scanman

First - thanks for all the supporting comments folks. Glad to be back! Yep, South Tyne hit it in one! Whilst it will do as a working title, I'm going to have to put my thinking hat on... I've paid something of a homage to the Lieghton Buzzard line by naming the woeks unit as 'Rollright Works'. They of course are at 'Stonehenge Works'...

Well, a long time has passed since I last blogged on this forum - and a lot of virtual water has passed under the virtual bridge - some of it quite rough1 The main disruption has (as is usual) age-related health issues. First, I have developed (or rather ' am developing') 'Extemity Tremor' or shaking hands. Annoyingly my left hand (the dominant one) is the worst affected. Whilst it is not yet debilitating it IS time-wasting - particularly when soldering small objects. Second, my eyesight is definitely degrading, some of which is diabetes-related. So the last few months have been spent in contemplation..... Firstly - I can still make models. It just takes a lot longer, and working in the smaller scales is becoming more a trial than a pleasure. Second - it's not going to get better. So the aim has to be to concentrate on achievable results against the day when all I will be able to do is 'play trains'. A change of scale is inevitable -better to start NOW than leave it 'til I'm forced to change! A visit to Leighton Buzzard and the purchase of Leleux's well-illustrated guide actually provided the inspiration. So - 014, or larger? I have already dabbled in 014, and I'm not convinced that for me it has the 'legs' to provide a long-term approach. 16mm? This APPEARED to be the province of Garden Railways, minor engineering and 'out of scale' clearances etc more suited to the conditions likely to be en countered. I had decided that anything I built would have to follow 'normal' - ie standard model railway practices and would be on baseboards indoors. So what conditions have I set myself? First, the layout must be capable of fairly rapid progression. IE kept 'reasonably' small but well-detailed. However, the layout should also be modular, capable of extension using scenic 'boxes' (this with exhibitions in mind). Standards would be - 32mm gauge, using 7mm wheels - thus providing the finer profiles. The track to be hand-built, using rail held to wooden sleepers by track-spikes (hence flat-bottom rail). Any pointwork to be electrically-operated from a central control panel, with locos powered by DCC with relevant sound units. All buildings to be based on relevant prototypes. Lastly, the project has to financially self-supporting by disposing of my extensive collection of items in 2-, 4- & 7mm scale. Fortunately aquisitions will be reasonable as the rolling-stock is ~BIG and a huge amount is not required (No 28xx's with 100-wagon coal trains!). So now the practicalities.. First, the track plan. A definite 'back of the fag packet' design The baseboard is from the old 2mm layout which never really got started, and explains the constricted dimensions.The 8' x1'6" (2 boards) concentrates on the 'workshops' area - providing stabling for the 'few'(?) loco's intended, and a 'wagon servicing facility' . The main line' will provide access to storage cassettes and/or other scenes when built. However, that is the limit of 'the dream' thus far as I'm awaiting supplies of rail (Codes 85 & 125) before further progress can be made. The reason for 2 different codes is to check which will accept the wheels! The drawback is of course that code 125 is 'Bullhead'... Whilst waiting for the rail, some rolling stock (well, 3 'Hudson' tipper wagons) have been purchased for evaluation from two different suppliers (more of that in another entry) and a kit of a diesel 'Simplex' ('Arkle)' which ran on the LBLR. again,I'll cover construction/modification of that in another entry. So there we are. At least I'll avoid joining the 'pipe and slippers' brigade for a while! .

Ahh - the benefits og GWR Standardisation

Body only wanted - livery not important! No reasonable offer refused...

PM Sent!

Hi Folks - Does anyone have a set of instructions for this kit that they could scan/email me?? I'm completing one for a friend and the instructions are missing. Particularly relevant are the bogies/underframe. Any assistance gratefully received, Regards Ian

Hi Chris - If you havn't seen it already, this one might do! https://www.shapeways.com/product/ZZ3G874YR/gwr-saint-class-locomotive-n-gauge?optionId=57360000 Regards Ian

First - the image that started it all... presented by kind permission of the artist. The barge in the lock is the afore-mentioned 'Unity' and, as can be seen, is a 'wide barge'. She spent her working life plying the 'K&A' between Reading and Bristol carrying carbouys of acid... So on with construction. As previous blogs and other entries have mentioned, I am a firm believer in Knauff 'Floormate'* - sold as an underfloor insulation sheet about 250mm wide, 2.5m long and 75mm thick. Fortunately my supplier (Hampshire Insulation')* use it for purposes other than that for which it was designed and have a hot-wire cutter capable of cutting it down to (as a minimum) 5mm thick (if you're prepared to pay for the wastage!). The material itself is a 'high density urethane foam', completely stable, able to be easily cut with a craft knife, razor saw or (when 'her in doors' isn't looking) a breadknife! Obviously it does NOT like impact adhesives (except 'Limonene-based' ones) and PVA has an extended drying time if layering. However 'Gorilla Glue'* works a treat! For this project I used an offcut of a 30mm-thick board (it is only 600x240mm after all!), marked out the upper pound and lock as one unit, cut it out and dropped it by about 4mm, re-attaching it with the afore-said 'Gorrilla Glue' The lower pound was treated slightly differently in that it was cut from another offcut (hence the different colour) at 15mm thickness. When the upper pound/lock was set, the 'lower pound' was marked out and removed, then the new insert glued into place. The last view shows the end-view with the different water- and land levels clearly displayed. The prototype had a 'fall of over 2m so the differing thicknesses work well. Also on view is the first length of 'easitrack' - one & a bit more to go! When set, the board will be set into 6mm ply walls - this will take the 'hangers-on' like the lighting unit and fiddleyard cassettes. * the usual declaration - my only connection is as a thoroughly satisfied customer! Regards Ian

Cheers all! Regards Ian

Okay, what CAN you do in a space only 600mm by 240mm?? When the idea was first mooted as a 'Challenge' for the 2mm Associations 'Diamond Jubilee' in 202, my first thought was 'Not much' - even in 2mm, and I made my thoughts plain on the 2mm 'Virtual Area Group'.... However, I am also a member of a local photographic club - who for one of IT'S challenges this year, the subject is 'Transport'. Thinking of THAT I remembered a painting by a member of the 'Guild of Railway Artists' entitled 'Saints & Sinners'. The scene depicted a double-track line bounded on one side by a picturesque village and on the other by a canal with a lock... No indication of the location EXCEPT in the lock was a barge named 'Unity' and the builder 'Robbins' 'Honeystreet' visible on the transom. Now I know a little about that barge - in fact I helped measure its sister in the 'Purton graveyard' in Gloucestershire! (http://www.friendsofpurton.org.uk/Vessels/Harriett.htm) The 'Unity' plied between Reading and Bristol via the 'Kennet & Avon Canal' - so my powers of deduction led me to use 'Google Earth' to find the location - (at this point, if it sounds familiar to some RM Web readers - it is - it was the subject in the '2011 Challenge'! Unfortunately due to an 'Annus Horriblis' I never got to complete what would have been a '3D' interpretation of the scene a la Jack Nelson...) However, as a location for a 'Transport' image it has great merit - - I just need a better subject (this image was taken within two minutes of arriving at the location on Bank Holiday Monday) and that was the only barge seen the whole afternoon! HOWEVER all was not lost... What a location for a model with a very limited footprint! As shown in the GoogleEarth' image, the subject has its own boundaries - the road, the canal and the two bridges. Even then, to squeeze it in will require some selective compression between the two bridges... The one thing that cannot be shortened is the lock itself. It has to be 200mm long (100'). The other requirements of the Challenge are - it must be to 2mm finescale standards (obviously) and include ONE working point... Another problem - there is no pointwork at this location.. However, neither is there a station - so now it will gain one. 'Little Bedwyn' halt, complete with a siding on the 'up' line for local farm traffic etc. The 'halt will limit the length of the platform - '48xx' loco + autotrailer, (providing an 'all stations' service') or (in later years) a 2-car DMU service for the same. Interspersed will be 'Halls' & Saints' on secondary mainlime services (updated to HST) and 28xx and heavy deisels on their respective period frieghts. FORTUNATELY the off-scene are is NOT limited in length! Meanwhile the lock will feature barge 'Unity' (of course), or modern-day house-boats dependent on the period depicted. So all this in about 21/2 years. Wish me luck! Regards Ian

Well done Pete - and a credit to the Association. Are you entering 'Thurso' in the 'Diamond Jubilee Challenge'?? Regards Ian

VERY nicely done!

By the time the EU get round to certifying it, the UK may well be out. Much easier dealing with ONE government than twentyeight!

I DID find the 3D button and the render looks great! Let me know when it's on the market & I'll definitely have one (or two!) Nice work (again) Chris Regards Ian B

Something like this...? http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/108310-darkly-labs-emblaser-affordable-laser-cutter-review/?p=2376233 If I can help, pm me - all I need is a dimensioned drawing/good image. Regards scanman