TT-Pete

"around" maybe, however "between", not so much...

Sounds uncomfortable.

And another one in agreement, in my case having dabbled with Hornby 1:120 I have now decided to remain with 3mm, and although I think some in the 3mm Society saw it as a threat, it perhaps works well as a recruiting sergeant. Stange how things can work out sometimes.

I like the term "shuffling plank" and intend to use it more often in conversation. 😁 Having two independent circuits is a really good idea and I noticed that we often had more motion at any one time than some of the other larger DCC layouts that were effectively operating "one engine in steam". Ridiculous maybe, but effective, using the headshunt to kick back is more visually engaging and doubles the distance the loco travels in front of the viewing public. Yes, it could do with being a bit higher, and perhaps some outriggers to stabilise it for when clumsy great hulking operators keep knocking their knees against it and threatening the first airborne class 76. Adding crews is an interesting one, agreed for a roundy-roundy layout, but on a shuffling plank won't it look a bit weird with stationary locos all fully crewed? Also don't they need to be at both ends given the reversal moves as mentioned above? Cheers, Peter

Here's one I took:

The LMS Ivatt diesel progresses; My only criticism is that the 3d printed buffers are very fragile, having snapped several off I have replaced them with metal Tri-ang A1A buffers. I paid Fox Transfers to reduce the artwork for the numeral etchings to 3mm scale (eek! expensive!) but at least when that's done any future purchasers will be able to get them at the usual price. Cheers, Peter

Oh how I hate it when that happens (usually a cat's hair in this household!), or noticing that you sprayed a bit too long, or too close, and now have curtains. Varnish hides a multitude of sins, but can also introduce new ones... Hope you're not facing worst case scenario.

I have experienced this from several mainland european manufacturers/retailers of late. 😢

I reckon Rackarkatten would give Marley a run for her money...

Good man. The 3mm Society membership form can be found here: https://sites.google.com/site/3mmpublic/a-1 🙂

Oh dear, I really shouldn't go to shows like York, now I've got all kinds of new ideas running around my brain, I really did not need any more projects but now for some strange reason I'm thinking that radio-controlled battery-powered locomotives are the way to go... @Red Devil can't wait to read all about it in the Mixed Traffic article! (nudge, nudge 😁).

Well that was a bit of a trek, but what a fantastic couple of days! First a big thanks to Phil for inviting me and trusting me operating Bluish, maybe it's small, but it's perfectly-formed and oozes character from every angle with loads of well-observed cameos, on day 2 I was still finding little details I'd missed first time around. It was great to be able to put faces to many of the RMweb crew and meeting old 3mm Society friends I haven't seen in years, really made me think that I need to get out more! And thank you for all the kind comments regarding my locos, it was nice to be able to see them running in a fitting environment; But total kudos goes to Phil, that fleet of 76's and the EM2 really are the dog's undercarriage. 😃 Thanks again Phil and hope things go well today. Cheers, Peter.

Umm, guilty as charged! I got bored during a work Teams call a while back, so was perusing Lenny's website in the background, used the contact page on his website, then had a conversation on email "lennyapplegreen@hotmail.co.uk" and about a month later one of these turned up (seen stood next to my OO version): The chassis is fab, very smooth and excellent low speed running, as good as Piko/Roco in my opinion.

Hi Dave, Yes, I also have noticed that Lenny can be a bit heavy on the window frames, the class 07 I have recently started being a case in point (it looks like it's wearing diving goggles in case it falls off the quayside); vs. Yes, No: a.) very interesting (more please!) and b.) good motivation to get on with your own stuff! I was in 2 minds what to do about the window frames, but having read your post I've now decided to get the scalpel out and trim them off. Cheers, Peter.

Awesome picture. :^)

Agree, I find most influencers "much ado about nothing", or at least more ado about themselves than the models/hobby.

Well thank you kindly, but I would beg to differ. 🙂 (I know where all the bodges are) Aah. Vale Exchange. 😪 And I happily take the compliment of my retaining walls having reminded @Phil Mason of an actual location, particularly one such as this: Given all the different stuff I run I need the background to be generic enough to be able to be Anytown, Egalstadt, Partouville in TT3 or 1:120 (not to mention H0m), so hopefully they have as much of a Euro vibe as a Bradford one.. It runs from the station overbridge at the left down to the loco shed on the right. One day there may well be things poking over the top of it such as chimneys, low profile factory/housebacks etc.. Stonewalling paper is from Auhagen, comes on a roll and is cut it into sections that are glued on to sheets of cardboard cut from cat food boxes and to strips of dowel for the uprights. These are then glued onto a fibreboard backing sheet and built up with the different layers to give depth. Strips of Auhagen coping stones finish it off. The paper is from the "TT/HO" range and so is allegedly between the two scales of 1:87 and 1:120, oh, so let's say somewhere around 1:100, or TT3 then? 🙂

Yes, definitely! The glossier the surface the better they stick, then a nice coat of either Satin or Matt spray varnish to seal everything in, then once fully-hardend you can be rough with the weathering as you like.

It's been some varied stuff passing my workbench, Starting with finally getting roundtoit applying white pinstripe lining to the Express Parcels BG (I can't believe how long that's taken) It has etched brass sides on a whitemetal castings/chopped Tri-ang chassis/roof bodge combo. Runs surprisingly well considering. Obvious cut corner is the lack of door handles. But unfortunately not this one. Thumper bodies were stripped back, a think was had and decision reached that the best way is to cut, bend and solder the door handles/knobs myself individually (never done this before). Once thrown into it progress was steady up to the point I realised the door handles were 0.5mm longer than they should be. Might not sound like much, but is visually niggling. Current plan is to unsolder the ones already in situ, prepare a whole pile of handles in advance then plough through them. Also been a bit of maintenance work, a while back the 73 ED developed a fault throwing bogie cardan drive shafts under heavy acceleration around corners. That's really irritating as I made it a pig to take apart, so it got put to one side for a bit. The chassis started life as PIKO Taurus and is much-modified being cut into 3 sections (bogie centres, motor) and plastic fillets grafted in to match the class 73 bogie centre/wheelbase dimensions. But I'd left a little too much play on one bogie so that the driveshaft could pop out at the extreme end of travel, so that's now been sorted with a shim/spacer glued in. Must be around 18-20 years old this year and still runs smoothly.

Groovy.

..but superglue was involved.

I saw it in Railway Modeller a good few years ago and thought it was superb. And are you aware of the connection between Mervin Turvey of the 3mm Society and the TV prog Midsomer Murders?

This just came up in my YouTube feed, lovely!

He'll have them all done in a fortnight anyway.