brossard Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Link says the item is removed Doc. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorP Posted March 21, 2018 Author Share Posted March 21, 2018 Link says the item is removed Doc. John It was a Flying Scotsman (see below) Hornby R1167 Flying Scotsman Model Train Set 00 Gauge DCC Ready New SealedBrand New $246.10 Buy It Now Free Shipping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Looks good. However, I was thinking more of a shunting set. A big engine and 3 coaches is going to look out of place on a 4 x 8 layout. Besides, it is a LNER train. I would suggest this: http://www.hattons.co.uk/71904/Bachmann_Branchline_30_080_The_Western_Wanderer_with_Class_57xx_Pannier_8700_in_GWR_shirtbutton_green_and_G/StockDetail.aspx GWR Pannier tank, shunters truck and brake. Have a look at wagons too. PO wagons are very attractive with various traders names. You're not limited to GWR branded wagons and vans as foreign vehicles were common across the network. The main rule is that GWR locos hauled trains would have GWR brake vans (this goes for other companies too). It's only a circle of track but you can add to it. By the way, I don't think we've discussed era. I mentioned grouping before, a government mandated rationalisation of the hundreds of railway companies before 1923. These were reduced to the "Big Four" in 1923, Great Western, London Midland and Scottish, Southern and London & Northeastern. The mandate was in the interests of national security because things got pretty chaotic during the Great War. After WW2, the Labour Govt nationalised a lot of British industry including coal and railways. Thus was born British Railways in 1948. This lasted until the early 90s when railways were privatised again. The set I recommended is for the grouping era. You need to figure out when you want to set your railway. The loco, wagon and coach branding will be different after 1948, although it took time to repaint and letter everything. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorP Posted March 21, 2018 Author Share Posted March 21, 2018 Yep, looks Looks good. However, I was thinking more of a shunting set. A big engine and 3 coaches is going to look out of place on a 4 x 8 layout. Besides, it is a LNER train. I would suggest this: http://www.hattons.co.uk/71904/Bachmann_Branchline_30_080_The_Western_Wanderer_with_Class_57xx_Pannier_8700_in_GWR_shirtbutton_green_and_G/StockDetail.aspx GWR Pannier tank, shunters truck and brake. Have a look at wagons too. PO wagons are very attractive with various traders names. You're not limited to GWR branded wagons and vans as foreign vehicles were common across the network. The main rule is that GWR locos hauled trains would have GWR brake vans (this goes for other companies too). It's only a circle of track but you can add to it. By the way, I don't think we've discussed era. I mentioned grouping before, a government mandated rationalisation of the hundreds of railway companies before 1923. These were reduced to the "Big Four" in 1923, Great Western, London Midland and Scottish, Southern and London & Northeastern. The mandate was in the interests of national security because things got pretty chaotic during the Great War. After WW2, the Labour Govt nationalised a lot of British industry including coal and railways. Thus was born British Railways in 1948. This lasted until the early 90s when railways were privatised again. The set I recommended is for the grouping era. You need to figure out when you want to set your railway. The loco, wagon and coach branding will be different after 1948, although it took time to repaint and letter everything. John Yep, looks good. I'll have to contact them to see exactly what comes with a :"set" (if it does indeed come in a set). I plan on buying some additional track and build part of my ultimate layout now and then add to it as time goes on. I also need to contact a retail outlet in Canada that contacted me yesterday to see if he offers this item His name is Steve and the shipping would be cheaper coming from Canada than Britaiin. And, yes, I had done some background homework of the British rail system and did know about the shifts from many small lines to 4 larger ones and then the ultimate government takeover in 1948. I hope to model a late 1940's - mid 1950's era which would bridge the gap between the middle and ultimate era. DoctorP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 (edited) Glad to hear you've contacted Steve. You will get good service. A transitional period is a good idea. You can run GWR, really early BRITISH RAILWAYS or early crest BR locos. No modernisation yet so the 1930s infrastructure would still be there. My idea of a Cotswold setting is a sleepy bucolic backwater. A small station building, small goods shed, maybe a cattle dock and perhaps some coal drops for a local domestic coal merchant. Traffic wouldn't be heavy so you could run an Autotrailer with a 14XX/48XX 0-4-2T loco. There might be a couple of goods trains per day pulled by a ubiquitous Pannier 0-6-0T and a Dean goods 0-6-0 tender engine. For buildings, as you are starting out, I can recommend SuperQuik card building kits (http://www.superquick.co.uk/) or Metcalfe ( https://www.metcalfemodels.com/ ) These are pretty easy to put together using PVA. Later on you can replace these with more sophisticated buildings. I cut my teeth on these before moving to Scalescenes (https://scalescenes.com/)* and scratch. *Scalescenes are downloadable PDF files that you print and mount on card. Quite a bit more involved than the others. Let me know your thoughts on a track plan. Here's a couple of tasters: The station building is a laser cut model of Tetbury. I made the platform shed from scratch. The signal box is a Ratio kit. Engine shed is based on Tetbury too. Coal staithes were made from scratch. Water crane is Mikes Models (available from http://www.holtmodelrailways.co.uk/index.htm). Goods shed was made from scratch by a friend. Crane is Mikes Models. There's a cattle dock behind the shed. A little vignette of a coal merchant operation. I loved operating this model but I resigned from the club to get on with my own thing. Track is code 75 and points are hand made on copperclad strip. John Edited March 21, 2018 by brossard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorP Posted March 22, 2018 Author Share Posted March 22, 2018 Glad to hear you've contacted Steve. You will get good service. A transitional period is a good idea. You can run GWR, really early BRITISH RAILWAYS or early crest BR locos. No modernisation yet so the 1930s infrastructure would still be there. My idea of a Cotswold setting is a sleepy bucolic backwater. A small station building, small goods shed, maybe a cattle dock and perhaps some coal drops for a local domestic coal merchant. Traffic wouldn't be heavy so you could run an Autotrailer with a 14XX/48XX 0-4-2T loco. There might be a couple of goods trains per day pulled by a ubiquitous Pannier 0-6-0T and a Dean goods 0-6-0 tender engine. For buildings, as you are starting out, I can recommend SuperQuik card building kits (http://www.superquick.co.uk/) or Metcalfe ( https://www.metcalfemodels.com/ ) These are pretty easy to put together using PVA. Later on you can replace these with more sophisticated buildings. I cut my teeth on these before moving to Scalescenes (https://scalescenes.com/)* and scratch. *Scalescenes are downloadable PDF files that you print and mount on card. Quite a bit more involved than the others. Let me know your thoughts on a track plan. Here's a couple of tasters: P1010012.JPG The station building is a laser cut model of Tetbury. I made the platform shed from scratch. The signal box is a Ratio kit. P1010013.JPG Engine shed is based on Tetbury too. Coal staithes were made from scratch. Water crane is Mikes Models (available from http://www.holtmodelrailways.co.uk/index.htm). P1010021.JPG Goods shed was made from scratch by a friend. Crane is Mikes Models. There's a cattle dock behind the shed. P1010014.JPG A little vignette of a coal merchant operation. I loved operating this model but I resigned from the club to get on with my own thing. Track is code 75 and points are hand made on copperclad strip. John This is food for thought for the entire weekend! John, I really appreciate the time and trouble you are taking with a novice like myself who doesn't know one end from the other. I just presented a philosophic forum at the college yesterday that had stressed me out quite a bit. I present one each semester and yesterday's topic was "America: Boom or Bust? Is America Going to Hell in a Handbasket?" and we had a panel of 8 faculty and budding philosophy students who discussed a variety of topics covering economics, ethics/civility, the environment, politics, and more. I had been planning it for 3 months and yesterday was the day. It went well with an auditorium full of students, faculty, the Dean of Humanities (my boss) and the President of the College, Dr. Zylka. I feel llke the weight of the world has been lifted off me today so I should be a be able to give more thought and planning to my layout. i hope to stop by Lowe's Home Improvement Store on the way home from work today to pick up some extruded foam board to overlay my bench and move forward from there. I plan on contacting Steve today if I can look back and find the web address he sent me and I will discuss all the possibilities you have mentioned here with him as to availability, prices, etc. Again, thanks so much for the help and I hope you do not grow weary of shepherding someone as ignorant as myself. Blessings, DoctorP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 (edited) Well glad you got your forum done. So where is America going then? I watch way too much CNN so I have an idea. What exactly do you plan to use the foam board for? I would use it (and will) to create landscape. For roadbed, cork sheet is commonly used and Lowes should have that. I am using Woodland Scenics foam roadbed for my layout (having used cork before now) and Tacky Glue to stick it down. Have fun shopping. John Edited March 22, 2018 by brossard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorP Posted March 22, 2018 Author Share Posted March 22, 2018 Well glad you got your forum done. So where is America going then? I watch way too much CNN so I have an idea. What exactly do you plan to use the foam board for? I would use it (and will) to create landscape. For roadbed, cork sheet is commonly used and Lowes should have that. I am using Woodland Scenics foam roadbed for my layout (having used cork before now) and Tacky Glue to stick it down. Have fun shopping. John I am so glad you asked this question since it was my plan to purchase foam board tomorrow and glue it to my benchwork top and then place everything either on or in the foam board including track, etc. Right now my bench is covered in a very hard sort of sheet rock called green board. Green board is specially designed for use around tubs, showers, bathrooms and any situation where moisture is a problem. it is also much heavier and more durable than sheet rock while being easily cut/trimmed/altered by either a utility knife or a jig saw. I had planned to glue the foam board to that and then move forward from there. I am extremely interested in knowing if that is a good plan or if I should consider another...one you seem to refer to above. I hope you can let me know since I plan to pick up the foam board either on the way home from work today or tomorrow at the latest. As always, thanks so much for your timely advice. DoctorP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 When you say foam board am I right in thinking it is blue insulation? Your use of green board is not usual but I can't see anything wrong with it, being water resistant is a plus. I've always used plywood. I would glue the roadbed to that and not bother with any intermediate covering, but perhaps you have a reason that I'm not aware of. You can get pre chamfered cork roadbed: https://www.hobbylinc.com/midwest-cork-roadbed-3-25-model-train-track-roadbed-ho-scale-3013 (I was going to recommend Atlas but their website is horrible) Woodland Scenics do a broad range of modelling products that you ought to be able to get mail order from a US outlet. https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwqM3VBRCwARIsAKcekb2MmM3tbtcx0xLuBHWuCpzy5WC6Z1NEkwUfgHBVMfJX67feJVSEAPcaAgxTEALw_wcB You'll be wanting ballast at some point. You will want to seek out generic US products that are not country specific so try to find an online store you like. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KalKat Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Doctor P, forgive me if I'm wrong, but you seem to be rushing headlong into throwing 'something' together. More haste less speed is a useful motto here. I would research what you are interested in and consider carefully how to achieve it. I agree 'playing trains' can be fun - but it can also get expensive! Emma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorP Posted March 22, 2018 Author Share Posted March 22, 2018 Doctor P, forgive me if I'm wrong, but you seem to be rushing headlong into throwing 'something' together. More haste less speed is a useful motto here. I would research what you are interested in and consider carefully how to achieve it. I agree 'playing trains' can be fun - but it can also get expensive! Emma Emma, I appreciate your concern and I am aware of a tendency I have to want to do things quickly and see results. I'm having to balance that against the desire to get at least something "on track" (pun intended) even if it is only something that will need re-doing down the line. I will be careful to ask for and heed advice along the way and to use a little common sense to help guide me on my path but this is a very promising hobby and one I hope to be involved with for years to come. DoctorP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorP Posted March 22, 2018 Author Share Posted March 22, 2018 When you say foam board am I right in thinking it is blue insulation? Your use of green board is not usual but I can't see anything wrong with it, being water resistant is a plus. I've always used plywood. I would glue the roadbed to that and not bother with any intermediate covering, but perhaps you have a reason that I'm not aware of. You can get pre chamfered cork roadbed: https://www.hobbylinc.com/midwest-cork-roadbed-3-25-model-train-track-roadbed-ho-scale-3013 (I was going to recommend Atlas but their website is horrible) Woodland Scenics do a broad range of modelling products that you ought to be able to get mail order from a US outlet. https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwqM3VBRCwARIsAKcekb2MmM3tbtcx0xLuBHWuCpzy5WC6Z1NEkwUfgHBVMfJX67feJVSEAPcaAgxTEALw_wcB You'll be wanting ballast at some point. You will want to seek out generic US products that are not country specific so try to find an online store you like. John Yep...I'm so glad you gave me this good advice. I will do just that and use the foam board to build topographical elements on the greenboard and have already researched the Woodland foam track underlayment...things are beginning to come together quite nicely. DoctorP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Emmas point is a good one but yours is equally valid. There has to be balance. If we spend all of our time researching, we may lose interest. Going out and buying models at random is also a mistake. You should get period and location correct models (I gave some hints above). What about research though? You mention Cotswolds as a location but do you have information on the stations around that area? There are books galore on railways so you might want to have a look for some. Sadly most of the best books I know of are out of print so it does come down to searching Amazon and the like. You can usually find them but some are at a ridiculous price. One of the best GWR branchline themed book sets I can think of is the 3 volume set by Stephen Williams: https://britishrailwaybooks.co.uk/books/ISBN/0906867959.php https://britishrailwaybooks.co.uk/books/ISBN/0906867983.php https://britishrailwaybooks.co.uk/books/ISBN/1874103135.html Vol 2 is available but the others are out of print. Vol 3 is very valuable because it documents Stephens build of his layout. Another thing you might want to see about is getting modelling magazines. BRM (the owners of this forum), Model Rail, Hornby and Railway Modeller are the four main ones. They all do subscriptions and electronic versions (if that floats your boat, it doesn't mine). Alternatively if you visit your local bookseller they may already stock some of these. If they don't and you ask nicely they may agree to get the magazine sfor you. I try to mete out information because there is so much to learn that your brain can explode. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theakerr Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 You might find Ken Patterson at Whats Neat interesting. He has both a pod cast and a monthly show that is part of the Model Railroad Hobby Mag. Whilst he does NA he covers some very neat stuff and is a bit out of the box. https://youtu.be/eHMtWOsO3KU One of the concepts that I like is his use of foam on a shelf in a modular form for his baseboards. BTW Steve is very good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I am very impressed with MRH, it is probably the best railroad magazine for NA there is and its free! I haven't read it in a while although I do have a sub. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorP Posted March 22, 2018 Author Share Posted March 22, 2018 Emmas point is a good one but yours is equally valid. There has to be balance. If we spend all of our time researching, we may lose interest. Going out and buying models at random is also a mistake. You should get period and location correct models (I gave some hints above). What about research though? You mention Cotswolds as a location but do you have information on the stations around that area? There are books galore on railways so you might want to have a look for some. Sadly most of the best books I know of are out of print so it does come down to searching Amazon and the like. You can usually find them but some are at a ridiculous price. One of the best GWR branchline themed book sets I can think of is the 3 volume set by Stephen Williams: https://britishrailwaybooks.co.uk/books/ISBN/0906867959.php https://britishrailwaybooks.co.uk/books/ISBN/0906867983.php https://britishrailwaybooks.co.uk/books/ISBN/1874103135.html Vol 2 is available but the others are out of print. Vol 3 is very valuable because it documents Stephens build of his layout. Another thing you might want to see about is getting modelling magazines. BRM (the owners of this forum), Model Rail, Hornby and Railway Modeller are the four main ones. They all do subscriptions and electronic versions (if that floats your boat, it doesn't mine). Alternatively if you visit your local bookseller they may already stock some of these. If they don't and you ask nicely they may agree to get the magazine sfor you. I try to mete out information because there is so much to learn that your brain can explode. John Amen to the exploding brain issue. I haven't been able to do anything with trains since I got home.I had to build some heavy duty ramps so that my wife and I had to unload a John Deere 60 tractor off the truck. We got it unloaded and set up ready to tear down the motor for a re-build. This will be my last summer restoring vintage tractors because of my health (arthritis, knee replacement, etc) and I've got 3 waiting to be resurrected. After that, 2 will be sold and I'll keep one but more importantly, i'll be able to give my full attention to trains. Emma is very perceptive. i confess to being a very driven, type A personality that likes to work hard and see results so i usually work too hard at whatever I do and I'm sure I'll be the same with the trains but I'm going to try to chill a bit because as i have already seen, this is a hobby that lasts a lifetime and one never fully completes anything but merely keeps on adding and improving along the way. That's why I felt that getting started by laying track on my existing benchwork is the best idea. That way, I'll get to learn by doing and any changes i make will go toward the adding and improvement process. You have given me some of the best information I have received to date today and yesterday and I need to ponder on your suggestions and the avenues you have opened for reading, study, purchasing, and laying track...all good! As my students like to say, "you're the bomb!" DoctorP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I agree, take a step back and deep breath. Some of my best work is done is done while snoozing in my comfy chair. Amazing what your brain comes up with if you don't force it. With trains, I've learned the hard way to have patience and not to rush. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorP Posted March 22, 2018 Author Share Posted March 22, 2018 I am very impressed with MRH, it is probably the best railroad magazine for NA there is and its free! I haven't read it in a while although I do have a sub. John MRH?????????? NA?????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Model Railroad Hobbyist: http://mrhpub.com/2018-03-mar/online/ Happy reading. Not British but some awesome modelling. NA = North America John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorP Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 Model Railroad Hobbyist: http://mrhpub.com/2018-03-mar/online/ Happy reading. Not British but some awesome modelling. NA = North America John BRM is about $160 US! Lordy! DoctorP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorP Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 BRM is about $160 US! Lordy! DoctorP Found "Modellers' Guide to the GWR". ordered it (1990 Booth). Could not find either of the 3 you mention on Amazon, but I did find this one so i picked it up...should ship in a couple of weeks. DoctorP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 For a bakers dozen of issues, yes, sounds about right for the hardcopy. Could be down to the DVD every issue. I always bought mine at the local mom and pop magazine store. They put a copy aside for me. It was always a month behind everyone else though. I used to get 5 magazines every month, which over a year cost a fortune. I'm down to two now since switching to 0 gauge. Hornby Magazine is $69.00 for 12 issues. This is the mainstream one I kept. I also get Model Railway Journal which is more high falutin' John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 (edited) Found "Modellers' Guide to the GWR". ordered it (1990 Booth). Could not find either of the 3 you mention on Amazon, but I did find this one so i picked it up...should ship in a couple of weeks. DoctorP It's a start. I don't know the author. Check this out: https://www.abebooks.com/9781874103134/Great-Western-Branch-Line-Modelling-1874103135/plp Pts 2 and 3. I found a copy of Pt 3 on Amazon for over $200, LMAO. John Edited March 23, 2018 by brossard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorP Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 It's a start. I don't know the author. Check this out: https://www.abebooks.com/9781874103134/Great-Western-Branch-Line-Modelling-1874103135/plp Pts 2 and 3. I found a copy of Pt 3 on Amazon for over $200, LMAO. John Going to have to sell a tractor first! DoctorP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 Going to have to sell a tractor first! DoctorP Well the Abe Books price is $15 each plus postage which is almost as much (books are heavy things). John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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