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Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/02/12 in all areas

  1. After searching for a coupling which was reliable, unobtrusive and still allowed for easy shunting with a shunters pole I was at a bit of a loss. The rapido is plain ugly and poor for shunting, the DG I found fiddley to assemble and tricky getting them to couple and uncouple if not perfectly assembled and mounted. The Micro Trains couplings are ok, but expensive and still fairly unreliable if not quite lined up right. So, I had a bit of a brainwave, a year or so ago I read an article by Jim Smith-Wright and he had used magnets and elastic to create connecting brake pipes. I thought perhaps I could mount something similar in a central position and use it as a coupling; N Scale being smaller, the stress on the coupling being less. I did a few experiments and I have devised a visually unobtrusive, easy to shunt and cheap method of coupling. It's fairly simple; I purchased the magnets from here. I then drilled a 1mm hole centrally in the buffer beam either end. One end I used some superglue and just pushed the magnet strait in the hole. The other end I glued in a short length (length depends on wheelbase and minimum radius curve the model must negotiate) of elastic; To the end of this I glued another magnet. Now I have couplings which are much smaller and more covert than Rapidos, couple regardless of height and are cheap to make. Things to watch: Make sure the polarity of the magnets is correct, or else they will repel each other! Hope this is of use to someone! Kindest Regards, Jack
    4 points
  2. Finally got round to painting the Hoppers and adding the transfers. Thought I'd take a photo before I apply suitable layers of crud. Must tweak that out of line hopper discharge wheel or else it'll bug me...
    3 points
  3. Another week has flown by and it's time for the weekly update on Morfa Bach. Progress on the scenery at the bridge end of the layout, Hanging basket liner covers the east bank of the river and some rocks and scree have been fixed to the west bank area.A small boat salvaged from an old layout has found a new home too! At the tunnel end. A start has been made on adding some rocks and scree up the slope to track level. The tunnel is fixed in place and the new retaining wall made and fitted to the right hand side of the tunnel portal. Still have loads to do at this end. I'm waiting on delivery of some static grass fibres to create the salt marsh. Hopefully it will be here before the next update. There are other jobs to be done if it doesn't get here in time anyway so another update in about a week. Cheers! Frank
    2 points
  4. John also took some footage on his new camera on Sunday afternoon, so here are three representative sample pieces, showing the 08 shunting around. My thanks to John for taking the footage and taking the trouble to upload it to YouTube.
    2 points
  5. Hi Just a quick post to show how the boiler and smokebox will join using the copper ring I soldered to the smokebox. This was done so the boilers and tanks can be seperated for painting, I find it easier if the bits that are mainly green are apart from the bits that are mainly black. It is also very much easier to do the lining. The down side is it can use up quite a few nuts and bolt. I wish it could be done with splashers too. I think with this loco the cab floor will be attatched to the footplate rather than in the cab proper. More of that later . I have converted one of the buffers to being self contained. Just needs the wire soldering nearer the end of the construction. This was done mainly to see if I could do it, but has the benifit that the tail of the buffer head is not scrapping on the bottom of the footplate or visible. I have also been playing with the chimney. It is almost right against the drawing. Just needs some more tidying up. I will give it a coat of primer before I do any more, this should highlight the faults with it. Shame my lathe is still in England, would of been so much easier.
    1 point
  6. Been doin' some modelling... A couple of Tulis PAA Hoppers. Very nice kits too. The resin is cast particularly well. They're filled with lead so should have no problems staying on the track. Now Weston's gone to the convalescent home I'm starting to think about progressing Clevedon. May put the boards up at the weekend and have a good look at things. I've a couple of weeks off coming up and a little modelling time will be required. Also sprayed up the bubble car roof. Body next.
    1 point
  7. Fisherton Sarum is currently only making two appearances on the exhibition circuit this year and the first of which is this coming weekend 11th and 12th February at the British Railway Modelling magazine Festival of British Railway Modelling at Doncaster Racecourse. With over 30 layouts ranging from N to O gauges, many of which ( including Fisherton Sarum, see February 2012 issue ), have graced the pages of British Railway Modelling Magazine and over 80 trade stands there should be something for everyone. A sneak preview and video of the some of the layouts attending include Fisherton Sarum can be seen on the shows website here, whilst an electronic version of the show guide can be viewed here I shall be ably assisted by my Mum and Dad (who actually appears in model from in his short trouser days on the layout), and Roger, Mark and Daniel from the High Wycombe District Model Railway Society to whom I am very grateful and would not be able to exhibit Fisherton Sarum otherwise. This is an extract from my blog atwww.grahammuz.comthe full version of which can be found here
    1 point
  8. The Mercig models are superb (and expensive) but if I work on a model myself I have the satisfaction and pride gained because it's something I have made with my own hands. That said, if I won the lottery......
    1 point
  9. After a member (I won't name names as they may wish to remain anonymous!) on here kindly offered to sell me some clay hood kits he no longer required I became the proud own of 12 Parkwood clay wagon kits. I built the kits and mounted them to Peco chassis, I then finished them off with Parkside buffers and Scalescenes OO clay hoods rescaled down to 1:148 (This took a little trial and error and to get the width right I had to print them longer than scale and then cut them down). I still have to trim the hoods a little and finish the weathering. Here's the first four, the remaining 8 are in various stages of completion 37175 is poking her nose into the picture, more on her another time! Kindest Regards, Jack
    1 point
  10. Hi Gerry - Dont have time for kite-flying - too busy modelling G>! Ambridge' wil be in 'EM' - eventually 'Upton Dene' (the junction station on a secondary main line) will be in 2mm - but that's a long way down the track so to speak. 'D&S' are being marketted (in limited runs) by 'Brassmasters'. I treated myself to a couple of 'Siphon C's & Zoe slipped me a couple of horseboxes on the same order as Xmas pressies. She's really good - I've still not made the 'High Level' Peckett she bought me as a birfday pressie a couple of years ago! Nice to know you're showu=ing progress, and I havn't forgotten the windows. I'll PM you. Definitely on for Expo - then off to 'The Mouse' in Florida the day after. Mikkel - You can play trains with me any time you like (when I've got something to play with that is!). I certainly recall a 7mm garden layout several years ago where trains would depart on one persons tracks and arrive on the garden layout. I've also got a feeling that David Jenkinson and Arthur Whitehead had the same arrangement with their 'Cumbrian' lines. Could be wrong tho'. Regs Ian
    1 point
  11. Many thanks for all the continued comments regarding the layout, in particular the recent 'backscene crisis'. I decided to reprint option 1 as that seemed to get the most votes and I think the differences are quite subtle but worth it. Although I realise it may not be to everyone's taste, I am grateful to Mike to raise the issue, which prompted debate and actually got me to rethink it and change it albeit in a subtle way. Thanks Mike. I confess I was starting to lose a little interest again with the layout and the enthusiasm was starting to drop off, so I felt I had to take a decision and keep moving. I am also mindful that both Gary and Glen both gave their time freely on this element to help and that is not something you turn your back on. Many thanks again fellas' if you are reading this. In terms of attaching it I used a mixture of spraymount and photomount...only a mixture because both were on their last legs and apart from a heart stopping moment where they both coughed and spat....we got through it. The wall and bridge have now been glued in position too. So with that done, it was time to turn my attention back on the station building. I have acquired some of Ian's (scanman's) self adhesive slates for the roof so last night I have prepared the roof profile (the gaps will be adjusted once the glue has set) and I will now start the cladding on the walls using, I think prescribed thin card, painted before application. Then the door and window frames will be added separately, again pre-painted. A different approach this for me as I am quite an impatient modeller so I need to try and relax and let things dry before moving on. I attach a couple more photos. I think the scale of the building seems okay relative to the size of the layout...and if I can manage some nice detail it may help lose that backscene to fulfil its roll as backdrop... From the roadbridge end...am playing around with my camera settings still trying to improve shots... An overall view...
    1 point
  12. Welcome to blogging, enjoy! I'll stay away from the boxfiles. It takes too many for a full length East Coast Express! Kevin Rede Valley Railway Blog
    1 point
  13. Musdt stay away from the boxfiles... Must stay away from the boxfiles... Gawd this approach is catching! Regs Ian
    1 point
  14. well at the Huddersfield show i built up the next coach for the layout a Jubilee 1st built from Bill Bedford etchs & 247 Development parts over the weekend i got all of the soldering done now all i have to do is build up the seating & paint the coach Tonight this Gentlemen was seen getting off the last train of the day asking if any one had seen Binky ??
    1 point
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