Warehouse Wednesday: 6 ton Ransome and Rapier Crane

Another contribution from Duncan Young: 

I recall you building the Langley Miniatures kit of the Six Ton Ransome Crane some time ago. Visiting the Kempton and Hardwick Waterworks Railway last Saturday, I chanced upon the real thing. It works and is used by the volunteers and a kind fellow let me get close up. He described it as a tricky piece of equipment! 

Thanks Duncan - a couple of lovely photos. I'd have enjoyed getting a closer look at this machine too - it really is a fascinating relic of pre-hydralic times!

My model was built for a Hornby Magazine project many years ago, but I still have it. The kit isn't easy, but that's as much the fault of the prototype as anything else. 

Blu-Tack NG7 bodgery

 

At the NFRM, all I needed my NG7 layout to do was run. The plan was to switch the train consisting of a Quarry Hunslet and two Peco coaches, on in the morning, and leave it. No fancy operation, just a bit of crowd-pleasing movent. 

One problem with the scale is that you can't buy spare couplings. So, on the coaches, I've used some old, tension locks from OO models. They work, but the tight curves don't go well with thier hooks and the lovely Bachmann NG7 choppers. So, on the ends, I've taken them off. 

Most of the time, this is fine, but every so often, the hook on the chopper would bounce up, and uncouple. Cue a paniky swithing off of the controller, if we spotted it. If not, the coaches ended up being pushed around to the front, where some helpful soul would try to sort things out. This didn't work well, as the loco would still be moving. 

Anyway, I fixed the problem. Add a lump of Blu-Tack to the top of the chopper and it can't bounce. Problem solved for the entire show!

My NFRM haul

OK, I went to the biggest show in the country, so what did I buy? 

A really nice Stanley screwdriver. This is an updated (it has a different handle) of a tool I like a lot. The grip is excellent, there are four bits, and you can turn it with a spanner on the metal "nut" at the base of the handle. I have four, and lent one of them out, never for it to return. 

Oddly, this tool came from the Londis in the atrium as I nipped out to buy some drinks. I love the idea that the little supermarket also sell exhibition supplies, including document holders, tape, hi-vis and hard hats. 

Is this a cake fork, or a fish fork? I've decided it's for cake. 

Most important, it's an LMS fork, so I can scoff cake with a railway connetion. 

And that's it. Apart from some materials for work projects, I didn't buy any goodies for myself. Not that I really need any more toy train stuff!

The National Festival of Railway Modelling 2024

 

The inugural National Festival of Railway Modelling went very well. I know this because lots of people congratulated me on it. This is slightly embarrasing, as there's pretty much no-one on the team who has been involved with bringing a major event to fruition, from a blank sheet of paper nine months ago, than me. 

My total involvement was to take over one side of the World of Railways stand with my part-finished NG7 layout, and some older projects, and talk about railway modelling. Something I did pretty much solidly on Saturday, and quite a lot on Sunday. 

You could also find me in the cinema: 

where I was showing how to build the latest Metcalfe Models kit, and do the static grass thing, amoung others. The photo shows Sunday afternoon, and yes it is weird eating an ice cream, and watching yourself on the big screen. On Saturday, I might have struggled to get in, as apparently, this latest new attraction was very popular, and not just with those wanting somewhere to kip!

I did get away from the stand on Saturday - for 15 minutes on an exercise bike, raising money for the RNIB on the Oxford stand. Sitting there, peddling away (26 kph for most of the session - get me!) was a little surreal, but it's a very, very good cause, and certainly something different. 

Now, I haven't mentioned the layouts, and that's because I didn't get the chance to look much, even at a couple I really wanted to see properly. Search YouTube, as it seems pretty much everyone made a film of the show.

I also haven't mentioned cake, and that's because the NEC isn't great at this. Fortunatly, thanks to KR Models, I did manage one. 

A very nice crispie cake, which also doubled as lunch, and much appreciated. 

Overall, it was a good show. Yes, there are areas to be worked on, but there isn't an exhibition that can't say that. In fact, the most pleasing feedback came from other exhibition managers, who could see just how much had been done in a short time. 

All being well, we'll be back for next year - November 22 and 23. The hall is already booked, and layouts are asking to come!