Dr Al Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 On 18/03/2019 at 18:17, Tony Wright said: Tony - may I make a suggestion for a small improvement to some of your road vehicles? An old trick that aircraft modellers use to give 'weight' to a model sitting on wheels is to file a small flat on the base of the wheels where they contact the ground - this allows them to sit more 'heavily' on the surface and gives that feeling of weight. Obviously you don't take too much off or then it'll look like it has a puncture of course! The two pictures above I think would particularly benefit from this. Just a suggestion. Cheers, Alan 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KalKat Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 I used to heat the tyres to soften them, then push down on a flat surface. This not only gives a flat at the ground/tyre juncture, but also a slight bulge at the sidewall. Emma 2 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium thegreenhowards Posted March 19, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 19, 2019 1 hour ago, Tony Wright said: Half that, Andy, .45mm. The problem with using 0.9mm wire is that it isn't flexible enough, especially when it's being asked to couple up to bogie-fitted tension-locks on adjacent cars. There were just too many derailments yesterday, all over the place with your Sleepers (very nice carriages, by the way). A central problem, of course, on PN is the mish-mash of couplings, most of which are incompatible. Until all the couplings are standardised (which won't happen?), then the likely result will be running difficulties and trains dividing. Regards, Tony. If they were being used to couple to tension locks then I understand. I always remove the tension lock on the adjoining carriage and replace with hook or goalpost, even though I’m happy to keep tension locks on the rest of the train. I thought 0.45mm wire would not be strong enough, but I’ll try it now. Andy 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted March 19, 2019 Author Share Posted March 19, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, thegreenhowards said: If they were being used to couple to tension locks then I understand. I always remove the tension lock on the adjoining carriage and replace with hook or goalpost, even though I’m happy to keep tension locks on the rest of the train. I thought 0.45mm wire would not be strong enough, but I’ll try it now. Andy Andy, Every single one of the carriages and wagons I've built has my home-made style of coupling - a .45mm brass wire hook, engaging on to a '45mm brass 'goalpost'. Even passenger trains of 15-vehicles long work perfectly with this system, as do 50-wagon goods trains. The thinner wire allows the towed coach's/wagon's hook to be flexible; useful, especially on reverse curves and especially where trains are propelled in and out of the kick-back sidings. The pick-ups use wagons with Sprat & Winkle couplings (not built by me) and there are couple of goods rakes with 'proper' couplings (again, not built by me). I think one of the 'tricks' (if it is a trick) to ensure good and consistent running is to have every coupling in a single train the same. That way, one gets compatibility. A mixture of different (incompatible) couplings in a single rake can only lead (in my view/experience) to compromised running. Which, as you know well, I will not tolerate. Today, with four visiting friends, every train on LB was run (including those on the MR/M&GNR). Apart from the incorrect setting of a couple of points (one, not my fault), the running was faultless (as it should be). It can be achieved, but only with consistency and compatibility, no matter what scale/gauge is chosen. Regards, Tony. Edited March 19, 2019 by Tony Wright 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted March 19, 2019 Author Share Posted March 19, 2019 2 hours ago, Dr Al said: Tony - may I make a suggestion for a small improvement to some of your road vehicles? An old trick that aircraft modellers use to give 'weight' to a model sitting on wheels is to file a small flat on the base of the wheels where they contact the ground - this allows them to sit more 'heavily' on the surface and gives that feeling of weight. Obviously you don't take too much off or then it'll look like it has a puncture of course! The two pictures above I think would particularly benefit from this. Just a suggestion. Cheers, Alan Thanks Alan, Excellent observation. I'll make it a matter of priority. Regards, Tony. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post PMP Posted March 19, 2019 RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted March 19, 2019 This is how the appearance is improved with ‘flats’ 20 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBRJ Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 And that is in N gauge! Collier St if I am not mistaken? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PMP Posted March 20, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 20, 2019 3 minutes ago, LBRJ said: And that is in N gauge! Collier St if I am not mistaken? The layout is indeed Collier Street, and N gauge. The van however.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBRJ Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 1 minute ago, PMP said: The layout is indeed Collier Street, and N gauge. The van however.... Oh I see... ( I think) You are very clever there! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted March 20, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2019 12 hours ago, KalKat said: I used to heat the tyres to soften them, then push down on a flat surface. This not only gives a flat at the ground/tyre juncture, but also a slight bulge at the sidewall. Emma If you push them down onto a heated surface then you will have more control over the softening process. Mike. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted March 20, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2019 7 hours ago, PMP said: The layout is indeed Collier Street, and N gauge. The van however.... 7 hours ago, LBRJ said: Oh I see... ( I think) You are very clever there! Shades of Father Ted? Mike. 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahame Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 7 hours ago, PMP said: The layout is indeed Collier Street, and N gauge. The van however.... Go on? Forced perspective? I wasn't aware of a RTP Austin/Morris LD van (which presumably that is) in N/2mm although Osborn's Models do a 3D print of one (that doesn't look as good as that and you have to paint it). I'm in the process of trying to paint their 3D printed Commer Walk-Thru vans. A tricky proposition but oddly I had already filed little flats on the bottom of the tyres before it was mentioned. G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 Its also quite easy to 'turn' or offset the front wheels, something which again makes the model look more realistic. Some rtr wire axles are fairly heavy duty, overkill really ( a throwback to the toy industry) but these are easily replaced with wire, or even platic rod. Glossy models are easily toned down by spraying with Games Workshop matt seal, but don't forget to maskol any glazing! Again there's a fair bit on Yewtube, including some interesting stuff on restoring vintage Matchbox, Corgis etc and tips like using Johnsons Clear to enhance plastic glazing. 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony Teague Posted March 20, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2019 Tony - a question if I may concerning your preferred couplings, which I am starting to implement on 'own built' carriages and some rakes where Kadees have been letting me down. I am using .45 brass as you suggest but I am getting a bit of "bounce" - elongation & shortening of the rake as the train pulls away, and this one is only about 7 carriages at present; is that because I have made the hooks too long, so that there is too much flex between the cars? All of the coaches concerned are fitted with corridor connections which absorb the bounce a bit, but I can hear the buffers bashing together as the train pulls away or stops. Suggestions? Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 Just to add to the vehicles thread; Railmatch Weathered Black paint is my choice for tyres. Stewart 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 2 minutes ago, stewartingram said: Just to add to the vehicles thread; Railmatch Weathered Black paint is my choice for tyres. Stewart Humbrol anthracite ( or it might be charcoal)..... another name for very dark...grey! 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted March 20, 2019 Author Share Posted March 20, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Tony Teague said: Tony - a question if I may concerning your preferred couplings, which I am starting to implement on 'own built' carriages and some rakes where Kadees have been letting me down. I am using .45 brass as you suggest but I am getting a bit of "bounce" - elongation & shortening of the rake as the train pulls away, and this one is only about 7 carriages at present; is that because I have made the hooks too long, so that there is too much flex between the cars? All of the coaches concerned are fitted with corridor connections which absorb the bounce a bit, but I can hear the buffers bashing together as the train pulls away or stops. Suggestions? Tony Good morning Tony, The 'hooks' on the towed vehicles need to be as short as possible. Just the right length so that buffers on adjacent cars just touch as they negotiate the tightest radius you have. Obviously, the tighter the radii to be negotiated, the longer the hook needs to be. With it comes the risk of 'bouncing'. LB's minimum main line radius is 3' (out of sight). With this to play with, bounce is not an issue. Are your corridor connectors touching all the time between adjacent cars? They should, just 'forcing' the cars apart slightly, giving minimum bounce. I hope this helps. Regards, Tony. Edited March 20, 2019 by Tony Wright typo error 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PMP Posted March 20, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 20, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, grahame said: Go on? Forced perspective? G The van is 4mm scale, with ‘flattened’ tyres, flush glazing and very light weathering. The layout was a Paul Lunn @Dzine plan and built for Peco using N set track, to illustrate a track plan and use off the shelf products. They still use it as a product photoset. I’ve been working on forced perspective for about twenty years on and off, and it’s surprising how much you can push the technique. The distance between van and train is about two inches, no more. Edited March 20, 2019 by PMP 7 2 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony Teague Posted March 20, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2019 7 hours ago, Tony Wright said: The 'hooks' on the towed vehicles need to be as short as possible. Just the right length so that buffers on adjacent cars just touch as they negotiate the tightest radius you have. Obviously, the tighter the radii to be negotiated, the longer the hook needs to be. With it comes the risk of 'bouncing'. LB's minimum main line radius is 3' (out of sight). With this to play with, bounce is not an issue. Are your corridor connectors touching all the time between adjacent cars? They should, just 'forcing' the cars apart slightly, giving minimum bounce. Thanks Tony I will check and adjust accordingly, including the 'corridor touching' issue. Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted March 20, 2019 Author Share Posted March 20, 2019 (edited) Having had a most-fruitful meeting today, I've learned some interesting things.; the principal item being that a command of English/grammar/punctuation are not prerequisites for being a (writing) journalist. A good 'story' takes precedence. I would have thought both elements were essential, but what do I know? Interesting. Edited March 21, 2019 by Tony Wright typo error 1 5 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
truffy Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 2 hours ago, Tony Wright said: a command of English/grammar/punctuation are not prerequisites for being a (writing) journalist. Simply perusing the BBC News online would've told you that. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted March 20, 2019 Author Share Posted March 20, 2019 Out of interest, and by way of a big 'thank you' to all who've contributed in one form or another so far this year, the monies collected for CRUK already are close to £2,00.00. And we're still only in March! 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted March 20, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 20, 2019 Hello to all Write Righters, should you be attending the London Festival of Railway modelling in Alexandra Palace, London, this coming weekend? Please can you say "Hello" as you walk past my little layout Pig Lane (Western Region) . It would be very nice to put faces to the the names who converse on this thread. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanley Melrose Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 4 hours ago, Tony Wright said: Having had a most-fruitful meeting today, I've leaned some interesting things.; the principal item being that A good 'story' takes precedence. I would have thought both elements were essential, but what do I know? Interesting. Perhaps - "A command (of English/grammar/punctuation) is not a prerequisite for being a (writing) journalist"? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nerron Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 (edited) 13 hours ago, stewartingram said: Just to add to the vehicles thread; Railmatch Weathered Black paint is my choice for tyres. Stewart Tamiya do a Rubber Black which I also use for coach underframes and bogies. Edited March 20, 2019 by nerron 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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