THROWBACK MODELLER November/December 2019 Issue 12 Continuing the Christmas tradition I believe in Unicorns - now do you? Bird goes Crackers A splash of Irish Cream in that? 16MM HERITAGE LOCOMOTIVE OWNERS AND OPERATORS Throwback Modeller ASSOCIATION ISSUE 12 NOVEMBER/DE CEMBER 2019 I S S U E 1 2 Welcome to Issue Twelve A Very Festive welcome to sadly some people are still you all. using these. My only ever email address is as it ap- Another calendar year has pears in TBM, and it the flown past. Like every other, btinternet one. Please check there have been highs and your contact lists and delete lows. To all of you reading any others such as the hot- this, and who help to keep mail ones. Jim Wild. A man very pivotal our hobby so rich in interest in the early days of the hob- and friendship, I hope you I made some errors with the by, and now already so will accept this issue as both last TBM - sorry but it hap- much missed - please share a Christmas card and pre- pens in the best of circles. in this upcoming tribute to sent from both Nigel and Some I am correcting within him, It will be in the Feb. myself, as we wish you a text in this issue, but I must issue of SMT. Equally, I am wonderful time over the apologise to Bill Haywood preparing an article on Mike upcoming Period, and all the for calling him Ron in the Gaskin so again any photos very best for the New Year. Major Custard piece. etc. for that would be very I am not a great one for hav- I am shortly to undergo sur- welcome. ing my photo appear. Nigel gery to replace my collapsed Many of you will be aware of craftily altered last issue's knee with an artificial one. the announcement of an Tail Lamp photo after my As my wife Jean has already additional Show to the 2020 proof reading to containing gone through the procedure calendar, to be held on May one of me. Hmmmm. I think I know only too well what 30th. at the Pavilion in Llan- that you would rather look awaits me! There may be a gollen. The website for this at my favourite shot for period when I do not answer can be found at TBM12 - a Cracker Tram by emails so please bear with Cover shot; Harvey's www.lgrf.co.uk but thus far Tony Bird. It is just lovely, me. The good news is that I B class loco on the there is little information. I and should whet your appe- cannot go back to driving have completed the invita- cover this month, shot tite for the article inside? the lorry for twelve weeks, tion paperwork, and we in- on Arthur Coles' line so once I can sit at the key- One of the downsides of tend to have heritage there board there is a very good 2019 was when my comput- with both the layout and chance that I can catch up a er was hacked. Unfortunate- display as per Exeter. This is bit (!). It reminds me to wish ly everyone on my contacts a wonderful opportunity for everyone suffering ill health list was contacted using fake all those of you in the catch- at the moment (and some of email addresses for me, and ment area, who cannot justi- you know you are especially fy the journey over to Peter- in my mind), borough, to come and sup- a speedy and port both the Show and also thorough Copyright on all mate- us on heritage, as well as return to full rials in this newsletter Gareth Jones' modular lay- fitness as out which will also be there. remains vested in the soon as pos- authors and editor. sible. I won't stop you any longer Reproduction of the from reading on .... hope I have ap- you enjoy what follows? whole or any part is pealed in Have a great Christmas forbidden without SMT for break and best wishes for relevant permissions. memories the new year. and photos of the late DEREK P A G E 3 IT'S ALL THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE It would help if I paid more fine studies. It was based on were used as attention to what I have! In 'Marchlyn' in original condi- lubricators, one the last issue, I printed a pho- tion with sand boxes on the for each cylinder. to of 'The Master' as built by side tanks, as supplied by This loco is well Stanley Jones. Except, whilst Avonside in 1933 for use on known to quite a it was his loco and it was the higher levels of the Pen- few of you and called that, it was a Fred Free- rhyn Quarry. Externally happily still with man model Hunslet. Stanley meths fired, the two small us. built 'The Master' number cylinders had slide valves op- two, as illustrated here in erated by slip eccentric valve another of Peter Dobson's gear. The two sand boxes DEREK P A G E 4 THE LATE JOHN TURNER. Some of you will have seen I have been involved in find- this photo in SMT, kindly ing homes for two of his Cal- provided by Peter Holland. I edonia models, and a make no apologies for in- cabbed Quarry Hunslet, and cluding it. I am one of those can only say that the engi- people guilty of building a neering was of the highest mental picture of someone, order. only to find that it is totally wrong, as it certainly was in this case! John is standing DEREK behind some of his models. HARVEY'S HELPFUL HINTS Continuing Harvey's input with the vigorously before draining out. Locomotion Railcar piece, I Then rinse thoroughly. thought that it might be good to If you think that Harvey can help have a running you over a problem, then please series as per the title. So, to kick email me. off:- DEREK Depth Gauge. Not Harvey's own idea, but borrowed. If you don't have a depth gauge, rather than buy one just use a sewing needle pushed through a piece of stout card (postcard?). Push the needle through to the point that it touch- es, and then turn the card over and measure the protrusion with a finely calibrated steel rule. I asked Harvey if there were any ideas about removing and cleaning gauge glasses when they clog up Mike Harrington sent these with scale etc.? Put simply, there photos of his Ogwen before are no easy ways, and being as and after Harveys de-scale small as they are there is a very process real danger of breakage. Harvey prefers to use a liquid kettle de- scaler, which when diluted is poured into the boiler and shaken P A G E 5 I believe in Unicorns The unicorn is a legendary late cab too. Hurrah - that he’s always extolling the vir- creature that has been de- ticks all my boxes. tues of making a jig. Given the scribed since the start of antiq- amount of work I needed to do I have a strict “one project at a uity….. on the engine I followed his time” rule - don’t we all? And advice and built a holding jig. My unicorn arrived at the Exe- to be honest it’s a rule I’ve This helped with stripping, ter show. I was offered the never managed to stick to - ha paining and stoving the chas- opportunity to buy a box of sis. Before I bits for a Mike Beeson L&B - I stripped it I had was delighted. Prior to col- done a quick push lecting the loco I knew very test round the little about it. Travelling down sharpest curves Sandra asked some revealing (kinks) in the gar- questions in the car. Is it gas, den. The photo coal or meths fired? I didn’t shows that the know. Is it the late or early cab centre wheel version? I didn’t flange is flanged. I know. Is it a didn’t want to Manning Wardle or the Baldwin? I didn’t know. ha. However I did pack away She quickly es- the NG9 project and carefully, tablished that I cleared space on the work- didn’t know very bench and the day after the much about it at Exeter show the great unicorn all. I recalled strip down began. The box of seeing Mike bits was largely the body and build his L&B superstructure. The 0-6-0 coaches in the chassis (both pony trucks had 1990’s at the been removed and were loose “Stoneleigh” in the box) was fully assembled AGM’s, but I nev- and turned over freely. So er recalled see- ing a loco. I had rebuild an en- tried to do some gine that needed web research in a 15’ radius cor- advance of the ner. Good news Exeter rendezvous but could the chassis ran only find these two photos round the sharp- from Arthur Walker and Dud- est curve in the ley Hubbard showing Mike on garden beautiful- his stand at the 1999 Kew ly, no modifica- show. Incidentally, I’m of the tion required, opinion that the coach ar- phew. During rowed on the back row is a this test I did L&B coach? what’s in the first photo? The note that there wasn’t much chassis is 1/8” brass and pretty I remain grateful to the previ- suck and blow from the cylin- hefty.