No you don't want what I'm on ....
I used to work but got ill in 2010 which put paid to me being a Nurse for good
BUT
I am a doer not a watcher/vegetater I have to keep my mind active and I have been building this model railway for -8-9 years so I decided to learn how to do better models and have gradually rebuilt everything on the layout

I get like a bear with a sore head when I can't do anything and not getting out taking photographs is my passion but only just been able to get my scooter out over the snow so the "Mancave" has been really productive in 20 minute shifts every day ( can't do any longer too much pain)


One piece of stuff not yet reported is

The making of Vacuum brake pipes that can be connected by the use of a tiny (1mm x0.5mm disc magnet ) got a prototype and looking for a bit better elastic now but it works well and will do air brakes too

See photo

Distracted
 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

Got distracted by a picture so I melded into S&T tech
This is the almost finished result - - - the original was the Up Starter at Chesterfield Midland (Platform 2) and a suitably difficult prototype to try and yes I loaded the picture to Facebook from my phone for a diorama group

OK on the workbench is a BR Standard Tender
I need pointing in the right direction of a photo of the loco side of one without the loco in the way
This one hasn't got a loco since the Bachmann Standard 4 threw all of it's coupling rods and Bachmann said - Obsolete no spares available

So can anyone help me get it sorted ???


the rest of the bench is taken up with more signals
more trees
more rolling stock getting Vacuum piping
and more buildings

Now for the next bit

OK a nice question for you history buffs - Re Signal Gantries - I want to make one from scratch for my layout but I would prefer NOT to have a Pratt Truss version of and LMS or GCR railway it has to staddle 4 lines and will need 7 or 8 dolls does anyone know where there is anything similar

Remember most of my signals are of an LMS pattern solid wood square post type and a few balance brackets so thought a nice gantry would look good at the station mouth

Very impressed by the vac. pipes Gray. Bet they are easier to connect up than the real thing! Great!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

Might be easier to connect but they are a beggar to glue on
Superglue doesn't hold them because the magnets are too strong
and UHU has to we fresh on or they don't stick but UHU doesn't stick unless the elastic has been treated with superglue first so it's a mixed up job

Glue elastics in place on stock
treat end of elastic with superglue let it totally dry
apply UHU and fix magnet instantly

BUT of course the magnet has to be the right way round so it grabs the other one on the next wagon

messy to do but looks good got a rake of 5 TTV's and an SPA as barrier just got to get paint now for class 31 to pull them

The end product looks to be worth the effort.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

True John

Now struggling to get decent pictures of LMS non Pratt Truss gantries not sure the one in the NRM is prototypical as it's use of girders (well I beam girder) isn't what I want to use