Nick Dunhill's 7mm workbench.

[mickoo]

OK, I'll snail mail him today. I'm stocked up on stamps...letter keep arriving un-franked, it would be rude not to..........

It's also illigal and being the 'Royal' mail the penalties can be severe. Be aware that when I left the PO they were develping franking that was sprayed on and UV, as opposed to printed ink, this is so it could be tracked electronically by sensitive readers in the sorting equipment and not necessarily visible to the naked eye. Any that passed through the reader and were not franked....and given the speed at which these machines frank items you'll understand how some get missed....were spat out and re sent through the franking process.

Sensors can't see printed matter very well but can certainly see UV franking if lit correctly by the sorting machine. I suspect twenty years on the technology is now quite sophisticated over the tests we did back in the 80's. Probably a bar code that will run each side of the stamp so if the stamp is re-used then the code will be broken and the letter ejected for examination, but I haven't worked there for many years so it may not exist or something else may be in it's place. Like you I have had many letters recently not franked and drew the conclusion that they may have developed new technology based on past experiances.

There are two institutions best not to mess with, the Inland Revenue and the Post Office

 

[OzzyO]

With out giving too much away the use of a stamp the second time will cost the receiver of the letter a cost of about twice the cost of sending the letter, if the letter is sent back to the sender the cost will go up as well.
When I was on delivery for a stamp to be franked all it had to have was a line drawn across it (we did that as postmen), when we spotted an un-franked that was all we had to do to to stop it been used again.
Letters with selotape and a bit of paper showing were also put in the charge bin.

One night when I was working on the outward voucing side of the job it turned out that a sub-office had sold a large number of new stamps the day before the correct date. That was fun trying too stop them all having a date stamp before the issue date. Some may have got though the system and maybe worth some money now.

OzzyO.

 

[Nick Dunhill]

Well time for a new build. It's two Martin Finney T9s. Both in 1900 condition in LSWR livery and with inside working valve gear. I will be trying something new during this build as I am collaborating with Steph Dale, who has a stack of Drummond info., and a bloke called Simon who is drawing and printing patterns for the inside valve gear bits. More of that excitement in due course. In the mean time I have started the tender chassis.

I had thought about dispensing with the inside chassis and using outside bearings as the Slater's wheels allow for this. It would have been a nightmare making axlebox springs that work, and dispensing with the dummy cast whitemetal items, so I shoved that idea on the backburner for another day when said springs are available. The dummy inner chassis that is included in the Finney kit (a 6-wheeler) is too flimsy to incorporate some (eg Slater's brass) hornguides so reluctantly I have used the rocking beam method so beloved of the 4mm fraternity, and designed into the kit.

Below are a few shots of progress so far. I have used the S7 spacers supplied in the kit as they take away all the unnecessary end float without the use of stacks of shims. Actually I filed about 0.5 mm off each side of the spacers to allow the front axle to turn freely in the top hat bearings, and so that there is a bit of side play that will disappear when the frame and wheels are painted.



Frames ready to go.



Thinned S7 spacers installed.



Rocking beams and some other details added.



A few hours spent laminating brake shoes and hangers and other brake bits. I am a bit obsessed with using proper forked ends on pull rods and making bell cranks look as if they work so I have bought in a few replacement castings from LGM, and I will detail their use in the next installment.

BFN......

 

[7mmMick]

Hi Nick,

Great to meet you at Richard's and put a face to the name looking forward to the next and more Donny chat ( back there tomorrow as I'm meeting my mum in Woods Tea rooms in the morning (just down from Camelots on Wood Street)) A shameless Donny plug I know .

Anyway the T9 frames look spot on, I'll be interested to see how rocking beam works? Do you have any proto type pictures to whet our appetites ? The brake pull rods sound interesting, I do love little blue packets

ATB Mick

 

[Steph Dale]

Do you have any proto type pictures to whet our appetites ?

Mick,
That's a good point! We've got a little engrossed in the bits that can't easily be seen...

Nick,
What are the prototype locos you're doing? Era, running number etc? I should have a little dig around and see what I can find. And the 'bloke called Simon' is SimonT of this very parish.

Good 'ere isn't it?

Steph

 

[Nick Dunhill]

Hi Steph

I'll try to be a little kinder on this blog! One is Dubs engine No. 702 with cross tube firebox (daft idea) pics on p30 and p32 of Bradley's Drummond bible, and the other is 9 Elms No. 113 from page 31 same tome. Both as running c.1899-1900 (waaaaay out of my comfort zone, wrong area wrong era!!!)

Nick

 

[Buckjumper]

Both as running c.1899-1900 (waaaaay out of my comfort zone, wrong area wrong era!!!)

Keep up the discomfort; the era couldn't be more right

 

[Heather Kay]

(waaaaay out of my comfort zone, wrong area wrong era!!!)

I know the feeling! I tend to think it stretches me and makes me a better modeller in the end.

 

[Nick Dunhill]

Oh Heather (nice to finally meet you at Telford by the way) the Bradley book has so many words in it and I'm not that interested in the pre grouping era or the LSWR so it's not an easy read. I like more modern stuff with lots of pipework on the outside and complicated mechanical gubbins to muck about with. These Victorian engines are sooooo basic. Zzzzzzzz

Nick

 

[Mike Sheardown]

...............................These Victorian engines are sooooo basic. Zzzzzzzz

Nick

I've just been looking for the 'Not Like' button, but can't seem to find it anywhere!!

I'm really looking forward to watching you build these Nick, as I'm sure you'll make a fabulous job of them!!

............... just so long as you can stay awake of course??

Cheers

Mike

 

[Nick Dunhill]

It's here Mike, look -> ●

 

[Tony West]

That'll be right next to the 'HERETIC' button !!......

 

[Nick Dunhill]

Is your avatar an N4 or 5 Tony, I have made one of those with Joy valve gear (so an N4?). Woodhead is my fave line so I also like all that GCR stuff. After woodhead electrics I would put the (improved) Directors as my fave loco. Here's a thing though I think the BR mixed traffic livery suits them best. The GCR livery, and other pre-grouping liveries too, is just too busy. Too many clashing colours applied at random, and as for those skirts on the footplate valance?.....

HERETIC -> O
NOT LIKE-> O

He He He sorry everyone...

Nick

 

[dibateg]

Agreed - the directors look far better in BR lined black Nick. I always thought the MSW line would make a good model, and I've seen three layouts to the same on the circuit - all I have to do is try and remember their names....

Tony

 

[warren haywood]

Yeh,
But they are good fun to paint
Warren having a pint of johns on Oban station in the pouring rain

 

[daifly]

I always thought the MSW line would make a good model, and I've seen three layouts to the same on the circuit - all I have to do is try and remember their names....

Tony

There have been four P4 MSWJR layouts on the circuit over the last few years:
Grafton by Steve Lee
Marlborough by Philip Young
Chiseldon and Cirencester, both by Dave Barrett
There might be others but I can't recall any in 7mm.
Dave

 

[dibateg]

erm... MSW - Manchester/Sheffield/Wath.........!

and I've remembered Deepcar 4mm Notts club.

 

[Tony West]

.....Netherwood sidings and Tinsley south (??)....

 

[Nick Dunhill]

Also there was a 2mm job of the western portal of Woodhead tunnel doing the rounds.

 

[daifly]

erm... MSW - Manchester/Sheffield/Wath.........!

and I've remembered Deepcar 4mm Notts club.

Sorry Tony

I see now what you mean but as a Swindon-born chap there's only one MSW!

Dave