Swansea

[lesstoneuk]

Can anybody let me know of the details of my nearest club, Swansea Society of Model Engineers. I'm open to others within reason.

[kipford]

Email address, taken from their facebook page.

[e-mail]

Do not forget the Llanelli club at Pembrey and Bridgend.

Dave

[smallbrother]

Those 3 clubs mentioned have very different but fantastic facilities. Spoiled for choice!

Pete.

[lesstoneuk]

Nov 16, 2020 13:23:24 GMT kipford said:

Email address, taken from their facebook page.

[e-mail]

Do not forget the Llanelli club at Pembrey and Bridgend.

Dave

Thankyou, really appreciate your help. I've sent an email to SSME to enquire on membership... Cross fingers and all that.
I do fancy the llanelli set up at Pembrey though.

[dscott]

THIS is strange as today was served in our building suppliers by a guy from this area!!
His accent told of his origins.
He and his mates who had planned a Holiday in the Area lined up the Mumbles Pubs only to be told of the lockdown...
What do you do to cross the Severn when all the small boats are in Dover!!!

David and Lily.

[dscott]

You Tube has a lovely journey round the Llanelli Club Track!!!

[lesstoneuk]

Nov 17, 2020 2:05:18 GMT dscott said:

THIS is strange as today was served in our building suppliers by a guy from this area!!
His accent told of his origins.
He and his mates who had planned a Holiday in the Area lined up the Mumbles Pubs only to be told of the lockdown...
What do you do to cross the Severn when all the small boats are in Dover!!!

David and Lily.

We catch the Up Red Dragon

[delaplume]

Ah!!----- schoolboy memories -----

leaving school early with some like-minded friends to cycle into town and watch it come through Reading General on the dual use centre line at full tilt !!......Usually a Castle, in top condition with that unique headboard over two bright "Express" lamps and clad in BR Green with copper-capped chimney ( a double if you're lucky ) comes snorting at you-----then the chocolate and cream coaches race past , with those destination boards just under the black roof line and a brief, blurred impression of passenger outlines is seen---- and finally the last carriage goes rattling by with a short tail of exhaust steam curling up from the steam-heat system with it's single "Red eye" tail lamp disappearing off towards Sonning cutting, Twyford and London...Home in time for evening meal..........then silence with just the flutter of some falling bits of dislodged paper to suggest that something had ever happened.....Magic !! ........... and all for the price of a Platform Ticket....2d I think ??

And now all that is replaced by Class 800 units drawing power from the overhead live wires....But at least they are almost Brunswick green and the
g W r mongram is close enough....

Sorry matey----I've drifted off thread slightly...

[lesstoneuk]

Nov 18, 2020 23:24:13 GMT delaplume said:

Ah!!----- schoolboy memories -----

leaving school early with some like-minded friends to cycle into town and watch it come through Reading General on the dual use centre line at full tilt !!......Usually a Castle, in top condition with that unique headboard over two bright "Express" lamps and clad in BR Green with copper-capped chimney ( a double if you're lucky ) comes snorting at you-----then the chocolate and cream coaches race past , with those destination boards just under the black roof line and a brief, blurred impression of passenger outlines is seen---- and finally the last carriage goes rattling by with a short tail of exhaust steam curling up from the steam-heat system with it's single "Red eye" tail lamp disappearing off towards Sonning cutting, Twyford and London...Home in time for evening meal..........then silence with just the flutter of some falling bits of dislodged paper to suggest that something had ever happened.....Magic !! ........... and all for the price of a Platform Ticket....2d I think ??

And now all that is replaced by Class 800 units drawing power from the overhead live wires....But at least they are almost Brunswick green and the
g W r mongram is close enough....

Sorry matey----I've drifted off thread slightly...

Carry on drifting, last time I was on the centre road at Reading was as a 2nd man on a light engine working back to Oxford. I was doing the driving. We'd serviced the 47 at old oak and were held for a 125 to depart Paddington. This was close to midnight so I told the panel that we're going home so won't hang about. He let us go so we went like stink, supposed to go a max of 75 but the clock stopped at 117 and we were over that. HST, didn't even come close. This was around 1988-89.

[delaplume]

I was a Diesel Technician at the now demolished Cow Lane depot, Reading......mid-70's.....Main 3-road shed was dedicated to 3-car DMU servicing whilst attached to it was a 2-road shed for loco fault report working....My introduction to a '47 was being on the roof, with the two engine access panels open, and walking along the twin-bank cylinder heads listening for a blowing injector !!.........fortunately it was Summer and not raining...

I've re-built 2 and overhauled 1 battery electric locos..........I'd recommend 24v via two batteries and dual voltage, brushed motors if they are still available......24v for traction and 12v for ancillaries ( lights, sound system, horn etc... ).......For control I use these people,

4QD}--- DNO10 power unit-------- www.4qd.co.uk/product/dno/ ----Hand controller}--   www.4qd.co.uk/product/hand-control-box/

and in particular their hand control box with lever action......Unlike a rotary controller this lever acts a sort of "Dead Man's Handle" because it will return to zero if dropped......The brushed motors will give a feedback braking which can be altered inside the controller....

Here is my Class 52 just after arrival here at Swindon Sub-shed !!

[lesstoneuk]

If sexy came on rails then that class 52 Western is it. She's beautiful. Thank you for the link, you've persuaded me to go for 24v. Now to find two tone horns so I can play "on ilkley Moor bah tat" once again. Reading fitter eh, we may have crossed paths before. I was on of the first guard's at Oxford to cross over to driver. I was good friends with Dinger and Pete Buswell.

[delaplume]

here you go}------- www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-NEW-LOUD-AIR-HORN-SET-DUAL-TONE-CAR-BIKE-VAN-BOAT-SIREN-TWIN-LORRY-HORNS/221749970828?hash=it

You'll need a pair of relays and a 2-way centre-off switch as well.......

[dscott]

Living in mid Devon in the 1970s led us to go by train to places like Plymouth and several rides behind these wonderful beasts.
Managed a cab visit with a friend on Exeter St Davids during an activities week from School.
Later 1977 a visit to Swindon and in front of A Shop walked along the whole line of them cab corridor cab very sad.

David and Lily.

[delaplume]

Here's mine in full size----------go to full screen and turn the volume up !!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgcVqv-GLp4

[lesstoneuk]

As a kid in the late 60s,i spent a couple of weeks in Teignmouth. One day I was going fishing down on the Quay which required crossing over a level crossing. As luck would have it I had to wait for Western Prince to go by. She had just pulled out from Teignmouth Station so was truly ramped up and screaming to get going. Possible one of the reasons I'm partially deaf now although it could also have been a South African Airways VC10 taking off 100yds away at Heathrow that assisted there too.

[delaplume]

In that case you might like this}---------- www.youtube.com/watch?v=m310Q0ROujM

[lesstoneuk]

Sound on full, sounds awesome when he pulls away but that horn... It needs replacing.

[lesstoneuk]

I had every intention of visiting SSME at the Derwen fawr minature railway on Sunday but a lot of other things cropped up at the last minute. Hopefully next Sunday.