7mm National Railway Museum Workbench

James

Western Thunderer
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Today Kerry Wells⁩ and I have begun the work on the rear station Pegs Bay. The building positions have been finalised and fence lines have been marked. Edging stones have begun to appear on the island platform. At the bridge end, the dimensions for the missing portion of the platform have been determined.

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The heat made it hard work - even Satan would have thought it was a tad warm.
 

hrmspaul

Western Thunderer
Interesting article from the May 1977 issue of Model Railways.
It is an interesting article. I can remember Gordon Heywood discussing with others, at an HMRS meeting, how proud he was to have some of his (LYR) coaches at the museum. Similarly Tony Dyer (Mopok and GA) showing me the display case with the George Allen Footplate kit, considered to be the earliest (?) etched brass kit for a British model.

But, Jenks article completely ignores how harsh an environment a continuously operating model railway can be for the models so that Finescale may not be suitable!

Paul
 

Mike W

Western Thunderer
"But, Jenks article completely ignores how harsh an environment a continuously operating model railway can be for the models so that Finescale may not be suitable!"

Quite so Paul, which I think is why Heckmondwyke P4 didn't stand a chance, but the 7mm railway has been reliable. At one time they told JIm Richards that they would build a model of Clifton Road Junction on the LNWR near Rugby, especially for his 33mm gauge models. Magnificent though that would have been, it was impractical, so they downgraded it to a simple loop and then to a showcase.

Mike
 

Mike W

Western Thunderer
One thing I've never understood from Jenkinson's time is their aquisitions policy. He purchased from the etstate of a friend Maurice Hart several 7mm LNWR locos and some rolling stock, knowing that within a few years they would be bequeathed the entire Jim Richards collection which is better quality and more comprehensive. It was even agreed that two of the Hart locos paid for by the NRM could be kept by Maurice's two daughters for their lifetime, and then to delivered to the NRM. Why?

Mike
 

AJC

Western Thunderer
One thing I've never understood from Jenkinson's time is their aquisitions policy. He purchased from the etstate of a friend Maurice Hart several 7mm LNWR locos and some rolling stock, knowing that within a few years they would be bequeathed the entire Jim Richards collection which is better quality and more comprehensive. It was even agreed that two of the Hart locos paid for by the NRM could be kept by Maurice's two daughters for their lifetime, and then to delivered to the NRM. Why?

Mike

I think that says more about museum acquisitions policies in the period more generally than is generally known (and explains a lot about why they are as they are today). From talking to various people on the research team at NRM, this sort of thing wasn’t unusual, or confined to Jenkinson there.

Adam
 

40057

Western Thunderer

James

Western Thunderer
which I think is why Heckmondwyke P4 didn't stand a chance

Heckmondwyke once it was installed was never going to be able to operate because there was no room for the fifth yard behind it. The space was taken by the fiddle yard for the O gauge layout.

Jenks article completely ignores how harsh an environment a continuously operating model railway can be for the models so that Finescale may not be suitable!


I think 7mm fine scale has proved to be very durable, the items of stock which predate the layout itself, notably the Midland Railway single wheeler. Motors and pickups wear out but most locos can keep going for a long time with the right maintenance.

Of course some of Larry's coaches have been running on the model railway for longer than I have been alive!
 
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Crimson Rambler

Western Thunderer
@ Mike W I understand the major problem with Heckmondwyke was not that it was P4 per se but rather that flux residues resulting from soldering the rail to the tin-plated steel rivets supplied by Studiolith corroded the latter over the years to the point where they lost any ability to retain the rails. Something that would be a game-stopper in any gauge not just P4. My belief is that given sound track construction and regular maintenance, particularly removing the muck that builds up on wheel treads, and P4 standards (and S4 for that matter) will work satisfactorily but they demand more care and attention and if that is not forthcoming then trouble with a capital T will prevail.

Crimson Rambler
 

James

Western Thunderer
which I think is why Heckmondwyke P4 didn't stand a chance

Heckmondwyke once it was installed was never going to be able to operate because there was no room for the fifth yard behind it. The space was taken by the fiddle yard for the O gauge layout.

Jenks article completely ignores how harsh an environment a continuously operating model railway can be for the models so that Finescale may not be suitable!


I think 7mm fine scale has proved to be very durable, the items of stock which predate the layout itself, notably the Midland Railway single wheeler. Motors and pickups wear out but most locos can keep going for a long time with the right maintenance.
 
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