chaz

Yes, that's right Hal. I am posting on the "Narrow Gauge Modelling Online" forum as this seems more appropriate. You will have to sign up to follow the topic but that can't hurt, can it? Once you are up and running search for "Athena". I don't think the link will work unless you have signed in, but here it is... Athena PA - in the Furness Valley

Oh dear, sorry, but I am going to say goodbye with the last four shots from the Worthing show. I am pleased that the very last picture should be of the J6. I will be keeping this model which is one of my favourites. I have enjoyed telling the story of Dock Green using RMweb. It has been very useful as I way of recording what (and how) I have modelled the scene. It has also helped to motivate me to keep going. Thanks to all of you who have commented on the layout and from time to time have offered advice. All those "like" clicks have been an encouragement too. This will be my last post - the layout has gone to its new home and my new project Athena PA is just starting. All the best... Chaz

Me again, with a few more snaps... Chaz

OK, here are a few more... ...ranging from the excellent J6 and N7 locomotives.... ....to a humble sack barrow. Chaz

Another batch of snaps from Dock Green's last show... I do have enough shots left for a couple more posts, should you want to see 'em... Chaz

A few more from Worthing - once they have run out there won't be more - the new owner collected Dock Green today - sad, but making a new project possible. Chaz

A belated post with another seven photos from Worthing. Chaz

My next project? Follow the link for a glimpse. Athena PA - in the Furness Valley No chance of panniers on this On30 layout! Chaz PS - you will have to sign up for the narrow gauge forum to view it but that's no problem.

Weren't me guv. No, all the Parkside wagons that ran on Dock Green (note the past tense - sob) were built with the loose axle boxes as designed. Whilst I concede that it hardly constitutes compensation in practice it seemed to work (better than it should?) and the models were not prone to derail. In fact just about all the rock and roll that might stock exhibited was caused by the compromised standards of Peco crossings (frogs). Chaz

Thanks, that's very helpful indeed. I don't anticipate controlling more than three at a time - certainly not as many as six! As the trains will all be moving forward on the same track six looks like trouble. I don't want to control turnouts from the laptop (although I do have an iPad) - all my operators and I prefer toggle switches to control Tortoise point motors. Looks like I will shortly be buying a Z21 system then - I think I read that a tethered (cabled) Multimaus will plug into the magic box - if that is the case that would be good too as I have two of those lurking on my home layout. Chaz

Hope you don't mind me butting in on this topic but I have a question about Z21. I am considering a new DCC system for a new layout and like the look of the Z21. If I have a laptop connected would I be able to have two or three throttles on screen at the same time and control two or three locos? I want to manage a staging area (fiddle yard) and will probably want to "move up" two or three trains on one track to vacate the area behind them for an incoming train. Speeds will be low! Chaz

Positive feedback always welcome too! Maybe more this evening....

Enough of this banter about music I was pleased to have forgotten, let's have a few more photographs taken at the Worthing Show. You don't really build the JLTRT van kits as the bodies are one piece resin mouldings. You just have to add the under frame parts, buffers etc and then it's all down to the paint. I bought three of the SR vans not that long ago so they didn't do that many shows. Another fairly recent acquisition was the J6. It's such a nice model I am going to keep it rather than sell it on. I may get the chance to give it a run at a the Otterbourne open day. If he sits on the fire escape every break he gets and reads his paper maybe all that rubbish strewn around is his? The ends of sidings in the far corners of yards were often squalid, with weeds and rubbish much in evidence. The sort of scene that few people would have photographed. Film was too precious. Chaz

Not so much a song, more a whining dirge as I recall.

Oh, him. I was never a fan.

In which case he wouldn't be famous. Infamous possibly?

Today's pictures feature the Hudswell Clarke "Christine". Emerging from the warehouse siding - clearances are very tight in several places on the layout. The clearance doesn't look so tight from a normal viewing angle. It's when it's coupled to a van that the loco's small size is revealed. "Christine" is currently homeless and is looking for a sympathetic new owner. Chaz

Who?

I must apologise for not sending out lists yet to those who requested them. I have decided that it will much more sensible to take the stock to be sold to Wimborne first. Should I sell a lot (or even most) of it it will avoid the need for posting it. I will be sending the list out today to give you an idea of what wagons/vans remain to be sold but will not be posting any at least until after Wimborne. I realise that this will disappoint some but it is a more sensible approach. Of course if you go to the Wimborne show on the 20th October you can pick up a bargain there. Chaz

...with a few highly polished black limos following behind with the operating team in? It might take rather a long time to get to even a local show.....

More snaps from Worthing That's another shot from the operators' side. Of course when you are playing operating you don't see the confusing and irrelevant background - but the camera does. I don't have the time or the inclination to delve into Photoshop so we will just have to live with it. I think the warehouse siding looks best with a quartet of vans sitting there. Green lorry, red lorry. Nice models, moulded in resin, but very prone to shedding bits. One of them has lost an axle when being shaken up in the van. This will need glueing back on. I have been told many times that the lorries are too clean. They probably are but maybe the sort of owner/drivers working with a C licence might well have been really proud of their chief asset and kept them spotless - no? - well in that case I invoke Rule One. A spot of humour from one of my operating team who sneaked this vehicle onto the layout. You will note the "RIP D Green" alongside the box. . Chaz

Dinghams have no buffer action and will not solve the problem of buffer locking if you have one. I have no experience of the Peco Setrack points but I suspect you are going to need a coupling which holds the stock apart - Dinghams will not do this being essentially a loop over a pin. HTH Chaz

Shooting pictures from the operators' side doesn't always give such a plain background... ...especially if a low viewpoint is adopted. You get some very strange skies. Susan brings some wagons up from the estate, Christine in the background. A similar scene looking the other way. As it was my last chance to take photos I did rather blaze away. At one of the early outings of Dock Green I was told not to leave the resin oil-drum load in the wagon. Apparently if I did the resin would expand and destroy the plastic wagon sides. Being somewhat contrary I nodded and did nothing, still waiting for the disaster Chaz

This is the first batch of snaps taken at the Worthing show... It's inevitable with such a small layout that these photos are of scenes that I have already shot and posted. Just click like to encourage me (or not!). A rare event - the estate does not usually have both its saddle tanks in steam at the same time. The J6 was the yard pilot for the whole show - at my operators' insistence (honest!). It never derailed and I only saw it stall once. Not bad for a show with all those nasty humans stirring up dust. My one scratch built wagon - the Medfit - has been "nabbed" and will shortly be off to a new home. Good choice sir! "Susan", my brass Peckett, is not for sale. Anyone calling Susan (my wife) a brass would be in trouble... That's all for today - more tomorrow if you encourage me. Chaz

Well that's it - our 24th and last show with Dock Green has passed off successfully. We started in October 2012 with the one day show in Wimborne as a work in progress. After a year of effort finishing the buildings and other features we took it to Warley in November 2013. Since then we have visited Alton, Andover, Railex at Aylesbury, Basingstoke (twice), Brighton, Corsham, Eastleigh (not a long drive!), Fareham, New Milton, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Romsey, Salisbury, Taunton (brilliant lunches!), the GoG show at Telford, and Worthing this weekend. Dock Green will be passed on to its new owner at the end of October and I hope much of the stock will have been sold before the end of the year. Certainly I have sold a significant number of vans and wagons to members of my operating team - to whom I naturally gave "first dibs". I intend to wind up this thread with a potpourri of photographs taken this weekend at Worthing. Keep watching to see those - probably a few each day - I am too tired to post any tonight. Chaz