Mike 84C

Funny thing Westcork, mine also stripped the pinion gear within a few hours running. Rodrick did supply a new gear FOC for me to fit. I have washerd the lateral play to the absolute minimum keeping the worm in the centre of the pinion. Although with straight cut gears that should not be so much of a problem. The worm teeth on my loco are so sharp you could shave with it!

That is a very nice thing to do, Hattons goes out with a bang not a whimper.

British engineering ; run by ??? oh yes accountants.

Rob R, no problem. Be nice to have a 3D printed model out there, I tried pedalling that idea to several producers but no takers yet!!

Thanks for sharing with us Horsetan 3d printing seems to be moving so very fast. It will be interesting if vendors on Shapeways or even Shapeways improve their offerings.

I posted that Baldwin drawing quite a few years ago. I rather suspect that all of the American imports were not successful/ liked in the UK is the totally different engineering philosiphy of the American builders and the "not invented here" attitude of GB engineers. That ones still about! Interesting article about the Port Talbot 0-8-2t's in Railway Archive No 4 July 2003 it also has a very good drawing. They were built by Cooke of Paterson NJ.

Here's mine, I believe I've posted it before. Those vac; formed windows are awful but at distance are just tolerable. .

Why not just buy a Silver fox "C" instead? saves all that sawing and mess on the workbench.

All I can say is wow! pity NZ is so far away!

Carpentry on the dining room table, that's brave! more than my life is worth ! I also have the house to myself, plus the guinea pigs! Swimbo has gone to Wales to see her Mother. Now what can I be doing between now and Monday?

Mike Beckett; I do not understand the politics of Irish preservation. If its not too contentious, please explain the joy over the collapse of Moyasta and from where?

I dont do FB but my wife does so where can she find the comments please. To me the tourist versus heritage line is rubbish. No tourists then there is no point for a heritage line, in fact no case for any line. I worked for the Festiniog as an employee and volunteer for best part of 35 years and I never saw a single load of commercial slate come down the line to be put in the hold of a ship; ever. Only tourists going up and down spending their money. We used to watch the trains going around Boston Lodge curve and estimate wether the number of passengers had paid the fuel bill. Maybe get no5 over from Blennervile and start restoration? I'm sure Patrick Keefe would love to restore it.

I wonder if all the non ferrous parts were put under lock and key? If bearings and injectors have been stolen then restoration just gets harder and vastly more expensive. Trajic No 5 is in that condition.

Are you a cyclist? 'cos I love the gravity defying bicycle. Seriously, that is a brilliant cameo. makes me want to sit on a platform seat and enjoy the trains. I look forward to more from yourself.

I did not realise Union Mills had stopped trading, the models will now become much sought after.