bgman Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 31 minutes ago, hayfield said: I don't know which is more impressive, the performance of the loco, or the track or the scenics Simples....ALL of it ! 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted February 22, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 22, 2020 The Dean Goods arrives in the yard and shunts to the spur: 14 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chuffinghell Posted February 22, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 22, 2020 Whenever I start to feel deflated by the slow progress of my own layout I always turn to the Bethesda Sidings and @NHY 581‘s Sheep Chronicles for inspiration and motivation 1 2 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgman Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 I've said it elsewhere and I'll say it again......I do like a DG ! ( Can't keep up with double threads at my age ) 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted March 1, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 1, 2020 A few months ago, when I was testing some of the locos that I plan to use on Bethesda Sidings, I found that my Bachmann 08, which had previously been a lovely, slow runner, had developed a pronounced tight spot and 'limp'. The loco had essentially been sitting in it's box for a few years since my last exhibition. Initial investigations failed to reveal the source of the problem and I reluctantly put it away again. I have been having a more thorough look in the last couple of weeks and finally spotted that one of the plastic outside cranks, on the rear (driven) axle had split, where the crankpin is attached. The plastic crank was quite oily and I didn't fancy trying a repair on it, so I ended up ordering a complete replacement wheelset, with rods attached, from the Bachmann spares department. When on the phone, I asked if the design of the 08 chassis had changed over the years (mine is a relatively early model) and was assured that it hadn't. The new wheelset arrived pretty quickly and I went to install it this afternoon. I was rather irritated, to say the least, to find that it would only fit, with the rods upside down: I couldn't put them in the other way up (even though the axle centres are the same between all three axles), because the drive gear is off-set and the gear in the new wheelset was off-set on the opposite side from my original one. I concluded that either the wheelset I had been sent had been assembled incorrectly or the chassis design had changed after all. After a bit more faffing about, I realised that I could remove the new driven axle, with it's new outside cranks and substitute it for the original driven axle. I was able to remove the Bachmann crankpins OK and when assembled, the whole thing then ran sweetly again: You may notice that I hadn't finished painting the dark rust colour on the check and wing rails, this is now done. Also, a bit of footage: 10 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted March 1, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 1, 2020 Also on the workbench, work continues on the conversion of a Bachmann 64XX to a 74XX: 10 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted March 3, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 3, 2020 (edited) I started the layout cover this afternoon, which will be a framework of 20mm x 20mm timber, covered with clear plastic sheeting and secured to various parts of the layout framework: Some traffic has finally appeared in the yard as well: Edited March 3, 2020 by Captain Kernow Correcting size of timber used. 19 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Siberian Snooper Posted March 3, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 3, 2020 Having just looked at the other thread and queried the 2mm x 2mm, I now see that you meant 20mm x 20mm or thereabouts. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted March 3, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 3, 2020 1 hour ago, Siberian Snooper said: Having just looked at the other thread and queried the 2mm x 2mm, I now see that you meant 20mm x 20mm or thereabouts. Corrected it on this thread now as well, thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted March 5, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 5, 2020 A bit more progress. I'll reinforce the glued joints with screws when the glue is fully set and will then fit the clear plastic cover. 9 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted March 5, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 5, 2020 To the right of Bethesda Sidings, you can make out the two boards of Callow Lane, which have the same type of covers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted March 7, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2020 Layout cover virtually done: 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Mick Bonwick Posted March 7, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2020 Rather taken by your left-hand trestle. If you see what I mean. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted March 8, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 8, 2020 10 hours ago, Mick Bonwick said: Rather taken by your left-hand trestle. If you see what I mean. Indeed. This is the home of high technology here. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 8, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 8, 2020 Is the lathe for turning parsnips? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted March 8, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 8, 2020 "The lathe is not for turning!" I think that's what she said. 1 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold NHY 581 Posted March 8, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 8, 2020 17 hours ago, Captain Kernow said: Layout cover virtually done: That's given me an idea..... 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted March 8, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 8, 2020 Now that the layout itself is virtually complete (apart from some work on the fiddle yard), I've been doing a bit more on the 74XX conversion this afternoon. Thoughts then turned to giving the chassis another test run on the layout and I found it to be unsatisfactory. It's not really smooth enough at slow speed for my liking and doesn't like the A5 crossover (which is OO-SF), as not all the Bachmann wheels are touching the rail and it sometimes stalls. Such unreliability isn't acceptable and I know that a compensated chassis would work properly, so I've made the decision to order a High Level chassis kit for it and will probably make building it a priority, together with the whitemetal 16XX kit. This is now the fourth RTR loco for this layout, where the RTR chassis has failed to live up to expectations and has to be replaced by an etched, compensated example (the others being two Hattons/DJM 14XXs and the Oxford Dean Goods). 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted March 8, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 8, 2020 You don't think it's your track then 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim V Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 23 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said: This is now the fourth RTR loco for this layout, where the RTR chassis has failed to live up to expectations and has to be replaced by an etched, compensated example (the others being two Hattons/DJM 14XXs and the Oxford Dean Goods). Perhaps you are expecting too much from RTR models? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted March 8, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 8, 2020 1 hour ago, Stubby47 said: You don't think it's your track then No, because locos fitted with compensated chassis and Markits wheels run fine over them. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted March 8, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 8, 2020 1 hour ago, Tim V said: Perhaps you are expecting too much from RTR models? Yes, I always do. I never seem to learn! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Most of my locos are kit built and the quality of the running is down to both the build quality and the quality of the components used. The best RTR loco I own is a Bemo loco, the quality of the components and build are first class, far better than any other RTR loco I owned. Once you have achieved an acceptable level or running, its difficult and or annoying to put up with something below par. Having said this given the premium new models sell at, I would expect a level of performance commercient with the cost. I bought a Mainline 57xx with a Comet (?) etched chassis using a Buhler motor and unknown gearbox, again an outstanding performer. I am in the process of building a Southeastern Finecast E1 loco, I have used a High Level coreless motor and a Road Runner chassis, so quiet and smooth running, (rigid chassis and only 4 wheels at [resent with pickups) more down to the quality of the products and their design, than my building skills. I will be watching with interest 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold NHY 581 Posted March 8, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 8, 2020 3 hours ago, Tim V said: Perhaps you are expecting too much from RTR models? No, I don't think so. Like any mass produced item there are good and bad. You are either lucky or not. Rarely is a model inherently a poor runner. The exception seems to be the 14xx from Hattons with which a good runner seems to be in the minority. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted March 8, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 8, 2020 Well, I may calculate the percentage of 'good 'uns' verses 'bad 'uns' at some stage, but I have had my fair share of poor runners. And it's not as if I haven't given them plenty of time running in, either. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now