John Boyle etches and Conner 2-4-0

[tony brenchley]

I had a long telephone chat with John this morning. He has now moved the last of his railway stuff to Lydney.

He asked me to post a notice on the Forum to advise those who still have orders outstanding for etches and kits that he will get these completed and dispatched early in the new year.

The other news is that he has purchased a white metal casting machine and has been recovering the moulds made by his various suppliers over the years to use on his machine. He should be producing his own castings soon.

Some of you will know that one of the last modelling projects that Mike Gilgannon undertook was to make a pattern for the buffers for our proposed 4mm kit for the Conner No1 Class 2-4-0. This was lost for a time but I am glad to report that John has now found it and will arrange to get some nickel silver castings made.

I don't expect that we will see much progress on an underframe etch for this engine in the near future so I am currently working on a scratch built underframe to go with the body and tender etches. My inspiration for this is the news that Colin Seymour (the new Alan Gibson) now has 6' 2" wheels available in brass to suit my preferred split frame construction method.

The most difficult part to reproduce is the double slide bar motion which is very visible behind the outside framing. I think I have a solution in 4mm scale and will share the details when I have made some more progress.

Tony B

[David Elvy]

Tony

Has John actually started ordering etches or making castings yet, I only ask because I haven’t been able to contact John since the AGM and as yet haven’t received any part of my order placed last year?

David