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Thanks - it was worth that shot, they have kindly sent me some circuit diagrams! Regards Tony

Has anyone ever had one of these apart to repair? It looks like the output transistors have blown, but there are no identifying numbers on them. I've not been able to find a circuit diagram or anty tech details online either.... At least if I knew the transistor types, I could replace them. Tony

Thanks Carl - Work continues - adding York Modelmaking GNR signs and lamps to Peter Leyland's excellent station building. Posters have also been added now. A J50 fies by.... I'm also starting to plant the signals. Thats an odd looking moon up there! and connect up the servos and Merg controllers underneath... still more wiring to add...

I built this LNWR coal tank for a client, it was a Jidenco design enlarged to 7mm scale for Shedmaster. It was an absolute pain. I ended up scratchbuilding half of it. I'd have been better of starting from scratch in the first place! It was painted by Warren Heywood.

I can't quite make 50 years seperation in models of the same class, but I can do about 30! 90674 was built as a one off in the '90s, long before I moved from 4mm to 7mm scale. 90437 was built in 2017 . Oakville and JLTRT kits respectively - although the Oakville one has had two rebuilds..

Once you start running the layout, some of the planning deficiences come to light. There was a limited number of trains that could use the down line from Bulwell Common, so I put in a crossover between the up and down storage lines so that trains stored in a fan of sidings off the up line could run on to the down. Anyway, once wired in and tidied up, it created a direct short. I had forgotten to de-link the two closure rails. So with some choice words, it all had to come up again... Experiments to extend the wifi in to the railway room are still unsuccesful - it is a metal clad building... One of the movements it allows now - is 'engine and brake' from Annesley going West to a colliery pick up. Except that the fireman seems to have mistaken local passenger for light engine... Oh... and that fireman is a Modelu me!

A new addition to the Derby line fleet:- a J50 obtained at a bargain price ( certainly less than the constituant parts ) from the bring and buy at Guildex. Colwick sent a pilot daily down to Basford North and I thought this would make a change from the '350 that I've been using. Its nicely built, but needed a little attention to the running to eliminate a tight spot. After reaming the bearings, adjusting the plunger pick ups, it turned out to be a tight coupling rod. It just need some cosmetic springs, and a vac pipe down one side - oh and renumbering from a Hornsey resident to a Colwick one. J50s are a typical loco picking exercise, there are a lot of detail differences between batches. So a review of the RCTS and Yeadon narrowed it down to 68927. The only real fault I can find is it lacks the staring eyes of the prototype's 2ft spectacles, the ones on the model are a little undersize.. It looks like it's one of Jim's kits, currently out of production.

Spiders - I have the same problem and despite a regular vacuum attack on them, they are still coming, especially those 'ghost' spiders that have very fine legs. I asked the very same question on the Guild forum as I recall John Elliott mentioning using a 'smoke bomb'. If you Google search 'defumigation bomb' that will bring up a few options.... I shall try one and report back... Collections and demise... I created a spreadsheet with all the railway assets and my wife helped me compile it - she then has a very good idea of the collections value. I've been assisting a widow with a good friends collection and workshop. Finding new homes for a lifetimes collection of models, tools, books, kits and workshop equipment is quite a task. I go every couple of months to work through what is there. Stuff I know about, I have sold on individually, even then, I don't always get the prices right, but the only way to move some stuff is job lots on Ebay or via the Guild. Stuff I don't know about, I try and find an expert or specialist in that area. Tools and machine stuff is nigh on impossible, everyone with an interest is usaully fully kitted out. The only way with the hand tools is a trader that specialises in second hand, in which case just a fraction of the real value will be realised, or the other option is a charity. Realistically resellers have to make a living from what they do, so one has to accept that. The significant factor is the time, sorting listing, packing and trips to the post office - I don't resent that, I just wanted to do right by my friend. I have gained one or two items from the collection in payment, but my friends interest was in a different period and region. I found from my own colelction - books, unless they are particularly rare are difficult to move on too.... Regards Tony

I think I accidentally deleted it! I rarely run the railway myself, the great joy is in sharing it and having mates around to run it. Post Guildex get together and second runing session on the railway with some of the giants of railway modelling (!), The railway ran well, all I had to do was to remember how it works! It was great to let them loose with the trains and try things I'd never thought of!

Another track level view, a K3 heading towards Colwick yard passing Basford North signal box. The K3 was an Anchorage/Oakville kit and bore no relation at all to the 4mm scale Anchorage K3 kit -although it was just as challenging.... The line in the sky is a turn in the backscene, the railway is squeezed in to the room to use as much available space as possible. Part of the pleasure of building a layout is to be able to take reasonably covincing photographs of the models.

There was always that excitement of 'going to see the trains' and often the approach could be at a lower level, with the anxiety increasing with each step that you might miss something. 63639 is about to cross Veron Road at the top of a rather verdant embankment.... it's been toned down since! I always prefer natural view point pictures, even though there is plenty of work to be completed on this layout.

After another working day with Geoff and Alisdair the topography around Park Lane and Brooklyn Road looks more complete. I've also added a dummy catch point ( for the time being ) on the down line connection from Bulwell Common. Cuts have been defined for the point rodding. Signals not connected yet, and even more fencing to add... Badly Photoshopped sky to get rid of the window in the background.

Layout progress - another diversion I'm afraid, but an illustration of collaborative efforts to build a railway. Although I did need to get the check book out for some of it. 43156 runs round empty hoppers at Basford North. The backscene and scenery by Alisdair MacDonald, buildings Peter Leyland, point blades by the late David Smith ( DLOS) , hard surfaces by Geoff Taylor. Why did I not spot that wonky lamp at the time! Loco, track, signals and wiring by me... brake van and hoppers RTR.

More rain facilitates more progress on Basford North - so to stop people and vehicles plunging over the top of the retaining wall at the end of the back siding, I've erected a rail and tube fence - still in primer. The rod joiners were made from 1.2mm thn wall tube. When I was laying track, I retained all of the offcuts.. There still seems to be miles of fencing to put up...

Now the ballasting is pretty well complete, I can run some trains. 43516 runs round some empty hoppers..... and its starting to look more convincing...I hope!

Now trains are running again, a previously intermittent problem came back fully. In the original plan, the points avoided the baseboard joins. When Jim kindly added the transition curves to the Templot plan, everything moved. So turnout 88 was cut across the baseboard join. In the event, I decided to make the station area permanent. What I forgot to do was to connect feed to the now isolated secions of rail, and to complicate the matter, this was one of my early turnouts with only one or two shims connecting the wing rails to the frog. So I had to make new connections and joined them underneath. I always make the connection to the underside of the rail, when it's in the web, it looks awful. A tidy up and cosmetic plastic fish plates will complete the job.

I'm not sure I could fiit 10 coaches! Another working day with Geoff and Alisdair has resulted in a lot of progress. There is a lot of detail work to do , but the basic scenery is taking shape.

Thanks chaps - yes, it's Rowmark. A visitor to Basford North. A JLTRT kit painted by Paul Moore.

I like my DCC, but I wouldn't say it was necessarily better than DC, I just prefer it, and with a technical background I'm quite happy to fiddle with it. There is room for everyone. The bottom line is that any mechanism has to work perfectly on DC before it's worth fitting a decoder. I was given a 4mm kit built Caley 0-4-4 to fit a decoder too. The chassis would not run.... diagnosis: Insulated and non insulated Romfords on the each side and quartering set at 180 degrees! Not to mention vague pick ups,,, Then the resulting birds nest of wires... everything had to wrapped in tape 'cos of the live frames. It runs fine now. Regards Tony

Now that the rain has come back, I've returned to the workbench. York Modelmaking kindly enlarged their 4mm scale GN footbridge for me. It's not exactly the same as Basfords, but close enough. There is always the balance of available time against accuracy! I needed to shorten it though. The stairs make up nicely It's cut from quite a tough styrene, the only solvent that would touch it was Plastic Weld.

Apologies for the delayed response, I've been away on holiday. If I can remember that far back, I think the pantry 3rd was made up from a set of Comet open third sides. The extra panelling and windows were made up from brass strip and some scrap etch sheet. I used an Isinglass drawing. The window spacing on the open 3rd was just about right for the job, and although I cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, it looks right! It is very gratifying to see models I made quite some time ago in service and giving enjoyment. Regards Tony

The first train to run after 3 months, the Derby Line has been closed for ballasting. 90674 heads coal empties destined for Awsworth Junction.

A working day with Geoff Taylor and Alisdair Macdonald saw the scenery progressing on multiple fronts. Disguising that corner in the backscene was always going to be tricky, but we have plans... We'll have to find somewhere else to put our mugs of tea now the grounds of the Northern Baths have been grassed over... Now to erect more of the miles of fencing... Geoff has been filling in the areas of ground between ballasted track and forming up more scenery.

Getting a good angle can be tricky - this view would be from the footbridge ( if I had made it up yet ). Once the scenery is complete - the window in the back ground could be shopped out and it might convincing to a degree.. This was taken with my iPhone 3 feet in to the layout.. The only work that isn't mine is the back scene ( Alisdair Macdonald), and the signal box and goods shed ( Peter Leyland ), point blades ( the late David Smith ) . There is still so much to do.... I agree with Tony Gee's comments, I get the most enjoyment when friends come to run the layout, I rarely bother on my own. I don't think I've run a train on it for 3 months - although I have been ballasting, which rather stops activity...