Mike Todd

I said I would finish it one day ! It has taken a while …. but I am happy with the final result, all working well ! Thanks for watching. Mike. (Upside down - why ?)

Absolute Aspects. … not cheap but highly recommended, a satisfied customer.

Going slightly off topic, does anyone remember the model railway at Hamley’s of Regent Street in London probably in the early/mid 1950’s. There was a large sweeping staircase up to the first floor and the atrium was surrounded by a beautiful 4mm scale railway, fully scened, probably mostly hand made. It held my imagination even though, if I remember correctly, it was only a single line roundy roundy. Less is more, as they say.

I bought one 5+ years ago, TVR spec., detailed it with coal, crew, 3 link couplings, added weathering then ran it in on a rolling road. When brought up to speed for the first time, it burnt out and has been a showcase model ever since. I seem to remember a replacement PCB was being offered ....

Congratulations to Zorcan for devising and writing an excellent procedure for uncoupling Kadees, I have had total success with my similar attempt. Firstly, the mentioned suppliers for both the magnets and the tinplate delivered within 24 hours, I chose to excavate from below existing track (Peco OO code 70) through the sundeala and cork as tracklaying and ballasting were complete. My uncoupler is fitted towards the end of a goods siding where only trucks will be placed. I used plasticard instead of Daler board. Testing has been totally successful with both local and delayed uncoupling, a few trucks move very slightly under the influence of the strong magnets but dc locos are not affected and all is well on a 6 foot radius curve. The end result : inexpensive positive operation without ugly visible plates, no electrics, no unwanted uncoupling whilst slow shunting.

I bought a similar loco (is it HO ??) some time ago. After running in on a dc rolling road, I brought it up to full speed briefly .... and it burnt out ! I seem to remember there was a replacement pcb available, mine remains a static model with real coal, crew and some weathering, probably any guarantee now invalid.

This is my control panel for WESTMORE, nearing completion one of these days ! Perhaps I would go for DCC if I was starting again, but I like the levers and switches. Assistance appreciated from Modratec, Gaugemaster, MSE and others.

Has anyone connected an MSE lever frame to operate solenoid point actuators through a GAUGEMASTER PCU 2 switch arrangement ? The lever frame is operated forward and back, the PCU 2 is spring loaded forward and back with centre off.