The diesel is a fairly typical industrial sort of loading gauge. The GVT is quite small, the Ffestiniog is positively pokey and the VoR is enormous (its pretty much standard gauge except for the track width)

Put together they really can look funny. Seeing Ffestiniong gauge locos on the WHR next to one of the Beyer Garratts really looks like someone bought the wrong scale.

Thanks guys

ok clever clogs when you going to build a T guage 0-4-0 then...

excellent as always I assume your going to build code 30 track to match ?

whats the problem with the servos as teh latest MERG software is IMO rather good

Hi Nick

I have all the bits to make my own narrow gauge track courtesy of the 2mm SA so at sometime I will solder some together. For now the bit of Z Gauge track in the photo is more than good enough.

The servo issue is with programming the chip through the PC, I cannot for some reason seem to programme the chip at all even after trying 2 different USB to serial cables now with still no luck, its kind of getting in the way of me finishing off the trackwork on the second Highclere board (although its more of a mental block than anything else!) and its getting a little frustrating. Trevor S of MERG is helping me out though, fortunately) If you have any help or advice please let me know (or where to get a cable that does work?)

As for the T gauge stuff I guess there is no real reason why I couldnt use the same chassis design to make one! The limiting thing in the width of the chassis would be the diameter of the worm gear which is 2mm so in theory I could make that chassis 3mm wide but I know there are smaller diameter worms out there........I think 2mm Narrow Gauge is enough for now though so stop planting seeds in my head!!!

The diesel is a fairly typical industrial sort of loading gauge. The GVT is quite small, the Ffestiniog is positively pokey and the VoR is enormous (its pretty much standard gauge except for the track width)

Put together they really can look funny. Seeing Ffestiniong gauge locos on the WHR next to one of the Beyer Garratts really looks like someone bought the wrong scale.

Hello Alan

That is a nightmare! Its hard enough getting used to the Narrow Gauge stuff without all those differences in size!! It is kind of cute though (in a weird way)

M.

What a fantastic little etch, it really does stand up well to the macro mode. Lovely work Missy

Narrow gauge vehicle size is one of those things that is determined by a whole host of factors, some of them unique to particular lines. The original FR was very much restrained by the two tunnels on the line being built for the original horse working, while the earliest coaches were also kept low because of uncertainty over stability on the narrow track and the coaches were twice as wide as the slate wagons because the latter were man handled around the quarries, thus avoiding reloading between the quarries and the FR. The much later Leek & Manifold was much larger as it ran transporter wagons so the structure gauge had to accomodate standard gauge goods wagons and vans on top of the transporters. Even ignoring the approx. 6" in gauge difference, you'd be unilkey to find two such kinds of stock working together; the larger stuff would foul the gauge of the smaller, while the smaller stuff would be less efficient/comfortable where there was plenty of room. Of course, these days it's more a case of what an line can get hold of.

Hi Missy,

That's a nice piece of work (and a coincidence - I have one of these coaches on the workbench at the moment!) I came to the same conclusion as you did about the seats - but only after I'd tried to assemble one and the etch broke in two different places!

Mine will be going onto a lowmac so I'll build it with the etched wheels. I haven't decided about the overlays for the sides and ends yet - the planking looks too nice to cover up!

As to the loading gauge, don't forget the Z gauge track scales at 3'3" (ie. metre gauge). The GVT was 2'-4.25" - quite a big difference in gauge. If you want some bigger coaches, I think Alan Doherty does some Leek and Manifold bogie coaches.

Could you make the whole coupling loop from steel wire?

Andy

well I use a Prolific usb to serial adaptor with both XP ( laptop ) and W7 ( main ) using teh basic MERG software never worked for me using teh servo4sim4set v2 software worked for my initial programing the latest software Ive only played with on xp at teh moment

Hi Nick.

I dont suppose you have a link for one of those do you? I have done a quick search and havent found one yet. If I find one I will get one ordered ASAP.

Thanks

M.

I continually seem to be missing out on your threads and am always amazed at your ability to make such exquisite models and look forward to seeing your developments. I have brought a little 2FS SA NG bits but this is a long way off for me!

Tom

Zm track and wheels (4.5mm) are available which are better for welsh two footers but the supplies are a bit limited and tricky to get hold of.

In some ways narrow gauge lines here and there (plus a few standard gauge spots) fossilized older loading gauges from the early days that were lost elsewhere. Even up to the 1870s there were lots of horse drawn wagons and small wagons being handled to a fundamentally smaller loading gauge than the 'usual' standard gauge. This is why quite a few early locos have four buffers front and back, the lower closer two are for handling old style horse wagons, chaldrons and the like, the higher wider two represent what we think of as "normal" today.

Be warned though .. it starts with a little four wheel coach or a peco tank, and then you end up scratchbuilding a few other bits, and then you start to wonder if you could model an L&B line or similar and then you find yourself covered in old oil under a Corris railway coach fixing bogies.

Hello again

Hi Missy,

That's a nice piece of work (and a coincidence - I have one of these coaches on the workbench at the moment!) I came to the same conclusion as you did about the seats - but only after I'd tried to assemble one and the etch broke in two different places!

Mine will be going onto a lowmac so I'll build it with the etched wheels. I haven't decided about the overlays for the sides and ends yet - the planking looks too nice to cover up!

As to the loading gauge, don't forget the Z gauge track scales at 3'3" (ie. metre gauge). The GVT was 2'-4.25" - quite a big difference in gauge. If you want some bigger coaches, I think Alan Doherty does some Leek and Manifold bogie coaches.

Could you make the whole coupling loop from steel wire?

Andy

Hi Andy.

The exact same thing happened to my seat etches too, its very difficult to fold them in the right places with all those planking half etches so I gave up with them after the first one fell to pieces! I will just knock something together out of plasticard, after all its inside the coach!

The trouble with making the loop out of steel wire is that it would pull the loop down with the magnet wouldnt it? I think I have figured it out now though but it does mean cutting the engine around a bit though! Fortunately its the only one I will hopefully have this problem with.

I continually seem to be missing out on your threads and am always amazed at your ability to make such exquisite models and look forward to seeing your developments. I have brought a little 2FS SA NG bits but this is a long way off for me!

Tom

Hello Tom.

Im glad you enjoy my ramblings and thank you for the comment. At least you now know where I am so hopefully it will be easier next time to take a look at my stuff. I hope it inspires you a little?

Zm track and wheels (4.5mm) are available which are better for welsh two footers but the supplies are a bit limited and tricky to get hold of.

Be warned though .. it starts with a little four wheel coach or a peco tank, and then you end up scratchbuilding a few other bits, and then you start to wonder if you could model an L&B line or similar and then you find yourself covered in old oil under a Corris railway coach fixing bogies.

Hiya Alan.

I dont think I am going to get bogged down in the finer details of track gauge and stuff. I am sticking to 6.5mm Z Gauge as its the most common gauge for this area of modelling so it makes sense to me to use it. For me how something looks is far more important than how accurate something is, especially in 2mm scale!

Dont scare me with comments like getting covered in old oil and stuff though!! Not a chance!!! I would love to make a nice narrow gauge steam engine though, the L&B engines look really nice...

M.

Hi Missy

To add a magnetic element to the coupling, my technique is to flatten some florists wire, this is made from soft iron. Then rap it around the brass wire, and then solder the two together. I find that the best flux for this is yellow plumbers flux. Hope this is helpful.

Lisa