Dad-1

Thanks for that link meld. Paul's two photos were from the same side, this link shows the other side. First confirming both ends were painted yellow, then giving a clear view of the slot that on my build has not been included. Saw out today to rectify that. It would seem to me that the slot is the working part of this conversion. Why do we love oddities so much !! This will sit in my yard alongside black, and loaded mermaids. So thanks again to all who have commented. Particularly Paul who has almost presented me with the prospect of trying to make another, a Gauging Van !! Geoff Trenholme

Bearing in mind just how useful Paul Bartlett's free photo folio is I decide to purchase the two images in question to see if by enlarging I could get more clues. He more than deserves the miniscule cost !! First I 'think' The marking where the normal weight and wheelbase details would be says 'Return to Leyton depot' difficult to decipher, but this kind of fits with the photo being taken at Leyton. The background is loaded ballast wagons. So somehow linked to track work ? Not easily seen are some holes drilled in the sides above the cupboard doors, but even more significant are the two narrow 'slots' alongside the other end stanchion more or less matching where the entrance cuts are, but these (on both sides) go right down to the floor - missed that, must try a retro cut !! Still no closer to understanding exactly what it was used for, oh yes Gauging, but what and why such an unlikely base wagon ? The hunt continues Geoff T.

Thanks to Paul Bartlett we have a vast field of reference material, enough to want to reproduce in miniature some of these oddities. After this I'm looking at Winch wagons with their tin sheds !! Mostly gauging wagons we see are closed vans, preferably from old brake vans ? That's what makes this open so interesting. A loose fitted tin box ? would you want to ride in that ???? With no lower step it might look like this was meant to be entered from a platform ? Either that or what was there has been knocked off !! Hope to paint the exterior of mine this week - perhaps add a photo when done. Interior well nothing yet ??? Geoff T.

As I was building a Parkside LNER Dia 207 21 ton Loco Coal wagon I had a look through Paul Bartlett's folio of photographs. There I found 2 photos of Engineering stock DE300539 marked 'Gauge Wagon' 'Stratford'. I decided to make one with the cut out entry's each side, grab rails, all very easy, BUT no idea what may have been done on the inside for any railway staff safety, or comfort. I also can't think of why such a wagon would have found use by engineers. Used for gauge checking of what ? The photos were taken at Leyton 30/6/79 and then as a condemned wagon at Tinsley 1/10/83 which may indicate a use around London ? The pictures show it in quite good condition, particularly as these were built in the late 1930's. How long had an engineering department had it, from early Nationalisation ? That might indicate use through from the 1950's. No electrification flashes so probably not used under the wires, but What/Where/How. Anyone on here with knowledge of this odd beast ?? Geoff Trenholme.

Wow it's been a long time since I visited. Thanks to hayfield & others I'm no longer concerned about making turnouts, even with almost no special tools. A controversial element now - Most people who make track do so for technical and scenis to thec reasons and they tend to look at BR standard turnouts where space becomes a problem. At my age I no longer want to make a large layout, been there with commercial track and I no longer have the energy to even exhibit a big layout. What I want is 'compact' with a capital 'C' shunting layout. Well I made one using inherited Peco Set-track points. The loop idea is fine and driving the puzzles can be a brain tester with many track limits coming into play. However all the small locomotives can't work reliably at slow speed over the points. In fact some don't like crossing once let alone multiple times. Answer - Make your own live frog turnouts in code 75, but use the set-track geometry. Easy to ink a points rails, press onto paper to make a plan. This particular crossover is to be used in a 48" long puzzle layout. The result is quite pleasing :- My thanks to all on here who give help and advice to help at so many levels. Geoff T.

You will be welcome Dave, Just a few days to go. Strange nobody else in the club has peeked in. Particularly those who press for more On-Line exposure !! Ahh and one of my builds a Visitors Drive shunting puzzle will also be there. Called Green Frog Brewery. Come & drive a classic Inglenook shunting puzzle. I must make certain whoever is looking after it keeps to the full compliment of 9 wagons. Geoff T.

Hi ianLMS, That's brilliant, I hope the instructions and diagrams will get me there. Ahh CJI, "Based on" is a very open discription, but as a siding filler I'd suggest good enough. Geoff T.

Thanks, both of you, I've been doing some looking around and think this may be based on the Ransomes & Rapier CM&EE breakdown crane at the Nene Valley Railway. D2958 (1931) cctransuk, or plain John, It may be the normal arrangement, but I've never seen one of these myself. My crane experience has been reclaiming a Triang 10 ton hand operated, building a Cambrian GWR crane kit, and replacing 'cables' on the HD crane. I thought this may be far too interesting to dump. Have you any idea who made these brass kits ? Not that any runners, or information will be around nowadays, just nice to know. Melmurby, combined info may get me somewhere - quite where is still unknown !! Although an old friend of mine is trained up to driver on the Nene Valley, so perhaps he can get me more photos sometime.

Hi The Johnster, I do agree, but how the heck is the jib raising cable arrangement set up ?? 3 rollers each side at the head 2 rollers each side by the steam drive. Surely they must be interconnected to stay 100% in movement unison. Not a thing to see easily in photographs of similar jib raising prototypes. Geoff T.

Now I have my doubts BUT ......... I inherited a load of stuff from a late friend, much of it very old and I had to scrap quite a lot. However I'm reluctant to scrap this Crane, almost certainly kit built. The lifting windings would be quite complex and I have no idea how they would have been 'wired' I assume there was once a pair of match trucks and probably a jib supporting truck, things I don't seem to have. However I fancy sitting this on a 'Blind' siding at the back of a yard, but for that I need a wiring plan. Has anyone seen this kit before ?? It could be any time from the mid 1950's as with it was the Hornby Dublo crane C/W match trucks. That now working although not for use on my rails !! Geoff T.

Well someone must have missed thinking about this !! No longer on the committee, but even at 80 aware that any publicity is good publicity !! Even if it's rather late. Our small & friendly exhibition in January has been a very popular after Christmas outing. I have somewhere a list of most layouts that'll be there, let's see what I can do ...... Thomas & Friends visit Bride Bay - A '00' twin track 'Thomas' layout for children (Of all ages) to drive. Shillingford - '00' digital sound. Linnington End - '00' Ghost River Mountain - '00 + N' Slades Green - '00' Longmoor - 'N' Axe Valley Mill - '0 with digital sound' Grandads Layout '00' Dysarth '00' West Bay '00' Trader K&M Trees Rod Saunders Bob's Club sales table Now I can't guarantee this is 100 %, as I said I only realised that nobody had added our event until today and there could be minor changes. BUT NOT Thomas, 'cos that's me !!! Geoff T

Thought I might chip in. Down here in Dorset my club is intending to run our two exhibitions and an open day. However like so many we are having to look carefully at all the logistics particularly the age of members. Personally I'm now 80 and have given up taking my large layout anywhere. One, I find erecting and dressing a 12 board layout too much and there are no newer, younger members to help. Two my age, I can no longer hire a van, understandably insurers don't want to take risks. To hire a van and driver becomes too expensive for either an organising club, or my own pocket. I did Railex Portsmouth last May with my 'Thomas' layout only because my friend lives near there and provided accommodation so it was as much a visit to friends. I asked just £10 because it's my hobby. However I will now only do exhibitions that don't require overnight stays and take just my small 'Visitors Drive' shunting layouts. Geoff T

I shall be there and no doubt will enjoy. Running a layout can be fun, watching children drive Thomas should be fine ?? Geoff T.

Been rather occupied with other things recently. All the rail cuts have now been done, using the dreaded Dremel, it's only 22 of them. However I'm still doing the sleeper cuts and double checking they will be correct for fully live DCC trackwork with frog juicer frog polarity switching. Well over 120 of them tp do !! As the straight scissors worked O.K I'm not really expecting trouble, but will test sections before it's fully powered up. My one problem, that I will admit I've not searched around for answers yet, is switch rail to stock rail fit. I have a small gap that I don't want. I can't be certain if it's solder that's crept under the switch rail. I'm wondering if I should have filed at an angle under the stock rail for such an eventuality ? I have hand run stock and it doesn't catch, but reversing a train usually brings flanges tight against rails and the natural movement pushing a load is for wagons to try and jack-knife. The switch blade ends are filed very thin, perhaps I should have taken my cut-outs deeper into the stock rail ?? I also have to make and fit my over-centre springs, not 100% necessary if this is used with wire-in-tube, but I think I need to do for testing purposes. Geoff T.

Hi Hayfield, At least I can slide a 42XX (2-8-0) through all the possible routes without snagging, or even noticeable resistance at any specific place. Ahh Happy Hippo, I'd not even thought about doing that. So for yourself and Hayfield it will be a while before I can make live run to truly test running qualities. Insulating before making ??? For the possible layout I need a double point for the other end of a loop, must try that idea !!! The one advantage of trackwork like this is that it's equal to making 4 points and a diamond, giving lots of practice. Today I hope to get the last check rails in and solder all the non secured sleeper locations. Then working out all the wiring needed for the fixed DCC live tracks, plus the 4 frog juicers. Only then will I be able to give Hayfield the truth as to how it works !! Geoff T.

Back after a short break. First exhibiting aircraft models at the Yeovil show on 10th April. Then my middle son and his wife spent the last week down with us in Dorset. Right to ikcdab, or Ian, that's shorter !! I'm really NOT into computers and have no interest in getting and trying to learn tomplot. I will prefer to the best on my abilities to draw out what I want. Perhaps these will be non-standard sharper 'yard' turnouts made to fit the space available. I'm quite enjoying the idea of very little support, just my ingenuity, or perhaps lack of same !! The curved scissors has come on a bit today :- You end up with some slightly funny angles, but so far it's looking better than the straight crossing. I still have several check rails to add and many of the sleepers are not yet fully soldered in, just tacked every so often. Being on a curve and made to pretty much the length of a straight scissors a couple of curves are sharper than perfection, however this should be fine for 0-6-0's I have one or two minor adjustments to make, but considering this is on a curve it's looking quite good. With the curve I need to be very careful as to where my link wires go, but at least I know that 4 frog Juicers will work for a fully live DCC track. Geoff T.

Hi Hayfield, I've always plunged in, sometimes the most memorable lessons are those learnt the hard way, hence me smiling at you comment " Don't ask how I found out !! " I've made a couple of spacing gauges out of 1 mm plastic card 16.5 wide and about 35 mm long. The other useful tip I've already picked up from having started this thread is the 20 pence piece spacer !! The obtuse crossings are err, interesting, and I've just tacked one in, curved one side almost straight on the other. I am finding it rather a strain on my eyes, damn age I suppose. I swear the Peco 13 ton hopper wagon kits got harder as progressed through the 10 that I was making. I always thought they should get easier !! Thanks for the tips, nothing extra to show from today and I'm out this weekend. Geoff T.

First thank you Guys for adding useful information without getting too technical. I will also apologise for the funny spacing, obviously I mustn't take a line too far or the 'system' splits my text in inconvenient places. This is Basic with a capital B, my tools are minimal and I've been doing too much by eye rather than carefully taken measurements. In addition we're looking at tracks soldered on to copper-clad sleepering, so no fancy chairs. I've also decided that just a couple of track roller gauges is not really adequate and experience has shown that a spare bogie is not really a good enough tool for the job. I suppose the complexity of a scissors is not the best starting point, but at least you get plenty of practice. I'm still just a little anxious as to the best soldering practice. I've been using Carr's red flux and a small amount of solder on the Iron, which in theory should be drawn well under the rail for a secure fix. It's not been 100% successful, but no dry joint has caused problems electrically and with so many stitches along the sleepers seems solid enough Proof that it functions, here seen on a live test to confirm that 4 frog juicers will be adequate to operate this with fully live DCC tracks. For anyone who wants to try, go for it. Now my friend who has a small layout in mind pointed out that it should be a slightly curved scissors crossing !! MMmm Why Not ??? The worst thing that can happen to you is for it to fail. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Although not a Draughtsman, never an engineer, I've drawn out what I think may be an acceptable plan. Life should always be an adventure, so say's this old guy who's 80 next month !! More to follow from me on the curved version - fingers crossed Geoff T.

I'm daring to tread in here and start a thread after reading through several posts of highly technical construction processes. I was looking for some very basic knowledge to help me make the occasional turnout without Templot, or any other IT type of support. Certainly not EM, or P4, or even '00'FS, just bog standard '00' that may work acceptably. I suppose I should answer the "Why" question, because most of what anyone wants can be obtained from the Peco range and that would save a lot of effort. Then I've read many times how easy it is to make points and they work out quite inexpensive and you can make components to fit a track plan that can't be achieved from standard geometry. To help me on my way I inherited a load of Scaleway copper-clad sleepering, VERY old as the address was Cleethorpes. There is also some C&L plastic components, but I'm not experimenting with that yet. My first little play was to make a copy of a short Peco streamline point, but in EM. My EM shunting layout was a non-starter when I found it was too difficult to convert the locomotive I intended using to EM standards. Following that decision I re-gauged the point back to '00' and although I don't have a use for it it's been tested using a frog juicer with my little Ruston DS48. So what next - all this stuff and no objective ? In the 'stuff' there was a Scaleway scissors crossing plan. MMmm Perhaps the best way to learn more is to jump in and make one. With a couple of code 75 rollers, some side cutter pliers and an assortment of mongrel files I decided to plunge in !! That's been me all my life !! A couple of sheets of very thin acetate were pinned over the plan so as not to destroy it. Copper-clad sleeper lengths were cut and with a dab of cyno glue each end were stuck into position. In that picture you also see the EM test point and a very early play making a curved copy of a code 100 point using some spare (scrap) code 100 track. Making up of common crossings was the previous bugbear, so this time a measured up and carefully made jig for the two standards of common crossing required was knocked up using matchsticks glued to a solid piece of ply (layout leveller packing). I don't know if this is common practice or not, but I lightly tinned the filed edges before wedging into the 'V', adding a little more liquid flux with a small amount of extra solder on the tip. It's worked surprisingly well. More to follow, this is enough for one sitting. Just to add that it does work Geoff T.

Great I've had a back order delivered, some 4 wagons to go with the 6 I have already made from back in September some time ? It looks like they have changed the wheels, probably still Alan Gibson, but no longer the black plastic wheels with highly magnetic tyres. The new issue has bright stainless steel wheels with one side attached directly to the axle, the other on a plastic bush. For the Kadee user they're brilliant as they are non-magnetic. Being so bright they do need painting and the PC90 build has them inserted early in the build so you need to paint a couple of days before you intend starting the kit. I've already made 2 of that recent delivery and here are 8 running on my garage test track. None have any ballast in them with running weights around 12 grams. There are so many subtle changes to markings I could easily drift off and get a few more. Geoff T.

It wasn't quite the same without bacon butties. Other than that it was a good day with many smiling faces, so many getting out to an exhibition the first time for quite a while. Running a layout kept me busy, but I never felt uncomfortably crowded. Due to uncertainties, even to the end of December as to being able to run, we didn't do any advertising until the last week. We also kept layouts as far as possible to club member and close contacts that would make a last moment cancellation easy. If you came I hope you enjoyed it, next year back to normal ?????? Geoff T.

Still have 3 bikes in my garage, underneath my St Oval layout. Not done more than a few miles in the last 8 years, but they are My History. As such I don't want to part with them, too many great times. Riding the amateur Ghent - Wevelgem spring classic in Belgium when training with the late Tommy Simpson. The Club runs, touring Wales, meeting my now wife of 54 years. That probably gives away my age, 80 this year. Technology has moved on somewhat since those happy days of my youth. Racing Track, Time Trials, Massed Start as it used to be called. Golden Days Indeed. Geoff T.

I shall be there - looking after 'Green Frog Brewery' which is a visitors drive, Kadee operated shunting layout. One point of note : This year partially due to Covid making things even more difficult we will not have refreshments available at the hall. A shame, but I suppose we're lucky to run it at all this year. Geoff.

This was the only thread that came up on a Hornby 'M' motor search. I searched because the 'M' motor is very small, comes with a cradle that encompasses pickup wipers for all 6 wheels in my case for a S&DJR 3F Jinty. From my experience these motors seem to be very weak as my loco slowed through curves, pulling 18 wagons plus and wouldn't run slowly. It just hummed so obviously no pickup problems ! When running light engine at a scale 20 mph and blocked with a finger, rather than develop wheel slip, the motion ceased moving and it hummed quite loudly. Now thought I, that sounds like magnet weakness ? At just £5 a replacement motor was cheap enough. The trouble is it's given a minimal improvement When I put a screw near to the removed motor there wasn't enough magnetic pull to hold securely. My new motor has the same identifying stamp, are they all that weak ? Or was there a bad run ?? The loco in question was DCC fitted by me and I've not yet bothered to do a decoder change as I don't think that is the problem This I think is the only locomotive from a shed of 80+ that hasn't enough power to develop wheel slip. Something wrong somewhere ? anyone any ideas ?? I do have 2 other 3F, both Bachmann and while I've loaded them to a stall the wheels keep turning !! Geoff T.

As always Gentlemen, thanks for the advice. I've today ordered some 0.35 Phosphor Bronze wire. I like the idea of a twisted centre over a pin and will see if I can incorporate that. I have also inherited a '00' SR 0-8-0 'Z' kit, less motor & gearbox. All brass and nickel silver. As it's cost me nothing yet. I'm tempted to have a go. Before that I need to be confident that I've made this 439 work acceptably. Then to get a high level gearbox and motor. Geoff T.