doilum

I think the issue lies in the modern solder. It doesn't give off the head ache inducing fumes of yesteryear. Regardless of the size or type of wire, I end up adding that sneaky touch of flux. The above mentioned kit included a small block of a resin like substance with the word " rosin" on the box. The instruction booklet described it as " solder paste to assist process", but looks like flux paste. I recall that when I started out, almost fifty years ago, my solder came from the car accessories shop in an aluminium dispenser with the words " Rosin multicore solder" on the side. Turns out that rosin is a concentrated cannabis resin! Everyday a learning day.

Which year was that?

Single core wire is fit only for making model fences or drainpipes in the smaller scales. No doubt someone will challenge this extreme view but those with years of experience building exhibition layouts will probably be nodding. The exception of course is the wire stripped from mains cable to make busbars. The model grade single core is prone to cracking and is a real pain to trace and replace.

My cheap'n cheerful £15 iron died. It had been worked daily hard with three Pecketts and St Frusquin in the last year so I looked for another. I suspect the failure might be in the flex where it got tangled with a still warm tip, but I need another small iron to replace it. So, I looked on Amazon and found something very similar. Unfortunately most irons were currently out of stock so I ended up ordering a soldering kit. My £25 has bought the iron ( clearly an upgrade on the previous) a bag of tips, stand, desoldering pump, solder, flux, some very neat tweezers and side cutters, insulating tape and a multimeter. Beginners, you have no excuse now!

Was it Singer who had an OHC in the thirties?

Unless the loco was shedded there, coaling would be probably done at the main line end of the line?

Excellent movement. I would be happy with that in 7mm using an ABC transmission. I hope you remembered handrail knobs under the tank sides. My first austerity Diana lacks them. By the time I noticed them on the drawing it was too late. The remaining fine detail will depend on the example chosen and date.

The only car I ever made money on. A colleague sold me hers for £50. It had failed the MOT on it's Flintstone floor pan and a quote for repairs had four numbers. The plan was to create a mini dune buggy but when my wife saw it she fell in love. Given that it looked immaculate and the sills were perfect, her brother and I had our work cut out. I fabricated two new floor plans and he welded them in. The Wheeler Dealer bottom line: car £50, gas ( no mig at that time,) £30 steel £15 and £5 for a big tin of yellow smoothrite. Wife loved it, kids hated it, l was impressed, we ran it for a year and sold it on for £400.

When laying new track I solder the drop wires to the track on the bench. This makes the job much easier and, done carefully, makes the feed invisible. If the track is laid and left for some time before beginning a mammoth wiring session, lookit becomes doubly difficult to achieve strong neat solder joints.

Odd thing about the tip on my very cheap Chinese iron, it doesn't need tinning as such. Just a wipe and then apply solder to the job. Very different to the old copper tips which needed fettelling with a file and then carefully retinning.

That was my received information too, but I find a small wipe with a brush dipped in plumber's flux saves much frustration. I have noticed that some of my esteemed clubmates have also adopted the same method in their old age.

I think this more art than science. Be prepared to make up lots of mock up models. There will be plenty of art tutorials on YouTube about perspective and backgrounds, but our trick is to place bridges or buildings in such a way that "vanishing point" is always round a corner.

I was going to suggest a Wills J39. That WAS a long time ago!

Agreed. The new cheap and cheerful irons seem to need a lot more constant cleaning. That said, once warm, a quick wipe produces a perfect tip.

Did you clean the tip again? This needs doing before each individual task especially with modern solder. There are fancy foam pads but being honest I use a bit of wet kitchen towel. Next tip is to get a fibreglass pencil and clean the rail immediately before soldering. In the world of solder cleanliness IS godliness.

First I have heard of a 6 wheeler. Can anyone enlighten me? Sorry, should have read to the end! Perhaps it was because I remember it in a rather gloomy shed with narrow aisles that I never noticed the stumpy tender at the time.

HE 2414 was S112 the 50550 class loco. The only diesels listed by the IRS at Ackton Hall were three Hunslets. HE 7062 (1971) 7279 (1972) 7540 (1976). This appears much older. There was history of other collieries, in particular Prince of Wales, sending surplus / dead locos down the line for resurrection or scrapping. I cannot however find a likely candidate.

I vow to never say anything rude about Slater's wheels again!

In SM32 most stock uses a single centre mounted buffer. Couplings are either of the chopper type which can be adapted for automatic uncoupling, or a simple 3 link chain. The SM32 track is much coarser than O gauge finescale, nearly as big as the old clockwork Hornby rails. Unless you are able to fit radio control, speed will be a real challenge on tight curves. The guys on YouTube who have full length trains on the back are not showing off stock, more trying to keep the little monster under a semblance of control. My greenhouse SM32 track has 42" radius curves perfectly adequate for a radio controlled Roundhouse loco, especially now it has a Slomo device fitted.

The austerity is probably S143 a Bagnall build from 1944. It had been at Ackton Hall just over ten years and was scrapped on site in 1976. As boy racers we kept a good eye out for the cars from Crofton. Always immaculately clean, four up and no chance of being let off with a bollocking!

The austerity is probably S143 a Bagnall build from 1944. It had been at Ackton Hall just over ten years and was scrapped on site in 1976. As boy racers we kept a good eye out for the card from Crofton. Always immaculately clean, four up and no chance of being let off with a bollocking!

Is there room for a backscene? If so, this could be made structural.

There is a cheat method using a Bowden cable to mimic the prototypical hydraulic rams.

For anyone new to this artform, the kit manufacturer has thoughtfully provided some etched liines in the cab front. This area can be removed to allow the gearbox or motor to steal a a little precious space. It is worth almost cutting this with the Dremel in case you need the space later. In 7mm it can be worth ditching the cast firebox backhead and fabricating a new one with an extra couple of millimeters. Noone will be the wiser once the roof is on! These lessons were learned the hard way!

Cheers. Will do when I finish painting rainbows