Airport2010 Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Good afternoon all, I'm the latest in what seems to be a steady stream of folk making the quantum leap up to O from OO! A familiar theme seems to be that in OO, grand ideas of the 'ultimate layout' often fail to get completed as the sheer amount of work is overwhelming for one person, and you just get downhearted with the lack of tangible progress. That's certainly the case with me! I've read with interest and amusement the life and times of 'muddys blues' and can see myself writing a similar story on this forum as I commence my BR Blue journey into O. Right now I'm just starting the old familiar story of clearing out a colossal mountain of OO stock (a lot of which has never been unboxed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alaneggleston Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Good afternoon all, I'm the latest in what seems to be a steady stream of folk making the quantum leap up to O from OO! A familiar theme seems to be that in OO, grand ideas of the 'ultimate layout' often fail to get completed as the sheer amount of work is overwhelming for one person, and you just get downhearted with the lack of tangible progress. That's certainly the case with me! I've read with interest and amusement the life and times of 'muddys blues' and can see myself writing a similar story on this forum as I commence my BR Blue journey into O. Right now I'm just starting the old familiar story of clearing out a colossal mountain of OO stock (a lot of which has never been unboxed Be prepared for much suffering of the wallet! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Be prepared for much suffering of the wallet! 7 x OO / 4 = O and you will unbox everything Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railwayrod Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Phil. Welcome to the world of 7mm to the foot. I am sure you will not regret your decision to move up to the larger scale. I did this about 6 years ago and have not looked back since. If you are interested you can see my progress on RMweb/7mm+mofelling/The Ramchester Chronicles. I wish you well with your new venture and will be following your progress with interest. Rod Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Whenever I look at 4mm now I think it's 3mm. To help with the transition buy an Expo 7mm scale steel rule. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railwayrod Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I too look at 4mm and think how small it is, as for N gauge well..... Rod Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I'm new to both O and O-16.5, and the narrow gauge is a kind of intermediate step, especially as my early stock will be conversions from OO RTR. So I'm hoping I'll still be able to cope with 4mm modelling too! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poggy1165 Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I remember when I moved into 7mm scale everything seemed massive, it almost felt like the real thing. But now it just seems normal, and when (as I do occasionally) deal with anything in 4mm scale the thought the comes to mind is 'How the Flipping Heck did I ever manage to work in that tiny scale?' Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Well done that man and BR Blue as well Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I remember when I moved into 7mm scale everything seemed massive, it almost felt like the real thing. But now it just seems normal, and when (as I do occasionally) deal with anything in 4mm scale the thought the comes to mind is 'How the Flipping Heck did I ever manage to work in that tiny scale?' I hope I don't get like that, as there are things I want to do that I don't have the space, or the money, to do in 7mm!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 dont worry about the cost of 0 gauge. you'll spend the same as you did on 00, and you'll fill a similar area. I believe you'll have more fun, and you will certainly have more detail. welcome on board! Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Welcome on board, enjoy the ride. You wont regret joining us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jintyman Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Welcome to 7mm. I too am a recent convert, and I'm enjoying the journey immensely. Lots of pictures as you progress is a standard requirement. And there is plenty of help on here too. Jinty Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airport2010 Posted September 10, 2015 Author Share Posted September 10, 2015 Gents Thanks very much for all your kind words and encouragement! Brian, I've spent probably more time than is healthy breathing on the display cases in Howes looking at your various masterclasses in painting and weathering in recent times! Not to mention your Flickr account showing Stratford, Old Oak etc in the heyday of BR Blue. Great (and scary!) memories of walking through that long and draughty tunnel from Stratford station wondering if we'd get caught and thrown out, but we never did! I'm going to the GW event at Steam Swindon this Saturday which I fear may end badly...even though my wife has already pointed out that as I currently have no track, no layout and no plan, I won't be buying anything in O gauge will I? Doh! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianthesnail96 Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Heljan have a lot to answer for! Another relatively recent convert here who hasn't looked back. I intended to go for blue diesels too, but somehow have ended up with early 60's industrial instead. Will be at Swindon with the large 0 gauge roundy roundy "Berkeley Junction". Will mostly be running BR steam but, since it's more about long trains than 100% accuracy there's likely to be a bit of deviation from that and I'm sure a few Heljan diesels will sneak in, albeit probably green ones. Do say hello- I'll most likely be front of house shunting the yard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
glo41f Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Welcome aboard! You will not regret the decision and the costs involved are comparative. The Dapol 08 will be the same price as some 4mm items and the recent Telford show indicated that there was a raft of goodies on their way to you blue era types. The main advice would be to start with something you can manage and work up from that. I would also recommend that you consider joining the Gauge 0 Guild as there is a lot out there which you do not pick up from that mainstream press. I hope you have a good time in the 7mm world! Martin Long Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airport2010 Posted September 11, 2015 Author Share Posted September 11, 2015 Righto, I'll come across and say Hi tomorrow for sure at Swindon! First piece of advice requested is more an opinion than a technical question.....I have several brand new and unopened containers of Woodland Scenics FINE ballast. The product looked pretty good in OO, but I'm wondering if it's best to see if I can return them for a straight swap to COARSE ballast, or just keep hold of them and mix it all in with coarse ballast in the future? I realise it's a bit early to be thinking about ballast before I even have a layout plan, so this is just a 'quick win' as part of the changeover. Cheers Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poggy1165 Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Personally I should keep the fine ballast and if all else fails use it in sidings, which were often ballasted with substandard materials, even ash in some cases. Nothing looks more wrong that a railway where every piece of track is ballasted to main line standards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Righto, I'll come across and say Hi tomorrow for sure at Swindon! First piece of advice requested is more an opinion than a technical question.....I have several brand new and unopened containers of Woodland Scenics FINE ballast. The product looked pretty good in OO, but I'm wondering if it's best to see if I can return them for a straight swap to COARSE ballast, or just keep hold of them and mix it all in with coarse ballast in the future? I realise it's a bit early to be thinking about ballast before I even have a layout plan, so this is just a 'quick win' as part of the changeover. Cheers Phil I use Woodland Scenics medium gray (sic) ballast for my running lines. It's fixed in place with diluted pva glue and is the first ballast I have used that does not turn green when so treated. You can see it on the photo of the three-way in front of Cwm Bach signal bxo and under the Bubblecar. For sidings I use some left-over "00" scale ballast that I mix with coal ash and black powder paint. You can just make it outbehind the signal in the photo of the Bubble-car waiting for the board on Cwm Bach's starter to come off Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railwayrod Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 I agree. Keep the OO ballast as it will come in useful for many things. On Ramchester it has been used in the area outside the track and in the bits between adjacent tracks, etc. We have also used as a mixture with O ballast along the lines suggested by Chris. In fact I think it looks better as O ballast rather than OO ballast but at the end of the day you pays yer money and make yer choice. Rod Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianthesnail96 Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 I do think layouts in the smaller scales in particular tend to go for ballast that is heavier than it should be, especially for sidings and the like. I think it'll most likely look better than the heavy stuff in the right place. I'm one of the younger (it's all relative...) operators on Berkeley Junction- beard, glasses and scruffy hair Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airport2010 Posted September 11, 2015 Author Share Posted September 11, 2015 Thanks for the insight there gents...one small thing to cross off the list! The photos of Cwm Bach certainly do make the point very well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Smith Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 I too look at 4mm and think how small it is, as for N gauge well..... Rod I modelled 4mm P4 exclusively up until about 2 years ago when I had a hankering to move to O-16.5 incorporating an exchange siding. However I got somewhat side-tracked into On30 but have now actually started building some Peco O-16.5 kits. The Glyn Valley Tramway rolling stock is actually about the same size as 4mm, with the granite wagons smaller than standard gauge open wagons. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt-b Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Hello there.. Like you I'm dipping my toe into O gauge modelling. Having plenty of experience in N gauge I'm keen to see what this new scale can offer me. Like yourself I alway model modern stuff, 90s onwards. There is a lack of ready to run modern wagons/coaches/locos out there.. I am currently having a GJH Plant JNA ballast wagon built, just has a starter to see how things look and if the resin models are a simple and quick way to get me up and running. I'm also tempted by the Heljan wagons you mention, there are a couple of weathered versions on eBay that look interesting. Course, modelling in O gauge and modern has given me a few headaches, with most trains now-a-days running in long rakes this means two things.. Expensive to build/buy and long long sidings/run around loops required. The idea of a Heljan 60 and 4/5 cargowaggons sounds good.. Though this, a controler and a basic circle of track would be £1'500 at least.. Think what that buys in other scales! Please don't let me put you off, you should go for it and see what happens. I'll keep you updated with my wagon progress. Thanks, Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airport2010 Posted September 11, 2015 Author Share Posted September 11, 2015 Hi Matt Thanks for sharing your experiences to date. O gauge certainly focuses the mind as to what you REALLY want to see operating, as opposed to OO, which lets you have pretty much what you fancy, as I've discovered after putting all my carriages and wagons on the kitchen table last Sunday for an audit! I'm still enjoying pushing my solitary VAA van up and down this length of track I currently have in a way I never could with the 16 Bachmann OO scale VAA vans I'm poised to dispose of. Sad I know! A pal of mine has loaned me his O gauge DCC sound fitted Class 20 which I'm going to lash up to my Digitrax system over the weekend and leave it sitting on the kitchen table idling. Unfortunately it's green not BR blue but I suppose you can't have everything! I've got a couple of those Cargowaggons from Heljan in OO, so they'll definitely be on the list of items to be acquired when they're released in O! Regards Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.