Friog 0-4-0 'Punch'

[Tom]

Well said and written Tom!

Thanks Tony *Bows to the Audience*

It is pretty suprising what effort actually goes into making them when you stop and think about it, all those other things that Tony thought of all add up in the end and when you think about it, the effort that gone into it, mixed with the costs of everything else, what you get for the £350 is a cracking little model who price is just right.

and Matt what you said is soo true aswell, as Tony's shown its not just stuff in this hobby (loco's kits and RTR rolling stock) thats expensive its all the other things that are used in it too like brass etc that are slowly creeping up and up every day, week, month and even each year.

[Narrow Minded]

Speaking from a self employed position, may I also add to Tony's exhaustive list that the Tax Man will also want his slice

As with most things in this world, ya pays for what ya gets.
There's always the temptation to say "I could do that for less" to which I reckon the only stock answer is "OK, go ahead"

[DVT Dweller]

Punch was at our local 16mm friday night running yesterday, though as is always the way my camera wasnt .

The prototype has plywood bonnets at each end a brass cab and steel chassis made up from laser cut parts. Its an 0-4-0 fitted with recharge point and a 12v battery pack in the longer bonnet. Its has a manual speed controller (the air filter) 2 switches for on/off and fwd/rev. Drive is from a large can motor via a gear box to bevel gears and onto the axle. The wheel base is very long for an 0-4-0 at 4" but the loco had no trouble running around a mamod circuit. The chasis is slightly wider and longer than the Friog budget loco but not by much.

Running wise, the loco wasnt tested much with only 2 LGB coaches behind it but ran at a very nice speed, it would crawl along very at a very slow pace but also had a very reasonable top speed too. It ran quietly, no more noise than what yould expect and as I have said there where no probblems passing through mamod curves and points.

Roger is looking for feed back on the current design so must be open to some slight changes. Quite a few Ideas have been put forward to be passed on to Roger from our local group and IRON MAN made a few plans to sugest some alternatives to the current body plans.

Please not this isnt an official review just some thoughts and observations of my own.

[Narrow Minded]

Speaking from a self employed position, may I also add to Tony's exhaustive list that the Tax Man  will also want his slice

As with most things in this world, ya pays for what ya gets.
There's always the temptation to say "I could do that for less" to which I reckon the only stock answer is "OK, go ahead"

you dont need to pay the tax man unless your earnings from your business total £70k or more i believe  ;)

Don't know where your figures are from Keith, but the "Personal Allowance" for this year is £6,475

[andelmodels]

i think you are getting tax and V.A.T. mixed up, V.A.T. threshold is around the 70K mark and is based on turnover and not profit. Tax is paid on profit when over your personal tax threshold in its simplest form.

[Narrow Minded]

i think you are getting tax and V.A.T. mixed up, V.A.T. threshold is around the 70K mark and is based on turnover and not profit. Tax is paid on profit when over your personal tax threshold in its simplest form.

Thanks Andy, I thought for a moment I was going to have to contact my accountant!