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Showing content with the highest reputation on 29/08/20 in all areas

  1. Just to say a great big thanks to Andy for his continuing hard work to get RMWeb back up and running* - not the Bank Holiday weekend he would have wanted I’m sure. Darius * despite the “are we there yet” comments on FB.
    45 points
  2. Yes, we have a major loading speed issue. This has been a problem after a system restart following a drive space upgrade. Server support has been very poor and being a bank holiday weekend it means there's limited support available from our own IT team. I'll keep at it.
    44 points
  3. Once again some photos from trips to Carlisle for today. Carlisle Class 47 Euston to Stranraer April 87 J8883.jpg Carlisle Class 43 up XC 22nd Feb 93 C18312.jpg Carlisle 90015 down Royal Scot Euston to Glasgow 30th May 90 C14520.jpg Carlisle DVT Glsgow C to Euston and Class 47 Carlisle to Leeds May 90 J10967.jpg Carlisle Class 108 Carlisle to Barrow April 87 J8802.jpg David
    28 points
  4. "What did YOU do while RMweb was off-line, Daddy?"
    27 points
  5. The 50-yard stare in his eyes either mean a) nothing or b) where am I going to moan about my plastic Bachmann wheels which aren't really plastic?
    25 points
  6. Good morning. Good to see us up and running again. Great work AndyY, you don't appreciate what goes on in the background to keep this site up and running until its not there. Lets try a picture
    25 points
  7. I had the camera out in the workshop yesterday and set up this picture of the lockdown PO train. They still need couplings (and weathering and removable loads) but I've decided a batch of couplings can wait for those long winter evenings in the front room. Building a complete train does take a bit of determination but is very gratifying when it reaches this stage and, for a large project like Bath, is a sensible way to go. I shall continue the policy, I have two or three options in mind for a winter project. Jerry
    22 points
  8. As previously mentioned, some shots of Retford's fiddle yards. These were taken in 2015, and more roads might have been added since then............... The GN fiddle yard with the RH trains ready for heading south. As trains leave, they traverse a wide-radius 180 degree curve to enter the scenic section at Babworth. The GN fiddle yard with the RH trains ready to head north. To the right can be seen the GC curve from Whisker Hill allowing eastbound trains to enter the station. The GC fiddle yard with the RH trains ready for heading east. They have two ways of getting on to the scenic section; either use the Whisker Hill curve to gain access to the station, or take the shorter route directly over the flat crossing. The junction for this is off to the left. Note the GN main line to the right. The GC fiddle yard with the RH trains ready to head westwards, either to take the straight route over the crossing or use the junction (which is on the scenic section) to enter the station. Note the GN main line climbing over the GC fiddle yard, on quite a steep gradient approaching it. The GC fiddle yard also dips down in an astonishing piece of model railway engineering. The baseboard edge and electrical connections (seen through the 'hole in the sky' - to the right - in earlier pictures) are on the bridge section. A wide-angle view should make it all clearer. This is incredible, this is heroic. I'd even go so far as to say it required the work of a genius to conceive it, start it and work on it. Its completion will be the most-fitting tribute! Do you see now why I think Retford will be the 'greatest model railway ever'?
    22 points
  9. Back from a round of golf during which I three putted nine times, including missing one from little more than one foot. In the end I finished up laughing at it, there seemed nothing else to do, really, Here is a picture of A2/3 Sun Castle bringing in the stock for the 1130 to Edinburgh. That worked very fast.
    21 points
  10. "You are Boris Johnson and I claim my £5!" If this is classed as political, please delete - it's really not adding to the thread.
    19 points
  11. I had to play with my children - hadn’t previously realised I had any.
    19 points
  12. I am pleased to announce that Rumney Models will reopen to orders on the 1st September 2020. There will be a few minor changes to how things were done before. Please make note of the following points of information: Lead times from my etchers have increased since the beginning of the year and given this I will no longer be taking payment for any items that I do not have in stock. I am happy to take orders for items that are not in stock, but payment will not be asked for until I actually have them. This however excludes those items listed on the special etches catalogue and I may ask for a deposit for large orders. To this end… All orders by email first. Please email any order for confirmation even if you intend on paying by cheque. I don’t want to have to sort out postal orders which include payment for items I don’t have. Postage and packing rates. For the rest of the year (2020) I will not be charge postage and packing on orders over £20. For orders of £20 and under P&P will be £1.50. postage and packing rates will be reviewed in the new year. I am planning on placing orders with my etchers on the following dates over the next six months. 1st October, 1st December, 1st February. Please bear this in mind. Opening hours: Rumney Models is a part time busines, “office hours” are currently Tuesday (half day), Thursday (half day), Friday (all day) and Saturday (all day). Please do not expect a response to orders or enquiries outside of those times. I’ve really enjoyed actually having time in the evenings to myself rather than spending it answering emails/orders and I’m not going to start doing it again. Cheques. I find it amazing the number of cheques that are made out in a way that I cannot cash despite it being clear on my ordering page and order form who they should be made out to. It’s a pain to sort out and something I feel I shouldn’t have to do. All cheques should be made payable to “Justin Newitt”. Please allow 28 days for delivery. Turnaround should be much quicker but note that I will only be going to the post office once or twice a week (most likely Tuesday and/or Thursday) which will cause a lag depending on when an order is placed. Also anything arriving by post will be quarantined for 3 days before opening and I will wait for cheques to clear (typically 2 days) before sending an order out. I can use my smartphone app to bank cheques but if the app doesn’t like the cheque (it happens occasionally) and I have to take it into a branch then that will create further delays. If Covid rears its ugly head either locally, or heaven forbid in my daughter’s nursery or in the home this could cause delays of up to 2 weeks, not to mention any localised disruption to the postal system. In short please be patient, I am a one man band with a young family not Amazon prime! Happy modelling all. Justin
    18 points
  13. Morning all. A bit slow round here, but I'll try to put up a picture and see what happens. Well, it did work, and not too long doing it, though the Cleethorpes is now running 24 hours late. I'll post this and see if it gets through OK. The poll is also postponed by 24 hours, so carry on with yesterday's please.
    18 points
  14. Nothing too sexy this week I’m afraid. It’s all been trolley constructing & cutting plywood sheet to fit on top of them. However it’s possible to see the triangular landscaping taking shape, with much of the polystyrene landscaping on top. And the course of the river is easy to see as it bends sharply towards the camera. Just a huge amount of fettling heights & lengths of aluminium and plywood. Finally the first batch of lighting gantry rig bases have been delivered. These bases will be situated at the operating side of the layout and 7ft high vertical booms will slot into them which in turn support 7ft wide horizontal booms into which lightweight LED batten lights slot. So the lighting will be from above, and in front of the layout. I want to finish the whole layout in one month so have got this triangle to complete, the scenery for it, the extended river pour and the 4 tracks round to the fiddle yard. Then there’s the backscene to bring round and the foam board tunnels (which hide all track heading towards the scenic side).
    17 points
  15. Hadn't thought of that. Oh yeah; we did - that's what caused the problem. 12.20 - 12.35 - seems to be performing as it should.
    17 points
  16. RMweb being down yesterday meant I had no choice but to pull my finger out and get something else done I was concerned the brown was too light After painting the ‘metal’ parts black I used a black wash to highlight the gaps and darken up the brown. I also tried to simulate wood grain using the wash with a very fine brush, unfortunately the black paint made the rivet details disappeared So I used a white weathering power all over which highlighted the details and softened the whole thing What do you think?
    16 points
  17. I'll post a photo from the archive as some kind of uploading test as we appear to have problems that Andy Y is on to. Here is the ever popular filthy mogul.
    15 points
  18. 44894 Arnside station 17-07-68 (Trevor Ermel-568cS) by Trevor Ermel, on Flickr dingwall by Roger Goodrum, on Flickr 31414 and parcels train at Bamford by David Hills, on Flickr
    14 points
  19. Nicely put, Darius. I find there are very few days in the year when I envy Andy his job. He seems forever to be firefighting, either with us lot or the tech, or on the really bad days, both! EDIT - Things seem to be speeding up a bit now. Here's hoping.
    14 points
  20. I've done all the black striping on the eight arms I made up before. That was easy enough for the stop arms - a strip of transfer 2mm wide for the 3ft arms and 3mm wide for the 4ft arms. For the distants I used the actual fishtail on the etching as a cutting guide, which made things much easier than I had expected. The stripes were fitted using Micro Set, water, more Micro Set and Micro Sol in that order then I left them to dry/harden overnight. White stripes are next. These are all straight so shouldn't take too long. After that I can start assembling the signals. No photos of this stage coz I forgot.
    13 points
  21. Looks like I’ve got all 66731 next week on the hindlow to washwood Heath stone job, might take my model along with me for some photos with the real thing
    12 points
  22. When RMweb goes offline it makes us all remember just how much we love it. Many thanks to Andy and any others who have sorted out the problems.
    12 points
  23. A couple more examples where I think digital 'image manipulation' is 'acceptable'.................. This is a shot as taken, complete with all the clutter of Bytham's 'home'. My eye is not drawn to the train, but to all the background elements. I've cropped it quite extensively and taken out the background because I wanted to emphasise the receding train. Nothing else has been digitally-altered, however. Another example. Though I'm delighted with my 'Bytham' signal box sign (which is a full-scale facsimile, made by Ian Wilson), the northbound 'Queen of Scots' is what I wanted to concentrate on. So, although this shot is taken from a slightly different angle, the eye concentrates on the principal subject matter; the A1 and its train. I could have digitally straightened up both the platform lamp and flower box to the left, but that would have been cheating. Thanks Andy, for getting things sorted..................
    12 points
  24. I am wondering if this topic should be restarted now you have something physical to show. This thread is rather tainted by it's OP and some people may believe he still has a hand in it with him being the OP. Now you have your own official account (I know there are others) perhaps a new topic beginning with the samples we can drool over to kickstart the project.
    11 points
  25. We are pleased to advise that we have received the first Engineering Prototype (EP) from the tooling for the much-anticipated ex LSWR / SR Diagram 1541 10T Road Van. The CADs, based on a laser scan of the preserved example at the Isle of Wight steam railway, were approved for tooling earlier this year. We are carefully evaluating and so far we are very pleased with how the EP has turned out. We are currently discussing directly with the factory a very small number of slight modifications before the next stage of livery samples can be produced. The production of the livery artwork is in progress. The pictures show the high level of detail and multitude of separately fitted parts including: flush glazing, hand rails, brake gear with pull rodding, step board and lamp irons to accurately portray a number of different versions of the prototype. These options include alternative buffer shanks with a ribbed option as fitted to preserved No. 56046 on the Isle of Wight steam railway and either straight or cranked step board supports, the latter as fitted to the majority of those transferred in 1925 to the Isle of Wight. In light of further research, a small number of the available versions have been changed with corrected running numbers and liveries as BR Bauxite would not be appropriate for the available options of this road van. Details of the ten versions now being produced can be found on the Kernow Model Rail Centre website at http://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/pg-148-LSWR-Road-Van Any customer wishing to amend their pre-order due to these changes can contact the Kernow Model Rail Centre either through the website or via telephone. Note: the images show a version with a mix of the potential options and does not necessarily show an actual available version.
    11 points
  26. Another big thanks to Andy for all his work here. I wouldn't want his job for all the tea in China. David
    11 points
  27. 10 points
  28. “Don’t Touch the Conductor Rail”. Who is the clown in the six-foot with the camera?
    10 points
  29. A visit to a new to me model shop and I came away with this cute little tank wagon. My first Oxford Rail purchase and I'm quite impressed with the detail bar the couplings.
    10 points
  30. Looks like 37206 with the empty Catfish is held at the Signal in the Goods Loop from the Top Yard.
    10 points
  31. Whilst RMWeb saw being reshaped yesterday I made some notes about SG: Having been in possession of South Greenwood (SG) for nearly a week, I’ve had a chance to both erect and dismantle it, check for any issues that would affect future usage and assess its potential for adaptation to a UK outline model railway. Before I start, it should be understood that this railway had been stored in a garage for seven years, and I said that I would take it unseen. I did give a donation to Wakefield RMS on collection, but apart from the fact that it was US outline, basically an oval of single track, and with a large traverser. I had no idea what I was getting and this remained the case until it was erected on our driveway last Monday. One might question why I would appear to take pot luck over acquiring SG, but it boils down to talking to Jamie about the shortcoming of my current layout and the various possibilities to overcome these. Discussion ranged from small extensions, through to full conversion and creating a continuous run. He mentioned the situation regarding SG and after a few enquiries, let me know it was available. Now allowing for a few differences due to metric to imperial conversions (I work small stuff in metric, but still prefer good old imperial for anything of great size), SG is 25’ x 10’ comprising of 12 boards each measuring 5’ x 2’ 6”, They are all solid 9 mm ply tops with 4” x .75” sides and ends and suitable internal bracing. They connect together using pattern makers dowels and over-centre catches. The two boards which sit in opposing corners of the layout have four legs so are self-standing. Nine boards have two legs at one end, and they work on the piggy back principle. One of the fiddle boards has no legs as it fits into the gap where the piggy back boards meet. It’s ‘wired’ for analogue control. The trackwork is all Peco Code 143 Flat bottomed rail. There are seven points with solenoid motors, and the track on the traverser alone totals around 70 feet. Some of the scenery is fixed to the baseboards, whilst other parts and buildings are removeable. The scenery is protected when in transit, as the boards are paired together, facing into each other and are secured to ‘transit plates’ which are fitted at each end of the pair of boards and have carry handles. A pair of boards requires a two-man lift, and although a single board is light enough to be lifted by one man, the length and width of the boards makes this awkward. Having given it more that the once over, I found the following: Quite a bit of the underboard wiring is either damaged or missing. As an example, none of the turnouts have microswitches for crossing nose polarity, and there is no switch gear for point control or for the isolating sections. The track is laid upon quite thick carpet underlay to deaden any sound. This was originally glued down, but is now lifting in places, so it would need re-securing. More importantly some sections of it have also been subjected to some damp, and there are traces of mould on some sections of underlay. Quite a few track joints at the board ends have broken, and some of the off-scene boards have short sections of rail missing. The traverser is in two parts and consists of two sheets of ply, neither of which have any bracing, so the two boards are quite badly warped. Some of the over-centre catches that hold the boards together are either damaged or broken. I ran a B Set through the reverse curves on both on the scenic boards and also those going onto the traverser and even when being pulled, buffer locking occurred. I do need to make it clear that this is not a list to complain about, but shows the scale of refurbishment that would be needed just to restore it to running condition. (Ignore the buffer locking with US outline). So with some regret, I feel the best option is going to be to strip everything off so that we are back to bare boards. Recover what scenery we can and as much track as possible, then dispose of the underlay and give the boards a a wash over with a dilute bleach to kill off any mould spores, After that, there is a completely clear palette to work with. But at least plotting and scheming can continue whilst the process is being carried out.
    10 points
  32. Another look at 60523 , now stationary at the North end of Platform 6. While a short goods working comes through from East.
    9 points
  33. Sorting through some old pics and liked this one of the old Bath Road resident 03382. Shunters are soooo much fun to weather!
    9 points
  34. And now the real job of restoration begins ... One of the first issues to be tackled is one of tracks going across baseboard joins - this on the basis that we might one day take this out on the road(!). The worst case is the single slip marked. It ended up sitting right over the join with the goods yard board. It came out of the old location attached (just) thus but got knocked, somewhat inevitably. Here is the corresponding goods yard board. Having marked it in situ, you can see here where I've cut and removed the cork which now shows how the new join will be configured. This in turn required removal of the piece of 2 x 1 beneath - fortunately I hadn't glued it! And a bit of careful work with the coping saw (one of the best tools in the box) - how folks 'cope' without one, I'll never know ... (I know - stick to the day job). Anyhow,, the somewhat odd shaped piece now needs to be grafted on to the other board ... Like so! Hopefully you can see how it's fitted in and how, henceforth, the baseboard join will be configured somewhat more logically. So now it's time to remove track and the perished ballast underlay. Track can be re-used - but not the ballast! This also requires unsoldering of some wires and careful removal of point actuating rods. So now replacement 3mm cork underlay. You can see here more clearly the various point linkages. The idea is to replace just two point length's at a time, using the track either side as reference to maintain the alignment. Just look at the state of the ballast on the scissors formation below! More collateral damage. If you look carefully, this crossover didn't quite coincide with the baseboard join either and I've already done some work top left to shove it back two sleepers by cutting slightly into the adjacent single slip. Repaired! And fit for further use. All refitted! And painted (sprayed) as well. So this is the first test piece if you like, through which I've proved to myself this can be done without major difficulty. What I can't show you through a photo like this is the rather pleasant discovery that when I reconnected a 16v AC power supply to the existing point electrics, they all fired up without any difficulty. Every one. Without any problem at all. And no CDU involved either (good 'ol H&M clipper providing the 'umph'). Some of these points - well, quite a few of them actually - are one motor powering two points, configured as a crossover, with a mechanical linkage (beneath the boards) . What was really useful was that I was actually able to use the point motor firing to centralise the position of the points. And when I did so, the track pin went straight back down the 'ole I'd previously removed it from! Onwards and upwards
    9 points
  35. The open gable has now been closed off with the painted screen which I have managed to paint a different cream from the columns which in the photo looks pink! I managed to move the building too, hence the leaning columns. I'm off to repaint it now as it looks worse in the photo than it actually does. A photo along the roof trusses is still possible.
    9 points
  36. Some images showing the entrances/exits to/from the fiddle yards on Retford. This shot was taken over a decade ago and illustrates how the main line goes on-/off-stage to the north at Babworth. Here the bridge is just a mock-up. How a Dundee-based (dirty) A2 is heading the Down 'West Riding' to Leeds is probably explained by Roy's sense of humour. How many visitors would notice? A few years later, and the piers for the approach to the bridge are in place. Worthy of mention are Tony Gee's wonderful model of Babworth 'box and the MSE point rodding, being made and installed by the proprietor himself, Andrew H. Mick Moore's superlative model of the bridge taking the Retford-Worksop road (the real thing replaced an original level crossing, pre-War). And now in situ. The main lines curve around to the left into the fiddle yard behind the backscene. The entrance/exit to Whisker Hill is disguised by this bridge (built by Geoff Kent) taking West Carr Road (I think it's still West Carr Road at this point) over the GC. And the late Tom Harland's beautiful backscene painting takes the GC eastwards out of sight at Thrumpton. I've never taken a picture of the entrance/exit where the GC goes out of/into sight beyond the flat crossing to the west. Next time......... I hope I've credited all correctly.
    9 points
  37. Well it was over a week ago that I said that I would get back to completing the signal box and I finally started the completion process yesterday evening. Sorting the lighting out was first on the list and as I was also adding lighting to the platform shelter and there were the two station lamps to consider, I decided to use the Just Plug system for simplicity as the lighting hub also has built in dimmer controls for each output. I chose a yellow 30mA stick on LED to simulate a weakish oil lighting effect for the signal box, will use the same for the shelter. The platform lamps are also the oil type. The LED was stuck directly to the underside of the rear roof section of the signal box and the two cables were run neatly down the internal corner of the model whereby when viewing through the front glazing the wiring is hidden from view by the open door and placement of the arm chair. From the image below you will see that the light bleed from the underside of the roof is the next stage to address (front section of roof is not fixed as yet). I have also slightly built up the height of the signal box to accommodate the pulley chains going underneath by sitting it on a brick plinth. The increased height also meant I needed to add a couple of steps to the doorway. Anyway, here’s the pics including a night time one showing the light bleed...
    9 points
  38. Sitting in the Goods Loop from the Top Yard, is 08173 and 37186, whilst a pair of Choppers sit in No 2 Fuel Road.
    9 points
  39. This is one of the images I tried to up load yesterday, it appears IT WASN'T MY FAULT. Anyway a pair of Choppers in the old Engineering Siding.
    9 points
  40. This tube station, as with many of them, was made with a view to commercial extensions. To achieve this the builder would leave toothed courses at the building ends and, in the case of York Road, phantom fire places and chimney breasts. Representing toothed courses is a bit of a challenge - I didn’t bother when I made the Caledonian Road station building. We use our own brick styrene on CF which is very fine and, in theory could be cut to represent these. First operation was to mark up alternate courses with a fine black pen. A number 15 scalpel was then rocked back and forth to make a cut either side of the black mark. A 0.5mm chisel (see earlier tube station posts) was then used to chop out the alternate brick courses. Once glued onto the host wall, the brick comb was edged with a strip of 20 x 40 thou styrene to represent the corner tile wrap around. Bits of toothed brick work were cut with a scalpel and then removed with another chisel: this would then allow the wider tile wrap arounds to be represented. The random depth of these courses relates to the varying widths of the terracotta tiles on the facade. The final effect should be OK, once it has a bit of paint on it. The bulk of the building begins to show up well now (it’s only loosely placed and held together by gravity). The original intention was, of course, to truncate it in that corner, but the effect is much, much better already. Tim
    8 points
  41. @BritishGypsum4 and I had a visit to the Arlesdale Railway today, well almost! Can't beat a bit of 'La'al Ratty'! Mid Sodor.....or in this case Eskdale. I swear my dog enjoys Ben's company more than mine! From Corney Fell, using my telephoto lens ....Sodor! Ok, not quite.... 'Man' incredibly clear this afternoon!
    8 points
  42. Sometime back, I asked whether Steve had considered making a set of raised number plates for the Heljan 7mm scale Hymek. At the time, he was rushed off his feet, so the request came to nothing, although Steve did say he's do it once he had the time. As a stop gap, I decided to order a set of 2D numbers for my Hymek, and was then going to use them as a template for some individual etched letters and numbers. After ordering, Steve got back to me to say he had been working on the Hymek transfers and was happy with the product so would dispatch a set to me. These were duly delivered, and very nice they looked too: All I needed was the time and courage to fit them! Yesterday I received an email from Stave saying he'd adjusted some settings on his equipment and that he had created an even better set of numbers, so a new set to replace those he'd already sent me, were in the post. They arrived this morning. What do you say about a small business that takes that much care of it's customers? 'Outstanding service' somehow seems inadequate in this case. Thank you Steve.
    8 points
  43. Evening All, After a week's absence I'm back to disgrace the pages of The Night Mail. Without dwelling on my misfortunes I have been in the grips of a caustic combination of campylobacter, a mini stroke and a bad flare up of diverticular disease and have been shuffled around the environs of Telford and Shrewsbury hospitals being scanned, poked, prodded, relieved of blood and other fluids, connected to various things that occasionally go 'bleep', given pills, potions and infusions various, observed, examined and discussed by groups of varying sizes since Monday. The upshot is that providing nothing else goes wrong I should get home tomorrow or Monday with nothing other than some (temporary with any luck) double vision and enough needle marks to convince any passing policeman that I am a confirmed junkie. Thanks to the kind offices of our noble pachyderm founder I have been kept abreast of happenings both here and on ERs but my fond hopes for the near future are home cooking, my own bed and some modelling time (luckily the double vision does not affect my directly forward view). In my absence Jill has been making some drapes for the front of my layout, which is probably above and beyond the call of duty for a railway modeller's wife, so I will need to think of some suitable thank you for that. And despite my somewhat glib remarks above, the NHS have been great. Dave Ps - interesting stuff above about the different types of firearms HH but wasn't there also something called a carronade that the Navy used? I seem to remember reading the term in books about Nelson's exploits.
    8 points
  44. Even before Covid, as has been discussed elsewhere on RMweb, the costs in our time of running a preserved line and the procedures and paperwork etc necessary to be legal and safe were beginning to push some railways into difficulty. Much of the fun aspect that so many were founded to explore has been diluted by the need to chase income. And as more and more old buffers pass on, the audience is increasingly less nostalgic, and cares less about the 7808s of this world. The Thomas and diesel weekends are really important, but they make the older generation shudder. Covid may indeed seal the fate of a number of preserved lines - and with them some historic artefacts. Not a pretty thought, but just another grim - to us - side-effect of the pandemic.
    8 points
  45. Recent additions to the freight department are these lovely 3D prints of the GWR Cordon gas tanks available from 247 Developments. These are the first "solid" items available in TT scale from them to go along with the excellent etched numberplates and SR headcode discs they sell. Garry
    8 points
  46. Bescot Nantgarw Boughton on Northampton-Market Harborough line Northampton
    8 points
  47. You only appreciate things when they are taken away, thanks and good luck By the way having just retired what is this bank holiday thing, or even looking forward to weekends. Everyday seems a bank holiday now
    8 points
  48. As an IT professional (read: It's what I'm paid to do, not necessarily am I good at it) I shouldn't reveal the secret - but we say that because: 1) 90% of the time it works 2) It gives us time to put our phone on do not disturb so if it's part of the 10% of actually broken things we can ignore it.
    7 points
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