gordon s

Sorry to disappoint you, but it's either the lighting or a paint job as both models have the same paint and lining....

Thanks for that Dominion. I think I have my first duff Zimo decoder....:-) I've always used Zimo but having tested it on my ESU tester, it seems unable to recognise a DCC decoder is there. It's not blown as all the work has been done on the programming track. Not an issue as I can return it for replacement, but that should solve the issue. I'm sure you saw it, but be careful removing the body as there is a speedo connection between the two.

Anyone fitted a decoder into Sun Castle yet? Of course it may be me, but I seem to have some spurious connections from the loco via the tender to the decoder. It worked perfectly well on DC, but there seems to be a crossover somewhere between the motor connections and the track connections. I have removed all the gubbins in the tender and hard wired the decoder to the miniature plug leads. Just off the check it all again, but something appears to be awry somewhere in the wiring connections. Wondered if anyone else had come across similar problems.

Something else worth checking. I use a multi meter to check continuity on all wheels as good running quality requires good pick ups. Whist the tender was apart I checked all the pick ups and was surprised that only two wheels were picking up and even they were intermittent. Took off the keeper plate and saw the pick ups were not making contact with the wheels, so gently tweaked them as that usually fixes any issues. Put it all back together and still not 100%, so took another look. The tender wheels are a metal tyre with a plastic insulating insert. It would appear that the plastic insert is actually standing proud of the tyre and in some cases, preventing the pick up strip touching the metal rim by holding it away from metal to metal contact. Very hard to photograph, but to try and solve the problem, I have taken a scalpel and removed the protruding plastic on one wheel and that has completely resolved the issue. If you really want good running, it may be worth putting a meter across all the tender wheels and just check that each wheel down each side are connected. If not, you may have the same problem. It appears easy to solve, but I will let you know how it went once all wheels are done. I must have really been naughty in a previous life.....

Interesting development..... Received my Sun Castle early this afternoon and it's been running in for three hours or so. All went well, so started to fit a decoder. Once I had detached the tender, something heavy was clearly loose inside and this is what greeted me.... There is a heavy cast weight in the tender, but either the fixing holes in the tender spigots were oversize or the threads had been stripped and the whole lot had come loose in transit. Seemed strange and then I saw a tiny spring poking out of one of the holes. Because the holes were oversize or perhaps stripped, someone had a inserted a small spring into each of the holes to hold the screws....but they had failed in transit and the weight was free to move about. The tender drawbar screw was almost locked into its brass insert, so I suspect over tightening screws is probably likely. OK, not the end of the world and I can fix it, but sadly again it raises a question about quality control on these new models. Shame of it is I was singing the praises of Hornby yesterday as their J15 and J36 are outstanding. Probably the best running locos I have ever seen from a RTR manufacturer. I just wish they could have done the same with these new locos which have had numerous irritating assembly faults. Nothing that can't be fixed, but we shouldn't have to correct simple assembly faults. Lining and colour are the same as the A2.

Apologies if it's been highlighted before, but stumbled across this site whilst looking for prototype shots to give me a starting point on weathering locos. A good mix of both B & W and colour. Very useful..... https://www.anistr.com ....and this one... https://railphotoprints.uk/p945932623/hD2F3B88C#hbb85ae61

Totally agree, Neil. I grew up with J15’s shunting at Palmers Green and the Hornby Model has another wonderful chassis. These two really are exceptional runners, so hats off to Hornby on these two. Thanks for the heads up on the J27, Scott, as I had missed it completely. Now ordered on Hattons. I can see lots of local freight ahead.....

For as long as I can remember, I've been a fan of large loco's, but something happened this morning that threw me. I found this J36 tucked in the bottom of a box and it was love at first sight. I couldn't believe just how attractive this small Hornby loco was, but sadly that was short lived once plonked on my programming track. On DCC it just buzzed for a second and then cut out my ECoS. OK, perhaps I hadn't fitted a decoder, so connected to DC and nothing. Out came the meter and somehow or other there was a dead short. Bear in mind this hadn't been out of the box before, so not a great start. The 8 pin blanking plug had its own small pcb on the back of the plug which included a couple of surface mount components. There appeared to be continuity where there shouldn't, but once removed from the socket, all was OK. The problem would seem to be in this new style of 8 pin plug. Once all that was removed and a Zimo fitted, all was well. Pick ups on all wheels and it runs like silk. The cab backplate is beautifully detailed and once close coupled, it moved off easily with 20 wagons, way over its expected load. I know RTR has come a long way, but this has to be one of the best runners I have ever seen. Shame about the initial short, but easily fixed. I also know it's way out of my area, but Rule 1 applies and I could watch this one for hours.

Just had a mail from Hatton that my order for Sun Castle is being processed.....

Seems fine for me as well......

Afternoon all.... Another Monday and another bin day. The weeks just seem to fly by, but still enjoying a variety of tasks (well some) around ET and its development. As highlighted last Monday, I had a temporary diversion into the world of kit building and a DJH J50 tank loco. As a first timer, every detail of the instruction sheet was read a dozen times before taking a variety of solders to bits of brass and white metal. Had a few issues regarding crankpins and the rods which took a while to resolve. The original crankpins supplied were threaded with top hat nuts and whilst the wheels were all in the correct position adding the rods required a few hours of on and off the loco whilst holes were opened out with a 5 sided broach. Eventually I got it running smoothly, but the size of the holes in the rods meant a) it looked unacceptable and b) it had a somewhat clanky performance once running. There are some things I can live with and some I can't and once Tony Wright and other kit builders suggested changing to plain crank pins and nuts, the decision was made. Off they came and then it was a matter of soldering brass bushes into the oversize holes and starting again. Very glad I did that as it now runs smoothly or should I say, did? The screwdriver slot on the bloomin' grub screw sheared, so I'm now waiting for some stainless socket head screws off eBay. These really are miniscule with a 1.6mm thread and less than 2mm in length. You need a 0.7mm Allen key, so one of them is coming as well. If I'm honest, I don't think I'm cut out for kit building. Yes, I can cope with the soldering, but somehow it really didn't float my boat. Of course I still have the body to assemble, but I suspect this will my first and last kit. I take my hat off to those guys like TW and Graham Varley who built most of my kit built locos, as they seem able to turn out wonderful models time after time and clearly get a lot of satisfaction from doing so. Good job, we're all different...... After the frustration of kit building it was back to something I enjoy and having proven the new storage layout will work, a few bits of rail, some new Marcway sleeper strip and a switched crossing, single slip emerged. I'm very happy with the quality of the Marcway strips and they represent great value for money. Now my preferred product. This will be a drop in replacement for the existing C10 turnout, so once I get through my health issues, I should be able to get the both gradients built for the storage roads and shed above. Final pic is just another RTR loco shot. The Q6 looks ex works right now, but will be turned into a well worn and filthy example soon. Another lovely runner, straight from the box, so good to see it trundle around. Photography can be a cruel mistress and already I can see work for the permanent way staff, with some pronounced straight lines, a minor dip and poor joins in the curve. They will have to come up and be realigned. No idea how I missed that when laying it in the first place, but it will have to be dealt with in the coming weeks. I know some will say take a look at real track and you'll see these things with the prototype, but it's just one of my hang ups..... By the look of the pic, redecorating will be next. Where on earth does the time go......

Apologies, Tony for yet another question, but have just seen you have DJH motor gearbox in your chassis. Yours is an AM10 whereas the J50 is an AM9, but hopefully they are of similar construction. I noticed yesterday that this gear appeared to be loose in the frame, but now believe the section highlighted in yellow may simply be a sleeve. With the motor running that part of the gear seems to be floating and free to move. Is that correct or is there an issue with this motor gearbox? I would have thought the whole gear would be in one piece, but that appears to not be the case. I can see the end of a spindle in the frame, so it appears not to be loose, but just looks strange moving about when the motor is running.

Fault with the website. Pages 4,5 & 6 load OK, but not the others in 4mm. Safari on iPad.

Had an entertaining day with my J50 chassis. I've had it running this morning and all was well other than it was a little clunky for my liking, probably because of the oversize holes, so I decided to start again. I found some new crankpins and crankpin bushes in my spares drawer and spent the afternoon removing the rods to solder in the bushes and then gently opening the holes again until the chassis ran smoothly. Big improvement and pleased with what I had done until I went to tighten the grub screw on the gear wheel and blow me, one side of the screwdriver slot, just sheared off. I certainly wasn't over tightening it as I could remove the remains of the screw. It appears to be 1.6mm diameter and around 1.5mm - 2mm long. Sent a note to DJH this evening to see if I can get some spares, but now stuck until they respond. No worries, it can go back in the box and I have a single slip to build. Thanks for all your tips and advice. They were invaluable. Also thanks for all the pics of Wood Green. There really have been some beautiful locos on these pages over the past few days.

Looking at the N2 pic again, I’m now curious about the pointwork under the train. Is that the remains of another crossing from the slow line? Maybe it was a catch point to stop reversing up the main line? It’s not shown on the 25” map from 1937.

That building is superb and really sets the scene. As Glasgow trams are my second love, the pic is no 203 on page 113 of ‘The Twilight Years of the Glasgow Tram’. Loved seeing it again along with the pics of Eastwood and Thornliebank where my grand parents lived. Really enjoyed spending every summer up there in the school holidays.

That was my favourite playground..... There was always a gap in the large cream coloured gates and we could play for hours in there. Of course you had to keep a fairly low profile with the signal box next door. More often or not there was a J15 shunting a few coal wagons about in the yard the other side of the running lines. All long gone now with flats and Morrison’s supermarket. As a young lad the abiding memories were stepping into the booking hall with the wooden floors that had a smell of their own and waiting for the home signal mounted on the elevated station building to rise. I was at Southgate County in Fox Lane, so it was school finished at 15.40, run down the hill and the station footpath to get the N2 or L1 plus Quad Art set to Wood Green for another couple of hours before dinner time. Thanks for the pics. Edit: Took a while, but found a plan with the yard and goods shed.

Strange thing to say about finding excuses not to build a kit. I hadn’t appreciated it was compulsory..... I bought a kit simply as a challenge to see if I could build one and at that time a J50 wasn’t available. Have I enjoyed building it? I love to be able to say yes, but if I’m honest it is not as satisfying as building my own track. I’m not knocking it as we all have different skills, but happy to spend hours on woodwork and track laying whereas kit building hasn’t really hit the spot so far. It may be I’ll feel different once it’s finished. It’s good for the hobby we are all free to make our own choices of where to spend our time.

Thanks for posting those pics, Charlie. My favourite place as well. End of Wood Green platform opposite the signal box. I was part of the furniture from the late 50’s through to ‘64 when girls and scooters came along...... Just one stop down from Palmers Green and access to the best that the LNER could offer. Happy days...

Some beautiful loco's there Tony. The Loveless loco's are stunning, but then RTR has come a long way also. Spent another 2 hours fiddling this morning with the J50 chassis and taking it very slowly kept opening up the holes in the rods and re assembling. Eventually I did get it turning over, but still not 100%. I was getting concerned about the amount of meat left around the ends of the rods, so decided loco building was not for me and put it away in the box. Had a rummage around upstairs and out popped a packet of 6 plain crankpins and washers, so back down again to see if they changed anything. Amazed to find they ran perfectly with not the slightest sign of sticking whatsoever..... Of course now I'm not 100% happy with the size of the holes in the rods, but it does run really well. I have sent a spares part request to DJH to see if I can get a couple of new rods or the etched sheet, or will look at soldering small washers back into the rod holes and perhaps start the process again with the plain crankpins. Does it matter if the holes in the rods are oversize, other than cosmetically? Looking at this pic, they look terrible, so I can't leave them like that even if it does rotate perfectly.

Judging by the holes I get in my golf socks, I may well have....

Not sure where you are getting your prices from, but a DJH Peppercorn Pacific is £214.50 plus another £172 for the motor, gearbox and wheels taking it to £386. The Bachmann model of the same loco is £170. I’m not sure if you can buy a loco kit including the motor, wheels and gearbox for £170, but certainly not on a like for like basis. Even my simple 0-6-0 J50 is now £230 versus RTR at £69. I’m sure loco kits can provide hours of pleasure (or in my case anguish), but they certainly don’t make a lot if sense financially unless no RTR model is available of the particular model you require.

The best I ever saw was this German Gauge 1. That would set off a few smoke alarms......

They look just the job. Many thanks, Dave. Could also do my toe nails at the same time.....

No problem with the questions at all, Tony, as it is my first loco kit. Yes, the wheels are set at 90 degrees with the right side leading. Annoyingly, I had to open up the rods to take the bushes, but that’s done now. There are no nuts, but you’ve given me an idea. I could reverse the bushes to use as nuts and see how that goes. I may even have some spare nuts kicking about when I was attempting to convert split chassis loco’s years ago. If all else fails, I may also have some small brass washers that would fit into the rods if there is enough meat in the surround. I did this once before in some Bachmann rods, but of course they were slightly larger in section. It certainly rotated smoothly until I fitted the bushes and opened up the holes. Thanks for the info re the broaches and rat tailed file as I did wonder if you simply elongated the hole at 3/9 o’clock rather than all round the hole. Determined to get there, but will tread carefully.....