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Upcoming O gauge sale - End of the line at Marsh Lane


MarshLane
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Rich,

 

I have got several of these LAIS function-only decoders from Ebay (from UK seller bwtechnicalservices) to operate lights inside pull-push coaches:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Laisdcc-4-function-output-only-dcc-decoder-ideal-for-lighting-signals/192617037197?epid=1875293340&hash=item2cd8debd8d:g:sBAAAOSwWiNaoZM3

 

I've not had chance to test them out yet, but they do get positive comments elsewhere.

 

 

Hi Duncan,

Thanks for that - they are cheaper than the TCS ones and look ideal for what I want to do.  I'll do some investigation!

 

Cheers

Rich

I’ve used a L Hi Rich

 

Love the point rodding, fantastic level of detail.

 

I’ve used a Lais function only decoder for lights on a DBSO, also from eBay. Did what I needed it to do (turn lights on and off) so I was happy with it.

 

Cheers

 

Hi Sam,

Thanks for that. Two recommendations is good enough for me!  One ordered :)

 

Rich

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Chaps,

Incase anyone may be interested - I had a wander to Telford on Saturday and have done another review of news from the main manufactures, and pictures of the attending layouts.  I am still wading through the images taken of the layouts, so some are missing, but they should be there tomorrow.  Please feel free to pass on to anyone that may be interested...

http://railblogs.co.uk/telford18/

 

Rich

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Now got all the layouts added in to the above report.  Hope people enjoy it. The standard of modelling was superb.

 

Rich

Thanks for the link Rich. I really like the look of the Skytex PCA kit. Shame they don't appear to have any on their website. Hopefully, they will restock for the Bristol show.

Dougal

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Hi did you notice if the CDAs was for sale or still in progress.

Steve

 

 

Hi Steve.

The HAA wagon is one of their kits - body complete from what I could see more the under frame, and I think they do the CDA 'top' separately, so yes I believe they are available.

 

Rich

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Hi Steve.

The HAA wagon is one of their kits - body complete from what I could see more the under frame, and I think they do the CDA 'top' separately, so yes I believe they are available.

 

Rich

 

Thanks for the link Rich. I really like the look of the Skytex PCA kit. Shame they don't appear to have any on their website. Hopefully, they will restock for the Bristol show.

Dougal

 

 

Hi Steve.

The HAA wagon is one of their kits - body complete from what I could see more the under frame, and I think they do the CDA 'top' separately, so yes I believe they are available.

 

Rich

 

Evening Dougal & Rich

 

I purchased two of these kits on Saturday and they do go together very well .... In the kit they have everything except:- Wheels, Buffers & Transfers.

 

post-12217-0-18076500-1536003870_thumb.jpg

 

Jim

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Thanks for the link Rich. I really like the look of the Skytex PCA kit. Shame they don't appear to have any on their website. Hopefully, they will restock for the Bristol show.

Dougal

 

 

Dougal,

Sincere apologies, I totally missed your post.  Thanks for the comment. The PCA looks good, as per Jim's picture - I would give Skytrex a call or an email, as they were selling them on display at Telford.

 

Rich

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Thanks Peter,

Only ideas!  I was very good, and the wallet came back only slightly lighter, as a result of a track item purchase from C&L!!  Id made my self promise that was not going to get anything until I finally get the layout sorted out.  I could have spent thousands!!! ... not that I had the thousands to spend mind you!

 

Rich

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Hi did you notice if the CDAs was for sale or still in progress.

Steve

Just to update ,I asked the same question was informed not quite ready yet some more additions to be made to the hopper etc , should be available by Warley .

 

Andrew

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Just to update ,I asked the same question was informed not quite ready yet some more additions to be made to the hopper etc , should be available by Warley .

 

Andrew

Cool, now all we need is for someone to make some Silver bullets as well, oh and some polybulks as GJH plant do not appear to be trading so much now.

Dougal

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Morning all,

Well plans are progressing, I keep saying that! But they are .. I am current just working everything else out before posting the details. However, having seen and used Rod’s West Kirby Town, I made the decision to go with Dingham couplings. The problem is that the layout will have steam locos, some of which, the tender fitted ones, will be turned. Normally Dinghams are handed, so everything needs to work the same way, book on one end and loop on the other. This falls down when turning tender locos of course. There is a way you can fit a hook and loop to each end of a Loco, but I wondered if anyone had done this and how successful it was?

 

Kadees were my first choice but having seen the Dingham’s in action they are far more unobtrusive, and I need the delayed action aspect.

 

Rich

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Morning Rich

 

I also use Dinghams on my wagons & coaching stock only. My coaching stock s are permanently fitted so the same stock is always joined together and I have loops at both ends. The wagons are slightly different as these tend to be shunted and uncoupled, however they can't be turned so the loop is always at the same end. If I have to move stock when shunting I the use the coupling on the loco to secure to the wagon...... even we use steam trains as well....

 

I know this probably doesn't help your cause but I have to admit I like the simplicity of Dinghams

 

Good luck 

 

Jim

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Morning Rich

 

I also use Dinghams on my wagons & coaching stock only. My coaching stock s are permanently fitted so the same stock is always joined together and I have loops at both ends. The wagons are slightly different as these tend to be shunted and uncoupled, however they can't be turned so the loop is always at the same end. If I have to move stock when shunting I the use the coupling on the loco to secure to the wagon...... even we use steam trains as well....

 

I know this probably doesn't help your cause but I have to admit I like the simplicity of Dinghams

 

Good luck

 

Jim

Hi Jim,

Thanks for that. Do you just have loops on the stock and hooks on each end of the locos then? It’s only the tender locos that cause the problem if course as the tanks can stay the same way. But I am going to be in the same scenario. Thinking Dingham’s on the outer ends of the coaching stock, possibly with mag-click on the inner vehicles, but wagons will get shunted regularly so they will be individually fitted, again with the tanks doing the shunting, that’s fine.

 

Have you got any locos fitted with both the hook and hoop at one end then? Do they still work ok?

 

Tender locos I am only going to fit Dinghams at the tender end, as I doubt they’ll ever work smokebox first and a detailed bufferbeam will look better on photos. Like you, it’s the simplicity of the couplings that I like!

 

Morning all,

Lasers were my first choice but having seen the Dingham’s in action they are far more unobtrusive, and I need the delayed action aspect.

Rich

Sorry all, this should have read Kadee’s were my first choice! Not sure where the iPad got lasers from!

 

Rich

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Rich

 

I understood that kadees do “delayed action” uncoupling too.

 

The Dinghams are less obvious, of course

 

Alex Jackson (“AJ”) couplings are incredibly unobtrusive and do delay too, but they need servicing and can be infuriating

 

Best

Simon

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Rich

I understood that kadees do “delayed action” uncoupling too.

The Dinghams are less obvious, of course

Alex Jackson (“AJ”) couplings are incredibly unobtrusive and do delay too, but they need servicing and can be infuriating

Best

Simon

Thanks Simon. Yes Kadee’s were going to be my first port of call, again just fitted to the tender on tender locos, then I saw the Dingham’s on Rod’s layout and with wanting to do realistic photos, they seemed a better visual for tanks and the like. I am just cautious over this issue of having to double-end the Dingham’s on tender locos. I am perhaps swaying back a little towards Kadee’s. I;ve looked at the AJs and have got the book here on them too, just the problem that they need regular checking and servicing.

 

More pondering due I suspect. The good news is that the latest trackplan idea (which is something like version 123.7!) does work and I’ve got it roughly laid out in Templot. Main line activity, through passenger and freight workings, more progress in the last two weeks than the previous four months!!!

 

Rich

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Rich

 

All my locos still retain their screw couplings so I use the loop on the dinghams to hook over the screw coupling and if I have no loop on the wagon, only a hook then I couple up using the screw coupling from the loco.

 

Have you looked at MM Models they do some magnetic ones for coaching stock and loco's and when not in use they fold downwards. I bought some for a friend whilst at Telford to fit to his coaching stock. 

 

Jim

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Hi Jim,

Thanks - unfortunately, my fiddle Yard will be below the main layout, so while there is space to reach under if anything derails, the coupling needs to be fully automated, hence screw and three links aren’t an option. But thanks for the suggestion.

 

Yes I saw the mag-click ones at Telford. May well give those a go for the inners, as the sets won’t be split.

 

Cheers

Rich

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This may be a totally random query, although things will become clearer when I do a layout update, but I've been given the opportunity to acquire a couple of the old Tower Brass Collett excursion coaches (originally built by San Cheng I think).  Both are currently as they came from Tower, in brass, and while the pricing is attractive, Im conscious they need painting - and wanting a good job done, that is beyond my current skill level.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts/suggestions as to where the painting can be done, or anyone who can do it?  Tower's site suggests painting only at £185 per coach, but a phone call to them quoted £250 which makes the whole offer way out of my price league.  I've only ever dealt with a couple of chaps who do painting before, and both only deal with modern traction, not a 1930s GWR livery!   If its cost effective for me, then I am inclined to proceed, as I think they would look rather nice behind a Heljan Prairie!

 

Rich

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This may be a totally random query, although things will become clearer when I do a layout update, but I've been given the opportunity to acquire a couple of the old Tower Brass Collett excursion coaches (originally built by San Cheng I think).  Both are currently as they came from Tower, in brass, and while the pricing is attractive, Im conscious they need painting - and wanting a good job done, that is beyond my current skill level.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts/suggestions as to where the painting can be done, or anyone who can do it?  Tower's site suggests painting only at £185 per coach, but a phone call to them quoted £250 which makes the whole offer way out of my price league.  I've only ever dealt with a couple of chaps who do painting before, and both only deal with modern traction, not a 1930s GWR livery!   If its cost effective for me, then I am inclined to proceed, as I think they would look rather nice behind a Heljan Prairie!

 

Rich

 

Coachman did one on his abandoned Oswestry thread in 7mm, but I think wasn't impressed and sold it on. The profile wasn't right and very difficult to get inside and glaze as I recall. References to it come up if you search "Coachman Collett" but I can't seem to find it.

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Well I still have a few points (excuse the pun!) outstanding, include which period this is going to be ... while being heavily into BR blue and the 1980s, I have been swayed slightly by the Minerva Pannier, the Heljan Prairie into looking towards the 1930s, but those two models with the advent of the re-run of the Heljan Western also makes me think the 1950s/1960s would be interesting ... still trying to workout in my own mind what is best.  The 1980s period still holds sway I think, as out of the three options, its the only one I lived through, and the amount of stock I have does tend to make me think stick with what I've got.  One of these days I'll make a decision - as the saying goes I just used to be indecisive now I just can't make my mind up!

 

However, whichever way the period goes, this is where I am going layout wise.  As long as Templot is accurate (total faith in Martin Wynne here!) then the attached has been designed to fit in my 18' x 11' space, and given the problems encountered with outside buildings and neighbours, I am back in the loft as the only space available - not ideal, but workable.  I wanted to make sure that I could represent a double-track main line, with the ability to recess freights, a bit of a shunting and semaphore signalling.  The curves should be ok, a friend has a 4' radius curve on his layout which his Heljan Peak navigates with no problem, and the tightest mainline curve is at least 6" wider in radius.  The tight curve into the centre freight yard is the worst, but that will only be the Class 08s (maybe an 03?) and wagons tripping back and forth, so I am not too concerned about that, and in some cases replicates many of the small freight terminals that were found where main line locomotives were banned because of the tight access curvature.

 

post-16721-0-72502100-1536659582_thumb.png

 

The two pointers to 'Fiddle Yard' show the up and down grade slopes to the fiddle yard, which will be located underneath the main layout.  Again, space means that the grades are a bit worse than I would ideally have liked, but I think the power of the Heljan motors should be fine, and I intend to add DCC Concepts PowerBase plates below the track, which again another friend has had really good success with - every little helps as they say!  Couplings will be either Dingham (most likely) or Kadees to allow remote uncoupling both within the scenic section and in the fiddle yard, and I've included a bit of space to be able to get access to re-rail anything that may come off.

 

I started with the idea of less trackwork and more scenery, but the reality of getting a main line railway and some sidings within a 24 or 30" wide board, means that something has to give way, and after much deliberation, I decided that operating interest was the key factor.  I've been working on this plan for about 12 months now, so a lot of thought and changes have gone into it.  I've lost track of how many times I've run through all the operational moves in my mind :)

 

Comments are (as ever) welcome, I am on with laying the fiddle yard at the present time - the plan here is a couple of long roads to accommodate coal workings and seven-coach passenger sets, with shorter roads for local services, trip freights etc.  I think the plan I have I can get three long roads, and four further roads, split with points at the mid-way marker, to give eight roads, that can hold two locos and four coaches.  There should be a further couple of dead-end fiddle roads, and some loco sidings under the centre goods yard, but they are all dependent on the curvature, given that main line locos will need to access those, it needs a wider radius and I am not sure if that is viable or not at this stage.

 

My intention is to create a new thread for the layout and keep this thread as a workbench topic, once there is something decent to show.  Hopefully won't be took long before there are some pics.

 

Rich

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Thanks Andy,

Heading to work shortly (need to keep going now to pay for it!!) - The amount of trackwork concerns me slightly, from a visual point of view, but all the time I've been into O gauge, I've wanted to recreate that busy main line scene with decent length trains.  I've been practising my point building in the recent months, and did a big spend with C&L before they changed hands!  I may yet resort to a bit of Marcway point work in the fiddle yard for speed, but we'll see how we go.  Probably with getting nearer to 40 (ouch!) I've lost that must be up and running tomorrow attitude, and am more than happy to take time to get things looking and working right.  Once things are up and running, your welcome to visit!  

 

The one advantage to my plan, is that there is plenty to keep the enthusiasm going, if it wanes on one part, I can move to another section of the layout :)

 

The other aspect is that if I do stay with the 1980s theme then I've built up quite a fleet in recent years, with 3x08s, 2x20s, 25, 31, 2x37, 40, 45, 3x47 and 2x60, plus the Thompson A2 for steam specials, along with the coaches and wagons, some of which Jinty has done a superb job on and others still need doing, so they all could do with a really good run.  Just fed up of having invested in these, and having them all sat in boxes - I want to play run them!

 

Rich

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Rich

 

If you buy the coaches, and you can live with a simple livery, why not have a go yourself?  Rattle can primers and rattle can topcoats are really not bad at all, Frog masking tape, lots of newspaper, and keep your fingers crossed.   If it doesn't work, an hour or two in the paint-stripper and you're back to square one, and if it does, transfers are available for most if not all variants.  If you want lining, well, then you're on your own!

 

 

But if the coaches cost X and you pay Y for the paint and transfers, and possibly Z for the interiors, lights, little people, etc, you might find that the Dapol & MTH 4-coach sets are attractively priced!  (I know the MTH offerings are LMS stock)

 

 

Regarding the layout - it's a cracking plan but there's one hell of a lot of it.  Might I suggest you work it in phases?  Get a single track down and running, ideally with all the points that it will need, so you don't have to lift it, and possibly with a "cut through" inside the scenic break to avoid going down into the FY - this will get you started so you have something running.  Otherwise, the mojo may head off on holiday, when you aren't...

 

watching with great interest

best

Simon

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