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steveNCB7754

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Everything posted by steveNCB7754

  1. Sadly, the model showing the pose he adopts when asked to hurry up and get it fixed, is currently unavailable! Reminds me of a joke from my apprentice days in the 1970’s - ‘He only realised he had lost his middle finger, when he said goodnight to the foreman’. 😂
  2. Prior to 2019, I had attended nearly every Bristol show for the preceding 20+ years, this was before I retired and moved to Mid-Wales. For all those years, it was an ideal show for me, as I could visit on the Friday afternoon, on my way up to Mid-Wales from Dorset where I lived then. Now I am retired though (and especially in the current financial climate), I am seriously debating whether I can justify going at all. So apologies for not volunteering, as you obviously need someone who can commit to a significant time investment. Hopefully I will convince myself it is a good idea, if so, look forward to seeing you all (and the layout of course) in the flesh. 👍
  3. STOP PRESS!! You might have mentioned this somewhere, but are you at Thornbury (Bristol Model Railway Exhibition) with Beijiao, on Friday 29th April to Sunday 1st May next? Looking through the details as I plan the trip (couple of hours or so for me here in mid-Wales), I see you down in the list of layouts! Steve N
  4. Totally agree with all that has been said so far, as regards the tonality issue - so fading to a lighter hue to imply distance is the way to go. Returning to your original question, regarding how this should appear in the gaps between buildings. Definitely prefer the one on the left (so, small gaps that do not reach the ground), but I think you are always going to have a problem depicting the scene behind your main buildings, so long as you effectively have the horizon at ground level. With no visual horizon at a naturally higher level (say, about a third of the way up and with the ground depicted also rising up to that notional horizon), those blocked-in distant 'buildings' behind the actual ones, are always going to give the impression that the land behind your buildings is effectively falling away - especially if those painted outlines are always lower than the 3D buildings at the front. Easy to criticise I know, not so easy to remedy - such has always been the issue with model railway backscenes.
  5. This suggestion will probably 'do all our heads in', but could your air horns sound board contraption, be connected to and operated by an DCC accessory decoder? That way, any operator could could access that decoder, to operate the horns (even simulate a loco 'somewhere' in the vicinity, not necessarily on the scenic section, for 'atmosphere'). Sounds simple, though I'm quite sure it isn't! Merry New Year everyone. Steve N
  6. 'This is an ex-building, it has ceased to be'. 'No no, its just resting!' Steve N
  7. Well done. Err, so is this a bad time to point out that #1183's cabside numbers, etc., are actually raised letters, seemingly stood-off the actual cabside (...runs for cover)? Steve N
  8. Interesting. Just checked the website and pleased to see (though, perhaps, just a little surprised) that they don't seem to be operating an 'Advance Tickets Only' entrance requirement (for Covid 'reasons'). My decision to go to such things is usually made at the last minute and so I don't normally buy advance tickets. Ironically, the only two times I have ever done so (once for the Thornbury/Bristol Show and once for the Bristol O Gauge Show), I was ill on both occasions and couldn't go. We'll have to see how the world is, come March 2022. Steve N
  9. Ah yes, walking up all those steps to get into the London Model Railway Exhibition, was indeed a 'Stairway To Heaven'. Will we ever be doing that again? Steve N
  10. Presumably, Tom Cruise (suspended from the ceiling) is one of the fiddle yard operators? Dialogue; "Train #25 won't move". "Which one is that?". "The Silver one". "Which Silver one?". "The Silver one that's not moving!" "None of them are moving!!" "Damm, the problem's worse than I thought". Steve N
  11. On that subject (apologies if you've mentioned this elsewhere); are there any confirmed dates for the layout in the future (national circumstances permitting of course)? Steve N
  12. UPDATE: So I looked at the suggested mechanical intervention(s) and came to the conclusion that they were fraught with danger, as in the very act of trying to disassemble the loco (and especially the trucks) was likely to lead to physical damage. As this is effectively a brand new and unused model that I want to sell, I decided that attempting to do that was not an option. Interesting that the generally accepted solution for Athearn locos, is to immediately remove the stock wheels and replace them with NWSL (North West Shore Line) wheel sets. So I reverted to just trying to clean the wheels and axles as best I could, to see if that would help. Now I had already cleaned the wheel rims using a glass fibre brush - not ideal, as that leaves a residue of broken off fibres, but at least I could get at the entire rim eventually, by getting the loco to creep further forward until the wheels had completed a revolution. Next, I got a couple of very fine brushes (I'm sure I've got some of those tiny fibre brushes somewhere, but can't find them at the moment) and some isopropyl alcohol and carefully cleaned the wheel rims, in between the wheel backs and the gear cases and in between the truck sides and the wheel faces/axle spigots (where the pickups bear on the axle ends). All this, in an attempt to clean out any fluff, fibres and excess oil/grease (there was some oil residue on the bottom of the trucks when I first opened the box the other day). First time back on the DCC test track and there was a huge improvement! Repeated the exercise when the wheels were at a location where the loco kept stalling, and the problem seems to have been all but eliminated. Anyway, thanks for the responses and hope this might help someone else. Only thing now, is I guess I should finally bite the bullet and get that rolling road I have been promising myself, so I can give such locos a proper running-in period as well. Steve N UPDATED 2 (22.11.2021): So, I did get a rolling road in the end (DCC Concepts 8-axle set) and gave the GP38-2 a running-in session on it (half an hour, at medium throttle, forward and then in reverse). Then I repeated the cleaning exercise for the wheels/axles/axle stubs and all appears well. Runs smoothly, without any jerking or stop/start. Also pleased with (my first) rolling road - easy to use (though it comes already assembled for HO of course) and seems well made. Already trying other 'display' locos I have, on it!
  13. Can anyone point me towards a detailed guide (print or video) on how to access/disassemble such a loco, because the searches I have done online so far, have failed to turn up anything particularly useful? There are loads of reviews and videos of them operating on people's layouts, but I cannot seem to find anything specific about getting into/servicing this particular locomotive. There is an owners manual in the box, with 'exploded views', but nothing explaining how to (safely) get the loco into that condition. Background: deep in the mists of time I got it into my head that I would like to do a 'Modern Image' US (HO) switching layout. Upshot was, that in May 2015 I ordered (and imported into the UK) a new Athearn Genesis GP38-2 (CSX livery with DCC Tsunami sound) from Trainworld in New York. Lovely loco and worked great out of the box and I spent quite a while getting to know the DCC side, including messing about with the momentum, acceleration and feedback settings, but it effectively ended up as a display model for several years. Then, in 2019, I took early retirement and sold up and moved to my present address, downsizing in the process (so the loco has spent from then until now, packed away in storage). Practical reality being what it is, I have had to re-evaluate my modelling priorities and, sadly, decided that US HO is no longer a goal (or practical in my new circumstances), so am preparing to sell that 'stuff'. Needless to say, I need to check that all is well with the loco before I advertise it, which is where the problem has arisen. Put simply, whilst the sound and lights work absolutely fine, getting the loco to actually move in any direction is not going so well! As it was so long since I last 'played' with it, I eventually did a 'factory reset', so as to rule out any unhelpful CV settings I may have left in place. Equally, the track is clean (my Heljan BR Class 33 sound-fitted loco, 'zips' up and down the test track no problem art all), and I have cleaned the wheels (well, the rims anyway). So, prior to resetting the CV's, it would reluctantly 'creep' very slightly in either direction but then stop (sounds continuing). After resetting the CV's, it will move more 'enthusiastically' in either direction, but now stops and starts moving erratically or just cuts out completely. My suspicion therefore, is that there may be an issue with the pickups (after all this time in storage and never having been run-in) and thus my need for a guide on maintenance. These locos are quite fragile and fitted with a lot of easily damaged accessories/parts, so I would rather see some specific guidance first, before I blunder-in trying to get at the supposed problem with a 'pointy' screwdriver! TIA Steve N [BTW, before anyone complains, whilst I have mentioned DCC above, this is not a DCC question but one of physical maintenance/access to a model loco that just happens to be a DCC equipped version]
  14. Looking good. By coincidence, my continuing unpacking here has recently turned up a few more books, including a softback booklet by P B Whitehouse called 'China's Railways, Todays Image' (Published in 1986 by Millbrook House). One page has a colour photograph of fruit vendors on the platform of Kunming Bei station ('... terminus of the metre gauge line from the Vietnamese border in south Yunnan'.) in October 1984. The four are dressed mostly in the ubiquitous blue trousers and jackets (though one woman has red jacket on and a child in a sling on her back). Produce is mostly apples and it is all in round wicker baskets and looks as if they are about to set off, picking them up with the traditional wooden pole 'yokes' (the baskets hanging off the ends on ropes). My guess (although the photo text does not confirm this) is that they (and others behind them along the platform) have just disembarked from the local train that is described as just having arrived at the platform ('... ten bogie vans and a single wooden coach for the peasants and farmers'.) Steve N
  15. Looking at the rear overhang on that bus, I wouldn't want to have been trying to get it round a tight corner in a narrow street! :-0 Steve N
  16. Ha! OK, I stand corrected (LOL). Hardly seems worth the bother of fitting it though! Interesting - are those nozzles under the front bumper and thus it's just water for street cleaning? Steve N
  17. Not what you were asking, but now you have shortened the tank itself, it's highlighted an aspect of the whole thing, that struck me originally. My gut feeling is that the tanks on such vehicles tend to be taller than the cab roof height of the truck itself , whereas yours looks a little diminutive on that chassis (with that cab). Are we sure that the truck and the tank are of the same scale? Just my two cents (not trying to be funny or 'difficult'). EDIT: Looking again, comparing the truck with the panel van in the background, if the van is HO (1:87) is it that the truck is a slightly larger scale, making the tank seem small? Steve N
  18. Ha! That's a combination of loads you don't want to mix up! Steve N
  19. My concern, is what is the load that the loco is hauling? Hope its not fireworks!!
  20. Nice! Absolutely not an expert, but a quick online check of the Audi car timeline, suggests that this is a later 1980's or very early 1990's Audi. Also interesting , is that it seems as though on present day Chinese Police Audi's, they still only have those Chinese characters on the side doors, but also have the same characters repeated on the bonnet with the word 'POLICE' directly underneath (in capital letters). Perhaps an acknowledgement that there are more foreign visitors in China now, than there were 30 years ago. Steve N
  21. Quick, non-scientific, internet search suggests you are in the right ball park, plus both colours (green and yellow) appear to be lucky/fortuitous. Whether they are prototypical for Chinese lorries at that time I cannot say, but at least it matches the colour scheme of that passing diesel. Steve N
  22. 'Needs Must...' and all that (using the QJ part) Suspect it is the tender water off-take valve arrangement, connecting the tender to the boiler injectors. Steve N
  23. Great video, which has reminded me of another feature of Chinese steam, although I do not know how common/widespread this was. Referring back to that old VHS video I mentioned back in May 2020 (‘Steam And The Dragon’ (The Locomotives of North East China) from 1987), one aspect of such locos that sounded weird, was the use of (I assume) diesel horns on steam locos, rather than their steam whistles. As I say, I don't know how long that had been going on for, why it was done, nor how long it persisted, but I can imagine that even if you could get that sound onto the DCC chips you are using on your locos, that it would also greatly confuse today's viewers at an exhibition! No doubt you would face a constant stream of people, informing you of your 'mistake'. Steve N
  24. Damm, that’s a shame, I mean well done (had hoped you’d give up on them and sell them off at a discount LOL)! ;-) Steve N
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