a very satin finish. The smokebox was a matt finish and you will see that cleaning leaves a pattern in it. More difficult for us though is that you often see that the varnish in the paint starts to peel with the heat.  With all locos once there’s a fire put in the box they get dirty,  put them out on the track one trip and they’ll be dirty.

I keep be asked about the mix for holding the ballast in place. So hears a few tricks 40% PVA 60% with a good squirt of washing up liquid. mix it up and leave it stand for few days. Then use the smaller bottle to add the mix. Why leave? This lets the wasing up liquid do its job and breakdown the surface tension. It should split when you come back to it a quick shake will put it right you can add a touch more PVA if you need to but not to thick.

You will see from the Events that there is an auction of the late John Porters Collection In June see Events. John was a great frend and a fantastic guy his love for the SR was renowned. He had a real eye for quality and so this is some collection. Here are a few photos. There are over 300 lots. This the best Auction of its kind for as long as I have been collecting it is rear to see so much qualiy stuff come to the matket.Its at St Andrews Church Sandhills Road Barnt Green Worcestershire B45 8NR. Its 5mins walk from Barnt Green station (Train every 30 mins fro Birmingham New St. Jnt 2 M42 10 mins. Viewing from 10 30  Sale starts at 12 noon. Catalogue is are £5.50 from A.L.S.R.M Quadrant Court 48 Calthorpe Road,Edgbaston Birmingham B15 1TH.