Model Rail 240 October 2017

[dibber25]

Well the things they are replacing them with up here are of a similar vintage....

 

The 319s being built in 1987 as opposed to the Pacers being built 1985 to 1987.

 

 

I hope some get preserved, I reckon they would be pretty useful on a heritage line.

 

 

Jason

There used to be a 141 at the Colne Valley. Don't know if it's still there. (CJL)

[Steamport Southport]

I believe it's still there, as well as one on the Wensleydale Railway.

 

I know they won't be to the taste of many visitors. But they would probably be much more efficient than many of the older units or using a locomotive. Ideal for use on early morning trains when there isn't many passengers.

 

 

 

Jason

Edited September 19, 2017 by Steamport Southport

[hmrspaul]

141113 was at Butterley during Railex in mid August.

 

Paul

[Dan Griffin]

I meant to put this when the thread first appeared but a Massive congratulations on 20 years of Model Rail.

 

I well remember saving about 30p a day from my dinner money at school to buy the first issue!

[dibber25]

I meant to put this when the thread first appeared but a Massive congratulations on 20 years of Model Rail.

 

I well remember saving about 30p a day from my dinner money at school to buy the first issue!

 

Glad you've enjoyed it. It has been one heck of a ride! (CJL)

[grahame]

It has been one heck of a ride!

Just like a bucking bronco or nodding donkey?

 

;-)

 

G.

[Butler Henderson]

I believe it's still there, as well as one on the Wensleydale Railway.

 

I know they won't be to the taste of many visitors. But they would probably be much more efficient than many of the older units or using a locomotive. Ideal for use on early morning trains when there isn't many passengers.

Living in Harrogate I got to know the 141s very well and actually quite liked them after they were refurbished - liked being a relative term in comparison to the 142s which seemed far more plastic but in terms of "Pacers" the centre car of a 144 is IMO the best vehicle to travel in. Now we have the awful 3+2 seated 150s of which the interior reminds me of TV travel programs on train travel in the East Germany before the Berlin Wall came down. In comparison to those cattle trucks the local bus company is increasing its service to Leeds to every 10 minutes - free wifi, usb charging, skylights on top deck, extra long leg room, 2+1 seating upstairs, luxury leather seats, library, departure countdown on the destination display and next stop announcements by Harry Gration,

 

NB Still no sign of subscription copy.

Edited September 20, 2017 by Butler Henderson

[dibber25]

Living in Harrogate I got to know the 141s very well and actually quite liked them after they were refurbished - liked being a relative term in comparison to the 142s which seemed far more plastic but in terms of "Pacers" the centre car of a 144 is IMO the best vehicle to travel in. Now we have the awful 3+2 seated 150s of which the interior reminds me of TV travel programs on train travel in the East Germany before the Berlin Wall came down. In comparison to those cattle trucks the local bus company is increasing its service to Leeds to every 10 minutes - free wifi, usb charging, skylights on top deck, extra long leg room, 2+1 seating upstairs, luxury leather seats, library, departure countdown on the destination display and next stop announcements by Harry Gration,

 

NB Still no sign of subscription copy.

 

Sorry, but I'm unable to resolve subs problems. Suggest you call 01858 438884. If the problem still isn't resolved, PM me with your name and postal address details and I'll get a copy sent out from the editorial office. It won't be till next week, as I'm not in the office now till Monday. Currently building something FR for the magazine, heavily interrupted by child-minding duties. (CJL)

[dibber25]

Just like a bucking bronco or nodding donkey?

 

;-)

 

G.

The worst I ever had was a 4-VEP from Waterloo to Staines. It clearly had a serious defect as it was almost impossible to stay on the seat when it was running at speed. I reported it to the driver. Had a pretty bad trip in a newly refurbished FirstGW 143 a few years back, too - all the way from Exmouth to Barnstaple! By comparison, the mag's been pretty smooth most of the time. (CJL)

[gwrrob]

Those who purchase their copy at Tesco will be pleased to hear they have exclusive to Tesco an extra magazine included for the £4.99. Model Rail's Great British Model Railways with twelve layouts to inspire. Never been seen in MR before.Usually costs the same so it's a bogof !

[Butler Henderson]

Just fell through letter box!

[birdseyecircus]

I must say that the picture on page 55 is very atmospheric. I swear that I can hear that 37 coming slowly towards me with its pipe work and coupling gently swinging!

 

Paul

Edited September 22, 2017 by birdseyecircus

[Norm81]

Those who purchase their copy at Tesco will be pleased to hear they have exclusive to Tesco an extra magazine included for the £4.99. Model Rail's Great British Model Railways with twelve layouts to inspire. Never been seen in MR before.Usually costs the same so it's a bogof !

I chanced upon this earlier today, definitely a good offer!

[rembrow]

Enjoyed the Oct edition which I picked up at the weekend on return from holiday. The review of the Oxford early GWR Dean was thorough and well balanced. There was an error in the review of the Oxford carflat in that Chris quoted the model as being based on a prototype that used 60ft Stanier coach underframes. This was the description that Oxford used when the model was announced, however the model produced is shorter than scale for a 60ft type and measures up to a 57ft chassis. Paul Bartlett has confirmed that both 57ft and 60ft ex Stanier LMS coach underframes were used for Carflats in the 1960s so the model is correct but not for the one advertised. I hope Chris covers this in a later edition as we don't know if Oxford intentionally changed the original model planned or mistook a shorter version.

[mark54]

Paul Bartlett has confirmed that both 57ft and 60ft ex Stanier LMS coach underframes were used for Carflats in the 1960s so the model is correct but not for the one advertised.

Indeed not correct for any of the numbers that have been used for any of the versions. They are all for the 60ft type. Somebody at Oxford Rail has probably got muddled up and used the length over buffers to come up with the 60ft length of the model!

[railroadbill]

Bought the double pack edition in Tescos,  the layouts one is good, lots of ideas, detail and makes you think about good ways to photograph layouts.

 

Making my way through edition 240.  Liked the article on loft layouts. The loft is where my railway has been for quite some years now, lucky to have a "wedge shaped" roof on the house which allows standing headroom in half the loft.  Allows a continuous run as well.

 

But what I don't understand is that these excellent layouts look "finished", what is this concept?  And tidy, where are the power tools and lengths of track and stock boxes and tins of paint and wires and boxes of miscellaneous scenic material etc etc etc lying all over the place?

But seriously, some good tips there, and an encouragement to go and do some more.

 

Also liked Richard Foster's editorial on how Model Rail does reviews, particularly with controversial subjects.

 

Finally -

Er, there are some "workbench tips" cards attached, one of which is titled "How to make water".   At my age I have the knowledge and still the ability,  so I don't need this card at this time.

 

Great issue, glad I got it, thanks to the previous heads up on this thread about the Tescos version.

[anroar53]

 

But what I don't understand is that these excellent layouts look "finished", what is this concept?  And tidy, where are the power tools and lengths of track and stock boxes and tins of paint and wires and boxes of miscellaneous scenic material etc etc etc lying all over the place?

But seriously, some good tips there, and an encouragement to go and do some more.

 

 

 

Ahh ! I see. You mean something more like this ?

 

 

(What the finished article doesn't see  )

[Vecchio]

Always easy to criticize -

in the workbench section Page 62 - bottom - the soldered drop wires are terrible. I would never put them in an article other than as a negative example. I know it is N and it is small, but I have also H0e on my layout and you need to look twice to find a drop wire.

 

page 54 - I miss the widely used practice of using a cutting disc (small carborundum disc on a dremel or even better on a flex shaft) to cut track. This is - if correctly done - not harming the sleepers at all and leaves practically no burr to be filed away. If done with a small flex shaft the cut can also be exactly 90 degrees to the track. I personally use only the cutting disc for cutting flex track. Of course - use safety goggles when you do it. Such discs break easily.

 

page 56 - fix the track. Hammering nails into the sleepers - especially when the track is on a soft underlay as for instance cork - may lead to local bending and those who have aiming problems may also hit the track instead of the nail. Besides this the nails will always be visible. I miss here the use of PVA or similar glue instead. They show it for N-scale but it works perfect also for 00. You may say the track isn't fixed as firm as with a nail - and if the glue tacks well you will never be able to remove the track - may be, but as all the scenic area will be ballasted it will fix the track firmly anyway. And I would like to see somebody to re-use track that has been ballasted...

 

Page 66 and 67. On 66 we have again a nasty drop wire. OK may be it will disappear when the ballast is applied. Page 67 - I would have shown also a further stage where the copper clad sleepers are properly painted to look the same as normal sleepers. Many people don't do this and I have seen even at exhibitions copper clad sleepers which have not been hidden. Dear model makers please invest a few seconds and paint them!

 

Other than that I like the workbench articles as they give some advise for the newcomers in this hobby. And I like Model Rail - otherwise I wouldn't buy it...

Vecchio

Edited September 27, 2017 by Vecchio

[dibber25]

Page 62 - only because they haven't been pulled tight through the baseboard yet.

Page 56. Hold the pin with pliers, as in the picture and it's nigh on impossible to hit track hard enough to do any damage, although I must admit for my current N gauge project I've glued the track in place - mainly because I thought pin heads would look big and obtrusive in N gauge track. 

Page 54 - I had someone cut the track on the old Model Rail TTF with a slitting disc. Every cut was at a nasty angle. The discs disintegrate and bits fly everywhere. It's personal taste but I don't like them. These days I much prefer to use Xuron rail cutters.

(CJL)

[Vecchio]

Page 62 - only because they haven't been pulled tight through the baseboard yet.

Page 56. Hold the pin with pliers, as in the picture and it's nigh on impossible to hit track hard enough to do any damage, although I must admit for my current N gauge project I've glued the track in place - mainly because I thought pin heads would look big and obtrusive in N gauge track. 

Page 54 - I had someone cut the track on the old Model Rail TTF with a slitting disc. Every cut was at a nasty angle. The discs disintegrate and bits fly everywhere. It's personal taste but I don't like them. These days I much prefer to use Xuron rail cutters.

(CJL)

page 62 - I am sorry but even if you pull the drop wires through you will still have a blob of tin on the left rail - which probably could be a bit corrected with filing.

 

The nasty angle with a cutting disc comes from the fact that the diameter of a dremel is too big to allow a 90 degree cut when the track is already fixed on the baseboard. Therefore I mention to use a small flex shaft. With that one the 90 degree problem is solved. And of course the disc will disintegrate if jammed. You have to cut parallel and almost without any pressure. The disc itself will cut nicely through the track.

Vecchio

[grahame]

for my current N gauge project I've glued the track in place - mainly because I thought pin heads would look big and obtrusive in N gauge track. 

 

These days I much prefer to use Xuron rail cutters.

Yep, agree with both those points.

 

Track pins/nails look pants in N gauge. Either remove them after ballasting or follow the Andy Callvert track laying suggestion (as detailed in the NHS handbook).

 

Specialist rail cutters are very effective these days and worth the expense of purchasing, although for N gauge care is needed and having a fine file to hand to tidy up any burrs for ease of adding fishplates is recommended.

 

G

[Budgie]

Track pins/nails look pants in N gauge. Either remove them after ballasting or follow the Andy Callvert track laying suggestion (as detailed in the NHS handbook).

What has the National Health Service got to do with track laying? Or did you mean to say the NGS handbook?

[grahame]

What has the National Health Service got to do with track laying? Or did you mean to say the NGS handbook?

Bloody predictive spell chucker - it's even changed "Calvert's". I didn't "mean" anything other than I typed.

 

G.

[mikeyh]

I don't always buy Model Rail but made a point of getting this month's after seeing Exeter Junction advertised. Superb layout and great article but surely a bit of a waste of space printing the same photo on pages 6/7 and 22/23 - were there no other decent pictures available? West Coast - Southern Section also looks amazing - would love to know how many boxes of track are used! Overall very interesting and enjoyable issue.

 

Mike

[dibber25]

I don't always buy Model Rail but made a point of getting this month's after seeing Exeter Junction advertised. Superb layout and great article but surely a bit of a waste of space printing the same photo on pages 6/7 and 22/23 - were there no other decent pictures available? West Coast - Southern Section also looks amazing - would love to know how many boxes of track are used! Overall very interesting and enjoyable issue.

 

Mike

 

The opening Big Picture is part of the re-design. Not sure if the repeat of the pic is intentional or if there was a 'disconnect' between the designing of the two sections. (CJL)