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O-Gauge-Phil

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  1. Yes, it was a better than average show and great to see Dave, he was much in demand but I did manage a good half hour chat with him.
  2. The Farnham exhibition was last weekend, it went very well and we are just about getting straight again. There were lots of visitors on the Saturday and maybe more on the Sunday. Several fellow Farnham & District Railway Club members gave a hand with running the layout with Peter S and Peter L who really hit the uncoupling magnets. Two dropped out as they hastily had to put up and man another layout when a visiting layout failed to turn up! My carefully planned timetable of when everyone would be running a session - taking into account short breaks, long breaks, lunch, guests, people having other commitments, some starting late and some starting early - became a bit redundant. I was intending to give everyone enough time away from the layout to amble around the exhibition and for me to be able to provide guidance but that now was tricky with limited numbers. Added to that only Peter S and Julian had operated the layout before and none of the others had any prior knowledge of DCC. The resulting sessions didn’t quite turn out as planned and Peter S unfortunately had a couple of sessions lasting 2 hours. Luckily we were able to set the layout up in the school in Aldershot on the Friday evening beforehand, this of course made it much easier for the Saturday morning starting the day. I think it took us three hours to set it all up (including lots of idle chat), considering it is a span of around 22 feet long, with the four 4ft baseboards plus the approx. 6ft x 6ft Fiddle Yard (Note to self, build a smaller layout next time). This in itself takes a while to put the parts of it together, with the rotating and traversing tracks section sitting on the base and adjoining the layout. It must be said, though, it was mainly just me and my wife but it would have been a lot quicker to put together if I had roped in more help. The trouble is I do not exhibit it very often, so forget and have to relearn again. We actually had the layout stretching out in our living room while I tested everything the week before the exhibition. This was quite a sight and it was fun to show it on the Sunday beforehand to several of our very surprised neighbours! You can imagine the look on their faces when they turned the corner from the hall to the living room, it took all day as most stayed for over an hour and was most enjoyable. Back to the show. There were a few snags, as always it seems. It started early on Saturday Morning with a points problem. I investigated the base board to find a plastic piece that holds the micro-switch was broken. We tried to stick it temporarily with glue but ended up with a bit of wire to short it out. This seemed to do the trick but it unfortunately took a lot of my time. Bit like the swan outwardly talking to everyone but all my concentration on finding a fix. Of course we fixed it afterwards in seconds with the board on its back. Couple of hints that may come in handy in future are: firstly have some pieces of wire with crocodile clips at each end, (which I had), and secondly a spare frog juicer wired with crocodile clips which can then be substituted for a naughty point micro switch, (which I didn't have). A coach derailed for one reason or another, don’t know why, never has before - I’ll have to check it out next week - although we did manage to keep trains running all the time. Visitors did seem keen and there were lots of photos and videos taken. One commented on a vote for “the most appealing layout”, that we were “the coolest layout”! I’ll take that any day, in fact there should always be a prize given for it. There was the odd slip-up due to too few hands on deck. At one point I was alone running the layout, my wing man, (Mrs O Gauge) handed me an all-important cup of tea and I moved a train forward from the Fiddle Yard, which was unmanned at the time. I couldn’t see it from where I was standing and must have been diverted for a second as I unfortunately sent the wrong one from the fiddle yard and a locomotive nosedived off onto the floor. Mrs O Gauge said she was glad she hadn’t done that! I used to fly model aircraft so it’s not new to me. Anyway these things happen and in future I will have a piece of netting. Next to us was the impressive Sherton Abbas with fellow RMWebber Dave who I’m sure you all know - if you don’t you should - a superb O Gauge layout with a raised base board and his area in the hall was constantly busy with people crowded around to see. It was excellent, well done Dave. He didn’t get best at show so it shows how good the other layouts were. Dave was interested in the fiddle yard, I took some videos so I think I should be able to put a description on here next week. It was really nice to meet the chap who reads my drivel, too. An enjoyable weekend but tiring, must keep telling myself this is a hobby! Don’t know why I don’t seem to sleep too well before an exhibition, so much to think about I suppose and for me it always seems to be an exhausting experience. I sometimes say I won’t do it again. Until the next one of course.
  3. Sorry your right it’s next year ,so is Copper Wort I was looking at the wrong page. But you are right. Not sure if the Belgium layout is coming because I don’t think they have confirmed, long way go just to check. I’m guessing there not.
  4. Farnham and District Model Railway Club Exhibition this weekend. Lots of good quality layouts, Great Western layouts including Sherton Abbas, Dillmouth .Also, Brixcombe and Wickwar,
  5. Hi Chris, I'm glad you spotted that! A cunning plan Baldrick to see if anyone noticed! I have just added that ground signal to the diagram but it is not installed yet. I guess I'll be looking for a spare if I ever get around to motorising the ground signals. Thanks for that, (nice to know someone reads my rubbish!). Cheers, Phil
  6. Hi Guys, Here’s an update. I have been a bit lazy lately, but I have added a paddock and a stone wall. Also added lights to the platform but still have to write the software to make them twinkle. Maintenance and improvements seem to keep me quite busy now. All the legs have been replaced due to the delamination of the plywood caused by flooding in the museum where it was on display . This was during the Covid Lockdown and insurance rules meant that I wasn’t allowed in to check on it. The damp conditions caused by the sump pump failure covered the layout in mould. The back-scene has been airbrushed now and I am very pleased with the results, so quietly confident to do my own one on my next layout. It had been covered in black spots and was pealing, it was very sad. There isn’t much more to do now on this, doing these areas has more or less brought this project to its conclusion. Not to worry, I still have another 70-odd kits to build! I’ve added some Bluetooth speakers into the lighting rig playing seaside sounds uploaded from the BBC sound effects department - unfortunately after a couple of cups of tea the sounds of breaking waves tends to make running sessions - literally - quite short! I have recently made some cards up, postcard size, for the drafted help (and myself really). They have a photo of the loco on one side of the card and the Rosta numbers and functions on the reverse. Most engines have been rejigged so that the same keys are used throughout, e.g. F2 whistle, F6 guards whistle, F9 flange squeal, etc. I will post some pictures next weekend as we are taking it to the Farnham & District Exhibition in Aldershot this weekend. They have sat me next to Dave’s Sherton Abbas in the Sports Hall so we all know who’s layout everyone will be looking at! Cheers, Phil
  7. I have found that cheap china ones are OK for the wire brush etc but the bearing is no good for drilling anything small. lasts about 5 years. Dremel is good for everything. I have two, one in a drill press and one I use for hand drilling/grinding etc. For hobby use will almost last almost a lifetime. Small drill bits are best in collets get a set or use stepped 1/8" drills. Chucks have off center problems okay for big drills over say 0.3 mm. eg I only mark the verticals when doing coach sides, then running the coach down an edge, handles come out perfect when you look down the coach. With a cheap drill you may have to center pop all the holes to get them in line. Proxxon last forever not just hobby but for professional full time use. Can also be used for milling. Probably the best bearing set. I have 2 drills, I use one for sanding and large side forces and a better one just for repression drilling. So you pays your money as they say. Hope this helps
  8. Thanks Ade and Don. Could be a lot worse, but it's OK really. Anyway been a busy bee, adding some detail like telegraph poles. Put an electrical supply pole as per a picture from Disused Railways, then realized this possibly might not go with the gas lights. Anyway, reason for all the recent activity is I'm taking the layout to Basingstoke this weekend. It's a two day show, Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th March. I'm hoping for a leisurely prep. on Friday night. The last exhibition we took it to was an early start, lots of hard work to get it set up, never really caught up all day and then late at packing up. The day just went so fast, apart from running trains we had two people just giving out handouts and talking to everyone, non-stop, really busy exhibition. Gosh, wondered why we do it. Absolutely Cream crackered the next day. If any of you RMWebbers are coming to Basingstoke please stop and make yourself known, would love to see you. Mrs O Gauge will be in command, haha!!! I will try to say what's been occurring next week once the dust has settled. Meanwhile I have been doing a bit/improvements on the scenery, A.V., Dinghams and the lightings Hope to see you, even just one of you on Saturday. Cheers Phil
  9. Well it's been a long time, so an update is well overdue methinks. I’ve had problems for a year or two with RMWeb since they updated their site. It looks like this now - I've been unable to update browser on our TV, it's still okay on the Ipad though. Also been busy with the house move – yep, the “great upheaval” finally took place and here we are in Farnham, Surrey. We love this place and the house, except for lack of large railway room! Hoping to build an Ade style cabin one day. I’ve had to restore Dillmouth since our last exhibition, (Witham, January 2020), after which it has been on permanent display in the basement at Whitewebbs Motor Museum in Enfield. This was fine at first but then it became flooded because the sump pump failed and we were not allowed in due to Covid - insurance rules. The damp caused a bit of a problem so we removed it last July before it fell apart completely. We dried it out to remove the mould, treated and dried it all, replacing the rotten woodwork on the base boards and legs that had de-laminated. I have also now given it a coat of paint and very pleased with the result. The backscene has suffered a bit, though. Gutted really. Whitewebbs Motor Museum, worth a visit if you are in the area. Cheers Phil
  10. Very nice. I had to check again that is a Parkside. Phil
  11. Again! Have you got another log cabin out there? A Secret Santa train set perhaps? Happy New Year
  12. until

    Excellent. Everyone very helpful, had some very thought provoking discussions on signal operating mechanisms etc. Nice to see things opening up again and Traders!.
  13. Nicely painted figures but the one looking out of the Sentinel looks a bit familiar. Oh - is it you or a lookalike?!
  14. Definitely no shortage of motive power! Very nice.
  15. ‘‘Tis looking the part now. Lovers Lane has brought it to life. Yep jab was very well organised five minutes from leaving car to getting back in, my wife couldn’t believe I’d had it! Very unusual to have something so well done. Let’s hope we can now start setting dates for an exhibition, seems such a long time now. In need of a good trade show to finish off some of these kit waiting for the odd bit before the paints applied. Nice fencing and so much of it!
  16. If might not be necessary to strip everything down, sometimes just remove or reposition.. Preheating in an oven just makes things easier. I sometimes preheat white metal kits , usually keeping them on the radiator, it just means I can use a smaller iron to get to those hard to reach areas and the solder flows better. As for SWMBO are you man or mouse? Someone told me there's two types of blokes, those under the thumb and the liars. Cheers Phil
  17. Hi First thing I would do is remove the wheels and place a 3/16 rod in each axle hole . Depending on how out of square it is , you might just be able to remove the bearings open out holes and re-assemble using your nice new jig. lf the chassis is banana shaped you may have to remove the spacers and rebuild. dis-assembly will require a lot of heat , so preheating in an oven will save distortion and the part can be removed with a poke of the soldering iron. See not for Peter, he is the bees knees at this! Good luck.
  18. I do feel for you, it's a very lonely place when things don't run the way they should. It's so easy to imagine all sorts of things. It would be so nice to have someone with knowledge looking over your shoulder and with a few words of encouragement. Still if it was easy ........ and there's a good feeling when you do crack it. Some people never have that sense of achievement. Looking forward to the next installment.
  19. I’m building a Great Northern C12 in O gauge but I am unfamiliar with the livery two tone green, so I have a couple of questions:- what lining to use ? HMRS,LNER Locomotive Lining ? Is this lining still okay for GNR? Who’s Insignia? What colour are the tank tops? I also have this bit over, Many Thanks Phil
  20. Yep I did the same, went out and bought a selection of Humbrol enamels just like I always did. Most of my painting is now precision for the railway colours and Vallejo for the rest. So far Vallejo hasn't settled, it is in a nice eye dropper bottle, I just get a tiny droplet on a palette ( bit of plastic packaging). It mixes easily with water for a wash and if it does settle in the future I will try adding a ball bearing to the bottle. The heart just sinks when finish goes tits up. Phillip
  21. As Eric said to Ern, you cannot see the join. Humbrol varnish has taken a lot of stick for a while now I think for yellowing etc. Probably since production moved to China. I've had some bad paint , no thinners in the tin just pigment, wrong colour, it's quite frustrating when you just want to finish something off. Its a shame because I would always prefer something made in the UK. Testor's is now my goto and Revell is easily available. I now have a good selection of Vallejo, its a shame Humbrol have fallen so far behind, although I am sure many will disagree. Looking very nice. ATB Phillip
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