philsandy

Ah! yes, (slaps forehead with hand), I've got it now, Doh! Thanks.

Izzy thanks for your reply. Sorry I'm missing something obvious here. I can see how an Omega wire takes up the excess travel, but not this. As you pull or push the operating rod it's the soldered tube that actually pushes/pulls the switch with it? But isn't the rod still moving the full distance of the switch travel, (eg. 5.5 mm for the switches I have). It obviously works, I've just got a blind spot here.

Yes David I do remember it. So the switch travels the full distance each way and the Omega wire takes up the excess travel? Did you make the Omegas yourself?

Izzy thanks for your reply. Re. the excess movement. On the slide switches there is 5.5 mm travel, and the point blades only move approx. 2 mm at most. If the switch travel is restricted to 2 mm by using stops soldered in place, does this not effect the DPDT contacts to switch the polarity, because it is only travelling less than half the distance?

I want to operate 4 hand built points on a small shunting layout using tube in wire or push pull rods, operated by slide switches. I have done searches on the subject but there are a couple of thing I'm not sure of. As well as the DPDT slide switches being used to mechanically operate the points, can they be wired so they also change the frog polarity, ie. no need for micro switches? If so, would the wires from the DPDT centre terminals both go to the frog, and can the power to the switches be taken direct from a DCC power supply?

Sorry I can't help, but they do look very good, excellent detail for 4mm.

I have used Halfords matt and satin lacquers with excellent results. Coincidentally I have just renumbered a Bachmann Class 105 and sprayed only the small body panels , that have the numbers on, with Halfords satin lacquer. The match is excellent, you can not see the "join".

Sorry, another thread on Tension lock couplings. I use Bachmann TLC using Brian Kirby's magnetic uncoupling system. One problem I've found with Bachmann couplings is there is a lot of waggle in the hook, allowing it to move from side to side by approx. 2mm. This sometimes prevents wagons coupling correctly, ie. the hook on one wagon is so far over it can not locate on to the loop of the other wagon. The hooks are made from metal 0.6mm thick , and I 'm wondering if they were thicker by 0.25mm (0.85mm total) this would eliminate any side waggle and keep the hook parallel to the loop, but still allowing it to pivot freely up and to drop back down. I have just emailed PH Designs enquiring how thick their hooks are with a view to swapping them. Does anybody have any thoughts/ideas on this?

David, my Hornby 08 has a Loksound V4 chip fitted. I didn't understand why if he wanted to change the sound why fit a new decoder, instead of re blowing it. I wondered can a stay alive can be wired to a Loksound V4? it's something I don't know much about. I thought the same thing to, that it sounded better with the original sound. Also mine has plenty of "volume" so wasn't sure why he felt the need to fit 2 sugar cube speakers.

Dave this may be of interest to you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ki3rT2KEpE

Does that not defeat the object of modelling in P87, using 00 vehicles that are 14% over size?

Take the "corners" off the rail ends with a fine file. A slight chamfer on the bottom of the rail and the sides, do not file the top of the rail. You should find this will help start the joiner to slide on to the rail.

I converted a Bachmann Ivatt to a Riddles 2MT couple of years ago.

When coal was delivered to a coal merchants siding on a suburban branch line, would the loco wait till the wagons had been emptied into the coal staithes and then take away the empty wagons, or would the empties be picked up later, say the next day?

Thanks Clive. Re. the BR emblem on the trailer units, the photos in the 2 books I have show both units carrying the emblem, circa 1959 when they were brand new. Photos taken later on from around 1963 they are missing on the trailer units. Would they have had a repaint after only 4 years and the emblem was not applied?