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Posts posted by APOLLO
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It's interesting to see varying methods of scenery (etc) construction. Lots of usefull ideas.
I remember my first attempt with my old TT layout back in the late 60's, Mod Roc (plaster impregnated bandage cloth) was the new wonder material back then. Just crumple up and dampen newspapers, wet the Mod Rock strip and make an absolute mess - loads of fun, happy days !!!!
On my loft layout (and a bit in my garage) I use green hanging basket liner strip from Garden Centers, a usefull scenic base material.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Garden-Pride-Hanging-Basket-Liner/dp/B087PKMFC2
Brit15
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Be careful what you wish for with Chinese construction.
https://eng.yidaiyilu.gov.cn/p/05KKOLA6.html
https://eng.yidaiyilu.gov.cn/p/073RC6NF.html
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2712219/monorail-mishap-spurs-govt-warning
Google Tofu Dreg Railways China for some eye openers. All show over there.
HS2 may well be very expensive, but as far as I can tell the engineering is cutting edge and top quality.
Brit15
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To be honest making scenery, retaining walls, bridges, trackwork etc is the part of our hobby I enjoy most. Now I'm up to the roof trusses in the garage with my American O scale. I think thats as far as I can go !! Still plenty to do, freight and pasenger car kits to make, a 1950's half built (by someone else) brass pacific loco to attempt to finish (an ebay bargain), some track to tweak (in awkward places), redo my 5 amp track power properly to eliminate flashes and bangs (I'm a gas engineer, electricity is a little known art). But I'm getting there bit by bit.
My OO loft layouts have no proper scenery other than bits of green scenic roll / scatter. But they're industrial grot so not really needed. I just like to run trains, it's a big trainset really. Mostly complete, just ongoing maintainence etc.
Main layout above, (North Notts area), Wigan & Ince GC below, the missing bits connect with clip on boards. It all works quite well. The loft is insulated, boarded & carpeted, and a velux window gives some light and ventilation. This layout started in 2000 just before the twins were born and I was evicted from a spare bedroom.
The gas works - not nearly as good as Mr Denny's Buckingham layout ones which were always an inspiration to me (I have a dog eared copy of the 1960 something Railway Modeller "Denny Special".
Most bits I used are common models / kits etc, easilly identified !!
High to low level junction. Trix illuminated signals.
Borchester Town (Name pinched from Mr Dyers layouts, another inspirational modeller. Perhaps (to me) the best of all time. The Railway Modeller mag many years ago had articles for layouts like this - "Propiretary Modeller" !!!!!
Low level Wigan GC layout - Darlington Street Goods.
I hate winter these days, cold in the garage, not a lot better in the loft, heating expensive, roll on spring !!
Brit15
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Evolution of my O layout.
1995 on, Make the baseboard strong and stout, add your backscene & paint. Lay track. (Peco O & O narow gauge)
Add outline scenery, build trestle bridges etc, Place scenery base sandstone boulders. Don't drop them (Don't ask) !!
Add chicken wire stapled onto on formers, cover with sackcloth and add red house finishing plaster. While wet sprinkle with sand, dirt, light vegetation, twigs, lichen, actual pine tree branches etc. etc. Ballast track (loose)
Twenty odd years later blast through the scenery with
dynamite5lb hammer & chisel and add a mine branch line.Trestle over trestle required.
Last year, I decided to continue on and up - There's Gold in them there hills !!
This bit is work in progress, well, awaiting warmer weather in spring.
The curved trestle bridge has now been made and fitted. The transition to the high level "shelf" is to be hidden by scenery. Not everybodys cup of tea but this arrangement seems to be quite popular in the USA. The yellow tape are the trestle locations. You can see the plaster / sack cloth / chicken wire construction in this view.
These two boards were made as a portable O gauge shunting plank, but far better used now as high level mine & car storage. It took a bit of both fitting and getting used to visually but I'm quite happy with it now.
We never finish do we !!!!!!!!!
Brit15
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Brit15
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If you or your descendants etc are selling your model railway (etc) collection etc that has been built up over the years may I suggest you take time dated photos of your layout / collection etc (perhaps overall photos and not loads of individual ones) to "prove" (or at least try to) that the said collection / layout or even books in a book case are bought not for resale but as a hobby.
Not sure if this is a worthwhile action to take. But I have, for insurance purposes.
Brit15
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I'm a fan of tatty old run down industrial areas with their canals, railways etc, Wigan was full of them and by the 70's most were gone. All gone nowadays.
Tat Bank is an apt name. We had in and around the North West some ""wonderful"" names / areas.
Slag Lane (Leigh), Slutchers Lane (Warrington), Nob End (Bolton), Sod Hall (Little Hulton).
I'm making a model of the old "New Springs" industrial branch line in Ince Wigan. I have read that this was the first industrial branch line in the world built by the Wigan Branch Railway (off the Liverpool & Manchester).
Lots of industrial choice as shown on the interesting map below. The Hun were after the steel works but were blown off course and caused mayhem elsewhere !!
Springs Branch (The junction and Loco Shed) were just off the map at the bottom.
As to your track I use Peco foam inlay, pre sprayed & weathered. The pre painted track pins in place and by not using glue is easy to alter. I never permanently fix track / points these days. Pins might not work for you on cardboard though.
Brit15
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Tat bank sounded interesting, Google brought this up. Some nice photos of "Tat" !!
https://captainahabswaterytales.blogspot.com/2020/05/tat-bank-branch-titford.html
Brit15
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12 hours ago, moawkwrd said:
certain models would sell all year round if they were good value with enough detail to please most people and some modern features (DCC Ready with prefitted speakers for example). A good shout by another poster to vary running numbers by batch too, as that's a pretty cheap and effective way of increasing choice, as is livery.
I have several Hornby Railroad Black 5's and 9F's from several years ago. Good runners and good value back then.
Easy to renumber etc. The Railroad class 40 also.
We (well I) would like a similar affordable Black 8. They would sell be the bucket load.
Brit15
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1 minute ago, AY Mod said:
Buses on the moon and all that.
I do hope you are correct Andy, and I will leave the subject there.
Brit15
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7 minutes ago, AY Mod said:
How did you determine this is 'reality'? Or are you just making stuff up?
Just wait until the cashess society comes in, CBDC (Central bank digital currencies) are introduced along with "programmable" money.
https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/the-digital-pound
CBDC has the potential to transform the future of payments. It can be used to create programmable money that can be spent only on specific things. For example, a government could issue a stimulus package that can only be spent on certain goods and services. This would ensure that the money is spent in the intended manner and would reduce the risk of fraud.
Brit15
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Cars / Classic cars are exempt even if they rise in value
https://www.georgehay.co.uk/blogs/2019/09/will-pay-capital-gains-tax-classic-car/
But if you trade in them etc you pay tax.
Brit15
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What about a deceased persons spouse / children selling a (say model railway collection) on ebay etc.
May affect a lot of people on here.
Brit15
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I trust our public transport systems so little these days that I (and my family) have our own contingency plans in place. Always have a plan B ( and perhaps a plan C) if and when things go wrong when travelling. Sods Law states that one day this contingency planning will come into play.
My daughter in her new job travels by rail occasionally, London, Coventry, Leeds, York, etc for short meetings. Her company encourages the use of public transport. All Cities mentioned (should) be an easy return journey from Wigan by train in a day. She has a list of hotels / taxis (Uber App) etc on her phone just in case she gets stranded. Also a bit of pre journey research into alternative routes etc does no harm.
The rail operators these days just simply do not care one jot re the passenger.
Long distance air passengers (in my personal experience) seem to fare far better than rail passengers when incidents etc happen. Yes my plane has been cancelled / long delayed more than once, we were looked after and not abandoned. (Major airlines, hotels, alternative flights etc organised).
Brit15
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Said it before, say it again.
"They" (Governments (many), EU leaders, WEF, UN, WB, etc etc etc) simply do not want you to travel freely and as we all did (pre covid), especially by 2030, 50 etc. They have targets, lots of them.
Barriers are slowly being put in place to slowly enact this.
EV's mandatory that most cannot afford, a whole subject in itself (Charging, Elec costs, Insurance, Safety)
This article re the Chanel Tunnel & Ebbsfleet says a lot. Sorry, no trains due to XYZ, Go ""home"" and come again perhaps tomorrow, or perhaps in a few days !!!
15 Minute City & the like (Not a theory anymore, Khan etc are members and are quite open with it).
Mentioning Khan, ULEZ road pricing etc etc (coming to you and me soon in one form or another)
UK (and other) Govs not sorting out our Railways (etc etc) on many counts - they simply are not interested, a part solution to their no travel mandate. Take Avanti trains at Preston last week - Quite simply no one gives a flying **** anymore. Sorry, no service today, go away, we have your money.
Call me a tin foil hatter if you wish, I just do a bit of research and join the (very many) dots together. It's all quite alarming as we sleep walk into Dystopia.
Another subject is the Nations energy, both supply and dependability etc - but that (although linked to Transport) is a whole subject for another thread.
Happy New Year all, off for a walk soon before they put a tax on that !!!!!
Brit15
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Won't let me post a photo, but I clicked at the wrong end and reloaded, but no dice.
Just testing with this text post.
I'm from Wigan, yes the Martians land here every Friday for a night out, but I am a Human, (sometimes) !!!
Brit15
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There will be no intermediate stations on HS2, factor in reduced capacity due to deceleration and acceleration, 4 tracking of sections required, rural population, etc etc. Won't happen.
Dare I mention Woodhead ?
Yes, it slowly lost it's main traffic, coal & freight but if the line was open today, with a high (ish) speed all electric service from Manchester to Sheffield (and perhaps beyond) the trains line would be very well used.
Going forward with net zero, unaffordable (by most) EV's, chronic bus services (everywhere) etc we will soon need every mile of existing railway we have, and more, all electrified (or Hybrid etc). Good to see a Hybrid train in the works.
The GC line did lose its reason to live in the 60's but would be highly useful today, electrified etc, and would solve the WCML capacity issue with a few extra connections etc. HS2 (borrowed !!) money could have been spent upgrading the network as a whole.
By the way I am a GC fan, and a member of the GC Rly Society.
Who killed the GC ?
I, said the accountant,
I, with my myopic eye,
I killed the GC.
Brit15
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1 hour ago, Michael Hodgson said:
We could achieve the objective of complete safety for drivers by introducing driverless trains.
Passengers would be safe if we dispensed with them too.
Sounds like Avanti trains !!!
Brit15
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The HST fleet has travelled nearly a Billion miles (850 million according to Google).
Yes there have been a handful of serious incidents and loss of life.
Brit15
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1 hour ago, Siberian Snooper said:
The drivers may not sign the route between Preston and Carlisle, hence the no Avanti trains north of Preston. TPE operate from Manchester, so I would have thought that those trains could run to Carlile though
Good question. According to this article they (or some) do. London to Glasgow.
This from a September episode, happens regularly.
It's getting to be a lottery travelling long distance by train.
Brit15
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I hope "They" get all our railways sorted out operationally well before HS2 opens or it WILL be a waste of money.
Many problems today, ECML & WCML. Flooding in south Scotland earlier today had Avanti issue a DO NOT TRAVEL warning between Preston & Carlisle - reason (not given) is that train crews exchange at Preston so no northern section trains (with presumably Glasgow crew) could get through south Scotland & down to Preston. So, just cancel THE LOT north of Preston. Why not run to Carlisle & Terminate ?
A total farce, not industrial action this time. I do hope this is raised to a high level, but I doubt any action even if it is.
Never mind, 4% fare rise in April shoul sort things out !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brit15
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I have fixed some problems on my O gauge bogie freight cars by having one bogie "tight" (swivels OK but little / no roll) and one loose to allow easy swivel and roll. Done by tightening one and slackening the other bogie mount.
Not 100% successful but helps a lot.
Brit15
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I bought a few back when Hattons were flogging them off cheap and mine also continuously derailed. It seems a slight track twist / curve etc caused my problems. I eventually sorted it by changing the couplings with plug in magnetic ones. Forgot the make, they just plugged straight in. I left the rake outer couplings tension lock.
Brit15
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I have read the PRR Duplexes were very slip prone so I doubt that claim.
The New York Central perhaps had a contender, The mighty Niagara, sadly all were scrapped. We will never know.
Mallard it is, her run was authenticated with a dynamometer car.
Brit15
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Wright writes.....
in Modelling musings & miscellany
Posted
Hai !!
Brit15