Wright writes.....

[Mallard60022]

.

With regard to the jitters over magnets, one dodge is to add a small amount of rolling resistance, as done here with this brake van:

 

toad.jpg

 

It's just a thin strip of plastic card, arranged to bear onto the axle, imparting a small degree of drag - not enough to cause any problems

with running, but enough to stop the vehicle juddering as it passes over magnets. I've got a few permanent magnets on my main lines,

as well as sidings, and this dodge prevents any unwanted uncoupling episodes. I add it to any vehicle that's a bit too free-running, not

just brake vans. Obviously you wouldn't do this to a 40-wagon train but for the type of goods trains I ran, averaging 15 - 20 vehicles, there

doesn't seem to be any detriment. I got the tip from Marc Smith of this forum, who's been using Spratt & Winkles for a long time, but I've

also found it helps with Kadee fitted vehicles as well. One side benefit is that the drag makes the vehicles seem to move more realistically,

in my view, but that's just a personal observation.

 

Al

 

 

That's a damn fine idea for a couple of items of stock I have that 'hunt' when running so thank you.

P

[Clive Mortimore]

Great pictures of Carlisle, as ever... those slips look unusual, the crossing rails are switched?

They are not that uncommon, the exit to Passenger Loco at Kings Cross was a curved double slip with a switched diamond.

 

Repw231b.pdf

[Enterprisingwestern]

Switched diamonds (we called them 'elbows' on the Western) - quite a common formation and essential on large angle diamond crossings.  Not so common however where there is a single slip - we had one on my patch in the 1970s and when part of it broke under a passing train it was impossible to get a spare part so the slip part was placed out of use.

 

Wibdenshaw has one, operated for many years by an infamous Fulgarex!

 

 

Mike.

[Tony Wright]

Today, Mo and I had the immense privilege of playing to host to one of my all time 'heroes', Eric Fry. He was brought by another friend. 

 

Anyone who studies the LNER, its predecessors and successors will know of this man. He's one of the (very few) surviving compilers/editors of the RCTS 'Green Series' and took on the role of producing 13 further volumes of Yeadon's Registers after Willy died. His knowledge is second to none.

 

He's also a most-accomplished railway modeller, and even in his 92nd year he's still producing some outstanding locos. He brought a few along. They all ran impeccably. 

 

 

 

 

He did tell me the origins of these, but, being a chump, I neglected to make notes, but they came in a London Road Models box. The painting is by a friend of his, but the construction is all Eric's.

 

 

His friend built this might-have-been. It started off as a Bachmann V1/V3. 

 

Thank you Eric and Dennis. It was a most wonderful day. 

 

 

[Theakerr]

Has anyone tried the N gauge Micro Engineering (US) or the Dapol knuckle coupling on 00 gauge rolling stock.  It is much smaller and probably close to prototype size for 00.  On another vein Can someone direct me to a source of etched LNER or BR ER railway signs such as "Do not cross the tracks"  Use footbridge, Do not trespass 

Thks

[jamie92208]

''Look on my couplings Ye mighty and despair''. As a user of Screw link, three link, instanter, buckeye and Wright couplings myself, I shall bask in Carlisles reflective glory. It has to be said, it's not the coupling of stock that is the wonder of the modern world, it's the making of the little devils in the first place! I have a speed technique for coupling freight trains that works reasonably well, however, I would baulk at such things under gangways. Coupling fixed rakes to locomotives isn't a problem though.

They are even worse to do in 7mm.   I solved the problem by having a loading siding that juts up to the edge of a board.   Run the loco up to the edge then hold the coach vertically and catch the loco's coupling with the hook.   Then bring the coach upright and let the loco pull it forward, then repeat with the next coach.   The point to the siding has it's own switch which cannot be reached from the control panel and thus is only used for coupling and uncoupling.  The fact that the heavy Janick and PC coaches weigh quite a bit can make this a but tricky.

 

Switched diamonds (we called them 'elbows' on the Western) - quite a common formation and essential on large angle diamond crossings.  Not so common however where there is a single slip - we had one on my patch in the 1970s and when part of it broke under a passing train it was impossible to get a spare part so the slip part was placed out of use.

There was at least one set on the exit from Leeds to before the 2000 rebuild to allow the Kings Cross trains to go onto the ex LNWR viaduct line from the old Platform 5.

 

Jamie

[Michael Edge]

Great pictures of Carlisle, as ever... those slips look unusual, the crossing rails are switched?

All the slips and diamonds had to be switched because the crossing angle is too flat for EM gauge. Remember this is all exactly to scale, fixed diamonds would have been OK in P4.

With regard to couplings we do have an ongoing problem, Kadees are fine where appropriate but these coaches still need a screw coupling to attach anything else. Hooking up screw couplings is difficult enough under any gangway connection but just about impossible under a Pullman gangway.

Some of the stock has been fitted with a modified form of DG coupling, full coupling on the coaches but a simple wire book on the locos. This is almost invisible and still allows the screw coupling to be used if necessary.

[St Enodoc]

Wibdenshaw has one, operated for many years by an infamous Fulgarex!

 

 

Mike.

Mike, is that worked by one motor or two? If one, what sort of linkage do you use?

[St Enodoc]

     I've managed this with my Pullman and Maunsell stock so far, and plan on expanding it to all stock so fitted with Pullman gangways. It looks infinitely better. On the ends of rakes I've planned to use the 'loop' section of Dinghams and to retain coupling hooks on locomotives so I can have automatic coupling/uncoupling. For freight stock, three-link or, where appropriate, screw-link is the order of the day. This video contains a rather clever idea for three-link couplings, notably a small bar across the top-most link so that is is, in actuality, a two and two-half link coupling, the top 'half' being closed around the coupling hook and providing resistance when running in reverse, similar to how many modellers would place thin-gauge wire over buffers to make the surface area bigger. It's less visually intrusive (of course I'd use finer-scale chain).

 

    The use of a dummy knuckle coupling hadn't occurred to me for the ends of rakes; I'll have to consider that when I get around to fitting scale couplings.

 

- Alexandra

ABS used to do a dropped-head buckeye. Combining the cast buckeye with an etched hook might be possible.

[St Enodoc]

Or diesel or electric. Except classes 33/1, 67, 73, 74, 89, 90 and 91 have buck-eye couplings so would not look wrong. The Deltics were fitted with them but I am not sure they were ever used. Plus a few 350s 0-6-0s where fitted with them to shunt HST coaches about.

I didn't know that Clive. Any pics?

[Wibble]

Mike, is that worked by one motor or two? If one, what sort of linkage do you use?

 

It's an equalising beam (or used to be) under the baseboard operated by 1 motor unit.

 

Scroll to the bottom of this page for more on the switched crossing.

 

http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/project_track.html

[Clive Mortimore]

I didn't know that Clive. Any pics?

Hi John

 

There was a lovely photo of a Deltic at Finsbury Park shed taken from the shed pit looking upwards that showed the buck-eye wonderfully in a BRILL some years ago.

 

The best I can find tonight is this photo of an unnamed St Paddy, the shape can be made out behind the screw coupling. And another, St Paddy again.

 

Only chose St Paddy as it is my most favorite bestest ever Deltic.

[St Enodoc]

Hi John

 

There was a lovely photo of a Deltic at Finsbury Park shed taken from the shed pit looking upwards that showed the buck-eye wonderfully in a BRILL some years ago.

 

The best I can find tonight is this photo of an unnamed St Paddy, the shape can be made out behind the screw coupling. And another, St Paddy again.

 

Only chose St Paddy as it is my most favorite bestest ever Deltic.

Thanks Clive. That's an odd-looking arrangement. I can't work out how the buckeye would get into position to couple to another buckeye, or where you would put the shackle in that event..

Edited June 7, 2018 by St Enodoc

[Enterprisingwestern]

Mike, is that worked by one motor or two? If one, what sort of linkage do you use?

 

 

It's an equalising beam (or used to be) under the baseboard operated by 1 motor unit.

 

Scroll to the bottom of this page for more on the switched crossing.

 

http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/project_track.html

 

It still is, I daren't touch it!!

There are now extra stacked microswitches on the KM powering the turnout that controls the route through the diamond to move it automatically.

Still trying to work out how to operate it all off a DPDT, (not passing contact), switch via CDU though!

 

Mike.

[Lecorbusier]

There is currently quite a debate going on regarding C & L Finescale elsewhere on the forum. Part of this revolves around 00 track standards. Could I ask what track standards little Bytham is built to and does it require re-wheeling of all stock or can RTR happily run on it?

[Tony Wright]

Hi John

 

There was a lovely photo of a Deltic at Finsbury Park shed taken from the shed pit looking upwards that showed the buck-eye wonderfully in a BRILL some years ago.

 

The best I can find tonight is this photo of an unnamed St Paddy, the shape can be made out behind the screw coupling. And another, St Paddy again.

 

Only chose St Paddy as it is my most favorite bestest ever Deltic.

Good morning Clive,

 

Are you sure that's a buckeye behind the shackle, and not just a protection plate for the AWS? I believe the prototype Deltic had a similar thing. 

 

Could I be one of those boys looking at D 9001 in the first picture? February half-term, 1961? I was there!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[westerner]

I know RTR loco s run on it as I have taken mine to Tony's. And I have certainly NOT changed the wheels

Edited June 7, 2018 by westerner

[Lecorbusier]

I know RTR loco s run on it as I have taken mine to Tony's. And I have certainly NOT changed the wheels

I thought that this was the case ... which suggests to me that there is a perfectly good hand built track standard for 00 which looks great and runs impeccably ... should this not be publicised far and wide if there is indeed any confusion on this point. Apologies if people have not been following the debate but it has been suggested that 

 

 

OO  has been bedevilled by never  having had any properly defined wheel and track standards that work.

[Tony Wright]

There is currently quite a debate going on regarding C & L Finescale elsewhere on the forum. Part of this revolves around 00 track standards. Could I ask what track standards little Bytham is built to and does it require re-wheeling of all stock or can RTR happily run on it?

Good morning Tim,

 

LB's scenic-side trackwork is made/laid to OO FS standards. I admit, that's a misnomer, but I think it's understood what's meant.

 

The standard b-t-b is 14.5mm, and all the crossings are made to accommodate this. The wheels which run best through these are Romford/Markits/Jackson. These have a slightly wider tread than Gibsons. 

 

As for RTR OO stock wheelsets, I replace all those supplied by Hornby, Bachmann and whoever else makes out-of-the-box carriages and wagons (though most stock, apart from the Bachmann Mk.1s is kit-built) with Jackson/Markits wheelsets. Though more-recent RTR wheels are far better, it's force of habit! I do the same for steam-outline bogie/pony wheels (though, again, most locos are kit-built). Where I do retain RTR wheels (diesels, steam loco driving wheels and tender wheels), almost without exception I have to increase the b-t-bs - not much, just a tweak. Bachmann's A1/A2 tender wheels have really deep flanges, as does the firm's Austerity. Without replacement, these clatter along the tops of the C&L chairs on the points/crossings. 

 

All the fiddle yard is laid with Peco Code 100 live frog points (altered by me to be 'proper' live frogs where the frog is switched by a separate micro-switch and isolated). These points are the later/latest kind, not the old fashioned 'universal' Code 100, which really was just universally bad. Romford/Jackson/Markits/RTR drivers go through these with absolute ease. Gibsons are not as happy, because of their finer treads (hence my non-use of them, though they're not as concentric or true anyway, in my experience). 

 

The greatest care was taken with the track-laying at every stage. Jigs and gauges were used as required for the scenic-side trackwork (the work of Norman Solomon) and I ensured good running in the fiddle yard by the use of only large-radius points (apart from one or two medium radius in the kick-back sidings), always approaching a facing point by the straightest possible angle and not trying to cram too much in. Why Code 100? Wonderfully robust and reliable (born out through scores of shows with Stoke Summit and Charwelton), but awful to look at. 

 

Does it all work? I'll let visitors decide that, if I may? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited June 7, 2018 by Tony Wright

[grahame]

 

Mike.

Excellent. What a super pic. More please.

 

G

[Michael Edge]

The switched crossings on Carlisle have two Tortoise motors each.

[St Enodoc]

The switched crossings on Carlisle have two Tortoise motors each.

Thanks Mike - so a double slip with switched crossings would have six?????

[Tony Wright]

     I've managed this with my Pullman and Maunsell stock so far, and plan on expanding it to all stock so fitted with Pullman gangways. It looks infinitely better. On the ends of rakes I've planned to use the 'loop' section of Dinghams and to retain coupling hooks on locomotives so I can have automatic coupling/uncoupling. For freight stock, three-link or, where appropriate, screw-link is the order of the day. This video contains a rather clever idea for three-link couplings, notably a small bar across the top-most link so that is is, in actuality, a two and two-half link coupling, the top 'half' being closed around the coupling hook and providing resistance when running in reverse, similar to how many modellers would place thin-gauge wire over buffers to make the surface area bigger. It's less visually intrusive (of course I'd use finer-scale chain).

 

    The use of a dummy knuckle coupling hadn't occurred to me for the ends of rakes; I'll have to consider that when I get around to fitting scale couplings.

 

- Alexandra

Good morning Alexandra,

 

Where a rake runs as fixed (as on Little Bytham), and where it doesn't run into a terminus, the ends can be 'detailed' as much as one likes, because they don't have to 'work, except visually. 

 

The following pictures show how I arrange some of mine...........

 

 

 

 

 

 

The dummy buckeyes are from MJT or Bachmann, the gangway covers from Comet, MJT and Bachmann and the pipes from a variety of sources. 

 

I hope these help. Some have been seen before.

 

Little looks worse to me than the end of a passenger rake, with a gross tension-lock sticking out from the bogie, no gangway cover and no tail lamp!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Edited June 7, 2018 by Tony Wright

[Clive Mortimore]

Thanks Mike - so a double slip with switched crossings would have six?????

Only four are required, one for each tie rod.

[grahame]

I  think it's time to drag things down to the small N/2mm level with some more of my efforts to replicate buildings around London Bridge - although fortunately it is scratch-modelling and in the spirit of the thread. For the latest project I've been trying to make a version of Denmark/Emblem House. It's obviously far from complete ATM and is very compressed (for example two columns of windows are left out) and also much simplified (it's a complex and ornate building).

 

My approach to building construction tends to be by making separate parts (or rather sub-assemblies) which are detailed and painted before being glued together as a kind of easy build kit. Obviously throughout the process I regularly double check the fit of the sub-assemblies but without gluing them in place until ready. And many of the parts are wall panels so until glued in place they are only placed in position and look rather wobbly. Anyway here's how far I've got. First the real thing:

 

 

And now my efforts to replicate it. Hopefully it looks something like it should and has the right atmosphere even if it's not a drop dead exact replica:

 

 

G