Any Question Answered

[Nigelcliffe]

10 hours ago, Argos said:

I'm not sure the most appropriate place is to ask this but here goes,

 

I note the change to the annual modelling competition at the AGM to a virtual format.

The categories broadly align to the trophies, are the entry conditions the same?

 

e.g. the wagons category, previously rolling stock required a minimum of 6 axles, is it just single wagons this year?

 

 

I understand there are no restrictions this year.  You could enter a single wagon, or an entire circus train. 

 

- Nigel (webmaster, but sat in on the discussions about the competitions ). 

 

[Argos]

4 minutes ago, Nigelcliffe said:

I understand there are no restrictions this year.  You could enter a single wagon, or an entire circus train. 

 

Ah! thank you Nigel, I shall commence work on my nodding giraffe car then......

 

[Clagmeister]

1 hour ago, Chris Higgs said:

 

I'm sure other people are using the track combination you describe. However, as the depth of the track, both in terms of rail and sleeper heights is significantly higher on the Peco, you are going to need to use a thicker underlay on the Finetrax parts and step it where the two meet.

 

Chris

 

 

I thought that might be the case.  Thank you very much for the reply, muchly appreciated.

[queensquare]

9 minutes ago, Argos said:

 

Ah! thank you Nigel, I shall commence work on my nodding giraffe car then......

 

 

Brilliant, that would get my vote!

 

Jerry

[queensquare]

19 minutes ago, Nigelcliffe said:

 

I understand there are no restrictions this year.  You could enter a single wagon, or an entire circus train. 

 

- Nigel (webmaster, but sat in on the discussions about the competitions ). 

 

 

That gives me just under two months to finish the marathon PO build,

 

Jerry

[Sithlord75]

32 minutes ago, queensquare said:

 

That gives me just under two months to finish the marathon PO build,

 

Jerry

All or nothing Jerry.  Decaled too mind.  Both sides.

 

Cheers

Kevin (who is keen to enter for the first time!)

[Ian Morgan]

What about the exploding boxcar and rocket launcher? Much more fun than the giraffe.

 

[queensquare]

Ive always fancied doing Dan's coach from the Titfield Tunderbolt with the stovepipe chimney that dips to go under the bridge.

 

Jerry 

[bécasse]

5 hours ago, queensquare said:

Ive always fancied doing Dan's coach from the Titfield Tunderbolt with the stovepipe chimney that dips to go under the bridge.

I have a vague recollection of having seen someone do it using "like-pole" magnets. It must have been a fair time ago though.

[Clagmeister]

22 hours ago, Caley Jim said:

You design an etch for it and run the operating wire up the centre of the post, crank it out at right angles under the bracket and then up the doll.  At the top bring it forward and into a hole in the signal arm.

 

That's what I did for the up inner home for Kirkallanmuir.  Seemples, Igor!!

 

Jim 

You make that sound easy Jim.  Etching is something i know nothing about.

[Caley Jim]

30 minutes ago, Clagmeister said:

You make that sound easy Jim.  Etching is something i know nothing about.

There's always time to learn!!

 

Jim

[Clagmeister]

Where do you start? Are there any beginners guides out there?

[Caley Jim]

31 minutes ago, Clagmeister said:

Where do you start? Are there any beginners guides out there?

Bob Jones produced some useful guidance a number of years ago.  PM sent with them attached.

 

Jim

[A. Bastow]

Hi Folks,

 

Ordered myself a taster wagon and section of easitrac from the 2mm Association’s website the other day. It all started with me considering coming back to railway modelling after a 7 year hiatus, due to a friend who I do tabletop wargaming with switching from OO to N. I was planning to do N gauge again, and doing 1930s LMS again, but with a bit more accuracy to a particular area. I wanted to do something that represented my local area a bit more so I started looking for kits in N gauge for things from the L&YR.  I emailed Nigel Hunt to ask if he had an etch available of an L&YR Aspinall 2-4-2T as well as asking if the 2mm society wheels would run ok on N gauge track (with suitable alterations). The short answer is no, but the long answer is maybe, providing you adopted say NMRA standards for N, which peco track is nowhere near.

I’ve seen that the 2mm society does drop in wheel replacements for diesels but what do you do with steam locomotives? I know you can get the wheels reprofiled; is it then just a case of altering the back to back? 
 

I saw that there are a variety of chassis etches for grafar locos... which I assume means new motor etc too? Would it not be better to buy the body shell from an N loco in that case then? 
 

Thanks for your help folks. Want to make sure it all lines up in my head first before joining the 2mm association. 

[Lacathedrale]

Hello @Zaonite I am but the student trying to catch the pebble from the master's hand when it comes to 2mm but hopefully I can help before one of the titans of industry step in.

 

The association offers a wheel-turning service, where you can send your RTR locomotive wheels to a gent in the organisation who will turn them down to the 2mmFS profile for you for a nominal fee. It's not always possible. I've built an rebuilt some chassis for commercial bodies (the Jinty and 57xx) and find it great fun, despite the challenges inherent in building your own mechanisms.  Generally if you're going down that route it means buying the chassis,  the wheels, some accessories such as bearings and muffs, and a motor - although I'm still not happy with my work in this area, it's really not all that difficult and is very rewarding.

 

The association sell all the relevant parts, so it's often worthwhile sourcing the body from Peters Spares or as a 'spares or repair' on ebay, rather than hacking up a perfectly good model.

[Nigelcliffe]

15 hours ago, Zaonite said:

Hi Folks,

 

………... I wanted to do something that represented my local area a bit more so I started looking for kits in N gauge for things from the L&YR.  I emailed Nigel Hunt to ask if he had an etch available of an L&YR Aspinall 2-4-2T as well as asking if the 2mm society wheels would run ok on N gauge track (with suitable alterations). The short answer is no, but the long answer is maybe, providing you adopted say NMRA standards for N, which peco track is nowhere near.

 

 

Even that answer is an over-simplification.  The back-to-back of N gauge is between 1mm and 1.25mm less than 2mm finescale.  Doesn't sound much, but that has to come out of the chassis width somewhere.  Which means finding 1mm, or more, from between the frames.  Typically in 2mm finescale, they're about 6.5mm apart.  Reducing that by 1mm is quite a bit.  

And you've got to find a source of track bits/gauges to hit your particular track standard, and then wonder why your track looks nothing like British track (US flat-bottom and spikes doesn't look like British bullhead chaired track). 

 

Or, you can just use the 2mm standard which adds up to work.

 

 

- Nigel

 

 

 

[Chris Higgs]

17 hours ago, Zaonite said:

Hi Folks,

 

Ordered myself a taster wagon and section of easitrac from the 2mm Association’s website the other day. It all started with me considering coming back to railway modelling after a 7 year hiatus, due to a friend who I do tabletop wargaming with switching from OO to N. I was planning to do N gauge again, and doing 1930s LMS again, but with a bit more accuracy to a particular area. I wanted to do something that represented my local area a bit more so I started looking for kits in N gauge for things from the L&YR.  I emailed Nigel Hunt to ask if he had an etch available of an L&YR Aspinall 2-4-2T as well as asking if the 2mm society wheels would run ok on N gauge track (with suitable alterations). The short answer is no, but the long answer is maybe, providing you adopted say NMRA standards for N, which peco track is nowhere near.

I’ve seen that the 2mm society does drop in wheel replacements for diesels but what do you do with steam locomotives? I know you can get the wheels reprofiled; is it then just a case of altering the back to back? 
 

I saw that there are a variety of chassis etches for grafar locos... which I assume means new motor etc too? Would it not be better to buy the body shell from an N loco in that case then? 
 

Thanks for your help folks. Want to make sure it all lines up in my head first before joining the 2mm association. 

 

Not mentioned so far is that there are conversion parts for some of the Bachmann steam locos such as the latest Jinty and 64XX so that you can use the Association wheels in them, basically by replacing the bearings. It is close to drop-in. http://2mm.org.uk/products/instruction_sheets/pdf3-219.pdf are illustrated instructions for the Castle but the 0-6-0s are even easier. see also http://2mm.org.uk/articles/64xx chassis conversion kit/index.html

 

The etched chassis are largely for older style Farish (and other) locos. BR LInes (brlines.co.uk)  will sell you some of the relevant bodies.

 

Chris

 

 

Edited July 26, 2020 by Chris Higgs

[A. Bastow]

4 hours ago, Lacathedrale said:

Hello @Zaonite I am but the student trying to catch the pebble from the master's hand when it comes to 2mm but hopefully I can help before one of the titans of industry step in.

 

The association offers a wheel-turning service, where you can send your RTR locomotive wheels to a gent in the organisation who will turn them down to the 2mmFS profile for you for a nominal fee. It's not always possible. I've built an rebuilt some chassis for commercial bodies (the Jinty and 57xx) and find it great fun, despite the challenges inherent in building your own mechanisms.  Generally if you're going down that route it means buying the chassis,  the wheels, some accessories such as bearings and muffs, and a motor - although I'm still not happy with my work in this area, it's really not all that difficult and is very rewarding.

 

The association sell all the relevant parts, so it's often worthwhile sourcing the body from Peters Spares or as a 'spares or repair' on ebay, rather than hacking up a perfectly good model.

 

1 hour ago, Nigelcliffe said:

 

Even that answer is an over-simplification.  The back-to-back of N gauge is between 1mm and 1.25mm less than 2mm finescale.  Doesn't sound much, but that has to come out of the chassis width somewhere.  Which means finding 1mm, or more, from between the frames.  Typically in 2mm finescale, they're about 6.5mm apart.  Reducing that by 1mm is quite a bit.  

And you've got to find a source of track bits/gauges to hit your particular track standard, and then wonder why your track looks nothing like British track (US flat-bottom and spikes doesn't look like British bullhead chaired track). 

 

Or, you can just use the 2mm standard which adds up to work.

 

 

- Nigel

 

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, Chris Higgs said:

 

Not mentioned so far is that there are conversion parts for some of the Bachmann steam locos such as the latest Jinty and 64XX so that you can use the Association wheels in them, basically by replacing the bearings. It is close to drop-in. http://2mm.org.uk/products/instruction_sheets/pdf3-219.pdf are illustrated instructions for the Castle but the 0-6-0s are even easier. see also http://2mm.org.uk/articles/64xx chassis conversion kit/index.html

 

The etched chassis are largely for older style Farish (and other) locos. BR LInes (brlines.co.uk)  will sell you some of the relevant bodies.

 

Chris

 

 

Many thanks to the three of you! 
 

More information to help tip the scales! I am seriously considering joining the 2mm association. I will have a play with the intro kit and see how I get on. I am sure my modelling skills are up to scratch.

 

My first order will likely be an easitrac turnout and the bits needed to make a soldered one. See which one I prefer, although from what I have read the consensus seems to be easitrac for plain track and soldered for point work. 
 

Thanks again folks!

[Lacathedrale]

I'm about to repaint up my first grafar body, a 57xx. It's in BR Black with motifs applied, and needs to be back-dated to GWR. I have access to some GWR middle chrome green spray that I like, but what's the best way to prepare the body? Shoot over the top? Strip the body with dichloromethane (i.e. Power Strip, oldschool Nitromors) ?

 

Cheers,

[justin1985]

1 hour ago, Lacathedrale said:

I'm about to repaint up my first grafar body, a 57xx. It's in BR Black with motifs applied, and needs to be back-dated to GWR. I have access to some GWR middle chrome green spray that I like, but what's the best way to prepare the body? Shoot over the top? Strip the body with dichloromethane (i.e. Power Strip, oldschool Nitromors) ?

 

Cheers,

 

I'd definitely strip it - the body will probably reveal quite a bit more detail with the factory paint removed! 

 

I think we spoke about Fairy Powerspray seemingly only being available at Sainsbury's these days - but with a metal body (perhaps remove the plastic clip in cab?) You should be safe using pretty much any paint stripper. Obviously clean well and dust with primer before the Tamiya

 

J

[Argos]

I've found Detol to be a pretty effective paint stripper.

You do need to give a while soaking though.

[Ian Smith]

If it’s a Farish 57xx, the smokebox is also plastic so would benefit from removal before attacking the paint with something that may melt the plastic bits! 

[Lacathedrale]

Thanks both, I'll try that today and report back on the progress. @Ian Smith very good point - this stripper will melt any plastic so good to know. @justin1985 can't find powerspray anywhere locally, hence this medieval stripper!

[Lacathedrale]

I'm nosing around for ideas on my 'next' layout and one that keeps surfacing is an SER-era branch line that I can 'forward date' to accomodate my EMUs. Two mandatory locomotives for the earlier period are a Q-class 0-4-4T and an O-class 0-6-0 tender locomotive.

 

The Q class is approx 10% smaller than an LSWR M7 in overalll length and there's about 6" difference in the trailing bogie centre (and the bogie itself is two feet shorter). My thoughts are to use a 3D printed body ontop of the association M7 chassis suitably altered, with a scratch-built trailing bogie. Would that make sense?

SER Q-class

 

LSWR M7-class

 

The O class is approx 10% smaller than an equivalent 4F/etc. at a shade under 50' over buffers, but has the disadvantage of a much smaller boiler and an open cab:

SER O-class

 

Fowler 4F and Maunsell Q-class

 

Although it would be appreciated I'm not really look for a solution at this point, but rather a confirmation that getting a mechanism into the O-class is not beyond the realms of ability for Mr. All-Thumbs here?

 

 

 

[nick_bastable]

Gareth ( Collier ?) has made a  O using I believe a Dapol terrier chassis in the tender 

 

But then he is a bit of a N gauge wizard

 

Nick B

Edited July 28, 2020 by nick_bastable
image removed