Lyddrail

I am very impressed with my two 56s in many ways, but I have a couple of problems. I am a DC user. The coal 56 running was fine both directions and then haulage with Cavalex HAAs was going well until it stopped! It then moved slowly with my controller red light flashing meaning overload or a short. I checked it was not the layout by testing a different loco which was ok. I tried it again yesterday and it was slow again with the red light flashing, but then suddenly burst into power and drove away. It now runs fine, but a friend's 56 ran slowly from the start and today burnt out. He is sending it back. Is this a known issue? My construction 56 had no white lights at one end that didn't work. However, I always switch lights off anyway. But I tried to switch them off reading the book but there is no central off position which the book mentions. I am also not sure why there are only red lights front & red lights rear, nothing for white lights, only cab lights + Power pack on and power supply on. Any thoughts? Cheers.

I have pics of both in red in 1989. Cheers.

I would be interested in some of these, likely for hauling, but I guess a Tenshodo might fit the bill to motor one. Cheers.

I think this looks like it is the wagon, with the Horsham Power Supply logo. ADM700703 ZVV at Paddock Wood on 25-9-90. Cheers.

Yes, I have done a fan wagon a version on an ex bogie C. But Steve Farmer did the Grampus version on my layout, and supplied me with the fan I used on my wagon, plus one more that I will fit into a Rudd where it ended up on. Cheers.

A friend of mine made the match wagons (ex GUV chassis) and fitted a bar on a Eurostar motor coach to run on my layout Tonbridge West Yard. There were two 73s adapted to couple to Eurostar's, plus one 08, or use the match wagons with a fleet of class 37s, not sure if anything else was used except unmodified class 73s . It this what you wanted to do with a motor coach? Here are a few pics of the model train. Cheers.

Andy, I am not sure if the wood are sleepers, they look a bit larger to me, but there are likely variations of these beams. Cheers.

I gave my Accurascale class 92 92003 a test run, which went very well and smoothly at various speeds. Hauling a long rake without trouble. The model comes with most of the cables and pipes fitted on both ends, with the front plates (or whatever they are called) to be added plus the cable on these. Without them the tension lock coupling can work with the pipes etc fitted. Screw couplings are provided as are card window blinds plus etched arrows and plaques. There is a lot of fine detail including the cab interiors. I have very few items that are not spot on, some of which have been mentioned by others. 1. The bogies lack some depth and openings that Lima's version did include. 2. The tunnel polos are moulded, and the silver paint or print is not smooth which looks odd (see pics 1 & 2). The arrows and plaques prints look the same. Revolution Trains used etches on their N gauge model. 3. The shoebeams are painted silver but should be light grey (anti flash paint). They are different on each side of the bogie, but the leading shoebeam should be taller. It is taller but doesn’t look enough to me (see pics 3 & 4). 4. The front cab windows don't have the rivets/screws that Lima represented (see pic 5). They are not that noticeable. 5. Something is wrong with the cab side windows. The windows are black but there should be a section of black paint under the windows. This is missing, so are the windows too big, or is the divide between the greys out of place? On further investigation the bottom of the dark grey should be level with the cab front black section. Confirming this is the grilles on the righthand of the side, where the second bolt from the bottom is too low (see pics 6 & 7). Therefore, the grey divide is too high making the polos too high as well. The doors would now be wrong as the top door handle lines up with the divide as is. It looks like there is not enough space between the handle recess and the bottom of the door window. 6. The pantograph head appears too big and stays in an angled position. 7. Now the elephant in the room! The roof is very nice, but the pantographs may be clever in raising on DCC, but they can't lower into the stowed position which is level with the cab roof! Being approximately 5mm too high. Not good for 3rd rail operation! Are they too big? Does the raising mechanism dictate this? I will look at somehow getting them lower, but it will take some doing. However, it is a very good model overall. I point out what I believe to be incorrect so you can decide if it bothers you or not. I will likely not try and correct many of these, the pantograph being the most important to improve 3rd rail operating.

Here are a couple of pics of my layout at home now it is retired. Heavily compressed to fit a space 18ft by 10ft. Set on NSE period although friends have run more modern stock. Cheers.

I took some pics of these wagons at Hothfield (near Ashford in Kent) on 19-2-92. Plus Tonbridge West Yard on 11-11-90. They were more common at Allington near Maidstone in Kent. Cheers.

Paul, Yes, you are correct, the Lowmacs are for brakeforce and a SR staff van. A photo of ADB976025 YYPat Paddock Wood on 25-9-90. Cheers.

Nearholmer gives much information of the Power Supply workings. I worked in maintenance but saw the Hastings-Tonbridge electrification and Networker & Eurostar upgrades to substations etc. The department only worked on the Southern region (other regions had Electrification departments), in my time the depot was Horsham, but they would use local sidings and yards on projects. Paddock Wood yard was a depot for many years for the work in Kent. They had a fleet of older vacuum and piped wagons, but got extra air brake wagons in the 1990s. They did have brake vans including bogie SR brakes in earlier times. They had opens Tubes, Pipes and Steel opens, and BR vent vans for stores including ex shoc version (but the vans likely ended in 1980s). Here are some pics of trains. Cheers.

He was on holiday on the Romney Marsh, should be back soon. Cheers.

These wagons (this version) were converted by EWS and therefore didn't carry Dutch livery. I think EWS was the only livery they had. Cheers.

Cameron, Thank you for your review, very helpful. I received some wagons today. The reason the coupling at one end is not straight is the distributer has small pipes which push the coupling to one side. These pipes could be cut off if necessary. Cheers.