StuartM

Can anyone recommend a software package that can be used to design buildings similar to Scalescenes. Preferably one that isn't going to take the next 12months to learn how to use, or that requires a loan to purchase. Layers would also be a definite advantage

I'm toying with the idea of making a wall mounted O gauge shelf layout that runs around the top of my room in a continuous loop, possibly a double loop about 18" from the ceiling. Making a shelf that runs along the straight walls is easy enough, but the 4 corners will be more challenging. Does anyone know the minimum radius that a co-co O gauge loco can reliably negotiate considering that there maybe an inner and outer loop.

My wobbling power has been replaced with a much smoother running one How many of you knew of the High speed coal trains that were trailed

Is anyone else having issues with poor running This is a video of my newly arrived prototype HST after 30mins running in in both directions. The vibrations are so bad I've had to placer a small bit of Bluetac to stop the whole assembly from vibrating its way down the track

I thought the entire point of RC was to eliminate the need to power the loco through the track with all its problems around poor running The idea of having the power source 'onboard' was for smooth uninterrupted running, an onboard rc chip is in reality just a decoder. It would also be possible for the chip to send back the power level of the battery and display it like a fuel gauge, so when the loco is running low on fuel it has to go to a fuelling point and refuel, or in this case recharge the battery via the rails, making operation more realistic.

I'd be interested to know how this model runs I was disappointed with the Westerns which were beautiful models but had none concentric wheels leading to wobble when running I wonder if the new class 50 is the same?

Hi Mike, Do you have a link to so photos and prices?

Because they've sold out of blue ones and I want a blue one, other wise probably a good call

Being new to 7mm I did not now this small manufacture existed, but looking at their GUV at that price, this may be a viable route to explore, thank you for the advice

I can find no reference to this book on Amazon, do you have a link?

I'm thinking of having a go at scratch building a standard BR GUV in O gauge as I refuse to pay £350 for one from one of the retailers. Would anyone be able to advise me where I could get the drawings/plans for one

I have had my sound fitted class 40 for 3 days now and omg! What a stunning model, the addition cost of the sound being worth every penny. This model sets the benchmark for all other models that follow, and hopefully oneday ALL models will be this good. My hope is that the Graham Garish range will now be retro produced with sound

Welcome to the wonderful world of 2mm track building. You can go two ways 1. Buy an Easitrack turnout kit 2. DownloadTemplot, be prepared for a long, steep and often frustrating learning curve, but when this has been apex'ed then you can design any trunout you like, print it off and then use it to build your turnout on with Easitrack components. In fact you can use Templot to plan your entire layout. Its worth the pain. Forwhat its worth I make my turnouts on pcb sleepers and just solder the rail directly to the sleepers, I find its easy and looks pretty good once weathered and ballasted etc As an example, click on the toplink below (Greenwood cutting) and go to post 10

I forgot to mention, I replaced the slip with a Barry crossing. I did this for a couple of reasons, the first being that when I made the double slip I only used the class 08 as the test loco and after much fetteling it worked a treat, however because this is ngauge and not 2mm finescale, the back to backs of all my loco varied widely and although some would traverse the slip with ease, other locos would get pinched in the flange gaps or ride up against the V's. Of course I could have rectifed this by either widening all the gaps between the flange ways, but this would have spoilt the look of the thing, or I could have adjusted the back to backs of all the wheel sets on all of my locos, but that would have taken my focus away from building the layout. The other reason for replacing the slip with a barry crossing is because I've wanted to make one for a while now, and this presented a perfect opportunity. Really its just two opposing turnouts built on top of each other, but it does work well and more importantly reliably with every loco.

It's been a while since I last posted anything to RMweb, but then I've been busy building this layout, that has morphed into something else as its gone along. The trackwork is now all complete and working, and I've just made a start on the scenics.

Nice one, There is a lot of work involved though, it will certainly keep you busy for the next few years, I look forward to seeing it progress

Excellent choice of location to model. I used to live in Crowborough on the Uckfield line, which used to reach as far as Lewis before the nasty Dr Beeching came along, a decision much regretted with the BML now full to capacity. The whole LS&SCR was a wonderful thing. I wish you well with this project and will follow with interest The attached photo shows one of through tracks now filled in

I have to agree with Tom's post above Re I have two 33's (both pre ordered) and I've been running them fine on DC for a couple of months now, so was somewhat surprised and disappointed when I chipped them with a CT Elektronik, DCX76D/N decoder only to find that they both became rather poor runners, stalling at every opportunity, plus the lights worked in reverse. When I reversed the process and put the locos back onto the dc rails they both ran fine again. Any comments welcome. Also as mentioned in a previous post, I think the back to backs are slightly wider than one would hope for, making these locos a pain to run on hand built track. Every other loco Dapol & GraFra work fine on this track, but both these locos appear to have a wider footprint across the rails.

Thanks I guess I'm doing it by eye. I try and get the gaps as narrow as possible, but sometimes have to widen them, especially on the tighter bends Although sometimes I have to make the gaps narrower to guide the wheels through the crossing so they don't bang up against the V So the answer is, I do it by eye and then adjust accordingly while fettling

At the other end of the shunting plank is a 3 way turnout, which worked OK with the 08 on first attempt and required very little fettling to get as perfect as is practical in this scale. My class 25 works even better

One further idea, is to contact John at Scalescenes, explain what your trying to to do and ask if you could commission him to create it. That's what I did with the tunnel/bridge arches embedded into standard brick sheet which I used on Greenwood cutting He might say no, but then again an email is a lot quicker than trying to learn a new software package

Its just practice, lots of practice,and lots of failed attempts.

Scratch built, the Templot templates are the give-away, I know you can buy turnouts and a crossing from British Finescale, but as far I'm aware there are no kit versions of ngauge slips.....yet!. The black straight track is from British Finescale. It's a shame Peco don't get their act together and bring their trackwork up to the modern standards that Graham Farish and Dapol have achieved, so RTR track finally matches the quality of modern locos and stock.

Having built a number of 2mm scale turnouts and slips, I've decided to have a go at some fine scale ngauge, because I don't have the skills to convert the 08 to 2mm and I'm totally fed up with my 08 bumping, grinding and stalling its way across Peco turnouts and crossings. This is part of a 5'x1' shunting plank with the aim being smooth stall free running. Below is a short video, forgive the poor camera work

Not sure where this would best go, but thought I'd share it anyway. Taken from the window of the Plymouth to Paddington HST somewhere just outside Westbury. I thought it a perfect example of mix 'n' matching rails on the real railway. The bullhead rail is a short length to a buffer stop and the flat bottom makes up the rest of the siding